Many 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?

Permit 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?

Urban 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?

I have been meaning to get Charlie Craven [37:41] of Charlie's Fly Box in Denver on the podcast for quite some time and we finally connected. Charlie talks about what new materials and tools excite him and also how to approach the topic of assembling essential materials for the beginning fly tier. We also explore some other topics as only a couple of geeky fly tiers can when given the chance.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
I have been using a clear floating line for sight fishing for striped bass but noticed the fish sometimes shy away from the fly. Do you think this is because the clear line reflects too much sunlight?
A tip from a listener on another way of taking fishing photos without risking losing your valuable smartphone in the water.
My leader lands in a pile when I am casting. But you say that sometimes you want your leader to land in loose coils. Is it too much to expect my leader to fully straighten?
Advice from bamboo rod guru Shawn Brillon on cleaning cork grips.
I was using mouse flies at night and got strikes but could not connect. What did I do wrong?
Is it true that you can shine a red flashlight at night to see your fly because the fish won't notice it?
Is it worth it to go from a mid-priced fly-tying vise to a really expensive one? What do you get in a $500 vise?
What is your take on using non-standard, "buggy" variations on standard fly proportions?
Is the Double Davy Knot stronger than an Improved Clinch Knot?

Join me as we explore the fascinating world of early season olive hatches with expert fly fisherman Blake Katchur [35:42] of Anglers All in Denver. No matter where you fish, you'll find this hatch any time from early March to early June. Discover effective tactics, fly patterns, and timing tips to enhance your fishing success during this prolific hatch.

In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more:
Can I use my 7-weight fiberglass rod for bonefish in Belize?
Why can I catch brook trout in smaller streams during the winter but not in a bigger river?
If I leave off the trailing hook in articulated flies, how do I compensate for the lack of weight? Will it affect the swimming action of my flies?
For Alaska silver salmon and big rainbows, should I get a 9-foot or 10-foot 8-weight Helios rod? And should I pick Helios D or F?
Do the scents from resins and glues put off the fish? Is there anything that can cover up these scents?
Are wings on dry flies absolutely necessary?
Where did we get the "X" system we use for leader and tippet diameters?
What do you have on your fly-tying bench that you can't do without?

Recently, Tom took time to chat with Reid on the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast about his 50 years at Orvis. If you're interested in hunting, shooting, or the great outdoors in general, consider subscribing to Reid's show, too!

(Crosspost from the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast)

"Tom Rosenbauer, longtime Orvis employee, writer, and host of the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast, joins Reid for a wide-ranging conversation about his nearly 50 years with the company. They talk about the early days at Orvis, the great outdoor writers who shaped the culture around Manchester, Vermont, and how a lifelong fly fisherman found his way, occasionally, behind a shotgun. Along the way Tom shares stories, history, and a perspective on the outdoors that few people still carry."

This episode was originally published on August 19th, 2021.

This week's podcast guest is especially exciting to me as he is one of my literary heroes. John McPhee [24:10] is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author (Annals of the Former World), and in his numerous other books he has written about such diverse topics as nuclear energy, the merchant marine, basketball, Alaska, bark canoes, oranges, continental drift, flood control, tennis, farmer's markets, and many other eclectic topics. Whether or not you are interested in a subject, you can be sure you will be when you finish reading one of his books you will be fascinated. John has also been a staff writer for The New Yorker since the 1960s. In our interview, he talks about his two favorite fish to catch on the fly rod--the American shad (which he wrote an entire book about, The Founding Fish), and the chain pickerel, which he did not write a book about but did pen a short essay on in his collection of stories The Patch. (I doubt is anyone in the world who would count those two fish in combination as their favorites--but he is never conventional.) I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed talking to him.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips:

A reminder from a listener that I wrote an encyclopedia of fly fishing.

Some great tips from a listener on using tippet rings.

A question about what constitutes a watershed when concerned about transporting aquatic invasives.

A suggestion from a listener on ways to offset your carbon footprint when taking fishing trips.

Which is a better rod for fishing the surf and jetties--a traditional 9-foot 9-weight rod or a two-handed rod?

Do you always recommend using a net?

A listener calls me on the carpet for my flippant remark about manhandling carp.

A great thought from a listener that sometimes taking photos of fish hinders the moment.

This episode was originally published on February 17th, 2023.

This week is my guest Seth Berger [1:00:18], Fly Fishing Travel Specialist with Orvis Adventures. In his job, Seth visits Orvis-endorsed operations around the world and always packs his fishing gear, so he's a great resource for advising us how to travel with rods, waders, and flies—how to pack them, what to carry on, and pitfalls you should avoid. Seth also talks about what to pack, and items that are often forgotten or ignored by traveling anglers. Anyone who gets on a plane, whether it's a short hop or an international flight, will benefit from his knowledge.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comment that run the gamut of the fly-fishing experience, including:

A listener who recommends the mono rig method, which is different from the standard Euro nymphing setup. And tries to tell me 20lb. mono casts just as easily as fly line (I'm not buying it)

Why not put a tippet ring on the end of a poly leader? I've used straight monofilament for a leader for bass and bream.

Why do I need a tapered leader, and do I need tippet?

When you fish two dry flies, what should the distance between them be?

Do I need to learn entomology to pick flies?

Is there any difference between picking flies for small streams vs. bigger rivers?

What do you look for to help you choose a fly?

Can I fish steelhead with my 9-foot 5-weight rod?

Is it true that lighter lines cast better in the wind because they have less air resistance?

Have you ever fished with just a bead on a hook?

Some great suggestions from a listener on how to keep fly tying materials away from young children.

I am coming from Korea to the US. Will I have problems brining flies and fly tying materials into the country?

Have you ever tried wiggle nymphs?

Why do Euro nymphers stand in the water and make short upstream casts while people with conventional lines try to fish as far away as possible?

Why don't we see a lot of blue streamers?

How deep can I effectively fish with a fly rod?

How can I tie patterns with partridge feathers smaller than size 16?