The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

A couple months ago I did a podcast with Jason Randall [36:39] on trout vision, and it was so popular that I asked him to come back on the podcast to do one on a trout's sense of smell and hearing. Can trout hear your metal studs on the bottom when you wade, or the tip of your wading staff? Can they hear you talking? Can they smell your flies, and does it make sense to add scents to your fly? Can they smell hatches coming? I explore these and other topics with one of our foremost experts on what trout perceive in their environment. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great assortment of questions and tips from listeners, including: What could I tie with size 16 and 18 Keel Hooks? When working the same pool, should the nymph or streamer angler cover the pool first? Where should you park when you see a stretch of unposted land? A listener relates a fun story of his first carp on the fly What would make me choose the more expensive textured Pro fly line over the Smooth version? What is your rod, leader, and fly setup when fishing a small stream? Is there a difference between a dubbing loop and the split thread technique? Do Recons and Clearwaters go through the same process of improvements that Helios rods do? I saw a lot of bugs but no trout rising. Do you think they were overwhelmed by too much food? If trout in the East don't eat adult stoneflies much, why does the Chubby Chernobyl work so well? I find sunglasses in the evening a hindrance. What should I do to protect my eyes after the sun goes down?

Captain Drew Rodriguez [27:23] is the only Orvis-endorsed freshwater guide in Florida and specializes in largemouth and peacock bass in the canals near Miami and also the Everglades. In summer, peacocks are his main target as they just love hot weather, the hotter the better. He discusses how to find them, what flies to pick, and what tackle he recommends. They are a year-round target in the Miami area and, according to Captain Drew, a 30-fish day is a slow one. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including: Can I fit my fly boxes, lunch, and a raincoat in the standard Orvis Sling Bag? A tip from a listener on how college fly-fishing clubs can get involved with the Trout Unlimited Five Rivers program A tip for taking notes on your phone to remind you of podcast questions A tip for using desiccant packages in your fly boxes Should I tether myself to my 7-year-old daughter when we are wading together? A tip from a listener on "urban blue lining". If I fall in, what steps should I take to dry out my gear? What would be a recommendation for a basic surf fishing outfit for the East Coast, Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America? How can I manage the fly line around my feet when it gets stuck on obstructions in the river? Why don't they make longer fiberglass rods? If I am catching more whitefish than trout, should I move? What is the best way to fish nymphs without an indicator? Is dry fly fishing on a lake better in calm or riffled water? A hot tip from a regular listener on a great fly pattern

Brandon Dale [43:32] is a licensed New York State guide who specializes in fishing, of all places, Central Park in the middle of The Big Apple. You may not be interested in fishing for carp in Central Park, but Brandon offers some valuable tips on carp fishing in murky water, and has developed some innovative techniques that all carp fanatics will want to learn. In the Fly Box this week, we have a wide variety of questions and tips from listeners, including: Any tips on finding places to fly fish close to home? A tip from a listener on how to get studs in wading boots to mount properly What about kapok dubbing and wing burners? What are your thoughts on using them? How can I fish a small mountain stream when it gets murky? Should I wear my wading jacket inside or outside of my waders? How should I read the water in rivers for bass? Is there an advantage to shorter rods when fishing for bass in rivers? I caught two rainbows that looked exactly the same. Could it have been the same fish? Do graphite rods get slower over time? What advice do you have for getting a fly rod for a 5-year-old? How do fish get rid of flies when you break them off? I fished a river and all I caught was creek chubs. Is that a good or bad sign, and is it worth going back to that river? I have problems when I cast bigger flies. What should I do to practice with big flies? Are prescription progressive polarized glasses worth the extra cost?

