Tom Boyd

Tom Boyd has fished the salt for more than 50 years and has done exhaustive research on saltwater fish behavior, spawning, migration patterns and baitfish. Listen in to hear Tom talk about some of the greatest gamefish and how to catch them on a fly.

Tom Boyd not only fly fishes he researches, takes DNA samples, tags and learns everything he can about the fish he targets. Join us to learn what he's learned about the char including arctic char, dolly varden, brook trout and bull trout both anadromous and landlocked fish.

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.

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.