Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/367 Presented By: Country Financial, Angler's Coffee, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Zoe Angling Group Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Gunner Brammer goes deep on streamers as we dig into some of his YouTube videos with loads of tips on developing techniques for tying streamer flies. Gunnar tells the story of how he started working in Kelly Galloup's fly shop and how Kelly became one of his biggest mentors in fly fishing and fly tying. Find out how Gunnar accumulated thousands of hours in fly tying at only 27 years old and why he's considered one of the best in the streamer game. We also hear some of his rants about people hating other people's style of fly fishing to the point of slitting their car tires. WHAT??? I know... it's too much. But sadly it happens. This is one of our most listened-to episodes so it deserves a replay today. Check it out right now! Streamer Flies Show Notes with Gunnar Brammer 06:00 - Gunnar's dad gave him a Kelly Galloup book, Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout which was the first piece of trout literature that he read. 07:55 - Kelly Galloup posted a job opening at his fly shop in Montana and Gunnar's face lit up when he saw it. He applied and got a call from Kelly. 13:30 - Gunnar talks about the video from 8 years ago fishing the Madison River 16:30 - Gunnar is a big sucker for wade fishing. He fishes the St. Louis River a lot. 18:40 - He fishes no differently for brown trout than he does for smallmouth bass - 7 wt, 250-grain, full sinking line, 3-foot leader, and big articulated flies. His biggest smallmouth caught in the St. Louis River is about 21-inch. 28:00 - We noted one of his YouTube videos, The Infinite Fly Principle 29:50 - Bob Popovics is one of Gunnar's greatest influences for fly tying. He loves the book, Fleye Design: Techniques, Insights, Patterns 33:15 - Fishes of the Great Lakes Region is also one of his favorite books 39:40 - Tip: Spin your thread, especially when tying with a bucktail 41:20 - His most viewed video on YouTube is tying a Keeled Jerk 42:20 - He's got a fly-tying series called, Tie Like a Pro. His first video is mostly about thread basics. 46:10 - Gunnar learned to tie the Keeled Jerk from Nicolas Bauer, a fly tyer from Sweden with a YouTube channel called, kanalgratisdotse - they made a series called Fly vs Jerk. 50:10 - He describes the jerk strip retrieve 57:30 - We had a streamer episode with Meat Market Flies  59:30 - He talks about the Dropper Jig Method 1:04:45 - Brammer has about 5000 streamers tied from his experimentation that are just tucked away in boxes 1:06:20 - Rapid fire round with Gunnar 1:15:45 - Gunnar's top 2 flies for smallmouth are Super Jerk and Hot Fuzz 1:16:00 - Tip: Don't play by anybody's rule except your own. Gunnar tells the story of when he wanted to fish streamers in a place where people hated it. 1:18:55 - Gary Borger was in a past episode who experienced the same thing when people thought he was ridiculous nymphing in the 70s 1:25:20 - 3 Reasons to Downsize for Musky is about learning to cast with a small fly first 1:21:00 - Gunnar uses a Rio sink 3 line 1:27:55 - Dan Johnston was on the podcast in episode 75 where we focused on single-hand fly casting Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/367

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/366 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, Country Financial, Angler's Coffee, Range Meal Bars Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Charles St. Pierre from Northwest Spey Casting is here to teach us how to up Spey game today. This is loaded with a ton of great tips and it's just too much to put in writing. He breaks it down step by step that you can simply imagine how it works, plus the recommender gear, flies, and everything Spey fishing. We hear about the story of where he was during the Mount St. Helens eruption and how it affected the fisheries in Northwest Washington. Charles also takes us to the Olympic Peninsula rivers, his favorite waters to fish. Spey Casting Lessons Show Notes with Charles St. Pierre 05:30 - Charles tells the story of how he remembered Mt St. Helens eruption - the deadliest volcanic eruption in US history (1980) 09:00 - Charles started Spey casting in the mid-90s and began teaching in the late 90s, then started Northwest Spey Casting 11:30 - We had George Cook on the podcast in episode 131 who told us about the NW Spey history 13:30 - For winter and early spring fishing is Skagit sink tip. For late summer, it's Scandi and early fall presentations 27:35 - Charles explains the angle change in Spey casting 30:15 - Charles breaks down the double Spey in 3 movements: 1. Lift - to bring the fly from downstream up close to the caster within a rod's length. 2. Reposition - cross your right arms, where your right arm now becomes your upstream hand. Uncross your arms to develop the D-loop and swing your rod tip back down to the downstream side at a slightly rising angle. 3. Then make the forward cast from there. 35:30 - Tip: If you want to develop a good forward cast, you have to develop a good back cast 47:40 - Charle's favorite way to fish is with a floating line with a long leader, and with either a wet or a dry fly 56:55 - Charles loves fishing the Olympic Peninsula rivers 58:45 - The glaciers in the Olympic Peninsula are almost all gone 59:00 - Winter fishing starts in Olympic Peninsula around Thanksgiving in November 1:05:18 - For lines, Charles uses a Rio mid-belly and some Next Cast and Boss for long lines of 60 feet or more - they work well with 15 to 16-foot rods. For leaders, generally match the length of the rod. 1:08:30 - Charles took fly tying class from Alec Jackson. He learned to tie Skunk Spade and Sock River Grub. His favorite fly for steelhead is a Muddler. 1:15:45 - Charles ties Hobo Spey, Foxy Dog, and custom flies for clients. 1:19:00 - Dave McNeese talked about making a book about his fly fishing life Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/366

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/365 Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Zoe Angling Group, FishHound Expeditions, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Scott Willison, owner and founder of the Confluence Fly Shop, takes us into the Skagit River to target bull trout, cutthroat, and coho. We find out how Scott started the fly shop and how fishing on the Skagit River has evolved over the years.  Scott shares his rod, line, and reel setup, his go-to flies, and the best times in a year to target each species in the Skagit. We also dig into some resources to learn more about fishing steelhead, bull trout, cutthroat, and salmon. Skagit River Show Notes with Scott Willison 05:45 - Scott lives about 30 mins away from the Skagit River 09:00 - Scott and his partner opened the Confluence Fly Shop in 2013 then bought his partner out after a year. 11:00 - Scott used to watch the TV show, Cheers. We had Henry Winkler on the podcast in episode 334 who played Fonzie in that show. 15:00 - Scott started fishing the Skagit River in the early 90s 19:10 - I noted episode 17 with Scott Baker McGarva where we also talked about the Skagit 20:45 - There are a number of Washington-based groups that protect and restore local fisheries and native watersheds like Wild Steelhead Coalition, Wild Fish Conservancy, and North Sound Trout Unlimited. Scott is a board member of the North Sound TU chapter. 24:50 - The Skagit hosts all 5 species of Pacific salmon. The pink salmon in the Skagit can be nothing short of Alaska quality. Coho fishery is pretty outstanding as well - October and November are Scott's favorite months to fish for Coho. 32:00 - Skagit used to be a huge chum salmon fishery but now you almost can't find chums in there 32:55 - The ever-present species that seems to thrive in the Skagit and Sock is the bull trout. Skagit is one of the only places in the world that has anadromous bull trout. 34:15 - Skagit typically opens at the beginning of June and will remain open through the 31st of January 40:50 - Scott uses an 11 and 1/2 foot 4 wt Sage 1 rod with a 240-grain Scientific Angler Skagit Lite 42:25 - One of the species worth noting in the Skagit is the sea-run cutthroat, also known as coastal cutthroat 48:30 - Scott tells us his go-to flies 53:44 - We talk about the difference between hooking on a coho, bull trout, and cutthroat 1:02:00 - Kamchatka is on Scott's bucket list trip. Also Seychelles. Scott enjoyed our episode with Jako Lucas (episode 281) and Keith Rose-Innes (episode 335) 1:03:00 - Scott is going back to Cayo Frances Farm and Fly in Belize. He went there before on a DIY trip. 1:06:00 - You can harvest bull trout in Skagit River that are over 20 inches 1:07:00 - The Confluence website is a great resource if you want to learn more about bull trout, coho, cutthroat, and a lot of other species in Skagit. Scott does some pretty extensive newsletter and blog posts writing there. 1:09:00 - For resources, Scott recommends the book, Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon and Fly Fishing Coastal Cutthroat Trout 1:09:40 - Tommy Lynch was on the podcast in episode 347. Scott noted our episode with Kelly Galloup too which was one of the best we had. 1:11:45 - Scott's top 3 podcasts are: The Smartless Podcast, Outdoor Misadventures, and Fly Fish Food Shop Talk Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/365

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/364 Presented By: Zoe Angling Group, Range Meal Bars, LakeLady Custom Rods, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Tess Weigand, Partner at the Feathered Hook fly shop/lodge, is here to break down fly fishing in Central PA. Tess shares the story of how she got into the Women's Fly Fishing Team (USA) and what it felt like competing in her first tournament. She also shares a bunch of tips on euro nymphing, dry and wet fly fishing, and techniques for drifts and drags. Fly Fishing Pennsylvania Show Notes with Tess Weigand 03:40 - George Daniel was on the podcast in episode 055 05:40 - Tess had a degree in Agricultural Science but decided to work for a fly shop, The Feathered Hook. She became a guide there and now she's a partner at the lodge. 09:45 - Springtime is the best time to fish for brown in Central, PA. There are a lot of different insects that hatch during that time. 21:25 - Tip 1: Keep putting consistent drifts over that fish in a way that's safely not going to spook them. Tip 2: Don't mend over the fish unless you know you're not going to move that fly. If you have drag, let it drag through. That's going to disrupt that fish's feeding behavior more so than mending over them and moving the fly that looks unnatural. 28:45 - For leader, Tess uses Hends micro leader 36:10 - Joe Goodspeed from Thomas and Thomas was on the podcast in episode 193 where we talked about euro nymphing rods and tips 42:00 - For rod, she uses the T&T Contact 2 - 11 foot 3 wt when she's guiding. But her favorite is a Contact 2 - 10 foot 3 wt. 47:00 - Hardy Perfect makes a great cassette reel system 48:40 - Tess tells the story of how she got into the Women's Team 52:10 - The first World Women's Fly Fishing Championship was held in Norway - Tess shares what it's like to join her first tournament. 58:55 - Tess encourages women who fly fish to reach out to her if they want to learn more about joining the Team USA 1:00:40 - Tess talks about what makes their lodge unique at Penn's Creek  1:12:15 - Mollie Simpkins connected me to Tess - Mollie was on the podcast in episode 355 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/364

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/363 Presented By: Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Peter Murry and Gary Huey share the 7 Leave No Trace Principles to explore the outdoors sustainably and how we can all be a solution to conservation. We discover what they have going on to keep your natural areas clean and diverse, which auto manufacturer is leading the way in conservation, and what you can do today even if you're just camping at a local park. How can we be more responsible outdoors and how do BearVault canisters help us to leave no trace? Listen to this episode to find out. Leave No Trace Show Notes with Gary Huey and Peter Murry 4:05 - Gary's first backpacking trip during a study-away program was when he first learned about Leave No Trace.  5:00 - Peter grew up fly fishing in the upper Midwest. He went to a school up in the Driftless Region where there are phenomenal areas for fly fishing, mountain biking, and climbing. He studied in South Africa for a year where he joined a mountain club. That's where he had his first true introduction to the organization. 9:57 - Peter emphasized that the 7 Leave No Trace Principles are more like a framework than direct guidelines. These principles are meant to be adaptable and flexible depending on the activity. That general guideline of being aware and present is what they strive for when applying that to outdoor spaces. The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace 1. Plan ahead and prepare. - Gary says it's the principle of all principles. 2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces. 3. Dispose waste properly. 4. Leave what you find for the next person to enjoy. 5. Minimize campfire impacts. 6. Respect wildlife - Rule of thumb: Put your hand out straight with your thumb up. If the thumb completely covers the animal, you're at a safe distance. 7. Be considerate of others. Recognize that everyone has the right to be outdoors in their own unique ways. 16:12 - Gary talks about poop as a big problem, especially in the backcountry areas. Peter recommends packing poop depending on where you're at because different ecosystems have different abilities to process human waste. When in doubt, use a WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bag, but recognize that what you do in the Pacific Northwest is not necessarily what you're gonna do in the Southwest. 18:17 - Gary recommends some brands of WAG bags such as Restop and The WAG Bag (now known as Cleanwaste). 19:15 - Peter shares how lnt.org got started. Leave No Trace as a concept has been around for quite some time. It was originally a guideline developed by National Park Service and a group of land managers in the '60s. It was then adapted and adjusted into a full-blown conservation-minded organization in 1994. 20:53 - Gary explains how tossing food even as small as apple cores if you're in a thick wooded forest can disrupt wildlife. It takes time for these food wastes to break down. He suggests to just pack them out instead of just tossing them on the ground. 21:58 - Peter mentions the slogan "A fed bear is a dead bear", emphasizing that even a small amount of food left in the wildlife can attract squirrels and other small animals which then can attract large animals. It's important to not feed animals in the wild. Animal interaction can have detrimental effects on the ecosystem. 23:23 - Peter talks about the science and research behind Leave No Trace. Before they put out any education and information, it goes through a very rigorous process and has been vetted by a committee with representatives from the five major national land managers as well as university professors who do research on human interaction in the outdoors. 25:10 - Gary recommends using bear canisters, such as the ones from BearVault, as it is becoming a requirement now. 29:01 - The Leave No Trace principles were originally developed for hiking and backcountry, but they're now adapting the LNT ethics to the backyard and the everyday users like those having a picnic in the local park and quick day hike in a somewhat urban park. 30:47 - Peter encourages everyone to check them out on their social media accounts and follow their website for updates on their programs. Gary encourages everyone to volunteer and participate even on social media if they cannot go to their events. 33:00 - As a minimalist packer who also loves dehydrated food, Peter recommends the BV425-Sprint BearVault canister which is perfect for quick 1-2 day outdoor trips. Gary likes the medium-size one which is the BV450-Jaunt. 36:35 - I gave a shoutout to REYR Gear for their collapsible fly rods that pack out in seconds. 38:13 - Peter doesn't leave without a good pair of polarized sunglasses. His current favorite is the Ferg sunglasses from Costa. Another one is an inflatable pillow from Big Agnes, one of their great partners in Leave No Trace. 39:42 - Peter recommends diving into local non-profit organizations that are doing important work on conservation on a smaller level. 42:00 - Gary talks about Subaru, one of their biggest partners. The car company has a Zero Landfill Initiative wherein they try to get a few national parks to go zero landfill. Subaru also sponsors their travels to be able to go around the country and educate more people. 43:00 - Peter talks about the Outdoor Retailer (OR) event which is one of the staple gatherings in the industry. It's got a little bit of everything. A lot of those are general apparel outdoor groups. If you're a gear junkie, there's no better place for sure. 45:00 - Peter mentions other brands and organizations that support the conservation work they are doing, such as Fjallraven and Big Agnes. He also encourages everyone to be mindful of where these brands are doing and putting their money. 47:25 - Gary shares their upcoming activities in the summer and next year. 48:26 - Peter encourages everyone to check out their membership plan in their website to access resources and other information about the organization. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/363

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/362 Presented By: Angler's Coffee, LakeLady Custom Rods, Reyr Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Jeff Liskay is back on the show to break down steelhead and spey fishing with a focus on the Steelhead Alley area of the Great Lakes. We find out which spey line he loves and when to use a skagit vs a scandi line. We chat about what the Steelhead School trip would look like and how Jeff and the team are dedicated to checking off our wish list once we get there. We have launched the Steelhead School Giveaway and you have a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Steelhead Alley to up your spey game and chase steelhead with Jeff Liskay. Refine your spey casting and hook some chrome at the Steelhead School! Spey Casting Techniques Show Notes with Jeff Liskay 03:20 - Jeff was on the podcast for the first time in episode 255 07:50 - For rods, if you have a 10 to 10 1/2 foot switch rod, all the way up to 12 foot is fine. But Jeff recommends and uses 11 to 11 1/2 foot, 5 to 7 wt switch rods. 10:15 - Jeff talks about the line, leader, and tippet setup. He recommends the spey lite integrated skagit line by Scientific Anglers. 14:20 - Jeff explains why early December is the best time to fish his home water 26:40 - "The most critical part of the rod would be matching the line". Jeff explains why. 28:40 - Jeff explains the "scandoid theory" using a scandi line and how it's different from the skagit line 30:20 - Jim Bartschi currently runs Scott Fly Rod. Jeff's go-to rod is an 11 foot 5 wt Scott Rod. 31:45 - Jeff's normal routine is a 330-grain skagit head Scientific Angler spey lite on an 11 foot 5 wt, 10-foot sink tip, and runs usually 3 tips. 34:55 - The Western river that we'll be fishing is the Vermillion River 40:15 - Jeff describes what our house cabin would look like for the Steelhead School trip 41:45 - We chat about the history of the Steelhead Alley 47:30 - Reminder: Dress in layer for the trip 48:50 - For flies, you can use your traditional leech patterns but Jeff has better suggestion. For leader, Jeff prefers 14 inches and explains why. 1:05:00 - On Jeff's trading card he likes to put a motto that says, "Fish more, post less, and just get on the water" Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/362

