The Orvis Fly-fishing Guide Podcast

This week my guest is David Coggins [42:24], author of the new book The Optimist, A Case for the Fly Fishing Life. David is a traditionalist and I give him some good-natured ribbing about being an anachronism, but David handles it well and tells some great stories as well. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and tips from listeners, including: What is the best way to tie a fly for gar and how do I fish for them? Why did I foul hook two trout in a row on dry flies? What kind of rum do you prefer? A great tip from a listener that rubber soles on wading shoes are far preferable to felt in the snow. A tip from a listener that when urban fly fishing, make sure you look behind you as many people don't know you are flinging a hook through the air. Do I need to worry about my rod and reel in a car-top carrier in the hot Georgia sun? A tip from a listener on using heavier nymph hooks on foam dry flies to keep them from tipping over. A listener asks me my preferences in fly-tying vise brands. A listener

In our campaign to take pressure off our over-stressed trout rivers during this hot, dry summer I figured a great topic would be how to find carp fishing spots. Not every place that holds carp is conducive to fly fishing, but when you find the right spot, you'll find endlessly fascinating opportunities to catch these often difficult gamefish that will test your drag like no other freshwater fish (besides steelhead and salmon). So I enlisted Dan Frasier [46:00] to talk about how to find the best carp spots, when and where to target them, how to present the fly, and how to determine when a carp has eaten your fly. Carp are tough and resilient and you don't need to worry about hurting them, no matter how warm the water temperature. Next to trout, they're the most interesting fish to chase in fresh water and the closest you'll get to saltwater flats fishing without leaving home. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: Do certain trout get acclimated to e

This week we continue our exploration of Trout in Trouble, specifically in Montana. Pat Byorth [52:56], Montana Fish Commissioner [52:56], and I discuss the current decline of brown trout in southwest Montana, what you should do if you fish there during this hot, low-water year, and what the future may hold. He'll give some good advice on being a responsible angler during this tough period. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, comments, and tips, including: Not all Scandinavians hold their rods high when playing fish What can I do to find trout in pools in big rivers? Whay would a trout refuse my size 14 mayfly and then take a stonefly nymph? Why is my back cast dropping? A tip for making copper tungsten beads into matte gray beads with a lighter How do I teach kids how to cast a nymph rig? Why do my Elk Hair Caddis flies only float briefly? What is the best way to renew a dry fly tied with snowshoe rabbit fur? Some tips for a listener who had trouble mending line How often should I fish wi

This week I am delighted to have biologist John McMillan back as my guest. John gives us a detailed view on the affect of water temperature on a trout's metabolism, particularly at the upper end of their safe range. In this summer of low flows and high water temperatures nearly everywhere in North America, it's a critical topic. And as usual, John puts his critical eye on how we, as anglers, can mitigate these effects by changing our fishing behavior. John is never without optimism, and I think you'll enjoy his discussion and learn more about trout biology and how we can be more responsible anglers. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners: Why did my guide tell me to use heavier tippets? Why did she suggest this would put less stress on the fish? A suggestion from a listener on getting an old bamboo rod and refurbishing it to bring one back to life. What is the difference between hen and partridge? How do I know where to find trout streams? What size should I tie my ants

This week I have no guest interview but a ton of questions waiting in the podcast mailbox so I did an all-Fly Box podcast to catch up on questions. By popular demand, I've started to recommend some books on the podcast. This week I recommend my three favorite books on trout biology and natural history. In the long Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners: A tip on putting a four-piece rod together A tip on where to park your rod when landing a fish Can I use my 9-foot, 5-weight rod for saltwater fishing in the Bay area? Do you think we are in danger of interfering with the natural spread of species, for instance by removing musky from lakes that were not there historically but have spread there naturally? Why do I keep breaking off large trout on a 3X tippet? A very generous offer from a listener to pay for a guide trip for a young listener (from a past show) who has taken 60 trips for trout and has not caught one yet. Should I use a sinking or intermediate line for stripers in

