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Magnificent Roosterfish: Unlocking the Secrets of El Gallo
Tom Boyd
Fly Fisher/Fly Tier/Author
They’re fast, powerful, and one of the toughest fish to fool on a fly—roosterfish, or El Gallo. Join us as legendary angler Tom Boyd shares his decades-long pursuit of these magnificent predators in Costa Rica. From world-record catches to breakthrough tactics, Tom reveals what makes roosters so elusive, how to spot and hook them, and why landing one is considered the pinnacle of saltwater fly fishing. Don’t miss this chance to learn the secrets of chasing one of the ocean’s most extraordinary game fish!
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What makes roosterfish one of the most challenging saltwater fish to catch on a fly?
- How do their unique auditory and visual senses make them so difficult to fool?
- Can you explain the role of the dorsal comb and how roosterfish use it to hunt or herd baitfish?
- How does the behavior of roosters differ between calmer waters like Baja beaches and the rougher open Pacific waters of Costa Rica?
- Tell us about your very first encounter with a roosterfish on the Costa Rica/Nicaragua border—what did you see and how did it change your fishing path?
- Walk us through your 1998 catch in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo—the first large roosterfish taken on fly under IGFA rules. What made it possible that day?
- How did that world-record catch open doors for you, including your work with Crocodile Bay in Costa Rica?
- What role does structure—like reefs, points, or guano-covered cliffs—play in locating roosters?
- What do you look for in bird activity when scanning a beach for signs of roosterfish?
- What’s your preferred rod, reel, and line setup for roosterfish in Costa Rica?
- Tell us about the development of Boyd’s Wounded Baitfish fly. What made it so effective?
- How closely do you try to “match the hatch” when choosing fly colors and sizes for Costa Rica?
- What retrieves have you found most effective—steady strips, erratic jerks, or wounded-baitfish movements?
- What are your tips for setting the hook properly on roosterfish, given their tendency to spit flies?
- How do you recommend fighting a rooster—rod angles, pressure, and handling jumps?
- Roosterfish are listed as “data deficient” by the IUCN. What past and current research have you done that will help us to understand roosterfish better in Costa Rica and other parts of the world.
More about Tom Boyd...
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Chasing Trout in the Chill - Beating the Cold and Catching More
Jason Randall
Fly Fisher/Fly Tier/Author
When the temperatures drop and most anglers hang up their waders, Jason Randall heads to the river. In this episode Jason reveals how to outsmart winter’s toughest conditions and find trout when the water turns icy. Learn how to locate warmwater seeps, choose the right flies for slow, cold currents, and keep yourself warm, safe, and successful all day long. Discover why winter may just be the most rewarding season to fish — if you know where to look and how to adapt.Ask Jason Randall your most important questions on fly fishing in cold weather...
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Rangeley Lakes Region of MaineBob Romano is an author and fishing camp owner in the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine. Bob loves to examine why we fish while using the rivers, lakes, and streams of Maine’s Great North Woods as his literary canvas. Join us to learn about the places to fish, how to fish them and a bit of history about this historic fishing region.
Mongolia - A One Of A Kind AdventureTom Boyd shares a trip of a lifetime to Mongolia. He traveled over the steppes where there were no roads - navigating with GPS and stopping to talk to nomads for directions. He fished the Shishged/Tengis River Protected area where no Americans had ever been before. Listen in to find out about the different types of fish and fishing he did including his largest trophy a 40” taimen.
The BattenkillDoug Lyons, a local expert, will help you to sort out one of the most challenging rivers to fish, the Battenkill River. He covers fishing access, hatches, patterns and strategies for both the Vermont and New York stretches. This is home to the Orvis Company and the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Join us to see if you’re ready to give the Battenkill a try.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What is your personal history with the Battenkill?
- What makes the river special to you?
- How is your book Fly Fishing Guide to the Battenkill different from other "where to fish" type books?
- Are there big fish in the Battenkill?
- What is the history of the river?
- What is the current health of the river?
- What seasons can you fish the Battenkill?
- Can you float a canoe or boat on the river?
- What are the important hatches?
- Do streamers work well on the river?
- Is the fall the best time to catch larger fish?
- Are there any special strategies or techniques that work better on the Battenkill?
- What recommendations do you have for night fishing in the Battenkill?
- What is the strangest or most unusual experience you've had while fishing on the river?
Fly Fishing Central WyomingBlake Jackson, a professional guide from Casper, Wyoming, specializes in guiding his clients to Wyoming’s great fisheries, like the Miracle Mile, Grey Reef, Fremont Canyon, and local lakes. Whether it's trophy trout or spooky carp Blake knows where to go and how to get hooked up. Join us to learn about these incredible fisheries and how to fish them.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What are the four major sections of the North Platte River?
- Is the area around Saratoga worth fishing?
- How did the Miracle Mile get its name?
- What spawn occurs on the Miracle Mile that brings up the big fish?
- What flies work best on the Miracle Mile?
- What section is fished most often in Fremont Canyon?
- What epic dry fly hatch is Fremont Canyon known for?
- What sections of Grey Reef are the most productive?
- What flies work best on Grey Reef and why?
- What strategies do you use to fish Grey Reef?
- What is the most common mistake most fly fishers make when fishing Grey Reef?
- Why has carp fishing in Wyoming exploded?
