The Orvis Fly-fishing Guide Podcast

I'm always confused by the science and physics of tides and how they vary and how they influence fish in salt water.  So I went right to the best source I know on all things saltwater related--Dr. Aaron Adams, director of Bonefish Tarpon Trust and one of my favorite fishing buddies.  Fishing with him is like fishing with Mr. Wizard (excuse me for dating myself here) and Aaron does not disappoint in our interview.  He takes the sceince behind tides and makes it clear and digestible to those of us who just like to fish in salt water.  There are some specific tips for fly fishing related to tides as well, and Aaron suggests some ways that fly fishers in particular can use tide predictions to have more success on the water.  It was a fun podcast for me as I learned a ton. In the Fly Box,  I also answer a listeners question about how and why tailwater rivers are different and some tips on fishing them.

This week I discuss a dozen tips for taking difficult risers. We're not always fortunate to find consistently rising fish, but when we do it's a chess match that can be the most fascinating aspect of trout fishing. There are many tips to finally fooling a difficult riser, and surprisingly few of them involve choosing the correct fly. We also have Fly Box short items on some questions that came up from listeners regarding last week's podcast on small stream fishing. And by popular demand, we'll continue our sections on great fly-fishing books and cool products you might have missed. Test your wits with my quiz on difficult rises here.  

In this week's podcast, we explore the world of small stream trout with 5 detailed tips (mainly because I was too lazy to organize more--actually there are probably about 20 tips included) that cover everything from what rod to use to how to find your own small stream. There are tens of thousands of tiny trout streams in the United States, many of which never get fished or are fished infrequently, so it's a great place to get solitude and return to the essence of fly fishing. I also introduce two new items to the podcast, and we're looking for your feedback on these: a selected book of the week and "products you might have missed", a short section on handy fishing products that you might not have heard about. And, of course, we answer several questions in our popular "Fly Box" section I am thrilled the podcast has grown so much, but I'm having a hard time keeping up with emails. I still want to hear from you, though as that is how we get material for the show! For podcast suggestions. please use the online f

Steelhead are one of the most glamorous and frustrating fish you can catch with a fly rod.  They are similar in behavior and fighting ability to Atlantic salmon, but whereas our fly fishing traditions for Atlantic salmon came from a more aristocratic background, fly fishing for steelhead evolved via a more populist tradition.  Where can you fish for steelhead?  What techniques work best?  Are the fish from the Great Lakes a true steelhead or just a big rainbow trout, and how do fishing techniques for them differ?  And how many steelhead can you expect to catch in a day's fishing? (in my experience, you should expect to catch zero and be pleasantly surprised).   Listen to this week's podcast and get some tips on steelhead fishing, and then visit our podcast forum to add your thoughts or suggest future steelhead podcast topics, as this is not the last of our steelhead podcasts for this season.

In this week's podcast, I'm joined by Dave Perkins, an old fishing and hunting buddy and also vice-chairman and one of the owners of Orvis.  Dave , like me, is a spring creek fanatic and we talk about how spring creeks differ from freestone trout streams, what to expect on them, and where to find them.  And of course we also discuss our favorite flies, leaders, and rods for fishing these very special trout streams.  If you've never fished a spring creek, it's time to try one.  And even if you never intend to fish one, the tips we give will be very helpful any time you find selective trout sipping in clear water.   In the Fly Box this week, we talk about why trout live in some streams and not in others, how to make a downstream presentation, and some tips on light-line rods.

For this week's podcast, the main event is Tom's Top Ten Tippet Tips, or just 5T for short (but no short jokes please).  In this episode, I review tips on knots, types of tippet, how to attach tippets, when to shorten or lengthen a tippet, how to avoid kinky tippets, and a bunch more.   For the "Fly Box" section of short tips, I talk about some cool, new terms and tips I learned from fishing guides in Colorado and Montana over the past two weeks.

Tom is out of town for a couple weeks, so he asked Pete Kutzer of our Ask a Fly Fishing Instructor video series and Brett Ference from our Double Barrel Podcast series to sit in. We asked our Facebook and Twitter fans to  suggest topics for them to cover and received over 130 suggestions! Here are the topics they chose: - How should a beginner go about choosing waders? - Tips for fishin gfrom a float tube - Is 7 years old too young to start a child fly fishing? - When choosing a new rod, what should I consider? - How do you best hide new fishing gear purchases from your spouse? We also had A LOT of questions on fishing warm water, so Brett and Pete spend a lot of time on this topic.

