Podcast
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Hosted by Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company · EN
The Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast provides weekly tips from acclaimed fly fishing author and lifelong fly fishing enthusiast, Tom Rosenbauer. Get the most from your time on the water!
42episodes
Episodes
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Back Cast: Late Summer Smallmouth Tips, with Colby Trow
2d ago01:40:39Summary readyThis episode was originally published on August 6th, 2021. This week my guest is Colby Trow [38:08] of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, one of the best smallmouth bass anglers I know. Colby talks about successful techniques in catching these critters in late summer, when they can be harder to catch than earlier in the season. The good news is that it's one of the best times to catch them on a surface fly like a popper or hair bug, which is always the most fun. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners: A listener who makes the point that it's quicker to land trout on light tippets with a Euro rod. Can I fish carp flies with an indicator? Are treble hooks more harmful than single point barbless hooks? What do I do when trout take my hopper patterns deep? Should I leave the fly in them? I have trouble catching smallmouths in clear water. Any suggestions? Where do you store your leader between fishing trips? A tip from Sam, fishing manager at Orvis Houston, on catching redfish in dirty water. What are the advantages and disadvantages in using a pedestal vise as opposed to a C-clamp? How do I choose which size hair stacker to use? How can I fish size 18-22 nymphs in four feet of fast water? A suggestion for using 7 1/2-foot leaders in small streams in the Driftless Region. Can I put a 7-weight sinking line on my 5-weight rod? If I am catching trout in small mountain streams where the water is cold enough, do I need to worry about them moving downstream into warmer temperatures after I release them? How many phone calls and questions do you get per week? When I switch from Euro nymphing to my regular trout rod, I keep breaking off fish. Is this normal?
SummaryWhere are all the Striped Bass? With Peter Jenkins
1w ago01:27:15Summary readyMy guest this week is Peter Jenkins [28:08], owner of the Saltwater Edge in Rhode Island and chairman of the American Saltwater Guides Association. Peter is a lifelong striper addict and has also followed the plight of the striped bass and the many management plans that try to preserve this valuable resource. He talks about the history of striped bass populations, why they are in decline right now, and what can be done to get back to the "glory days" of the late 1990s. In the Fly Box this week, I try to answer the following questions: What are tipping guidelines for a fishing guide in Italy? Are big articulated streamers mostly for targeting trophy fish? I had three fish completely swallow my dry fly. Do you have any insights on why they do that sometimes? Is it wise to sometimes start with a small fly rather than a large one? If I only have a leader and tippet on the water, should I still mend? Is it OK to have drag if only the leader and tippet are on the water? I am going to Patagonia this year. Should I bring my own gear? They recommend 6 and 7-weight rods and I only have a 4-weight and 5-weight. Should I ask if I can tie my own knots? What flies do you recommend for bigmouth and smallmouth buffalo? My stream has lots of weed on the bottom, and my nymphs and streamers keep getting coated with weed. How can I fix this?
SummaryHow to Swing Wet Flies with Trout Spey, with Pete Kutzer
2w ago01:27:25Summary readyMy guest this week is Orvis casting guru and fishing buddy Pete Kutzer [39:31], who makes a case for using trout Spey techniques not just for spring and fall streamer fishing but all summer long, swinging wet flies and soft hackles. Pete gets into exactly the right rod, line, leader, and tippet he uses, the fly patterns he prefers, and the techniques he uses for presenting the flies. He also gives us some great tips for two-handed casting in general—tough to do on a podcast, but they are helpful nonetheless. In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: When fishing foam dry flies on a dry dropper rig, my leader keeps twisting. How can I prevent this? What essential gear should I take when fishing from my raft? I keep spooking carp with my heavily weighted flies but I need them to get down. How can I fix this? A listener tells us about a very clever method he uses for drop-shotting with nymphs that allows him to change weights easily. I saw dozens of trout stacked up in the middle of a run feeding in bright sunlight. Why were they there? I am trying to fish a short, deep plunge pool where the trout are in four feet of water. How can I get my flies down to them? My rooster hackle keeps twisting. What can I do to prevent this?
