Covering fish from Trout to Tarpon, from tying flies to casting them - you'll find it all right here on Ask About Fly Fishing - the best fly fishing podcast for learning more about fly fishing.
Want to Catch More Fish? Just listen to any of our in-depth podcasts - we have over 445 shows in our Archive!
Fly Fishing the Farmington River: Trout, Hatches & Tactics
Steve Culton
Fly Fisher, Guide, Fly Tier, Author, Instructor
Connecticut’s Farmington River offers outstanding year-round trout fishing—but consistently catching its trout requires understanding the river, its hatches, and how fish respond to changing conditions. Steve Culton joins us to share his hard-earned knowledge of this celebrated fishery. We’ll explore where and when to fish, seasonal strategies, important hatches, productive flies, and techniques ranging from dry flies and nymphs to wet flies and streamers. Whether it’s your first trip or your fiftieth, Steve will help you fish the Farmington more effectively.From Angler to Outfitter: Building a Life as a Fly Fishing Guide
Coleman Savage
Fly Fisher, Fly Tier, Guide
What does it really take to turn a passion for fly fishing into a profession? Montana guide and outfitter Coleman Savage shares his journey from fly-shop jobs to guiding—and how Guiding for the Future helped accelerate his growth. Discover why becoming a great guide requires far more than catching fish, and how knowledge of river ecology, conservation, water rights, stewardship, client relationships, and professionalism can transform a guide’s career and their connection to the waters they depend on. Join us to learn about his journey.Ask Coleman Savage your most important questions on becoming a guide and outfitter...
Register for our free drawing.
More about Coleman Savage...
Miss a Show? - Browse our Show Archive!
Over 445 Shows for you to listen to!
- Colorado's Lost Lakes and Secret Places
Mike Kephart gives you the scoop on which Colorado mountain and wilderness lakes and creeks fish well, how to get there, the difficulty of access, and what you can expect to catch. Join us as we explore these lost lakes and secret places.
- Redfish On The Fly
John Kumiski has fished for redfish for over 20 years and has guided them for the past 10 years. John has researched redfish in great detail and shares his secrets on catching the big ones.
- How Many Menhaden Do We Really Need, and Why Fly Anglers Should Care?
Beau Beasley an award-winning outdoor writer answers your questions on the importance of menhaden also known as bunker, pogie, and fatback to our coastal fisheries. These forage fish are eaten by almost every predator species in the sea and are threaten by over fishing. If you fish coastal river systems and saltwater coastlines from Texas to Maine, the fate of these crucial forage fish should matter to you.
- What Fly for What Bug?
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?
- Yakima River A Blue Ribbon Trout Fishery
Jack Mitchell is a seasoned guide and well-traveled fly fisher, having fished throughout North and South America from Alaska to Chile. He considers the Yakima his home water and has guided there for over 35 years. This designated Blue Ribbon fishery is one for your bucket list. Join us and learn everything you need to know about how to fish this outstanding fishery.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What characteristics make the Yakima River stand out as a blue ribbon trout fishery?
- What species of fish are available to fly fishers?
- How do fishing conditions and strategies vary across the different seasons on the Yakima?
- Can you describe the differences in fishing approaches between the upper, middle, and lower sections of the river?
- What are the typical water flow patterns throughout the year, and how do they influence fishing tactics?
- What rod and line setups do you recommend for effectively fishing the Yakima?
- Are there specific leader lengths or tippet materials you prefer for the Yakima's conditions?
- Which insect hatches are most significant on the Yakima, and when do they typically occur?
- What are your go-to fly patterns for the Skwala hatch in early spring?
- During the summer months, how do you adjust your fly selection to account for terrestrial activity?
- How do you decide between fishing dry flies, nymphs, or streamers on a given day?
- What signs do you look for when identifying productive water on the Yakima?
- How have conservation efforts impacted the health and sustainability of the Yakima River fishery?
- Snook On The Hook
Chico 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.
- The Art of Making Bamboo Fly Rods
Bamboo fly rods have been around since the early 1800s and still play an important role in fly fishing. There are many ways to build a bamboo fly rod and Sam Johnson and Chris Sloan have their own unique method. Join us and learn about Sam's eight-step process to building a better rod faster. Whether you're just thinking about building your first rod or are an experienced rod builder you're sure to learn a few tips and techniques in this in-depth show.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- How did you get started making bamboo fly rods?
- What makes bamboo a preferred material for making fly rods?
- How is the action of a bamboo fly rod different from that of fiberglass or graphite?
- Can you create bamboo fly rods with different types of action?
- What key tools and equipment are necessary to start making bamboo fly rods?
- What methods do you use that differ from other bamboo rod builders?
- What is the best bamboo for making fly rods?
- How do you determine the correct taper for a fly rod?
- What are the first steps of building a bamboo fly rod?
- Do you split or saw your bamboo?
- How critical is the planing process?
