Fly Fishing Experts Tell Their Secrets LIVE!

Matt McCannel, a professional guide, introduces us to the tailwaters of the Uncompahgre River (Paco). On the western slope of the Colorado Rockies, this tailwater yields incredible trophy browns and rainbow. Browns exceeding the 20-pound mark lurk in the shadows of boulders and stumps. Join us as Matt guides us down the river and shares his secrets to catching these monster fish.

Questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What's the best time of year to catch the trophy browns and rainbows?
• How do you find the trophy fish?
• What type of water do they inhabit?
• Do they attack streamers?
• What do they eat?
• What are the top three fly patterns that attract the big fish?
• Does Euro nymphing work for these fish?
• How accurate does your presentation have to be to get good takes?

Check out this video: Matt McCannel Sight Fishing Paco's Trophy Trout

Jason Randall fishes with fly fishing giants such as George Daniel, Landon Mayer, Lefty Kreh, Ed Jaworowski, Ed Engle, Gary Borger, and Joe Humphreys and on this show Jason will share their top nymphing techniques, flies, and tactics. Randall covers everything from rigging flies, reading the water, casting, and fighting fish. Join us to see what Jason has learned from fishing with the masters.

Steve Kantner's book Fifty Women Who Fish is a collection of interviews with women who love to fish. Women are the fastest growing demographic in fly fishing and understanding their interest and joy of fishing is important to the industry. Join us on this podcast and learn why many of these women have made fly fishing an important part of their personal and professional life.

If you'd like to purchase Fifty Women Who Fish go to www.whywomenfish.com (not available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

Bruce Staples has unmatched fly fishing knowledge of the greater Yellowstone backcountry. He’s explored its rivers and lakes for over five decades and shares his knowledge with us on this show. Want to get away from the crowds? Join us and find out where and how to fish Yellowstone’s backcountry.

Robert McConnell started fly fishing in Western Pennsylvania and later moved to Houston, Texas. He had to adapt and learn about fishing a whole new world from the city waterways to backcountry rivers and streams. Join us to learn about fishing warmwater species in southeast Texas including carp, spotted bass, largemouth bass, panfish and even prehistoric gar and bowfin.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What are the main areas to fish in the Houston area?
• How can you find out about public access?
• What species can you target Lake Conroe?
• What are the best ways to fish Lake Conroe?
• Is the West Fork San Jacinto River easy to wade fish?
• What species will you find in the West Fork San Jacinto River?
• How is the East Fork San Jacinto River different from the West Fork?
• Where is the best place to fish for carp?
• What type of flies do you use in most of these fisheries?
• Where do you go to get away from the crowds?
• What's the best way to fish Sheldon Lake?
• Which fisheries offer the best gar and bowfin fishing?
• What type of fishery is Brays Bayou?
• Is there good fishing in downtown Houston?

Steven Hawley, an environmental journalist, has revealed the ugly truth about dams. The estimated 800,000 dams in the world can’t be blamed for destroying the Earth’s entire biological inheritance, but they play an outsized role in that destruction. What started as an arguably good government project has drifted oceans away from that original virtuous intent. Join us to learn about the effect dams have had on our planet and what the future of dams can be in our warming world.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• You recently published "Cracked: The Future of Dams in a Hot, Chaotic World." What inspired you to write the book?
• How do you see the role of dams evolving in the context of global climate change?
• What are some innovative alternatives to dams for water management and power generation?
• Can you share a story from the book that particularly moved or motivated you?
• Detractors to dam removal cite the financial and environmental benefits of dams. Can you provide a counterpoint to these arguments?
• How do you propose we balance the human need for water and power with the ecological necessity to maintain free-flowing rivers?
• How do indigenous and local communities fit into the narrative around dams and their impact?
• Can you talk about a specific dam removal project that you cover in the book and its outcomes?
• Can you discuss specific examples where dam removal has led to noticeable improvements in fishing quality or fish biodiversity?
• In some cases, a dam removal would destroy fisheries as we know them. What are your thoughts on those situations?
• What are the most common misconceptions about dams?
• Is it possible to remove a dam like the Glen Canyon Dam?
• Are dams still being built in the United States?
• How do you see the dialogue around dams changing in the next decade?

