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!
32episodes
Episodes
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How to Improve Your Indicator Nymphing, With Guide Matt Squillante
2d ago01:23:53Tap to summarizeWant to spend less time untangling knots and more time with your flies in the water? Do you want to connect on more of the strikes you get to your nymphs? Want to know the best way to cast indicator rigs? Orvis-endorsed guide Matt Squillante [28:56] shares his tips from years of teaching fly fishers how to fish indicator rigs, and he shares some solid advice on this method. In the Fly Box this week, we have the questions and tips: I was fishing for panfish and had a big fish make a huge run but I lost it. Any guess as to what kind of fish it was? I really enjoyed using the poly leaders Orvis used to sell. Any suggestions for a substitute? I am having problems casting my new Superfine rod after using a Helios D. Any suggestions on improving my casting with it? A tip on using a waterproof marker to color your thread if it's not the right color for the head of your fly. How can I fish my nymphs in pools that are 6-to 8-feet deep? What is the correct terminology when describing the size of a piece of moving water? What do you think of using the "washing line" technique in streams? My Double Davy Knot causes my big dries to lay off to one side but the clinch knot doesn't. Do you know why this happens? I was using a fly clip and the leader came back with a pigtail after I broke off a fish. Does this happen often with fly clips? Is there a way to quickly tell a wild trout from a stocked trout?
Transcribe →Summer Outlook For the Rockies, with Chris Steinbeck
1w ago01:03:54Tap to summarizeMy guest this week, Chris Steinbeck [25:15] of the Blue Quill Angler in Colorado, shares his strategies for dealing with what we expect will be low water and possibly water that is too warm for ethical trout fishing. This doesn't mean you have to forgo fly fishing! There are many options for continuing your trout fishing through the summer, plus loads of alternatives to trout that are amazing fun on the fly rod. Chris has some solid tips for enjoying the summer with your rod, and for treating the fish properly in low water. Although Chris concentrates on Colorado fisheries, his advice is solid for any part of the Rocky Mountains. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: If I briefly hook a brown trout, do you think it's still worth trying for that fish? I have an old Orvis Bamboo rod left to me by my grandfather. Should I fish it, and if so how should I care for it? Is there a material you could wrap around a dry fly to make it float better? Which types of dubbing are best for dry flies? Can I use jig nymphs on a dry dropper setup? How can I strip "retired" flies of their dressing so I can re-use the hooks and beads? I fish a cold tailwater but have not seen or caught a trout. Why are there no trout in it?
Transcribe →Fishing and Food—From Gourmet to Dirtbag, with Kirk Deeter and Matt Supinski
2w ago01:02:34Tap to summarizeMy guests this week are Kirk Deeter and Matt Supinski [27:19], authors of the amazing new book A Fishable Feast. They talk about great meals they've experienced in lodges around the world, but also about what they actually pack for the day when they are fishing on their own. And then what to enjoy after a day of fishing—what to drink, what meals to prepare to celebrate a great day or console yourself after a lousy day. And they even wax poetic (at least Matt does) about what a day on the water really means. It's a fun discussion and I hope you enjoy it. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Should I put floatant on my CDC flies or should they ride below the surface? How will I get my flies deep enough now that tungsten beads are getting scarce and expensive? Should I get a moderate or fast-action rod for all-around fishing in Colorado? Can I use a surgeon's knot to connect nylon to fluorocarbon? I have been using tippet rings. How short can my shock tippet get before I need to replace it? Is the improved blood knot good for adding shock tippet? How do you know when a river's fish population is not worth your time? If I see trout swimming quickly, are they feeding when they do this? How much extra tippet do you carry when fishing?
Transcribe →Chasing the Elusive Corbina in the Surf, with Al Quattrocchi
3w ago01:04:17Tap to summarizeBefore you rule out this podcast because you don't live in southern California, you may want to listen to my interview with master saltwater fly fisher Al Quattrocchi [24:46] because he gives lots of great advice on fishing in the surf in general. You'll get tips on lines, leaders, approach, and how to find fish in the surf. So, whether you chase striped bass or redfish in the surf, I think you'll get some great tips here. In the fly box this week, we have some great tips as well as interesting questions, including: How can I keep my dropper tag from tangling around the standing part of the tippet? How can I find out about etiquette on local rivers? A tip from a listener on fishing streamers with a Euro rig in low, clear water I am confused by fly casting instructions. Lefty Kreh recommended that we pretend our arm is on a shelf and then flick the wrist. Should I try casting this way? My local river is high but there are some ephemeral side channels. Do you think these are worth fishing? Is it true that tungsten beads will become expensive and hard to obtain? A tip from a listener on using a Magic Eraser for cleaning cork grips. I fish some tight, brushy rivers. Would it be better to get a trout Spey rod or a 10-foot 4-weight for fishing these streams?
Transcribe →Travel Tips From Around the World, with Alberto Rey
May 401:14:25Tap to summarizeOrvis-endorsed guide Alberto Rey [33:22] just completed a trip around the world, fishing and exploring on six continents—and he did it all with only two 6-piece Clearwater Rods and two reels and a handful of flies. He has some great stories and great tips for travelers from his experience and shares them with us. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: Should I be adding 4 feet of tippet to my 7 ½ foot leader for a dry dropper rig? A tip from a listener about using pieces of pool noodle to store pre-make fly rigs I saw a video where a guy fished four flies at once on droppers. How do you avoid tangles with this many flies on the leader? If the new Recons are 20% stronger, if I want to get a 6-weight rod should I order a 5-weight? A tip from a listener (with a caution from Tom) about using micro spikes for wading How can I easily get the hook out of trout and still keep them in the water when they struggle? I saw an otter on the river and got skunked. Do the fish vacate an area when an otter is around? My knots keep slipping and fish were breaking off with various highly-regarded knots. What do you think happened? How can I fish a big articulated streamer upstream without the fly fouling? A tip from a listener on just slipping cones on the leader above a streamer to get them to sink faster.
