The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

This episode was originally published on October 28th, 2024. I get regular questions from people about getting a job in the fly-fishing industry, both in the podcast mailbox and in person at shows and store visits. It's a tough question and I don't have all the answers so I called upon my buddy Kirk Deeter [35:04], who as founding publisher of Angling Trade magazine and currently editor of Trout magazine, along with many other jobs in the industry, is the consummate fly-fishing insider. He talks about the joys and the pitfalls of looking for a job in this tiny niche. I think he has some great tips to share, whether you are a young kid looking for a first job or a seasoned veteran of another industry looking for a more rewarding career. In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips, including: How should I treat CDC feathers I got from a friend who hunts waterfowl? A listener asks why people who write into the Fly Box don't just go out and try the things they are asking about. A spooky Halloween story from a listener How do I avoid a size 12 dry fly twisting on a 6X tippet? What is the best Orvis rod for hopper fishing on western rivers? Can I keep my fly rods set up all season? Do I need to wax the ferrules? How can I do a better job of hooking trout on a downstream cast? Am I missing something by not using tapered leaders when fishing for bass and panfish? If a 6X leader makes a size 12 fly twist, why don't we just use 1X and 2X leaders on all of our flies, down to a size 24? How can I get a single nymph down into deep, fast water without using split shot? Would a longer rod help keep my Clouser Minnows from hitting the rocks behind me on my back cast? I have a 5-weight rod and want to fish for bass, carp, and suckers. Should I get a 6-weight or a 7-weight rod?

In this week's podcast, Captain Roger Gendron [28:45] shares expert tips on fishing Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Coast, covering seasonal patterns, target species like tarpon, redfish, and snook, and effective fly fishing techniques for each. Discover how to adapt your approach to different conditions and maximize your success in this prime fishing area. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including: The hooks on my size 24 Trico patterns keeping bending. Can I tie these flies on stronger hooks with heavier wire? I fished mouse flies and the fish went crazy over them but I couldn't keep them hooked. What am I doing wrong? What do you suggest for a first fly rod to catch bass, carp, and panfish? How would you approach finding trout on a remote river? If we are just catching shad and suckers but not trout, are we fishing in the wrong places or not using the right flies? In a small stream, how far upstream should I go to prevent "high holing" someone else? I love small stream fishing and want to get a 7 ½ foot Superfine rod. Do you recommend the fiberglass or graphite version? I lost a lot of big fish using size 22 nymphs. Do you have any advice on keeping them on the hook? Does it matter if the wing cases on my jig nymphs are on the upper side or lower side of the fly? I could see a bunch of fish in clear water and could not get them to take any kind of fly. What would you do in this situation?

Chris Burkard [32:00], renowned action photographer, joins us to share his journey and insights into the world of fly fishing and extreme sports. His unique perspective on connecting with nature through photography and fishing offers a refreshing take on outdoor adventure. And along the way he offers some great tips on bikepacking with a fly rod. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: I keep spooking the bigger trout in a small southern brook trout stream. What can I do to avoid spooking them? Is an 8-weight Encounter rod enough to handle Pacific salmon in Michigan? And how heavy a tippet should I use? I lost my biggest trout the other day after a long battle. What advice do you have for landing bigger fish? How can I get the eyes on my big predator flies from coming off after a few casts? What do you carry in your "eventuality kit" when taking trips? I saw sea trout jumping outside my office in Stockholm, but I couldn't catch them. What do you think they were doing? My buddies and I caught a bunch of fish on an experimental soft hackle that looked like nothing in nature. I thought you were always supposed to match the hatch.

