Podcast
Troutbitten
Hosted by Domenick Swentosky · EN
Life on the water. Troutbitten is a deep dive into fly fishing for wild trout in wild places. Author and guide, Domenick Swentosky, shares stories, tips, tactics and conversations with friends about fly fishing through the woods and water. Explore more. Fish hard. And discover fly fishing at Troutbitten.com — an extensive resource with 1500+ articles about trout, friends, family and the river.
31episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Fishing Angles - Upstream or Downstream?
3d ago01:08:58Tap to summarizeWe’re here to talk about fishing angles. Are you wading upstream or down? And are you casting upstream or down? What’s your preference? Why do you make that decision? When, if ever does it change? And does your casting direction always follow your wading direction?Sometimes, these preferences seem regional, while other times it’s specifically about the tactic -- meaning that swinging wet flies, for example, suits a downstream approach best. But sometimes, angle choice seems more like tradition, and many anglers simply fish a certain way because their Dad did.Most of us at Troutbitten look at things objectively. We all went through a period of time where we tore everything down that we thought we knew and rebuilt the database from the ground up. We want to know what really works best.My good friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me to answer these questions.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | The Downstream Fisher Yields to the Upstream FisherVIDEO: Troutbitten | Riverside: Fishing Direction - Should You Work Upstream or Downstream?READ: Troutbitten | Face Upstream, Fish UpstreamREAD: Troutbitten | The Advantages of Working UpstreamVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →RIVERSIDE: Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural?
1w ago00:16:59Tap to summarizeWhat’s the nymph really doing under there? How is it affected by the currents? And is the attached tippet dragging the fly unnaturally across, over, up or out of the natural, one-seam drift that our picky trout are waiting for?The challenge of nymphing is mercifully balanced by the frequency at which trout feed on these bottom dwelling food forms. So even if we get one in ten drifts just right, the rate at which we might fool fish makes this maddening quest for perfection more than worth it. Simply put, nymphing is fun because it works — and because there’s always a way to make it work even better.Our nymphs require weight to get under the surface and down to the trout. And “how much weight” is a fundamental consideration — perhaps the primary factor — toward the goal of drifting nymphs naturally.If you’re into anything long enough, you’ll notice the trends. And you can watch dogged convictions shift, en masse. In an industry as niche as fly fishing for trout, the opinions of just a few influential anglers often shape the next metamorphosis. So it is with the nymphing game, as the current trend for lighter flies and lighter tackle has taken a strong foothold. But just a few years ago, the concept of anchor flies was driving weighty considerations in the opposite direction. (Just as many trout found the net, by the way.)As with most things, real success with nymphs lies somewhere toward the middle of these extremes, and persistent success comes from a combination of both.ResourcesHere's the full article:READ: Troutbitten | Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural?Here are supporting articles:READ: Troutbitten Drifting Light NymphsREAD: Troutbitten | Over or Under -- Your Best Bet On WeightREAD: Troutbitten | Leading vs Tracking vs Guiding the FliesVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Season 19 Intermission - Catching Up, Leader Sales, Book, Beer, Film Fest and More
1w ago00:40:58Tap to summarizeFor our Season 19 Intermission, my wife, Becky, joins me to check in on what's going on in the Troutbitten world. We talk about the upcoming leader sale in the Troutbitten Shop (May 24th), the Troutbitten Film Festival, guide season, changes to the Troutbitten Beer with New Trail Brewing Company and the Mono Rig book status. Then my son, Aiden, joins me for a short conversation about spring fishing.ResourcesVIDEOS: Troutbitten | Fish and Film | CategorySHOP: Troutbitten | Category | LeadersVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Is There Really Anything to Figure Out?
