719 | Flying with Ariel Tweto - Alaska, Bush Planes, Suicide Prevention
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Release Date: 02/14/2025
Howard Croston on Competition Mindset and Loch-Style Fishing for Stillwater Trout (Littoral Zone Podcast #22)
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#881 Show Notes: Presented By: , , Sponsors: Stillwater fly fishing rewards anglers who focus on presentation, depth, and efficiency rather than constantly changing flies. In this episode, Phil Rowley sits down with England’s Howard Croston — former world champion, longtime England team member, Hardy product developer, and Fulling Mill fly designer — to unpack the tactical decisions that consistently put trout in the net. From reading unfamiliar lakes and understanding stocked fish behavior to leader diameter, drift control, and eliminating “myths” about fly color, Howard explains...
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880 | Freshwater Flats Fishing for Giant Northern Pike with Nick Elcheson from Scott Lake Lodge
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#880 Show Notes: Presented By: , , Sponsors: There’s a point in fly fishing where casting stops being the hard part, and decision-making takes over. In this episode, Dave Stewart is joined by Nick Elcheson from Scott Lake Lodge to break down sight fishing Northern Pike in shallow water, where patience, positioning, and timing matter more than power. Nick explains why fly fishing for pike is essentially freshwater flats fishing, how seasonal water temperature controls fish location, and why waiting for the right fish often leads to better outcomes than covering water. You’ll...
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879 | Alaska Trout Nymphing with Orion Good of Fishhound Expeditions
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#879 Show Notes: Presented by: In this episode, I’m joined by Orion Good, a Fishhound Expeditions guide who’s quietly dialing in what actually works when the salmon don’t show and the bead bite disappears. We dig into nymphing in Alaska trout nymphing, why the Duracell fly keeps producing when nothing else does, and how Orion locates fish in constantly changing systems. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay effective in Alaska when conditions shift, this one’s packed with real-world guide insight. Show Notes:
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878 | Brook Trout Fishing in Newfoundland with Les Wentzell of Mountain Waters Resort
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#878b Show Notes: Presented by: When people think about Newfoundland fly fishing, Atlantic salmon usually steal the spotlight. But tucked into the same rivers and lakes are some of the hardest-fighting brook trout you’ll ever see, including sea-run fish pushing three to five pounds. In this episode, I sat down with Les Wentzell to walk through brook trout fishing. We dug into timing, locations, flies, wind tactics, and why a simple dead-drift can outfish flashy presentations. If you’re heading to Newfoundland for salmon, this episode opens the door to a second...
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878 | How Fly Rods Are Really Designed: Inside St. Croix with Zack Dalton
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
878 Show Notes: Presented by: , , , Today, we’re digging into how fly rods are really designed. Not the marketing side, but what really goes into the design, the testing, and why some rods last for decades while others fall apart. Zac Dalton from St. Croix Rods is on the podcast today, and he walks us through how fly rods are designed from the ground up. We talk about rod action and why faster is not always better, what durability really means for anglers who fish hard, and how different actions change the way a rod fishes and casts. We also get into...
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877 | Fly Fishing the Surf with Frank Vargas - Corbina, Surf Perch, Leopard Sharks
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#877 Show Notes: Presented By: , , , Sponsors: Fly fishing in Southern California looks nothing like a mountain river—and that’s exactly why it works. In this episode, Frank Vargas breaks down how surf fly fishing actually functions, from reading tides and beach structure to understanding how species like perch, corbina, and leopard sharks use shallow water to feed and travel. Frank shares how incoming and negative tides reveal feeding lanes, why anglers often walk past productive water, and how sight fishing in the surf can feel more like targeting carp than blind casting waves....
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876 | How to Build an Adventure Vehicle with Matt Dunkerly of AVC Rig
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#876 Show Notes: Presented by: Most adventure rigs look great online. Fewer are built for real miles, real weather, and those long fishing days that end well after dark. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Dunkerly to talk about building camper vans that actually work for anglers. Matt runs Adventure Vehicle Concepts, and his approach is refreshingly practical. This isn’t about Instagram builds or overcomplicating things. It’s about access, simplicity, and designing a rig that helps you fish more without getting in your own way. If you’ve been thinking about a van for fly...
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Streamer Season in the Ozarks with Chad Johnson (CJ's Reel Southern Podcast #10)
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Presented by: Streamer season is officially here in the Ozarks, and this one is all about slowing things down and fishing with intention. January kicks off the most aggressive window of the year, especially for big browns and smallmouth, and today Chad Johnson is digging deep into how they approach it. He walks us through why post-spawn is such a key window for them, how aggression bites drive streamer eats, and why presentation matters more than fly choice. If you fish the Ozarks (or any tailwater with changing flows) this is one you’ll want to bookmark. Show Notes:
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875 | Phil Monahan on Simplifying Fly Fishing for Beginners
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/875 Sponsors: and Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing doesn’t fall apart because it’s too hard. It falls apart because there’s too much going on at once. Too many rods, too many flies, too many opinions, and not enough clarity about what actually matters on day one. In this episode, I sat down with Phil Monahan to strip fly fishing back to its essentials. Phil’s spent decades teaching, writing, guiding, and answering the same beginner questions over and over. His takeaway is simple. Most new anglers don’t fail because...
