The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

This week I interview Orvis-endorsed guide Jay Aylward [51:05], a largemough bass fanatic on the fly rod, about how to find and catch them.  And not just any largemouth, but trophy bass.  Or at least trophies on a fly rod... In the Fly Box this week, I get some great tips from listeners and also some interesting questions, including: Fly pattern suggestions for a road trip across Colorado What are your top 10 trout flies I should tie? How does water fluctuation below a dam affect trout behavior? I can't catch trout on anything but worm flies and woollies in my local river.  Why can't I catch them on standard nymphs? How do I sort through the creek chubs to catch the nice brook trout below them? Can I cut my poly leader back to make it shorter? What line do I need to put on my 10-foot 8-weight single handed rod if I want to try some two-handed casts? Why did a fly shop put a 6-foot leader on my outfit when I bought it? A listener offers more suggestions on why you should tie your own leaders.A nother suggestion on how to record small streams you fish--the Basemap app. What is an affordable, dependable Orvis rod? Why can't I catch the carp in my local pond?  Do you have any suggestions?

[Interview @ 38:40] There are few things more fun in fly fishing than catching bluegills with a popper or nymph.  For the most part, once you find them it's easy and un-challenging fishing.  But if you want to up your game and chase trophy bluegills, the kind that will put a big bend in a 3-weight rod, you need special techniques.  This week Orvis-endorsed guide Kip Vieth shares his passion for big bluegills, and his special techniques for catching them--even in summer heat. In the Fly Box this week, we answer the following questions from listeners: I had a big brown trout chase my fly right after a big tumble of branches rolled down the river on top of him.  Is this common? What can I do with some grouse feathers I obtained? Does a 7 1/2-foot knotless leader have the same level tippet length as a 9- or 12-footer, or is the tippet length proportional? I started tying my own leaders but had a blood knot break.  Should I go back to knotless leaders? Would it be a good idea to tie smaller streamers with a shank and a trailing stinger as opposed to using a longer-shank hook? I have heard that long-shank hooks don't hold fish as well. What are some good rules for keeping your distance on crowded trout streams? I always hook my fly onto one of my guides but recently I had a guide break when I was pulling the rod apart.  Is that a bad practice and am I weakening the guides by doing this? When someone says they are fishing a 9-foot or 12-foot leader, does that length include the tippet? I had a Davey Knot break on heavy tippet.  Is the Davey Knot weaker in heavier materials? How do I keep the fly line from pulling my leader back inside the guides when making short casts?

This week we continue our exploration of small streams with Brian Slusser in California [@37:47] and Brown Hobson of North Carolina [@1:24:38]. Both are experienced guides and love small stream fishing. Even if you don't fish these regions, you'll find plenty of great tips and fly suggestions for your own region. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and also some great additional information from listeners, including: I have a small bass pond in my neighborhood. What would you suggest regarding patterns and techniques? I have a bunch of old flies from the 1940s. How can I tell if they are still good? Is there a comparable approach to Euro nymphing when fishing for steelhead? Some great information from a listener on the confusion around greenback cutthroat restoration in Colorado. Why aren't all hooks barbless? Do you have any tips on tying with calf body hair? What are some good crab patterns for fishing for striped bass in New England? Can you suggest some tips on tying in biot tails for nymphs like the Copper John? Should I always be fishing my nymphs dead drift or should I try imparting some movement to them? A listener calls in with some great tips for finding small stream trout in Colorado

