The Orvis Fly-fishing Guide Podcast

[Interview starts at 36:56] Sooner or later, if you fish a lot you WILL develop issues with your elbows or shoulders.  And it's not just us old geezers who suffer from these--I often meet much younger anglers with the same problems.  Anita Coulton is both a fishing guide for Crosscurrent Guide Service and a physical therapist, so she is intimately familiar with the issues we face, how to help prevent them, and how to fix them when they occur.  If you have ever had these problems, or if you just want to know how to keep your upper body in shape for fishing I think you'll benefit from the podcast.   In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:   How do I slim down my fly selection for small-stream fishing? What is the best way to fish crayfish patterns? A question about trout feeding times in relation to season and sunlight I want to catch trout but have only been bass fishing.  What fly line should I get? Should I get a 6-weight or 7-weight rod for smallmouth bass? I fish a r

Interview starts at 32:13 We’ve done a bit with trout Spey on the podcast, but never one specifically on flies for trout Spey.  Luckily, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, who produces the best fly tying videos, has become a trout Spey addict and in the podcast he talks about tactics and tying special patterns for Trout Spey. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following tips and questions: When king salmon move into a pool, do they push the resident trout around? During high water, do trout swim around a lot? A great tip on tilting your head for better glare reduction with polarized lenses Are long-shank hooks a good or bad idea for pike fishing? Why aren’t there more white trout flies? Why is it tough to catch trout in the Northeast during the winter? What advantages does a 10-foot 8-weight H3 rod offer over a 9-footer? I have heard that a heavier rod helps you land bigger fish.  Won’t a lighter rod offer better tippet protection? Is there one line that will work for both Lake Texacoma and Gulf Coast

This week I interview the great George Daniel (interview starts at 48:40), who you will see soon in the new installments of the Orvis TV show.  The show I did with him, on Euro Nymphing basics, should be premiered sometime in May.  But until then, George discusses the pros and cons of using straight monofilament vs. and actual fly line for Euro Nymphing—both have their advantages and George gives us some good guidance on their use, as well as other tips on this deadly method of fly fishing borrowed from competition anglers.  We also get sidetracked on the future of fly fishing and how both of us view the participation of younger anglers today.   In this Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions: I am taking a six-day backpacking trip into the Appalachians.  How much water should I expect to cover in a day of fishing? How do I combat the “old boy” network in fly fishing? What strategies do you recommend for carp in a small lake? What does “web” refer to in fly tying, and what is schlappen? Do you

Interview starts at 41:08 New York State’s Salmon River—you either love it or hate it, and some of us love and hate it at the same time.  It’s an amazing resource, with large quantities of high-quality fish that are often chrome-bright and every bit as hot as their ocean-going relatives.  It’s a beautiful river.  It’s got great water for swinging flies.  And then there’s the tough news.  A river this productive will draw crowds, and some of them are not as well-behaved as most of us would like.  But you can get away from crowds on this river, and Matt Ertzinger,  veteran guide with Tailwater Lodge, shares his secrets on when to fish the river, how to avoid crowds, and what flies and tackle to use.  Is it worth the trip?  This podcast may help you decide.   In the Fly Box this week, we have the following tips and questions: Should I feel dirty about using Squirmies and similar flies? What rod can I use for bass in Mississippi and trout in Arkansas? Are there scuds and sowbugs in Eastern rivers? What advantage

This week we talk about Project Healing Waters and the amazing things it has done for veterans with both physical and mental issues due to their service.  Over 8,000 veterans have been introduced to the healing properties of nature and fly fishing in this program, with hundreds of chapters throughout the country and thousands of volunteers.  Todd Desgrosseilliers, decorated Marine veteran and a beneficiary of this program personally, is now the president of Project Healing Waters and he talks frankly about his experiences as a participant and then as an administrator.  Learn about the program and how you can get involved, whether you are a veteran in need of healing or as a possible volunteer.   In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips: What effects on fishing will the Australian wildfires have? If I see a lot of tiny black stoneflies in the water, does that mean I should be fishing imitations of them? A great additional suggestion on the benefits of a rotary fly-tying vise A stream

