• What are your thoughts on drop beads for saltwater flies?
• I am having problems with blood knots and leader sections ending up the right length.
• On which Orvis rods will overlining help?
• How can I get my fly deep enough to catch walleye on a fly?
• A listener has various questions about fishing for striped bass on Cape Cod.
• What line should I put on my new Orvis Superfine graphite?
• Two fly-tying tips and a first aid tip from a doctor.
• I am swinging 5 or 6 wet flies at the same time, all in line, and sometimes drop fish on the lower flies. How can I fix this?
• How can you catch fish that are nearly impossible to approach in low, clear water?
• Some great tips from a listener on how to stay warm when winter fishing.

• I can't seem to get my fly deep enough in bass lakes with my floating line. Should I get a sinking line for my 8-weight and fish surface flies with my 5-weight?
• A listener asks for help from listeners in ways to lessen the pain of losing his beloved fishing dog
• I fished a river that has always been full of trout and didn't see a thing. What happened to the fish?
• Should I apply my dubbing with clockwise or counterclockwise twists?
• Can I tie my dropper onto the tag end of my improved clinch knot?
• What are your thoughts and comments on how long a trout stays spooked?
• Why do you prefer a sling pack and where do you put your net?
• Do resident brook trout in a river get pushed around by migrating steelhead? Do they still feed?
• I didn't catch any fish in high, cold water. What should I have done?
• What do you think about tying a loop in the end of my tippet and attaching flies with a girth hitch?
• Why don't people use landing nets for striped bass?
• I saw an anti-reverse fly reel on EBay. What do you think of them?

This episode was originally published on January 30th, 2021

This week, continuing our series of podcasts on winter fly fishing for trout, I interview George Daniel, author and guide. George is also an Orvis ambassador and field tester, and teaches fly fishing at Penn State. As you'll discover, there are many similarities with winter fishing in other parts of the country, along with some flies and techniques a bit more appropriate for the Northeast.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including:
Do you use touch dubbing, split thread dubbing, and composite loop dubbing techniques?
I'm looking for a fly line to fish streamers for bass, trout, and panfish. Which line should I get?
What leaders do I need for my Clearwater Trout Spey setup, for both Skagit and Scandi lines?
What's your technique for catching largemouth bass, and what are your favorite flies?
Why can't I get my dubbing noodle to behave?
Which intermediate line should I get for fishing streamers and indicators in four to eight feet of water?
A great tip on a method for wetting marabou and other materials without putting them in your mouth.
I went fishing before a cold front and got skunked. I thought fishing was supposed to be good before a cold front.
What line and leader and tippet would you use for trout in lakes in 15 feet of water?

This episode was originally published on January 14th, 2021.

My guest this week is Rachael Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics.

In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:
Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel?
How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing passion?

• When should I use split shot as an "in-line" rig as opposed to the drop shot method?
• Is it better to use fewer big split shot or a number of smaller ones?
• What can I do with egg yarn other than make egg flies?
• Mayfly nymphs look flat. Why don't we use more flies with a flattened shape?
• Should I cast my streamers upstream, across-stream, or quartering down and swinging?
• Where should I look for striped bass along a marshy shoreline?
• How important is color on emerger flies. Most of the patterns I see imitate the color of the duns but shouldn't we be more concerned with the color of the nymph?
• Why are high-end fly rods more expensive than high-end conventional rods?
• When tying flies, should I tie every size in the right range or should I skip sizes?

Dave is one of the best young voices in fly fishing [38:14]. He's the real deal—he is a fishy guy and can handle a fly rod with the best of them, but he's also a teacher of writing at the college level and a published author. (His new book is terrific and the title is Calling After Water.) Dave gives us what I consider a mini master class on how to write about fly fishing so that your stories are engaging, concise, and fun. I know you will find many useful tips in this podcast.

In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of great questions from listeners, including:

What are the benefits of tube flies?

Can I nymph fish for steelhead with a Spey rod?

Is there a benefit from using UV fly-tying materials?

What is the best way to attach pre-made droppers to my leader?

Tippet ring, surgeon's knot, or blood knot?

Why do people look down on swinging wet flies for trout?

How can I fish a bigger river without wasting my time trying to fish it all?

Is it better to go to a smaller streamer when fish are just bumping the fly?

How can young people help to improve our environment?

• How do I know when it's appropriate to use resin instead of head cement?
• I am very new to fly fishing and want to keep my initial fly selection simple. Do you think that's a good idea?
• Is it a good idea to tie a sacrificial mono loop at the end of my fly line to preserve the loop?
• What size dry flies do you use in the East for dry/dropper rigs?
• Are there more "vintage" Orvis reels that you still use?
• Are there notable distinctions between the various kinds of dubbing?
• I saw a single caddisfly on the snow recently. Is this unusual?
• I had something snap my 12-pound fluorocarbon tippet in a clean break while fishing in salt water. What could have caused this?
• What do you keep on your fly tying desk, other than the typical tools and materials?
• What should I bring for a traveling fly-tying kit?
• Great tips from a listener on how to lessen backache when tying flies.
• How do you target cold, high rivers?

• Is there a performance difference between a hand-tied knotted leader and a knotless leader?
• A tip from a listener on the best way to begin your life as a fly tier.
• Do trout lose the rods and cones in their eyes when they get to be about 17 inches long?
• Are there any colors you would avoid when fishing a Sparkle Minnow?
• As a beginning fly tier, what tools and materials should I get first?
• What is the effect of major floods on small brook trout streams?
• A great tip from a listener on exactly what type and size of nitrile gloves are best for winter fishing.
• Can you give us a history of Superfine Graphite rods, and what is the new release like?
• If I use a 12-foot leader with a 9-foot rod, how can I easily land fish?
• If my waders end up frozen, will that hurt them?
• How can I fish in a river where everyone else is fishing indicators? I don't like fishing indicators.
• Can I keep my fly rods in the trunk of my car over the winter?
• A listener has a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that trout can learn and that trout in rivers with a lot of fishing pressure have learned to avoid certain flies. Is there any scientific research on this topic?