Fly Fishing Experts Tell Their Secrets LIVE!

Will Blair started working as a guide in Kamchatka in 1997 and was immediately captivated by the area. Kamchatka is still one of the most remote wild rainbow fisheries in the world and fishing it is an experience not found anywhere else. Join us to learn about fishing Kamchatka from one of the most respected experts in the industry.

The Babine River in Britsh Columbia has long been known as one of the finest steelhead and trout rivers in the world. Pierce Clegg owned and operated the Babine Norlakes Trout Lodge for 30 years. His knowledge of the river is unmatched. Listen to this podcast to find out how the river used to be, how it is now and how it might be in the future. Is it still one of those fisheries you should have on your bucket list? Tune in and find out.

Gill Mckean has been guiding on the world-famous Skeena River for more than 25 years. He’s guided a client to massive steelhead estimated at 34 pounds and has personally landed many in the 30-pound range. Join us to learn from Gill about this incredible fishery and of course how to land that steelhead of a lifetime.

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

• What is the best time of year to fish for steelhead?
• Are there other streams and rivers to fish in the area?
• What species are available besides steelhead?
• What style of flies do you prefer?
• Is the spey rod the most commonly used rod on the Skeena?
• What type of line do you use and what types of tips do you use?
• What's the difference between Skagit and Scandi heads?
• What is the most productive depth for getting strikes?
• What triggers the fish to strike?
• What is the secret to hooking up with a trophy steelhead?

Steve Farrelly, started fishing in the Bahamas with world famous guide Stuart Cleare and caught the bonefish bug. Realizing that there was so much incredible knowledge that Stuart shared while fishing, he decided to try to capture it and share it with others, which he has done in his book, Bonefish Barehanded! Join us in the conversations that Steve and Stuart had and learn the secrets to fishing for bonefish in the Bahamas.

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

• How did you end up using Stuart Cleare as your guide?
• How did the concept for your book, Barehanded Bonefish! come about?
• When deciding where to fish, what were the factors Stuart considered?
• How could you tell where fish were feeding had recently been feeding?
• What did you learn about seeing fish in the water?
• Did you fish from the boat as well as wade the flats?
• What flies did Stuart prefer fishing with, crabs or shrimp?
• What weight rod and line do you use?
• What flies did Stuart use most often?
• What tip did you learn that helped you cast into the wind?
• Where did Stuart tell you to place your fly?
• What type of retrieve did you use?
• What movement did you give your fly?
• Did you primarily fish to schools of fish rather than solitary fish?

Bill Butts has made temperate basses his specialty and freshwater stripers are one of his favorite targets. Learn Bill's secrets about finding, hooking up with and landing one of these freshwater trophies.

Peter Stitcher is an aquatic biologist who knows what flies work best to imitate the stage of insects in their lifecycle. Are you ever confused about what file to use when? Join us to learn about the lifecycles of the most common insects we encounter on rivers and lakes and how to pick the perfect fly for the job.

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

• What are the three categories you use to describe flies?
• What is more important size, color or shape?
• Why are flies like the Red Dart and Blowtorch so effective?
• How do you organize your fly boxes?
• What is a life cycle and why is it important to understand?
• What are the life cycles for mayflies, caddisflies, midges and stoneflies?
• What stages of the life cycles are the most productive for fishing?
• What flies work best to imitate the different stages?
• What places do you look to see what insects are active?
• How would you imitate daphnia?
• Is fly selection just as important as drift depth and presentation?

Katie started fly fishing just five years ago. Her passion for the sport has been insatiable. Katie’s journey from newbie fly fisher, to local TU Chapter board member, to the founder of Ohio Women on the Fly and now a professional guide has been fast and furious. Join us to hear how Katie’s journey took place and the challenges she faced as a woman in the fly fishing industry.

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

• How were you introduced to fly fishing?
• Did you grow fishing?
• Did you have any preconceived ideas about fly fishing?
• Where did you get you first fly fishing gear?
• How did you learn your fly fishing skills?
• Did you have a mentor?
• Did you join any groups or clubs?
• How did Ohio Women on the Fly get started?
• What type of events does your group sponsor?
• What recommendations do you have for women thinking about trying fly fishing?
• How did you get your job at Mad River Outfitters?
• How did you learn how to guide?
• Where do you guide?
• What's next on your journey as a fly fisher?

Rick Takahashi considers midges the most important year-round foods source for trout and they are in almost every stream and lake around the world. Listen in to learn about tying and fishing midges that will work no matter where live.

