Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

#996 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/996

Presented by: Sullivan Fly Rods, On Demark Lodge, Redd's Flies, Smitty’s Fly Box

There are steelhead rivers, and then there is the Dean. From Kimsquit Bay Lodge in British Columbia, mountains drop straight into the salt, with fresh steelhead only minutes from the ocean.

Jeff Hickman, Adrienne Comeau, and Pat Beahen join Jeff Liskay to break down what makes Dean River steelhead fishing so different. They get into the famous canyon, how tides shape the fishing, dry-line and Chinook tactics, and the gear and techniques that make this river unique.

They also talk about something bigger than catching fish: why these wild steelhead deserve respect and what anglers can do to give something back.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/996

Listen to the full Episode 255 here: https://wetflyswing.com/255

Sponsors: Stonefly Nets, Jackson Hole Fly Co, Outpost on the Nush

In this Greatest Hits solo episode, Dave revisits his 2021 conversation with Jeff Liskay and pulls out 11 practical Spey and switch rod tips for Great Lakes steelhead.

Jeff’s system starts with an 11-foot 5-weight switch rod, roughly 330 grains, a short sink tip, a 14- to 18-inch leader, and an unweighted fly. From there, the focus is less on making long casts and more on controlling swing speed, fishing the right water, and keeping the fly in front of cold water steelhead.

Dave breaks down why Jeff fishes higher and dirtier water before the crowds arrive, slows his swing when water temperatures drop into the 30s, and searches the edges before moving toward the middle of the river. You'll also hear why shortening your sink tip can immediately make a struggling Spey cast easier and why presentation matters more than casting across the river.

Jeff also explains why he lets the sink tip control depth instead of adding weight to the fly, why some of his best water is the stuff other anglers walk right through, and when warmer, clearer conditions might even call for skating a dry fly for Great Lakes steelhead.

The episode wraps up with two bigger lessons: separate casting practice from fishing, and don't fish yesterday's water. Migratory fish move, conditions change, and Jeff would rather keep searching new water than become attached to the spot that produced the day before.

If you're getting ready for Great Lakes steelhead season or want to make your switch rod setup simpler this episode gives you 11 tips you can take straight to the river.

#994 Show Notes: https://www.wetflyswing.com/994

Presented by: Stonefly Nets, Drifthook, Togiak River Lodge

English trout fishing offers anglers a different set of rivers, access challenges, hatches, and seasonal opportunities than many famous waters in the American West. Howard Croston shares his experience with English trout fishing, his career with Hardy, competition dry-fly fishing, European grayling, and the equipment being developed for modern anglers.

Show Notes: https://www.wetflyswing.com/994

#993 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/993

Presented by: Golden Fly Shop, FishHound Expeditions, AVC Rig, Redd's Flies

In this episode, Adam explains the hatches, flies, access, water conditions, boat fishing, wading, and presentation skills that matter on West Branch Delaware. He also shares how to recognize feeding rhythms, when to change flies, and why slowing down before the next cast can make a difference.

The West Branch Delaware is one of those rivers where a trout can be holding in a narrow current seam and ignore a fly that passes only an inch or two away. Adam Franceschini has spent 15 spring seasons on the West Branch Delaware, learning how to approach its wild trout and technical dry fly fishing.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/993

#992 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/992

Presented by: Smitty's Fly Box, Togiak River Lodge, Stonefly Nets, Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho

Sponsors: https://www.wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Jan Erik Granbo lives near Trondheim in central Norway, where he has around 40 Atlantic salmon rivers within his region. We dig into everything Atlantic salmong fishing, from the June salmon window and Scandinavian two-handed setups to finding resting fish, planning a Norway trip, and fishing dry flies later in summer.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/992

#991 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/991

Presented by: Moccasin Fly Club

Every destination has a season when the fishing feels just right, and along the Louisiana Coast, clear water, moving tides, and sight fishing are what make Louisiana redfish fly fishing so special.

David Phelps from Southbound Fly Expeditions talks about seasonal redfish movements, changing weather, sight-fishing tactics, casting, flies, and tackle. We also dig into the three-day Louisiana trip we're putting together with Moccasin Fly Club.

You’ll hear how David sets up the fly for different redfish behaviors, why the 20- to 40-foot cast matters more than the 70-foot cast, and the biggest mistake he sees from trout anglers.

#991 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/991

#990 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/990

Presented by: Sullivan Fly Rods, Blue Bonefish Lodge, AVC Rig, Gallatin River Lodge

Bitterroot River fly fishing offers an unusual mix of water, from mountain-stream fishing in the headwaters to wide, technical flats closer to Missoula. Robert Prince spends about 90 percent of his guiding and fishing days on the Bitterroot, and he joins Dave to break down the river's major hatches, dry flies, nymphs, and presentations that help anglers find trout year-round.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/990

Listen to the full episode: https://wetflyswing.com/989

Domenick Swentosky of Troutbitten joins us for one of the most-downloaded Wet Fly Swing episodes of 2020. Dom breaks down a different way to approach streamer fishing, one that borrows heavily from tight-line nymphing. Instead of relying on huge flies and aggressive retrieves, he explains why smaller streamers, precise presentations, and direct contact can be so effective for trout.

We get into Dom's Mono Rig streamer setup, including why he likes a 20-pound Maxima Chameleon butt section, a 10-foot 4-weight, and a two-streamer system that helps him track what's happening below the surface. He also explains how he uses his sighter to judge depth, why he targets small pieces of water around rocks, wood, and banks, and why anglers may be stripping their streamer away from the best holding water too quickly.

Dom also shares one of the most interesting concepts from the episode: streamer head position. You'll hear how he gets his fly facing down and across, why he wants to keep it near structure, and how his “slow slide” presentation gives trout an easier opportunity to eat. If you want to bring more control and precision to your streamer game, this episode gives you a different way to fish them.

#988 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/988

Presented by: Yellowstone Teton Territory, Gallatin River Lodge, Fly Fish With Me Utah, Drifthook

Sponsors: https://www.wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Backcountry fly fishing has a way of simplifying things. When every ounce has to ride on your back, you start figuring out pretty quickly which pieces of fishing gear actually matter and which ones can stay at home.

In this episode, Patrick and Daniel Bauman of Colter Backcountry take us into that world. We dig into ultralight backcountry gear, native trout across the West, wilderness safety, and the lessons they picked up backpacking and fishing far from the road.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/988

#987 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/987

Presented by: No See Um Lodge

Alaska trout fishing changes throughout the season, and Caleb Hitzfeld has spent nearly two decades watching those changes firsthand. In this episode, Caleb explains how salmon fry, insects, mice, eggs, and streamers shape Alaska trout fishing. No See Um Lodge also shares how the lodge's fly-out program gives anglers access to different rivers. The conversation begins with Caleb's journey from Texas to Alaska and eventually to owning No See Um Lodge.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/987