#864 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/864

Presented By: Drifthook Fly Fishing, San Juan Rodworks, On DeMark Lodge, Montana Fly Fishing Lodge

Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Stillwater trout don't always eat because they're hungry — and that's where many anglers get stuck. In this solo episode of the Littoral Zone Podcast, Phil Rowley breaks down the power of attraction and explains why trout often strike flies for reasons that have nothing to do with feeding. When matching the hatch fails, attractor patterns can trigger responses rooted in curiosity, aggression, and territorial instinct.

Drawing from decades of stillwater experience, Phil explores when and why attractor flies work, how to fish them responsibly, and which patterns consistently provoke strikes from otherwise inactive trout. From blobs and boobies to FABs, worms, and exaggerated chironomids, this episode reframes how anglers should think about fly choice, presentation, and trout behavior in lakes.

#864 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/864

863 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/863

Presented by: Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho

If you're trying to figure out where you can find giant stoneflies in July, chase technical midge eaters in March, and explore private spring creeks, all while staying in a five-star lodge that's not priced like Jackson Hole, this episode shows you exactly where that place exists.

Today we're heading into Swan Valley, right in the heart of one of the most epic fishing zones in the West, with John and Liz Douville, owners of River Retreat Lodge. We dig into how they ended up buying a lodge in the middle of COVID, why March might actually be one of the best fishing months of the year, and how this area quietly sits at the crossroads of the South Fork, spring creeks, big wildlife, and wide-open country. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/863

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/862

Sponsors: TroutRoutes, Fish The Fly, and Smitty's Fly Box.

Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

There's a certain kind of fly fishing knowledge you don't get from a quick scroll or a gear review. You get it from someone who's been there when the "new" stuff was being invented, watched it cycle back around, and saved the paper trail along the way. That's what this conversation with Jim Adams felt like: a walk through the hidden world of fly-fishing collectibles, rare books, and the history behind the gear we all obsess over.

Jim's story starts way back in 1943, tying his first fly at nine years old, and stretches through Florida Keys tarpon on bamboo, world travel, Alaska salmon research, and a lifetime of collecting and selling some of the rarest angling books and tackle out there. If you've ever wondered what makes a bamboo rod truly collectible, why some reels hit five figures, or how fly fishing keeps reinventing itself, this one's for you.

#861 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/861

Presented By: Togiak River Lodge

Grant Wooldridge carries one of the most influential river-boating legacies in the West. As the great-grandson of Glen Wooldridge, who grew up on the Rogue River and helped pioneer early river boat innovation, Grant brings a family perspective shaped by generations of river travel and experimentation. While Grant was raised in Washington, the Rogue River stories and lessons passed down through his family remain central to the Wooldridge Boats legacy.

We dig into early wooden boats, the evolution of jet technology, and why Wooldridge Boats continues to balance innovation with durability and safety. From historic Rogue River runs to modern materials testing and restoration work, this conversation is about respecting river history while building boats designed for the future.

#861 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/861

860 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/860

Presented by: Intrepid Camp Gear, Togiak River Lodge, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Patagonia

Today, I sat down with Marcus Bohlin of Nam Products to talk through the things Scandinavian anglers think about differently. Rod length. True line weight. Leader diameter. Presentation. We get into why a 14-foot 7-weight can actually feel easier to fish on rivers like the Deschutes, how Baltic salmon behave compared to Atlantic salmon and steelhead, and why Sweden keeps coming up as a place more anglers should be paying attention to.

We also dig into Nám's leaders, why six-piece two-hand rods make more sense than most people expect, and how line choice matters less in some situations and more in others. This one reshaped how I think about modern spey gear and where it really comes from. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/860

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/859

Presented By: Mountain Waters Resort, San Juan Rodworks, Montana Fly Fishing Lodge

Tellis Katsogiannos has spent decades at the highest level of fly casting, earning world champion titles while helping shape how modern anglers think about efficiency, control, and simplicity. In this episode, Tellis shares how competitive casting sharpened his understanding of techniques, and how those lessons translate directly to real fishing situations.

We also head to Sweden and Atlantic salmon water, where Scandi systems and Spey-style thinking demand precision over power. From line design at Guideline to teaching anglers how to improve without overthinking, this conversation connects elite casting, salmon culture, and innovation into one clear framework for better fly fishing.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/859

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/858

Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Fly fishing has a way of pulling you back when you need it most. And for Mike O'Brien, those quiet hours on the water turned into a full-on career shift, from financial services to guiding full-time in Utah.

In this episode, we dig into what makes Utah such a sleeper fly fishing destination, why the Provo River is a legit year-round option, and the small tweaks that can turn a slow day into a "how is this even legal" kind of day. We also break down Mike's go-to winter and shoulder-season setup: the bounce rig.

If you've ever felt like you're "doing everything right" but the trout still aren't eating, Mike lays out exactly where to look, what to adjust, and how to slow things down enough to get the takes.

#858 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/858

Presented by: Patagonia, Four Wheel Campers, Togiak River Lodge, Drifthook Fly Fishing

Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Josiah shares how subsistence fishing, military service, and conservation work brought him back home to build Bucks and Bones — a guiding program grounded in Hawaiian tradition, ecological responsibility, and world-class sight-fishing for big Hawaiian bonefish.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/858

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/857

Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Most anglers think they know Montana trout fishing until they stumble into the rivers nobody's talking about. No shuttle lines. No shoulder-to-shoulder boats. No mid-summer hoot owl closures shutting things down. Just cold water spilling off nearly 13,000-foot peaks and trout that still behave like trout.

That's exactly what we're digging into on this episode of the Wet Fly Swing Podcast. I sat down with Lincoln Power of Montana Fly Fishing Lodge to talk about a pocket of Montana that still fishes like the old days. Freestones, spring creeks, migrating browns and rainbows, and a lodge experience that goes way beyond the water.

If you've ever wondered what Montana looked like before the crowds, this one's for you.

856 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/856B

Presented by: Pescador on the Fly

A fly rod that disappears in your pack but still fishes like your everyday rod sounds like a stretch. In this episode, we dig into why that idea actually works and why more anglers are turning to six-piece rods for travel, backup, and even daily use.

Jeff Ditsworth, founder of Pescador on the Fly, joins the show to break down how he rebuilt his rod lineup from the ground up. We talk about better blanks, tighter tolerances, and a new factory producing six-piece rods that feel just as smooth as a four-piece.

Jeff also shares stories from a recent trip to Austria, chasing wild brown trout in alpine creeks with a local guide who also happens to be the fish police.

If you travel with a carry-on, hike into water, or want a backup rod that doesn't feel like a compromise, this episode shows how six-piece fly rods fit into real fishing—from home waters to fly fishing in Austria. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/856B