2 Guys and a River

Fly fishing is no extreme sport. Just look at us. We couldn’t extreme anything. But fly fishing offers a few ways to die (drowning, the most obvious), and many ways to ruin a day on the river. Listen to Episode 43: 5 Fly Fishing Dangers as we identify a few fly fishing dangers. We also … Continue reading "Episode 43: 5 Fly Fishing Dangers" The post Episode 43: 5 Fly Fishing Dangers appeared first...

Spring fly fishing is filled with the promise of warmer days and blue skies, rain and snow, and spawners and browns. It feels so good to be back along and in the river. Listen to Episode 42: Spring Fly Fishing Success as you make ready for your next wonderful day in the great outdoors. Listen … Continue reading "Episode 42: Spring Fly Fishing Success" The post Episode 42: Spring Fly Fishing Succes...

Funny outdoor moments – we’ve all had a few. Where would fly fishing be without the stories? In this episode, we regale each other with some of our better fly fishing, hunting, and camping stories. This won’t be our only episode of funny outdoor stories. We hope to publish a new edition every six to … Continue reading "Episode 41: Funny Outdoor Moments" The post Episode 41: Funny Outdoor Moments a...

An inconsiderate fly fisher – you’ve probably met one. They are not legion, since fly fishing is the sport of thoughtful conservationists, but we’ve all groaned inwardly when we run across this species of fly fisher on the river. Listen to Episode 40: The Inconsiderate Fly Fisher Now We’ve not met a lot of slobs … Continue reading "Episode 40: The Inconsiderate Fly Fisher" The post Episode 40: The...

Wade fishing vs floating – it’s not either-or, of course. There is a time for each. But if you plan to take a fly fishing trip to the American West or some other area with bigger rivers, you’ll have a choice to make: should I use one or all of my days on a drift … Continue reading "Episode 39: Wade Fishing vs Floating" The post Episode 39: Wade Fishing vs Floating appeared first on 2 Guys and A Ri...

Fly fishing hacks – every fly fisher has them. The word hack has so many meanings today, but for our purposes, we’re defining the term loosely to mean shortcuts or quick solutions to regular problems that we fly fishers face. In this podcast, we offer a few of our better fly fishing hacks. Listen to … Continue reading "Episode 38: Fly Fishing Hacks" The post Episode 38: Fly Fishing Hacks appeared...

Why we fly fish is personal and subjective. Our reasons are probably not the same as yours. In this podcast, we get a bit more philosophical and reflective as we try to describe fly fishing’s strong pull on our lives. Why we fly fish is both simple and complex. Why Do You Fly Fish? What … Continue reading "Episode 37: Why We Fly Fish" The post Episode 37: Why We Fly Fish appeared first on 2 Guys a...

A fly fishing day trip takes more thought than cramming your gear into a vest or pack – and then hitting the trail. There’s nothing worse than hiking two miles in to your favorite runs and reaching for your fly box that isn’t there or having to ration your water for the day. In … Continue reading "Episode 36: Packing for a Fly Fishing Day Trip" The post Episode 36: Packing for a Fly Fishing Day Tr...

Have you ever been in a fly fishing slump? One of the signs is, well, the same old, same old. You fly fish with the same results: you keep losing the bigger fish that you hook, you struggle to set the hook on smaller fish, or you go for days without a good stretch, what … Continue reading "Episode 35: Breaking Out of a Fly Fishing Slump" The post Episode 35: Breaking Out of a Fly Fishing Slump app...

Sooner or later, your favorite run will be overrun with fly fishers. Or the river will change, as it always does, and you’ll need to find new fly fishing waters. In this podcast we provide six tips to find new fly fishing waters. It all begins with a commitment not to grow complacent, a mindset … Continue reading "Episode 34: Finding New Fly Fishing Waters" The post Episode 34: Finding New Fly Fis...

Fly fishing the Wisconsin Driftless should be on every fly fisher’s bucket list. We, fortunately, live only about four hours from some of America’s best spring creek fishing. In this podcast, we give insight on where to go and what to expect when fly fishing the Wisconsin Driftless. Have You Fished the Driftless? We’d love … Continue reading "Episode 33: Fly Fishing the Wisconsin Driftless" The po...

Are you able to list your five favorite trout flies off the cuff? In this podcast, we discuss our five favorite trout flies. And then our next five as well. The number of fly patterns are legion. And growing. Yet we tend to revert back to a few basic flies – and we still seem … Continue reading "Episode 32: Our Five Favorite Trout Flies" The post Episode 32: Our Five Favorite Trout Flies appeared...