SummaryAdd Rocky Mountain Carp to Your Fishing Trip, with Dustin White
3w ago01:35:59Summary readyWith warm and lower water levels in many western rivers, there's no need to sit out those hoot owl regulations. Some of the reservoirs in the Rocky Mountains offer the same spectacular scenery as trout rivers, fewer people, and challenging fish that might get you into your backing. Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year Dustin White [36:42] shares his passion for carp fishing in Montana and gives us some solid tips for finding and catching them. In the Fly Box this week we have the following interesting questions and more: My cast keeps wrapping around my rod when doing the double haul. How can I fix this? What is the best way to approach a fly-fishing "personality" on the water? What should I do if I see someone violating fishing regulations? Is it ever appropriate to clear brush on a path to the river? What is the best way to evaluate a fly-fishing guide? Suggestions on a rod for fishing for sea bass. How should I approach a large pool with numerous fish rising. Should I work my way upstream or go to the biggest fish at the head of the pack? How can I find good redfish marshes using Google Earth? A listener suggests another instance of poor angling ethics—walking in front of an angler on the banks of a river. A recommendation for a good rod for fishing for smaller bass.
SummaryBack Cast: All About Crayfish and How to Fish Their Imitations, with Jake Villwock
Jul 1301:36:15Summary readyThis episode was originally published on March 3rd, 2025. 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 journey. They include: I can't seem to get my fly deep enough in bass lakes with my floating line. Should I get a sinking line for my 8-weight and fish surface flies with my 5-weight? A listener asks for help from listeners in ways to lessen the pain of losing his beloved fishing dog I fished a river that has always been full of trout and didn't see a thing. What happened to the fish? Should I apply my dubbing with clockwise or counterclockwise twists? Can I tie my dropper onto the tag end of my improved clinch knot? What are your thoughts and comments on how long a trout stays spooked? Why do you prefer a sling pack and where do you put your net? Do resident brook trout in a river get pushed around by migrating steelhead? Do they still feed? I didn't catch any fish in high, cold water. What should I have done? What do you think about tying a loop in the end of my tippet and attaching flies with a girth hitch? Why don't people use landing nets for striped bass? I saw an anti-reverse fly reel on EBay. What do you think of them?
SummaryHow to Behave on a River, with Todd Tanner
Jul 701:37:04Summary readyI don't like to use the word etiquette as that implies rules and we should be able to fish however we want as long as it's legal. But there are traditions and guidelines for conduct on trout rivers that ensures that everyone has a good day on the water without infringing on the rights of others. And they do sometimes differ depending on whether you are floating or wading, and even form one river to the next depending on how crowded they are. Todd Tanner [34:22] offers a very thoughtful and interesting approach to this subject with lots of anecdotes on what he has seen on the many trout rivers he's fished in his lifetime. Do boomboxes and dogs belong on trout rivers? Listen to what Todd has to say on those topics. In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and more: What do you think about the AI in relation to fly fishing? Does the Orvis Wading Staff really self deploy? How do I fish high, clear water? What do the trout do under this condition? How do I know when I am fishing deep enough for salmon and steelhead? My graphite ferrule does not seat all the way. Is this OK? Which sinking line is best for bass fishing? Brass is 7% heavier than stainless steel. Why don't we use more brass for our nymphs given the scarcity of tungsten? A listener makes the case for the Helios D rods for trout fishing What do you think about the Hovering Leech pattern? Will this technique work in rivers? Do trout release stress hormones when we play them? Do chubs and trout feed in different places in trout streams?
SummaryBluelining for Brook Trout in the Northeast, with Nick Yardley
Jun 2901:14:45Summary readyThe Northeast has some of the finest small-stream brook trout fishing in the world. A hike in the Green Mountains of Vermont, White Mountains of New Hampshire, Adirondack Mountains in New York, or the mountains of western Maine can get you to unspoiled brook trout waters with minimal to no fishing pressure. And these are wild, native fish and one of the most colorful fish in freshwater. Nick Yardley [35:18] is an experienced hiker and climber, and loves brook trout fishing as much as he loves Atlantic salmon and steelhead. He's got some great tips on getting there and what tackle and flies to use. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Tips on why the Orvis landing net is so great. Will we be seeing stainless steel beads to replace the expensive tungsten ones? Or is this fake news? Controversy: A listener suggests that if we don't have more "Fly Fishing Only" trout streams, the future of fly fishing is at stake (and Tom disagrees). Bass follow my fly but don't commit. What should I do? A listener asks for advice on whether to get a 3 or 4-weight rod for Colorado. I have trouble casting big Clouser Minnows and Meat Whistles. I think my leader is at fault. Can you help me correct this? I have a friend that does weird things on the river. What would you do? I have an intermediate line for bass fishing. I have had conflicting information on whether it will be useful or not. What do you think? Can I fish for winter flounder with a fly rod?
