The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Backcast: Tom's Top-Ten Tips for Winter Fly Fishing Dec 10, 2023

Show notes

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.

The Power of Observation in Fly Fishing, with Guide Cliff Weisse Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

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?

Backcast: A Life in Fly fishing, with Tom McGuane Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

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?

Twelve Tips for Fishing Dry Flies, with Todd Tanner Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

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?

Must-Reads in Classic Fly-Fishing Literature, with Michael Checchio Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

I get frequent questions from listeners on what I would recommend they read in fly-fishing literature, as there is so much out there it's tough to sort through it to find what's worth reading. Michael Checchio [38:10] is a retired journalist and investigative reporter and a student of fly-fishing books, so we spend some time discussing what he feels are must-reads (or maybe just interesting reads) in the vast river of what has been written about fly fishing. Here is Michael's list: Fiction

A River Runs through It by Norman Maclean
"Big Two-Hearted River" by Ernest Hemingway (short story)
Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane
The River Why by David James Duncan

Non-fiction

The Longest Silence by Thomas McGuane
The Angler's Coast and Dark Waters by Russell Chatham
The Curtis Creek Manifesto by Sheridan Anderson
"Hat Creek" and "Deeds Among the Steelhead" by Bill Barich (magazine articles; may be tough to find)
The Spawning Run by William Humphrey
Trout Bum by John Gierach
"The Same River Twice" by David Quammen (published in Outside Magazine)
"A Sporting Life" by Jim Harrison (magazine article, may be tough to find)
My Story as Told by Water by David James Duncan

In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and tips, including:

How do I know when to strip strike and when to trout strike?
Do I really need to go barbless on small dry-fly hooks?
How do I know what size material to use if I want to lengthen my leader?
A great tip from a listener on learning to cast with your "off" hand
A tip from a listener on wetting new tying materials befor you use them to see what color they will be
Why do I only see larger wild brown trout in one section of a river I fish?
How do I see my sighter in difficult lighting conditions?
If I am fishing for stocked rainbows and grayling, where should I place my grayling fly—on the bottom or on the dropper?
Should I use my 10-foot 7-weight Recon that I use for steelhead for streamer fishing from a boat for trout?
What is the main difference between a Helios D and Helios F rod when fishing for bonefish?
My bamboo ferrule only fits ¾ of the way to full engagement. Is that OK?
Why do I see steelhead smolt in my river but never chinook salmon smolt?
Is there any way to get the bad smell off a bucktail?
Why don't people fish bucktails much these days?
Is there a way to tell a northern strain from a southern strain brook trout visually?

We're "Fixing" Trout Streams All Wrong, With Chris Jordan Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is Chris Jordan [41:13], a scientist with NOAA who specializes in habitat restoration. His view is that, in our arrogance, we've gotten habitat restoration projects all wrong most of the time. We think we can engineer river systems to conform with what we think they should be, but rivers are dynamic and mostly unpredictable and that, whenever possible, we need to look at watershed solutions—helping rivers do the job with a lighter hand but a larger scope. Follow this link to learn more: https://www.restoringriverscapes.org In the Fly Box this week we have a wide variety of interesting questions, including:

Should I bother fishing carp flats when the water temperature is in the 50s and air temperature is in the 30s?
Will brown trout live in warm water rivers some of the time? Is it worth it to fish the mouths of cold-water tributaries for brown trout?
You always say that trout prefer to be in water that is two-to four-feet deep to feed. Yet I have caught my largest trout in pools that are 10-to 15-feet deep. I'm confused.
How does George Daniel attach his light nymphing leader to his fly line?
I fish small streams with a 10-foot, 4-weight Recon rod. I worry about spooking trout when my rod casts a shadow over the pool I'm fishing. Should I go with a shorter rod?
Some great suggestions from a listener about fishing with kids, and why we should make it more about building relationships and not always about catching fish.
I consistently foul-hook trout when fishing multiple flies. Am I striking too soon or too late, or striking too hard?
If most people fish barbless flies, why don't manufacturers make more barbless hooks?
Do states only stock trout in specific locations due to allocated quantities, or are there environmental factors in play?
Can I use a 6-weight Bank Shot line on my 11-foot, 4-weight Euro rod to try two-handed casting?
I have a friend who ties all my flies. What should I get him as a thank-you gift?
If I hook but lose a big lake-run rainbow, would it be possible to go back later in the day to try for it?
I have a small brook trout stream on my property. Should I put some trees in the river to help the fish?
A listener suggests that although smallmouth bass don't need much habitat help from us, they grow slowly so handling them with care is important if you want a trophy smallmouth fishery.

