Lindsay Kocka [42:30] is a fly-fishing instructor, formally trained natural movement and strength coach, mobility specialist, yoga teacher, and mindfulness educator.  She taken her fishing experience and formal training to come up with a method to help us wade stronger and more confidently.  Regardless of your age, you'll benefit from this podcast, which will give you lots of tips on how to feel more comfortable and confident on the water.  You'll also learn about how to get your body and balance in better shape for your upcoming trips on the water.     In the Fly Box this week, we have an unusually large number of useful tips from listeners, as well as the usual questions for Tom, including: Will my Clearwater fly lines be OK in salt water? Why don't we use grain weights instead of the AFTMA number system for identifying the weights of trout fly lines like we do for double-handed rods? The fly shops are always out of my favorite fly pattern, the Purple Haze.  I just want to tie those.  Should I start with a kit or should I just buy the materials I need for that fly pattern? A tip from a listener on how to attach a fly so that it does not twist your leader When you work a section of water, should you work the near seam or the far seam first? A tip from a listener on how to replace the permanent loop on your fly line with a new one A tip from a listener on how to remove burrs or grooves in your fly-tying bobbin A tip from a listener on why you should save old waders, and how to use them to patch new ones. A tip from a listener on why it is important to support your local fly shop Tips from a blind fly fisher on methods he uses to enjoy fly fishing, and a couple tips from him on how to make threading a fly easier—something that all of us can benefit from. Tips from a listener on practicing your fly casting from the position you'll most often be fishing from. What is the etiquette when wading anglers and boaters cross paths on the water? Why would someone pick a 91/2-foot or 9-foot, 5-inch rod over a 9-footer? What tips do you have for casting a sinking leader? Can I keep my rods set up in or on my car for extended periods?

All about Floating Fly Lines, with Josh Jenkins   What is the difference between freshwater and saltwater fly lines?  How about warmwater and cold-water lines?  How long do fly lines last?  How do you care for a fly line?  How do you clean a fly line?  Why do we have over-weighted fly lines?  These are questions I often get for the podcast, so I asked Josh Jenkins [49:28], head of R&D for Scientific Anglers, to answer these questions and more about floating fly lines.   In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some great questions and helpful tips from listeners they want to share with you, including: What is the best rod length, line size, and leader for brook trout? Can I throw a small Woolly Bugger with my 3-weight rod or do I need a heavier rod? Are there any fly-tying materials that could have a negative health impact? Do you know of a source for those bags used to hold fly-tying materials? What flies can I use ruffed grouse feathers on? Should I use my heavier nymph as my point (lower) fly? I am looking at an Amplitude Creek line for small streams but it states the line is one size heavier.  Will it spook the brook trout I am after? How many flies do you lose every season, and how do you lose most of them? How long should I expect a fly to last? I love carp and bass fishing and have always been underwhelmed by trout fishing.  What am I missing? Are 6-piece rods any good, and would you take one on a long trip? I got some old feathers that are bug infested.  How can I clean them to make sure all the critters are gone? A useful tip from a listener—to slow you down and help you observe a river better, don't string up your rod until you get to the river. What do you do when you change species?  Do you have separate fly boxes for each? When coming up with a new fly pattern, how do you decide hook style and thread type? Tip for keeping young kids away from a fly-tying area—use a baby gate What is the most versatile fly for catching bass, carp, and panfish? I get seasick.  What is the best place to go bonefishing where I will find calm water?

Are there any tricks to spotting fish on saltwater flats, especially if it's your first time?  You may be disappointed to hear that there is no magic bullet and every place you fish will offer different species, water color, and depth.  But Jason Franklin [37:36] has a lifetime of experience helping his clients to spot bonefish and permit in the water, and he gives us some solid tips on how to develop this skill.   In the Fly Box this week, we have an unusual number of great tips from listeners, along with some questions Tom attempts to answer, including: Will a 2-weight rod give me more enjoyment  than my 7 1/2-foot 3-weight when bluelining on my local streams?  How about a 10 foot two-weight? What is the purpose of tying a tippet ring on the end of big dry flies? Three great fly-tying and fishing  hacks from a listener A listener describes how he fixed a bobbin that kept cutting thread using a fly-tying bead. What hook sizes can I cast on my 5-weight when fishing for bass?  And would it help to put a 6-weight on my rod when casting larger flies? What do you think of trying weedless carp flies for fish that are in pockets between weeds? If I am tying various styles of streamers in a range of sizes, should I get a rooster cape? Do I need to dry out my fly line before putting my reel away? I want to try a tenkara rod but my fishing buddy says it's not fly fishing.  What do you think? I could catch trout on Woolly Buggers but had trouble catching them on small midges.  What should I try in this tailwater the next time I go? Three tips from a listener on getting success when tight-line nymphing. Is it possible to get transcripts for the podcasts? What is the process for experimentation with new fly patterns? A listener adds another common way to break a fly rod When you talk about leader length, do you include the tippet?

