The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company

 
I feel that European stillwater anglers are far more sophisticated in their approach to stillwater trout fishing and have studied it in more detail than most North American lake anglers. As a result, they use some techniques that are unlike what you see on most trout lakes and ponds in North America and both the flies and methods they use are worth experimenting with. My guest this week, Chad Critchley [48:21], is a guide and stillwater angler (and a lapsed competition angler) who shares some of these methods with us.
 
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more:
How should I retrieve Woolly Buggers for bass and panfish?
My knots to my flies are always slipping.  What am I doing wrong?
Do you have any tips on fishing larger rivers?
Any reason, when fishing a popper/drop[per rig for bass, that I can't tie my popper on a separate dropper instead of tying to the bend of the popper hook?
If daytime water temperatures are around 70 but night time temperatures when I fish are 65 degrees, do you think it's safe to fish for trout?
Why don't fly anglers use braided line for tippet—it's very supple.
Do you take fly tying materials with you on a fishing trip?  How do you decide whether to take them or not?
We saw huge schools of striped bass on a flat but they would not take any fly we presented to them.  Do you have any tips?
How do you recommend I clean my polarized sunglasses, and what to you recommend to keep them from fogging up?
What kind of mayfly spinner patterns should I carry in the Northeast?
What is the best way to keep trout hooked when fishing downstream with wet flies?
I am young but I still have trouble seeing small dry flies on the water.  What tips do you have for seeing them? 

This episode was originally posted on March 10, 2022.
Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of “Seven Deadly Sins” podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of tangents—all interesting and all about nymph fishing—and all of them with great advice on how to make your indicator nymphing game more fun and productive. 
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners, including:
A terrific tip on why tying tube flies is a great way to get kids started
What kind of other storage systems does Tom use around his roll-top desk?
Where can I learn more about fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass?
What do you suggest for preventing cutoffs by chain pickerel?
Can I use sitka or axis deer, antelope, or goat hair for fly tying?
A great tip on replacing wing cases on smaller nymphs with a drop of UV cure resin
Should I use my leader straightener?
Can I do longline French/Spanish nymphing with a two-handed rod?
How can I locate pinhole leaks ion my waders?
How do older series of rods compare to the modern ones? What is better about the more recent models?
I know your higher-end rods are made in Vermont, but where do the components come from?
Why do Americans shoot and kill birds?
What is a good two-line rotation for streamer fishing in Michigan?
I kept my fiberglass rod in a hot car and now I notice it has a kink in it. Could the hot car have been the reason?

Last week we looked at urban fly fishing in the Rockies.  This week we venture into the American south with Orvis Atlanta fishing manager Devin Lancaster for an expert look at how to find and catch interesting fly-rod species within your own city limits by using a method he calls Blue Dotting.  You'll need to listen to the podcast to find out exactly what that is.
 
In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some interesting questions and helpful tips, including:
If I am fishing for smallmouth in a river that also hosts trout and the water temperature is 68 degrees, what should I do?
How can I cast to smallmouth in a river where I have almost no back-cast room?
In lakes with multiple species, when fishing from shore should I expect to find different types of fish at different times?
I have difficulty setting the hook on trout with a "trout set" and do better with a strip set.  Why is the 'trout set" recommended for trout?
Do you have any tips on fly fishing for walleye?
Why do some nymphs call for a partridge collar and other nymphs use a CDC collar?  Is there any difference?
A listener relates that the Ralph Cutter podcast on wading safety literally saved his life.
Are all the new Helios models four times as accurate, or just the 905?
Are there any dry flies tied with cork these days?
 How can I get my fly into a deep pool directly below a waterfall?
What do you know about the old PM-10 and T-3 Orvis rods?
Is a double or triple surgeon's loop better than a perfection loop in lighter tippets?
Does hook shank shape affect hooking qualities?
How can I swing wet flies in small streams?
A great tip from a listener on wearing wool socks underneath neo socks when wet wading to avoid sand between your toes.
Is a George Harvey leader the same as a braided leader?

