2 Guys and a River

Quitters never win. And winners never quit. That's true. And it's also not true. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to quit your favorite stream, creek, or stretch of river. In this episode, we wax not so eloquently on when it's time to walk away from what has been your favorite fishing spot. It may not be forever. But doing so may push you to find new water to fish.   Website https://2guysan...

Fly fishers who sling streamers tend to catch bigger fish. There's no scientific evidence to support this, of course, other than our anecdotal evidence. But we've had some terrific days on the river casting bigger flies that we fish on an active retrieve. In this episode, we provide an overview of our streamer fishing experience and provide some basic tips to getting started.   Website https://2gu...

Most fly fishers despise driving up to where they expect to fish for the day and see three trucks alongside the creek. In this episode, we discuss our basic approach to fishing the four seasons. We try as much as possible to fish the edges of winter, spring, summer, and fall. There are fewer fly fishers, the hotel rates are cheaper, and the fishing can be spectacular.   Website https://2guysandari...

Fly fishing spring creeks often demands more finesse than fishing freestone rivers. The water temperature is more consistent in spring creeks, and the food more ubiquitous. If you want to catch fish in a spring creek, your tackle must be lighter, and you need to be more stealthy.   Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook...

Catching fish is the reward of fly fishing. And we both love and expect to catch fish every time we head out to the river. But there are some other perks of fly fishing. And in this episode, we list several, including "experiencing the nonsecular" parts of life, eating at small-town cafes, and the conversations about the great themes of life.   Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https:/...

It takes a village to raise a fly fisher. In this episode, we admit once again to our persistent mediocrity as fly fishers. We give credit, however, to whatever skills we have to friends, guides, and others we've observed through the years. We offer up a handful of insights, including how to use the tip of your rod while streamer fishing and monitoring how deep your nymph is by observing the speed...

Fly fishing the Yellowstone River late in the fall is a risk. If the weather suddenly turns right before your fly fishing trip, the roads in the Park may close. Or perhaps if the weather has been too balmy - the trout may not be rising. And since the main hatches and the hoppers have been … Continue reading "Episode 262: Three Magical Days Fly Fishing the Yellowstone River" The post Episode 262: T...

Pickle Ball is not in our future. We continue to fly fish for a variety of reasons, including the sheer delight of spending a few hours on the river trying to convince trout that what we’re presenting is real. This is our first episode in a while, and we’re excited to back in the publishing … Continue reading "Episode 261: Why We Continue to Fly Fish" The post Episode 261: Why We Continue to Fly F...

The Yellowstone Flood of 2022 is not yet over, and already it is the most catastrophic flooding event of the Yellowstone River in recorded history. Major flooding on the Yellowstone River and its tributaries wiped out stretches of highway in Yellowstone National Park and in Paradise Valley to the north. Three inches of rain which … Continue reading "Episode 260: Dave Kumlien on the Yellowstone Flo...

Fly fishing with lighter rods makes sense only if the conditions are right. In recent years, each of us has purchased a lighter rod for smaller creeks. In this episode, we relay pluses and minuses of Fly Fishing with Lighter Rods LISTEN NOW TO “FLY FISHING WITH LIGHTER RODS” Great Stuff from Our Listeners Is … Continue reading "Episode 259: Fly Fishing with Lighter Rods" The post Episode 259: Fly...

Our fall fly fishing trip to Montana was one of the best on record. The previous year was a bust. In fact, we wondered if we should even return to Montana in the fall, whether our honey holes and favorite rivers were only memories. In Lessons from Our Fall Fly Fishing Trip to Montana, we … Continue reading "Episode 258: Lessons from Our Fall Fly Fishing Trip to Montana" The post Episode 258: Lesso...

John Maclean’s Home Waters is a memoir of his father, Norman Maclean, the author of “A River Runs Through It.” In this memoir, John reflects on his growing up as the grandson and son of two characters in the novella and movie. In Home Waters, we discuss what resonated with us about John’s unique perspective … Continue reading "Episode 257: Reflections on John Maclean’s Home Waters" The post Episod...

The East Gallatin River flows in a northwesterly direction through the Gallatin valley in Montana, north of Bozeman. From the perspective of a drone a couple thousand feet up, the river, which is more like a large creek, might look like ribbon candy. It winds in large S curves on the Montana flatland, with almost … Continue reading "Episode 256: One Fine Day on the East Gallatin River" The post Ep...

