Jason Randall
Fly Fisher/Fly Tier/Author
Jason Randall is a veterinarian certified in fish health and medicine. He is also a member of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association and the Society for Freshwater Science.
He has been an outdoor writer for the last ten years with articles appearing regularly in American Angler, Eastern Fly Fishing and many other outdoor magazines.
His first book, “Moving Water: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Currents” was released in 2012 by Stackpole/Headwater books. It studies the effect of current on trout, their prey species and presentation, where vertical layers of current create drag and requires adjustments to improve nymph fishing success.
Listen to Jason Randall's Shows...
Moving Water: A Fly Fisher's Guide to Current
Jason Randall has done a thorough study of the effect of current on trout, their prey species and presentation. Learn how to deal with vertical layers of current that create drag and the adjustments required to improve nymph fishing success.
Trout Sense
Jason Randall will share with us what trout see, hear and smell. The more you know about trout the more fish you'll catch. Listen in to learn more about what's going on under the water.
Mastering the Nymph
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.
Chasing Trout in the Chill - Beating the Cold and Catching More
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.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- Was there a particular experience or observation that made you realize winter trout fishing required a different mindset?
- What exactly triggers the transition from summer to winter lies?
- How does cold water affect a trout’s metabolism and feeding behavior?
- Do trout often move upstream in winter?
- How can anglers identify warm groundwater seeps or springs that attract trout in winter?
- How can fog reveal spring or seep activity. How do you use that to locate fish?
- Do trout behave differently in freestone streams versus spring-fed rivers during cold months?
- What adjustments should anglers make to drift speed, weight, and depth?
- Since trout react more slowly in winter, how should anglers adapt their timing when setting the hook or re-drifting?
- Once you find one, what’s your process for working that area effectively?
- How do you keep your line from freezing up on the rod?
- Can small degrees of warming trigger feeding? How can anglers take advantage of these short windows?
- What are your go-to patterns for the winter months?
- You suggest imitating immature stages of insects. How does that impact fly design and choice?
- How do you keep your fingers functional for knots and handling fish?
- How do you safely land and release trout in freezing conditions without harming the fish?
His second book “Feeding Time: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What, Where and When Trout Eat,” was released in the August of 2013. It focuses on matching your fishing strategies to the trout’s feeding strategies, especially when targeting large trout because if you know the five ‘W’ questions for large trout feeding- who, what, when, where and why, you can catch them regularly.