I feel that European stillwater anglers are far more sophisticated in their approach to stillwater trout fishing and have studied it in more detail than most North American lake anglers. As a result, they use some techniques that are unlike what you see on most trout lakes and ponds in North America and both the flies and methods they use are worth experimenting with. My guest this week, Chad Critchley [48:21], is a guide and stillwater angler (and a lapsed competition angler) who shares some of these methods with us. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: How should I retrieve Woolly Buggers for bass and panfish? My knots to my flies are always slipping. What am I doing wrong? Do you have any tips on fishing larger rivers? Any reason, when fishing a popper/drop[per rig for bass, that I can't tie my popper on a separate dropper instead of tying to the bend of the popper hook? If daytime water temperatures are around 70 but night time temperatures when I fish are 65 degrees, do you think it's safe to fish for trout? Why don't fly anglers use braided line for tippet—it's very supple. Do you take fly tying materials with you on a fishing trip? How do you decide whether to take them or not? We saw huge schools of striped bass on a flat but they would not take any fly we presented to them. Do you have any tips? How do you recommend I clean my polarized sunglasses, and what to you recommend to keep them from fogging up? What kind of mayfly spinner patterns should I carry in the Northeast? What is the best way to keep trout hooked when fishing downstream with wet flies? I am young but I still have trouble seeing small dry flies on the water. What tips do you have for seeing them?

This episode was originally posted on March 10, 2022. Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of “Seven Deadly Sins” podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of tangents—all interesting and all about nymph fishing—and all of them with great advice on how to make your indicator nymphing game more fun and productive. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners, including: A terrific tip on why tying tube flies is a great way to get kids started What kind of other storage systems does Tom use around his roll-top desk? Where can I learn more about fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass? What do you suggest for preventing cutoffs by chain pickerel? Can I use sitka or axis deer, antelope, or goat hair for fly tying? A great tip on replacing wing cases on smaller nymphs with a drop of UV cure resin Should I use my leader straightener? Can I do longline French/Spanish nymphing with a two-handed rod? How can I locate pinhole leaks ion my waders? How do older series of rods compare to the modern ones? What is better about the more recent models? I know your higher-end rods are made in Vermont, but where do the components come from? Why do Americans shoot and kill birds? What is a good two-line rotation for streamer fishing in Michigan? I kept my fiberglass rod in a hot car and now I notice it has a kink in it. Could the hot car have been the reason?

Last week we looked at urban fly fishing in the Rockies. This week we venture into the American south with Orvis Atlanta fishing manager Devin Lancaster for an expert look at how to find and catch interesting fly-rod species within your own city limits by using a method he calls Blue Dotting. You'll need to listen to the podcast to find out exactly what that is. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some interesting questions and helpful tips, including: If I am fishing for smallmouth in a river that also hosts trout and the water temperature is 68 degrees, what should I do? How can I cast to smallmouth in a river where I have almost no back-cast room? In lakes with multiple species, when fishing from shore should I expect to find different types of fish at different times? I have difficulty setting the hook on trout with a "trout set" and do better with a strip set. Why is the 'trout set" recommended for trout? Do you have any tips on fly fishing for walleye? Why do some nymphs call for a partridge collar and other nymphs use a CDC collar? Is there any difference? A listener relates that the Ralph Cutter podcast on wading safety literally saved his life. Are all the new Helios models four times as accurate, or just the 905? Are there any dry flies tied with cork these days? How can I get my fly into a deep pool directly below a waterfall? What do you know about the old PM-10 and T-3 Orvis rods? Is a double or triple surgeon's loop better than a perfection loop in lighter tippets? Does hook shank shape affect hooking qualities? How can I swing wet flies in small streams? A great tip from a listener on wearing wool socks underneath neo socks when wet wading to avoid sand between your toes. Is a George Harvey leader the same as a braided leader?