- Why do you refrigerate the bamboo?
- What are the finishing methods you use to ensure durability and aesthetic appeal?
- What qualities should a buyer look for when purchasing a bamboo fly rod?
- Wet Fly Techniques for Big Trout
Davy Wotton has caught a lot of big trout in the past 30 years and wet fly fishing in the traditional style is one of the biggest reasons for his success. Listen and find out about Davy's techniques and how to master them.
- Fly Gear
Gary Borger discusses the how, when, where and why to develop the ideal equipment selection strategy for your fly fishing. Whether it be rod action, flexion profile, reel characteristics or leader construction Gary has an opinion based on a lifetime of experience, listen in and hear what he has to say.
- Passionate About Panfish
Bart Lombardo, a professional guide in New Jersey, is passionate about panfish. Catch the excitement and join us to learn the best tactics to hook these lively fish. From selecting the right flies to mastering the presentation, Bart shares his top secrets from years of experience.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What sparked your passion for fly fishing, particularly for panfish?
- What species fall under the heading of panfish?
- How do seasonal changes affect panfish feeding habits and locations?
- What types of water bodies and structures do panfish prefer during different times of the year?
- How can anglers identify prime panfish habitats when exploring new waters?
- What is the optimal temperature when panfish "come alive" in the spring?
- What weight fly rod do you prefer when fishing for panfish?
- Which fly lines do you use floating, intermediate, or sinking??
- What is your go-to fly for panfish?
- Which do you prefer, lakes, ponds or rivers? Urban water or rural?
- How does your retrieval method change based on the panfish species you're targeting?
- How do your strategies change for spring, summer, and late-season in the fall?
- What should I do to increase my chances of catching large sunfish - 10 or more inches?
- Healing Waters
Beau Beasley unveils the profound journey of veterans healing through fly fishing. Drawing from his book, Healing Waters, we explore heartfelt stories of recovery from the battlefield to the riverbank. Hear how the serenity of casting lines and the camaraderie among veterans nurture both body and soul, offering a powerful testament to the therapeutic wonders of nature. Don't miss this deeply moving episode—where every cast brings a step toward healing.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What is the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) organization, and how did it come about?
- How has it helped veterans recover from their experience in the service?
- Has there been recognition from physicians that PHWFF can have a positive impact on the lives of participants?
- How did your book Healing Waters come to be?
- What do you hope to accomplish with your book?
- What guidelines did you set for your interviews, and how did you decide to convey their stories?
- How many interviews did you do?
- Did you include all the interviews in your book?
- You chose to honor Brian Mancini at the beginning of your book. Who was Brian?
- Alvin Shell served in Iraq. What can you tell us about Alvin?
- Jessica Callihan was injured when she was very young. How did PHWFF help her?
- Jerry Mirron served with his companion dog in Vietnam. What was his experience?
- How can you learn more if you want to volunteer to help Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing?
- Mongolia - Genghis Khan’s Home Waters
Michael Caranci is one of fly fishing's most experienced and globally respected professionals. He manages the operations, guest services, and conservation programs for Fish Mongolia and Mongolia River Outfitters, the premier fly fishing guides and outfitters for fly fishing for taimen in Mongolia. Join us to learn what an adventure to Mongolia is all about and how you can catch the largest trout in the world – taimen as well as lenok, grayling, and pike.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What areas of Mongolia do you fish?
- What's the best time of year to fish?
- How long should you plan for your trip to Mongolia?
- How do you get to the rivers you fish?
- Can you describe how the rivers you fish differ?
- What are the accommodations like on the river?
- What weight rods do you need to bring?
- What are the average size of the taimen you catch?
- What fishing methods are the most productive for taimen?
- What is an average day of fishing like?
- What flies do you use for taimen?
- How do taiment fight?
- What are the chances that you will hook into a large taimen?
- Can you fish for trout, lenok, grayling and pike on the same trip?
- Madison River: Upper, Lower and in the Park
Kelly Galloup lives and runs his shop and lodge just minutes from the Madison River. He's guided on the river for over 17 years and knows the river intimately. Whether you want to fish the upper, the lower or the section in Yellowstone Park he'll be able to guide you to success. Listen to this podcast and discover what it takes to be successful on this famous river.
- Do Your Fly Rod, Flies and Techniques Travel Well?
Whether to a faraway famous location or a new stream in a nearby watershed, traveling is a common theme in fly fishing. During this podcast, Tim Cammisa of “Trout and Feather” shares some methods that have helped him be successful from his home state of Pennsylvania to recent destinations including Iceland, Wyoming, and more.
- Fly Tying and Fishing with John Barr
John Barr designed the Copper John, the Barr Emerger and many other successful fly patterns. Learn from John how to tie and fish these incredibly successful patterns. If you don't use them now you will by the end of the show.
Learn more about fly fishing and listen to our podcasts by these top experts...