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/361 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, FishHound Expeditions, Zoe Angling Group, Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Jon Morris from Working Class Fly Fishing Podcast breaks down gar fishing, tying with brushes and fly fur. We find out what gear you need, the best fly line to use, and how rope is used to hook the fish. Jon connects us with the gar guru - state record holder for biggest longnose and alligator gar on the fly, who's also Jon's mentor. Do you know who he is? We also learn about gar's history, how they are threatened today, and why they need our protection. Gar on the Fly Show Notes with Jon Morris 03:20 - Jon was in the army and used to go on combat tours in Afghanistan 07:45 - Jon focuses on tying streamer and predator flies 09:15 - There are 4 or 5 species of gar in North America 10:00 - "Gars are members of the family Lepisosteidae, which are the only surviving members of the Ginglymodi, an ancient holosteian group of ray-finned fish, which first appeared during the Triassic, over 240 million years ago." - Wikipedia 10:30 - There are 7 types of gar - alligator gar, spotted gar, longnose gar, Florida gar, slender gar, Cuban gar, and tropical gar. Jon's favorite is the longnose gar 14:00 - You need a 12 wt rod if you want to catch alligator gars 15:30 - The best time to fish for gar is when it's too hot outside for you. Gars like calm and clean waters. 18:50 - As per Willife.CA.gov, gar are not found in California 20:30 - Gar typically spawn in May and don't eat much during that time 22:50 - "If you break a gar off with that leader because you didn't tie the right knot or you didn't use the right tippet, you're going to kill that fish" 27:00 - If Jon can only use one line for gar, it would be intermediate or floating. For rod, it would be a 12 wt. 27:45 - For leader down to the tippet, it depends on the size of the fly - but usually he runs a foot and a half of 50-pound with a perfection loop. Loop to loop or you can nail knot it. 29:20 - Jon uses a Maxima Chameleon for tippet. He also talks about the fast ach tippet 32:40 - Jon's buddy, Ryan has been working on a gar fly called, Garmageddon. Ryan holds the state record for gar on the fly for alligator and longnose gar. Ryan is a gar nerd - his Instagram is @professor_rivers. 35:30 - Carps are like the "sewer salmon" 36:45 - Alligator gars are threatened species 38:45 - Jon uses Fairflies' fly fur for his flies 43:45 - Jon talks about tying a rope streamer 44:25 - Tommy Lynch was on the podcast in episode 347 44:55 - The key to a good gar fly is how sparse you can make your materials, for 3 reasons: 1 - it casts a lot better, 2 - it hooks up better, 3 - removal of the fly from the mouth 54:30 - We talk about their podcast, Working Class Fishing 1:00:00 - Jon talks about tying with 5D brushes 1:08:20 - Jon makes a reel tying with a 5D brush - check out his Instagram @morrisflyco 1:10:00 - Jon shares his best tip on fishing gar 1:12:00 - Jon uses a Maxim Falcon rod and reel Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/361

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/360 Presented By: LakeLady Custom Rods Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fishing for Life founder Tom Goodrich shares a powerful story of how God called him to build an organization that teaches fishing to the next generation after 22 years in the military. With over 500 volunteers, they organize over 80 events a year to serve the youth, families, veterans & communities through fishing and outdoor programs. Tom tells us how the military shaped his way of thinking and how his passion for fishing, love for the children & veterans, and obedience to God led him to where he is today. Fishing for Life Show Notes with Tom Goodrich 03:00 - Tom grew up in Brainerd Minnesota. Al and Ron Lindner are from Brainerd too - they founded In-Fisherman. Tom's brother married Ron Lindner's daughter when Tom was only 16. Ron taught Tom how to fish. 04:50 - Tom spent 22 years in the military. He decided to create an organization that engages kids to fishing and outdoor activities. They've been running for almost 18 years now and have expanded their programs. 08:30 - At 17 years old, Tom was getting into trouble and was given a choice by the court to either join the army or go to jail. This was around 1983 or 1984. 09:50 - Tom became a Non-Commission Officer in the army and started leading men in combat. Then spent the last 6 years in Special Operations. 14:25 - Tom is at an event as we speak called, CAST - Community And Sheriff's Department Together 16:40 - They do 85 events a year 17:10 - They have 4 mobile trout ponds - Tom talks about how they set it up 23:20 - I connected with Tom through Kris from LakeLady Rods. Tom explains the diversity of people that participates and volunteers in their program and how Jana Olson (the lucky girl who won the LakeLady giveaway) helps in the events. 30:55 - Tom tells the story of when a wealthy guy from New York donated 20 sets of brand new rods and reels 33:00 - They teach disabled kids how to fly fishing 37:40 - They have a program called, NextGEN Mentorship Program where they teach kids who have a military dads who either died or incapable because of the wars 42:50 - They partnered with the group called, School of Fish 47:30 - They have an event called, Holes for Heroes where they fish on ice lakes. 48:55 - Tom wrote 50 short stories about the military 50:00 - Tom tells us what it's like to be in combat as a military and lead men 52:30 - Ron Lindler used to be alcoholic 53:55 - Henry Winkler was on the podcast in episode 000. We chat about the TV show, Barry. 56:00 - You can connect with Tom at tom@fishingforlife.org Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/360

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/359 Presented By: Zoe Angling Group, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors John Gierach breaks out an amazing episode in this one as he talks about how he came to become one of the greatest fly fishing writers in the world. We dig into some of his books including the famous, Trout Bum and we also chat about his favorite writers. We also talk about the hippie movement in the 60s, weed, death in Colorado fly fishing, and much more. I'm excited to share a little perspective into the life, times, struggles and stories of the great John Gierach. Show Notes with John Gierach 12:45 - John Shewey was on in episode 16 and talked about the process of writing and battling resistance. 15:20 - Thomas McGuane said as a writer, your only currency is your readership. My currency is my guests as noted by John in this episode. 17:00 - Tim Rawlins was on the show in episode 27 to talk about Spey Casting. 19:20 - Trout Bum was one of John's first books published. He talks about how he has always just told stories. 21:55 - Roger Angell wrote for the New Yorker and wrote the essay This Old Man - John noted how amazing Roger described the hand pistol in the essay. 27:10 - April Volkey was on the podcast in episode 30 34:00 - Ed Engle and John McPhee are two big mentors for John. 34:20 - Draft No. 4 is a great book that John says everyone should read if you are interested in writing. 33:20 - AK Best was a big mentor who helped John really get started early on. Ak's Fly Box was one of Ak's biggest books. 36:30 - A Fly Rod of Your Own is John's most recent book. John describes a little about his writing style in the podcast. 39:25 - In episode 5 Jim Teeny noted the article on throwing rocks on fish to move steelhead into place. I noted the idea of throwing spoons out to get steelhead into range for the fly fisherman to catch it. John didn't recall what I was talking about but shared another great story. 56:30 - John tells the story of when he thought he was going to die in a plane crash 1:05:30 - A cougar killed a hiker in Oregon and it's the first time ever that happened in Oregon history 1:15:00 - The Joe Rogan Podcast where the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, smoked weed on live air. I ask John if he would smoke in our episode today. 1:16:15 - The Beatles came out with the White Album partly due to a change in drug use. I ask John the same question about his writing and whether there were changes before and after. 1:18:05 - The Parachute Hare's Ear and a hares ear soft hackle behind it are his goto flies. 1:18:30 - Mary Alice Monroe tells a great story and a writer he follows along with Jim Harrison and Peter Mathison. Conclusion with John Gierach I hope you enjoyed that episode with John Gierach as much as I did. Did you catch the few times that I was completely surprised by John? We went down a few rabbit holes unrelated to fly fishing including weed and the 1960s. John also covered a bunch of topics related to the 20 great fly fishing books he has written over the years. I could have gone for hours with John on this one but had to respect his time. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/359

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/358 Presented By: Reyr Gear, Angler's Coffee, LakeLady Custom Rods, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors JP Ross, founder of JP Ross Fly Rods, shares his story of how he built a fly rod company that has now been around for over 20 years. JP shares some great advice on life and business - the things he learned the hard way and the things that keep him going. We chat about his podcast, In the Seam - the inspiration behind it, his unique style of podcasting, and the goal as it goes. We also learn more about Trout Power - an organization dedicated to protect, restore and enhance heritage brook trout populations in the Adirondacks and throughout New York. Show Notes with JP Ross Fly Rods 05:00 - JP's first fly rod was a Fenwick Eagle 06:30 - JP saved up tens of thousands of dollars to start a fly shop called, Rising Trout Outfitter 07:30 - They started making JP Ross fly rods which were 100 bucks with a case 08:15 - JP teamed up with Kerry Burkheimer - Kerry was on the podcast at WFS 282 09:20 - They designed a rod called K357 which many people used to compete with 18:00 - We chat about the quote from River Runs Through It, "I'm haunted by waters" 24:25 - JP started a podcast called In the Seam - we chat about his style of podcasting 26:20 - His recent episode was with Keith Tidball where they talked about hope in humanity - listen to that episode here 28:00 - We talk about small stream fishing 31:15 - JP and Mark Usyk used to read the Frog and Toad Adventures book a lot as a child 31:30 - Jeff Kimball paints their rod blanks 32:45 - JP makes most of his rods and they're affordable. The Beaver Meadow Adams is only $349. 34:05 - Tom Starmack was recently in episode 353 where we talked about euro nymphing on small streams 34:20 - The Peacemaker is the only euro nymphing rod that you could use to the 10 1/2 - 4 wt 37:40 - He describes what a fallfish looks like 40:10 - Brook trout is a good target in September at JP's area 45:50 - JP talks about why he started and what they have going at Trout Power 57:58 - JP's top 2 flies are small Muddler Minnow and The Usual 1:01:00 - Hal Janssen was recently on the podcast where we dug into stillwater fly fishing 1:11:55 - JP tells us his top favorite movies: Blues Brothers, Smoke in the Bandit, Indiana Jones, Daniel Craig's 007, Guardians of the Galaxy, On Golden Pond 1:13:40 - This American Life is one of JP's favorite podcasts Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/358

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/357 Presented By: Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Sarah Leichnetz and Grant Breidenbach from Bear Vault are here to share their best tips on staying safe while in the backcountry. We find out why many parks are now requiring bear canisters as opposed to the old hanging your food up in the trees. This one has a ton of bear stories that we can learn from. Like I always say, be the guy with an epic backcountry trip and not the guy who has to hike down early because of improper food storage. BearVault keeps adventure going! Bear Vault Show Notes with Sarah Leichnetz and Grant Breidenbach 05:55 - Bearvault focuses on the backcountry hiker or any kind of outdoorsmen that spends a lot of time in the backcountry 06:00 - Bear cans are now being required and regulated for backcountry hikers in wilderness areas 09:40 - Grant tells us about bear habituation and population in connection to the ecosystem 19:30 - Grant talks about how the bears have already adapted and hanging your food is no longer effective - watch this bear climb up a tree to get a hiker's food 21:25 - Bearvault works with Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail Association. 23:00 - We mentioned Leave No Trace which is an awesome outreach program for bear and wildlife awareness 23:50 - Bearvault recently began working with Yellowstone to Yukon - they create passageways for grizzly bears 26:20 - They also work with the Manager of Colorado Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness - they were able to decrease bear incidents by 98% 28:45 - Grant explains the food storage triangle 34:20 - Matt Shilling from Indifly was on the podcast in episode 342 35:19 - Sarah talks about their 2 new can sizes 41:00 - We talk about that poor bear trying to break into the Bearvault - scroll below to watch that video 47:45 - The BearVault canister has a proprietary blend of polycarbonate 48:50 - We mention the Monster in my Closet video by Patagonia - scroll below to watch that video 51:10 - Bearvault went through the organization called the IGBC, did some tests, and got certified to be bear-resistant before they hit the market 56:24 - Grant talks about their upcoming trip to Patagonia 1:05:55 - "Bearvault keeps adventure going" Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/357

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/356 Presented By: Bearvault, FishHound Expeditions, LakeLady Custom Rods, Reyr Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Terry Kluke takes us up into Ontario Canada to focus on his home water for musky, pike, bass, and a whole lot of other species. We talk about what it's like vacationing at Merkel's Camp - located in the center of the Wabigoon/Dinorwic chain of lakes, the top fishing lakes in Ontario. We also touch on some wilderness adventures hunting for bears, wolves, and whitetails. Plus, a handful of tips for fishing muskies. Show Notes with Terry Kluke 03:50 - "All bears are excellent to eat" - Terry 04:20 - You can fish for pike and musky all summer long in the Mid West 06:00 - Musky 360 is hosted by Joe Bucher - he's a big musky guy 09:30 - It was 1963 when Terry's grandfather started the camping lodge 11:00 - Ice season ends in May and back again in mid-November 14:30 - They're going to the Fly Fishing Show in Atlanta on February 2023 17:20 - They also have smallmouth in the area. It's all lake fishing where they're located. 25:25 - Terry describes what the lodge looks like and the routine for the trip 26:45 - Terry describes where to find the muskies 29:00 - Tip: For muskies, don't strip too fast 29:45 - Terry casts about 80 feet from the boat 33:30 - We talk about casting a foot-long fly 35:40 - Colin Mckeown from The New Fly Fisher was on the podcast at WFS 084 - Bill Spicer was also here in episode 093 40:00 - Muskies hunt like a wolf pack - they work together 42:10 - You can only keep musky with at least 54 inches in length 43:50 - Terry also fishes for walleye - it's what they base their whole income on 52:55 - The best time to go musky fishing and bear hunting would be the end of August or September 53:54 - Deer hunting doesn't start until October 54:30 - Terry did a lot of elk hunting in Colorado 56:20 - We talk about wolf hunting which is also popular in mid-West 58:20 - There are 18 different species of fish in Wabigoon Lake 1:04:00 - Swick is the best lure for muskies 1:06:30 - Terry's grandfather bought the camp for $5000 in 1962 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/356

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/355 Presented By: Bearvault, Zoe Angling Group, FishHound Expeditions, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Mollie Simpkins is here to enlighten us about their mission at the Guide Relief Program and Outdoor Guide Association. She tells us how they work to ensure a better future for outdoor or fly fishing guides throughout the country, supporting them on and off the water. We also hear about Mollie's life in broadcasting as a TV and radio personality before she jumped into these guide programs. Find out why GRP and OGA are game-changers for the guide community and why we should support these organizations. Show Notes with Mollie Simpkins 03:30 - Mollie works at Sweet Water Fly Shop - just a couple miles south of Livingston in Paradise Valley. The Vermillion brothers used to own that shop. 04:20 - We had an episode about Sweetwater Travel with Steve Wilson at WFS 105 04:40 - In the shop, Mollie handles the events, all the outfitting, and the guides 07:00 - Mollie came across the group Chesapeake Women Anglers 10:00 - In the early 2000s, Mollie started as an intern in the broadcasting industry at a company called, Metro Traffic. 20 years later, she ended up being the Director of Operations out of Washington DC. 12:55 - Mollie was terribly shy when she started in the broadcasting business - she tells the story of how she overcame her shyness 15:00 - Mollie and I ran into each other at the IFTD in Salt Lake, Utah 17:00 - Mollie tells the story of how they started raising money for guides 20:00 - Josh Mills from the Pacific Northwest started Flies for Flood Relief which raised over 50,000 USD 21:00 - The other portion of the Guide Relief Program is mental health. Any guide can go to their website and apply for 2 free months of mental health care. 24:20 - Mollie talks about the Outdoor Guide Association 27:00 - They work with a company in Connecticut regarding insurance and health. For $204 a year, a guide gets free tell health plus some discounts for medical, dental, vitamins, roadside assistance, global travel assistance, pet care, etc. 30:00 - Through their partner at Crosscurrent in states like Montana, every guide has to have Liability Insurance. They also offer accident insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance. 37:00 - Mollie mentions the companies that partnered with them since the beginning. She also mentions the companies that are going to partner with them this year like Orvis and R.L. Winston Fly Rods, Cross Current Insurance, etc. 41:44 - Mollie talks about their experience at the shop when the massive flood hits Montana on June 13. They call it "the 500-year flood". 47:30 - Here's that video of the flood that Mollie mentioned - watch here 1:00:44 - Mollie tells us about her trip to Baha Mexico. She tells us about her bucket list trips. 1:03:20 - Mollie was given the alias, "Shitter. Getter. Doner". This will be her WFS card name. Stay tuned for it! Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/355

