The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Well, maybe we're not creating new trout streams, but we are creating waters that now support trout and cold, clean water by mitigating abandoned mine runoff.  These are streams have been lifeless in some cases for over 100 years.  There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines leaking acids and toxic metals throughout the country, and until a recent law was passed if an independent organizati...

What benefits do you get when you upgrade from a $40 Big Box store rod to a Clearwater or Encounter?  How much better is a Recon rod, and will you see and appreciate the performance improvements?  And what are you missing out on by getting a Recon instead of a Helios?  This is a common podcast question, and I've asked Shawn Combs [44:53], Orvis rod and reel designer, to walk us through the various...

  Peter Laurelli [40:07] is a film-maker and fly fisher, and specializes in fly fishing from a paddleboard.  And not in just any place—Peter fly fishes off the northeast coast for striped bass and false albacore, and if you can fish from a paddleboard in these conditions you can do it anywhere.  Peter shares his tips on launching and landing a paddleboard, as well as tips for rigging a paddleboard...

This episode was originally published on January 27th, 2022. This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer [47:31], and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way...

This week's show is a Backcast episode from January 8th, 2021. This week, we're continuing our series on winter fly fishing for trout.  I interview Antonio Rodrigues [42:50] manager of Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Colorado, and he has a different take on winter fly fishing, and some different methods.  I've found it fascinating to see how each guest approaches this differently and hope you pick...

Originally posted February 5. 2012. In the fly box this week, we talk about where fly tying materials come from, getting wet flies to swing deeper, fishing logs, and fishing small flies under water. In the main topic, we discuss different kinds of trout and how to fish for them--hatchery vs. wild, and pressured trout streams vs. remote trout streams. We've had some great suggestions for podcast to...

Any kind of two-handed fishing is confusing for those of us who mostly fish with a single-handed rod. I asked the great Pete Kutzer [37:34]to simplify the selection of a rod, reel, line, leader, and tips for getting a start in swinging flies for trout and he then offers a number of tips for casting, attaching the leader, fly selection, and more. It's a great basic guide to getting started in this...

I frequently get questions from listeners traveling to Europe, curious about fly fishing opportunities in Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland. I've never fished there and don't have any answers, so I reached out to Miha Ivanc [40:52] of Krka River Lodge in Slovenia, who has fished all through the Alps. In the podcast you'll learn where to fish, what species to expect (like their native marbled...

Jessica Strickland [38:07] is Trout Unlimited's California Inland Trout director and is an expert on the historical and curent range of this rare trout species. Where do they live today as compared to their original range? Can you still fish for them, and do you need to hike for many miles or are they more acessible close to a trailhead? You'll learn the answer to these questions and many more in...

Brant Oswald [23:20] is a veteran guide, teacher, and fly shop operator with over 40 years in the business.  He's one of the best spring creek anglers I know and guides on them almost every day, so I asked him to come up with some tips on better spring creek techniques.  Even if you never fish spring creeks, his tips really apply to any slow or low water situations so these tips will be valuable t...

I get regular questions from people about getting a job in the fly-fishing industry, both in the podcast mailbox and in person at shows and store visits. It's a tough question and I don't have all the answers so I called upon my buddy Kirk Deeter [35:04], who as founding publisher of  Angling Trade  magazine and currently editor of  Trout  magazine, along with many other jobs in the industry, is t...

Barry Ord Clarke [50:21] is one of the world's most popular fly tiers, through his books, videos, and web site.  Originally from the UK but living in Norway, Barry keeps his pulse on the world of fly tying on both sides of the Atlantic.  He discusses the fly patterns developed in North America that Europeans have embraced, and also details the history of some well-known and lesser-known European p...

Did you know you can catch trout and tarpon in the same trip, along with exotic jungle species?  I didn't either, but Kevin Jackson [42:22] of Fly Fish Costa Rica shares with us the wide variety of fly fishing you can have in this diverse and well-preserved ecosystem. And also the rare wildlife you might see in this country that offers saltwater, jungle, and mountain trout fishing.   In the Fly Bo...