It's no secret that the more popular trout rivers in the Rocky Mountains have gotten more crowded in the past few years. Yet there are so many species of fish that are fun with a fly rod, closer to home, and that live in places that are far less crowded. Davis James shares his experience with the "25 On the Fly" event, where anglers in the Front Range try to catch 25 different species of fish on the fly rod in two days (no one has ever done it). He share his tips for what species are available, how to find them, what tackle to use, and what fly patterns to try. We all need to embrace these wonderful fish to have fun closer to home and to take pressure off our more productive trout streams. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: What percentage of the time do you use a dry dropper or double dry rig? What weight fly rod is best for panfish? And what flies should I use? How do we ensure our fly fishing traditions are passed on to the younger generation? How can I make my dry dropper rig drift tight to the opposite bank? Is fly fishing for carp popular in Europe? How do I organize and carry my wide assortment of trout flies? How does Tom do it? How can I fish for panfish and largemouth bass in an old gravel pit that drops off steeply? A great tip from a listener about how to tie a more durable egg pattern I was fishing a double dry rig for fish rising to small mayflies and my imitation was perfect but I didn't fool as many fish as I should have. What should I have done differently? I have trouble threading my tippet onto a small dry fly. Can I tie the tippet to the bend of the hook instead?

I get lots of questions about polarized sunglasses—how are they made, what exactly do they do, glass vs. plastic, what color lens should I pick, and do expensive ones really offer an advantage? And why can't I get clear polarized sunglasses for low light? My guest, Renato Cappuccitti [41:51], is an expert on polarized sunglasses and will answer your questions and mine about one of the most essential pieces of gear. In the Fly Box this week we have some thoughtful and interesting questions and comments, including: Why can't I get braided leaders any more? Can I just put a long level tippet on a braided leader? My brook trout stream does not seem to have any fish larger than five inches. Do you think there are any bigger ones in there? I was fishing a sulfur hatch and it started raining and the fish turned off completely. Why do you think this happened? How can I eliminate wind knots when fishing a dropper rig? My girlfriend has trouble stripping in fish. Do you have any tips for improving her coordination? What are the pros and cons of furled leaders? My floating line starts to sink after fishing for a while. Can I apply gel flotant to it? A listener reminds us that for many balance problems while fishing the best place for help is to find a licensed physical therapist My fly line broke eight feet from the tip. Can I still use it? How many leaders should I carry in my leader wallet? A listener reminds us that too often when wading we worry about dropping our rod or phone in the water at the expense of safety. An expert on UV cure adhesives gives advice on using the right wavelength of light and the correct amount of time and distance to use the light. If you have a 9-foot 5-weight and a 10-footer in the Helios models, what reason is there to have a 9-foot, 5-inch model? How can I avoid putting a set into my bamboo fly rod? How can I catch brook trout in high water?

What is a delayed harvest stream and how do the regulations work? Do you use different flies and methods for hatchery fish? How far do hatchery fish move and in which direction? You'll learn the answers to these questions and many more with Dustin Coffey [46:39], the winner of the 2024 Orvis Endorsed Guide of the Year award. In the podcast this week, as usual we have some interesting and thought-provoking questions, including: Does fly line color matter? Why don't my subtle baitfish patterns work in Patagonia? Can I use my big brown trout streamers for Atlantic salmon since they are related to brown trout? How deep do you insert studs when adding them to felt-soled waders? How do I get my streamers deeper when fishing for sea-run brook trout in rivers where weighted flies and sinking lines are not allowed? Is it acceptable if I troll from a kayak for striped bass, and what rod should I use? A listener writes in to tell us that the orange goo found in some rivers is a natural phenomenon What do I use for a practice streamer when casting on my lawn? Does the noise from my wading shoes and wading staff scare trout? Do trout live in streams with mucky bottoms? Any other casting methods besides the roll cast I can use on smaller streams? I fished over some rising trout with my nymph rig and didn't catch them. Should I have switched to a dry fly? How should I rig for pike? What are the pros and cons of using an 8 ½ foot rod vs. a 9-foot rod in Colorado tailwaters? When do you put down your rod and take photos? How can I get the cement off my hooks when I want to re-use the hooks from beat-up Clouser Minnows?