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/354 Sponsors: Bear Vault https://wetflyswing.com/bearvault and FishHound Expeditions https://wetflyswing.com/fishhound Jay Scott from Jay Scott Outdoors is on the podcast to walk us through the step x step to getting started with Elk Hunting even if you are brand new to big game hunting. Jay has one of the best hunting podcasts in the country and digs into one of his favorite topics today. Elk Show Notes with Jay Scott 02:45 - Jay noted Steve Rinella and the Meat Eater Podcast - Jay got into podcasting after he listened to their podcast.  Joe Rogan was the guy that helped get the Meat Eater Podcast going. 14:00 - Jay put together a podcast with Colby with Spinner fall guide service on the Green River. 27:10 - GoHunt.com is a great resource to utilize and find out where and which state you should look for opportunities to hunt in. 27:26 - We noted OnX Maps which is a great tool for mapping and hunting. 29:48 - Coues Deer is a major hunt that Jay covers every year. 30:36 - Goulds Turkey Hunt 31:25 - Desert Big Horn Sheep Hunting episodes with Jay Scott. 38:44 - We talked about elk calling and some of the great resources.  You can learn to elk call in a shorter time than you might think. 40:40 - Chris Roe and Roe hunting resources - great for elk behavior and tips on elk calling. 49:45 - Mike Lawson dug into the Green Drake hatch here. 54:00 - We discuss the different rifles for elk and deer and what rifle would be best for your kids.  the 6.5 PRC 1:00:50 - Midwest whitetail and bill winke was one of Jay's mentors and gave him good advice about educating people and informing people and this is what will keep you around for the longterm and not the fly by night type people. 1:06:00 - How to understand a scoring system and how to know how big the animal is from a distance.  Take a look at the Go Hunt article below to learn more. 1:15:30 - Jay loves a spotting scope and noted the 95mm Swarovski 30-70 STX 1:15:40 - Phone scope is a killer tool for taking video on your iPhone or spotting scopes. 1:16:45 - Trekking Poles are helpful especially if you have knee or age issues. 1:18:26 - New down that stays warm when wet plus a good hiking boot. 1:34:20 - The Jay Scott Podcast Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/354 Sponsors: Bear Vault https://wetflyswing.com/bearvault and FishHound Expeditions https://wetflyswing.com/fishhound  

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/353 Presented By: Bearvault, Angler's Coffee, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Zoe Angling Group Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Tom Starmack takes us back into the Driftless to tell us how he works his spring creek magic. We find out how he fishes the super skinny water and what his euro rig looks like on small waters. We break down some of his favorite nymphs to tie and the best times to fish the Driftless area. Tom shares how he met Jason Randall - his fly fishing buddy for 30 years, and the story of how he started as a national fly tyer for the Fly Fishing Show, meeting Lefty Kreh and Ed Jaworowski. We also mention a bunch of resources for fishing the Driftless. Show Notes with Tom Starmack 03:40 - Tom and his family live on an old dairy farm built in the mid-1800s. They're in the middle of nowhere (35 acres of woods) on the edge of the Driftless and their closest neighbor is about a half-mile away. 06:30 - Jason Randall is Tom's friend, who suggested that he should try tying flies commercially - Jason was on the podcast in episode 074 08:00 - Furimsky reviewed his flies and liked the way he tied them - Ben was on the podcast in episode 061 and Chuck was also here in episode 292 10:30 - Tom describes what it's like tying for his first show in Lancaster (2016) 14:50 - Jason Randall and his wife are vets - Tom has dogs and cats and was looking for a vet then came across Jason. They talked about fishing and started hanging out. 17:00 - There's an article about fishing the Driftless by TU - read here 19:50 - When he's euro nymphing, he uses primarily a 2 wt. When he does dry fly, he uses 3 or 4 wt depending on the wind. 21:00 - Tom does 80% nymphing, 20% dry fly 23:45 - Tom guides for a Christian organization called, Ultra Fly Fishing 28:30 - March, April, and May are Tom's favorite times of the year to fish the Driftless - it's the best time to fish there 30:30 - Tom lives in Vernon County - there are 60 classified trout streams and 250 miles of public access 32:30 - In Viroqua, there's the Driftless Angler Fly Shop - they're a great resource that guides people. There's also the Wisconsin DNR website for general info - trout maps, public access, etc. 34:25 - Coulee Region TU has done a lot of work around the Driftless area 35:00 - At onX Maps you can download all the land ownership stuff and see it real-time as you're out there 36:20 - For nymphing, Tom uses a 10 feet 2 wt rod mostly. He describes his setup. 39:40 - For the fly line, he uses an 022 level line 41:30 - Tip: Read the water. Decide where you're going to fish it. Figure out how you're going to fish it. 47:55 - Ed Jaworowski was on the podcast in episode 233 where we talked a lot about casting. Ed has a book on perfecting your fly cast. 56:20 - Tom talks about perdigon tying 59:20 - One of his favorite flies is called the Pink Hog 1:00:00 - Purple Prince Charming is an all-synthetic material fly. Especially early in the year, leech patterns work great. 1:03:00 - The Frenchie Fly imitates a BWO, mayfly, stonefly 1:06:00 - The Pink Hog is Tom's Top Fly. Pink Hogs are also called "Squags". Enter your favorite fly here to get a chance to win a box of flies from JH Fly Co 1:09:00 - Tom sells his flies on his website and the Driftless Anglers website 1:12:30 - Tom is also into pheasant hunting 1:15:30 - Tom limits his fly tying to 5 or 6 dozens a day Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/353

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/352 Presented By: Angler's Coffee, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Hal Janssen, one of the big-time stillwater gurus, shares his life story of fly fishing for over 60 years. We dig into his book, Stillwater Fly Fishing Secrets, which he describes as the complete book on stillwater fly fishing. Hal tells the story of when he hooked on a dead girl's body while fishing in the Santa Cruz river - it's creepy but a little bit funny the way he tells it. We also hear about some of his other cool hobbies like wood carving and pinstriping. Stillwater Fly Fishing Secrets Show Notes with Hal Janssen 05:00 - Hal is also known as the pin striper - he restores classic cars and boats 13:15 - We dig into his book, Stillwater Fly Fishing Secrets 14:00 - Hal fished with a lot of popular names in fly fishing like Dave Whitlock, Ed Rice, Polly Rosborough, etc. 17:30 - We talk about float tubes 22:00 - Tip: If you're fishing stillwater, it's important that you wear the lightest outfit possible because you're fishing with leaders that 6x and 7x (more explanation why in the podcast) 25:30 - Hal uses fiberglass rods exclusively 27:00 - Hal explains why he never uses an indicator 32:00 - Hal tells us why he doesn't want to write a book about steelhead 34:40 - Hal doesn't use barbless hooks, he just pushes the barb in to make it barbless 36:10 - Hal tells the story of when he hooked on a dead body while fishing in the Santa Cruz river 43:00 - Hal is into fish wood-carving lately 45:45 - We talk about Joe Brooks - Joe was on the podcast in episode 071 49:00 - Hal has a signature called the Chihuahua 51:30 - Hal has a gold Jaguar (1967) 57:20 - Joan Wulff was on the podcast at episode 100 - she shared some relationship advice there 58:30 - The Marabou Leech is Hal's favorite fly for trout - he designed this pattern 1:10:15 - He uses a Thompson and a Dynaking vise Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/352

Togens Trivia: https://wetflyswing.com/trivia Justin Lopatriello from Togens Fly Shop blasts us with a super quick bonus episode to announce the first winner of the Togens Trivia Challenge!  You can enter to win the next fly tying box by clicking the link at the top.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/351 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, Angler's Coffee, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Christian Miles takes us into Virginia today as we talk about some of the great waters and flies that have come out of this historic part of the country. We find out when you should be planning your next fishing trip and some of the special species that you may not have been thinking about that Virginia offers. Christian tells us who his fly-tying hero is and he breaks down his Top 10 Must-have Fly Patterns! We got another trivia question in this one! Check it out to find out! Fly Fishing Virginia Show Notes with Christian Miles 08:45 - Christian used to work in a fly shop, Big Lick Fly Fishing. Roanoke Virginia used to be Big Lick Virginia 11:20 - James Edward Burrows directed the TV show back in the day, Cheers - he also directed the popular show, Friends 16:00 - For summertime, the lakes are great for bass fishing - Smith Mountain Lake (for largemouth) and Clayton Lake (for smallmouth). Christian uses one of those Caddis inner tubes. 20:20 - Christian recently started fishing in Lake Moomaw - he learned about this lake from Blane Chocklett. You can find some chain pickel fish in this lake and a lot of different species. 24:45 - Mossy Creek is a popular fly fishing area in Virginia - there's a fly shop in Harrisonburg near that creek called, Mossy Creek Fly Fishing. Fishing in Mossy Creek is all bank fishing, you can't wade in there. 26:30 - Tom Sadler from Mossy Creek Fly Fishing was on the podcast at WFS 098 28:15 - The wintertime is their main trout season 29:30 - New River is right next to Radford - it flows north, runs through Radford, through Harrisburg, and all the way to West Virginia. New River is one of the oldest rivers in the world as well as the James River. 32:30 - They have Fly Fishing and Wine Festival in Virginia 32:45 - The South Fork of the Holston is where the biggest brown trout was caught in Virginia 34:30 - Harry Murray was on the podcast in episode 290 where we talked about fishing in the Shenandoah National Park 36:00 - Christian tells us about Tommy Matiolli who's a really good fly tyer. Christian's favorite fly fisherman is Chuck Craft - he was Chris's fly fishing hero 38:15 - Chuck Kraft sells these cork bugs that work great for smallmouth 40:20 - We talk about fishing the Chesapeake Bay 41:15 - For saltwater, a lot of people fish stripers in VA. We had an episode about stripers with Hogan Brown at WFS 284 44:00 - We talk about the Jackson River which is a really good brown trout fishery 45:30 - The Smith River is really good during the winter. Christian loves this one. 48:30 - Christian has been wanting to fish the Roanoke bass which has disappeared in the past 10-20 years 50:00 - Christian focus on carp fishing during the spring and summer 51:30 - Christian lives in Roanoke town and his home water is the Roanoke River 1:01:20 - Trivia question: What is the only native trout species to the state of Virginia? 1:02:40 - Fly Fisher's Guide to Virginia was written by David Hart. This book has all the rivers and different places to fish for in VA. 1:03:30 - Christian mentions his top 10 Must-have Fly Patterns - scroll down to see the list 1:14:20 - We talk about Project Healing Water 1:19:45 - Christian recommends the Get Bent IPA beer, Three Knotch'd, Deschutes, Sculpin IPA. Three Floyds, Old Salem Brewing, Big Lick Brewing 1:22:30 - Christian gives shoutout to Mossy Creek Fly Fishing crew and Project Healing Water Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/351

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/350 Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Stonefly Nets, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors We go behind the scenes with Ann and Andy Kitchener, owners and founders of Semperfli, to learn how they created some of the best fly tying materials on the market today. We hear what it's like to win the Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2022 - the ultimate and most prestigious award given nationally to a business, and meet Prince Charles. We break down some of their most in-demand products around the world and find out how fly tyers make it to the Semperfli Pro Team. Semperfli Show Notes with Ann & Andy 03:30 - Ann and Andy semi-retired 14 years ago. As they were getting into fly fishing and fly tying, they realized that most threads on the market at the time were easy to split so they decided to make better threads 05:30 - They grew 44% a year since they started and then 3 years ago, they launched their Classic Waxed Thread 06:40 - Now they supply threads to 56 different countries around the world 07:15 - The Nano Silk GSP is their most in-demand product 09:00 - Andy tells us how they created one of the strongest threads on the market 09:55 - GlobalFlyFisher.com is a great resource for fly fishing and fly tying blogs - Martin Joergensen was on the podcast at WFS 099 12:50 - They have some artificial jungle cock 13:05 - One of their oldest products, Straggle String, is a great alternative for Peacock Herl 14:40 - They also got Synthetic Rabbit Zonkers "Wabbit" - There's a video of Roy Ole Læhren Jakobsen testing the Semperfli Synthetic Zonkers. Scroll down to see that vid! 20:00 - Splitting a thread is useful for dubbing loops. Their waxed thread is designed for splitting. 21:00 - Their Kapok Dubbing supports 30x its own weight in the water - it's one of their top-selling materials today 23:00 - Their Dirty Bug Yarn was developed 3 years ago 25:00 - Andy tells us what materials to get started with if you're a beginner coming in to fly tying 27:00 - Tim Cammisa was on a while back - he's an Ambassador of Semperfli in the US 28:10 - Hackle and CDC are materials that are difficult to make synthetic 30:00 - Andy talks about the "cytis" being endangered around the world so its feathers are illegal to use for fly tying - people get arrested for its use 34:55 -Andy is known in the business as the "naughty professor" - he does a ton of research and experiments to come up with the best possible fly-tying materials 36:45 - They've got 80 strong Pro Team around the world - they have an event called Fly Jam which is like Christmas for the team because they get a box full of materials from Semperfli 40:00 - Ann tells us how fly tiers make it to the Semperfli Pro Team - you can email them, show them your portfolio, and let them know why you are a great fit for the Semperfli family 43:20 - Son Tao is a very talented fly tier 46:40 - We talk about their lead-free wires 49:35 - Their Straggle Legs serve as synthetic insect legs 51:00 - One of the notable mentions is their Perfect Quills 54:25 - Semperfli recently received the Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2022 - the ultimate and most prestigious award given nationally to a business. 58:00 - We hear about their experience entering Buckingham Palace, meeting Prince Charles 1:02:00 - Ann and Andy share some business tips bag 1:11:30 - Bill Oyster was on the podcast recently - a very passionate bamboo fly rod maker 1:15:30 - Ann and Andy share some bonus marriage tips Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/350

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/349 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Steve Moore from Camp n Car is here to show us how to turn your vehicle into a camping machine. We discover how you can actually turn almost any vehicle into a camper, what the van life world is all about, and how to organize your gear for your next fishing, camping, or outdoor excursion. From Honda Element to Honda Fit to SUVs and vans to Promasters, CNC build these custom campers and make lovely homes out of them.  Seems impossible? Listen to this episode to find out how! Camp n Car Show Notes with Steve Moore 02:20 - In his late 20s, Steve quit his job and bought a Honda Element and converted it to a mobile camper - he drove to Alaska with it and lived out of it for 6 months 04:00 - Someone gave them an idea about selling these campers so he and his partner, Martin Nerbovig decided to do it 05:00 - They specialize in DIY assembly, flat packable camper builds that you can use in a variety of vehicles 07:15 - Steve tells us how a Honda Element turns into a camper 09:30 - They've also got Trunk Bunk that fits perfect for a wide variety of SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks 10:20 - They did a custom kit for a Honda Fit recently 11:55 - They had a custom Dodge Van camper at one of the shows 24:00 - Weight is a concern for vehicles since they have a certain capacity for safety and gas in general so that's why they use plywood for the interior to keep it light 36:30 - Bob Wells is one of those Youtube van life celebrities (CheapRVliving) - Camp n Car works with them 41:45 - You can donate to Bob's nonprofit org - Homes on Wheels Alliance 44:45 - The Facebook marketplace is the best place to find a good deal if you want to purchase used vehicles 49:45 - Steve tells us about the Australian guys he met who turned a van into a solar-powered vehicle 50:45 - Steve shares what's coming up for Camp n Cars - they bought their first 2022 Promaster van to work on. These kits will be available on the market soon. 53:30 - Steve bought a Toyota Tacoma recently for a fairly good price Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/349

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/348 Presented By: Bearvault, LakeLady Custom Rods, Reyr Gear, Zoe Angling Group Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Norman Maktima, competitive angler from Team USA, shares a number of tips on fly fishing stillwaters, euro nymphing, and casting. Norman tells us how he fished his way up from the Youth Team to representing Team USA in international competitions. We discover how to analyze a lake before getting started, how the loch style can be more effective, and also how to fish buggers and leeches. He also shares a little about his Native American roots which is pretty interesting. Fly Fishing Stillwaters Show Notes with Norman Maktima 04:26 - Norman currently lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico - he grew up in a town called Pecos 05:30 - Devin Olsen and Lance Egan were here at WFS 043 and WFS 108 05:30 - Norman started on the USA youth team (1998) 07:15 - Norman listened to one of our recent episodes with Taylor Streit. They were on the same team in 1998. Davie Watton was their assistant coach. They finished 2nd but Norman won the individual gold. 09:45 - Norman became the assistant coach for the youth team in 1999. From there he was asked to compete with the adult team. In 2001, he competed with the adult team for the first time in Slovakia 12:30 - Shoutout to Zach Vandehey - he co-hosted an episode at WFS 212 15:30 - Tip: Look for those high points - ridge lines that create a nice underwater point. 17:10 - They did all their National competitions on stillwater - Lava Lake, Crane Perry 23:40 - Pop's Bugger and Humongous are Norman's go-to flies 30:30 - Norman breaks down his competition setup - they fish 6, 7, or 8 wt, 10-foot rods. They're not allowed to stand on the boat. 31:00 - Norman talks about his pull and retrieve techniques 39:20 - He's got 12 extra spools. Airflo is one of his favorite fly lines. 41:45 - He explains why their boats should move perpendicular to the wind 46:00 - Drift sock prevents you from struggling to keep contact with your flies as you're retrieving 50:30 - Tip: On the boat, take a towel and get it damped - lay it down like a casting platform to have a clean surface to cast 51:10 - Tip: Keep your head on the swivel - always look around 58:55 - We mentioned some good resources for fly fishing stillwaters like Phil Rowley and Brian Chan's book 59:50 - Lance Egan and the Fly Fish Food crew are great resources for video tying tutorials 1:02:00 - Norman's favorite pattern is the Humungous (size 10 hook). Enter your Top Fly here and get a chance to win a box of flies from JH Fly Co 1:07:50 - Norman came from the indigenous people in the South West 1:10:50 - We had Matt Shilling from Indifly recently on the podcast. Norman mentioned the film by Patagonia called, Tribal Waters - watch that film below