This week, my guest is Carolyn Parker of River Run Outfitters in Branson, Missouri [51:39]. Carolyn is a 20-year veteran of guiding tailwaters and a recipient of the Orvis Endorsed Program's Lifetime Achievement Award. Her specialty is fishing tailwaters, and you'll learn a lot about how to deal with fluctuating water levels and how to fish a river that has mostly midges and crustaceans instead of mayflies and caddisflies. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and some long-winded answers, including: Why don't more people use furled leaders? When you say "don't land your fly line on the fish", does that include your leader and tippet? Why do you recommend fishing worm patterns in high, dirty water? How can I land striped bass in the surf? For two-fly rigs under indicators, do most guides prefer the second fly "in-line" or on a separate tag? How do you rank various considerations when picking a fly? When you are on new water and don't know what bugs are around, how do you pick a fly? Is a 9-foot

This week my guest is Neville Crabbe of the Atlantic Salmon Federation [39:13]. He tells us the details of a major project to eradicate smallmouth bass from the famous Miramichi River, one of the most productive salmon rivers in the world. We all love smallmouths, but they don't belong in this river system and were introduced by misguided anglers. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including: How should I fish an emerger? Can I fish it by itself? Any tips on catching grass carp? What's on Tom's bucket list for destinations? Will packets of desiccant gel help keep my fly boxes dry? Will cracks in my fly line change its grain weight? Why do fish keep "bumping" my swung wet flies? Any tips for fighting trout in shallow water? Why do steelhead roll? What is that little ring on the back end of the Chubby Duo Hopper fly? What are the differences between the various trout species? When Tom fishes with guides, does he use his own flies? Will a two-handed rod help my casting when I have tennis elb

My guest this week is Phil Rowley [55:20], author of the just-released book The Orvis Guide to Stillwater Trout Fishing and fellow host for The New Fly Fisher TV show. Phil is a stillwater genius and he helps us untangle the confusion around fly lines for fishing in lakes and ponds, and exactly which lines you need. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including: I have switched from a medium to fast action rod. Should I set the hook differently? How do I fish beaver ponds? Questions about Euro nymphing with a standard 9-foot, 5-weight rod and reel Do brown trout move in and out of bigger, warmer rivers? What is the best way to fish with midges? Will a floating tippet hurt my dry-fly presentation? What is the difference between up-eye, down-eye, and straight-eye hooks? Which dry flies do you apply flotant on? Where can I find good prescription polarized sunglasses? Are lighter wire hooks better for hooking fish on a downstream presentation? Why do fish follow my wet flies and not take them?

This week my guest is George Revel of Lost Coast Outfitters [@50:42], the only fly shop in downtown San Francisco. George is a lifelong fly fisher (he was a tournament caster when he was a teenager) and has intimate knowledge of the best fly-fishing spots in California. Whether you live on the West Coast and are looking for new places to explore, or if you plan a visit to California, this podcast is a must. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including: If you are unsure where the fish are, how long should your drift be and where should you place your fly? I have a 9-foot 5-weight rod and want one other rod to do everything else, from bass to steelhead to salt water. What additional rod should I buy? Why am I foul-hooking so many trout this year? A comment from a listener on why permit systems for our more crowded rivers may be needed. In cold water, will trout feed deeper than four feet? How important is it that my indicator and flies land in the same current? What kind of li

Overcrowding is an issue on many of our more popular trout streams, and there is no easy solution.  This week I join journalist Spencer Durrant [@40:06] to discuss what he sees are solutions to some of the problems, both in finding alternate places to fish and also how to behave if you find yourself on a crowded river.    In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments: Are all gloves bad for handling fish? What section of a river should I fish and what areas of a river should I target at different times of day? Should I always fish a dry with a dropper and can I use this method in fast water? Can I get permission to get a tattoo of Tom on my arm? Are there any significant advantage of a 6-weight rod over a 5-weight? How can someone get into raising poultry for the fly-tying industry? How beat up can a streamer get and still be effective? Any insight in getting a fly-fishing class set up in my school? What do you think about people playing bluetooth speakers on steelhead rivers? How do

