The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

This week is my guest Seth Berger [1:00:18], Fly Fishing Travel Specialist with Orvis Adventures. In his job, Seth visits Orvis-endorsed operations around the world and always packs his fishing gear, so he's a great resource for advising us how to travel with rods, waders, and flies—how to pack them, what to carry on, and pitfalls you should avoid. Seth also talks about what to pack, and items that are often forgotten or ignored by traveling anglers. Anyone who gets on a plane, whether it's a short hop or an international flight, will benefit from his knowledge. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comment that run the gamut of the fly-fishing experience, including: A listener who recommends the mono rig method, which is different from the standard Euro nymphing setup. And tries to tell me 20lb. mono casts just as easily as fly line (I'm not buying it) Why not put a tippet ring on the end of a poly leader? I've used straight monofilament for a leader for bass and bream. Why do I need a tapered leader, and do I need tippet? When you fish two dry flies, what should the distance between them be? Do I need to learn entomology to pick flies? Is there any difference between picking flies for small streams vs. bigger rivers? What do you look for to help you choose a fly? Can I fish steelhead with my 9-foot 5-weight rod? Is it true that lighter lines cast better in the wind because they have less air resistance? Have you ever fished with just a bead on a hook? Some great suggestions from a listener on how to keep fly tying materials away from young children. I am coming from Korea to the US. Will I have problems brining flies and fly tying materials into the country? Have you ever tried wiggle nymphs? Why do Euro nymphers stand in the water and make short upstream casts while people with conventional lines try to fish as far away as possible? Why don't we see a lot of blue streamers? How deep can I effectively fish with a fly rod? How can I tie patterns with partridge feathers smaller than size 16?

Capt. Pete Scafaru [32:53] is a new Orvis-endorsed guide in New Orleans (he's not new at guiding, just new to the Orvis program), and he shares his vast experience on what to expect at different times of the season, how to present the fly, and how to target redfish in shallow water. Regardless of where you fish for redfish, his tips will be valuable. In the Fly Box, we have some questions and tips that I think will be of interest to all fly fishers, including: What tips or tricks do you have for an older angler who has problems threading small flies? A tip from a listener about how he attaches a dropper nymph to his tippet with a clinch knot so he can change either fly without re-tying both flies. A tip from a listener on how to estimate measurements using parts of your arms and fingers. Why does Orvis not sell a 7-weight Superfine Glass fly rod? Do you ever use indicators when fishing nymphs on small mountain brook trout streams? Can I fish soft hackles during the winter? Why are people so nasty when I post fly-tying videos on social media? Do you get those kinds of comments in the podcast mailbox? Does it matter where I put my wing case on Perdigon nymphs, and why are some Perdigons relatively fat? I thought "thin for the win" was the mantra for these flies. Why would people throw streamers on Euro-nymphing rods? I bought an old 7½-foot, 6-weight Madison bamboo fly rod. Will this be better with a 5- or 6-weight line, and will it be OK for general trout fishing?

This week, my guest is Joshua Simmons [44:00], who with his brother Caleb hosts the podcast "Dads on the Fly". (It's not just for dads, it's for moms and families as well, but they just both happen to be dads and brothers who wanted to give back to the world of fly fishing.) In their podcast they explore the ways families can get together through fly fishing, and have talked to many people across the country about this subject, so Joshua has a lot to share from his conversations and research. If you have always wanted to bring your family together in fly fishing, you'll pick up some great suggestions. In the Fly Box this week, we have an eclectic mix of suggestions and questions, including: Why do I have trouble mixing my dubbing in an old coffee grinder? It comes out like rope. I  have trouble tying with a hackle cape with thick stems. What can I do? I have trouble hooking steelhead. What am I doing wrong? A comment from a listener on the growing movement that helps fish and game departments protect all aquatic species, not just gamefish and game animals. How can I practice casting before my next bonefish trip? What footwear do you recommend for wading the flats? It seems like I can get closer to bonefish wading that from a boat. Is that usually the case? I have a new baby coming. How can I childproof my tying area? Phil Rowley says that eutrophic lakes offer the best trout fishing, but all the eutrophic lakes I fish in New Hampshire are too warm for trout. Why the disconnect? Someone told me to switch from left-hand wind to right-hand wind when I go saltwater fishing (I am right-handed). Should I heed their advice? Why don't more fly anglers wear a PFD? If Tom had one final trip, where would he go? A great tip from a listener on pre-rigging flies at home I can't cast a Euro rig with my 905 rod. Should I invest in a specific Euro nymphing rod and what will it give me that my current rod does not?