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/347 Presented By: Bearvault, Stonefly Nets, Togens Fly Shop, Dette Flies Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Tommy Lynch, the fish whisperer and one of the gurus of the streamer game, brings his A-game today. We discover why the baro above all variables seems to be one of the important things that he looks at - how to read water and where to put your fly. We also find out the difference in technique between fishing in clean and muddy waters. Ever since Kelly Galloup gave a shout-out to Tommy in episode 52, I've been counting the days to make this episode happen. Now the time has come. This is definitely going to scratch your itch for technical fly fishing. Lots of tips and tricks here.  Show Notes with Tommy Lynch 08:10 - Tommy lives between Baldwin and Lexington Michigan in a town called Branch - there are about 100 trout streams within 100 miles of where he lives 09:40 - Steelhead in the Fall is pretty strong where 11:10 - Tommy describes how mousing under a full moon is like 13:00 - We talk about his original fly pattern, the Drunk & Disorderly 20:20 - Tommy talks about the "small water big fly streamers stuff" that he's been doing in the last 6 years 22:00 - Black flies work better on muddy waters and olive work great on clear waters 28:00 - Tommy uses Airflo lines 29:00 - Tommy states that "euro nymphing is a deadly terribly productive way to catch a fish on a fly and a poor way to learn how to fly fish" and he explains why 51:00 - Putting eyes on flies makes the trout want to bite the fly head first 57:15 - Tommy fished with Sex Dungeon a lot - a Kelly Galloup pattern. He used started with Stripped Leeches and Zoo Cougar for articulated flies 1:12:10 - He loves to taper down his leader 1:15:05 - For tippet, he uses 0-X when fishing the drunk 1:16:54 - Tommy is a Sage man through and through 1:29:00 - Tommy talks about how people make it to the black list 1:33:25 - The key to a successful day on the water is.. "bring some faith" 1:37:22 - Tommy describes the difference between a fisherman and an angler 1:44:30 - FullingMill.com is where you can get Tommy's flies Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/347

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/346 More on FishHound: https://wetflyswing.com/fishhound Adam Cuthriell from FishHound Expeditions is here to break down his favorite Alaska trip with a focus on the fly fishing gear for Alaska.  From the best flies to the best fly rod to the best clothing to get your ready for your trip. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/346

Win Free Coffee: https://wetflyswing.com/coffeetalk Joe Monaghan from Anglers Coffee is here for a quick update and to share the plan to give away 5 5 packs this month and every month for the rest of the year. You can enter here to win: https://wetflyswing.com/coffeetalk

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/345 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Dette Flies Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Ted Manning is here to walk us behind the scenes of Patagonia -  the company that's in business to save our home planet. Patagonia, as we all know, is one of the biggest outdoor brands. But they're more than just a brand. They're the most responsible company in the world, leading the way in conservation. Ted tells us a brief history of Patagonia - how Yvon Chouinard started a nontraditional company and how it's going. We dig in detail into some of the projects they're running right now - gear repair facility, Action Works tool, awareness films, and more. Find out why they changed their company mission and why they want to actually slow down their growth. Show Notes with Ted Manning and Patagonia the Company 05:40 - The business unit that Ted represents is called, Rivers. They make the equipment, accessories, and all the fly fishing gear for Patagonia. Their commitment is to the communities that advocate and recreate rivers. 08:10 - They have a tool called, Action Works where you can go online and see the organizations that they're partnering with. You can also check if there are any projects nearby your area that you can take part in. 09:40 - We talk about Yvon Chouinard and his classic quote, "the more you know, the less you need" 10:50 - Ted tells us how they're running a responsible business in a nontraditional way 13:30 - Patagonia's mission now is "we're in business to save our home planet" 18:30 - We talk about the time when people didn't believe that producing pure organic cotton was possible 21:30 - They run a repair facility to minimize the impact of product creation 23:45 - We dig into the book Yvon wrote, Let My People Go Surfing - Ted tells the story of how Yvon started Patagonia 28:15 - Ted talks about why they're slowing down their growth 31:15 - There was a book written in the early 70s by an economic theorist named, EF Schumacher called, Small is Beautiful - a great resource to learn more about growth in a finite resource 38:55 - Patagonia just released a film called Tribal Waters in collaboration with Teton Gravity and Indifly - scroll below to watch that film 40:00 - Riverhorse Nakadate was on the podcast in episode 266 where we talked about the Boundary Waters 40:15 - Ted mentions a list of projects that they're focusing on today 46:50 - The Monster in Our Closet is another film that they released is a short look at what it cost when you buy a piece of apparel - the story behind the product and the reality of the impact that the global apparel business has including Patagonia - scroll down to watch that film 48:55 - Ted gives us a piece of advice on what we can do with the podcast to help with conservation work 50:28 - Ted makes an emphasis on repairing your gear and don't buy new stuff so much 53:30 - Patagonia has partnered with Bureo - they recycle old fishing nets and turn them into apparel 54:20 - They launched a new wading boot in Europe - built with Fitwell Conclusion with Ted and Patagonia the Company So there you go. Pretty powerful stuff today. I hope this episode inspired you to take some action today. That tool Action Works really works, you know. Just scan for nearby projects to find out how you can connect and contribute. Every little action combined makes a big difference and helps us achieve our goal to save the home planet. Do it for your children and your children's children, so that they may have a better world to live in when you're long gone. And remember.. don't buy new gear! Have them repaired instead (if still possible).  Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/345

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/344 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Dette Flies Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Phil Montano, owner and inventor of the Fly Trap Holder, tells us the story behind creating some of the most innovative and inexpensive fly fishing gear on the market today. Phil's goal is to make life easier on the water, doing "actual fishing" rather than just digging through the fly box or doing anything else that just eats up your time while fishing. Find out how one's frustration can lead to an awesome idea that solves problems for many others out there.  Fly Trap Holder Show Notes with Phil Montano 03:30 – The Fly Trap started from Phil's frustration of getting all the fly fishing accessories organized 08:30 – You can have multiple cylinders for different types of flies 10:30 – The Fly Trap uses a no-fail carabiner 12:30 – His product doesn't eliminate the need for a fly box – the main purpose is to lessen the digging and have everything in front of you 18:50 - We noted Lid Rig - we had Scott Wilday, founder of Lidrig, in episode 250 21:15 - We talk about the Magnifly which also has a magnet for flies - Phil calls them the "on-deck" flies. You can clip this to your hat. 27:30 - There are 2 different cylinders for the Fly Trap. The new one has a 6-rig cylinder 30:15 - Ben Sittig talked about the things you don't need for fly fishing in episode 223 - it's a bit of comedy 31:39 - The biggest win for Phil is the feedback - he loves it when people tell him how his products work great for them 35:10 - I did an unboxing video of the Fly Trap - scroll down to watch that video! 37:15 - Phil is a Graphic Designer by trade - he's been doing it for over 32 years 39:20 - Phil's Top Fly is a Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymph - enter your Top Fly here and get a chance to win a box of flies from JH Fly Co 42:30 - One of Phil's favorite documentary films is Dogtown and Z-Boys 43:20 - Henry Winkler was on the podcast recently at WFS 334  Fly Trap Holder Conclusion with Phil Montano So there you go.  I hope this episode inspired you to see problems differently. Problems could lead to a brilliant solution waiting to be discovered.  I think Phil and his team are doing an amazing job developing products that help a lot of anglers. I know because I've been using his Fly Trap Holder since 2018 and I love it! Have you tried any of Phil's products? How's your experience? Let us know in the comments. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/344

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/343 Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Bearvault, Dette Flies, LakeLady Custom Rods Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Bill Oyster, owner and founder of Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods, walks us through the 6-day class of bamboo fly rod making. Bill takes us back to his humble beginnings when he was first learning the art of making bamboo fly rods and there were not many resources available. Now Bill is a master at the craft and Oyster Bamboo is one the best in the industry today, sharing their knowledge with people who want to continue the bamboo fly rod tradition. We discover the biggest myth about bamboo fly rods and the common mistakes that people make in the process of making them. How do they build these rods to perfection and custom hand engrave the reel seat smaller than the size of a coin? Listen to the episode to find out! Show Notes with Bill Oyster 05:00 - The first bamboo rod Bill fished, he created 05:30 - Bill did some guiding, fly casting, and fly tying lessons before he got into the rod business 06:45 - Bill came across the book, The Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod 12:25 - Bill used to receive letters in the mail from other bamboo fly rod builders that are angry at him for getting into the industry 16:15 - Bill was warned by his friend who's also into bamboo fly rod making that if taught bamboo fly rod making, they'd all be out of business in 2 years. He did it anyway. 20:20 - Their classes are fully booked for the next 2 years 25:30 - Riley is Bill's right-hand man who's been working full-time with him for 13 years 25:55 - Bill's wife Shannen handles the business side of the shop 26:20 - Bamboo fly rod making has been Bill's life work for about 24 years now 30:00 - Bill used to work on his rods till 3 am, 7 days a week then go to trade shows 33:00 - Most of the bamboo rod makers today only do it part-time 36:20 - They do the classes all year round, every other week for 22 weeks, 6 days a week. Bill tells us what a week in the class looks like. 41:14 - We break down the top common mistakes that one might do in bamboo rod making 45:20 - We had the guys from Tom Morgan Rodsmiths on the podcast at WFS 161. They have a tool called, Morgan Bamboo Handmill which is very useful in creating bamboo rods. 57:50 - Bill talks about the engraving around the reel seat - he hand engraves them 1:00:15 - We hear some banging from the class upstairs. Bill talks about how they clear the internal nodes of the bamboo before they split it. 1:02:50 - They made a number of custom Bamboo rods for Jimmy Carter. Bill used to guide him as well. 1:06:22 - Jimmy Carter wrote a book about his journey in fishing, hunting, and hiking 1:07:00 - Click here to answer Bill's trivia question. The question is: What country can lay claim to the invention of the split bamboo fly rod? 1:11:08 - Biggest myth about bamboo fly rods: "they are fragile" - Bill makes it clear about the bamboo rod's durability Conclusion with Bill Oyster So there you go. We learned a lot about bamboo fly rods today.  Bill and the Oyster Bamboo crew are doing an amazing job at keeping the bamboo fly rod tradition alive. Bill's story is a great example that passion and commitment pay off. So thank you, Bill. You inspired many of our listeners today. If any of you are interesting in joining the bamboo rod-making class, you can sign up for it via their website at OysterBamboo.com. They get booked up pretty quickly so it's best if you could sign up right now to get on the wait list. Hopefully one day I get to join that class too. I can already imagine myself making bamboo fly rods when I retire. I'm going to make a few for my daughters and my grandchildren. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/343

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/342 Sponsors: Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Matt Shilling from Indifly walks us through the steps to creating a nonprofit organization focused on helping local indigenous people around the world, and creating fly fishing businesses with a focus on ecotourism and sustainability. Indifly focuses on the Environment, the economics, and the cultural preservation of groups from the Wind River in Wyoming to South America. Today, we get some insight on great places to fish with little pressure and how to help local people from around the world.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/341 Presented By: Dette Flies, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Rob Giannino from the Fly Fishing Journeys Podcast is here to talk about his amazing journey in fly fishing and podcasting. For 2 straight years, he traveled around the country with the Fly Fishing Show crew and did live interviews with some of the fly fishing icons we know. Now Rob shares how he met some of his best friends and made a lot of memorable experiences from fly fishing and traveling. Find out what's coming up for the Fly Fishing Journeys podcast and why we should be excited about it! Fly Fishing Journeys Show Notes with Rob Giannino 02:30 - I met Rob in person at the fly fishing show in Denver 03:25 - Rob did the fly fishing circuit 2 years in a row - 7 shows around the country. Then another 6 next year. 05:30 - Tim Cammisa is Rob's good friend. Rob tells the story of when someone at the show recognized him because of the podcast. 07:47 - April Vokey's got a great podcast (Anchored). Rob really enjoys listening to her. 11:10 - Rob and his brother learned to fish in the Ipswich River - the same river that Jeff Currier cut his teeth on 12:45 -  The Spanish Fly with Jose Wejebe and the Walker's Cay Chronicles had a huge influence on Rob in the 90s 15:20 - Rob connected with Tim Cammisa through Chuck Furimsky - Chuck was on the podcast at WFS 292 and his son Ben was also here at WFS 061 16:20 - Andy Mill was recently on the podcast at WFS 330 17:16 - Rob just got back from an Iceland trip and planning another 6-man trip with Tim Cammisa by the end of July - they're booking with the guys from Fish Partner 18:00 - Rob's dad is a travel agent that's why he's very much into traveling 18:45 - We Took to the Woods is about the Rapid River back in the days - written by Louise Dickinson Rich 21:00 - Rob tells us about his epic trip in Quebec, Canada where all of them hooked up on a fish at the same time 23:45 - The McKenzie River Lodge is one of the best places for wading and large brook trout 24:10 - Rob and 2 of his partners bought a camp and started a fly fishing club. They don't guide but they show people around and provide some equipment. 26:45 - We dig into his podcast, the Fly Fishing Journeys - how he prepares and puts everything together 31:15 - Phil Rowley was one of Rob's early guests 37:15 - One of the best episodes he's had was with Jason Randall 38:00 - Steve Day was on the Fly Fishing Journeys Podcast recently. Rob caught his first golden trout in the Sequoia National Forest. 41:45 - Rob told us a story of when they weren't allowed to hike up the mountain because they didn't bring a bear can. This is one of those times where a bearvault could have made a difference. 43:30 - Wilderado, an indie alternative rock band, was on a recent episode at Fly Fishing Journeys. They did a live podcast in Boston. 47:00 - We talk about the Fly Fishing Journeys website - what to expect and what are their plans for it moving forward 56:50 - Rob tells us about their tech setup on the podcast 59:30 - Rob sold his camper but now has a KZ Frontier tow trailer 1:04:30 - Rob's Top Fly is a Tungsten Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymph Fly Fishing Journeys Conclusion with Rob Giannino So there you go.. Another good episode in the books. It was a pleasure connecting with Rob and hearing his story. That's what's great about fly fishing. We create a lot of experiences that are priceless.  I think Rob and the Fly Fishing Journeys team are doing a nice job at creating content for the community. Hope they keep doing the awesome work out there. I'll be listening.. Actually, I'm about to marathon their episodes this week! Which episode should I start with? Suggestions? Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/341