2w ago01:00:59Tap to summarizeThere’s something about fishing that leads us to believe that we can figure out what the fish want to eat that day — at that moment. Really, we want to believe that. And maybe it’s true often enough that trying to figure ‘em out . . . is a smart strategy.But I’m sure you’ve also had the experience of getting back to camp and every one of your friends all caught fish — but they all caught them on different flies and different water types. And you’ve definitely met the guy in the parking lot who’s positive that he has the answer for catching fish that evening. And maybe he’s so sure of it that he’ll make it work, just because he’ll fish it so hard.Is there really anything to figure out?That’s our topic for this episode. We work around the ins and outs of when, why, where and how chasing that goal of figuring things out makes any sense.My good friends Matt Grobe, Josh Darling and Bill Dell join me for this one.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation - Trout Eat Anything, But Sometimes They Eat Another Thing BetterREAD: Troutbitten | It's Not LuckREAD: Troutbitten | Asking the Best Questions to Catch More TroutVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Taking the Next Step
3w ago01:12:08Tap to summarizeHow do you get deeper into the game? Is it a choice or just good fortune? We live a life on the water, and a couple of episodes ago we talked about burnout — how a lot of anglers dig in, fish hard, go all out for a few years, and then just fade away. That’s the end point for some people, but tonight we’re here to talk about the beginning. We want to consider the start of a fishing life, or more accurately, the start of a dedicated fishing life. Most people who become serious anglers have some fishing experiences for a while, and then for whatever reason, the whole thing just becomes . . . more.All of the Troutbitten crew that you already has made fishing our lives for a very long time. And we can give you our opinions and experiences on this whole thing. But for a newer, fresher perspective, we invited some friends who are a little younger in the game. Both of these guys fished off and on since they were kids, but something triggered them to go deeper. That’s process is more recent for them than it is for us, so we wanted to hear from them.Meet our good friends Anthony Marrazo and Andy McDonald, who join me with Austin Dando and Bill Dell.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | Rivers and FriendsREAD: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a LifetimePODCAST: Troutbitten | The Stages of an Angler - S11, Ep1VisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →The Big Lie of Dry Dropper
May 401:06:28Tap to summarizeDry dropper is great. Just put a nymph under that dry fly and get the best of both worlds. Right? Not so fast . . .The idea that you can have your cake and eat it too — that you'll get perfect drifts on the dry fly and the nymph — and that you somehow double your chances by dropping a nymph under the dry is not true. This is the big lie of dry dropper fishing.Here's the problem: In most cases, neither fly ends up with a great drift. Instead, both flies are compromised and their natural drift is altered. Picky trout don't buy sub-par drifts, so you'll only pick up the occasional lucky trout.But we can have good fishing with a dry dropper rig. It's a go to choice for a many anglers, and it’s one of our favorite ways to fish a river.The point here is to acknowledge the problems with a dry dropper system — the inherent drawback — so we can then specifically deal with them or even get rid of them altogether. Know the problem and try to solve it.My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . the big lie of dry dropper.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry DropperPODCAST: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper - Dry Dropper Skills SeriesVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Burnout
Apr 2701:05:08Tap to summarizeA life on the water is an everyday thing. When we’re not fishing, we’re thinking about it. We’re preparing for it. We’re learning about it. I text with friends almost daily about river conditions and hatches. I drive beside the river just to see it — even though that route takes a few extra minutes.We've all seen die hard anglers living their life on the water -- and then it just goes away. Rising and fading interests are part of human nature. But we've also met plenty of anglers who lament the fact that their waders have been gathering dust for two years.Burnout starts with the small things — sleeping in instead of getting out early, or skipping the evening spinner fall in favor of an earlier dinner. And then, almost without realizing it, you’ve missed a whole season because you made excuses about low water or crowded streams.I think burnout is involuntary. It creeps up and surprises people, but I don't think it has to. Fishing gets old because it becomes average, because some of the mystery or exploration is gone — maybe it becomes predictable. But all of that can be changed with a few intentional decisions, too.My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . burnout.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | All the ThingsREAD: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a LifetimePODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Buddies S5, Ep12VisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →What About Luck?