This week, continuing with my small stream double features programs, I interview Todd Fuchigami of the Ellensburg Angler in Washington [@ 45:48], plus Mel Hayner of Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Minnesota [@1:24:51]. It's been fascinating for me to learn about the similarities, and the differences in small stream techniques throughout the country. Regardless of where you fish, you'll pick up great small stream tips from these two. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments: What is your preferred wet-wading outfit, or do you even wade wet at all during the summer? If I need a longer dropper on my dry/dropper rig, should I add the extra length with another section of tippet added to the existing one or should I tie on a whole new dropper? A listener takes me to task and says I should "spend more time on crowded public waters to better answer the fly box questions" What is the best way to fish small streams when they get turbid from a summer rainstorm? A couple book recommendations from a listener on small streams and alpine lakes I normally take both my fly rod and a spinning rod with worms when trout fishing. What do you think of this method? Are "bait chuckers" seen throughout the country or is it just my local fishing culture in Iowa? And what are some ways to help them see the beauty in fly fishing? I have a bunch of old fly lines and rods. How do I figure out what line sizes I have? What really matters when I stare into my fly box? What attributes do you look for and how do you rank them? How often before you decide to switch flies? How do I gauge the size of my hen hackles when tying soft hackles?

[Rachel Therkildsen interview 36:25] [Brett Damm interview 1:04:52] I have been interviewing guides across the country on their techniques for small-stream trout fishing and I want to get these out sooner rather than later, at the peak of small stream trout season.  So this week, we have a special double feature on small trout streams East and West.  We have Rachel Therkildsen on fishing high altitude streams (and lakes) in Colorado, and then we move East to hear about small stream brook trout fishing in the Rangeley region of Maine with Brett Damm of Rangeley Region Fly Shop.   In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: I use mostly streamers in high mountain lakes.  Should I be using nymphs and dries? Is there a good resource for organizing my fly boxes? Are there any podcast episodes on panfish? A suggestion from a listener on wearing a wetsuit when fly fishing. Do you have any tips on how to fish difficult waters? I think carp are eating blueback herring spawn on my local river.  Do you have any suggestions on how to catch them? Can I fish emergers upstream? If I take my new Mission rod to Florida to fish deep channels, when should I use a Scandi line and when should I use a Skagit line? Is it OK to carry two rods with different rigs to maximize fishing time? Is it OK to leave my wading boots wet for a day or two.  I always dry them but do I need to do it every day? If I plan to use my Euro nymphing rod for more conventional fishing, should I overline the rod?

[Interview starts at 37:17]   This week, our podcast is all about carp.  It's a more advanced carp podcast with my buddy Dan Frasier, who is one of the most knowledgeable carp anglers I know.  Carp are almost never easy and sometimes they are damn near impossible.  But they are a fascinating challenge, and a good fish to chase when you aren't able to travel to more exotic places for big fish--something we all need to concentrate on.   I'm going to be doing more podcasts about fishing close to home--a bunch of small stream tips from various parts of the country, and also on bass and panfish.  Stay tuned in the coming months.   In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and suggestions form listeners: Can I fish steelhead with a single-handed rod?  I can't find any information on it. What type of stream bottom is best for rubber with metal studs on the soles, and what type is best with just rubber soles? How can I find small wild trout spring creeks in the Northeast? My flies don't look as good as the ones I buy in a fly shop?  Should I still fish with them even if the bodies do not have as nice a taper or the wings are too long? Does it matter where I put the rubber legs on my panfish flies? A suggestion on how to hold onto big trout when they jump If a fish in a certain feeding lie gets caught every week, will it move away or will it just become harder to catch? What is the best knot for tying a light tippet to a hopper imitation? A tip from a physical therapist who has developed an Instagram channel on mobility and strengthening articles just for fly fishers  Which H3 rod would be best for trout streamers and fairly large bass? What is the difference between a good and a really great fly fisher?

[Interview starts at 41:18] We could all use a little escapism these days, so why not listen to a podcast about adventures in the Amazon?  Fly Fisherman Magazine editor and publisher Ross Purnell, in a pre-Covid recorded interview, will thrill you with his adventures with a fly rod in the Amazon, and you will be shocked at how he celebrated the trip.  Few of us will be traveling to exotic locations this year, and many of us never will, but it is always enlightening to hear about what fishing is like in a different world.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions: Further warnings on UV cure epoxy vapors How do I keep my fly tying organized in a small apartment with a wife, dog, and cat? Can I use steelhead swinging techniques for skating a caddis when trout fishing? How do I learn Euro nymphing? How can I find and catch bigger trout than the 12-inchers I usually catch? Are there any advanced courses to improve my skills in fly fishing? More tips from a fishing guide about how to improve a client's experience Will a very hot car in Texas damage any of my fly-fishing gear? I lose trout when they jump.  What can I do to prevent this? Why didn't you mention Strike Putty in your TV show on using indicators? I caught a trout and got slime on my fly, then the fly didn't work afterward.  Does slime on a fly scare off trout?