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/340 Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Trxstle, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Today, we're going fly fishing in Costa Rica with Tom Enderlin. We discover a few different species in the jungle including a fruit-eating fish called, machaca - cousin of the piranha but vegan. We break down the species to target for each season and we touch on some of the wild habitats in the jungle such as jaguars, monkeys, and birds. Tom tells us how they ensure maximum benefit to the local communities there, equipping them to become excellent guides. Find out why Costa Rica is described as "one of the happiest countries in the world" and why they don't even need a military. What is it like to fish tarpon on freshwater with monkey audiences cheering you? Welcome to the jungle baby! Fly Fishing in Costa Rica Show Notes with Tom Enderlin 05:15 - Tom started out as an intern for a coffee company in Costa Rica and then got into tourism. Then he went to Europe and worked as a coffee trader. Then he joined a conservation group, Rainforest Alliance and worked with them for a number of years. Then back to Costa Rica with his Costa Rican wife and that's when Fly Fishing Costa Rica was born. 07:15 - Greg Collett was on the podcast at WFS 242 where we talked about Ecuador Conservation 07:30 - Tom describes Costa Rica as one of the happiest countries in the world. They don't even have an army. 10:50 - Their main program at this time this year is the jungle tarpon reserve. It rains up until November then the rain slows down from December up until April. 12:30 - December to April is their dry season and that's when they fish Machaca. These are related to piranha but eat fruit and flowers. 14:55 - Tom loves fishing Tepemechín (Mountain Mullet). They're small but powerful. 16:30 - Marlin fishing in the Pacific Ocean is great from May until November 18:00 - There are 2 different types of Machaca in Costa Rica - one lives in the Caribbean and the other lives in the Pacific. In March and April, the wild cashew tree produces fruit that the Pacific Machaca feeds on. For the Caribbean machaca, they feed on Chilamate tree fruits. 20:00 - They have rainbow trout all year but the best time to fish them is the dry season 21:00 - The Costa Rica Grand Slam is a tarpon, trout, and billfish fishing 25:41 - Tom breaks down what a 1-week itinerary looks like 27:15 - Tom tells us how they make that perfect "kerplunk" - a funny term they use for putting the fly on the water that drives the machaca crazy. Click here to learn how to tie a Machaca fly pattern. 29:25 - For rods, they typically use a 3 wt or a tenkara for the small rainbows. For machaca, they use a 6 or 8 wt with a floating line. For saltwater, they use 10 or 11 wt for roosters. Billfish, sailfish, and marlin, they fish up to 16 wt. 30:20 - Jake Jordan was on the podcast at WFS 204 talking about the billfish 31:10 - They have a film about machaca with the F3T - scroll below to watch the video 33:00 - Another draw to the area is the bird-watching hub where there lives a bird called, the resplendent kestrel 33:30 - There are lots of jaguars in the jungle. They've set up some camera traps to watch the jaguars and a lot of other biodiversity activities in the area. 36:00 - Costa Rica has 4 different monkey species and 3 of them they see every day - white-faced capuchin, howler monkey, spider monkey 38:45 - Louis Cahill was on the podcast at WFS 206 where he told a story about the aggressive monkey that attacked him and almost ripped his arm off 43:30 - Hunting is prohibited in Costa Rica 44:15 - The jungle tarpon reserve is where they fish for tarpon. They work together with the national park office. 48:10 - There's a specie called Wolf Cichlid or rainbow bass aka Guapote 51:30 - Tom uses bead head nymphs or hopper droppers 54:05 - Costa Rica is also an amazing destination for ecotourism - Tom breaks down the activities to do there 55:10 - Tom's son got his first machaca all by himself - he now holds a small fry world record 58:45 - Tarpon fishing in the jungle river is from August until December and a small window in May 1:00:27 - Sport fishing is illegal in Ecuador 1:01:30 - Tom tells us how we can connect with the local community there. The guys from Indifly came over to Costa Rica to talk about a possible collaboration with Tom's crew. 1:05:00 - Shoutout to Yeti for raising funds for the Bristol Bay project. Their coffee cups work great. 1:06:10 - They work with the company, Zen Tekara Fly Fishing in Costa Rica Conclusion with Tom Enderlin So there you go.. If you want to have that jungle fishing experience and target different species, Costa Rica is the place to be. If you want to connect with Tom, you can send him an email at info@flyfishingcostarica.com  Tom and the Costa Rica fly fishing crew is doing a great job at supporting the local communities through fly fishing. This trip is definitely going on the bucket list. I'm thinking of visiting there during the dry season to land my first machaca. Maybe we can go together. Let me know so we can set up a trip next year? See you there. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/340

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/339 Presented By: Angler's Coffee, Bearvault, FishHound Expeditions, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Andrew Grillos is known for a number of his commercially tied flies at Umpqua Feather Merchants including the Hippie Stomper fly. We find out how that pattern came about as well as some of his funny patterns like the Pizza fly which never made it commercially but works awesome. Andrew also shares a powerful story of how he survived a devastating stroke at the age of 37. He talks about how he finished a 100-mile ultramarathon in 32 hours, 2 months prior to his stroke. What kept Andrew going and what does it feel like to be an inch close to death? Listen to his story. Show Notes with Andrew Grillos 04:55 - Andrew chose his undergraduate degree based around fishing and snowboarding in Gunnison Colorado. He studied at Western State College. He snowboarded 100 days a year and fished in between. Then he became a guide for High Mountain Drifters. 07:30 - He then guided in Alaska and Southern Chile 09:30 - We talk about how the Hippie Stomper came about 12:50 - Around June 20th is one of the best times to fish the Gunnison River 15:30 - Matt and Jerry owns the Driftless Angler in Wisconsin 16:45 - The Heavy-metal Worm pattern 17:45 - Andrew has 15 flies in Umpqua. He was also active in their blog. 18:30 - Andrew wanted to do more commercially produced flies than Brian Silvey and he eventually did. Brian had 15, Andrew did 22. Brian Silvey was on the podcast at WFS 148. 20:00 - Russ Miller told the story of how Umpqua Feather Merchants began at WFS 303 - Andrew tells the story of how he met Russ at a trade show 23:11 - Andrew shares what it's like relearning his patterns after having a stroke in November 2020 27:10 - Andrew used to guide in the Olympic Peninsula, Skagit River 29:10 - Steelhead tip: Read the water - imagine what your fly is doing at the end of your line. Don't mend it left and right, make your cast good, and fish your fly. 30:20 - A sparkly big fly is what Andrew prefers for steelhead 31:40 - Andrew went to New Zealand for 6 months with his wife. He got so obsessed with fishing there. 36:25 - One of his favorite flies to tie is a steelhead hairwing 38:20 - The Steelhead Coachman was a pattern by John Hazel 44:10 - Andrew gives a shoutout to the healthcare providers that helped him recover. Their hard work is truly appreciated. Now Andrew can trail run and fish again. 46:45 - Andrew guided Louis Cahill in Alaska, 2010. Louis was on the podcast at WFS 206. 56:00 - Big foam dry flies work great in the Gunnison river or even like sofa pillow and huge stimulators. 1:00:40 - Andrew describes the Gunnison Canyon 1:05:30 - Andrew's been feeding trout his Pizza fly since 2005. It's been denied for years though for commercial tying. 1:08:15 - Andrew talks about how he did the ultra-marathon. He finishes 100 miles in 32 hours and tells us how and why. 1:12:50 - His favorite fish that he caught was the steelhead from the Skagit river 1:14:20 - Fish Hunter that has the best marabou feathers and colors 1:17:40 - Andrew will be working with Tom Morgan Rodsmith. Matt Barber and Joel Doub from TMR were on the podcast at WFS 161. Conclusion with Andrew Grillos So there you go.. What a story from Andrew.. that truly is awakening. That reminds us that things can happen even when you're in your best shape. So it's best to not take things for granted and appreciate all the little things we can do because sooner or later we won't be able to do them as easily. I'm happy that Andrew survived that big one.. and thankful for the people that helped him get back to the life that he enjoys. I hope you get even better Andrew. Stroke can't kill your passion! We are deeply inspired by your testimony and hope that as we remember your story, we change for the better.. the way we think, act, and speak. Thank you, Andrew. Cheers! Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/339

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/338 Presented By: Zoe Angling Group, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault, Reyr Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Andrew Todd, founder of Running River's Flyathlon, tells us how they combined trail running, fly fishing, and beer into one big outdoor party. Andrew breaks down the mechanics of the game including how, where, and who can participate. Find out how they raised almost $500,000 for conservation projects through the event and how they built an awesome community in the flyathlon space. We also hear about some of the challenges they deal with over the years in preparing these events and where they're headed with that vision. Flyathlon Show Notes with Andrew Todd 08:30 - They created the motto, "run, fish, beer" which was derived from the traditional triathlon and named the game, Flyathlon. Andrew breaks down the game mechanics. 12:01 - They held afterparties in remote places in Colorado 15:50 - They have an event on July 22nd-24th which is their 8th Annual Middle Creek Flyathlon. The event is sold out but you can still join the party. Click here to see their list of events.  18:10 - Andrew explains the pitfalls they've encountered in their previous events 21:28 - Through the event, they raise money for native trout restoration projects like Trout Unlimited. They also incentivize the top fundraisers with products donated by sponsors like Yeti and Patagonia 24:55 - Over the course of 8 years, they have raised close to $500,000 27:15 - They've got something they call, "Fastest Known Fish" which is where a player goes out, runs to the lake, catches fish, and runs back - the player who has the fastest time doing that wins 28:28 - Derek Roedel is sponsoring their events this year. We talk about how the Reyr Gear telescoping fly rod is an ideal rod for these events because of its quick setup feature and mobility. 33:20 - The Western Native Trout Initiative is a great resource for learning more about trout conservation 34:10 - Andrew tells us about the Troutman marathon - read more about it here 35:00 - Bryon Powell, one of their board members, completed the Troutman 6 times. They created Ultrout which is more difficult than Troutman because Troutman is too basic for guys like Bryon 38:45 - Andrew loves barrel-aged imperial stout beers 39:40 - Founders, out of Michigan, makes a beer called Backwoods Bastard - this is one of Andrew's favorites 39:55 - We've had one interview with the founder of Fort George Brewery, Chris Nemlowill at WFS 205 45:30 - An orange size 18 perdigon is Andrew's go-to fly 47:15 - They have a limit of 65 participants per event to avoid putting too much pressure on the creeks and fish Flyathlon Conclusion with Andrew Todd So there you go.. If you are into running, fly fishing, and you love beer, this might be the perfect race for you. I'm not much into running but since I love fly fishing and beer, I might try it if I get a chance. Should be fun. I think Reyr Gear's telescoping fly rod is great for events like this. I'm glad they found each other and are now working together. Check out their website runningriver.org to find out how you can reserve a slot or volunteer for their cause. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/338

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/337 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, Bearvault, Reyr Gear, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Today, we focus on surf perch fishing on the Olympic Peninsula beaches with Ed Fuhrken and Kyle McCurdy from Waters West.  We break down their Top 5 Tips for Surf Perch fishing. Find out why you should consider surf perch fishing for your easy days on the water.  We touch a little bit on steelhead - their bread and butter - how they're handling the changes in steelhead numbers which are slowing down lately.   And we also talk about life.. wisdom that leads to more fishing. Surf Perch Show Notes with Ed and Kyle 04:50 - Ed was born and raised in Mexico. He used to fish a lot before but stopped because he felt bad wounding some fish he caught - he later discovered that there are hooks called, barbless, that were safer for the fish. Then he got back to fishing. 06:30 - They describe what Olympic Peninsula is like - mountains and beaches.. surfing, snowboarding, and fishing 08:30 - Dave Steinbaugh founded Waters West - Ed tells us how the fly shop got started 11:30 - Dave was retiring and wanted to sell the shop - Ed had some money saved up after working a few jobs as a software engineer. Ed was a regular customer at Waters West because they had good steelhead fly tying materials. Then he bought the shop from Dave. 13:00 - They catch steelhead during the winter. Salmon, trout, and surfperch in spring. 14:30 - Surfperch can be found on sandy beaches in the steepest part 18:00 - They typically use 5 wt rod with intermediate line, orange clouser minnow for flies or bonefish flies with led eyes. Ed and Kyle break down the fishing tactics. 21:45 - The best time to fish surf perch is 1 or 2 hours after the high tide as the tide is moving out 22:30 - Since last year, Ed started using a steel leader because one day he was catching surfperch and he hooked on a lingcod but it got away - it sliced through his leader. Lingcod feed on surfperch in Spring. 29:06 - For leaders, you could use a straight piece of Maxima - 7 feet to 3x is pretty standard, 10 or 20 pound 29:45 - They have a YouTube video tying a surf perch fly - scroll down to watch the video. Surf perch can take a big fly, shrimp or crab pattern - 2 to 8 33:20 - You can catch 10 to 20 surf perch a day in just a couple of hours. They're good eating fish too. 38:04 - For reels, they usually use a Lamson Guru. We had Nick Torres from Waterworks Lamson at WFS 213 and WFS 304 39:06 - Surf perches give live birth - babies come right out of their mother swimming. They don't lay eggs like salmon or steelhead. They spawn in eelgrass because surf perch moms eat them. 41:25 - Read more about the redtail surf perch life cycle here 41:30 - You can catch some starry flounder near the eelgrass flats too 43:50 - If they could ask Bob Clouser a question, they would want to ask: What do most people do wrong when tying a clouser? 45:40 - Ahrex hooks work awesome on surf perches too - we had Morten Valeur from Ahrex Hooks at WFS 150 49:24 - In most of the rivers in the Olympic Peninsula, there's not a lot of bug life for the fish to feed on, that's why rainbows go out in the ocean 50:25 - Sea-run cutthroat can be found in a more rocky structure beach 56:30 - Ed tells us how he stays positive when dealing with the changes in steelhead numbers 58:30 - John McMillan was on the podcast at WFS 117 where we also covered steelhead in Olympic Peninsula 1:09:30 - Waters West has a line, rod, and reel combo setup specifically for surf perch fishing Surf Perch Conclusion with Ed Fuhrken and Kyle McCurdy So there you go..  Surf perch are not the typical specie that an angler would target but as you heard from Ed and Kyle, they're pretty chill to catch and actually a good eating fish. Who wouldn't want a 10 to 20 average catch in just a couple of hours? I bet every surf perch day is a great day. You're on a sandy beach.. nice weather.. nice beer.. you hear the ocean waves.. you've got fish in the cooler to take home. Would you still complain?  Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/337

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/336 Presented By: Trxstle, Reyr Gear, Bearvault, LakeLady Custom Rods Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors In today's episode, we talk about fly fishing Idaho with Ed Anderson. He takes us to the McCall area in West Idaho where we touch on the Payette, Boise, and Snake rivers for rainbows, browns, and bass fishing. Find out why McCall was described as "the place of windows" and why you "have to be there to know when the windows open". We won't reveal those secret fishing spots but Ed tells us the best times to fish up there and some more useful tips. We also dig into Ed's artwork - his role being the Creative Director of West Mountain Drifters, and how he got picked up by Gray's Sporting Journal for multiple cover projects. Fly Fishing Idaho Show Notes with Ed Anderson 03:30 - Ed used to work for Jackson Kayaks - James McBeath from Jackson Kayaks was on the podcast at WFS 248 04:00 - McCall is located in Southwestern Idaho, 2 hours North of Boise, pinned between the Hells Canyon and Frank Church Wilderness of No Return - Frank Church is the largest wilderness area in the Lower 48 and Hells Canyon is the deepest Canyon in America 09:10 - The Payette and Boise rivers are Ed's home water 10:30 - The Payette and Cascade reservoirs are gigantic reservoirs - people go wakeboarding there 11:55 - Boise is now the fastest growing place in America 12:30 - Boise gets about 300 days of sunshine 13:50 - Summer is not a good fishing time in Idaho because the water level is low. Ed's favorite time to fish is when the snow is still on the ground - end of March going April. 17:05 - In Snake River, people go bass, carp, and sturgeon fishing. The largest sturgeon that was ever caught in America was in the Snake River at 117 inches 18:20 - Ed prefers the Boise over the Payette river, he says it's a more consistent cool-water fishery. August and September are Ed's preferred times to fish the Boise river because the water level stays the same for a number of days. 22:15 - On the Boise river, they get a little of the caddis hatch and primarily they're euro nymphing or streamer fishing 24:50 - Fish and Game Idaho plant steelheads in the Boise river from time to time 31:50 - Ed used to use a Coosa by Jackson Kayak 34:40 - Ed's got an Adipose skiff 35:10 - NRS Raft is a raft company from Moscow. They're coming out with a whole new line of rafts this year. 35:25 - Ed also loves Link Jackson's Stream Tech Rafts. It's a Maravia boat too. 39:50 - Ed talks about carp fishing 41:00 - Bass fishing is consistent in McCall fisheries, especially in the summer. There are some tiger muskies there too. Ed chooses bass over trout because he wants to get away from the crowd. 45:55 - Ray Troll, who is also a fish artist, was on the podcast at WFS 299 46:30 - We dig into Ed's art. You can check out his artwork on his Instagram at @edandersonart 48:20 - Ed created multiple cover artwork for Gray's Sporting Journal  49:30 - Ed and I met through Nick Torres of Waterworks Lamson. Nick had been on the podcast twice at WFS 304 and WFS 213 52:20 - Ed works with West Mountain Drifter as the Creative Director 59:30 - McCall Angler also works with Drift West  1:01:08 - Ed's go-to fly is a Yellow Sally. Fly Fishing Idaho Conclusion with Ed Anderson So there you go.. If you are from Idaho or near that area and want to enjoy some great fishing spots, you can reach out to Ed and the McCall Anglers crew. They're committed to making your experience on the water 10 out of 10. You can also reach out to Ed about artwork projects. If you need a cover art or a logo, he's the guy for you. Check out his work on Instagram at @edandersonart and send him a DM there to connect with him. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/336

