There's no NEED to stock your fly box full of hundreds of patterns, all in dozens of different sizes. Sometimes, though, a slightly different fly from what everyone else is using is just the trick to put more -- or larger -- fish in the net. This week on Untangled, you'll learn about 7 underrated fly patterns that we turn to when we need to change things up.

You'll also learn about:

• How to handle long stretches of getting skunked continuously, and how to grow from that
• How to match a fly line to your fly rod, based on what type of fishing you're doing
• Whether you should still fish with flies that don't look "perfect"

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VIDEO - Winter Fly Fishing Master Class - CHECK IT OUT

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80% of a fish's diet is underwater, which means nymphing is a crazy effective way to put fish in the net. So, this week on Untangled, Spencer and Alex share everything they learned while filming their Nymphing Master Class. From insight on why fly pattern doesn't matter, to tips on picking the right strike indicator, you'll leave this episode ready to put all these tips into practice out on the water.

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VIDEO - Nymphing Master Class - CHECK IT OUT

What gear do you ACTUALLY need for fly fishing? And what stuff is just a waste of money? Sure, that fancy reel looks nice, and you'd probably look just like Indiana Jones in that hat. But will that stuff help you put more fish in the net? Or will it just drain your wallet?

This week on Untangled, you'll learn about the gear that Spencer thinks isn't worth the cash, AND you'll get a detailed list of the essential items for your time out on the water.

You'll also learn about:

• Tips for pre-tying leader onto flies to make it easier to rig up on the water
• How to set up a dry-dropper rig so your flies don't have drag
• Advice on fishing with streamers both on the strip and under an indicator

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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Fish, especially trout, really don't care about your fly pattern. Alright, A FEW fish do. The pickiest ones, and every single trout in the Henry's Fork. But most fish care WAY more about how the fly is presented, than whether you picked the exact perfect fly.

This week on Untangled, you'll learn why presentation matters FAR MORE than pattern, and a few tips for perfecting how the fish see your fly.

You'll also learn about:

• How to react when fish start jumping out of the water on lakes, and the rigs for fishing to them
• How to get your flies deep in the water without split shot
• How to cast nymph rigs with split shot on them
• How to find the right depth for nymphing, no matter what river you're fishing

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VIDEO - How to Cast Indicators, Split Shot, and Double Nymph Rigs - CHECK IT OUT

The world of fly fishing with streamers is full of weird terminology, interesting tactics, and new techniques. That makes picking it up, especially as a beginner fly angler, a bit challenging. Here's the truth, though -- streamer fishing is A LOT simpler than it appears. If you can catch fish on dry flies and nymphs, you've already got most of the skills you need!

This week on Untangled, you'll get a crash course in fly fishing with streamers. From casting to setting the hook, you'll end the show ready to hit the water with confidence!

You'll also learn about:

• Why you should upgrade your fly rod as quickly as you can afford to
• Why your flies suddenly stop catching fish on certain pieces of water
• Tips for successfully fighting larger fish in rivers

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You've picked a great fly, found some wonderful water, and made tons of good drifts through fishy-looking water. Everything is coming together -- except for the whole catching fish thing. So, what do you do on days like this, when NOTHING you do makes the fish notice your flies? When the fishing sucks, what's the play? Well, this week on Untangled, you'll learn how Spencer and Alex approach these tough days, and tips you can use the next time the river throws you a curveball.

You'll also learn about:

• VFC's new 6-weight fly rod release, and other products in the pipeline
• Why we have so many different imitations of the same bug, and the value of using different flies
• How to decide which fishing technique (dries, streamers, nymphs) to use on any given day
• Tips for cold-weather fishing
• Tying your own leaders
• A few tips for fishing streamers in late fall and early winter

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Dropping the money on a guided fly fishing trip is a serious commitment - but with the right planning, you can get the most out of your time (and money) spent on the water! Getting the msot out of a guided fishing trip really comes down to communication -- both with the guide, and yourself. This week on Untangled, Spencer (a former guide and outfitter) walks you through how to have an incredible experience with your guides!

You'll also learn about:

• How to effectively set up and fish a double-dry fly rig
• What to do when your dropper nymph is pulling your dry fly underwater, but you want a small dry fly up top in your dry-dropper rig
• Why you need wading boots, and what features to look for when buying them
• The situations when you need to keep fly line off the water completely
• How and when to use strike indicators

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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If you've spent most of your time fishing on small streams, making the jump to fishing bigger rivers can be intimidating. Where do you cast? Where are the fish holding? And do they still eat the same flies they do in small streams?

This week on Untangled, we'll answer all those questions, and more, as you learn the 5 key tips for fishing big rivers.

You'll also learn about:

• Why you can't use a 7 or 8-weight rod for small stream fishing with dry flies
• How to keep fish from getting off when you're using barbless hooks
• How to use woolly buggers underneath indicators to mimic crawdads, leeches, and other common fish food

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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After a long day of fishing, when the trout refused EVERY fly you threw at them, how often have you gone home and looked up some information about the best flies to use during a certain time of year? And when you've done that, have you ever thought, "Well, this is all interesting, but how much does it apply to MY local river?"

Well, the short answer is, probably a lot. The longer answer is that as you learn to identify bug trends and aquatic insects, you'll dramatically level up your fly fishing skills.

So, this week on Untangled, we're breaking down fly selection into its basic parts, so you can learn how to pick the right fly the next time you're on the water.

You'll also learn about:

• Why tapered leaders are the ideal choice for nymphing
• Why you might start out a day catching fish, only to quickly stop catching them for the rest of your time on the water
• The impact that cloud cover has on fly selection and fly color choices

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How do you become a "great" fly angler? And what makes an angler "great" anyways? In this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer and Alex chat about the one trait all the best anglers they know have in common, and how you can set realistic goals to help you achieve your own level of greatness in fly fishing.

You'll also learn about:

• How to cast flies in the wind
• Whether the color of clothes you wear on the water impacts how many fish you catch
• How to plan fishing trips to places you've never been, and when you have a limited time to go fishing

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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VIDEO - Find New Places to Fly Fish - WATCH IT NOW