Breckenridge Outfitters is this year's winner of the Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year Award and Tim West [44:07] is the glue that holds this fabulous guide service together. In the interview, Tim talks about how to decide which fly to tie on at the beginning of the day, or when you first approach the water. Do you start with a streamer, a nymph, a wet fly, a dry fly, or some combination of them? What clues should you observe to decide which one to try? We have some fascinating questions this week in the fly box, questions I am sure many of you think about yourself, including: Can you explain the difference between fast, medium, and slow fly rods? I noticed a bright orange sludge-like material on the bottom of my stream. Should I stay away from this one? Do you think kayaks spook trout more than belly boats? After a rod, reel, and line, what piece of gear should I consider next? When tying to fill a fly box, should I tie one of each pattern or 4 or 5 of the same one? Is there a disadvantage of using a perfection loop instead of a non-slip mono loop when tying on a streamer? If I see a heron in a pool in a small stream, should I move on and avoid that pool? Would it work to have a leader with a very long butt section, a short transition section, and a very long tippet? Why do trout eat or reject an imitation of a midge pupa in a lake? Do you think a 5-weight outfit is a good rod for taking to Alaska? Why don't my marabou flies stay fluffy once they have been used? A listener tip for tying a dropper to the bend of a hook.

Carp are difficult any time but around spawning time they can be extremely frustrating. But they can be caught on a fly. You need to know where to look and which fish to target. Guide Rowan Lytle [44:38] has it dialed in, and if you always wanted to catch a carp on the fly you need to listen to this podcast. Rowan, not yet 30 years old, has already caught 202 different species of fish on a fly rod, and some of them will surprise you. But you'll need to listen to the podcast to find out what they are. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: I tip for taming your line and leader when you don't use a hook keeper How far do I hold my UV lamp form the fly when curing UV epoxy? What do I do on my local lake when the Power Bait crowd out-fishes me? How do I catch catfish on a fly rod? Do you fish different caddis pupa patterns for cased vs. uncased caddis? How do different holes in a river change throughout the season? Should I fish dry flies and nymphs in a lake different from the way I fish them in streams? Do weed guards on flies actually work in thick vegetation? If we see mayflies about size 12 hatching in our lake, should we use a size 12 nymph or one smaller? What is the difference between flow, thin, and thick UV resins and when should I use each one? My size 20 grizzly hackle keeps breaking. Do you have any tips for keeping tension and not breaking the stems? What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a complete outfit vs. separate components? A tip from a listener on whether to use your wading staff upstream or downstream of your position. I want to start tying flies. What pattern would you recommend I start with? What are your favorite bass and bluegill flies?

My guest this week is Sarah Foster [54:15], executive director of The American Museum of Fly Fishing, on why she thinks learning about the history and traditions surrounding fly fishing are important and add to our enjoyment. She talks about recent exhibits and acquisitions, and what is in store for the future of the museum. It's a must-see for anyone visiting southern Vermont. In the Fly Box this week, we have some especially interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: Why do I keep getting strikes on nymphs while stripping them upstream like a streamer? Is the throat of a pool a common place to find trout feeding? At what temperature does a brown trout start to actively feed? When I see a pod of rising trout, why can I only fool one fish even though the other ones continue to feed? How do older Orvis bamboo fly rods compare to contemporary models? I found eggs in holdover brown trout in the spring. Were these fish that never found a mate? I have trouble with rabbit's foot hair coming loose on my flies. How do I secure it better? If you only had one line for striped bass from shore, what line would you choose? How much time before the incoming or outgoing tide should I fish for striped bass? Can you explain exactly what a shock tippet is? What is your "last fly" during the evening hatch when it gets tough to see? Do polarized sunglasses lose their effectiveness over time? A listener gives a tip for an easier way to tie a surgeon's knot A listener gives a caution about fishing below sewage treatment plants after a major flood event My 70-denier thread keeps breaking. What could be the problem? What feathers from a chicken are useful in fly tying? I fish a 6-weight rod and want a different rod for smaller streams. What should I pick? I always use a wading staff. Is the metal tip on the staff an alarm clock for trout, and have you ever put on a rubber tip to prevent this?