Matthew Miller is the director of science communications for The Nature Conservancy and has fished Silver Creek countless times. Silver Creek is well known for testing the skills of many an accomplished fly fisher so Matt’s tips for fishing it will be invaluable. Join us and learn about fishing this legendary fishery and what changes are taking place that may affect the future of this spring creek.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What was your first experience with Silver Creek?
• What makes it special for you?
• Can you give us a tour of Silver Creek?
• What species do you target?
• What's the best time of year to fish?
• Are there trophy fish to be caught in the creek?
• What is the best way to fish the creek?
• What hatches are common in this water?
• How important is it to match the hatch?
• Are the fish there really as picky as some people describe?
• The fishery is known for its dry fly fishing. Is nymphing also effective?
• What is the Nature Conservancy's history with Silver Creek?
• What does the future look like for Silver Creek?

Skip Morris, author of seventeen books on fly fishing, will guide us through the biology and how to fish the salmonfly and golden stonefly. Where, when and how will be covered in depth so the next time you have the opportunity you'll be well prepared to catch more fish.

Jim Klug, photographer, guide and travel coordinator, takes us on a tour of Belize from the northern waters of Ambergris Caye, to the pristine waters of Turneffe Atoll, all the way south to Hopkins, Placencia and Puta Gorda. Join us to explore Belize!

Phil Rowley goes beyond basic strike indicator chironomid techniques and explores techniques and setups for deep water indicator fishing, the dry line long leader technique better known as the naked technique, and sinking lines including 'dangling' where we fish straight up below the boat - the takes with dangling are heart stopping!

Gary Bulla is an expert on fly fishing salt water from Point Conception to the Sea of Cortez. He has landed over 130 species on the fly. Listen in to learn Gary's strategies and techniques for fly fishing from a kayak in Baja, Mexico.

The challenge of fly fishing can increase dramatically when conditions become difficult. Whether it be due to weather, water, cover, hatches, distance, or a combination of those factors, when the angling gets tough, it pays to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Learn from Jason about ways to make difficult angling situations easier and more productive.

Tom Boyd has traveled the world studying trout, salmon and char. He's tagged them, done DNA analysis, studied their habitat and range as well as individual characteristics. In his recent book Trout Salmon and Char he presents new findings, behavior patterns and proven tactics to catch more fish. Join us and pick Tom's brain about this new data he's collected so you can better understand these fish and catch more of them.

Michele White, a professional guide in Lake George, Colorado, has extensively explored, fished and documented the tributaries of the South Platte River in South Park. South Park is home to Lake George, the Tarryall River, Lost Creek, Tomahawk, Badger Basin and the headwaters of the South Platte River. Listen in to this podcast if you're looking for fishing locations that are less pressured than the South Platte River but still in easy reach of the Denver metro area.

Spey fishing has evolved from being traditionally used for salmon and steelhead to a wider scope of species including inland trout, smallmouth bass, and even saltwater game fish. Rick Kustich discusses presentation techniques for both two-handed and single-handed approaches to spey as well as lines and heads. Join us and learn about spey techniques and methods, and how spey fishing could fit into your fly fishing future.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• Where and when did spey fishing start?
• How did you first decide to learn spey casting and how did you go about learning the various spey casts?
• Other than distance, please list the advantages of Spey casting vs one handed casts?
• Can these techniques be adopted to small waters and smaller fish. This seems to be a big water technique?
• For someone starting out with Spey Fishing and an experienced fly fisher, what would you recommend in terms of equipment?
• What are the basics of spey casting?
• What’s the difference between single-hand and two hand casting?
• How does trout spey differ from “conventional” spey?
• What are the differences between Spey fishing for trout and the traditional wet fly swing?
• Are there practical applications for spey casting when musky fishing?
• What technique would be best for casting in a pond that has no current?
• Can you use a spey rod to fish saltwater from a beach?
• In what circumstances if any, do you use a stripping basket? Are they useful in Spey fishing?
• What type of flies are commonly used for spey fishing?