It’s September, and often during this month we find a way for our annual Montana fly fishing trip. It was fitting that in a year like 2020, there were some strange moments. In this episode, we discuss a series of “rapid fire” topics from our Montana fly fishing trip in a not-so-rapid-fire manner. One odd … Continue reading "255: Reflections on a Montana Fly Fishing Trip" The post 255: Reflections...

Fishing the transition of the season starts with a different set of expectations. The prolific summer hatches are mostly over. And the fall runners have yet to make their way up the river. In this episode, we discuss how to think about fishing the seasonal transition, which is September. And ways to make your days … Continue reading "254: Fishing the Transition of the Season" The post 254: Fishing...

Hopefully, your next fly fishing trip is sooner rather than later. It has been a year of kicking the proverbial can of what we love to do down the road. The pandemic has delayed or postponed indefinitely a lot of plans. This next week, however, we plan to hit our favorite rivers in Montana. In … Continue reading "253: Not-So-Obvious Questions for Your Next Fly Fishing Trip" The post 253: Not-So-Ob...

The fly fishing etiquette mindset is a way of thinking that should permeate the actions of every fly fisher. In this episode, we read a thread from Trout Unlimited’s online forum about a fly fisher who was, in our opinion, quasi-bullied out of fishing on the Madison by four fishers. With the influx of new … Continue reading "252: The Fly Fishing Etiquette Mindset" The post 252: The Fly Fishing Eti...

Fly fishing success is not just about your amazing chops: precision casting, reading the river, and overall fly fishing genius. There are factors out of your control that affect whether you catch fish. In this episode, we identify seven factors that may affect your day on the river. One factor is barometric pressure. Another is … Continue reading "251: Key Factors in Your Fly Fishing Success" The...

Fishing the film begins with a different mindset. We often think first about fishing on top of the surface or at the bottom of the river. In this episode, we discuss the “film” mindset” and offer four strategies for greater fly fishing success. One strategy is simply to let your soggy dry fly drift submerged … Continue reading "250: Strategies for Fishing the Film" The post 250: Strategies for Fis...

Fish pics are ubiquitous. Instagram has every angle of fish pic you can imagine. But there’s more to shoot when you’re on the river than just pictures of your big brown trout. In this episode, we offer up twelve tips to photograph your entire fly fishing experience. We begin the episode with what is perhaps … Continue reading "249: Photographing Your Entire Fly Fishing Experience" The post 249: Ph...

If you’ve never felt the violent strike of a brown trout on a streamer, you haven’t really lived. In this guide to fly fishing with streamers, we interview Dave Kumlien, Montana outfitter and former fly shop owner, on a wide ranging topics related to fishing streamers. This truly is the complete guide to fly fishing … Continue reading "248: The Complete Guide to Fly Fishing with Streamers – with D...

Salmo trutta tend to dominate wherever they live. Also known as brown trout, salmo trutta often push out brook trout – or at least push them upstream. Brown trout thrive in warmer waters. In this episode we regale each other with stories of catching large brown trout (our love relationship) and also discuss the downsides … Continue reading "247: Our Love-Hate Relationship with Salmo Trutta" The po...

“Duh! How did I not know this after all these years?” There are so many aspects of fly fishing that simply escaped us during the first few years of fly fishing. Frankly, we’re still learning new hacks or tips that seem obvious in retrospect. In this episode we offer up the first seven hacks or … Continue reading "246: 7 Under Explained Aspects of Fly Fishing, Part 1" The post 246: 7 Under Explaine...

Fly fishing comfort in summer simply requires a few basic items of clothing. Certainly dry-fit clothing is at the top of the list. So is a water-resistant cap or hat. In this episode, we offer up our short list of basic summer wear. And we also reveal our deep disappointment that we may never be … Continue reading "245: Summer Wearables for Fly Fishing Comfort" The post 245: Summer Wearables for F...

Small creeks in Montana are plentiful and full of trout. While the big rivers get all the press, it’s the smaller freestone creeks where some of the best fishing is. We love to fly fish the small creeks of Montana. In this episode, we recount how we first fell in love with small creek fly … Continue reading "244: Fly Fishing the Small Creeks of Montana" The post 244: Fly Fishing the Small Creeks o...