Q&A with Joe Goodspeed

In this Tips and Tactics episode, Diamondback Fly Rods head rod designer Joe Goodspeed breaks down how to match fly lines and leaders to your rod, casting style, and fishing situations. From leader construction to overlining, underlining, and choosing the right fly line, Joe shares his advice to help you cast with more control and consistency.

Joe Goodspeed has designed more than 140 fly rod blanks throughout his career, and the majority of them are not nymphing rods. In this episode, Joe reflects on his early days of fly fishing and how those experiences helped shape his approach to fly casting, fly lines, and rod design. Joe also shares his philosophy on fly casting, how different anglers load and fish the same equipment in completely...

In this episode of Designer’s Angle, Joe Goodspeed sits down with competitive angler and USA Fly Fishing team member Jack Arnot to talk technical trout fishing, pressured fish behavior, competition tactics, and targeting trophy trout. From leader formulas and rod selection to reading water and refining your approach, the conversation dives deep into the mindset behind becoming a more consistent an...

In this episode, Joe answers one of the most debated questions in steelhead fishing: Are Great Lakes steelhead comparable to sea-run steelhead? Drawing from decades of experience fishing the Salmon River and other Great Lakes tributaries, Joe shares his perspective on how these fish compare in size, strength, and behavior. The conversation also dives into gear choices, targeting tactics, and seaso...

Joe breaks down the concept of drift nymphing and how it compares to the increasingly common ultra-thin leader approach used in modern euro nymphing. He answers frequently asked questions about his leader setup for drift nymphing, explaining why heavier tapered leaders and flies with more natural density can create more convincing drifts when nymphing with big flies like crayfish and sculpin patte...

In this second episode, Joe answers questions on how to catch big wild trout in early season conditions using crayfish and sculpin patterns, euro nymphing tactics, and precise presentation strategy. If you want to consistently catch larger trout on pressured rivers and freestone streams, understanding where trout feed and how to present big food imitations is critical. A huge topic is the importan...

This new Q/A format gives you the chance to have your technical fishing questions answered on video by Joe Goodspeed. We’ll be pulling questions directly from comments across all of our platforms. If there’s something you want covered, drop a comment on our posts. Let us know what you think of this new format. Topics in this first episode include a look into Joe’s design by feel philosophy, upcomi...