Tom is on a fishing trip this week. While on this trip he learned his friend and legendary fly-fishing author, John Gierach had passed away at 78. In his honor Tom asked me to post his last intervew with John from May of last year and to share this with all of you: "John Gierach was one of the finest voices in fly fishing. He passed away suddenly last week. Always humble and kind, his writing neve...

We keep hearing that fly fishing is good for your mental health. It gets you out in the natural world, involves problem solving, and keeps you active and moving throughout the day (unless you sit in a drift boat watching a bobber). But is it always good for your mind? Are there times when fly fishing can make your mood worse, and are there things you can do to make sure a day on the water is good...

I have long enjoyed Robert Ketley's [31:06] column in  California Fly Fisher magazine because he often delves deeply into aspects of fly fishing that we don't pay much attention to. And he's a tireless researcher. So when I noticed a deep dive he did on fly-fishing knots using a microscope I knew I had to get him on the podcast. You won't learn about which knot is best, but you will learn about wh...

Who owns the banks of a river? Who owns the bottom? Who owns the water that flows through a channel?  And what defines whether a river is navigable or not? There are often no easy answer to theses questions, and much of it is determined on a state-by-state basis. Beau Beasley [35:27] has spent years looking at specific cases of access controversies, and some of you may not like what he says becaus...

Panfish are easy to find and catch in the spring and early summer. But later in the season, not so much.  Panfish are still around, but we need to look for them in different places and use modified techniques. Bart Lombardo [33:40] is an expert on all things panfish, and he gives us his secrets for finding and catching these delightful fly-rod targets as we approach late summer and fall.   In the...

What are the pleasures and pitfalls of running a successful fishing lodge?  What's it really like behind the scenes?  And how did a couple kids from New Hampshire end up running one of the most successful fishing and hunting lodges in Montana?  (Hint — it wasn't due to trust funds or investment banker money).  This week I interview Tim and Joanne Linehan [39:39], two of the nicest people on the pl...

Joe Bibbo [32:10] has a great back story and is a wonderful storyteller himself.  He's done a lot of DIY fishing, mainly from his home in the East to the Rocky Mountains and has some great advice on where to go for information as you plan your trip.  He also has some wonderful advice on what not to do, based on mistakes he's made over the years.  I get many questions from listeners about DIY trips...

My guest this week is Lucas Bissett [38:42], executive director the AFFTA, the trade association for the fly-fishing industry.  Lucas talks about the support they give to small, grass roots organizations for education and habitat protection—organizations that may not be able to apply for larger grants.  One of their current projects, which we discuss in detail, is how ocean fish stocks will be man...

  I take guilty pleasure in hearing horror stories from guides about their worst clients or other crazy things that happen on the river.  Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year for 2019 Chip Swanson [41:00] is a great storyteller and has had some wild and funny incidents on the river over the years.  I think everyone will enjoy these stories but just a warning — although not R-rated, some of his stories...

  There's no doubt that casting a size 6 weighted streamer is more difficult than a size 14 Parachute Adams. The physics are different, no way around it. But casting guru Pete Kutzer [37:17] has some tricks that he shares to make casting big streamers, nymph rigs, and poppers easier by adjusting your casting motions. This is a frequent question on the Fly Box so I figured there was a need for an e...

  A couple months ago I did a podcast with Jason Randall [36:39] on trout vision, and it was so popular that I asked him to come back on the podcast to do one on a trout's sense of smell and hearing.  Can trout hear your metal studs on the bottom when you wade, or the tip of your wading staff?  Can they hear you talking?  Can they smell your flies, and does it make sense to add scents to your fly?...

Captain Drew Rodriguez [27:23] is the only Orvis-endorsed  freshwater  guid e in Florida and specializes in largemouth and peacock bass in the canals near Miami and also the Everglades. In summer, peacocks are his main target as they just love hot weather, the hotter the better. He discusses how to find them, what flies to pick, and what tackle he recommends. They are a year-round target in the Mi...