Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

941 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/941 Presented by: Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho, Stonefly Nets, Fly Fish with me Utah What does it take to keep producing nine-pound trout year after year? In this episode, we're heading to Henry's Lake with Kevin Skenandore of the Henry's Lake Foundation. Kevin has spent decades fishing these waters and is now helping lead conservation efforts aimed at protecting and improving one of the West's most iconic stillwater fisheries. We talk about the new Feed the Fish program, how volunteers are restoring spawning habitat in tributary streams, and what water temperature and oxygen levels mean for trout survival. Kevin also shares some of his favorite stillwater tactics, including leech and chironomid setups that consistently produce fish on Henry's Lake. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/941

#939 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/939 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho, Fly Fish with me Utah Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Paul Arden, founder of Sexyloops and one of the most respected fly casting instructors in the world, returns to the podcast to share lessons from more than three decades of teaching anglers how to cast more efficiently. From beginners learning loop control to experienced anglers searching for more distance and accuracy, Paul breaks down the fundamentals that separate average casters from great ones. The conversation covers fly casting plateaus, loop control, back-cast awareness, the 170 cast, double-haul mechanics, fly line selection, and common misconceptions that hold anglers back. Paul also shares practical drills, coaching insights, and why understanding what happens behind you may be the fastest path to improving what happens in front of you. #939 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/939

938 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/938 Presented by: Patagonia If tomorrow were your last day on the planet, would you feel like you left enough out on the water? That question sits at the heart of this conversation with Riverhorse Nakadate and his new book, Water Lines. Riverhorse has spent decades exploring marshes, rivers, oceans, surf breaks, and wild places around the world. Today, he shares some of the stories, adventures, and lessons that came from a life spent following water wherever it leads. We're talking about the making of Water Lines, what it was like working with Patagonia to bring the book to life, and the experience of recording the audiobook. We'll also get an update on conservation efforts in the Boundary Waters and hear a few stories from the road along the way. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/938

#937 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/937 Presented by: TroutRoutes, On DeMark Lodge, FishHound Expeditions, Montana Fly Fishing Lodge Sponsors: https://www.wetflyswing.com/sponsors/ In this episode, I sat down with Blake Merwin from Gig Harbor Fly Shop to talk about Puget Sound cutthroat fishing, steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula, and the small details that separate productive days from frustrating ones. We dug into beach structure, tide movement, chum fry migrations, topwater opportunities, and why standing still is often the biggest mistake anglers make. Blake has spent decades guiding and exploring these waters. Along the way, he's developed a deep understanding of sea-run cutthroat behavior and how anglers can consistently find fish throughout the year. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/937

935B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/935B Presented by: Drifthook Fly Fishing Every angler has heard it before: this fly always works, this is my confidence fly, you have to have this pattern in your box. But when you're standing on the river with hundreds of flies to choose from, how do you know what actually matters? Matt Bernhardt from Drifthook joins us to break down fly selection and share a simpler way to think about choosing flies. We also talk about what drives good fly selection, why size and silhouette often matter more than exact imitation, and the differences between beginner, intermediate, and advanced approaches to choosing flies. We'll also hear about the story behind Drifthook, his background in guiding, fly design, fly quality, sourcing materials, and what's next for the brand. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/935B

#934 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/934 Presented By: Intrepid Camp Gear, Togiak River Lodge, Gallatin River Lodge Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors What does it really take to film fly fishing at the highest level? In this episode, Todd Moen of Catch Magazine joins us to share the story behind some of the most iconic fly fishing films ever created—from steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest to remote destinations across the globe. We dig into Todd's early production days filming for Fly Fishing the World, surviving a plane crash in the Bahamas, and how he eventually built Catch Magazine into one of the most respected visual storytelling brands in fly fishing. Todd also explains why steelhead may be the hardest species to film, how music shapes his editing process, and what most people never realize about the amount of work required to capture a single unforgettable fish on camera. #934 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/934

#932B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/932B Presented By: Togiak River Lodge Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors In this episode, Tom Petry and Jorden Susewitz of Film The Hunt share their experience at Togiak River Lodge, where a filmmaking project turned into a deep dive into spey fishing, Alaska wilderness, and the people who make the lodge special. What started as a content trip documenting the Larsen family's journey quickly became something more as both Tom and Jorden picked up spey rods for the first time and discovered the addictive pull of swinging flies. We dig into filmmaking in remote locations, learning to cast a two-handed rod, the challenges of capturing outdoor adventures on camera, and why Alaska has a way of changing your perspective. Whether you're interested in spey fishing, storytelling, photography, or simply experiencing wild places, this episode offers a unique look behind the scenes. #932B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/932B

#931B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/931B In this episode of Hunting with a Fly, Rick Kustich sits down with Vince Tobia of Cattaraugus Creek Outfitters to talk about one of the most overlooked predators in saltwater fly fishing—the barracuda. While many anglers head to the flats focused solely on bonefish, Vince explains why barracuda deserve a spot on every fly angler's radar. From sight-fishing tactics and presentation angles to gear setup and landing fish safely, Vince shares the lessons he's learned from years of chasing these aggressive apex predators across the Bahamas and beyond. #931B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/931B

930 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/930 Presented by: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Golden Fly Shop, Fish The Fly Guide Service, TroutRoutes In this episode, our stillwater guru, Phil Rowley, sits down with Chris Callanan from Outcast Sporting Gear to talk about inflatable watercraft for lakes. They dig into float tubes, pontoon boats, frameless boats, anchoring systems, safety, maintenance, storage, and how to choose the right setup for your fishing style. Chris also shares the history behind Outcast and how portable watercraft evolved from the old donut-style float tubes into today's modern V-hull designs. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/930

#928b Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/928b Presented by: Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho Mike Komara and Michael Bradley are two of the five starters representing Team USA at the upcoming World Fly Fishing Championships in Eastern Idaho. They've spent years refining modern Euro nymphing tactics, and this episode digs into one of the biggest changes in competitive fly fishing over the last decade: the move from traditional sighter systems to fully colored micro leaders. The discussion also covers team strategy, competition preparation, dry-dropper adjustments, minimalist gear systems, and how presentation often matters more than the fly itself. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/928b

#927 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/927 Presented By: Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho, Togiak River Lodge, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Drifthook Fly Fishing Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors What happens when a family helps shape the history of drift boats for nearly a century? In this episode, Jeff Helfrich joins us to share stories from the early days of McKenzie River drift boats, how his grandfather Prince Helfrich helped evolve whitewater boat design, and what it's really like navigating technical rivers like the Middle Fork Salmon and Rogue River in wooden boats. We dig into the transition from plank boats to plywood, the origins of the McKenzie-style drift boat, and why certain whitewater rapids still give experienced guides butterflies. Jeff also shares incredible stories from the Frank Church Wilderness, including flash floods that created entirely new rapids overnight, how drift boats handle technical water, and why these wilderness river trips remain some of the most unique fly fishing experiences in the country. #927 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/927

#926 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/926 Presented by: Pescador on the Fly, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Gallatin River Lodge Sponsors: https://www.wetflyswing.com/sponsors Greg Keenan is back on the podcast to talk all things stillwater fly fishing, from early season ice-off opportunities to advanced presentations for selective trout. Greg guides and teaches on the lakes around British Columbia and has become one of the go-to voices in stillwater education through his schools and YouTube content. This conversation covers everything from reading lake structure and finding productive shoals to fishing chironomids, leeches, and naked line presentations more effectively. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/926