The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast

We've spent the entirety of Season 2 talking about winter fly fishing. Now, as we close out the season, it's time to look forward to warmer months--and to start planning your next adventures.  In this episode, Ross is joined by Ron Belak, author of Fly Fishing Colorado's Backcountry, The Fishing Guide to 800 High Lakes in Colorado, and many dozens of articles across various publicat...

We were supposed to have one more interview this season, but it didn't work out. So, instead, Ross decided to just geek out over the joys of fly-tying and tell everyone what he's got in his winter fly box. Why not, right?  If you're a bug nerd, a tying enthusiast, or just someone looking for a shortlist of go-to patterns that you should be using in the winter (or really any other ti...

You ate too much and exercised too little this holiday season. You know it, and we know it. But the fact that you aren't hiking as often and indulging in a few extra calories over the winter doesn't mean you have to let yourself fall out of hiking shape. In this episode, Ross is joined by Cameron Davis, personal trainer and owner of RockStar Fitness in Castle Rock, Colorado. Cameron and...

If you hike, snowshoe, snowmobile, cross-country ski, or do anything else in deep snow to reach your favorite backcountry fishing destinations in the winter or spring, you need to be thinking about avalanches. And the truth is that a lot of fly fishers (including Ross) don't know as much about these cold killers as they should.  This week's episode features an interview with world-renown...

Fly fishing, like everything else worth doing in life, is all about self-development, growth, and learning. The holidays are a perfect time to reflect on your adventures over the last year, see where you landed on your goals, and start looking ahead to the coming year of chasing wild fish in wild places.  In this short holiday episode (he wants to go fishing, you know?), Ross talks a bit about his...

Alright, you've got all the right gear, found a wicked winter stream to fish, and made it through the snow to the water. What now? In this episode, Ross walks you through his typical setup for a day of winter nymphing in the coldest months of the year. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you're feeling gracious) leave us a five-star review on your fav...

For some fly fishers, simply finding open, fishable winter water is the toughest part of cold-weather angling.  In this episode, Ross walks you through the kinds of streams that make for good winter fishing and how to find, research, and prepare for them so you can keep fishing happily until spring rolls around again. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you&apo...

Your feet are important. Treat them right, and there's no limit to where they can take you. Treat them wrong, and you could have a bad time on both the trail and on the water. In this episode, Ross walks through four critical concepts related to backcountry fly fishing in the winter: warmth, mobility, traction, and safety. From the parking lot to the bottom of the canyon and back again, this...

Very few things will ruin a day of fishing like frozen, achy fingers that won't work when you need them to.  In this episode, Ross walks you through how to keep your hands as warm as possible on the winter water without limiting your ability to manage the line, tie the knots, and do the other stuff you've got to do to fly fish effectively.  Disclaimer: It's the winter, and there&apo...

Before we can even start talking about fishing, we have to talk about staying warm and safe on the water during the coldest months of the year. After all, if you can't stay comfortable out there, you're not going to be catching fish.  In this episode, Ross walks you through how to dress for cold-weather fly fishing from your head to your toes so you can stay as warm and as toasty as poss...

You could do a lot of things in the colder months. You could hang up your waders and opt for a soft couch, a warm blanket, and a hot cup of coffee. Fly fishing can wait, right? Well, not for everyone. If you're among the hardy souls who just have to be on the river regardless of the season, you're going to have to deal with the unique challenges of fly fishing in frigid water and below-f...

Happy Halloween! If you think ghosts and goblins are creepy, you should see what the backcountry can serve up. Anyone who has spent any time in the wilderness has creepy stories to share, and Ross is no exception. In this episode, Ross recounts one scary encounter he had in a remote canyon far from home.  If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you're feeling...

In the final episode of The BFF Podcast's first season, Ross walks you through what backcountry fly fishing looks like in October--the last solid month before deep fall and winter set in for real. He covers fishing tips, setups, and the basic gear you'll need to stay on the water and keep putting fish in the net as the weather gets colder.  This is the last episode of Season 1. Thanks to...

Every time you head into the backcountry, there's a chance things could go wrong. No matter how experienced you are, how much training you have, or how long you've been fly fishing in the wilderness, you could find yourself in trouble out there. If that day ever comes, you'll be incredibly grateful for the amazing folks on your local search and rescue team. One of those wonderful fo...

There's a lot of stuff you don't know about backcountry fly fishing (or fly fishing in general), and in many cases, you may not even know you don't know it. That's true for every fly angler, no matter how many years you have under your belt. Perhaps the greatest thing about this sport is that it's all about constant learning. In this episode, Ross provides ten tips that yo...

Everybody needs good gear, and that means everybody needs a good fly shop. Plus, it's always fun to have someplace to talk with other fly fishers, get some helpful advice, and maybe spend a little too much money on this crazy hobby we all love. In this episode, Patrick Srebniak from AvidMax, a national online fly shop based in Denver, talks to us about how to find your shop and get geared up...

Backcountry fly fishing, by necessity, requires a lot of hiking. Your legs are the primary vehicle you'll use to access the wild places we love to fish, and that means it pays to know how to be a good hiker. In this episode, Maggie Peikon from the American Hiking Society joins us to talk about what to bring, how to stay safe, how to share the trail, how to deal with wildlife, and various othe...

Fall has officially arrived! It's definitely not time to stop fly fishing, but the arrival of changing leaves and cooler weather does require some changes in where and how we fish after a beautiful, long summer of hiking to various alpine lakes and other high-elevation locales.  In this episode, Ross walks you through how to stay on the water through the first month of autumn and have an abso...

In this episode, Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists Ben Swigle and Gage Dean join Ross to discuss their work with and management of high-alpine lakes in Colorado's wilderness areas. They discuss the history and current state of alpine stocking programs, how CPW backcountry teams survey these lakes, competition between native and non-native species, fishing tips, and how anglers ca...

Gear is one thing, but what about clothing and apparel? It can be very difficult to find good information about what you should wear for backcountry fly fishing, which sets you up for a frustrating (and expensive) trial-and-error approach.  In this episode, Ross walks you through what he wears for wilderness fly fishing trips in the summer and fall.  If you're enjoying the show, don't fo...

What do you need for a backcountry fly fishing trip? What should you carry? What should you leave behind? In this episode, Ross walks you through what he carries for day trips into the wilderness. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you're feeling gracious) leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform. Have questions or suggestions for the...

This is the first-ever episode of The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast. Host Ross Izard lays out why the world needs a podcast dedicated to wilderness fly fishing and talks about where we go from here. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you're feeling gracious) leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform. Have questions or suggestions for...

Who the heck is Ross Izard, and why should you listen to him talk about fly fishing? This episode is an introduction to yours truly. I share my personal background, talk about how I got into fly fishing, and explain how I developed into a wilderness junkie who spends his free time chasing trout in remote locations. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you'r...

In this episode, we define backcountry fly fishing, talk about difficulty ratings for various types of fishing, and walk through my "guiding principles" of backcountry fly fishing.  If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to follow us and (if you're feeling gracious) leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform. Have questions or suggestions for the podc...