My guest this week is Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing Outfitters, an Orvis-endorsed outfitting service and fly shop in Calgary [@52:23]. Josh is a lifelong student of fly fishing and actually did a college-level study on the eye movements of expert fly casters. His findings will open your eyes (no pun intended) to some little tricks that will improve your casting accuracy. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including: Will stocked trout move around after they are initially stocked? How do I keep from losing my droppers when using barbless hooks? Can you give me some tips in fishing for bass in ponds in early season? Where do our fly-tying materials come from? Are they just repackaged products from other industries? How do I keep my rod sections from coming apart? A listener suggestion for books on hatches in east Tennessee from a question on a previous podcast I want to fish for smallmouths in a river and stripers in the ocean. What fly line should I get? What fundamentals go

This week, I have a special guest--the world's foremost authority on the life cycle of cicadas and the most knowledgeable person in the world on techniques for fishing this "hatch". I've had a lot of questions on this topic and I've finally found the person who can answer them [32.53]. In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of very interesting questions, including: Do you think fish decoys will work for attracting trout? Can you tell us about the new electric fly rod coming out of Japan? What is your technique for making a dubbing loop using a Bimini Twist knot? Can I use UV cure epoxy for dry flies? I found a dead possum in the road. Can I use this for dubbing, and how should I prepare the skin? A listener who thinks his tippet material is defective What is the correct way to tie a loop knot? Advice on fishing a couple rivers in Montana A question about swinging flies on New York's Salmon River Is what I have done tenkara fishing? Advice to a gentleman who wants to become a permit guide Are egg patterns

My guest this week is Cheech from Fly Fish Food [@36:00], a highly regarded tier and teacher whose videos are popular with serious fly tiers.  He's an engaging character who knows fly materials inside and out.  We talk fly material substitutions, particularly hook styles, and ramble on all sorts of things related to fly tying.  I hope you find it as fun to listen to as I did to record it.   In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and comments: What do I use for leader formulas? I am used to graphite; what should I expect from a short, delicate glass rod? Can I vary from the 60:20:20 formula if I tie my own leaders? A discussion of brook trout habitat and survival I broke four inches off my old Trident TLS rod.  It's no longer under the 25-year guarantee as my dad bought it in a pawn shop.  Is there any way I can still use it? What is a simple buggy nymph I can tie up, as a novice fly tier? Why is my casting more accurate with my short fiberglass rod than with my longer, heavier graphite rods? Do al

This week my guest is Havard Stubo [@40:23] of Jazz and Fly Fishing. If you have not enjoyed one of their videos, it's a group of jazz musicians who also love fly fishing and decided to make some videos of their exploits. We think their films are quite entertaining and I think you'll appreciate their dry humor as a welcome respite from what you typically see in fly fishing films. Havard talks about fly fishing in Scandanavia, the relationship between jazz music and fly fishing (and tying) and other offbeat topics. In the Fly Box this week, it seems like we have a spate of basic equipment questions, so unless you need some advice on rod, reel, and line selection you may want to skip right to the interview. Some of the questions include: I am interested in a lighter fiberglass rod but I have noticed some manufacturers recommend two lines sizes, like a 3 or 4. Which one should I pick? I want to fish a Depth Charge line down to 20 feet with my 8-weight. Should I get a 250 grain or 300 grain line? If I want to fis

Ever wanted to take a fishing trip to Montana (who doesn't)? For a first trip to the Rockies, generally I suggest people center in the greater Yellowstone area because of the vast amount of public land and great trout streams in that area, which includes portions of Wyoming and Idaho as well as Montana. This week I have enlisted a real expert on that area (not a tourist like me). Joe Moore [@48:55] is a longtime guide and owner of Big Sky Anglers located right in the middle of downtown West Yellowstone. Joe gives us some great tips on timing, tackle, and suggested rivers. Essential knowledge for your post-Covid road trip. Lots of great questions in the Fly Box this week, including: How much backing should I put on my 6-weight reel? Is there such a thing as too much backing? How do I get my significant other into fly fishing? How can I fish for freshwater stripers in deep, murky water? Can I use barbless hooks for bass, pike, and musky? What is the best method for taking water temperatures? How important is it