Interview starts at 51:28 This week’s podcast is a spirited discussion with Dr. Andy Danylchuk, Professor of Fish Conservation at UMass Amherst, Science Advisor for Keep Fish Wet (www.keepemwet.org) and Research Fellow for Bonefish Tarpon Trust. My question to Andy was about the effectiveness of catch-and-release as a conservation tool, and as always when talking with a scientist it depends on your definitions. Like “What is conservation?” and predictably that varies with a person’s values and experiences. I thought it was a thought-provoking conversation and hope you do was well. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: How do you put the hackle on a Stimulator? What’s the best way to be ready for smaller cutthroats or big bull trout at the same time? How can I maximize my success when fishing with my 4-year-old? How can I plan  trip to fish the Rocky Mountains? Why do I keep losing fish? Where do natural fly tying materials come from? What is the best way to cast big streamers or nymph r

Interview segment begins at 43:02 I get regular and frequent questions on the differences between nylon and fluorocarbon tippet—when and where to use them, appropriate knots, special properties, and shelf life.  I used to be involved in the development process of tippet and have visit many places where tippet is made.  But that was years ago and a lot of progress has been made since my time in product development.  So I invited Josh Jenkins, R&D manager at Scientific Anglers, to talk about recent innovations in tippet material.  Josh is intimately involved in the development and testing of tippet for both Orvis and Scientific Anglers, and his knowledge is far greater that mine.  I think you’ll learn some surprising tips on both tippet material construction and knots because I learned a lot in speaking with Josh. The Fly Box this week is a little different.  This one was recorded live at The Fly Fishing Show in Edison New Jersey.  Rather than telling you what kinds of questions were asked (none of which w

Being a camera gear geek, I was delighted to interview Chris Niccolls  (interview starts at 47:16) of DP Review TV. (If you are also a camera geek, you probably read DP Review regularly.) Chis is a photography teacher as well as a video star, has worked in camera shops, and currently works in a fly shop in Calgary. In the interview, he gives some fantastic tips on how to take better fish and fishing pictures in both the video and still formats. He also suggests some brands and models of phones, cameras, and drones that he feels are best suited for fishing photography.  I know I learned a whole mess of new tricks for taking better fishing pictures, and I am sure you will, too. In the Fly Box, we cover plenty of topics that may help answer questions you have had about fly fishing: Should I get a 6½-foot or 7½-foot rod for small streams?  What weight line is best, and should I get a Double Taper or Weight Forward line? Do you carry a small seine with you when trout fishing? How many wind knots should I expect i

I get frequent requests for suggestions on what fly-fishing literature to read during these long winter nights when you want to enjoy fly fishing but don’t want to snuggle up to something lighter.  I invited David Van Wie (interview starts at 45:10), author of the recently published book Storied Waters—subtitled “35 Fabled Fly Fishing Destinations and the Writers and Artists Who Made The Famous”—to share with me his favorite writers and books.  It is pretty much an eastern-oriented tour of these books, but don’t worry.  I have an idea for someone to do a similar podcast on western North America writers on a future podcast so stay tuned.  In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions from listeners—and one who slapped my hands: A listener who took me to task for encouraging another listener to try to introduce mayflies from one watershed into another.  Shame on me.  I didn’t think about also transferring other unwanted critters and I should have known better Can I use the same nymphs

Tired of crowded trout streams?  Looking for a new fish to catch on a fly rod that will give you a tussle and challenge your skills?  Look no further than the white bass, which is a common fish in many parts of the US, from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi drainage and has even been introduced into some western lakes.  My friend Jim Weatherwax is a white bass fanatic (he also fishes for wipers in the same waters, which are a freshwater sterile hybrid of a white bass and a striped bass) and offers solid advice on where to find these great fish, what tackle to use, and best techniques to catch them.  Warmwater fish like this are great ways to spread out the fishing pressure that we all experience from time to time.   We have a long fly box this week, with lots of interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: What does it mean when a fly rod is rated for more than one line size, like 5/6? Should I use a full fluorocarbon leader when fishing with indicators? A suggestion on looking for blue cheeks