This week, since we have not had any hard-core fishing podcasts in awhile, I thought I would give you all some tips on winter fly fishing with Chip Swanson [40:09] of Breckenridge Outfitters in Colorado. Chip won the Orvis-Endorsed Freshwater Guide of the Year in 2019 for good reason. He's fun, patient, superbly knowledgeable, and a terrific teacher. He also does a lot of fishing and guiding throughout the winter, no matter what the weather. He has some great tips on staying warm, techniques to use, and what conditions are best for winter fly fishing. In the Fly Box this week, we have some especially helpful tips from listeners as well as some questions that will be helpful to many fly fishers, including: Is using a scented fly for sturgeon not fly fishing? And do you have any tips for catching these giants on a fly rod? I am having trouble casting a double nymph rig plus split shot and an indicator. What casting advice do you have? When is water too cold to try a dry dropper rig? Some good advice from a listener on kneeling instead of sitting in a canoe for easier casting A fly shop owner told me not to fish a local river because the flows were too low. Why is this bad in the winter when oxygen levels are higher? How can I use online product reviews to inform my tackle purchases? Which ones are the most reliable? What should I look for in a pedestal for my vise? What are Tom's top 10 fly tying materials for fresh and salt water? What is Tom tying right now? Great advice from a listener on kayak fishing and first aid kits for fishing trips How long will it take my local river to recover after severe wildfires last year? What can I use to hold those tippet scraps I want to dispose of?

This week, my guest is Tom Kiernan [38:50], President and CEO of American Rivers, an organization Orvis supports and endorses highly for the world-class work they do to protect our rivers. I wanted to explore the ins and outs of the Clean Water Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century. I think it's important that anyone who enjoys time on the water understands just what it has done for us, and what it can do in the future. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some thought-provoking questions, including: What kind of personal watercraft do you recommend for lakes and slow-moving rivers? Is the abdomen of a natural insect the only important thing to imitate? What do you prefer when fishing, a rain jacket or a wading jacket? If I can't use weighted flies because of regulations, how can I sink my nymph? What's the difference between a nail knot and a loop-to-loop connection? Is there a time when one is better than another? How do I keep the bodies on my big foam flies from twisting around the hook? What do you do with your rod when landing a fish? What is a Bimini twist used for? When do you know that a fish is too much for the rod you are using? A great tip from a listener on how to teach kids to tie flies without using a sharp hook. If there are people swimming in a small mountain brook, how far away will the fish be spooked?

This week my guest is award-winning investigative journalist Robert O'Harrow [44:45], who has been with the Washington Post for over 30 years. Last fall he wrote an extensive article on the threats to mayfly populations worldwide and is continuing to research this issue, so I thought it would be interesting to share his findings. Bob is also a lifelong fly fisher who admits he didn't know a lot about the plight of mayflies in the past, so he gives us a great perspective. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and phone calls, including: What is a good net for wade fishing when pursuing multiple species? I recently caught a bunch of large trout in a river but no small ones. Where do the small ones go? Can a "working fly box" apply to non-competition anglers as well? What does Tim Flagler use to cut his thread on his videos? I am a beginning fly fisher and the trout in the larger rivers in my area are difficult to catch. Should I first concentrate on small streams, ponds, or reservoirs? What is the best way to give a fish line when it's running without giving it too much slack? Is it a good idea to put UV resin over my nail knots? How do you determine how deep the water is so you can set the indicator at 1 ½ times the water depth? I keep getting crowded by other anglers on Colorado rivers. Should I try to educate them? I lost a big fish by following it downstream. My buddy says I should have stood my ground and not followed the fish. What do you think? Do you think it's a bad idea to use beard trimmings in my dubbing to imitate hare's ear?

This week, my guest is Orvis product developer Jesse Haller [43:48], who besides being responsible for products like nets, wading shoes, and fishing packs and vests spent many years as a fishing guide. Jesse discusses how to pick the right net, some cool tips and carrying a net, how to plan your netting before you get a fish close to you, how to get the fish in the net with a minimum of fuss—and some great tips on releasing the fish you've caught. In the Fly Box this week, we have some fascinating questions and some helpful tips from listeners, including: Do you think it's a good idea to blacken your tippet close to the fly with a sharpie? What conditions decide whether you should fish a large or a small streamer for bass? A listener has a conundrum about booking a guide who used to work for another outfitter. Some great tips from a listener about safety when bluelining in the Smokies. What advice do you have for fishing out of a canoe? I have trouble finding trout in larger rivers, coming from a small stream background. What should I do? Where can I find trout in winter? What should I do about families with kids throwing rocks in the water when I am fishing? How can I fish small midge emergers just under the surface? During a heavy hatch, is it better to look for an individual fish or prospect a likely seam or run? A great tip on a device for letting people know where you are when fishing the back country. If I am running multiple midge nymphs, should I use a light or heavy tippet? What is the best beginner outfit for saltwater fly fishing?

