Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer
Release Date: 12/22/2025
Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This episode was originally published on July 14th, 2023. I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of us don't pay attention to the plants. And there are many delicious plants along trout streams you can take home for dinner—most of which will be more nutritionally dense than what you buy in the store—and free. If you have done any foraging at all, you have probably read some of more of Sam Thayer's [40:38] books. In our household his books are the primary source. I was...
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Backcast: All About Bamboo Fly Rods, with Shawn Brillon
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This episode was originally published on August 19th, 2022. Want to know how a bamboo fly rod is made? How long it takes to make one? How many different hands touch an Orvis bamboo fly rod before you (and your children and grandchildren) become its lucky owner. And finally, what's so great about bamboo fly rods? How are they different from fiberglass and graphite, and what will they do for you on the water? This week I interview Orvis bamboo fly rod craftsman Shawn Brillon [45:09], who loves to talk bamboo rods as much as he enjoys making and fishing them. In the Fly Box this week, we have...
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Backcast: Fly Fishing from Canoes and Kayaks, with Ryan Lilly of Old Town Canoe
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
This episode was originally published on March 10th, 2023. Learn how to decide between a canoe and a kayak, what kind to get, and how to maneuver and cast using these hard-sided watercraft (next week I'll be doing a podcast on inflatables). Ryan Lilly [47:30] is a fly fisher and Old Town's expert on fishing from these craft, and has many great suggestions for how to make the most out of your canoe or kayak experience. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions that I'm sure will be of interest to many of you, as well as some thoughtful tips from other listeners,...
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How to Take Great Fishing Pictures with Your Smartphone, with Chris Niccolls
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
My guest this week is photography expert and co-host of the Petapixel podcast Chris Niccolls [28:39]. Chris has access to nearly every kind of expensive camera in the world because he evaluates photo equipment for his day job. But when he is fishing, guess what he takes most of his photographs and videos with? You guessed it—his iPhone. Chris shares tips on how to set up your shot, how to get a photograph and still have minimal fish handling, and what settings to use on your phone. He also gives great tips on setting up the scene so that your photos are better than just grip & grin...
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What's Going on in Florida, with Captain Dan Andrews
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
My guest this week is Captain Dan Andrews [37:51], co-founder and CEO of Captains for Clean Water, one of Orvis' most trusted conservation partners. Orvis has been aligned with this grass roots group since their inception and it's been a valuable partnership. Dan tells us what is going on with the Everglades restoration project, what progress has been made, how it has affected the fisheries, and current threats to progress. He is also very optimistic about this winter's fishing conditions in Florida and looks into his crystal ball to predict how fishing will be in various regions of the...
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Hot Tips on Using Split Shot, with Dom Swentosky
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I am not a big fan of using split shot but after this interview with Dom Swentosky [36:41] of the Troutbitten blog and podcast, I'm going to use it a lot more. Dom's method of using split shot is simple and convenient, and he teaches us about placement, adding shot, and removing shot easily—and how to keep it from sliding on your tippet without placing it above a knot. Whether you fish nymphs or streamers, Dom has some great suggestions on using split shot properly. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions form listeners, including: Is a 10-foot, 4-weight fly rod a...
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How to Pick a Floating Trout Line, with Jesse Haller
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Confused about which floating trout line to pick when you need a new one? I'm not surprised as today there is a dizzying array of options and nearly everyone is confused. If you understand what the various options offer the decision is much easier, so I asked product developer Jesse Haller [41:00] to help all of us make this important choice. We talk about what you get in the more expensive lines that you don't get in the price-point lines. We discuss tapers, whether your fly line should be a standard weight or a half- or quarter- or full-size heavy, smooth vs. textured, clear vs. opaque, fly...
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Fishing for Coastal Cutthroats, with Dylan Tomine
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I've had requests in the past for a podcast about chasing coastal cutthroats, so this week my guest is author, "retired" guide, and all-around thoughtful angler Dylan Tomine [33:12]. He tells us where to find them, what kinds of tides and conditions are best, and what flies and techniques work well for these fish that are close to many cities in the Northwest. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Advice on the best 6-weight to choose for all-around fly fishing. I am having trouble deciding between a 9foot 5-weight and a 4-weight Superfine. Please help me...
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Knotted Leaders, Furled Leaders, Braided Leaders—and Favorite Knots, with Brian Flechsig
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
I've wanted to get Brian Flechsig of Mad River Outfitters [49:59] on the podcast for quite a while and we finally made it happen. Brian is the star of many great YouTube videos and he loves to get into the details of tackle rigging. He's a knotted leader expert and he explains his simple three-part system for tying saltwater and bass leaders. He also talks about his use of furled leaders and the now-extinct Orvis Braided Leaders. Brian and I also discuss our favorite knots and a philosophy for choosing your own knots—always a hot topic. In the Fly Box this week we have these...
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Fly Fishing for Steelhead and Salmon in Estuaries, with Reed Teuscher
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
You can catch salmon and steelhead on a fly in salt water before they enter rivers. The fish are bright and strong and may still be actively feeding but the problem is to find them in a big expanse of water. Reed Teuscher [41:01] of the Orvis Outfitters team tells us where to look for them, how to present the fly, what kinds of rods and lines you need—and of course what fly patterns seem to work best. In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and more: How can I keep my dropper from twisting around the leader when Euro nymphing? What kinds of flies are banned and why? If...
info_outlineThis episode was originally published on July 14th, 2023.
I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of us don't pay attention to the plants. And there are many delicious plants along trout streams you can take home for dinner—most of which will be more nutritionally dense than what you buy in the store—and free. If you have done any foraging at all, you have probably read some of more of Sam Thayer's [40:38] books. In our household his books are the primary source. I was lucky enough to spend some time talking to Sam about why foraging along streams is especially good, and what we can expect to find there.
In the Fly Box this week, we have no phone calls but some great questions via e-mail, including:
Why do trout in small streams take flies more readily when the water is high?
Where do you recommend I go trout fishing in the East in July when I visit this summer?
A great story about a listener getting generous advice from a famous angler along a trout river.
A tip for keeping rod sections together using clothespins.
What is the best streamer reel, line, and leader for a 7-weight rod?
What do you do when there is a very heavy hatch and almost too many natural insects?
I am having trouble hooking fish using the hand-over-hand retrieve when striper fishing. What can I do to increase my hooking rate?
What are three things a novice dry-fly angler should pay attention to?
Do you ever tie up dry/dropper rigs at home prior to going fishing?
Will my 8-weight be enough rod for fishing for striped bass from a boat?
What are some tips on picking flies for striped bass fishing at night?