The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

I get frequent questions on the fly box about fishing for sea trout, or sea-run brown trout. I've never caught one and have never fished for them, so I brought in an expert on the subject, Krystjan [35:21] from Fish Partner in Iceland, owner of the organization Orvis uses for its hosted trips (and I'm hosting one in July) to Iceland and a fanatic fly fisher. He talks about seasons, conditions, presentations, and of course fly patterns to catch these hard-fighting versions of the brown trout we know and love in our inland streams.     In the Fly Box this week, we have a great combination of tips from listeners and some questions that may help others who have wondered the same thing, including: * I have heard that you should only fish streamers upstream in smaller streams. Would that hold true for smallmouth bass as well? * I have heard that you should avoid getting into a river to keep from spooking fish. Should I do this all the time? * A great tip from a listener about how to keep track of what leader is on your reels or spools. * I saw a small, stocked stream in a suburban area that appeared to have very small trout in it. Could these be wild trout so close to a city? * What is the best connection to attach a tippet to a tapered leader? * Do you think a 7 ½ foot 4-weight rod is too short for my daughter to use on a trip to the Grand Teton/Yellowstone area? * Why did a fish try to eat my strike indicator numerous types and refuse the dry flies I changed to after it happened? * How do I keep from losing fish when using barbless hooks? * For making my own dry-fly leaders, should I use fluorocarbon or copolymer material? * A tip from a listener on how to make cool fly-tying gadgets with a 3-D printer. * A tip from a listener on how to organize beads and hooks on your fly-tying bench. * Do people ever use tandem dry-fly rigs?

Inside nearly every fly fisher is a budding writer, eager to share their passion with the world. I've done podcasts on how to write better fly-fishing stories in the past, and figured it was time to talk to an editor and publisher about how you can get your masterpiece published. Ross Purnell [32:15], editor and publisher of Fly Fisherman magazine, was happy to share his advice on this subject—and no one in the fly-fishing world has more experience in this topic than Ross.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips from listeners, some questions that I've answered before, and some fresh ones that I haven't, including: * How do I deal with leaders that get knotted up when I am ready to use them? * When you have fished a section of water, how long do you stay there, switching flies and techniques? Or do you move on? * From a listener, a great fly and technique for catching yellow perch.  * A listener relays his approach for minimalist equipment when fishing close to home. * What is your opinion using balsa wood for fly tying? * My casting with a dry fly is OK, but I struggle with dry dropper and streamer rigs.  What can I do? * Do trout get "lost" after being landed in another part of a river? * A listener adds some corrections to the proposed selling off of public lands. * When fishing a double nymph rig, do you put the bigger fly above or below a smaller fly? * How do I keep my dropper from slipping off my barbless dry fly?  I don't like using separate droppers on the leader. * If I mess up and tie a dry fly with oversized hackle and wings, will it matter? * How many flies of a given pattern will you tie? What is the minimum number? * Is there an easy way to get beads on a size 18 hook?

I've had a number of guests on the podcast teaching us about urban fly fishing and it will be an ongoing process because everyone has different takes on how to approach it.  There is nothing better than a few hours of peace before or after work, without needing to drive for hours, and you can find it, even in the middle of our largest cities.  My guest Greg DeMars [40:25] specializes in the urban fisheries around Dallas, Texas, but the tips he offers are valuable for any urban area throughout North America—and probably beyond.  Urban fishing can be exciting and interesting and challenging—it's not just about trout or permit!   In the Fly Box this week, I thought we had some unusually interesting questions, including: * Will you ever have a podcast on targeting yellow perch on a fly rod? * Is there any need for a "shorty" Euro line if I want to Euro nymph with my regular weight-forward line?  Can't I just attach a very long leader? * Are swimming holes "fish-free" zones or are they worth targeting in early season before the swimmers arrive? * Where can I find Orvis BigEye hooks? * When I fish in fast water I have problems shooting line because my excess line gets carried away by the current.  I don't want to use a stripping basket.  Is there another solution? * I never use tippet, only leader material.  Do I need special tippet? * What knot would you recommend instead of the Perfection Loop? * I have problems catching flying insects over a trout stream and my hat doesn't work.  What would you suggest? * How do you tell what fish are feeding on under the surface? * Can you elaborate a bit on why you should make your first cast count?  How important is that and how do I do it without making a few bad casts first? * When tying nymphs, I have trouble getting CDC to wind evenly.  And I don't like using a dubbing loop.  Any tips on how to make my CDC flies look better? * What tips or recommendations do you have for getting into fly tying?

I get a lot of questions about wader care, storage, and washing instructions.  Fit can also affect how long waders last and how comfortable they are.  Waders are one of our most expensive purchases, outside of a rod and reel, and in order to make them last longer we need to take good care of them, so they stay waterproof and comfortable.  My guest this week is Natalie Cullum [27:14], Orvis product developer in charge of waders and technical outerwear.  She knows all about the fabric used in waders, the technology involved in their construction, and how critical fit is in their comfort and durability.  If you are looking for a new pair of waders this season, or if you want to make your current pair of waders last longer, this podcast is essential listening.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: * Is the Orvis Tippet Knot a suitable substitute for the blood knot? * Do you think there is a chance that dry-fly purism will come back? * Does a saltwater line cast worse in fresh water? * Can you suggest a use for the fluffy material at the base of a Coq de Leon feather? * Do you have any tips for dry flies in salt water? * A listener suggests some kind of national organization to purchase public lands that are planned on being sold as part of the inflation reduction act. * Will there be Orvis Pro Wading Boots in size 15? * What is it that Tom brings on the water that most people might not have in their pack or vest? * I keep catching landlocked salmon of the same size.  Can you suggest a way to target the bigger ones?

Tic Smith [37:18] is head guide at Orvis-endorsed Southeastern Anglers and is a veteran guide with many decades of experience on southern tailwaters. Our discussion centers on his home river, the Hiwassee, but the tips and tricks he shares will be valuable on many other tailwaters.  He talks tackle, flies, presentation, and most importantly reading the water from a drift boat.   In the Fly Box this week we have some great trips and interesting questions from listeners, including: * Can I re-use an old Depth Charge running line with a shooting head, and if so how should I connect it to my heads? * Can I put my reel in the water when landing a fish? * Would the 7-foot, 9-inch Superfine Graphite rod be a good one for redeye bass?  Will it add to the fun factor? * A listener has a question about getting around another angler while fishing public water surrounded by private land. * A biologist answers a question from a previous podcast—where are all the baby carp? * What is this Tenkara stuff all about? Can I use conventional flies on a Tenkara outfit? * An anonymous listener please for listeners to contact their elected representatives regarding the defunding of the EPA's Office of Research Development. * How do native brook trout get so high up in remote streams?   * I can catch fish in low gradient brown trout streams on nymphs and dries but streamers don't seem to work. Why? * Will floods that have increased flows tenfold in a river have a deleterious effect on the trout population? * Can you recommend a good long dry-fly leader that is knotless?  Is it as good as a hand-tied leader? * What kind of fly-fishing gear should I avoid using in salt water?