Ian Rutter [43:06] is a long-time guide in the Smokies and one of our top field testers. He specializes in small mountain creeks (as well as their local tailwaters) and because I have had numerous requests for a podcast on "Blue-lining" I wanted to get him on to get the views from someone who does this in the heart of wild mountain brook trout country. For those of you who don't know the term, blue-lining refers to looking for new small trout water on a map and then exploring it to see what it holds. It's part hiking, part fioshing, and part discovery. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of tackle questions, some good tips from listeners, and some other technique related questions. I was gifted a Helios 3 906F. What reel do you recommend for it? I have a 7 ½ foot rod for panfish, a 4-weight for trout, and an 8-weight for steelhead and stripers. I want to fish streamers, redfish, and corbina. Should I get a 6-weight for that? I have a Recon 10 foot 4-weight and a Blackout 11 foot 3-weight for Euro nymphing. What rod would you recommend for a standard trout rod for bigger rivers? Can I catch smallmouth bass in stained water with trout techniques like big dries or a dry-dropper rig? I have the opportunity to make my own bamboo rod. What length and line size do you recommend for small to medium0sized rivers? I listened to your podcast recommending a touch of parrafin on loose ferrules and thought I would do it later. On my next trip I broke my rod because of a loose ferrule and realized I should not have put it off. I see all these videos of people sight-fishing for trout but I almost never see them in the water myself. Should I practice spotting trout or is there something else I should do? After reading the book Lords of the Fly by Monte Burke I decided I never want to fish for tarpon. And what do you think of guides who "discover" a spot and then claim it as their own and push other people out? What is Tom's most memorable worst day of fishing? What tips and tricks does Tom keep secret and not share with us? Where does Orvis get its products. I know you make some of your rods but where does other tackle come from?

My guest this week, Sarah Baker [35:40] is a woman who has a job most of us would envy—she studies and manages the populations of wild, native brook trout in the mountains of northern Georgia. Learn more about these southernmost populations of brook trout, their life history, and where you can find them (no spot burning, just some general areas to investigate for yourself). In the Fly Box this week, some great questions that range the spectrum of fly fishing, such as: A listener is confused by recommendations for sinking lines for an Alaska trip Can I tie flies smaller than size 18 with the regular jaws in my tying vise?  Do I need to purchase midge jaws? Someone told me not to use water-based head cement on size 20 and smaller flies. Why? If I know I have a reasonable fly and good drifts, does it make sense to spend more than a half-dozen casts in one spot? I am a newbie and other than the typical questions about what fly to use, what other questions should I ask in a fly shop that will be helpful? If I want to try Spey casting with my single-hand fly rod, what fly line would be best? Can smaller Spey patterns be used for trout and bass on a single-handed rod? I am taking my first saltwater trip to Turks and Caicos. I have an 8-weight freshwater outfit. Do I need to get a special saltwater rod and line? Can I use a 450-grain Depth Charge line on my 10-weight rod? And besides fishing for striped bass, what other saltwater applications are there for this line? I am having trouble with my Clinch Knots breaking in cold weather. What am I doing wrong? Any advice for tying on a size 22 Zebra Midge in cold weather?

Can you really catch giant cutthroat trout in the desert? Are they truly a native species? And do they really fish with ladders? You'll find out in my interview with Orvis-endorsed guide Mike Anderson [45:23], who guides for the Reno Fly Shop. In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful comments and thought-provoking questions, including: I can keep the knots in my rubber legs on hopper patterns. How do you do it? What common fly-tying materials can I get from animals I have harvested, what parts should I use, and how to you prepare and store them? What is the advantage of going from 140 denier tying thread to 70 denier and when and why should I use it? A listener explains why he welcomes new people to the sport. I just got an intermediate line for fishing in lakes. Will it be useful in streams? I have an old rod with a loose ferrule. Is there any way of fixing it? Is my 9 ½ foot 6-weight rod too light to throw big articulated flies for bull trout? I know trout lie in seams in a river. Will steelhead be in seams as well? Can I use sewing thread for tying flies? My double surgeon's knots keep breaking. What am I doing wrong? Are there special fighting techniques when you hook a fish on a downstream drift? Why do people tell me to fish at high tide, when I can walk out farther at low tide? Can I swing a streamer in salt water? Do changes in air temperature affect fish in the ocean as much as in fresh water? What do I do to take my trout fishing to the next level? What should I concentrate on? Why are bamboo rods typically shorter than graphite, and how do I travel with a two-piece bamboo rod? I am losing more fish with large flies than I do with small flies. What is the issue?