- Where is the best place to fish for carp in Wyoming?
Fly Tying Made Clear and SimpleSkip Morris is a full-time fly fishing author and speaker who has published 22 books and over 350 magazine articles on fly fishing and fly tying. Skip makes fly tying so simple anyone can do it. If you’re interested in fly tying but haven’t given it a try yet listen in and Skip will provide all the information you need to get started and to be successful.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- How did you get started tying flies?
- Is it more expensive to tie your own flies than to buy them?
- What tools do I absolutely need to get started tying flies?
- What should I look for in a good vise?
- What are the important features of a good bobbin?
- What are the basic materials needed to get started?
- What is the difference between the different brands of hooks?
- What is your go-to thread material?
- What sizes of thread should I get to begin with?
- What do the different grades of capes mean?
- Do you weight your flies or use other methods to get deeper?
- Do you think adding purple to a dry fly marks it fish better?
- What tips do you have for tying very small flies?
Bugs, Bugs and More BugsRobert Younghanz, a.k.a The Bug Guy, is an internationally known Aquatic Entomologist, Fly Fishing Guide and Instructor. Entomology plays a big part in being a successful fly fisher. Robert breaks down the different classes of insects that fly fishers are familiar with and helps you to identify and understand their life cycle. The more you know about how these bugs live and procreate the more fish you'll be bringing to the net.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What is the life cycle of a mayfly?
- Why is the life cycle of and insect important to fly fishers?
- Do you need to have flies that imitate each stage of the life cycle?
- What are the most important orders of insects for fly fishers?
- What is the largest order of insects?
- What is the life cycle of a caddis?
- What is the difference between complete metamorphosis and incomplete metamorphosis ?
- What insects are most common in lakes?
- Where is the best place to seine a river for bugs?
- What is the best way to learn about insects for fishing?
- How do you organize your fly boxes?
- Do you have different fly boxes for different seasons?
- When nothing else is working what fly would you use?
Roosters in the SurfMike Reiser shares his newly discovered fly fishing techniques in hooking and landing roosterfish in the surf. Consider this the advance course in stalking roosterfish that you won't find anywhere else.
Fly Fishing for Trophy RedfishCaptain Gary Dubiel, has been guiding the North Carolina waters for over 20 years. Gary is renowned for his expertise in light tackle and fly fishing, In his home waters, catching redfish up to 50 inches is not unusual. Join us to learn Gary’s secrets to locating and hooking up with these trophy redfish.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- Can you tell us about your background and how you got started with fly fishing for redfish?
- What makes redfish such a sought-after species for fly anglers?
- What types of water do you fish?
- Can you describe the ideal habitat for finding trophy redfish?
- What is the best time of year for trophy redfish in your area?
- How do the weather conditions affect your approach to fly fishing for redfish?
- How important is line selection, and what type of fly line do you prefer for redfish?
- What types of fly patterns do you find most effective for redfish, and why?
- What is the Pop-N-Fly rig?
- Do you normally sight fish to one fish or to a school?
- What techniques do you use to spot and stalk trophy redfish in shallow water?
- How do you present your fly?
- What type of retrieve do you use and is it different depending on what type of fly you are using?
- What does a typical full-day guided trip entail, and what type of boat do you operate?
- Can you share a memorable story from your guided trips with clients catching trophy redfish?
Angling the WorldRoy Tanami is a leading international outdoor photographer who has traveled the world in search of fish to catch on the fly and beautiful photographs to capture the experiences. He's been to Kamchatka, Brazil, New Zealand, Mongolia and many more wild places. As a traveling fly angler, he's experienced the good, the challenging and the wonderful things you encounter while traveling and fishing. Join us to hear about Roy's travels, experiences and how he's able to capture the world and fly fishing in his stunning photographs.
The Deschutes – Rainbows and SteelheadTom Larimer is an experienced guide who's passion for steelhead is only equaled by his love for trout. Listen in to Tom share his secrets about fly fishing the Deschutes River.
Snook On The HookChico Fernandez has fly fished for over 40 years and has broken several world records, most notably, the largest redfish taken with a fly rod, at 42 pounds, 5 ounces (I.G.F.A. record on 12 pound test tippet). He was also one of the first to land a white marlin on a fly rod. His real passion; however, is snook. Listen to this podcast to find out Chico's secrets on fly fishing for these incredible game fish.
Nymph, Brush and Night Fishing for TroutJoe Humphreys has taught fly fishing for over forty years and still loves to share his insights. Nymphing is one of his favorite approaches; he shares a lifetime's worth of experience on this as well as fishing brush and night fishing on this show.
Effective Stillwater Fly FishingMichael Gorman, a professional guide of more than 30 years helps us make the most of every stillwater fishing outing - even those ego-bruising days when the fish seem to reject everything. Join us to learn Michaels strategies, techniques and secrets.
Streamer StrategiesRich Strolis a professional guide who's spent many years on the Farmington and Housatonic rivers shares his secrets about fly fishing with streamers. Rich had developed streamer tactics that many consider unconventional but they work! Listen in to hear him talk about what he's learned.
Wild Wipers on the FlyMatt Snider says fly fishing for wipers is like hooking up with a strong saltwater fish only you're in freshwater. Learn Matt's techniques for finding and hooking up with this exciting fish.
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