This week I give you a 10-step plan for getting a kid into fly fishing.  These are proven methods based on my experience and that of others I've talked to in the course of researching a book called Family Friendly Fly Fishing that I'm working on.  I've also added three additional tips for getting teenagers into fly fishing. In the fly box items this week we talk about the old 10 o'clock to-1 o'clock casting technique, casting into the wind with big poppers and other bass flies, attaching a new fly line to backing that's already on a reel using a loop, and the correct size sink tip fly line to buy. and "new school" vs. "old school" fly fishing 

This week I talk about swinging, and get your mind out of the gutter because it's not that kind of swinging.  This is a family show. We discuss the art and science of swinging flies for trout, salmon, and steelhead, one of the most relazing and elegant way of covering lots of water.  It doesn't work all the time and in every type of water, so listen to the podcast to find out where and when to do it--and how to choose the right fly.   In the Fly Box questions this week we talk about using a 7-weight rod for trout, what an individual can do to make a trout stream better, invasive species, and how to catch bass in southern rivers in summer.  Plus a note about an exciting new upgrade to our fishing reports where you can get a text message every time your favorite waters are updated.

In this week's fly box, I mention a tip on mending line that I just got from a guide, a recommendation for how to choose a rod for nymphing, and 10 tips for reeling in and playing fish. For the main part of the podcast, I give some recommendations for high summer fishing--for having more fun, getting in more fishing time, and broadening your horizons. Do you have a topic sugggestion? Join our podcast forum at www.orvis.com/podcastfeedback  

This week in the Fly Box section, we talk about rod actions, line sizes, sunscreen, and dry flies in high water. In the main event, we'll give you some tips on summer dry flies, as summer is prime time for fishing on the surface. We have a new way to contact the podcast and share your podcast ideas. Go to www.orvisnews.com/podcast.aspx sign on with your Facebook login, and particpate in our online forum!

In the fly box section this week we discuss a couple tackle maintenance items (cork grips and fly lines) and some tips on how to learn from some "old school" techniques. In the main part of the podcast, we learn more about hatches and how to deal with them, especially on how to collect insect specimens and what to do with them once you've obtained them.

In this week's podcast we have a great phone call from Molly with some exciting news and in The FlyBox a tip on further refining your casting practice.  For the main event, we explore the topic of moving from novice to intermediate fly fisher with some tips on how to get there.

In honor of the The American Museum of Fly Fishing's Graceful Rise Exhibit, we're celebrating Women in Fly Fishing this week. Tom is out, so we've asked Paul Fersen to read his story "Of Blue Damsels and Bamboo Girls".  Read more about the Graceful Rise Exhibit at http://www.orvisnews.com/Women-in-Fly-Fishing.aspx

This week in the fly box we address the color red in flies, post-flood fishing conditions, and what to do if you only have a few hours to fish. For the main event I give a brief guide to the major aquatic insects, how to identify what's hatching, and some strategies for fishing different types of insect hatches.

This week we answer a listener's question about a day in the life of an experienced fly fisher--but more how to prepare for a day than what he or she would actually do once on the water, which can vary greatly from day to day or on different kinds of waters.  In this week's fly box, we talk about what color is most visible on attractor fly wings (you will be as surprised as I was!), how to pick the right reel seat, and what color to choose on attractor flies.  Plus Phil Monahan updates us on the latest juicy bits from the Orvis blog.

American Rivers released its annual Orvis-sponsored Ten Most Endangered Rivers Report this week.  In this episode, Phil Monahan interviews David Moryc, Senior Director of River Protection at American Rivers about the list.

This week I give a brief and sorta rambling overview of fly-fishing history, which is difficult to do in a short podcast so I've included the names of a couple good books on the subject.  In this week's fly box, we have two casting tips, a word about "lining" fish, a short discussion of what to do when faced with crowded trout streams, and help when trying to detect a strike when nymph fishing. Lots of little bits and pieces!

In this week's podcast, the main event is The Dawn Patrol, on the pleasures, perils, and advantages of getting up as early as a turkey hunter to get some of the best fly fishing of the season.  We'll discuss dawn fishing for trout, tarpon, stripers, bonefish, permit, and steelhead.  In this weeks' fly box we'll explore small stream trout rods, a couple tips for fighting fish, and how to fish alongside your buddies.

With many trout rivers into serious runoff this month, and more to come as western snows melt, listeners have been asking for an early season stillwater podcast.  This week I was lucky enough to interview Phil Rowley, one of the most knowledgeable stillwater anglers in the world and co-host of "The New Fly Fisher" TV show on World Fishing Network.  I know I learned a lot in the show and I am sure you will as well.  As an added bonus, there are some extra video tips from Phil, courtesy of "The New Fly Fisher".