The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company
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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!

  1. 3D AGO

    Don't Make These 6 Mistakes in Stillwater Trout Fishing, with Joe Garza

    My guest this week is Orvis-endorsed guide Joe Garza [32:54], a guide from JAG Fly Fishing, who explains the intricacies of still water trout fishing. He discusses common mistakes that anglers make, the importance of understanding food sources, and the need for patience in still water environments. Joe shares insights on matching fly profiles and colors to natural food, as well as effective techniques for using indicators. The conversation emphasizes the unique challenges of still water fishing compared to moving water, providing valuable tips for both novice and experienced anglers. He shares his extensive knowledge on fly fishing in still waters, focusing on techniques such as the hand twist retrieve, effective casting, and the importance of proper hook setting. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining tension in the line and understanding fish behavior, particularly in relation to external factors like weather and water temperature.  In the Fly Box this week we have a lot of questions about tackle and winter reading, including: Is "Sinking Gel" for nymph fishing a waste of money? What is the difference between the 7'1/2 foot 3-weight Superfine Graphite and the 7 ½ foot 3-weight Superfine Glass rods? Is there a book you recommend on trout biology? Are there some books you recommend on learning about hatches? Can you explain the differences between your three books:  Reading Trout Streams, Finding Trout, and Prospecting for Trout? How do manufacturers set the line recommendations for their fly reel models? I am 6-feet, 2 inches tall. Does that mean where most people would recommend a 10-foot rod that I should get a 9-foot rod? What three fly lines would you recommend for a wide variety of fish in fresh and salt water? What fly patterns do I need to imitate the gigantic Cantaria beetle in Chile?

    1h 45m

  2. JAN 26

    Don't Play The Fly-Fishing Game By Someone Else's Rules, with Thi Nguyen

    My guest this week is philosophy professor and fly fisher Thi Nguyen [33:31], who has spent his career studying the psychology and the value of games to our mental well-being. He argues that fly fishing is not one game but an infinite number of games that can be played by rules that we invent to challenge ourselves. And you might even change your rules within a single day of fishing. This podcast and my discussions with him have changed the way I view and teach fly fishing and I hope the interview will be equally fascinating to you. The Fly Box this week has some interesting tips and questions. Perhaps not as thought-provoking but still interesting, and I hope helpful. Will a premium rod magnify my casting mistakes? Will my 4-weight Helios handle brown trout over 20 inches? Can you elaborate on why someone would want to use two indicators and how to set them up? Will my nymphs sink better with 12-pound fluorocarbon or with lighter tippet? I am confused by the differences in hook sizes recommended for various diameters of beads. They don't seem consistent. Can you help? A tip for using paper key tags to learn to identify various flies A tip for using parachute cord to eliminate the loss of small items Why do I see bugs under rocks in one part of a river and not in another?

    1h 26m

  3. JAN 19

    Six Tips for Winter Streamer Fishing, with Brian Slusser

    In this episode, my guest is Brian Slusser [32:13], an Orvis endorsed guide based in Truckee, California, who tells us about the nuances of winter streamer fishing. With over 29 years of guiding experience, Brian shares his insights on effective techniques for fishing during the colder months, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the unique conditions of winter. He discusses the significance of dressing appropriately for the cold, the best times to fish, and the types of setups and flies that work best in winter conditions. Brian also highlights the advantages of using streamers over traditional nymphs during this season, providing listeners with practical tips to enhance their winter fishing experience. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions form listeners: What time of year should I go to the Florida Keys for tarpon? Do I need to get a warm-water fly line for tarpon? When fighting a tarpon, do I need to point my rod at them when they jump? What do you think of treble hooks for Atlantic salmon in Quebec? What are the crown jewels of your fly rod collection? Which two-handed outfit should I get for swinging flies for smallmouth bass? What is a good but relatively inexpensive reel for my 9-foot 5-weight trout rod? What should I do if I get stuck in deep muck when wading? I saw hundreds of trout in Alaska jumping into the air to catch tiny white flies and I could not catch them. What should I have done? I have a whole bunch of flies but I am relatively new and never know what size I am pulling out of my box. What can I do?