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Orvis Executive Chairman of the Board, Perk Perkins, who spends a great deal of time chasing fish on saltwater flats and is one of the best technical anglers I know. Perk and I share a fascination for barracuda. They are one of the most exciting fish you can catch on the flats, but are often ignored in favor of bonefish, permit, and tarpon. But cudas offer one of the most explosive strikes in fly fishing, run and jump like maniacs, and are often on the flats when other species are hard to find. You just need to modify your leader and your technique a bit to catch them, and Perk shares some tips on cudas that run contrary to popular conceptions—including the idea that faster is not always better on your retrieve, and that small, slim flies can work as well as bulkier flies designed for barracuda. In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of questions and tips shared by listeners, including: A recommendation for a reliable carp fly A question about putting a

This week I have another podcast with John McMillan, as I have to confess I love talking to John about fishy stuff.  His knowledge and enthusiasm and passion are infectious and I think his interviews are always enlightening.  This week we talk about The Colors of Trout—can we tell anything from the coloration of trout about their life history?  Is there a good way to tell a hatchery form a wild fish?  What does it mean when trout carry parr marks into adulthood?  How quickly can trout change their coloration?  And are the spot patterns on trout like fingerprints?  Warning—we come up with more questions than answers and you may as well.   In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: A way to get a dropper off a surgeon’s knot to stand at 90 degrees to the tippet A suggestion for an all-around rod for bass and Great Lakes steelhead How to carry a sinking line without lugging around a second rod Can I add 4X tippet to a 5X leader? What is the best way to dispose of tippet clippings? What is the d

There's no such thing as streamer season. That’s the rallying cry of Courtney Despos, director of education and guide for Trouts Fly Fishing in Denver.  Courtney is a self-professed streamer fanatic and she fishes them all season long, even in the dead of winter when most people are dragging nymphs along the bottom.  Courtney shares her tips on winter streamer fishing, showing us how you can be successful fishing these flies all year long—as well as her tips for keeping warm when winter fishing. In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual mashup of questions that range all over the place, including: When I am fishing a hopper/scud combination, why do I have trouble hooking fish on the hopper even though the trout appear to be taking it? A past fan of very fast rods details why she now enjoys rods with a more moderate action. A listener gives a detailed plan for killing carpet beetles in fly-tying materials Has anyone ever made a fly rod out of aluminum? When is the second season of the Orvis TV show going to

This week I interview one of my fly-fishing heroes, Joe Humphreys.  He’s been an innovative angler all his life (he was “Euro nymphing” before the Europeans) but even more impressive is his love of life and fly fishing, and his energy on the river in his ninth decade.  Joe talks about hot to stay young on the river, how to fish nymphs at night, and about the inspirational new film about his life called Live The Stream: The Story of Joe Humphrey.  It’s now available own and rent on the iTunes Store:  or Go to www.livethestreamfilm.com to buy the film on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and more platforms including: Prime Video, Google Play, Vimeo, and Youtube.  I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the fly-fishing world and its history and traditions—and who wants to learn how to retain the enthusiasm of a 12-year old on the water.   Here are the important links:   Buy the film on LTS site: www.livethestreamfilm.com Buy/Rent on iTunes: https://apple.co/2Iw0fQj Nomadic Studio: www.thenomadic.com   In

This week I had a couple guests lined up but we had to reschedule, and because I have not done a new podcast in a few weeks because of my travel schedule I decided to tell a story. It’s from a magazine piece I did a number of years ago for the now-defunct magazine Fly Rod & Reel, and I have been toying with the idea of doing an audio book of my magazine stories over the years so I’m trying this to test the concept. The name of the story is “Creeped Out in Lordville” and it’s about all the decisions we have to make in the prime part of the season when fishing is good almost anywhere. It’s a departure from the usual podcast format of nuts-and-bolts advice so I hope you enjoy it. And not to fear, there is still a Fly Box section where I do offer advice on simple technique and tackle questions if that’s the kind of stuff you’re looking for. In the Fly Box this week, we have the questions and suggestions from readers: Some great professional advice on that recurring theme of lower back pain while fly fishing W

