Have you ever heard of "trash" or "junk" flies, and wondered what the heck they are? If a fly is considered "trash," should you even be using it?

Well, here's the thing: these so-called trash flies FLAT-OUT CATCH FISH! 

Seriously, these trash flies are some of the most effective patterns out there! And in this episode of Untangled, Spencer walks you through what trash flies imitation, why they're controversial, how to fish them, and why they deserve a spot in your fly box. 

You'll also learn about: 

• Tippet rings (FINALLY!) 
• The importance of fishing multiple types of water to improve your skills
• Spencer's process of selecting flies for a dry-dropper rig
• The reason we add tippet to leaders 
• Suggestions for a guide looking to outfit his boat for his first guide season 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Catching trout is often the focus of most fly fishing media. But not all of us live near great trout fishing! You might live next to a farm pond full of panfish, or on the coast near striped bass. So, all the trout-centric fly fishing content can get kinda old. Here's what most folks don't immediately understand, though -- the skills you need for trout fishing overlap with the skills you need for almost every other fish! 

Bonefish, bass, tarpon, roosterfish, taimen, musky, pike -- these are all vastly different from trout, but they still require a good knowledge of fly presentation, fly selection, casting, and reading water. Those are foundational skills you need no matter what you're fishing for! 

On this episode of Untangled, Spencer walks you through how trout fishing can overlap with all sorts of other species, and gives you concrete examples of what that looks like. You'll also learn about: 

• Building your own leaders
• The most versatile fly rod OTHER than a 9' 5-weight
• How to cast after making a LONG drift through a good run

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Right Fly eBook - CHECK IT OUT

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Fly Fishing Knots - WATCH HERE

VIDEO - Wildfly Smallmouth Film - WATCH HERE

Have you ever wanted to go fly fishing in some incredible place, but you're unsure if you'll ever be able to afford it? I mean, with how expensive eggs are, traveling to fish is just out of the question - right? 

Not necessarily. If you're willing to make a few compromises, you can have an AMAZING fly fishing trip for relatively cheap. In this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through the process he uses to plan fishing trips, including a half-dozen trips to Alaska while he was still either in college, or teaching high schoolo English. 

You'll also learn about: 

• Tying on a dry fly to act as an "indicator" in a two-dry rig
• Some tips for mending more effectively
• Spencer's process for applying floatant to dry flies
• Whether your dry-dropper rig needs to be two flies of the same species (a caddis dry and nymph, for example) 
• How to match your leader/tippet size to your flies 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Fly Fishing in Alaska!  - WATCH HERE

GEAR - VFC Fly Collections - CHECK THEM OUT

VIDEO - How to Mend Fly Line - WATCH HERE

We all dream of catching a fish that we'll never forget. You know the kind - a big one, or one that required a crazy cast, or maybe just one that surprised you. Often, these unforgettable fish are what keep us coming back to the river. But what exactly makes some fish stand out more than others? 

In this episode of Untangled, you'll hear five stories about fish that Spencer hasn't forgotten. From those five fish, Spencer put together a step-by-step guide to help you make your own unforgettable fishing memories. 

You'll also learn about: 

• Wader and boot recommendations
• How often you should change your flies
• The differences between 5 and 6wt rods 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Have you ever wondered WHY a fish rejects your fly? Well, we know that presentation matters, but is there something about the fly itself that makes a trout decide to eat - or reject it entirely? 

Well, you can find some answers to those questions when you look at exactly how trout see your flies. Their vision is great, but not without its faults. Understanding how trout view the world will give you more tools with which you can better fool fish. In this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through the science behind how fish see your flies, what actually triggers them to eat, AND how this information can directly put more fish in your net. 

You'll also learn about: 

• How cold is too cold for fly fishing
• Do trout flies work everywhere, or are some patterns specific to certain regions?
• What a nymph is, and what it imitates 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

GEAR - VFC Fly Collections - CHECK THEM OUT

ARTICLE - How Trout See - CHECK IT OUT

ARTICLE - How Trout See Pt. 2 - CHECK IT OUT

ARTICLE - Does Fly Color Matter? - CHECK IT OUT

ARTICLE - Unmatching the Hatch - CHECK IT OUT

ARTICLE - About That Hook: What Do Trout See? - CHECK IT OUT

We spend A TON of time talking about dry flies, nymphs, and streamers. But there's another type of fly out there that doesn't get enough love. This fly is supposedly the easiest to use, AND it's the favorite of some of the world's best anglers. 