Tim Jacobs is a guide and FFI Certified Casting Instructor who fishes both the warm waters of the midwest and the cold waters of the Rocky Mountains. Tim will be sharing tactics including rigs, techniques and fly patterns that you can use to catch more bass. panfish, pike, and other warmwater species. Join us and learn Tim's secrets to warmwater fly fishing.

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

• Where do you do most of your warmwater fishing?
• What does a fly fisher need to know about lakes to be productive?
• Is it more productive to fly fishing from a boat?
• How do you dissect an unknown lake?
• What types of rods and lines do you need for warmwater fly fishing?
• Where should you look for largemouth bass?
• What is your primary method for finding fish?
• What types of flies do you use for largemouth bass?
• When fishing rivers for smallmouth bass, how do you work the water?
• What's your go-to fly for smallmouth bass?
• Where do the pike hold in the water column?
• How do you rig up your leader and shock tippet for pike?
• What are your favorite types of flies for pike?
• Where is the best place to find pike?

Steve Ramirez is a fly fisher, writer, educator, master naturalist, philosopher, and outdoor adventurer. He's traveled four continents writing about fishing, landscapes, human cultures, and the natural world. He's written for many of the major periodicals and is publishing his latest book Casting Seaward. This book is the third in a book series that started with Casting Forward and was followed by Casting Onward. Join us and hear Steve's thoughts on fly fishing, conservation, restoration, and his hopes for the future of planet earth.

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

• When did you start writing?
• What effect do your previous careers have on your writing today?
• What do you use fly fishing as the basis for your stories?
• What are your books about and what effect do you hope they'll have on your readers?
• Does writing energize you or exhaust you?
• Do you make notes during a trip and then write about it later?
• How do you think your writing will help the natural world?
• Where and when do you write?
• In all your travels what was the most challenging species, you fished for?
• Of all the places you've traveled and fished, what is the most memorable?
• What can we do as fly fishers to help combat global warming?
• As humans are we working to conserve, preserve, or destroy our natural world?
• Do you think the world would be better off without humans?
• Do you think we can reverse the current trends that adversely affect our environment?

Aaron Jasper is known for finding and hooking up with big fish and what better place to do this than tailwaters. Most of the world's tailwaters can be fished any time of the year so listen in as Aaron shares his tips and tactics for fishing these super productive waters.

Bill Horn has had a fifty-year connection with Alaska. Each year 60 million or more wild salmon run up the rivers of Bristol Bay and of course, rainbow trout are right there with them. Bill will share his knowledge of the natural history, culture, and management of this fishery along with fishing strategies, fly choices, and trip planning. Listen in to learn more about this outstanding and one-of-a-kind fishery.

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

• What inspired you to write Crimson Wave?
• Why is Bristol Bay so important?
• What does Bristol Bay represent?
• Who are the people that live in Bristol Bay?
• Why are sockeye salmon important to commercial fishing?
• Are the sockeye salmon a sustainable species?
• Why are sockeye hard to catch on a fly?
• Why don't sockeye have the respect that other salmon have?
• What is the lifecycle of sockeye?
• Is it better to fish for sockeye nearest the sea before they begin to change color?
• What weight rod do you use for sockeye?
• Why are sockeye important to rainbows?
• What fly fishing techniques or presentations do you use for rainbows?
• What is the status of the controversial Pebble Mine project?

Pat Dorsey shares his tips and tactics for fishing tailwaters. Don't miss this show he'll cover nymphing, dry-fly and streamer fishing for those difficult, hard to catch lunkers.

Landon Mayer spends hundreds of hours each year on the water guiding his clients to trophy trout. He doesn't have time to tie complex time-consuming patterns so he ties simple easy-to-tie fly patterns that get the job done, day in and day out. Join us to learn about Landon's top patterns and how he fishes them to catch trout around the world.

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

• What makes a great guide fly?
• What's your thought process when designing your fly patterns?
• What materials do you consistently try to incorporate into your patterns?
• What suggestions do you have for paring down the number of flies you carry to the water?
• Do you have a core set of guide flies that you use year-round or do you have different selections for the different seasons?
• Do you have a secret pattern that is not in the book?
• Do you think adding UV or hot spots to a fly makes a difference?
• How do you prepare for your day on the water - rods, rigs, flies, presentations?
• What are your favorite techniques for stillwater?
• What methods do you use to get your flies to the right depth?
• What fly do you think is deadly that is not a guide fly?
• What do you do when a larger fish chases a smaller fish that you have hooked up?
• What fly do you go to most often to catch fish?

Tenkara was introduced to the United States in 2009 and has become a rapidly growing method of fly fishing for many fly fishers. How has it evolved and what role does it play in today's fly fishing world? Listen to this podcast to hear Morgan Lyle catch us up on what's happened and share his secrets on how to catch more fish using tenkara methods.