Untangled: Fly Fishing For Everyone | Ventures Fly Co.

When you fish somewhere you've never been before, do you get nervous about being skunked? Is that even normal? I mean, a river's a river, right? How different can they be?  Well, rivers  are  different from each other, and it's totally normal to be nervous about not catching from a river you've never visited before. On today's show, Spencer Durrant will take you through the four tips he uses to ta...

What the heck is a dry fly? And what are nymphs for? And what about streamers -  those are party decorations, right? So, why would anyone fish with that? If you've found yourself asking these questions, you're not alone. The world of flies is confusing, especially for beginners. Luckily, you have a Diet Coke-swilling guide to help you understand all the different flies we use for fly fishing. On t...

One of the biggest problems that holds beginner fly anglers back from really finding success is this: they overthink the sport. Fly fishing, at its essence, is a simple sport! And in this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through WHY it's so simple, and give you some tips to remind yourself of that when it feels like you don't know how to catch fish on a fly rod.  In addition, yo...

Do you wanna catch big trout? Do we even need to ask that question?  We all love big fish, but sometimes, it feels like catching them involves more luck than it does skill. However, with the right foundation of knowledge, you can put yourself in situations where you have the best chance possible to net a trophy trout.  You'll also learn about:  How long you can store fly line, leaders, and tippet...

What do you do when the bugs are hatching, but no fish are rising to eat them? Or, what if the fish are rising, but they're refusing your flies? And how do you handle it when literally EVERYONE on the river is catching fish, and you're only catching the skunk? Do you go home empty-handed, like the commies after WWII? Of course not! You listen to this episode of Untangled, where Spencer Durrant and...

Small stream fly fishing is one of the sport's greatest experience, but tons of anglers overlook these hidden gems. Tiny rivers can present some tough challenges for anglers, but that's where today's episode of Untangled comes in!  Spencer Durrant will walk you through EVERYTHING you need to know about fly fishing small streams, including how to rig up your flies, what flies to use, how to approac...

What are the best trout rivers in America? You know, the rivers that every angler should visit before passing on to that great river in the sky. And for that matter, why do we hold some rivers in such high regard? On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through his own ranking of the country's best trout water.  You'll also learn about:  Dry-dropper rigs  The science behind...

What's the hardest thing about learning to fly fish? Is it the casting, learning how to pick the fight fly, or reading water? Or is it...well, everything?  On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce walk you through the major paint points you'll encounter when fly fishing, and they offer some great tips to help you navigate these. You'll come out of this podcast full of the conf...

Do you like losing big fish? Of course not! No one does! On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through a 5-step checklist he's developed over YEARS of losing big fish. If you follow these steps, you'll avoid learning the hard way like Spencer, and start putting more nice fish in the net in no time!  You'll also learn about:  How to assemble a dry-dropper rig with barbless...

Have you ever run into an angler who seems to ALWAYS know the EXACT RIGHT FLY to tie on, no matter where or when they're fishing? That might seem like a superpower, but really, it's a skill that just takes a bit of time - and effort - to develop. On today's episode, Spencer Durrant walks you through the 4 concepts you need to learn if you want to always pick the right fly for any fly fishing situa...

Euro nymphing supposedly catches more fish than ANY other fly fishing method. If that's true, then why isn't EVERYONE doing it? To understand the truth about Euro nymphing, you first have to understand what the technique actually is. On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant explains exactly what Euro nymphing is, he walks you through the pros and cons of Euro nymphing, compared to traditional...

Is there such a thing as a "bad" fly? And if there is, what makes another fly "good?" On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant is joined by Alex Stulce to talk all about the differences between good and bad flies.  You'll learn about the concept of "magic" flies, and Spencer and Alex will share the 3 characteristics that all good flies need to have.  Submit A Question For The Show! LIN...

