Creating New Trout Streams, with Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited
Release Date: 01/13/2025
How to find great fly fishing close to home, with Greg DeMars
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I've had a number of guests on the podcast teaching us about urban fly fishing and it will be an ongoing process because everyone has different takes on how to approach it. There is nothing better than a few hours of peace before or after work, without needing to drive for hours, and you can find it, even in the middle of our largest cities. My guest Greg DeMars [40:25] specializes in the urban fisheries around Dallas, Texas, but the tips he offers are valuable for any urban area throughout North America—and probably beyond. Urban fishing can be exciting and interesting...
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Best Practices for Wader Care and Fit, with Natalie Cullum
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I get a lot of questions about wader care, storage, and washing instructions. Fit can also affect how long waders last and how comfortable they are. Waders are one of our most expensive purchases, outside of a rod and reel, and in order to make them last longer we need to take good care of them, so they stay waterproof and comfortable. My guest this week is Natalie Cullum [27:14], Orvis product developer in charge of waders and technical outerwear. She knows all about the fabric used in waders, the technology involved in their construction, and how critical fit is in...
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Secrets of Southern Tailwaters, with Tic Smith
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Tic Smith [37:18] is head guide at Orvis-endorsed Southeastern Anglers and is a veteran guide with many decades of experience on southern tailwaters. Our discussion centers on his home river, the Hiwassee, but the tips and tricks he shares will be valuable on many other tailwaters. He talks tackle, flies, presentation, and most importantly reading the water from a drift boat. In the Fly Box this week we have some great trips and interesting questions from listeners, including: Can I re-use an old Depth Charge running line with a shooting head, and if so how should I...
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What Rahm Emanuel Loves About Fly Fishing
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
It's always interesting to find out that public figures can be as obsessed with fly fishing as we are. People like Harrison Ford, Jeff Daniels, Tucker Carlson, Bette Midler, Jimmy Kimmel, and Dick Cheney are all serious fly fishers. (And no, I don't have any of them on tap for my podcast). But Rahm Emanuel [37:25] is a dedicated listener to this podcast, and when I had a chance to interview him I took it. There is no politics in this podcast interview—just a fanatic fly fisher who talks about why he loves it, how he finds time in his busy life to go fly fishing, and what excites him...
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All You Wanted to Know About Dubbing, with Tim Cammisa
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I get lots of questions about dubbing, which is a simple process that we sometimes complicate with hundreds of different blends and as many opinions on how to apply it. But it's an essential skill in fly tying, so Tim [35:18] and I spend a whole podcast exploring types of dubbing, when you would use them, and different methods of applying this essential material. Tim is always a fun guest and this one is no exception. In the Fly Box this week, we have a some great tips from listeners and of course plenty of questions, including: A great tip from a listener on how to estimate a...
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Ozark Smallmouth Bass, with Country Singer JD Clayton
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
My guest this week is country singer JD Clayton [35:35], a talented singer/songwriter and all-around nice guy who loves to fly fish for smallmouth bass in his native Ozarks. He fills me in on what their fishing is like, and why he loves this rural part of the country so much. In the Fly Box this week, I answer some questions and we have a couple tips from listeners, including: What are some guides to western aquatic insects you recommend? What wading boots do you recommend for hiking into remotes ponds and streams? What water temperatures are ideal for trout, and are there certain...
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Get Ready for this Year's Cicada Hatch, with Dave Zielinski
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This week my guest Dave Zielinski [39:53], author of the comprehensive book Cicada Madness, tells us when and where you can encounter this year's brood of periodical cicadas—and if you can't make that event, he'll tell you how to find waters that host regular emergences of annual cicadas, which are not quite as large but can offer spectacular fishing if your timing is right. All kinds of fish go crazy over the giant bugs, from trout to bass to carp-- even gar and catfish. Learn how to fish these flies, and how to tie them in this highly informative and timely episode that will...
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All About Crayfish and How to Fish Their Imitations, with Jake Villwock
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Crayfish are prey that most gamefish can't resist. They're high in calories, abundant, and relatively easy for bass, trout, and many other gamefish to capture. Yet most of us don't know much about their life cycle and behavior (myself included). Guide Jake Villwock [47:02] has spent his life studying these critters, which gives him important insight on the right fly patterns, but even more important how and when to fish them. You'll learn a lot on this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, there are lots of good questions and I hope my answers will help you in your fly-fishing...
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Backcast: George Daniel on Winter Fly Fishing
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This episode was originally published on January 30th, 2021 This week, continuing our series of podcasts on winter fly fishing for trout, I interview George Daniel, author and guide. George is also an Orvis ambassador and field tester, and teaches fly fishing at Penn State. As you'll discover, there are many similarities with winter fishing in other parts of the country, along with some flies and techniques a bit more appropriate for the Northeast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including: Do you use touch dubbing, split thread dubbing, and composite...
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Backcast: More Winter Fishing Tips with Rachael Leinweber
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This episode was originally published on January 14th, 2021. My guest this week is Rachael Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips: Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel? How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing...
info_outline- What is a good chair for fly tying?
- What is a good light for fly tying?
- How do you organize your tying desk?
- What setup should I use to fish streamers in a narrow, brushy piece of water?
- A piece broke off the jaws of my fly-tying vise. How can I prevent this from happening in the future?
- Why don't they make polarized sunglasses with clear magnifying inserts?
- A tip from a listener to always pack an extra pack with dry clothes in case you fall in.
- Should I recycle my hooks after all the dressing has fallen off a fly?
- I want a rod for pike and musky fishing. What is the difference between the 10-weight and 11-weight Clearwater rods?
- Is it bad a stretch a leader by hanging a pair of forceps on it?
- For small stream trout, should I get a Battenkill Disc or Battenkill spring-and-pawl reel?
- If I want to practice casting to my "off" side prior to a float trip, should I practice casting with my left hand or use my right hand to cast over my left shoulder?