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874 | How Grundéns Turned Commercial Fishing Survival Gear into Fly Fishing Essentials
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/874 Sponsors: , , and Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Most fly fishing gear is built for comfort. Some of it is built for performance. But very little of it is built with the assumption that conditions can turn from “kinda crappy” to “this could go bad” in a hurry. That’s where Grundéns comes in. In this episode, I sat down with Justin Waters, who’s right in the middle of translating nearly 100 years of commercial fishing toughness into gear that guides, steelheaders, and fly anglers lean on when the weather goes...
info_outline#719 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/719
Presented by: FishHound Expeditions
In this episode, we take a unique journey into the world of bush flying in Alaska with Ariel Tweto—pilot, adventurer, and star of Flying Wild Alaska. Ariel shares what it was like growing up in a family of pilots, the thrill of her first appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, and even a memorable drink with Harrison Ford.
Beyond the adventures, we dive into a more serious topic—suicide prevention in Native Alaskan communities, a cause close to Ariel’s heart. From broken bones to big dreams, this episode is packed with stories of resilience, passion, and making the most of every moment.
Episode Chapters with Ariel Tweto
4:43 - Ariel shares that flying has been an integral part of her life since birth, as her entire family is deeply involved in aviation. Her grandfather was one of the first Native American pilots to start an airline, founding Ryan Air in Alaska. Both her parents and extended family are pilots, and she grew up flying regularly, even before she could walk or talk.
8:33 - Ariel shares the unexpected journey of how Flying Wild Alaska became a TV show.
15:23 - Ariel recalls her first solo flight as a terrifying experience. Reflecting on the experience, she acknowledges that being a pilot isn’t her true passion. Though she respects the family legacy, she realizes she doesn’t have the mindset needed for full-time flying.
17:35 - She shares some of the projects she worked on after Flying Wild Alaska including being a recurring guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and doing an episode on The Late Show with David Letterman. Currently, she co-hosts Native Shorts where she discusses short films created by Indigenous filmmakers from around the world.
19:41 - Ariel remains passionate about adventure and action sports, participating in extreme activities like mountain biking and surfing. She has suffered multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone from mountain biking, broken ribs, and a recent severe facial injury while surfing in Mexico.
21:41 - She tells how her parents inspired and encouraged her to explore which has been instrumental in shaping who she is today.
26:47 - Ariel has had a love for travel since childhood. One of her earliest experiences was a trip to Texas with her cheerleading coach, where she was fascinated by the cultural differences—frying an egg on the sidewalk and learning line dancing. Her curiosity grew when she joined Alaska’s travel basketball team in middle school, leading her to the UK.
30:35 - Ariel started a nonprofit called Popping Bubbles in 2014, inspired by her personal loss of a number of friends to suicide. The organization focuses on breaking people out of their comfort zones, encouraging them to explore new experiences, meet different people, and see the possibilities beyond their immediate environment.
35:39 - She reflects on her father’s deep passion for flying, emphasizing that no matter how many close calls he had—including a crash where he broke his neck—he never considered stopping. His happiest moments were in the sky, exploring new landing spots, and he had no plans to retire from flying as long as his body and vision allowed. Although he once said he would stop off-airport flying at 70, Ariel and her family believe he would have continued beyond that.
43:00 - She tells us about her running routine. Sometimes she runs for as little as 30 minutes, but on days like she had in Utah, she ran for three hours simply because of the beautiful surroundings
44:40 - Ariel is currently working on the animated TV show The Great North, which is now in its fifth season.
47:09 - Going back to suicide prevention, Ariel emphasizes the power of human connection in addressing depression. She believes that feeling seen and valued is essential, as isolation often leads to hopelessness.
53:18 - Ariel played point guard in basketball. Growing up in Alaska, her high school team often flew to different villages for games. She later played college basketball in Boston but quickly realized she preferred a warmer climate with mountains, leading her to move to California.
57:00 - Ariel is an avid podcast listener. Some of her favorites include SmartLess, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, and Oprah’s Super Soul Sundays. She particularly enjoys Mel Robbins for her practical, life-changing advice.
1:01:23 - She also enjoys music, with her current obsession being Xavier Rudd, an artist from New Zealand known for his nature-inspired music and didgeridoo playing.
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/719