Transcribe →Secrets of the Mother's Day Caddis, with Taylor Edrington
Apr 2701:31:48Tap to summarizeMy guest this week is guide and fly shop owner Taylor Edrington [34:16] of Royal Gorge Anglers in Colorado. His home river, the Arkansas, has an amazing hatch of these bugs, but they also hatch on trout streams throughout the country some time between Tax Day and Mother's Day (and often beyond). It's a great hatch but often tricky as trout will many times key on the emerging pupa and not the adult. But Taylor has some tricks to help us solve the puzzle. In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that I think will be helpful to many people, such as: Can I fish streamers on bright days in a river without much insect life? Can I use a reel meant for a 7- to 9-weight rod on my 6-weight rod? When you are fishing with other people on mountain creeks, do you ever use two-way radios? I have trouble fishing really large rivers. What should I look for in giant rivers? Will carp in a trout stream harm the trout population? Can I use a Perfection Loop in my backing to attach a fly line? Why aren't there different leaders for each line size? Some casting instructors tell you to move your arm back and forth and other tell you to never do that. Is there a correct way to cast? Do you think a recent flood hurt the trout population in my river? I have not seen as many trout after the flood. Do you carry a multi-tool when you go fishing?
Transcribe →Orvis' Return to Roots, with Simon Perkins
Apr 2000:45:02Tap to summarizeMy guest this week is Simon Perkins [1:11], president of The Orvis Company and a third-generation family member to run the company. You may have heard about some major changes in Orvis' business over the past couple years, and Simon relates both his emotional struggle with restructuring the company and also his optimism about a laser focus on Orvis' core values: Fly fishing, upland hunting, and protection of our natural resources. Why there will be a greater emphasis on independent fly shops. And also the greatly streamlined Orvis apparel offering and how that affected which Orvis retail stores remained open.
Transcribe →The US Forest Service Needs Your Help, with Paul Hendricks
Apr 1300:55:53Tap to summarizeMany of our favorite places to fish for wild trout are located on Forest Service lands. My guest this week is Paul Hendricks [29:45], executive director of The Conservation Alliance, which is an outdoor industry organization dedicated to maintaining the health of our public lands. Some recent developments threaten the continuing operation of the US Forest Service, and Paul tells us what these proposed changes are--what we can do to help mitigate some drastic changes, and ensure that the dedicated people who help maintain many of the places we love to fish have the resources they need. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: How can I make a 6-foot leader for fishing for trout in small creeks? I always get tangled when fishing with multiple flies but not with a single dry fly. What am I doing wrong? Why do brook trout in the Shenandoah area appear to grow bigger than they do in most northeastern streams? How can I fish subsurface flies for panfish in very weedy waters? A listener relates yet another story of trout feeding at night when a bright light shines on them. How do I strip strike? Do I wait until I feel the fish? Is there a difference between tightening with your rod as opposed to tightening with your hand? When fishing small, unpressured streams for trout and smallmouth bass, how long should I wait in between trips to the same spot? When floating down a chute in my kayak, fishing for smallmouth bass, I know most of them will be at the bottom of the chute. Should I just float down over them and try to fish for them, or should I portage around the shoot? How spooky are they to a boat floating over them?
Transcribe →How To Catch Permit On Top, with RA Beattie
Apr 600:53:27Tap to summarizePermit on a floating fly? Don't you need to fish heavy flies that get right to the bottom, where permit feed? Sometimes, but over the past decade permit anglers have discovered that permit eat crabs on the surface, and if you've spent enough time on salt water you will see crabs swimming along the surface. Fishing floating crabs make a lot of sense as you'll learn when you listen to this podcast with film maker and permit angler RA Beattie [27:05]. In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that might solve problems you have had, including: I have trouble with my fly wallet, either losing flies or tearing out the fleece. Is this a matter of user error? Should I apply flotant to foam flies and flies with deer and elk hair, or will they float by themselves? Do jig nymphs harm smaller trout? If I use large beads on my nymphs, will they inhibit hooking qualities? I have trouble with my line tangling when striper fishing. Do you have any tips? Do featherwing streamers offer any advantages? Why do people fish streamers smaller that a size 10 and when is it best to use them? The hooks on my bonefish flies keep breaking . Why is this happening?
Transcribe →Tips for Urban Fly Fishing, with Marc Fryt
Mar 3001:33:17Tap to summarizeUrban fly fishing is fun and presents some challenges—like bystanders getting in the way of back casts and sometimes fishing from a location high above the water. And it's essential to know how to fish around bridges as these are sometimes the best habitat for urban fish. Marc Fryt [38:33], whose new book The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing is a treasure trove of tips for exploring this exciting world. In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting questions and tips, including: Is there a place I can explore saltwater fly fishing on foot without a guide? I can't afford one right now. When storing fly tying materials, what should I do to prevent damage? Will excessive heat or cold in a garage or attic affect them? Do you have any tips for catching my first grayling in a lake? How should I set the drag on my reel? Are Orvis' mid-priced rods like the new Recons just blanks from older versions of premium rods or are they completely new designs? A listener reports that he uses a light for trout fishing at night and it does not spook the fish. Why do my loop knots keep breaking when streamer fishing? Why do you cast with your right hand and then reel with the same hand? What do you think of competition jig hooks that ride upside-down? I have a Clearwater 10-foot 4-weight that I use for dry-fly fishing and want to try Euro nymphing with it. Should I get a new reel or spool with a separate line or just switch my leader?
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