In today's podcast my guest is Shawn Combs, head of Orvis Rod & Tackle product development and Orvis rod and reel designer.  The topic is "16 Things I Wish I Knew About Trout Spey Before I Started".  If you have been thinking about trying to swing wet flies or small streamers for trout with a two-handed rod, also known as "Micro Spey", this will be a valuable lesson for you.  These are light two-handed rods, in line sizes 3 and 4, designed for covering larger waters.  It's especially effective in the fall, when trout are getting aggressive as the move into winter and brown and brook trout are migrating to their spawning grounds.  It's a fun and for many of us a new way to fish for trout.  In the Fly Box this week, here are some of the questions and suggestions from listeners: I know there are large trout in my river.  What kind of water do I look for and what else should I keep in mind when targeting these larger fish? I have been setting the hook on smallmouth bass by sweeping my rod parallel to the wa

This week my guest is noted steelhead angler and scientist John McMillen of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. John’s topic is The Secret Life of Steelhead, and his fascinating discussion of why they do what they do (and the challenges they face) held me in absolute fascination. I am sure you’ll feel the same. Besides being a lifelong steelhead angler (John was a tester on our new Mission Series of two-handed rods), john has spent hundreds of days snorkeling steelhead rivers observing them, and at one time he was fishing about 345 days a year. John has worked professionally for the US Forest Service, the Hoh Indian Tribe, the Wild Salmon Center, and recently for NOAA on the Elwha dam removal project. Despite his lifetime of studying the life history and ecology of steelhead, John remains an optimist on the future of steelhead and it gives us hope that someone who understands them so well feels they have a chance of survival. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and suggestions from listeners: How to

This week, my guest is Orvis COO Simon Perkins, a lifelong fly fisher with 8 years of full-time guiding experience prior to working for Orvis. The subject is “Seek the Inside”, getting detailed about reading the water in a place that many anglers ignore—and one of the best places to find trout. Learn how to find these inside places and how to fish them from a highly experienced guide and fly fisher—and a great story teller. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: How do I keep my fine scissors sharp? What should I avoid cutting with them? I have an 8 ½ foot 5 weight Encounter rod and need something bigger as well. What weight rod should I think of for my next one? A great tip on how to relieve lower back pain when fishing all day. Why don’t we have wild rainbow trout in more streams if they are so easy to grow in a hatchery? What is causing my leader to twist when fishing with a dry dropper? What are some good fly patterns to tie for panfish, ones that are easy for a beginner to tie? What

This week’s podcast is called “Secrets of Lake Erie Steelhead Tributaries” and my guest expert is Alberto Rey, a longtime Orvis-Endorsed Guide and is also Distinguished Professor for Research and Creative Activity in the State University of New York system. He is a fine artist who specializes in Cuban-influenced scenes and such esoteric subjects as steelhead and extinct birds. Alberto also does some fine work with a youth fly-fishing program. Despite all his interests and activities days on the river with him are surrounded by an aura of calm and he’s a wonderful person to share a day with on the river. In the podcast he gives us tips on seasons, fly patterns, techniques, and tackle needed to chase steelhead in the eastern portion of Steelhead Alley—although steelhead anglers will learn tips they can use on smaller rivers anywhere steelhead are found. In the Fly Box this week we tackle the usual array of both advanced and basic questions including: What retrieve should I use when saltwater fly fishing? I trie

I frequently get questions about Stillwater trout fishing, and although I love it I am not very good at it. So I enlisted one of the best Stillwater teachers I know, Phil Rowley, and asked him to discuss something more advanced that relates to Stillwater trout fishing. The result is a very detailed discussion of fishing nymphs, especially midge imitations, on a very long leader. With this technique you can fish surprisingly deep—if you are patient! In the Fly Box this week we have the following questions: Is there any value in underlining a fly rod? How do I get foul odors out of my waders? How do I target stripers and smallmouth when the water is over 70 degrees and trout are also present? What is your go-to technique in a trout stream if you don’t see anything feeding? If you could only select one sequence, would you pick odd or even sizes of fly rods? My lower back is killing me after a long day of fishing. What can I do to alleviate this problem? How do I approach a stretch of river with deep pools and vi