Troutbitten

Latest Episodes:

Fish It Anyway -- A Story Mar 25, 2023

Show notes

Troutbitten is about the pursuit of fishing tactics. It’s about discovering new techniques and improving our skills. We don’t want to hope something will happen out there. We try to make it happen. And that element of fly fishing, where there’s always something new to try, is what is so attractive to those of us who dedicate much of our lives to the river.
But there’s another side to this love of pursuing trout. And I once wrote it down in an article this way:
"There are two sides to every fisherman: one that simply enjoys being on the water (hoping to catch a fish), and the other that desperately wants to know how to put more fish in the net. These two parts find an internal balance inside every long-term angler that I know."
Among the nearly one-thousand articles published on Troutbitten, I strive to reflect this balance. The Stories category of the website carries the heart and soul of this project. And if I were limited to writing stories or tactical pieces only, I would no doubt hold on to the stories. I love this kind of writing.
This episode is a reading of a story that I first published on February 23, 2022, titled, Fish It Anyway . . .
Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Fish It Anyway
READ: Troutbitten | Category | Stories
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Catching Up -- Spring 2023 Mar 19, 2023

Show notes

Season Seven will begin on April 10th. But in between seasons, I want to catch you up on a few things that are going on with Troutbitten.
Just a few years ago, Troutbitten was the website only. I wrote and published articles three times a week. Now it’s a multi-media company with many branches — there’s the podcast, the videos, the online shop, hosted events and, of course, the guide business.
Here's what's going on in the Troutbitten world . . .

Resources

VIDEO: Troutbitten | Mono Rigs and Euro Leaders -- Micro Thin or Standard?
SHOP: Troutbitten | The Troutbitten Shop
PODCASTS: Troutbitten | Podcast Home

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Winter Fly Fishing Skill #8 -- Full Crew Conversation with Stories and Tactics Mar 05, 2023

Show notes

Here we are at the end of Season 6 -- the Troutbitten Winter Skills Series. This is episode 8 of the series, and I’m here with a full crew of friends to wrap things up, to hear some stories and dig into a few more tips for fly fishing in the winter months.
This is a great conversation with my best fishing friends. And this discussion is a nice endcap on a full season dedicated to fly fishing in the winter months.
We Cover the Following

More streamer tips
Rigging
Access issues
Winter preparation
More nymphing tips
Dry fly expectations
This winter vs other winters
. . . and more

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Category | Fly Fishing in the Winter
READ: Troutbitten | Winter Fly Fishing -- Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
READ: Troutbitten | Fly Fishing in the Winter -- Ice In the Guides
READ: Troutbitten | Fly Fishing in the Winter -- Something Is Always Gonna Hurt
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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #7 -- Problems and Solutions Feb 26, 2023

Show notes

My good friend, Austin Dando, joins me to address many of the troubles with winter fishing. In this Winter Skills Series, we’ve been through the tactics, with dry flies, streamers and nymphs. We've talked about how to stay warm out there, and we’ve saved this topic for last.
There are a host of reasons that anglers stay home in the winter. Some are legitimate -- there's no good solution for the problem, and you learn to deal with it the best you can. We talk about some of those. But other perceived problems really aren’t much of any issue at all, if you have a plan and a solution. We address a few of those too.
We Cover the Following

Ice in the guides
Access
Visibility
Regulating heat
Falling in
Freezing reels
Finding trout
Staying versatile
. . . and more

Resources

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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #6 -- Dry Fly Fishing in the Winter Feb 19, 2023

Show notes

With this Troutbitten skills series on winter fishing. We’ve covered locations and expectations, where to find trout, and their wintertime habits. We did two full podcasts on staying warm from head to toe. We talked about fishing nymphs in these waters, streamers in these waters, and now we’re ready to talk about dry flies.
Specifically, this conversation is dedicated to what is different or unique about fishing dry flies in the winter, versus other times of the year.
My friend, Austin Dando, joins me for a great conversation about the floaters. This is a fun one.
We Cover the Following

Where to find rising trout
Regional and geographical variations
Expected hatches
Spring waters, tailwaters, freestoners
Water types for small flies
Hatches and patterns to match
Why local knowledge is supreme
The dead drift is everything
Presentation specifics
Leader adjustments
Fishing two dries
Fishing dry dropper in the winter
. . . and more

