The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

This week my guest is one of our top warmwater fly fishing experts.  You probably know of Kip Vieth as a muskie guide, as he is one of the most famous fly-rod muskie anglers.  But his first love is smallmouth bass, and it’s fascinating that his location is the most famous river in the United States, the Mississippi River.  He fishes the upper river where the water is clear and the location is unspoiled by the endless development we think of when we imagine the Mississippi.  As well as discovering his unique part of the world, you’ll also pick up many tips on catching smallmouth bass anywhere. In the Fly Box section I try to answer some questions on targetting carp,, alternatives to wire when fishing for muskie, using flies with a spin rod, my "method" when approaching a river, and more.

  This week we’ll travel to the Low Country of South Carolina to interview Captain Tuck Scott, who is a master at finding redfish along the South Carolina coast.  In addition, historic Beaufort sounds like an amazing place for a family vacation, so this one might be a trip to plan where fishing is only part of the plan.  Tuck gives us plenty of intelligence on finding and catching redfish in the Low Country, and also some special redfish tips that will work anywhere.  In the Fly Box this week we talk about missed fish on downstream wet flies, fish chasing streamers but not connecting, organizing fly-tying materials, the benefits of hiring a guide, and tips for fishing scuds on spring creeks.

Last week we were fortunate to have Daniel Galhardo, owner of Tenkara USA visit our office and he had a few minutes to stop by for a podcast interview.  In this week’s discussion, he talks about what he has learned since his original podcast with us, especially about fly patterns and the rationale for using a single fly.  He also talks about—gasp—fishing a huge streamer from Shawn Combs’ drift boat with his Tenkara rod.  So much for being a purist.   Even if you are not interested in Tenkara fishing you will probably find something of interest in this week’s podcast.  We tackle questions about rinsing gear after saltwater use, how much backing to put on a reel with a sinking line, the use of stinger hooks on saltwater flies, fishing lake-run browns and steelhead in the Great Lakes in estuaries, whether metal studs spook trout, and a great tip from a listener for cleaning your fly tying bench.

  In this week’s podcast, we were fortunate to have Bob Irvin, president and CEO of American Rivers, in town for a visit.  Bob and I got to chat about their “10 Most Endangered Rivers” list for this year, and he goes into detail on the ones most important to fly anglers.  If you care about moving water, this is a must-listen.  Also, in the Fly Box this week, questions range from whether switch lines spook fish, whether to go back to the head of a pool after catching a big rainbow there, whether it is ethical to remove streamside brush in small streams, how to pick the right glass rod, and how to tell if your local river holds big fish.

  On this week’s podcast Patrick Fulkrod, the 2014 Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year, gives us a very full accounting of fly fishing on the east Tennessee tailwaters, specifically the Watauga and South Holston rivers.  He spills some of his secrets on hatches, seasons, water levels, and special techniques.  In the Fly Box, we have questions on trimming hackle for dry flies, hackles to use on saltwater flies, how to set the hook on downstream fish, what to do on an unfamiliar river, crane fly larvae, how to fish nymphs for cutthroats in over 15 feet of water in a river (my advice—don’t), and finally how you can lose weight and get in better shape by listening to the podcast.

  This week I have been asked to narrow my fly selection to three nymphs, dries, emergers, and streamers with one hand tied behind my back because the guy who wrote the question said I couldn’t use any of the old standbys (and he even specified them, most of which I would have picked).  So I dug deep and also asked my fishing buddy and co-worker Bill Reed to come in and discuss his favorites to see how our lists match.  Also in the fly box this week are questions about spotting fish in the water, how to keep a trout on the line once you have hooked it, how to spend $1500 wisely after your first year of fly fishing, and fly line color.  In addition, we have a couple great letters from listeners offering suggestions on eye safety and fishing the UK chalk streams on a budget.

Every now and then, when Tom is too busy fishing to get into the studio, we release one of his more popular shows. Here is a great one he recorded on May 28,2013, In this episode we explore the topic of whether you should fish upstream or down, not only what direction you should move but also which way you present your fly.  The podcast will tell you exactly which direction to fish every time you go out by using a simple formula (just kidding—did you really think it would be that easy?)  In the fly box we answer questions about setting the hook (again), what length rod to use (again), adding tippets to knotless leaders (again), what to do about minnows sinking your dry flies (aha!  A new one and a fun one, too), and how to improve your roll cast by using a different line.  I keep answering those repeated topics because it seems they are universal questions and sometimes a different question or slant on a question may make it more clear to listeners.  Have fun!

This week we are including the most recent episode  of the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast with Reid Bryant. If you enjoy the show, please go to orvis.com/podcast and subscribe. In this episode, Reid interviews fomer Orvis gun smith, John Skinner on the age-aold controversy of side-by-side vs. over-under shotguns.  He interviews John Skinner, former Orvis Head Gunsmith and Shooting instructor.  He relays the nuances of one format versus another and goes into some of the history as well.

Tom interviews his boss, Orvis CEO Perk Perkins on leaders. Don't let the CEO title fool you, the guy knows his stuff. Would you like to be on the show? Tom tells you how to win a new contest and be one of our next guests. Also, Tom answers lots of your questions in the Fly Box.

  This week I have a long and fascinating interview with Mike Schmidt, designer of such giant trout streamers as the Junkyard Dog.  He gives up his secrets on when to fish a giant streamer (and when not to), what techniques he uses, and also some tips on tying these flies and why he designs them the way he does.  I don’t think I have learned so much in a podcast in a long time and I hope you find it as inspiring and interesting as I need.  I am ready to charge out there with some giant streamers right away.  In the Fly Box this week, we range from catching smallmouth bass in clear lakes to catching stocked trout and channel catfish in Houston, how to get more involved in the fly-fishing industry, whether or not wings are necessary on a dry fly, and much more.