To become a dry fly fishing ninja, you'll need to complete a pilgrimage to the River Test in England, fishing only downstream drifts, from the bank, while wearing tweed.  OR - you could listen to this episode of Untangled and let Spencer Durrant teach you 5 lessons about dry fly fishing that he's learned from his years as an angler and guide. These tips will help you take your dry fly fishing skil...

Do you get nervous at the sight of BIG water? You know, a river so big that it probably qualifies for fat guy seating on airplanes?  That's completely normal! But part of your education and growth as an angler is learning how to fish these bigger rivers, and on today's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through 7 expert tips to do just that.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for hik...

Are you dismayed by the sight of rivers that look like chocolate milk? Does high water strike sadness and fear into your heart? Well, after listening to this week's edition of Untangled, you'll have all the tools you need to fish during runoff! Spencer Durrant walks you through what he's learned about fishing high, muddy water, and how you can apply those lessons to your own fly fishing circumstan...

In this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant reveals a secret so incredible he had to smuggle it out of Area 52 (bet you didn't know THAT existed, did you?).  Okay, it's not that secret -- it's a collection of the 12 flies that Spencer believes will catch 99% of all the trout you encounter. Make sure to listen and see if you agree with his list.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for fishing...

On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant introduces you to the softer, gentler side of trout - a side maybe you didn't even know existed. After this show, you won't just be catching trout from your local stream - you'll be shaking fins with your friends. You'll know the different personality quirks of each trout species, and how those quirks can help you put more of them in the net!  You'll a...

Imagine sitting down for a one-on-one chat with a fly fishing expert. How much would that improve your fly fishing abilities? Now, imagine if you had the opportunity to chat with over 600 experts! You'd be a fly fishing ninja!  Well, Dave Stewart, of The Wet Fly Swing podcast, has conducted over 600 interviews with fly fishing experts on his show over the years. And on this week's episode of Untan...

On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through the intricacies and mysteries of one of fly fishing's most legendary hatches. You'll leave with all the wisdom and knowledge you need to catch boatloads of trout during this hatch, leaving your friends speechless at your mad skills, and your enemies absolutely gobsmacked that you've progressed so much in so short a time.  As if...

Have you ever wondered how fly rods are built? Do you want to know what "rod action" means, and whether it matters to your experience on the water? And how much stress can you put a fly rod under before it breaks? Hank Haen and Adam Hutchison, of the R.L Winston Rod Co., join Spencer Durrant on this episode of Untangled to answer all those questions - and more! Almost anything you could want to kn...

Are you tired of being outsmarted by fish? Does the thought of coming home empty-handed from yet another fly fishing trip fill you with dread and angst? Well, you're in the right place, because this week's episode of Untangled will help you solve one of fishing's most confounding problems -- how to catch picky fish! Spencer Durrant has five tips that he'll walk you through to help you turn those d...

Have you ever struggled to explain to other people (friends, significant others, angry bosses) why you love fly fishing so much? Do you want to try and get a friend to fall in love with the sport, too? Well, you're in luck! This episode of Untangled features Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce discussing why they love fly fishing, and why it's something everyone else should try.  💥 Want to Level Up Y...

In this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant gives you all the information and tips you need in order to fly fish in the wind. Say goodbye to tangled lines and frustrated days on the water, and hello to success, even when the wind is blowing hard enough to send you to Kansas! (Unless, of course, you already live in Kansas, in which case, we send our condolences).  On top of that, you'll also lear...

In this special episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant is joined by Domenick Swentosky to talk about essential nymphing tactics that beginning anglers just can't afford to miss. Dom is the man behind Troutbitten, one of the best learning resources available to fly anglers. Dom is also a dad, a guide, and one of fly fishing's most thoughtful writers. The conversation between Spencer and Dom features...

This episode of Untangled is one of the most important pieces of media ever produced for beginning fly anglers. It rivals the value of buffalo wings and Diet Coke. In this week's show, your host Spencer Durrant walks you through everything to know about catch-and-release. He shares science-based best practices for hooking, fighting, landing, and releasing trout, so that you're able to leave our fi...