The use of public access is assumed by most fly fishers. Several years ago, however, Montana’s stream access law was under fire, and the right of being able to wade up or down river up to the high water mark, even through private property, was suddenly in jeopardy. The laws for the use of public … Continue reading "Episode 31: Fly Fishers’ Use of Public Access" The post Episode 31: Fly Fishers’ Us...

Fly fishing strengthens families. But does it really? Do families that fly fish together stay together? The outdoors in general and fly fishing in particular seem to give parents and their children a chance to communicate about something other than homework, screen, time, and household chores. Whether camping or hunting or fly fishing, the outdoors … Continue reading "Episode 30: Gary Borger on Ho...

It’s dead winter. And time to make plans for your next fly fishing trip. A few of you hardy souls are winter fishing, but most of us are dreaming of 2016. In this podcast, we discuss fly fishing in the new year and offer some ways to plan for your next fly fishing trip. Be … Continue reading "Episode 29: Planning Your Next Fly Fishing Trip" The post Episode 29: Planning Your Next Fly Fishing Trip...

Tis the Season. Every fly fisher wants either a gift certificate or two in his or her stocking. Or some crisply wrapped stocking presents from a spouse who knows fly fishing gadgets. In this podcast, we banter a bit about our love of fly fishing gadgets. Steve is much more of a gadget junkie than … Continue reading "Episode 28: Fly Fishing Gadgets Galore" The post Episode 28: Fly Fishing Gadgets G...

Your next guided fly fishing trip – how should you prepare for it? Hiring a fly fishing guide seems easy enough: just pay and fish, right? Yes, it’s an extra expense, of course, but we believe in regularly fishing with a guide because doing so ups our fly fishing game. In this podcast about your … Continue reading "Episode 27: Your Next Guided Fly Fishing Trip" The post Episode 27: Your Next Guide...

Where would we be if we caught all the trout we hooked? There’d be no fishing stories. There’d be no (possibly apocryphal) stories of the one that got away. In this episode, we offer up practical help on landing bigger trout. We’ve caught our share of fat rainbows and thick browns, but if years ago … Continue reading "Episode 26: Landing Bigger Trout" The post Episode 26: Landing Bigger Trout appe...

Conservation and fly fishing are like an old married couple. They’ve been together so long that it’s hard to remember their life before. Yet it’s critical to educate younger generations on the fragile ecosystems of our cold water fisheries. And there are simple, practical things fly fishers can do to step up and join the … Continue reading "Episode 25: TU’s Dave Kumlien on Fly Fishing and Conserva...

Stalking trout is not on the mind of the beginner fly fisher. It’s hard enough to sling the fly. But there are two sure-fire ways not to catch trout: Creating a drift with a wake that would make a water skier proud and fishing a run with spooked trout. Too often fly fishers ruin their … Continue reading "Episode 24: The Art of Stalking Trout" The post Episode 24: The Art of Stalking Trout appeared...

Fly fishing seems different in kind from other outdoor sports. There’s something healing about a day on the water. It’s hard to describe to someone who has never fly fished. It’s an escape from reality. Or maybe fly fishing is reality, and it’s a return to sanity. In this episode, we discuss The Healing Properties … Continue reading "Episode 23: The Healing Properties of Fly Fishing" The post Epis...

Choosing the right fly rod is important whether you are new to the sport or a veteran. In this podcast episode, Steve and Dave help aspiring fly fishers select their next trout rod. Dave is adamant that new fly fishers should not buy the most expensive rods, unless they have an indiscriminate amount of money. … Continue reading "Episode 22: Choosing the Right Fly Rod" The post Episode 22: Choosing...

There’s a reason this podcast is called “2 Guys and a River.” Our experience (such as it is) is largely fly fishing creeks and rivers. But fly fishing a lake has its own delights. Lake fishing is both the same as and different from fishing a river. Some principles apply in both settings. In How … Continue reading "Episode 21: How to Fly Fish a Lake" The post Episode 21: How to Fly Fish a Lake appe...

Back in the day, Bob Granger was the fly fishing guide to the stars. He has owned a fly shop, tied a zillion flies, and guided celebrities, politicians, and America’s business leaders. In this interview, Bob regales us with his stories from the river and gives advice to aspiring fly fishers. Listen to the podcast … Continue reading "Episode 20: Interview with a Fly Fishing Sage" The post Episode 2...

There’s only one “A River Runs Through It,” the classic fly fishing novella by Norman Maclean. But there’s a host of great outdoor writers who capture the joy and emotion of life in the outdoors. In this episode, Steve and Dave discuss their favorite outdoor authors, including Wallace Stegner, Ivan Doig, and Rick Bass. Be … Continue reading "Episode 19: Our Favorite Outdoor Authors" The post Episo...