This week's podcast is a recording of a live interview I did with Sue Doroff [48:56], co-founder and outgoing president of The Western Rivers Conservancy, which does amazing work throughout the West by buying valuable riparian land, making the surrounding habitat more natural and resilient, and enhancing public access to many of our important trout, salmon, and steelhead rivers.  You'll learn how Western Rivers finds these areas, the financial model for how they do this, and how most are eventually transferred into public ownership.  It's fascinating story of how a small organization punches well above its weight.   In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and valuable tips from listeners, including: How to use forceps to smooth down weighting wire How to easily reverse your tying thread using a dubbing needle How do I get deer hair to behave? Any tips for attaching eyes to Game Changers? Why can I catch trout from tiny streams on dry flies but not on nymphs? Advice on the differences between Helios and Recon rods How do I get into commercial fly tying? How far do stocked trout travel? Can I catch a carp on my 8 ½ foot 5 weight rod? Can I use split shot with streamers? Advice on a fiberglass rod for bass and panfish Do I need to adjust water type or tactics for browns vs. rainbows? A great tip from a listener on how to avoid losing beads and hooks under your tying table What should a non-angler do when going fishing with a fly fisher? How can I prevent losing fish on size 24 flies?  Should I keep the barbs on? Does how you tie a clinch knot have any bearing on how it rides in the water? A listener suggestion for another great writer of fly-fishing essays

How has fly-tying changed in the past 50 years?  It's changed a great deal in the time Tim Flagler [43:55] and I have been practicing it, and I often get questions from people about what has changed over the years.  Tim and I discuss the way information was shared, what hackle was like back then, innovations like beads and synthetic materials and chemically sharpened hooks, and advances in fly-tying tools.  Our main conclusion is that fly tiers today have never had it better, and it continues to evolve almost daily.   In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of rod questions and the usual queries that people can't seem to find an answer to anywhere else—and we're glad to help!  Some of this week's questions are: I am taking a rod-building class and want to know what rod I should add to my quiver (and he details the rods he already owns) I have heard that Florida snook fishing is best from shore during the summer, but also that the season is closed.  Can I still target them and release them? What do you know about fly fishing in Bermuda? Can I put a 9-weight line on my Clearwater 908? What Mirage LT reel should I put on my 11-foot Blackout rod? Are there any introduced cutthroat populations in the eastern US? For fishing from a float tube for brook trout in Maine, should I get a 10-foot 3-weight or 4-weight rod? Would it be bad to wear tick repellent when fishing?  Will it harm aquatic life? Why do  reel manufacturers put the drag adjustment on the opposite side of the reel handle?  I find it cumbersome to adjust my drag. How will warm springs in my river affect bass behavior and feeding? What is the minimum length of rod you recommend for most trout streams, other than small streams? How do stocked spring creeks in Missouri compare to Colorado rivers? Where can my friends and I find a good fly-fishing coach? What clothing, equipment, and flies should I take for a bonefishing trip to the Turks & Caicos?  I am new to New England and have been frustrated with high water conditions.  What can I do to have more success in high water?

We frequently discuss water temperature in regard to trout fishing but you seldom hear much about how water temperature affects popular fly-rod fish like bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish, striped bass, and bluefish.  Yet the water on the flats can vary dramatically depending on local weather patterns and tides, which will in turn affect where the fish move to and how actively they feed.  Learn from Bonefish Tarpon Trust's science director Aaron Adams [51:35] (also a superb fly fisher) on the science of water temperature and saltwater species.   In the Fly Box this week we have a great selection of questions, tips, and rants from listeners, including:   Is it appropriate to tip a guide when he or she runs a group class at a fly shop? What kind of footwear do you use when blue lining when you are wet wading? Does monofilament have a shelf life? Is a fiberglass rod a viable option for carp, bass, or bonefish? Has Tom developed any new insights on carp fishing in 2023? My sister harvested a moose.  What flies can I tie with moose hair? I've often had good fishing before a thunderstorm but not after.  Is there any validity to this observation? A mild rant from a listener who does not like to chat on the water with other anglers.  And a less mild rant about anglers who invade his space. Can I turn my fly line around to the running line when I want to Euro nymph? How have developments in fly fishing changed the productivity of fly fishing in the last 100 years? Why am I not seeing many fish in rivers that run into reservoirs in the fall? How can I tell the difference between my nymphs ticking the bottom and a strike? A great tip from a listener on removing all of your backing and rinsing it at the end of a saltwater fly-fishing season. Should knots ever break? This fall I fished a river that was 18 to 24 inches deep and uniform without much structure.  I fished hard with various methods and didn't catch a thing.  How would you approach water like this?