Apr 2001:05:54Tap to summarizeFor Season 19 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we're adding the video component, with the same conversation on both the audio and video side. So you'll still find the audio version of the podcast on Apple, Spotify and every other platform, and now you'll find a video of the podcast conversation on the Troutbitten YouTube channel.The new video format is full of creative possibilities, and we're excited about the future of the podcast.Incidentally, podcasts will now publish on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. EST, instead of Sundays. (YouTube hates Sunday evenings.)Our conversation for episode one is all about luck. And we want to talk about how luck plays into things out there. Do we rely on it? Do we surrender to it? Do we look for it?From the beginning, luck and fishing were intertwined. It became part of our anglers’ lore. And while good luck has surely saved countless fishing trips, bad luck continues to doom the best laid plans of a fisherman.Great trout fishing is rarely the result of good luck. And if the experience was up to the fish and to fate, I’d hardly pick up a fishing rod. Success on the water is not a slot machine. It’s more like a game of poker, where you play the hand you’re given and try to fool your adversary. Sometimes the cards you’re holding almost guarantee success. Then the next day Mother Nature might deal you a hand, where pulling a couple of fish is a grand achievement.My good friends Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me to begin Season 19.ResourcesREAD: Troutbitten | It's Not LuckREAD: Troutbitten | Waiting On LuckREAD: Troutbitten | Fish It AnywayVisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Dry Fly Platforms - The Outliers and The Wrap Up - The Troutbitten Fly Box
Mar 1501:10:25Tap to summarizeThis Troutbitten Skills Series and these platforms are an effort to pass along the idea that fly selection doesn’t have to be regimented or complicated. Instead, see flies for what they have in common. Find their similarities rather than their differences. Choose the elements that matter most to you. Find the components of a fly that create enough of a distinction to be the keys to a platform, and build around that idea.I do think some things are undeniable, and almost every angler is going to classify a parachute the same way. That might be true for upright hackles and down wings too.But I’m sure you’ve noticed that the further we got into this season, the less specific each platform became. And again, that’s just because there are only so many things you can put on a dry fly and still have it be successful.Most of the more recent flies designed take their cues from what came before them. Honestly, I assume that will hold true going into the future too.My friends Bill Dell, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me for the conclusion of Season 18.ResourcesPODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9)READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs PresentationPODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12)VisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →Dry Fly Platforms - Hoppers, Stones and Foams - The Troutbitten Fly Box
Mar 801:28:08Tap to summarizeIt's time for the big-meal dry fly platform: hoppers and stoneflies.When we open our fly boxes, we’re looking for a solution. If trout are sipping tiny olives in a soft tailout, we probably reach for the low-riding, vulnerable look of a Comparadun or a Parachute. And if we see trout slashing at hovering, skittering Grannoms in a riffle, we probably choose an Elk Hair Caddis or similar.But what do we pick when the trout food is bigger — when trout are eating hoppers, stoneflies, cicadas or other big bugs on the surface that are twenty times the size of a Blue Winged Olive? Those trout aren’t looking for snacks. They’re hunting for dinner — for the main course. And we need a platform or a style to match the moment.The hoppers and stoneflies platform is a major departure from the delicate mayfly imitations we’ve covered in this series. This platform isn't about perfectly matching the wing of a Hendrickson or the subtle flutter of an October Caddis. It’s about presenting a substantial, high-calorie meal that gets attention. Whether it’s a Golden stonefly clipping across the hoppy water of a bouldered run, or an unlucky grasshopper blown onto the surface from a grassy bank, these are not subtle bugs. They make a splash. They struggle. And in the best moments, they draw explosive strikes.With this platform, we substitute subtlety for buoyancy. Hackle is traded in for rubber legs, and dubbing is often replaced by closed-cell foam. In this episode, we break down this big-meal platform. We’ll look at a parts list, cover some pros and cons about material choices, and look at the particulars of the platform itself.My friend, Matt Grobe, joins me for a detailed look at another of our favorite dry fly platforms.ResourcesPODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9)READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs PresentationPODCAST: Troutbitten | What's the Deal With Emergers? S11, Ep4PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12)VisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/
Transcribe →