Roadless Areas are some of the most important coldwater refuges for trout and salmon, and also prime spawning areas. Yet they are under threat because the Forst Service has proposed to eliminate them. Learn how you can quickly and easily voice your opinion and it WILL matter. And you need to do it in the next couple weeks. Chris Wood [43:52] is always a great guest and you'll learn more than just about this issue. For instance, you'll learn the difference between a Roadless Area and Wilderness Area and what you can and can't do on each type of public land. In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions and controversies, including: Why do I get knots along my whole leader and how can I eliminate them? I found a bunch of big brook trout at the mouth of a cold tributary and caught one of them. Was this ethical? I want to restrict myself to Adams, Pheasant Tails, and Woolly Buggers for a season. What do you think of this idea? A listener actually enjoys foul-hooking trout because they fight better. He thinks we all need to chill out about foul-hooking fish. What do you think of this? My creek gets super low and I can't get a cast over the fish. What can I do, and do you think a tightline technique would be better? I live in Washington State and have a 10-foot 8-weight rod for salmon and steelhead. Are there any other places I can use this rod in my area? The bass jumped all over a Senko Worm but I can't catch them on flies. Are there any bass flies that will work as well? What should I expect on my first float trip? How can I identify good water for swinging wet flies

My guest this week is Orvis ambassador George Daniel [31:48], who is also a guide, an author, and teaches the Fly Fishing class at Penn State. George is always questioning fly-fishing tactics, and he has some new ideas that surprisingly contradict what he has written in the past. You'll learn about his new leader design, why he typically fishes only a single nymph, why he doesn't use tippet rings any more, and why he uses a loop knot for large dry flies. And much more, including some interesting new fly patterns. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: With the increase in tungsten prices, will sinking lines be more expensive in the future? What do I need for a basic setup to begin steelhead fishing? A tip from a listener on a killer fly for catching bullhead A warning from a listener on his experience with flesh eating bacteria that he encountered on a fishing trip. A tip from a listener on using a bass bug taper for fishing large dry flies in the wind. In a tailwater that fluctuates daily, how do large changes in flow affect the trout and the insects? Why do I miss most of my hook sets when fishing dry flies?

This episode was originally published on August 6th, 2021. This week my guest is Colby Trow [38:08] of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, one of the best smallmouth bass anglers I know. Colby talks about successful techniques in catching these critters in late summer, when they can be harder to catch than earlier in the season. The good news is that it's one of the best times to catch them on a surface fly like a popper or hair bug, which is always the most fun. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners: A listener who makes the point that it's quicker to land trout on light tippets with a Euro rod. Can I fish carp flies with an indicator? Are treble hooks more harmful than single point barbless hooks? What do I do when trout take my hopper patterns deep? Should I leave the fly in them? I have trouble catching smallmouths in clear water. Any suggestions? Where do you store your leader between fishing trips? A tip from Sam, fishing manager at Orvis Houston, on catching redfish in dirty water. What are the advantages and disadvantages in using a pedestal vise as opposed to a C-clamp? How do I choose which size hair stacker to use? How can I fish size 18-22 nymphs in four feet of fast water? A suggestion for using 7 1/2-foot leaders in small streams in the Driftless Region. Can I put a 7-weight sinking line on my 5-weight rod? If I am catching trout in small mountain streams where the water is cold enough, do I need to worry about them moving downstream into warmer temperatures after I release them? How many phone calls and questions do you get per week? When I switch from Euro nymphing to my regular trout rod, I keep breaking off fish. Is this normal?

My guest this week is Orvis casting guru and fishing buddy Pete Kutzer [39:31], who makes a case for using trout Spey techniques not just for spring and fall streamer fishing but all summer long, swinging wet flies and soft hackles. Pete gets into exactly the right rod, line, leader, and tippet he uses, the fly patterns he prefers, and the techniques he uses for presenting the flies. He also gives us some great tips for two-handed casting in general—tough to do on a podcast, but they are helpful nonetheless. In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: When fishing foam dry flies on a dry dropper rig, my leader keeps twisting. How can I prevent this? What essential gear should I take when fishing from my raft? I keep spooking carp with my heavily weighted flies but I need them to get down. How can I fix this? A listener tells us about a very clever method he uses for drop-shotting with nymphs that allows him to change weights easily. I saw dozens of trout stacked up in the middle of a run feeding in bright sunlight. Why were they there? I am trying to fish a short, deep plunge pool where the trout are in four feet of water. How can I get my flies down to them? My rooster hackle keeps twisting. What can I do to prevent this?