Fishing the Alps, with Miha Ivanc
Published: 11-21-2024
Description: I frequently get questions from listeners traveling to Europe, curious about fly fishing opportunities in Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland. I've never fished there and don't have any answers, so I reached out to Miha Ivanc [40:52] of Kyrka River Lodge in Slovenia, who has fished all through the Alps. In the podcast you'll learn where to fish, what species to expect (like their native marbled trout), how to fish for them, and where to get permission to fish. It should be an eye-opener to most of us.
14 Tips for Spring Creek Fishing, with Brant Oswald
Published: 11-05-2024
Description: Brant Oswald [23:20] is a veteran guide, teacher, and fly shop operator with over 40 years in the business. He's one of the best spring creek anglers I know and guides on them almost every day, so I asked him to come up with some tips on better spring creek techniques. Even if you never fish spring creeks, his tips really apply to any slow or low water situations so these tips will be valuable to any trout angler.
So, You Want a Job in the Fly-Fishing Industry? With Kirk Deeter
Published: 10-28-2024
Description: 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.
North American and European Fly Tying Cross Pollination, with Barry Ord Clarke
Published: 10-23-2024
Description: Barry Ord Clarke [50:21] is one of the world's most popular fly tiers, through his books, videos, and web site. Originally from the UK but living in Norway, Barry keeps his pulse on the world of fly tying on both sides of the Atlantic. He discusses the fly patterns developed in North America that Europeans have embraced, and also details the history of some well-known and lesser-known European patterns and techniques that you may not have heard about. It's a good way to get a broad overview of the international fly-tying community.
Trout, Tarpon, and Other Critters in Costa Rica, with Kevin Jackson
Published: 10-14-2024
Description: Did you know you can catch trout and tarpon in the same trip, along with exotic jungle species? I didn't either, but Kevin Jackson [42:22] of Fly Fish Costa Rica shares with us the wide variety of fly fishing you can have in this diverse and well-preserved ecosystem. And also the rare wildlife you might see in this country that offers saltwater, jungle, and mountain trout fishing.
Backcast: Fishing through climate change, with John Gierach
Published: 10-07-2024
Description: Tom is on a fishing trip this week. While on this trip he learned his friend and legendary fly-fishing author, John Gierach had passed away at 78. In his honor Tom asked me to post his last intervew with John from May of last year and to share this with all of you:
"John Gierach was one of the finest voices in fly fishing. He passed away suddenly last week. Always humble and kind, his writing never reached into navel gazing but he just told great, honest, and funny stories and like all great writers he never wasted a word. I once had the pleasure of spending a week sharing a cabin with him in Labrador and he was exactly the man in person that he was in his writing. We will all miss him greatly."
Is Fly Fishing Really Good for Your Mental Health? With Melissa Ceren
Published: 09-30-2024
Description: We keep hearing that fly fishing is good for your mental health. It gets you out in the natural world, involves problem solving, and keeps you active and moving throughout the day (unless you sit in a drift boat watching a bobber). But is it always good for your mind? Are there times when fly fishing can make your mood worse, and are there things you can do to make sure a day on the water is good for you? I discuss this, and play devil's advocate a bit, with Melissa Ceren [35:20], who is both a fly-fishing guide and a licensed therapist. We had a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it.
Secrets to Tying Good Fishing Knots, with Robert Ketley
Published: 09-23-2024
Description: I have long enjoyed Robert Ketley's [31:06] column in California Fly Fisher magazine because he often delves deeply into aspects of fly fishing that we don't pay much attention to. And he's a tireless researcher. So when I noticed a deep dive he did on fly-fishing knots using a microscope I knew I had to get him on the podcast. You won't learn about which knot is best, but you will learn about why knots hold and why they break, how to tie a knot properly, and what happens when a knot gives way.
Who Owns the River, with Beau Beasley
Published: 09-16-2024
Description: Who owns the banks of a river? Who owns the bottom? Who owns the water that flows through a channel? And what defines whether a river is navigable or not? There are often no easy answer to theses questions, and much of it is determined on a state-by-state basis. Beau Beasley [35:27] has spent years looking at specific cases of access controversies, and some of you may not like what he says because he often comes down on the side of a landowner who prohibits access to a piece of river. But Beau looks at the facts and the law and approaches these issues in an objective manner. It's a fascinating discussion.
Secrets of Late-Season Panfishing, with Bart Lombardo
Published: 09-10-2024
Description: Panfish are easy to find and catch in the spring and early summer. But later in the season, not so much. Panfish are still around, but we need to look for them in different places and use modified techniques. Bart Lombardo [33:40] is an expert on all things panfish, and he gives us his secrets for finding and catching these delightful fly-rod targets as we approach late summer and fall.
What's it like to run a fishing lodge? With Tim and Joanne Linehan
Published: 09-03-2024
Description: What are the pleasures and pitfalls of running a successful fishing lodge? What's it really like behind the scenes? And how did a couple kids from New Hampshire end up running one of the most successful fishing and hunting lodges in Montana? (Hint—it wasn't due to trust funds or investment banker money). This week I interview Tim and Joanne Linehan [39:39], two of the nicest people on the planet and legends in the fly-fishing industry. Their story is a heartwarming success story of a lifelong partnership in love and life.
How to Plan a DIY Fishing Trip, with Joe Bibbo
Published: 08-27-2024
Description: Joe Bibbo [32:10] has a great back story and is a wonderful storyteller himself. He's done a lot of DIY fishing, mainly from his home in the East to the Rocky Mountains and has some great advice on where to go for information as you plan your trip. He also has some wonderful advice on what not to do, based on mistakes he's made over the years. I get many questions from listeners about DIY trips so I am sure this podcast will be a popular one.
Wild and Crazy Stories from an Award-Winning Fly-Fishing Guide, with Chip Swanson
Published: 08-13-2024
Description: I take guilty pleasure in hearing horror stories from guides about their worst clients or other crazy things that happen on the river. Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year for 2019 Chip Swanson [41:00] is a great storyteller and has had some wild and funny incidents on the river over the years. I think everyone will enjoy these stories but just a warning—although not R-rated, some of his stories mention sensitive body parts so if your kids listen to podcasts with you, you may want to preview them first. Nothing very raunchy but you have been warned! Rated PG-13.
Tricks for Casting Big Flies, with Pete Kutzer
Published: 08-05-2024
Description: There's no doubt that casting a size 6 weighted streamer is more difficult than a size 14 Parachute Adams. The physics are different, no way around it. But casting guru Pete Kutzer [37:17] has some tricks that he shares to make casting big streamers, nymph rigs, and poppers easier by adjusting your casting motions. This is a frequent question on the Fly Box so I figured there was a need for an entire podcast on the subject.
What Trout Hear and Smell, with Jason Randall
Published: 07-30-2024
Description: 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.