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/335 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, LakeLady Custom Rods, Trxstle, Reyr Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Keith Rose-Innes, Director at Alphonse Fishing Company, takes us fishing in the Seychelles - one of the most sought-after fly fishing and eco-tourism destinations in the world. We discover some tips and tactics for catching giant trevally and permit - gears, flies, and setup. Keith tells us how the atolls were formed and how their habitats developed. Find out how they are being conserved and protected to keep the islands pristine, keep the species vibrant, and keep the poachers away. Keith also talks about the bar at Alphonse where everyone gathers in the evenings to share stories about their amazing day on the island, and he tells us why 80% of their guests return after a year or two. Jako Lucas, in a past episode, talked about Seychelles as one of his favorite places on earth, so today we dig more into it and find out why. Fishing in the Seychelles Show Notes with Keith Rose-Innes 05:10 - They have rainbows and brown in the streams near Johannesburg where Keith stays 06:10 - Lesotho is a country surrounded by South Africa. They've got big rivers there, big trout, and yellow fish. 06:40 - Conservationists in Africa are more focused on animals 08:30 - Keith has been going to Seychelles for 25 years and has been guiding there for about 23 years 09:30 - Keith describes how a volcano eruption formed corals that create the atolls 12:30 - Over the years, Seychelles has evolved from just fishing to an eco-tourism destination 15:00 - One of the big-draw cards in Seychelles is the Giant Trevally 17:30 - Permit numbers have gone up in the Pacific 18:50 - They got a catamaran boat called Quo Vadis 20:30 - The creation of a new fly called, Alphlexo has increased their takes on permit Photo courtesy of Alec Gerbec 23:15 - Keith uses either an 8 or 9 wt rod, not more than 10 wt line, and a 12-foot leader. 25:15 - They plan a week or 10 days ahead according to tides. Keith explains in detail. 28:30 - For pacific permit fishing, Keith uses a furled leader. He does a perfection loop on anything less than a 15-pound tippet. 30:10 - Keith talk about his tactics for fishing giant trevallies 35:30 - They use a waxed Cortland braided running line for Pacific permits 28:50 - Keith uses a Shilton Reels 39:40 - Giant trevallies swim alongside the sharks. They're one of the predators in the sea. 42:15 - For flies, they use surfers, poppers, nymphs, sempers, clausers, rush flies - they use a lot of different patterns but it's all about the size, color, and profile. Just believe in the fly. 45:20 - They started the Alphonse fishing company in September 2012 and they purchased Alphonse in August 2013. Blue Safari was launched in July 2018. 46:30 - Keith explains how they raise funds to protect the atolls in Seychelles and conserve the underwater habitats 47:50 - Keith talks about the bar at Alphonse where they gather in the evening and talk about their achievements for the day. The community there is so great that they get an 80% return rate. 51:00 - 40% of their guests come from the US 56:10 - Check out their website to learn more about the conservation programs they have going 57:30 - The best time of the year, weather-wise to come to Seychelles is October to May 59:40 - The cost per person is about 10-16k depending on the destination. Keith explains the logistics behind the price. 1:00:00 - Keith breaks down the transportation - how far and how long to get there 1:04:30 - Keith tells the story of when his boat parts got stolen which led to his old business shutting down. 1:07:30 - Jako Lucas is a regular on Seychelles. He was on the podcast at WFS 281. Keith tells the story of how they met. 1:11:20 - Keith is taking a trip to Norway this year Fishing in The Seychelles Conclusion with Keith So there you go.. Seychelles.. is the place to be. When I see pictures of the islands there, a song plays in the background.. "ooh baby do you know what that's worth? ooh heaven is a place on earth" That trip is definitely going on the bucket list. A bit pricey but totally reasonable and worth it. I should probably start saving to take my family there.. that vacation of a lifetime. Would be nice if we could get some promo rates though. Keith and the Alphonse atoll crew are doing some great stuff out there. If you want to connect with them, visit their website at alphonsefishingco.com or send them a DM on Instagram at @alphonsefishingco. Are you planning a trip this year? Where to next? Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/335

Enter to Win Here: https://wetflyswing.com/traveltime Derek Roedel shares the background on Blue Lining and how you can use this technique to explore new waters. We also are giving away a guided fly fishing trip, new rod and Dave will be flying to your hometown to get on the water.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/334 Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Henry Winkler, an actor, author, producer, and angler, is here to chat about fly fishing, Happy Days, and his incredible life. We find out what it felt like to get offered the movie, Grease and why he turned it down, how he got the role in the HBO show Barry, and how he managed to do great things while being challenged with dyslexia. We dig into his books and movies - how they came to be and the inspiration behind them. And we discover similar truths about fly fishing and acting.  Show Notes with Henry Winkler 02:55 - For the past 10 years, Henry has been fishing in Swan Valley, Idaho 05:20 - Double hauling is the most tricky thing for Henry. He's been fishing since 1986 but he's never done a double haul. The second most difficult thing for him is the rules: the things you need to do in order to place the fly in the place you need it - mend, strip, watch, strike 07:20 - The truth about fly fishing and acting for Henry 09:00 - Henry's wife, Stacey Weitzman is also a good fisherwoman 10:55 - For a long time, Henry didn't think he was capable of dry fly fishing, then one day he started dry fly and became successful at it 12:30 - Henry describes the guides that he's had 15:09 - Henry and Lin Oliver wrote 39 novels for children 15:15 - Henry also wrote a book about fly fishing called, I've Never Met an Idiot on the River. This was originally published in 2011. 16:30 - Henry recently won an Emmy for the TV series, Barry - an American black comedy crime drama thriller 17:20 - MacGyver was the first show Henry produced because he couldn't get hired as an actor 17:55 - Happy Days introduced Henry to the world. He used to receive 55,000 letters a week and people welcome him to their homes all the time. 20:30 - Henry, who played principal Himbry in the movie Scream, was asked to go uncredited because the producers did not want to detract any attention from the younger, lesser-known actors 23:05 - Hank Zipzer: The World's Greatest Underachiever - is a story about a boy who has dyslexia. Henry also considers himself dyslexic. 27:15 - Henry's favorite fly pattern is called the Winkler - it's a pattern that someone made for him when he fished a river in Blackberry Farm, Tennessee. It's like a little mayfly. Unfortunately, we don't have a picture. He said it works well. 29:28 - Henry tells the story of when he went to New Zealand for 10 days to fish. He was sponsored by an outfitter. His favorite trip though was when he went to Argentina. 32:00 - Henry was offered the role of Danny Zuko for the movie, Grease, but he turned it down because he played Fonzy for already 10 years and he couldn't sing 33:20 - Henry tells the story of how he got the role for the TV series, Barry. His son Max directed his audition. Conclusion with Henry Winkler So there you go..  Henry Winkler, the man, the myth, the legend. Words can't describe how happy I am to be able to speak with one of my childhood idols.    Thanks to Fonzie and Happy Days, lots of people had a wonderful childhood. Henry is proof that a disability can't stop you from doing great things. So thank you, Henry. I hope you live for as long as you wish. See you on TV! Eyyyy! Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/334

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/333 Presented By: Dette Flies, Angler's Coffee, Stonefly Nets, Zoe Angling Group Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Ross Purnell, the Editor of the Fly Fisherman Magazine, shares how he fulfilled his childhood dream by filling in one of the most important roles at the publication. Find out who are the people that inspired him to fly fish and who mentored him to become a fly fishing writer. Ross describes the process of creating content and how they come up with ideas for stories that make it to the magazine. We also discover who the top contributors are at FFM. Plus, Ross reveals the big topics they're going to feature in the next 2 issues this year. Show Notes with Ross Purnell and The Fly Fisherman Magazine 03:15 - Jacques Cousteau was Ross's first hero. He used to watch Jacques' videos all the time when he was a kid. That made him become more interested in the underwater world. 04:00 - Tom Tietze was also a big fan of Jacques Cousteau - he was recently on the podcast at WFS 312 08:00 - Ross deal with 2 kinds of stories in the magazine In most of the stories that run there, he's not personally involved. Somebody pitches him the story idea and he decides if it's a good fit - they write it, and he edits it. That's 95% of the content in the magazine. Someone calls him up and says "this is a great story or this has never been done". If it fits in the schedule and no other experts on the ground, he considers it. 09:40 - Domenick Swentosky was on the podcast at WFS 305. He's got a great blog that covers waters in Pennsylvania. 11:20 - Ross's mom bought him a subscription to fly fisherman magazine on his 16th birthday. He started reading stories from Lefty Kreh and Gary Borger. He also bought VHS tapes about fly fishing. That's how he learned to fly fish. 13:00 - Jim McLennan wrote for the Fly Fisherman Magazine. He owned the local fly shop in Canada where Ross lives. That became an inspiration for Ross to dream of writing for magazines. 16:30 - John Randolph, former Editor of Fly Fisherman Magazine, hired Ross in 1996. John interviewed Ross on the phone and Ross got assaulted. John used his other phone to call 911. 18:30 - In 2009, Ross became the new Editor of Fly Fisherman Magazine. He was mentored and groomed by John to fill in for the Editor role. 21:00 - Ross mentions the dedicated people that work on their magazine like their Art Director, Sales Rep, Digital Editor, etc. 22:25 - Ross describes how their process of writing articles looks like from the magazine to a digital version 23:45 - George Daniel recently wrote for the magazine about Euro Jigging and also has a video demonstration 27:45 - Ross describes their conscious effort to highlight other species aside from trout. They also highlight lesser-known waters so that people would get off crowded waters. 31:40 - John Randolph got Dave Whitlock to do the first printed story for carp fishing 32:20 - I recently ran into Oliver White at the IFTD - he was on the podcast back in March 2019 at WFS 069. Oliver has been writing for the FFM for years. 34:30 - Hilary Hutcheson has been the top contributor to the magazine for the past 3 years. Ross describes how pleasurable it is to work with her. 35:25 - George Daniel was on the podcast at WFS 055. George writes a lot of how-to stuff. 36:10 - Blane Chocklett is also one of FFM's top contributors. 37:10 - Landon Mayer does a lot of work in the Rockies, Colorado. Landon was on the podcast at WFS 295 38:30 - There's always an opportunity to get your story in the magazine. You can reach out to Ross at ross@flyfisherman.com and pitch your idea, why it's interesting and why it should be in the magazine. 39:20 - They publish 3 annuals. One of them is called, Destinations, and it's mostly about international fly fishing - it comes out every labor day 40:30 - One of the annuals is called, Gear Guide, which comes out before Thanksgiving 41:20 - And then the other annual is called, Fly Fishing Made Easy - a magazine for beginners 48:15 - Ross talks about jungle fishing. He was on the Orvis Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer where they dug in more about jungle fishing. 48:45 - Blood Run: Fly Fishing with Amazon Warriors is a 90 mins documentary film by FFM - scroll below to watch this film 52:12 - Ross talks about Indifly - a nonprofit organization that brings attention to some of the unknown fisheries in the world, partnering up with the local communities and making sure the locals benefit from the program. 56:55 - Shoutout to Supaman, an indigenous hip-hop artist 58:20 - FFM comes out 5 times a year and 3 are already done as of this date (2022) 58:30 - Ross is excited about the Klamath Dam being taken down. It will be featured in their fall FFM issue. 1:01:30 - Ross talks about the Deerfield River relicensing in Massachusetts 1:02:55 - George Daniel has a story coming out about "Controlling Your Loop" - Ross talks about it and some other things coming up for FFM 1:04:00 - Ross talks about the biggest FFM they've published 1:05:30 - They have a contributor from England that wrote "What Trout See" which talks about how trout's vision works 1:07:55 - Costa Sunglasses not only makes awesome sunglasses but has been doing great things for the fly fishing community. Evan Russell from Costa was on the podcast at WFS 272. Conclusion with Ross Purnell and The Fly Fisherman Magazine So there you go.. If you have an idea for a story that you think would be good to put in the magazine, you can reach out to Ross at ross@flyfisherman.com. They always welcome fresh and interesting stories.  Ross is proof that dreams come true when you chase your heart. He loved reading fly fishing magazines when he was young and programmed his mind that he will one day write for the magazines, so he did. Law of attraction baby, it works! Whatever it is that you see yourself doing, even though it seems so far from where you're currently at.. just take that first step and focus on what you can do now. Keep that vision in mind but don't let it overwhelm you. Trust the process and the rest shall follow! Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/333

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/332 Presented By: Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Sherry Meador, Board Chair for the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA), sheds light on their organization's conservation mission. Sherry helps us understand how the Upper Missouri River watershed is threatened by a silent invasion of noxious weeds that degrades the water quality, reduces native biological diversity, and negatively impact the population of many wild species like elk, deer, swans, variety of ducks, other plants, and of course our fish. We discover how we can help prevent the spread of these invasive weeds, how we can contribute to the water and streambanks restoration projects, and how we can get involved in ways we can and become more aware of the overall health of this river. There's more to it than I could describe so here's Sherry from UMOWA.org to enlighten us about it. Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance Show Notes with Sherry Meador 02:50 - Sherry and I connected through John Smigaj from Trxstle. John was on the podcast at WFS 310. 03:30 - Sherry had been involved with the noxious weed project on the Smith River. UMOWA board started in 2014 and Sherry joined 6 years ago. 04:50 - The Missouri River is the longest river in the country. It starts at 3 forks which is about 75 miles upriver from the dams of Helena down to the great falls but they're primarily focused on the primary fishing area between Holter Dam and Cascade. 08:55 - UMOWA was established by a group of guides and fly fishers. It was established to get baseline data and to get the river back to the high quality or what was considered a good level. They collect water quality samples 3 times a year. 10:10 - They will have the river's health summary report available on their website for us to see this summer 11:25 - They're done a couple of restoration projects on banks where they're trying to get the plants back there to get less erosion - read more here 11:40 - They also work on noxious weeds which are on the land but goes up to the habitat. They work with land owners by the river, trying to get them involved in this project. Noxious weeds are silent invasive and a threat to the watershed. Read more about this project here 12:30 - They educate anglers about the importance of washing their boat and waders to prevent spreading invasive species along the river. They provide boat washing stations that are open to the public and at no charge. 13:30 - The highest amount of angler days recorded was 180,000 a year 16:20 - UMOWA is an all-volunteer board. They have 8 members. John Smigaj is also one of them. 16:30 - UMOWA is in need of enough funding. They are to the point of getting the to the next level because there's so much integration they need to do with the Department of Environmental Quality and Dep. of Natural Resource. 19:00 - You can help UMOWA's mission by checking their website to understand more about their projects, spreading the word about their mission, and sign up for their newsletter. 21:40 - Sherry kind of retired as an attorney. For the past 5 years, she hasn't been working much as an attorney and into some other projects. She describes what her job looked like when she was practicing law. 26:10 - You can also support Montana Watershed Coordination Council - they are doing similar work on watersheds in Montana. UMOWA works with Pat Barnes from Trout Unlimited. Sun River Water Shed Group is a smaller watershed group but also doing some great work out there. 28:40 - They also do some river clean-up where everybody can also volunteer. They have a big event on August 20th this year at the New Brewery in Craig. There's going to be a raffle too where people can win a Ro drift boat. Upper Missouri Conclusion with Sherry Meador So there you go.. If you want to take part in UMOWA's movement, you can reach out to them via website at UMOWA.org - they always welcome new ideas and volunteers. Conservation topics may not always be the most interesting topics out there but it should be our responsibility as anglers to be aware of the things that destroy our rivers and their habitats. So if you want to enjoy these rivers at their best quality, there are many ways to contribute like spreading the word, donating, volunteering, or at the least, be a more disciplined angler - keep the fish wet, wash your boats and your waders after use. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/332