I'm talking about wet flies, or soft hackles (they're the same thing). 

In this episode of Untangled, you'll learn what soft hackles are, what they imitate, why you'd want use them, and how to fish them. This is another trick you can add to your skillset to help you put more fish in the net!

You'll also learn about: 

• How to get good drifts across large, deep pools with multiple currents
• The differences between a 9' 4-weight and 9' 5-weight
• How to cast strike indicators
• The best strike indicators for mountain streams

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - How to Swing Wet Flies - CHECK IT OUT

VIDEO - Soft Hackle Fly Fishing - CHECK IT OUT

VIDEO - How to Make a Reach Cast - CHECK IT OUT

PICTURE - Isaiah's Brown Trout - CHECK IT OUT

Have you ever been told that you HAVE to get a perfect, drag-free drift if you want to catch fish on dry flies? What about the need to keep your rod tip sky-high when you're fighting a fish? Or that you'll catch big fish if you're using big flies? 

These may sound like they're rules, but there are actually NO RULES in fly fishing. There are only guidelines, and just a few at that. 

On this episode of Untangled, you'll learn about some of the "rules" in fly fishing, and WHY and WHEN you should break them. 

You'll also learn about: 

• Fishing for fish other than trout on a fly rod
• How sunscreen impacts trout, and what sunscreen you should use
• Some insight about spring creeks and freestone streams
• What to do when fish swallow your flies 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

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RESOURCE - Scientific Paper about Sunscreen and Fish - CHECK IT OUT

PICTURE - Brian's Creek - CHECK IT OUT

What fly fishing skills will ACTUALLY move the needle and make you a better angler? Well, if you asked 5 different anglers, you'd probably get 20 different answers! And trying to master 20 new skills in a single year sounds like too much for it to be of any use. 

On today's episode of Untangled, Spencer will share the 5 skills that have made the biggest difference in his own fishing. These are things he's still working on, and they're aspects of the sport that ALL of us can learn and improve on. 

You'll also learn about: 

• How to interpret CFS data
• How much wind is too much for fly fishing, and what it feels like
• Setting your drag for different fish fighting situations
• How to properly position your strike indicator 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Pocket Rigs Guide - CHECK IT OUT

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Fly Selection Masterclass - WATCH HERE

ARTICLE - A Gut Check on Accuracy - CHECK IT OUT

VIDEO - Positioning Your Strike Indicator - WATCH HERE

PICTURE - Jon's Apache Trout - CHECK IT OUT

What flies are go-to patterns for winter fly fishing? And how do you know which flies you should be fishing in winter, anyways? On today's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through which aquatic insects are most active in the winter, the flies we use to mimic them, and a few tips for how to fish them. This list of the 12 best winter fly fishing flies will have you set to start catching trout and bass! 

You'll also learn about: 

• Why you need wading boots, and advice on buying them
• Why Crocs aren't ideal wading footwear
• How to size your strike indicator when fishing with nymphs
• Spencer's recommendation for pants to wear during winter fly fishing
• Why trout jump all the way out of the water to eat different bugs 

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

Get the FREE Right Fly eBook - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Fly Selection Masterclass - CHECK IT OUT

PICTURE - AJ's #LiveReelLife Moment - CHECK IT OUT

When the fish are eating everything EXCEPT your fly, what do you do? How do you save yourself from getting skunked? Well, there's a simple process you can use to troubleshoot your way out of a bad day on the water. On today's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through the five steps that will almost always help you put a fish in the net. 

You'll also learn about: 

• Tips for setting the hook when fishing with dry flies
• Why a dry-dropper rig is so versatile
• Your main goal as a fly angler
• How to find active bugs so you can pick the right fly

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Right Fly eBook - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - How to Pick the Right Fly - WATCH HERE

PICTURE - Nate's #LiveReelLife Moment - CHECK IT OUT