This week my guest is Henry Cowen [@49:05], author of the new book Fly-Fishing for Freshwater Striped Bass, which is really a complete guide to chasing these great gamefish. They get huge, they often feed in shallow water, and are just about the perfect fish to chase with a fly rod. You'll learn their seasons, how to present your fly, and what tackle and flies you'll need to chase them. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions from listeners, including: How do newer Orvis rods compare to older ones like the All-Rounder? Any tips for casting from a kayak? How do the Orvis Hydros and Pro lines compare? Their tapers look very different What do you think of Bob Wyatt's philosophy on trout in the book What Trout Want? What direction should I cast when fishing streams? Can all bead head patterns be tied with tungsten beads? Why are my head cements too thick? When looking for a new river to fish, what structure should I look for? A tip from a listener that sometimes beaver activity seems to attract tro

In this week's podcast, we'll visit with the dynamic co-founder and president of Western Rivers Conservancy, Sue Doroff [34:50]. Over the past 30 years, Sue and her small, lean staff have protected nearly 400 miles of rivers with names like the Madison, Hoh, Klamath, and John Day--rivers beloved by fly fishers. If you've ever parked at Three Dollar Bridge on the Madison River, you can than the Western Rivers Conservancy for protecting that stretch of river from development and for maintaining public access. Find out about their unique special sauce and how they do this. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners: I know you should keep a fish upstream of you when fighting it. What do you do when fishing downstream? A warning and tip from a listener on the dangers of shelf ice in winter Should I use big articulated streamers like the Drunk & Disorderly for steelhead? Is a 9-foot 8-weight rod a good one for wading the beaches of Florida? I don't want to fish weighted flie

Swing, hit, and miss--why did you not connect with that fish? Did it just miss your fly? Did you strike too soon? Did you strike too late? Or did the fish refuse your fly even though it looked like a take? Dave Jensen and I [@44:47] discuss how you can (maybe) tell why you didn't connect--and it may not always be your fault. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: Why does my 7-foot, 4-weight rod make most things more difficult than my 9-foot, 8-weight rod? Can I use a float tube in a river? I have trouble getting my indicator or dry fly to flaot when fishing double tungsten nymphs. What can I do? Is there one fly rod I can use for trout, bass, and panfish? When fishing with unweighted leeches in a lake, the rainbow trout I catch keep getting off before I land them. What can I do? What are your expectations when you go winter fishing? Are traditional featherwing streamers as effective as more "modern" streamers? How close can I get to stripers breaking on the

When Ernest Hemingway was a kid, he took great pride in catching trout on worms and jerking them out of small streams as quickly as he could. Later in life, he lived near excellent trout fishing in Sun Valley but didn't really like it much. He owned a lot of fly-fishing gear, but it didn't get much use. This week, I interview Hemingway Scholar Paul Hendrickson, author of the terrific book Hemingway's Boat, and we learn some interesting things about the man, including the sad story of why he finally gave up trout fishing for good, and how he influenced how we fight big fish on fly rods today. In the Fly Box this week, we have many interesting questions and tips, including: Am I missing out by not using split shot on my nymph rigs? I spot fish from one angle, and then when I move into better position to fish, I can't see them. What can I do? A tip on setting the hook based on current speed My parachute hackles keep coming out at the tip. What can I do to prevent this? An update from a young man whose parents di

You may not be able to fish without a jacket every day on the Arkansas tailwaters but some day it's a possibility. A nice change at this time of year. I talk with Jamie Rouse of Rouse Fly Fishing [42:53] on what kind of conditions he sees during the winter, what tactics and flies he uses, and how to avoid late-spawning fish. Makes me want to head south. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: What can I do to make the flies I tie float like the ones I buy in the fly shop? Can you recommend any manufacturers of good quality barbless hooks? (Hint--it starts with an O) A tip for twisting chenille and hackle together for making a more durable Woolly Bugger Is it OK to remove a root ball in a river that is causing snags? Is it OK to remove small trees along the bank to get more back-cast room? Is it OK to shuffle downstream and then fish the chum line you create? Can I get a regional fishing license for multiple states? How do you train a dog to not run in the river and spoil the holes? Is ther