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/331 Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Greg Epstein, owner of Jackson Hole Fly Company, tells the story of how he acquired a 40-year-old fly shop in Jackson, Wyoming. We find out what they have going at the shop – how they produce around 1000 types of flies, outsource materials, and create basic fly fishing packages that are easy on the pocket but great in quality. We hear some pretty crazy stories from Greg including one when he got buried in an avalanche while skiing, like one of those 'I Shouldn't Be Alive' stories. Greg also tells us about his involvement with Teton Gravity Research and his responsibilities being a County Commissioner at Teton. Jackson Hole Fly Co is one of our podcast sponsors and you always hear me talk about the good stuff they do. Well today, we hear from the headman himself, so hit that play button to get a better feel of their products and service. Show Notes with Greg Epstein and the Jackson Hole Fly Company 03:50 - In 2001, Greg moved up to Alaska - Girdwood, a little southeast of Anchorage 04:50 - Greg used to ski. Then he became a ski photographer. 05:30 - Greg's wife also loves fly fishing 06:20 - In 2014, Greg got caught in an avalanche while skiing and endured severe injuries. That's when he went all-in with fly fishing because all he could do was sit on a boat and cast. 07:30 - In 2018, Jackson Cardinal company was for sale - a fly manufacturing, fly distribution company, started by the guy named Kirk Stone in 1978. Greg and his wife didn't buy the business until 2019. 09:30 - Greg tells the story of how he survived that avalanche 13:00 - Greg teaches his 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter how to ski and fish 14:30 - Greg was head of the production and one of the people who helped create and write the risk management program for all the athletes for Teton Gravity 17:00 - Immediately after they purchased the company, they created Jackson Hole Fly Company. In 6 to 8 months they got everything completed from the website to branding, all the marketing, etc. 18:10 - Their customers are mostly novices and don't want to do extreme outdoor sports but they want to go out, they want to camp, and disconnect from their day-to-day life 19:45 - One of their focuses is the basics package called, the Crystal Creek - it comes with a rod and reel for only $152.98 (first-time purchase price) 21:00 - They also have another basic package called, the Flat Creek - click here to find out its inclusions 22:00 - They have a great lifetime warranty with a fast turnaround time. They'll fix it within 1 to 2 weeks. 22:50 - They have around a thousand patterns from fresh to saltwater in different sizes 25:45 - If you don't see a pattern you like from their fly selection, you can email them at support@jacksonholeflycompany.com 28:10 - Kirk Stone, the previous owner grew the Jackson Cardinal fly company from the ground up. It reminds me of the story of the Umpqua Feather Merchants. We had Russ Miller on the podcast at WFS 303 29:20 - Greg gives a bit shoutout to his employees for doing an amazing job, loving what they do, and really passionate about fly fishing. They got 3 dogs in the shop as well - 1 black Labrador and 2 Corgis. 33:35 - They get their flies tied in Kenya. They ship the materials to Kenya. They source all of the materials out of the country. 35:30 - Greg explains the logistic issues they encounter when shipping the materials 39:00 - The Green River is about 45-50 mins away from their shop. That's Greg's favorite river to fish and camp. 40:10 - They use a 16-foot Hyde drift boat 41:20 - Greg's favorite fly is a Peanut Envy streamer. He also likes a Duracell nymph 46:30 - Greg shares some photography tips Don't be afraid to turn the camera horizontal or vertical to get a better photo If you're using an SLR camera, have it accessible. The last thing you want is to have some fish struggling while you're setting up your camera. 50:00 - JH Fly Co has a 50% off Spring sale. They always have a sale going so check in with them often. 50:45 - Greg is a County Commissioner at Teton and conservation is a big part of his responsibility 56:15 - Alaska wild-caught salmon are healthier to eat Conclusion with Greg Epstein and the Jackson Hole Fly Company So there you go.. Now you know what JH Fly Co is all about. Greg, his wife, and their team are doing an amazing job getting more people engaged in fly fishing. And that's always the goal.. is to get people on the water, release stress, connect with other folks and create great memories, but also.. have good gear without spending too much. Thank you, Greg and the JH Fly Co team for partnering with us. We are truly grateful to have you as our sponsor. We're excited to watch you grow and do more good things for the fly fishing community. If any of you have more questions for Greg, you can send him a message at support@jacksonholeflycompany.com or send them a DM on Instagram @jhflyco. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/331

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/330 Presented By: Trxstle, Bearvault, LakeLady Custom Rods, Stonefly Nets Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Andy Mill, an athlete, broadcaster, angler, and author, shares his passion-filled stories of competing at the highest level in multiple sports. We talk about some of the remarkable guests they've had on the Mill House Podcast. We dig into his award-winning book, Passion for Tarpon - how it came to be and who mentored him to write it. And we find out what his yearly routine looks like, living the rest of his days to the fullest. Andy also shares how he met Chris Evert, one of the greatest women tennis players of all time, their family set up then and now, and their visits to the white house, hanging out with ex-president George Bush. Lots of good stuff in this episode! Show Notes with Andy Mill and the Mill House Podcast 03:00 - Tom Evan is the greatest big-game saltwater fly guy of all time. He caught a 273-pound blue marlin on a 16-pound tippet, 194-pound tarpon on a 12-pound, and broke Billy Pate's record of 188 pounds on a 16 - Tom caught a 191. Tom Evans, Dean Butler and Al Diporak were on the Mill House Podcast. 05:45 -  Ernest Schwiebert wrote the book Matching the Hatch. Ernest taught Andy how to fly cast. 07:00 - Andy talks about his skiing career in the 60s and 70s. He was in the Aspen Valley Ski Club and joined the ski Olympics. 14:28 - "The difference between being good and great as a fisherman - good fisherman catch a lot of fish and big fish, a great fisherman can catch the fish that doesn't want to be caught. The difference between a good and great guide is a good guide can find fish but a great guide can find a fish that doesn't want to be found" 17:10 - Harry Spear became Andy's mentor. Harry refined Andy to become a tournament angler. Seven years later, Andy started fishing tournaments. 18:00 - Flip Pallot was on the podcast at WFS 070 18:45 - Andy wrote the book, Passion for Tarpon after winning some tournaments 21:00 - Andy married Chris Evert, the number 1 tennis player in the 70s and one of the greatest of all time, and they've got 3 sons. Andy tells the story of how they met. 26:30 - We talk about what makes Aspen special 29:00 - Andy and Chris used to hang out with ex-president George Bush and some other famous folks 36:00 - Andy and his son Nicky founded the Mill House Podcast. We talk about some of the remarkable guests they've had on the show. 36:40 - They interviewed Billy Knowles a year ago. He passed away this year. 37:55 - They had Neal Beidleman on the podcast. He was a guide on Mt. Everest in 1996 where 8 people died from a storm. Neal was credited a large role in assisting clients off the mountain to safety. 39:00 - After he got injured, Andy started a show "Ski with Andy Mill". He covered the 92 and 94 Olympics for CBS. He also worked as a broadcast for 20 years. 40:00 - After 20 years of broadcasting, he got offered to host a fishing show by the Outdoor Life Network 41:45 - Andy had a part-time gig with Good Morning America where he was a segment host. He also wrote for magazines like Tail Fly Fishing 42:45 - Jim Teeny was on the podcast at WFS 005 42:55 - Roland Martin was known for bass fishing but when Andy asked him, he said "tarpon on a fly" was his favorite 47:15 - Andy just had a shoulder operation which is already his 23rd operation 47:50 - In spring, Andy and his son tarpon fish for 6 weeks in the Keys. Then to Aspen, get in a high country for elk hunting. Then in Sept and early Oct, they hunt in Colorado and Montana for elk with bow and arrows. Then to Florida to play golf till February. Then back to the Keys. 51:27 - We talk about his son Nicky, how he's chasing his own heart 55:10 - We talk about the TV show, Sportsman's Journal with Andy Mill (1990s) - watch one of the episodes below 57:50 - Andy won more tarpon tournaments than anyone. There are only 3 guys that won a bonefish, tarpon, and permit tournament - Andy was the first one who did it. 58:50 - They had David Mangum on the podcast 1:02:40 - The most downloaded episode of the Mill House Podcast is their episode with Flip Pallot with over 40k downloads 1:05:10 - Joan Wulff was on the podcast at WFS 100 1:05:45 - Andy knew Lefty Kreh. Lefty mentored him in the book he wrote. They're good friends. 1:22:00 - Andy played football in college and was a quarterback. He played baseball as a pitcher. He also raced road bikes. 1:22:50 - The most exciting thing he's done today is big bull elking with bow and arrows 1:24:15 - Andy demonstrates how to cow call an elk. Really cool! Conclusion with Andy Mill and the Mill House Podcast So there you go. We heard a lot of cool stories today. Andy is an extraordinary guy, doing extraordinary things to everything he focuses on. I got to admit.. he's my idol now. I feel extra inspired to get out there, do what I love to do, and give it my all. Thank you, Andy for sharing these awesome stories. I hope you continue to live for as long as you like, doing great things for the industry we're in. For people out there who are struggling to focus on the thing you like to do, remember Andy - how he's able to excel in different things. Hopefully his story inspires you that if someone can do it, you can too! This is definitely my new favorite episode. Leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram at @wetflyswing if you enjoyed this episode. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/330

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/329 Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Trxstle, Zoe Angling Group Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Larry Hersman, the creator of Taos Rods, tells us about his trout spey rods. We find out the advantages of spey rods that are shorter than usual, how they cast, and are they the future of spey rods? We also dig into San Juan River fly fishing - we discover why this was said to be the best trout stream in the world during the winter, and why Larry describes it as "better than heaven" during the ant hatch. Plus, we talk about Larry's old job as an Environmental Scientist - how his research and publications had a significant impact on that field. San Juan River Fly Fishing Show Notes with Larry Hersman 03:30 - 50 years ago, Larry and his friend Jack drove up to Anchorage Alaska. On the way, Jack taught him how to fly fish and the first fish he caught was an arctic grayling. 05:50 - The San Juan Worm fly pattern works great on the San Juan river 06:30 - Larry started spey casting in the Skeena River 09:00 - Their trout spey rods are 3 wt 7 foot and 5wt 9 foot - shorter than the usual 11 foot 11:45 - Larry shares some tips on the recommended line setup for a 3 wt 7-foot spey rods 15:00 - You can dry fly fish with spey casting 15:45 - Larry spends most of his time in the Rio Grande river because it's only an hour away from where he stays. The San Juan river is about 3 hours away. 16:30 - Rio Chiquito is only 20 mins away from where Larry lives 17:25 - Larry shares some tips on the recommended line setup for a 5 wt 9-foot spey rods 18:00 - The Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics has been a leader in developing the light skagit line. Scientific Anglers, Rio, and Airflo also produce great lines 19:30 - Larry describes casting at the fly fishing show pool in Denver 28:40 - 2 things make the San Juan river unique 27:50 - At the end of May, they release a slug of water to mimic national runoff 29:50 - The word on the San Juan years ago used to be.. it was the best trout stream in the world in the winter because of the warm conditions, the fish are still feeding 30:50 - The ant fall or the carpenters hatch happens in early July and the fish go nuts for them. Size 22, 24, and 26 tiny flies with a 5x or 6x tippet work great 31:30 - 90% of the fish you catch in the San Juan river are rainbows but there are brown trout below the quality water 33:10 - Taylor Streit was on the podcast at WFS 313 35:20 - Taylor wrote books about fly fishing New Mexico 35:45 - The Taos Pueblos are considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States (since 1100 AD) 45:10 - The summer is when Larry recommends to fish the San Juan river. Wait 2 or 3 weeks after the river has come down - so start about the early June 46:05 - Call Abe's Fly Shop to check if the ant fall happens and get there as soon as possible 47:10 - Larry picks the Zebra Midge (size 26) as his go-to fly when fishing the San Juan river. Join the Top Fly Challenge and enter your favorite fly to win a box of flies 48:12 - Tim Cammisa was on the podcast at WFS 285 48:58 - If you go to the Texas hole, that's the first huge hole on the river. The down side is, if you only target the Texas hole, you're going to be with a dozen other people 50:30 - We talk about the Los Alamos area. There's a film being shot there right now about Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb". 51:45 - Larry always came to Taos to go skiing 53:30 - Larry talks about how the soil micro organisms could affect the movement of the radioactive nuclear tides and some other scientific stuff 55:45 - Larry Hersman's got some publications you can find on Google San Juan River Fly Fishing Conclusion with Larry Hersman So there you go. We discovered why his trout spey rods are great especially for people who are having shoulder problems or have limited strength like children, women, and older folks. You can reach out to Larry at hersmanl@gmail.com or visit his website to find out more about these short spey rods. We also discovered some good stuff about the San Juan River. So now we already know when's the best time to fish there. Check in with Abe's Fly Shop to find out when the ant hatch begins. If you've been there during the ant hatch and the winter, tell us about your experience or send me some photos on Instagram at @wetflyswing. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/329

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/328 Presented By: Reyr Gear, FishHound Expeditions, Anglers Coffee, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors "What advantage does the clear give you?" That's the question to start this episode with on choosing a line for fly fishing. Jarvis from Monic Fly Lines is here today to break down fly lines so you have a better feel for the types of lines out there and their uses. We find out how the different materials affect the performance of a line, the advantages of a clear line, and the ideal line for specific species and water. Jarvis also shares his experience hunting with the Hadza tribe and some of his saltwater trips in the Bahamas. Plus, we hear a story about one of their customers who has a 20-year-old clear Monic fly line that still works. Line for Fly Fishing Show Notes with Jarvis 08:10 - Jarvis got a job at Monic Fly Lines as a manufacturing assistant then later on stepped in for the managing role 09:20 - Bob Romano was on the podcast at WFS 314 where we talked about the Rangeley Lakes Region in Maine 11:00 - Jarvis excelled in school. He's pretty smart and got into some scholarships. 12:40 - Jarvis took up Anthropology in College 13:20 - The Hadza are modern hunter-gatherer people living in northern Tanzania. They are considered one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in Africa with approximately 1,300 tribe members. 19:50 - Monic Fly Lines are PVC-free. They use naturally buoyant plastics that's why they float well. 22:00 - The Monic 101 is their basic trout line 22:55 - The front taper is where the line begins to change in diameter. The belly section is the thickest portion of that line. Your rear taper is where it starts to go back down in diameter 27:00 - For beginners, a little heavier line, one size up, will make you feel the dynamics of your casting. If you have a 5 wt fast rod, a 6 wt line is recommended. If it's medium-fast, a true to weight size like 5 wt would be good 39:55 - Airflo Fly Lines also make PVC-free lines 41:30 - Jarvis explains how their lines become clear and talks about its stealth advantages 47:10 - Jarvis talks about how Bob Goodale, the founder, started Monic. Their first line was a clear floating line. Read more about the company's history here. 49:00 - Their Henley Series has a material that they call MoniCore 50:20 - The Henley Phantom Tip is one of their latest lines. Jarvis explains its advantages for fresh and saltwater 51:50 - One of their customer showed Jarvis a 20-year-old clear Monic line - it already turned yellow because of the UV damage but it still works 52:30 - Monic will replace your fly line if it breaks on the first year of buying it 55:10 - All the fly lines they produce are made from Boulder Colorado 56:30 - There's a chart in each type of line on their website for you to have a general idea of how your setup would be. There's a chat box there on the website too - send them a message and Jarvis or any from the Monic crew will gladly help 59:00 - Their Icicle line has a more advanced taper called Javelin taper 1:04:00 - The Saltwater Master series has a slickening agent built-in 1:06:45 - Jarvis had a saltwater trip with Denis Isbister in the Bahamas to do some content for Monic. Denis runs the Wild Fish Wild Places TV show 1:08:40 - Jarvis caught a horse side yellow tail jack 1:10:00 - Jarvis talks about his experience fishing in Acklins, a little southeast of the Bahamas 1:13:20 - We had Oliver White at WFS 69 where we talked about the Bahamas 1:13:50 - Enter your favorite fly at wetflyswing.com/topfly to win a box of flies 1:14:30 - Jarvis picks his top fly for fresh and saltwater. For trout, he picks Gold-ribber Hares Ear. For saltwater, he picks the Gotcha Shrimp pattern Line for Fly Fishing Conclusion with Jarvis So there you go. I hope you learned some things that will help you decide on what type of line you're getting next. I think that you can never go wrong with the clear ones. The stealthy type is always great to avoid spooking the fish. If you're a beginner, Jarvis recommends to up that line 1 step so that you can feel the dynamics of your casting better. Practice, and practice, then practice some more. Once you feel good about your casting, then you can experiment on your gear setup as you please. If you want to connect with Jarvis and the Monic team, send them a message on Instagram or via the Monic website chat box. They will gladly assist you in getting that perfect line for your needs and preference. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/328

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/327 Presented By: Bearvault, Zoe Angling Group, Angler's Coffee, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Justin Essian, Papa Bear's Owner, Director of Operations, and Chief Pilot, brings us to Alaska and helps us lay out a plan for a full DIY wilderness float trip. Fishing Alaska.. we can't get enough of it! We talk about the features of rivers like Goodnews, Arolik, and Kisaralik - find out which species you can target there, the best times to fish them, and which species are prohibited to kill and cook. Justin describes what a trip would look like for a group of 3 to 6 - how you can save money for raft rental, and how much it cost per person to get all set for the trip. We talk about the transportation system - the type of airplanes you will ride to get to your destination and how reliable are the pilots at Papa Bear. We also dig into some Elk hunting and some other things they have going. Fishing Alaska Show Notes with Justin Essian 04:20 - Justin graduated with an aviation degree in 2009. He got a job at Papa Bear Adventures to have a little fun while waiting to "start a real life". But then he got hooked on the lifestyle of fishing, hunting, and the outdoors in Alaska 05:20 - Ray Troll said the same thing about Ketchikan Alaska - he was on the podcast at WFS 299 05:50 - Tim Rawlins from the Line Speed Jedi was on the podcast a while back at WFS 027 where he talked about being a pilot in Alaska 07:10 - In Alaska, you use a plane to go from point A to point B - it's like your pick-up truck 11:50 - Justin walks us through what the trip would look like for a group of 4 13:50 - The third week of July is the best time in the year if you want to target all types of species. August is always fully-book because people want to target those silver salmons 14:15 - Mousing is good for the early season because those fish are extremely hungry since they haven't had enough salmon eggs yet 20:00 - The Goodnews River is 65 miles long 20:20 - The Arolik river is famous for its fantastic early season rainbows - it's 45 river miles 21:00 - They send their first trip on the 2nd or 3rd week of June 21:20 - Kisaralik is a 100 river miles 22:25 - You will be flying straight to Bethel Airport via Alaska Airlines 23:20 - Gold Rush Liquor Company - they call it a "bush order", you'll call it "gold rush" and you'll tell them what you want, send them a picture of your license, you pay for it, they ship it out on one of the local carriers, then the Papa crew will pick it up for you 26:05 - You ride 2 Havilland beaver planes to get to the camp. They're 1958 and 1958 model planes but they're well-maintained and got brand new engines on them 27:20 - They use the Otter series rafts 29:20 - Papabear staff will take care of the grocery for you 30:12 - Tip 1: Don't camp on a shallow island if it's raining 31:30 - They require a satellite communication device so you can get help for emergency situations. You can rent those devices from them 32:30 - Pilots at Papabear are disciplined enough not to make bad decisions that might end up crashing your plane. When they see thick fog, they don't fly through it, they turn around and come back to base 36:30 - You can't kill and eat the king salmons at Kisaralik River but you can at Arolik and Goodnews. The game wardens are on the rivers, watching. You also can't kill the rainbows. 39:00 - Tip 2: Going in a group of 3 or 6 will save you some money for the raft rental. Raft rent costs $800 that 3 people can fit. If you add a 4th person to the raft, it becomes $2200. 44:25 - Justin tells us the difference between the Arolik and the Goodnews River 47:30 - Seth Hunter, the Operations Manager at Papa Bear, got on the call to describe what the fishing is like in the rivers mentioned - how they're different in terms of fishing style, fish behavior, gear, etc. 1:00:30 - Justin describes what a 10-day trip would look like, plus the cost per person according to what you have prepared for. But the average cost per person is about $2500, which already includes your rental equipment 1:05:45 - Justin talks about Science on the Fly - a non-profit organization, doing good things for conservation Fishing Alaska Conclusion with Justin Essian So there you go. I hope you learned a thing or two about preparing for your next Alaska trip. Papa Bear does a great job at organizing these trips, making sure the logistics are taken care of, so you can focus on fishing and having fun. I've been planning for an Alaska trip with my buddies this year as well and I'm even more stoked to get there after doing this episode. If you're thinking of going to Alaska too, let me know and maybe we can go together! Send me an email at dave@wetflyswingpodcast.com or message me on Instagram at @wetflyswing Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/327

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/326 Presented By: Bearvault, LakeLady Custom Rods, Anglers Coffee, Dette Flies Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Scott Biron is here to take us into some history of fly tying and fly tyers that have paved the way for fly patterns today. We discover the stories behind these classic flies that have stood the test of time, why they're considered classic, and what makes them so effective. Scott shares some tips on how to tie these classic flies and the materials he uses. We get Scott's Top 10 Favorite Fly Patterns and find out why. Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Show Notes with Scott Biron 07:20 - Scott was a PE teacher and he would teach his students fly casting 10:10 - Scott call people that troll out in the internet, trying to find things wrong with everything, pattern police 11:00 - There's a big lake in New Hampshire called, Sunapee 11:10 - The Purple Smelt pattern by Ora Smith was said to be the only fly that caught fish on the Sunapee Lake 12:30 - Scott describes a classic streamer 16:30 - We talk about Jim Warner and his original fly, Winnipesaukee Smelt 18:40 - They Grey Ghost pattern was Carrie Steven's original pattern - Carried was said to tie without using a vise 21:20 - There's a book that was written about Carrie Stevens called, Carrie G. Stevens: Maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies 25:55 - The Purple Smelt was not really purple, but lavender 27:45 - The Canopache Fly is also one of Ora Smith's original flies 30:55 - Scott talks about Ewing Feather Birds, their excellent products and service 34:00 - Ellis Hatch was the last great production tyer in New Hampshire - he recently passed away 36:00 - The Black Ghost is a pattern by Herb Welch 36:30 - Mike Martinek was a fly tyer from New England. He created some beautiful streamer patterns - one of which was the Boarder Patrol 37:10 - Carrie Stevens has a fly called, Rapid River - named after the river that it was used on 37:40 - The Grey Ghost works great because it looks a lot like a smelt. The feather-wing still is the material that people prefer to tie with 40:00 - Scott tells us his top 10 streamer flies 42:05 - The Morning Glory is another Carrie Stevens pattern 42:30 - Blue Dragon and General MacArthur are also Carrie Stevens patterns 43:30 - The Indian Rock pattern is a brook trout magnet. It's also a pattern by Carrie Stevens 47:50 - Scott talks about the hackle he uses - Ewing Featherbirds 55:15 - The New Hampshire Warden pattern is Scott's original. He tells us a funny story of when a guy at a fly fishing show said that he didn't know what he was doing 1:03:50 - Tim Flagler does a good job explaining his technique via video - Tim was on the podcast at WFS 279 1:06:25 - Scott uses a Regal Revolution for Vise and Sprite for scissors 1:14:00 - Operation Game Thief is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program that pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. You can call them toll-free within Colorado at 1-877-COLO-OGT, Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT, or contact them via e-mail at game.thief@state.co.us​​ 1:17:00 - At WFS 008, I talked to Darren MacEachern about the Streamers Project 1:18:30 - The B Pond fly pattern is a wet fly - Carrie Stevens tied 30 B pond streamers commissioned for a group of fly fishers in Massachusetts. They couldn't find the recipe for this pattern Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Conclusion with Scott Biron So there you go. We learned a lot about the history of classic flies and the tyers who made them. It's always good to find out how a fly pattern came about. That way we acknowledge the brilliant creators behind the patterns that we enjoy today as a way to show our respect to their work and legacy. Scott is an amazing fly tyer and is doing great things for the fly tying world. He may be gone in the future but his fly patterns will surely live on. I am feeling extra inspired to tie a fly today so I'm heading to my workstation to try one of the flies we talked about. Maybe a Carrie Stevens fly or maybe a Scott Biron fly. What about you, what are you tying today? Let me know in the comments. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/326

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/325 Presented By: Togens Fly Shop, Zoe Angling Group, Angler's Coffee, Reyr Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Guy Jeans, owner of the Kern River Fly Shop, host of the Kern River Fly Shop Podcast, and vocalist of the band Stoneflys; is here to take us on a wild ride up and down the Kern River. We talk about the 10 native species in California including the golden trout. We find out what fishing is like in different parts of the Kern River, the seasons and hatches, gear, techniques, and flies they use. We also dig into Guy's newfound passion in podcasting - talk about some of the remarkable guests he's had on the podcast. Plus, we hear some of his band's original songs and I got to tell you.. they're pretty awesome! Kern River Show Notes with Guy Jeans 05:15 - There's a great fly fishing club in Ventura called, Sespe Fly Fishers - they helped Guy get started in tying flies, building rods, casting, etc. 05:45 - We talk about Ska music 06:45 - The Kern River is in the Sierra mountain range, Southern Sierra - 3 hours North of Los Angeles. The river is about 170 miles long. 07:30 - The most popular fish that people come to fish for is the native California Golden trout, the Kern river rainbow, and the little Kern Golden trout 09:30 - Guy went permit fishing in Xcalak Mexico 11:00 - They also have the tailwater called the lower current, below a giant lake where they fish smallmouth and largemouth bass - they fish here in June 12:00 - They also fly fish for carp in Lake Isabela - they held carp fly fishing tournament in May 15:00 - They do 4x4 trip where they have full outfitter camps with a chef and tents 16:00 - Their hot season is in July, August, and part of September. March and April is a prime time to fish in their section on the Kern river - salmon fly hatch and mayfly hatch 17:00 - People took some of the Golden trout and put them in places like Wyoming and Montana 17:55 - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has a program called, Heritage Trout Program - a mini-contest within California that challenge people to catch the 10 native trout species in California. If you catch 6 of the 10 natives, you get a certificate that has prints of the species you caught drawn by Joseph Tomerelli 19:00 - Guy mentions the 10 Native Trout in California 20:20 - There are 2 forks - North Fork Kern River (flows into Kernville and comes down from Mt Whitney) and South Fork Kern River (doesn't get blown out, you can fish it anytime) 23:10 - It's mostly dry fly fishing for the wild golden trout - from downstream to upstream. Presentation is the key. 24:30 - The typical flies they use are stimulators, smaller stimulators, parachute adams, royal wulf, and ants 25:15 - The gear recommended are super light - 2 wt or 3 wt 25:30 - The biggest golden trout you can probably catch is 15 inches - typical is 6 to 12 inches 28:10 - Tim Landwehr was on the podcast at WFS 273 where we talked about smallmouth and largemouth bass 28:30 - Guy is holding casting clinics in California 29:00 - They use pontoon boats because of the river structure 30:00 - They have an Instagram called Kooks of the Kern where people post funny photos of what they do on the Kern river 33:00 - There's a wild trout section in the wilderness area part of the North Kern and they fish stonefly patterns. Nymphing works good there too. They also have chinook and kokanee salmon in lake Isabela. 36:20 - In Fall, they have caddis, mayflies, and some tricos later in the season 37:30 - Their website is the best resource they recommend to people who want to learn more about Kern river fishing. You can listen to their podcast there too. 39:10 - Guy had a guest on his podcast who's a fishing game warden - he told a story of when he confronted some gang members that were fishing 39:40 - I read a book years ago called, Wildlife Wars: The Life and Times of a Fish and Game Warden 41:00 - Guy tells us about their location which is close to the ocean and they would fish the surf in Ventura - they fish corbina, surfperch, and leopard sharks 41:40 - We had an episode about corbina and surf fishing with Al Quattrocchi at WFS 219 42:55 - People sometimes come to Guy's studio to record the podcast 43:44 -  Kern River Podcast is on Waypoint TV and Anchor. I use Libsyn for the WFS podcast and Buzzsprout for another podcast we do 47:40 - Guy tells us about his music journey in the 80s and 90s - Ska music 51:00 - Merle Haggard has a song called, I'll Never Swim Kern River Again - scroll below to listen 56:15 - Eeland Stribling was on the podcast at WFS 309 - Eeland is a standup comedian 57:30 - Guy was on the Heidi and Frank show called Stay or Go - apparently, people like their songs 59:10 - Guy tells the story of when they played at a huge venue in Mexico and their amps blew up because of electric surges 1:00:50 - For sidelines, Guy did some commercials in Hollywood as the fly fishing guy in the background. He also worked with actors like Christian Bale in the movie, Vice - he taught Christian how to cast 1:05:00 - Guy shares some tips - Fish from downstream to upstream, stay hidden - be stealthy, good presentation, good cast 1:03:00 - May and June are the best times to fish for the golden trout - the Fall is good for the kern river rainbows. Summertime is good for the carp and smallmouth bass 1:12:30 - They have a brewery in Kern called, The Kern River Brewery - they won many years in a row at the Great American Beer Fest. One of their best beer is the Citra IPA Kern River Conclusion with Guy Jeans So there you go. Another great interview with a fellow podcaster. I always get excited whenever I talk to people who share the same interest. Hopefully, we could put together an episode with me as a guest on his show too. But we'll see.. I'm not sure if I make a good guest. What do you think? I'm really amazed at all Guy has going - the fly shop, the classes, the podcast, the band. He surely is living the life he loves and like he said, none of it feels like work.  Oh and Guy's band, Stonefly.. man they create good music! Their songs are definitely going on my playlist. If you haven't heard them yet, you're missing out on some good stuff! But then back to the Kern River.. if you want to catch some of those beautiful golds, you know where to find them. Try and catch all 10 California native trout species. Let us know how about your experience. Send me a message at dave@wetflyswing.com or DM me on Instagram @wetflyswing Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/325

Togens Trivia:  https://wetflyswing.com/trivia Justin Lopatriello from Togens Fly Shop shares a little bit on his background and the steps for you to enter to win some fly tying swag from Togens. We will be giving away 5 Togens Tying swag packs to 5 winners who answer the fly tying questions first.   We will be announcing the winners on an upcoming episode. Show Notes: 01:58 - Brandon Molzahn was on the podcast here:  https://wetflyswing.com/fly-tying-patterns-for-stillwater-with-brandon-molzahn-togens-fly-shop/ Enter to Win Here:  https://wetflyswing.com/trivia

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/324 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Adam Cuthriell, owner of FishHound Expeditions, is here to break down fly fishing in Alaska and talk about the remoteness of Kodiak. We learn the step-by-step guide from booking to preparation to fishing. We find out what are the resident species in Alaska, the best times in a season to go after them, the recommended gear setup, and the flies that work great. We also hear an epic story of when Adam had a close encounter with a bear and almost got himself eaten. We learn some tips on how to avoid situations like that and what to do if you ever find yourself in such a situation. Fly Fishing Alaska Show Notes with Adam Cuthriell 05:10 - Trout in Alaska grow up to 2 feet because they eat meat - they use streamers, salmon smolt, and mice. 06:30 - Adam was a firefighter before he got into the travel business. He started with just a boat now he has 10 full-time guides, 18 boats, and 5 locations. 10:20 - Anchorage is the hub for Alaska. The following day, they fly out to the camp via helicopter. 12:10 - They use nice inflatable rafts. 14:00 - September is Adam's personal favorite time to fish. Most of the time during early summer, it doesn't get dark and you won't see stars. 14:40 - Trout are resident species, leopard rainbow trout, arctic grayling, and dolly varden trout - they get really fat. 16:00 - They encourage people to be wearing a headnet because sometimes the wind gets still and the bugs might bite. 18:45 - They fish 2 clients and 1 guide per boat but they offer a gear-boat deluxe trip with a gear-boat man who's one step ahead of the game - he sets up the camp, lunch, tent, fire, etc. 21:10 - They got silver salmon in Alaska - they're aggressive and big. Adam loves to fish them. 22:10 - On the top water, they fish pink poppers. 25:40 - We answer Chris Cook's question about rods and lines. FishHound Expeditions provides all gear - they fish 6 or 7 wt for trout, and 7 or 8 wt for salmon. For lines, they use a weight-forward floating line. 28:50 - They swing flesh flies. In September, they use streamers like Dolly Llama. 30:30 - A lot of the rivers that they operate in are small to medium size - a far cast is about 20 to 25 feet. 35:50 - Adam tells the story of when he almost got eaten by a bear - it's like one of those 'I Shouldn't Be Alive' stories. We learn some tips on how to avoid that kind of situation - be loud and don't surprise the bears 41:05 - FishHound start commercially operating in mid-May, then the season ends by the end of October. From November to April, they guide ice fishing. 42:35 - Adam has been living in Alaska for 10 years now. He used to live in Colorado. 43:50 - In winter, the snow gets thick from 600 to 1000 inches - Adam and his 2 year old daughter go snowboarding 45:00 - Adams tells us how we can do a DIY trip to Alaska just doing road-access fishing 47:50 - There's a fly shop in Anchorage Alaska called, Mossy's Fly Shop owned by Mike Brown. Adam mentions some more fly shops that are generous with information. 52:00 - Late July and August are when most of the resident species present - rainbows, arctic grayling, arctic char, kings, sockeye, pinks, chums, and silver salmons. You can catch 9 to 10 different species on one fly. 53:50 - Adam's biggest addiction is steelhead 54:46 - The Karluk River in Alaska has the largest returns of steelhead in the state. The best time to fish for them is in the Fall. 57:45 - Russ Miller was on the podcast at WFS 303 - he talked about when the gold bead was introduced for nymphs 1:00:30 - An extra rain jacket is a good thing to have or a good heavy-duty rain jacket made with gore-tex. Bring an extra set of waders too. 1:03:30 - You would need to get your fishing license ahead of time. You can have a digital copy on your phone but it's best to have it printed in case your phone dies or something. 1:05:00 - Any variation of the fly called, the Dolly Llama works best for fishing in Alaska. The other one would be a bead. Adams recommends a mouse fly too. 1:08:15 - The two-handed approach is awesome whether it's a switch rod or traditional spey 1:09:45 - Don't forget your sleeping bag. When you book a trip with FishHound, they will remind you via email of the things you need to bring, so make sure you read those emails. Fly Fishing Alaska Conclusion with Adam Cuthiell So there you go. If you want to book a trip of a lifetime in Alaska, you can connect with Adam and the FishHound team. Keep in mind the things you need to prepare for the trip like an extra-thick jacket, sleeping bag, headnet, fishing license, etc. FishHound will give you a checklist anyway and remind you via email what to bring once you book with them, so make sure you read those emails.  Also, once you're there, remember to be loud and make your presence known to keep the bears away. And if you ever find yourself standing next to a hungry bear, scream angrily as loud as you can like a wolverine just like Adam did. It doesn't guarantee that the bear won't attack but at least increase your chance of surviving that situation. You have two options: be bigger than your fear or get eaten.  Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/324