Scott [41:18] is an assistant professor of motor control and learning at Long Beach University, as well as a fly fisher and podcast listener. He has a small number of quick tests you can do at home to check your balance, and then simple exercises you can do at home without any special equipment to improve your balance in a matter of weeks. Wading safely and comfortably on a river involves both balance and confidence, and what you learn here will give you help with both. You'll enjoy your time on the water more. In the Fly Box this week we have so many great tips from listeners that I may be able to retire and turn the podcast over to you. But we also have some interesting questions that I'm happy to answer as best I can. Some of these include: A listener suggests when a self-inflating PFD may be a good option Two listeners weigh in on how to access scientific articles on fisheries science with paying a fee for access A listener offers a great suggestion on how to easily attach a dropper to the bend of a hook. Should I be concerned about fishing below a sewage treatment outlet? A listener tells a great tale of his momentous catch on one of the new Helios rods Should I be concerned about angling for fish when they are on their spawning run? With the new Helios rods, do you still prefer the F version for trout and the D version for salt water? If I dispose of the shiners I catch will it help the local trout population? What do you think of using an indicator with a big nymph or crayfish fly for early season smallmouth? Can you explain the difference between a shooting head and a sink-tip line? A listener gives some expert advice on the choice of insect repellents I am having trouble with short roll casts. Do you think it's my casting technique? Is it helpful to pre-treat dry flies right after you tie them? If I fish an indicator and split shot and a nymph, should I use a double taper or weight-forward line?

Ralph Cutter [36:53] is an extremely perceptive, pragmatic angler with a lifetime of experience in white water, both fishing and in watercraft and water rescues. He feels that what we’ve been taught to do if we fall in wearing waders is all wrong, and he has a number of tips for getting to shore safely that most of us don’t know about. He also recommends a second wader belt for wading in very tricky waters. He’s proven this through countless experiments on the water. If you spend any time at all wading in rivers, you must listen to this podcast—or you can read an article in Fly Fisherman magazine he wrote a number of years ago through this link: How to Wade Safely and Get Out of Dangerous Situations - Fly Fisherman In the Fly Box this week, we have questions that range from the very basic to more advanced, and tips from listeners as well, including:

The use of the natural toxin rotenone to remove invasive, non-native species of trout to protect native species is a controversial topic. Does it really work? What does the poison do to the insect, mammal, and bird populations? Ted Williams [52:36], a proponent of these tactics in selected waters, discusses where reclaiming populations has been successful and also places where it would not make sense. Ted is one of the foremost environmental writers of our time and is never afraid to stick his neck out, so you may agree with what he says or you may not, but you’ll learn some important biology in the process. In the Fly Box this week, we have a host of interesting questions and some great tips from listeners, including:

This week, my guest is guide BJ Gerhart [33:50], a longtime veteran guide at Three Rivers Ranch in Idaho and one of the savviest anglers I know. He shares his tips for getting around the common problems of early season trout fishing, mainly cold water and high flows. In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips from listeners, and some interesting questions for Tom, including:

Can trout see color? Can they see UV light? How does a trout's window on the outside world affect how they feed and how they notice predators like us? How can a trout see so well at night and also in bright light when they have no eyelids, and their pupils don't constrict? Jason Randall [31:10] is an experienced fly fisher and scientist, and he stays up on the latest scientific papers on trout and also talks to leading scientists, and is one of the best at distilling this information for us ordinary anglers. This is a fascinating podcast and Jason does a great job of explaining trout vision. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions but also a bunch of great tips from listeners, including: When water is low and the sun is bright, what tactics do you recommend for Great Lakes steelhead? Four great fly-tying tips from a tier in the UK I am looking at the 10-foot Helios rods. For all-around fishing, should I get the 3-weight F model or the 4-weight D model? A guide from the mid-Atlantic shares tips on targeting snakeheads A young fly tier asks for advice on a moderately priced vise for tying bass flies Why do my 9-foot 6X knotless leaders keep breaking? A new fly fisher from Ohio recounts a wonderful experience he had on the river A listener provides some great tips on rooftop rod carriers A listener asks for suggestions for a book on the history of trout in North America