It's no secret that the more popular trout rivers in the Rocky Mountains have gotten more crowded in the past few years.  Yet there are so many species of fish that are fun with a fly rod, closer to home, and that live in places that are far less crowded.  Davis James shares his experience with the "25 On the Fly" event, where anglers in the Front Range try to catch 25 different species of fish on the fly rod in two days (no one has ever done it).  He share his tips for what species are available, how to find them, what tackle to use, and what fly patterns to try.  We all need to embrace these wonderful fish to have fun closer to home and to take pressure off our more productive trout streams.
 
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
What percentage of the time do you use a dry dropper or double dry rig?
What weight fly rod is best for panfish?  And what flies should I use?
How do we ensure our fly fishing traditions are passed on to the younger generation?
How can I make my dry dropper rig drift tight to the opposite bank?
Is fly fishing for carp popular in Europe?
How do I organize and carry my wide assortment of trout flies?  How does Tom do it?
How can I fish for panfish and largemouth bass in an old gravel pit that drops off steeply?
A great tip from a listener about how to tie a more durable egg pattern
I was fishing a double dry rig for fish rising to small mayflies and my imitation was perfect but I didn't fool as many fish as I should have.  What should I have done differently?
I have trouble threading my tippet onto a small dry fly.  Can I tie the tippet to the bend of the hook instead?

I get lots of questions about polarized sunglasses—how are they made, what exactly do they do, glass vs. plastic, what color lens should I pick, and do expensive ones really offer an advantage?  And why can't I get clear polarized sunglasses for low light?  My guest, Renato Cappuccitti [41:51], is an expert on polarized sunglasses and will answer your questions and mine about one of the most essential pieces of gear.
 
In the Fly Box this week we have some thoughtful and interesting questions and comments, including:
Why can't I get braided leaders any more?
Can I just put a long level tippet on a braided leader?
My brook trout stream does not seem to have any fish larger than five inches.  Do you think there are any bigger ones in there?
I was fishing a sulfur hatch and it started raining and the fish turned off completely.  Why do you think this happened?
How can I eliminate wind knots when fishing a dropper rig?
My girlfriend has trouble stripping in fish.  Do you have any tips for improving her coordination?
What are the pros and cons of furled leaders?
My floating line starts to sink after fishing for a while.  Can I apply gel flotant to it?
A listener reminds us that for many balance problems while fishing the best place for help is to find a licensed physical therapist
My fly line broke eight feet from the tip.  Can I still use it?
How many leaders should I carry in my leader wallet?
A listener reminds us that too often when wading we worry about dropping our rod or phone in the water at the expense of safety.
An expert on UV cure adhesives gives advice on using the right wavelength of light and the correct amount of time and distance to use the light.
If you have a 9-foot 5-weight and a 10-footer in the Helios models, what reason is there to have a 9-foot, 5-inch model?
How can I avoid putting a set into my bamboo fly rod?
How can I catch brook trout in high water?
 

 
What is a delayed harvest stream and how do the regulations work?  Do you use different flies and methods for hatchery fish?  How far do hatchery fish move and in which direction?  You'll learn the answers to these questions and many more with Dustin Coffey [46:39], the winner of the 2024 Orvis Endorsed Guide of the Year award.
 
In the podcast this week, as usual we have some interesting and thought-provoking questions, including:
Does fly line color matter?
Why don't my subtle baitfish patterns work in Patagonia?
Can I use my big brown trout streamers for Atlantic salmon since they are related to brown trout?
How deep do you insert studs when adding them to felt-soled waders?
How do I get my streamers deeper when fishing for sea-run brook trout in rivers where weighted flies and sinking lines are not allowed?
Is it acceptable if I troll from a kayak for striped bass, and what rod should I use?
A listener writes in to tell us that the orange goo found in some rivers is a natural phenomenon
What do I use for a practice streamer when casting on my lawn?
Does the noise from my wading shoes and wading staff scare trout?
Do trout live in streams with mucky bottoms?
Any other casting methods besides the roll cast I can use on smaller streams?
I fished over some rising trout with my nymph rig and didn't catch them.  Should I have switched to a dry fly?
How should I rig for pike?
What are the pros and cons of using an 8 ½ foot rod vs. a 9-foot rod in Colorado tailwaters?
When do you put down your rod and take photos?
How can I get the cement off my hooks when I want to re-use the hooks from beat-up Clouser Minnows?