The Orvis Fly-fishing Guide Podcast

This week's podcast is fun to listen to, even if you don't need any tips on how to get a friend into fly fishing. Charlie Berens is a talented writer comedian with a midwestern flair (check out his You Tube videos) and Adam Greuel is a musician with the band "Horseshoes and Hand Grenades" and also has a number of solo albums. Adam recently introduced Charlie to fly fishing and their experiences are both valuable and funny [42:20]. As a bonus, we've included a song they did together at the end of the podcast. In The Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: Sometimes I see trout from a bridge, other times I don't. Is this unusual and why? What is the difference between a $100 fly rod and a $1000 fly rod? A suggestion on how to arrange your flies and droppers to lessen tangles A suggestion on how to instill better etiquette on our waters I keep losing fish once they are hooked. Do I need a better hook-setting strategy? A great suggestion from a listener on how to tie a

I get a lot of questions about how fly rods are designed and I think there are a number of misconceptions about where that new rod, like the Helios Blackout series, came from. Where did the idea come from? How is the design created? If you want a 9-foot, five-inch 5-weight rod, do you just add five inches to an existing rod design? I think you'll be surprised at what goes into a new fly-rod design, and think you'll enjoy peaking under the hood with a rod designer [41:04]. In the fly box this week, we have some great comments and questions, including: A great explanation of the spirituality of fly fishing When I move from one tailwater to another, my techniques don't seem to work. What should I change? My small stream fished well last year. This year the water is colder and higher. What should I do? Is it OK to cut my fly line back if it's cracked? What would you do if you see trout in shallow, clear water and they are not rising? Do you have any suggestions for detecting carp strikes in cloudy water? Is there

You may wonder why I've done a podcast about beavers. You may be greatly surprised by the beneficial interactions between beavers and trout habitat—I know I was after talking to Ben Goldfarb author of the book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, [43:26]. Beavers have a much more positive effect on trout streams besides just making deep pools, and they don't present any problems to migrating fish. And, yes, we do talk about how to fish a beaver pond, and how to find a good one. I think all fly fishers and nature enthusiasts will learn something new in this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting comments, questions, and tips, including: The state stocks big rainbows in my wild brook trout stream. What are your thoughts on this issue? I saw large trout jumping out of the water during a caddis hatch and could not catch any. What do you think they were doing? What are the advantages of a double-taper over a weight-forward fly line? A great story about how an inju

I've been asked to touch more on the spirituality of fly fishing in my podcasts, and honestly I'm not very good at that. So I asked a thoughtful friend and author, Dylan Tomine [32:54], to touch on these aspects of fly fishing. I don't think we got very spiritual, but we do ramble on about the other aspects of fly fishing we enjoy besides catching fish, casting, and tying flies. It's mostly about the people. In the Fly Box this week, I had some great questions, including: I am going backpacking and want to travel light but fish some streamers in the middle of the day. What should I take for lines? Will my 6-weight Helios rod be too heavy for fishing Slough Creek in Yellowstone Park? How do you decide when to give up when fishing a small stream? For fishing the banks of small ponds, will my 6-weight Pro line be OK or should I try a Bank Shot line for roll casting? Can I use straight level fluorocarbon for a leader for lake trout and small mouth bass? My polarized sunglasses don't work well for spotting trout.

This week, my guest is Thomas Larsen [45:47] from the Orvis Outfitters team. Thomas is a stillwater expert and gives us some great tips on how to find trout, and how to target them, when you don't have the benefit of a watercraft. Maybe you don't have a boat, can't afford a raft, or backpack to high mountain lakes—this podcast is for you. In the Fly Box this week, lots of good comments and questions as I have been gone for a couple weeks so the mailbox is filling up. Thanks from a listener to turning him onto the Griffith's Gnat dry fly Euro nymphing seems just too efficient for me. Am I being irrational by fishing less effective indicator rig? A customer relates a great trip he had with Orvis-endorsed Brown Trout Flyfishing What are the five or six "must have" items (after getting a fly rod outfit) you suggest for someone new to fly fishing? Please give me five or six recommended flies for starting out. I had a snapping turtle eat a trout as I was landing it. What effect do catch and release fishing efforts