SummaryBack Cast: What Trout Hear and Smell, with Jason Randall
Jun 2301:31:18Summary readyThis episode was originally published on July 22nd, 2024. 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? Can they smell hatches coming? I explore these and other topics with one of our foremost experts on what trout perceive in their environment. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great assortment of questions and tips from listeners, including: What could I tie with size 16 and 18 Keel Hooks? When working the same pool, should the nymph or streamer angler cover the pool first? Where should you park when you see a stretch of unposted land? A listener relates a fun story of his first carp on the fly What would make me choose the more expensive textured Pro fly line over the Smooth version? What is your rod, leader, and fly setup when fishing a small stream? Is there a difference between a dubbing loop and the split thread technique? Do Recons and Clearwaters go through the same process of improvements that Helios rods do? I saw a lot of bugs but no trout rising. Do you think they were overwhelmed by too much food? If trout in the East don't eat adult stoneflies much, why does the Chubby Chernobyl work so well? I find sunglasses in the evening a hindrance. What should I do to protect my eyes after the sun goes down?
SummaryBack Cast: How to Get Started in Carp Fishing, with Rick Mikesell
Jun 1601:43:37Summary readyThis episode was originally published on June 23rd, 2025. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting requests, including many questions about leaders and tippet. What fly line should I use on my Helios 2 rod for dry-fly fishing? What can I do to prevent my tippet from kinking? What can you do when small stream trout refuse your fly? I have been using heavier tippet and seem to be doing just as well as with lighter tippet. What is your take on this? Is there a big difference between various brands of tippet material? Can I just add a tippet ring to my 9-foot 4X leader to make a nymph leader? Should the butt section of my nymph leader be made from fluorocarbon? What should I take on a multi-day fishing trip that I would not normally think of? Why am I foul-hooking so many trout and whitefish this year? What do you think of furled leaders? What rod should I get for my 8-year-old daughter? What rig should I start her out with? What do you think of Crocs as inexpensive wading shoes? What can you tell me about an older Orvis rod I purchased? How can I tighten the drag on an older spring-and-pawl fly reel? What is the deal with all these multi-fly rigs? Am I missing something by using a single fly? Do people fish for trout with poppers? Do I need sinking agents as well as flotants? At the end of my drift I stripped in a dry fly and got strikes. Should I change my setup and move my flies a bit?
SummaryBack Cast: The Seven Deadly Sins of Playing and Landing Fish, with Josh Nugent
Jun 901:37:25Summary readyThis episode was originally published on May 19th, 2025. Every week I get some iteration of this question: "I hooked three fish and lost all of them before I could get them to the net. What am I doing wrong?" Well, often you did nothing wrong and it was just bad luck. But there are steps you can take to make sure you land the fish you've hooked and Josh Nugent [36:46], a regular on my podcast and one of the most thoughtful anglers I know, presents us with his Seven Deadly Sins. There are lots of helpful nuggets in this one. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: You say I can fish small streamers on my 5-weight rod. What do you mean by "small'? I am using the Albright knot for larger sections of my leader. What do you think? A tip from a listener on how not to launch small brookies into the bushes when you hook them. Why am I losing half of my fish when using barbless hooks? Is there any situation where you would use an Improved Clinch Knot as opposed to the regular Clinch Knot? A tip from a listener on how to tie big foam flies that won't land upside-down. How do you balance various passions, family, work, and still have the energy and time to get out on the water? How do you set up your emergers, and what is your go-to emerger fly? Where can I find split shot that does not contain lead? How do you feel about the relative perceived intelligence of hatchery fish as compared to wild fish?
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