15 Ways to Break a Fly Rod, with Charlie Robinton Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

Besides breaking your fly rod in those boring old ways like car doors or ceiling fans, there are other, less obvious ways and most of them are preventable as well. This week I chat with Charlie Robinton [49:00], rod repair expert on the Orvis Outfitter Team, and we'll explore other ways fly rods are broken—including some unusual ways they have been broken over the years, thanks to stories from our terrific rod repair team. True, if you break an Orvis rod we can usually have it back to you in about five days—but a broken rod is still not a fun way to start (or end) a fishing trip. In the Fly Box this week, we have some perplexing questions, tips from listeners, and some listeners who take exception to some of the things I've said in the past, including:

Where can I take my sons and granddaughter on Route 20 in Idaho where they can easily catch trout?
What is a good rod manufacturer?
A listener describes a perplexing day on a difficult river and analyzes his day and asks Tom if he agrees.
Do you take all of your fly boxes when you fish or do you determine what you will likely need for the day? And where do you put your lunch, sunscreen, and raincoat?
Last year I had great luck for pre-spawn brown trout and this year I can't hook them. Should I keep trying different streamer patterns?
A caution from a listener on serious reactions to UV resins
A suggestion from a listener on sliding beads down your leader if you want to make any nymph a bead head.
A listener says he has never had fly-tying threads weaken over time and disagrees with my suggestion that they can weaken after a few years.
Are beaded or non-beaded flies more successful?
How can I use adhesives to keep the dumbbell eyes on my Clouser Minnows from rotating?
You have said trout eyes are designed to look up. When I catch trout they are always looking down. Why?
You recommend using a throat pump. But what good does it do you when you have already caught a fish? And then you take their food away?
Does gel flotant on a hook have a negative effect?

A new nymph fishing technique and the under-rated 10-foot fly rod, with George Daniel Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is the great George Daniel [42:00], who is always pushing the envelope, evolving and experimenting. He tells us why he uses a 10-foot fly rod for nearly all of his trout fishing, even in smaller streams and he also introduces a new nymphing technique he has been experimenting with. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great variety of questions and tips, including:

Can I use a poly leader in salt water for stripers?
Why do I find fewer and smaller fish in low water conditions later in the season?
How often do you find yourself adjusting indicator depth in medium and large rivers?
What should I do with the reject flies from my tying bench?
Is a bow-and-arrow cast stealthier than a roll cast in small streams?
I see large crayfish in a stream. Why don't I see smaller crayfish?
Are fiberglass rods more sensitive than graphite rods?
Do creek chubs compete with brown trout?
What can I do to keep the wings on my parachute flies at 90 degrees once I start fishing them?
I found I could double haul better with some Orvis rods I tried than with entry level rods I have. Is it simply the difference between a premium rod and my current lower level rods?
I keep breaking off coho salmon. What could I be doing wrong?
Can I fish egg and worm patterns and streamers with my 7-foot, 4-weight rod?
A tip from a listener—if you want to find out where trout live in a particular river, observe them from a bridge.
Is there an organization devoted specifically to smallmouth bass?

Managing instream flows, with Hal Herring Oct 15, 2023

Show notes

Hal Herring [50:31] has been reporting on conservation issues in the American West for over 30 years for Field & Stream magazine as well as other publications. In this week's podcast, he explores the many complexities of trying to keep enough water in our rivers for both agriculture and trout populations, which has become an increasingly difficult juggling act. Hal also gently berates today's hunters and anglers about educating themselves on the science and the politics behind these issues. It's not enough to just complain about the lack of water—it's important to understand the issue before you can have a credible opinion. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including:

Do bamboo and fiberglass rods load differently than graphite rods?
When you have a very limited time on a river, do you have a fishing method that gives you the most bang for your buck?
Is there an alternative to the "chuck and duck" method for fishing for salmon and steelhead on Michigan rivers?
If you are buying older fly tying material, what should you look for to make sure it has not been degraded?
How would you adjust your fly selection for smallmouth bass throughout the season?
Is rising or falling water better on a fluctuating tailwater?
Can I use my 10-foot, 8-weight rod in the surf?
If my Mop flies have fallen apart, can I easily add a new piece of mop material to the hook and bead? I am not a fly tier.
Are two three-turn whip finishes better than a single 6-turn whip finish?
A tip that textured lines in a long day of stripping flies can cut into your fingers
Is the San Juan Shuffle ethical?
Is a fast action 5-weight rod actually a 6-weight?
I have been lipping bass for many years. Why do you say it's bad for the fish?

Learning from Trout DNA, with Helen Neville Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Helen Neville [38:57] is Trout Unlimited's senior scientist and also an expert in trout genetics. In this interview, we talk about what scientists have learned about trout evolution and relationships in the past decade. They now have tools at their disposal that can tell them how closely two trout populations are related, how much hatchery trout have interbred with wild populations, and how various races and subspecies of trout have evolved. You'll also learn how they extract this DNA and study it—but you had better review your high school or college genetics first because it gets a bit complex. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and a couple helpful tips from listeners, including:

A listener from Germany relates a horrible experience he had with a guide
Can I underline my Orvis bamboo fly rod?
What do you think putting a strip of material on a leader as a "worm attractor"?
A great tip from a listener of how to make a paddle and rod rest for a canoe
A warning from a listener that the drop shot method of fishing nymphs is illegal in California—and possibly other places.
A listener wants to know if he can effectively use the Euro nymph technique with a 10-foot, 5-weight rod
What is the best way to get polarized glasses for someone who needs a strong prescription. Do clip-ons work well?
Should I lubricate the zipper on my Pro Zippered Waders?
When fighting fish, is tippet size or rod weight the deciding factor?
When by myself, how do I take a photo of a fish so that I can later judge its size?
Why is fall fishing better? Do trout feed heavily in anticipation of winter?
What size leader and tippet should I use for carp, and should I use my 6-weight or 8-weight rod?
I tie my tippet directly to my fly line for small stream brook trout. What advantages will I have by going to a tapered leader?
Do brook trout in a small meadow stream move throughout the season?

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