Resources

Winter Fly Fishing Skills #5 -- Streamer Fishing in the Winter Feb 12, 2023

Show notes

A streamer is not only a great change-up in the winter, it can be the best fly in your box - if you fish it well. There are some changes to make for a wintertime streamer approach, versus the warmer seasons. And those nuances in presentation make all the difference.
In this episode my friend, Austin Dando, and I share our best tips for fishing streamers in the winter.
We Cover the Following

Why, when, where and how
Gear for winter streamers
The flies and the lines
Benefits of fishing streamers in the winter
Presentation specifics
The Super-Pause
Low and slow?
Water types to focus on
How far will a trout move?
Stripping, jigging, drifting
. . . and more

Resources

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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #4 -- Nymphing in the Winter Feb 05, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we dive deep into winter nymphing strategies. Specifically, we highlight what is different and what is unique about nymphing in the winter versus other seasons.
With fewer hatches and with trout that are less willing to move for a fly, presenting a nymph to winter fish is often our best strategy. But having success requires a refined approach, and winter nymphing can seem like the toughest of the year. However, with a great presentation and a good understanding of where fish feed in colder water, trout can be caught. In fact, with these skills, winter nymphing may sometimes provide the fastest fishing of the year.
We Cover the Following

Why nymphing is our favorite winter tactic
Trout behaviors in cold water
More predictable water types, methods and fly selection
Low and slow?
Trout grouping and trout spreading out
Favorite rigs, tight line and indy
Favorite flies
Fly pairings and placement
Long drifts vs short drifts
Bobber holes

Resources

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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #3 -- Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes Jan 29, 2023

Show notes

Here's a full podcast dedicated to staying warm, from head to toe. Because sometimes, staying warm and functional in the winter is far more important than the tactics. The cold becomes our biggest challenge.

This episode is about keeping the cold out, the heat in and fishing hard — all day long, in even the roughest weather. More specifically, it's about regulating your body heat while on the river.
In This Episode, We Cover the Following

How to regulate heat with layers and zippers
Staying mobile with flexible layers that hold in heat and let it go
Best materials for each zone, each layer
Hats, buffs, balaclavas, hoods
Dark colors and UV rays
Base layers, insulating layers, outer layers
Winters waders, winter boots
Socks
Heat packs
Battery solutions
. . . more

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Category | Fly Fishing in the Winter
PODCAST: Troutbitten | S1 Ep 14 -- Winter Fly Fishing
READ: Troutbitten | Fly Fishing in the Winter -- Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes
READ: Troutbitten | Winter -- Something Is Always Going to Hurt
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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #2 -- Your Hands Jan 22, 2023

Show notes

Cold. That is what defines winter fishing. We acknowledged in the last podcast that the cold — or really the inability to deal with it — is one of the main reasons anglers stay home.

So that’s why I think any in-depth discussion about winter fishing really has to start with how to stay warm. If you’re so cold that you can’t function normally, you just won’t fish well.
In next week’s podcast, we’re going to get deep into all of it — keeping your whole body warm, from head to toe. And not just warm, but ready for fishing, walking, wading and hiking a little. But in this episode, we’re starting with your hands — just your hands. Because there’s a lot to this. And maybe nothing is more important. We need warm hands -- working hands -- to fish in the coldest weather we encounter and stay out there, catching fish and meeting the challenges that winter fishing can bring.

In This Episode, We Cover the Following

Why fly anglers need two hands
The benefit of body heat
Something is still going to hurt
Keep your hands dry
Does everyone need gloves?
Types of gloves
Wool, fleece, nitrile
Heat packs (Hot Hands)
Using your pockets
Wrist bands

Resources

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Winter Fly Fishing Skills #1 -- The System and The Plan Jan 15, 2023

Show notes

Season Six of the Troutbitten podcast begins. This is an eight part Skill Series about fly fishing in the winter months, and episode one is an overview of the series, along with details about where to find trout and in what water type we should expect them to eat. This episode is about our approach, with advice on time of day, fly strategy, covering water to suite the river and reading what the trout want for the moment.

I'm joined this season by my co-host, Austin Dando.

This Skills Series format is designed with less conversation and more detail.
Here Are the Winter Skills Series Episode Titles: