Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/369 Presented By: Range Meal Bars, Angler's Coffee, Togens Fly Shop, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Jerry French, steelhead flies innovator, shares the story of how Intruder flies, Skagit Spey lines, and short Spey rods came to be. We find out how they changed the game big time for steelhead fly fishing. Jerry tells us how they tried to keep their ideas secret and when they realized that it was time to share them with the community. We also talk about some of his signature flies like the Dirty Hohs and Sculpins. This is a replay episode from 2020 and also one of our most downloaded episodes so it's great to listen to it again. Intruder Flies Show Notes with Jerry French 06:30 - We had George Cook on the podcast in episode 131 where we dug into the history of the Northwest Spey. 11:15 - A 13-foot 6 wt rod was considered short back then 13:30 - Jerry tells the story of when they were on a road trip, fishing and guiding, sleeping in the car, and didn't shower for days. 18:00 - Jerry talks about the evolution of Intruder flies 22:25 - They weren't planning on sharing the Intruder secrets with anyone but some of their flies got stolen on one of their fishing trips 26:60 - Jerry talks about that time when they realized that it was time to share their secret with the community 32:00 – Jerry was an original founder of OPST and was all about getting Ed Ward paid for his contribution. The ultra-compact heads were a big part of what Jerry and Ed developed. 37:20 - Joseph Rossana was on the podcast in episode 136 42:00 - Jerry describes what a Dirty Hoh platform is and why it's so special to him 46:30 - Listener question: Do you swing butt or broad side on the swing? Jerry says: Straight up, no questions - always broad side. He calls it "controlled" and explains in detail. 56:00 - Jerry shares why he had to part ways with OPST and build Aqua Flies with Doug Brutocao Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/369

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/368 Presented By: Range Meal Bars, Stonefly Nets, Zoe Angling Group, Jackson Hole Fly Company Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Bret Bishop tells the story of how he got into the Team USA and who his mentor was early on that made his and the team's dreams come true. He shares how the team sets up their euro rigs while in competition and their mission to win gold in several competitions. He also takes us fishing in Europe, his home waters, and talks about his favorite gears, brands, and some tips on dry droppers. Listen to this episode to discover more tips and tricks from none other than Bret Bishop - 2006 Individual National Champion and current Captain of the Team USA.  Silver Creek Outfitter Show Notes with Bret Bishop 3:13 - Bret Bishop talks about how he got into fly fishing. His parents wanted him and his brother to be self-sufficient anglers. 3:51 - For years in the summertime, his family would travel around and spend three months living in a VW bus and going trout fishing and camping. 4:17 - They ended up living in Sun Valley, Idaho which is where Silver Creek is. His parents were into spring creeks, so everywhere they went they would go and fish the spring creek. 5:42 - Bret talks about how their father taught them how to be self-sufficient anglers. 6:24 - He also learned fly fishing and the actual casting through attending classes. 7:30 - He shares how different is Silver Creek now than it was in the '80s. 10:06 - He tells about how the Fly Fishing Team USA started. About 2003, his friend Pete Erickson, who we interviewed for episode 118, got into the team early. There was a lot of history before Bret joined the team. 11:36 - He got involved in the team when he was invited out to Bend, Oregon along with other guys to try out. He fished well enough that he made it to what they called the development team. 13:11 - In 2006, they had the first Fly Fishing National Champion in Boulder, Colorado. 15:20 - He shares why the team struggled during practice in Portugal in 2006 and why that made Portugal kind of a tough introduction to the world of European fly fishing. 16:37 - He talks about what makes fishing in Europe different. 19:26 - He shares the team's quest to win gold in Italy. He also mentions one person who has been the backbone of the team in terms of financial support and making their dreams come true. 21:50 - He clarifies the difference among the Masters Team, Senior Team, and Youth Team. 22:31 - I ask what would it be like to have the Masters Team compete with the Senior Team. 24:36 - He emphasizes how important it is to work well together as a team and have great team chemistry and guide. 26:49 - Bret encourages people, especially the best anglers, to get a guide saing time trying to find the water they need to fish and learn some inside knowledge on techniques. 27:52 - I ask about the percentage of time that he uses certain techniques such as euro nymphing, dry fly, dry dropper, and streamers. 31:41 - Bret shares how euro nymphing started and became popular. 33:18 - He talks about how their current style of nymphing is different from what it was 10 years ago. 36:30 - He shares his setup and current favorite gears. His current choice of rod is the Echo Shadow X 10'6" 3wt rod which he says is really light and just the right balance for everything. 37:10 - When he's guiding, he uses a level line that's a little stiffer such as those from Cortland and Umpqua. He currently uses the Cortland White Mono Line (.009"/8 LB) which he says works really well for guiding. 41:27 - He shares more about their practice and setup for a competition. 44:50 - He mentions some of their great guides who helped them win competitions through their techniques and fly patterns. 46:52 - He explains his process of how he goes through switching flies with a euro setup. 50:41 - Bret talks about fishing in his home water that is Silver Creek. 52:32 - He explains the big difference between a tailwater and a spring creek. 56:40 - Bret shares the best months to fish in Silver Creek. 58:34 - He mentions the other rivers and streams that he frequents to fish. 1:05:20 - He provides some tips on using a dry dropper saying it's a matter of keeping your setup simple. 1:09:50 - He says the hardest thing to learn is how to cast a euro dry dropper and provides some tips for it. 1:13:52 - He mentions his favorite tools to use in fishing in his home waters. 1:17:33 - He encourages young anglers to be well-rounded and learn casting besides euro nymphing. 1:18:27 - He shares the most difficult type of fishing to teach. 1:19:48 - He mentions the upcoming events for Team USA as well as the women's team wherein Tess Weigand is also a part. We interviewed her in episode 364. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/368

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: Bearvault, FishHound Expeditions 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 👇🏻👇🏻 1:15:30 - Supaman HipHop also came from a Native American culture - a great influence on his music 1:16:50 - Norman shares a bunch of tips on Euro nymphing, casting, and leader setup 1:21:00 - You can get one of Norman's original flies at Umpqua Feather Merchants - HDA Fav Variant 1:22:00 - We hear a tip on keeping the distance between your flies, dropper and point fly Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/348

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 takes us on a remote Alaskan Wilderness float trip. We break down the recommended fly fishing gear for Alaska trip and all that you need to prepare for - from the best flies to the best fly rod to the best clothing to get you ready for that trip of a lifetime and make your experience 10 out of 10. Find out what a rainbow hitting a mice sounds like in this episode and how you can put together your own remote Alaskan 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.