This week, my guest is author, You Tube personality, and author Tim Cammisa [34:00]. We have a spirited discussion on fly patterns—which of the most common ones are untouchable, and which do we modify with different materials and techniques. And are they even the same fly if we modify them? In the Fly Box, we have some great questions this week, including: For streamer fishing for smallmouths, should I use my existing 6 weight or should I get a 7-weight rod? Is the 10-foot 3-weight Euro nymphing rod the same as a 10-foot crappie jigging rod? If not how is it different? And is Euro nymphing really fly fishing? Where do you use split shot and where do you use tungsten putty? Or is it purely personal preference? I have been tying clinch knots by pulling on the tag end and it seems to be very strong. Do you think I am doing it the wrong way? Can I use a Duncan Loop to attach a leader directly to a fly line? Should I use a sinking line for streamer and nymph fishing? How can I improve the durability of Dragon Tail

This week, my guest is Steve Davis, chief scientists for the Everglades Foundation [49:31]. Steve gives us an update on the Everglades restoration project, which will benefit fisheries and clean water throughout Florida and not just in the Everglades. And it's an optimistic report, which we don't always have when we report on conservation issues. So stay tuned for some good news—for a change! In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions of interest to most fly fishers, including: What are the pros and cons of a loop-to-loop fly line to leader connection as opposed to a nail knot? What rod should I get for small stream trout and panfish? I want to give back to the fly-fishing community. What organizations should I look to? Tell me the realities of moving from a vest to a sling pack. Are eyes really important on saltwater patterns? With improvements in rod technology, is a new Clearwater rod better than an older TLS Power Matrix rod? What is your opinion on tippet length if I tie my own leaders? Do tr

Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of "Seven Deadly Sins" podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of tangents—all interesting and all about nymph fishing—and all of them with great advice on how to make your indicator nymphing game more fun and productive. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners, including: A terrific tip on why tying tube flies is a great way to get kids started What kind of other storage systems does Tom use around his roll-top desk? Where can I learn more about fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass? What do you suggest for preventing cutoffs by chain pickerel? Can I use sitka or axis deer, antelope, or goat hair for fly tying? A great tip on replacing wing cases on smaller nymphs with a drop of UV

This week my guest is Land Tawney [25:52], CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and we discuss recent issues regarding public access on rivers in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. This is a timely topic, as public access advocates just won a big court victory in New Mexico (Phil please link to your blog post). I hope the podcast will get you up to speed on how stream access is handled by states, and I think you'll see some positive news on all the great work Back Country Hunters and Anglers and other public access groups have been doing on our behalf. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips from listeners: A tip from a listener on another natural material to use as a trailing shuck. Is it wrong for me to ask a fly shop to let me test a fly line before I buy it? How do you choose between using head cement or UV cure epoxy? What do you think about using perfection loops to attach tippets instead of using a tippet ring? What does Tom research before fishing new water? A tip from a listener

This week my guest is Noelle Coley [41:25] of Blackfoot River Outfitters in Missoula, Montana. Noelle is a serious winter fly fisher, with experience both in Colorado and Montana. She gives us great tips on flies, techniques, and of course dressing to keep warm. WE can all benefit from her experience and have more fun—and stay more comfortable—while fishing in the depths of winter. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions form listeners, including: What do you think about shaming on social media about how people handle fish? What should I do if I see someone spin fishing in an area that is clearly marked "Fly Fishing Only"? Will my 6-weight rod be enough for fishing for bonefish in the Florida Keys? Which rod should I use for swinging wet flies? What tips do you have for taming deer hair when tying Comparaduns? What should I do with a bunch of older fly rods that I no longer need? Can a dropper fly on a two-fly rig create problems with hooking trout? Why do fly fishers use such light tippe