This show on winter fly-fishing was originally posted on 28 January, 2011. Before we had interviews, the Flybox, or even call-ins, it was just Sir Tom rambling into a microphone.  Don't forget there are hundreds of shows from our archives that are freelly available on your podcast reader and at howtoflyfish.orvis.com.

Careful observation, active instead of passive, is the hallmark of a good fly fisher.  They pick up patterns by observing exactly where in the river a fish came from , or how it behaved when feeding, or what weather patterns preceded a particularly successful day.  Head guide Cliff Weisse [46:15] of Three Rivers Ranch in Warm River, Idaho tells us some things many fly fishers don't pay enough attention to, and thus lose the ability to improve their skills.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including: How many flies and leaders will I need for a single day of guided fishing in the Bahamas?  And what gear will I need that I would normally not take for a day of trout fishing? If I catch a trout from a small pool, should I assume the rest of the fish in that pool are spooked? When should I strip a fish in, and when should I get the line on the reel? My buddy and I lost 100% of the trout we hooked one day.  WE normally land most of them.  What did we do wrong? What flies will imitate shad, small rainbows, sculpins, and small brown trout? I fish a piece of water with lots of swirling eddies and have trouble with a normal hard strike indicator.  What should I use instead? How can I manage using multiple fly lines without buying a new reel or spool for each one? Is it OK for a guide to give me an unsolicited lecture on etiquette even though I never crowd anyone? If I only make casts at a maximum of 15 feet in a small stream, is there a special fly line I should be using? I read somewhere that the author uses "gel flotant on all my flies".  Am I missing something? How do you determine the shuck color on a Sparkle Dun? A great tip from a listener about using a "backing barrel" on a sighter leader when you have trouble seeing it. How can I avoid spooking smallmouth bass on a small, clear stream?

Originally Posted on March 3rd, 2023 Back in 2008 when I first began this podcast I had two dreams—that I would have my two literary heros, John McPhee and Thomas McGuane as guests (they are both passionate fly fishers). I was lucky enough to record a podcast with John in August of 2021 and this week's podcast is with Tom McGuane [44:36], author of 20 highly regarded novels, screenplays, collections of short stories, and what is in my opinion the finest book of fly-fishing essays ever written, The Longest Silence. Most people who interview Tom want to talk about his crazy days in Key West in the 1970s, , fishing for tarpon with Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Jimmy Buffet, and other notable characters. However, in the podcast we talk about what he is doing now—his fascination with small-stream trout fishing, why he would rather wade than fish from a boat, his opinion on guides who yell at their clients, and how to grow old gracefully and still continue to fish with a fly rod. It was a real honor to chat with him and I know you'll enjoy this very special podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful and thought-provoking questions and tips form listeners, including: What is that white rod that Pete Kutzer uses in your casting videos? Is there a written history of Orvis? What is the best reel lubricant, and how should I maintain my cork drag surface? Can dumbbell eyes damage fly rods? If so, what should I do to keep flies tied with them from hitting my rod? Do trout eat those little black and brown stoneflies that hatch during the winter and early spring?  Can you explain when I would use weighted flies vs. split shot vs. poly leaders when fishing nymphs? Can you compare the relative advantages of the 10 1/2-foot 3-weight and the 11-foot 3-weight Blackout rod? I saw people catching fish on nymphs. I tried exactly the same patterns and didn't catch anything. Why? I have a reel that takes a 9-weight line. Can I get an extra spool and put it on my 7-weight rod?

Todd Tanner [43:02] is a lifelong fly fisher and journalist and spent years as a guide on the Henry's Fork, one of the best (and toughest) dry-fly rivers in the world.  He also prefers not to fish nymphs.  Todd shares his 12 tips on improving your success with dry flies this week, and they are solid and helpful.   In the Fly Box this week, we have a great and varied selection of questions and tips from listeners, including: I don't see any brook or brown trout in the usual places this fall.  Are they all upstream spawning? Two great tips from a listener for beginning fly tiers. Is a 10-foot 4-weight a good rod for both Euro nymphing and dry-fly fishing? A great tip from a listener on how to prevent your dry fly from getting too soaked before retrieving it for the next cast. A listener makes the point that watershed-level stream restoration is often not possible. If my stream is stocked with rainbows, will I find them in other parts of the river system and will they survive? Can I use a less expensive spool of fluorocarbon spinning line instead of the expensive stuff sold for fly fishing? If I use only the tip of a CDC feather, can I use the remaining fibers for something else? Kudos from a listener on a wonderful experience he had in the Orvis retail store in Atlanta What kind of insects are most common in infertile streams? Is there a reason Orvis makes a 10 ½ foot and 11-foot H3 rod and not a 10-footer? A great rattlesnake story from a listener I found a whole bunch of trout rising in a seam and tried everything but could not catch them.  I tried all kinds of dries and nymphs and changed my tippet and my angle of approach.  What do you think the fish were eating?