    1h 9m

  4. JAN 5

    Tips for Fly-Fishing Backpacking Trips, with Derek Bargaehr

    Want to get away from the crowds? Want a high mountain lake or stream all to yourself?  The best way to do this is to take a backpacking trip, but you need to prepare more than you would for a car trip or a trip to a lodge. What exactly should you take and what should you leave behind?  What kinds of flies and accessories should you bring? How can you save weight and still have enough gear for a fun fishing trip? Derek Bargaehr [37:36], an experienced fly fisher and backpacker, gives us tips on how to make the most of your next backpacking trip. In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions. A couple of which could only be answered by my co-workers at Orvis so we have responses from both Pete Kutzer, our casting guru and Shawn Brillon, our bamboo rod craftsman. How can I easily estimate how much backing is on my unlabeled reels? A listener relates how some podcast advice on emergers helped him and his son have a successful trip I took a lesson on two-handed casting and it was all done on grass.  Was this wrong? What advice do you have on cleaning the ferrules on bamboo fly rods? Are Orvis bamboo fly rods impregnated? On a tarpon trip, the fish were in deep water so I used a sinking poly leader on my floating line.  Should I have used a full-sinking fly line instead? Is the Albright knot a better knot than the nail knot for attaching a leader to a fly line or backing to a fly line? When connecting pieces of tippet I will normally go up two X sizes, like from 2X to 4X.  Is this wrong? Is it OK to clear a casting lane on a trout stream? What can I do to find bigger trout during the dog days of summer?

    1h 24m

  5. 12/22/2025

    Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer

    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 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?

    1h 21m

  6. 12/15/2025

    Backcast: All About Bamboo Fly Rods, with Shawn Brillon

    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 some great questions and tips from listeners, including: I could catch rising trout in one part of a pool, but when I moved 50 meters upstream I couldn't catch any. What was going on? How do I determine the correct size leader if I am going from a single size 16 fly to a hopper or multiple nymph rig? What are your thoughts on weed guards on flies? I caught a dragonfly on my elk hair caddis. Am I the first? I hooked a trout in the corner of the mouth and even with a barbless hook it bled and looked like it would die. Would it have been better if I left the fly in the fish? I have been fishing with an 8-weight shooting head outfit for striped bass and halibut. I want to catch corbina but I hear they are spooky. Do you think my 8-weight is too heavy? I keep seeing these large fish rising in a heavily pressured river but can't catch them on any multi-fly rig. What can I do to fool these fish? What do you do to stay in shape for fishing? What are the advantages of a big dry fly over a bobber? Does bead size really matter regarding attractiveness to trout? And is there a seasonality to what color beads you should use? I have been catching catfish on a fly. Does anyone else do this and is it a "thing" or is it bycatch? I went to Banff to fish and they required that all my tackle, including lines and leaders, could not have been used for 45 days and had to be cleaned and treated. What do you think about the potential for things like lines and leaders to transfer invasive species?

    1h 42m

  7. 12/08/2025

    Backcast: Fly Fishing from Canoes and Kayaks, with Ryan Lilly of Old Town Canoe

    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, including: What do bead-head nymphs imitate? Aren't flies tied without beads more natural in the water? Isn't it more natural to use a nymph without any added weight? How do you fish wet flies? Do you use a single one or more than one? And do you ever use weighted wet flies? I recently saw a bunch of large carp in a pond in Florida. Why didn't I see any smaller ones? I had trouble getting a good drift against the slow water on the far bank of a river. Every time I tried to mend my line the small dry fly sank. What else could I have done? Can I fish two dry flies at once? A suggestion from a listener on why upgrading from an entry level fly line is a wise investment. Are there any performance differences between a 6-piece rod and a 4-piece rod? How can I get an extra tip for my Orvis rod? A great tip from a listener on how to make a device to hold scrap pieces of tippet using two pieces of Velcro. I am going to a place where they have stocked golden rainbows. Do these fish behave any differently from normal rainbows? Can I use a Poly Leader for tarpon? Is there any difference between up-eye and down-eye hooks? A tip from a listener on how to change thread colors with a permanent marker. A tip from a listener on how to keep a partially used tube of Aquaseal stay fresh. Why do people hold bass by the jaw? I have heard that this can dislocate their jaw. I am taking my first guided trip. Should I do a float trip or a walk/wade trip?

    1h 40m

  8. 12/01/2025

    How to Take Great Fishing Pictures with Your Smartphone, with Chris Niccolls

    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 snapshots. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: You say Orvis fly rods are true to line weight but you say you use a line that is a half-size heavy. Why? With a fly line that is rated for colder water, is it OK to use it for the occasional largemouth bass fishing trip in warmer water? A tip from a listener on how to get an estimate of a fish's length and weight using AI. A tip from a listener on great places to fish close to Chicago. Can I get a rod that is suitable for carp and for large salmon in the Great Lakes? How can I target suckers on a fly rod? Would a leader with a long stiff butt and abrupt taper be a good one for fishing big Chubbies in western rivers? What do you think of double taper leaders? What are some fly fishing books form the 1960s and earlier that are still worth reading? A great tip from a listener on using hockey laces for wading boots. A tip from a listener on a hot fly to use in the Driftless Region during the winter. Is there a trick for fly casting in rough seas?

    1h 25m
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About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company
  • Years Active
    2008 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Orvis Company
  • Show Website
    The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

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