Finding those tiny, unpressured trout streams is a delightful form of exploration. You won't find them on the internet or in books or magazine articles—at least the ones you really want to fish. But finding a small stream that you'll probably have all to yourself and discovering the delights of catching eager trout on dries and nymphs—and sometimes small streamers—is one of the purest ways of enjoying fly fishing. Donna Smith [48:38], a member of the Orvis Outfitter team and an expert on small stream trout fishing tells us how to go about it. In the Fly Box this week, we have some perplexing and interesting questions, as well as some tips from listeners, including: Do textured lines spook fish when making noise going through the guides? What happened to the Orvis Superfine Fiberglass rods? I have a very fast action 10 weight rod and it's difficult to feel it load with a 10-weight line. Do you think I can put an 11-weight line on it? Any thoughts on de-barbing bonefish and permit flies? How about stocking minn

This week, my guest is the executive director of the Native Fish Coalition, Bob Mallard [42:09], who tells us why the organization was formed and what they do. His group took issue with some of the sentiments expressed in last week's podcast with Kirk Deeter, so to give everyone a broader view of the issue of wild native fish (as opposed to just wild fish, and Bob explains the difference in the podcast) I invited Bob to come onto the podcast to explain to us just how precious native or indigenous species are. There is much food for thought here and I hope it makes everyone think about the issues involved. In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual roundup of interesting and sometimes tricky questions, and some great tips from listeners, including: How even native black bass in the South are threatened by stocking of non-native varieties Why doesn't the Orvis Learning Center talk about the spiritual value and nature of fly fishing? What is the best all-around color for polarized sunglasses? What's up with bea

Have we gone too far with native species? with Kirk Deeter This week, my guest is Kirk Deeter, editor of Trout Magazine. Kirk is never one to shy away from controversy, and our topic this week is the concept of native species and the feasibility of trying to turn back the clock. We also ramble a bit about the state of the fly-fishing world in general, but as always Kirk is thoughtful and incisive in his views. In the Fly Box this week we have some especially great tips from listeners and some interesting questions: Some great tips from a listener on how to hook gar on the fly without resorting to yarn A comment from a listener on the probability of tiger trout being produced naturally in wild trout populations. Do I need a click-and-pawl reel on my bamboo rod, and do I need to get a special fly line? Do you have some tips for catching bonefish in the Florida Keys by wading from shore? How should I clean my waders if I fish multiple watersheds in a single day? Because mayfly nymphs wiggle their tails in the wa

This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer, and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way of making a Bow-and -Arrow cast that was new to me. I think anyone can benefit from Pete's advice. In the Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners: What do you think about tying on eyeless hooks and making eyes out of silk bead cord? What do you mean by the term "swinging flies"? Can I target grass carp on a fly? Can you ice fish with flies? How do I fish a lake for trout from my kayak? What do you think of the electric socks that are controlled by an app? A great tip from a listener on avoiding spooking trout in small streams. Can a figure-8 knot be used in fly fishing? What do you recommend for a rod for fishing larger eastern rivers? How can I corre

I frequently get questions about CDC or Cul de Canard, a special feather found on ducks that makes very effective dry flies, emergers, and nymphs. What is it? Where does it come from? Why is it so special? What kinds of CDC are there, and how do you use it? And when fishing these flies, how do you treat them. My friend (and friendly nemisis from our monthly fly-tyig tie-offs) Tim Flagler [46:41] and I tell everything we know about CDC and its uses. I hope this answers many of your questions. In the Fly Box this week, we have great tips from listeners and questions, including: A tip for fly fishers who suffer from arthritis Would it be better for me to take lessons on the water or hire a guide? What are the best saltwater knots? How do I avoid hitting myself and other people in the boat when fishing a heavy streamer? Tips from a listener on repairing old bamboo rods, and advice for finding them at tag sales and reconditioning them How do I pick up small hooks and beads that I drop off my tying table? Can I ove