My guest this week is Brandon Hoffner [35:55], executive director of the Henry’s Fork Foundation, and the topic is the diverse habitat and trout-fishing opportunities of this world-famous river that has influenced so many anglers, techniques, and fly patterns over the years. Like all trout rivers today, the Henry’s Fork also has its share of environmental issues and we’ll explore how the Henry’s Fork Foundation works to maintain this magical fishery. In the Fly Box this week, we have a roundup of questions and tips from listeners, including: What is the advantage of a 9 ½-foot rod over a 9-footer or 10-footer?A great tip from a listener on how to remove salt water from flies you have fishedWhen would you use a Tenkara rod over a traditional Western rod? And do you have a favorite Tenkara rod?Does Tom Rosenbauer actually tie the flies in the Orvis Tom Rosenbauer fly selection?What is the history of the famous Orvis Far & Fine graphite rod, and what line would you put on it?For small creeks, is it better to use a 2-weight or a 3-weight line?What can I substitute for goose biots on the tail of a stonefly nymph?Can you explain the pros and cons of polyleaders vs. sink-tip fly lines?What are the best fly lines on the new Helios 7 ½-foot 3-weight rod and the new 8-foot, 5-inch 7-weight rod?A listener talks about how he uses the new Orvis wading staff as a hiking staff as well.Will the heat inside a car in summer hurt my Orvis raincoat?A call from Captains for Clean Water with some great news from the Everglades

The Montana Supreme Court recently reversed a decision that would have blocked a copper mine on the headwaters of the Smith River. Where we thought we had a win in preventing a mine in the wrong place, we now may have to live with that mine. David Brooks [33:02] on Montana TU tells us how, at the very least, TU and other organizations convinced the mine to put in a number of mitigation solutions that were not in their original plan. Trout Unlimited has one more hail Mary on this issue, which you can learn about in the podcast. This is a tough subject to listen to, but we learn that we can never give up on environmental issues, even when it looks like we've won. (To sign a petition in support of Trout Unlimited's position preventing the mine from expanding onto public land, click here https://montanatu.org/protect-the-smith-sign-the-mineral-withdrawal-petition/ In the Fly Box this week, we have some more fun and positive topics, including: What is a tailing loop in fly casting? To practice casting for a saltwater trip, should I just use yarn or should I use a hookless fly similar to the size I will be casting? What is the purpose of a wing on a wet fly? Does the loop at the end of a fly line cause energy loss? How can I photograph striped bass beneath a bridge? Can I keep fly rods in my cartop quiver in hot weather? A great tip from a listener about using white poster board on the surface of an old rolltop desk. Another tip from a listener on using inexpensive drill gauges to size hunks of deer hair and beads. Would a one-piece rod be better than a four-piece rod? How do I keep debris from drifting downstream when fishing the top of a riffle? What is a good all-around fly line for bonefish and redfish? I had a fishless day and then a guy with a spin rod caught a trout right in front of me. Should I have switched to a streamer earlier?

Josh Miller [43:10] is a guide and has been a competitive angler and coach for years and he, like many young fly fishers, is an innovative angler who doesn't rely only on older methods of fly fishing but develops his own techniques based on how he wants his flies to drift. This is a geeky one with some rambling, but I think Josh has some thought-provoking ideas that will get many of us thinking. In the Fly Box we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: What model of an older Orvis rod do you still fish? Do you have any tips from casting a Spey rod from the beach? The head on a fly I tied unraveled. Was it because I used Superglue and half hitches? A tip from a listener on a product that will sharpen fly-tying scissors. What conditions are best for fishing a bamboo rod? Can I underline a fiberglass rod? Can I cut the taper off an old WF5F line to make a lighter line for small streams? How can I get my fly-tying thread to jump backward so I can tie in tricky materials? What kind of setup do I need for catching snakeheads on a fly rod? Why do smaller streams produce smaller trout and bigger rivers bigger fish? What kind of PFD should I get for wearing under a fishing vest? Why can't I find good brown and grizzly dry-fly hackle in size 12? What do I need to do to switch between conventional nymphing and Euro nymphing? Do most communities have fly-fishing clubs and how do I find them? If I am going from a small stream to a lake, should I lengthen my butt section or lengthen my tippet?