[Interview starts at 55:00]  This week, Joe Hebler of the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado, answers the question "How do I become a fishing guide?"  Whether you are graduating from high school or college, or in another career looking to escape daily stresses and an unsatisfying job, Joe gives a great road map on what steps to take to successfully land a job in this competitive field.  And if you aren't interested in becoming a guide, Joe also gives some great tips on current fishing conditions on Colorado streams.   In the Fly Box this week, we answer some questions, share some tips from a listener, and alert people to a threat on one of Pennsylvania's finest trout streams.  Should I buy a 4-weight or a 5-weight rod for trout? Whatever happened to that little barbed thingee that goes into the end of a fly line to attach a leader?  An alert about a proposal by a meat packing plant to withdraw 700,000 gallons of water a day from the springs that feed the headwaters of Fishing Creek.  Are wet flies a legitimate strategy when you have trout rising downstream of your position? How do I get a large trout close to my net if my leader is long? What could I have done to catch a smallmouth bass in deep, clear, swirly water?  What mouse pattern is best and how should I fish it?  A great list of tips on why starting out in a small stream will build your skills for fishing tougher, more technical waters later.  My father wants to remove the brush along our stream to make it easier to cast and for my kids to splash in the river.  Should I try to talk him out of it? What is the best way to remove wind knots from my leader? A listener asks me about my top 3 places to fish I foul hooked a brook trout in the belly but it was only a flseh wound.  Do you think the fish will survive? Should I match my leader length to my rod length?

[Interview starts at 37:18] This week, the podcast is about native trout, specifically the Rio Grande cutthroat of New Mexico.  It's the story of two communities, one a small New Mexico town and the other the Taos Pueblo tribe, told by Toner Mitchell of Trout Unlimited, and Talisa Puentes Ortega, a biologist who worked on the project with the Taos Pueblo.   In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions, as usual, including: Can I use Dragon Tails for trout spey? Can I use scaled down versions of classic salmon and steelhead for trout? Can I fix a cut in my 5-weight line? Do you ever wish you could go back in time and fish a particular river? Why do people often recommend different flies for tailwaters as opposed to freestone rivers? How should I rinse my Clearwater reel after fishing in salt water? Do creek chubs in a river indicate the absence of trout? Should I boil my leaders to straighten them? My buddy and I caught nice bass on small nymphs while fishing for sunfish.  Is this a fluke? What are your recommendations for wet wading gear? I bought a hen cape and realize it's not good for dry flies.  What can I use it for? What rod should I get for going after carp, smallmouths, steelhead, and Pacific salmon?

[Interview starts at 45:51] This week's podcast was recorded prior to Covid 19 but I sat on it for awhile because it was about saltwater fly fishing in the San Francisco Bay area and I wanted to wait until sheltering at home restrictions were eased a bit and people could get out to try these ideas.  Sarah Landstrom of Lost Coast Outfitters regularly leads trips for this accessible and interesting urban fishing, and she has some great tips, and even suggestions for locations to try.   In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of interesting questions--plus a great e-mail from a listener on how he successfully uses two-handed rods for nymphing in Alaska.  Some of the questions this week are: Do you think planning a trip with a guide will help me learn new skills? What is the best way to go about asking for permission to fish on private land? I don't have much time to fish.  How can I streamline things and become more efficient so I don't spend all my time rigging and tying knots? Do you think a surgeon's knot is visible to fish? Where on my leader do I put my indicator? Why can I hook trout on dry flies? What locations, flies, and weather conditions are best for night fishing? Should I use mothballs in my fly tying materials? Should I microwave my fly-tying materials?