Todays guest might make you mad. If you're a trout angler he will certainly make you feel uncomfortable. Doug Thompson [37:29] is the author of The Quest for the Golden Trout, and the book is not what you think it might be from the title. He is a professor in geoscience and environmental studies and does research in geomorphology and hydrology. In examining critically what we do to ensure trout fishing, Douglas Thompson gores some sacred cows, including our obsession with stocking trout, non-native species we introduce, the way we manipulate the physical structure of rivers to benefit trout, and even the fishing tackle industry itself. You might think this book would make me angry, but it's carefully researched and argued and has made me look differently at the structure of our entire trout-fishing industry. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including: How do I repair an exposed thread and a bent ferrule on my bamboo fly rod? How do I know when it's time to replace my sinking li

This week, my guest is Tim Landwehr [43:50], of Tight Lines Fly Fishing Company in De Pere, Wisconsin. Tim has decades of experience guiding for smallmouth bass and is co-author of a book on fly fishing for smallmouths. He shares some innovative and modern techniques for catching difficult smallmouths under all conditions, some you have probably never heard of or thought about. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including: When I am Euro nymphing, why do trout always take my fly on the swing, after it has finished its dead drift? I have trouble seeing my beetle imitations on the water. What can I do? Why did trout, after refusing countless dead drifts during a spinner fall, take my fly as I stripped it back to me? If you had to fish nymphs that only imitated one order of insects, which one would it be? If I simplify my nymph collection to more generic imitations, will I do as well as if I worry about imitating specific insects? What is the difference between a Comparadun and a Sparkle Dun

This week, my guest is Todd Tanner [39:47], a journalist who writes for many of the fly-fishing websites and magazines and is Fly Fishing editor of Sporting Classics magazine. Todd is also the president of Conservation Hawks, an organization dedicated to educating fishers and hunters on the threats of climate change, and is the president of the School of Trout. Todd is a thoughtful guy, and he discusses the ten things he sees as essential to becoming a great fly fisher. And no, we don't talk about choosing the right fly or using the correct knot. I think some of his thoughts about this topic will surprise you and may make you think differently about your path to becoming happier and less insecure on a trout stream. We have some great questions and tips in the Fly Box this week, including: I want to start Euro nymphing. What's most important--should I look at a new rod, a new reel, or a new line? Which is better for a bonefish leader--nylon or fluorocarbon? A high school senior informs us of a conservation iss

As part of Trout Unlimited's weeklong emphasis on the Snake River salmon and steelhead restoration plan, my guest this week is Chris Wood [50:25], president and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Our topic is the plan to remove four dams on the lower Snake River, a monumental project that offers great benefit to this river's historic anadromous fishery, which has been in great decline over the past 50 years. When I first heard of this, I thought it would be a pipedream to even think of removing these dams that supply hydropower, transportation, and irrigation. But Chris has convinced me that those beneficial uses can now be replaced with alternative means, and there is a real possibility of seeing these dams removed in our lifetime. Hopefully, he'll convince you as well. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips shared by listeners, including: How can I land large trout on tiny size 22 nymphs? What can I do to move a big fish that sulks on the bottom? Can you share a few of your DIY hacks for your

I get frequent questions about fishing emergers and it's a confusing subject. Do I fish one like a nymph, or do I fish one like a dry, and how deep should I fish it. My guest this week, Tim Cammisa [41:06], is a well-known fly tier who specializes in doing presentations on tying and fishing emergers, so I thought it would be great to get his tips on them. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and thoughtful tips from listeners, including: How do you deal with adding and removing split shot? What should I use to touch up the finish on an old bamboo fly rod? I have some old leader material that is difficult to tighten. Is it because the nylon is old? Why do we think we need so much backing on reels? And why are light lines as long as heavier lines? Can I wear hunting waders for winter fishing? Will stocked trout spawn in rivers if they survive to spawning season? A great tip from a listener on handy modifications you can make to any fly-tying vise Do you know of one pair of sunglasses tha