Podcasts by 301 Moved Permanently
For the love of fly fishing
Further podcasts by Dave Goetz and Steve Mathewson
Podcast on the topic Abenteuer Natur
All episodes
Episode 259: Fly Fishing with Lighter Rods from 2022-02-14T16:53:59
Fly fishing with lighter rods makes sense only if the conditions are right. In recent years, each of us has purchased a lighter rod for smaller creeks. In this episode, we relay pluses and minus...
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Episode 258: Lessons from Our Fall Fly Fishing Trip to Montana from 2022-02-14T16:26:57
Our fall fly fishing trip to Montana was one of the best on record. The previous year was a bust. In fact, we wondered if we should even return to Montana in the fall, whether our honey holes an...
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Episode 257: Reflections on John Maclean’s Home Waters from 2022-02-14T16:13:58
John Maclean’s Home Waters is a memoir of his father, Norman Maclean, the author of “A River Runs Through It.” In this memoir, John reflects on his growing up as the grandson a...
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Episode 256: One Fine Day on the East Gallatin River from 2022-02-13T21:21:06
The East Gallatin River flows in a northwesterly direction through the Gallatin valley in Montana, north of Bozeman. From the perspective of a drone a couple thousand feet up, the river, which i...
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S2:E1 What Makes for a Satisfying Day on the River from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
A satisfying day on the river – what makes one fly fishing day better than another? In this first episode of Season 2, we narrate the key moments of a satisfying day on the river while fis...
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255: Reflections on a Montana Fly Fishing Trip from 2020-09-19T15:56:31
It’s September, and often during this month we find a way for our annual Montana fly fishing trip. It was fitting that in a year like 2020, there were some strange moments. In this episode...
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254: Fishing the Transition of the Season from 2020-09-14T12:29:07
Fishing the transition of the season starts with a different set of expectations. The prolific summer hatches are mostly over. And the fall runners have yet to make their way up the river. In th...
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253: Not-So-Obvious Questions for Your Next Fly Fishing Trip from 2020-09-05T15:47:52
Hopefully, your next fly fishing trip is sooner rather than later. It has been a year of kicking the proverbial can of what we love to do down the road. The pandemic has delayed or postponed ind...
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252: The Fly Fishing Etiquette Mindset from 2020-08-29T17:25:29
The fly fishing etiquette mindset is a way of thinking that should permeate the actions of every fly fisher. In this episode, we read a thread from Trout Unlimited’s online forum about a f...
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251: Key Factors in Your Fly Fishing Success from 2020-08-22T15:41:33
Fly fishing success is not just about your amazing chops: precision casting, reading the river, and overall fly fishing genius. There are factors out of your control that affect whether you catc...
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250: Strategies for Fishing the Film from 2020-08-15T15:09:05
Fishing the film begins with a different mindset. We often think first about fishing on top of the surface or at the bottom of the river. In this episode, we discuss the “film” minds...
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249: Photographing Your Entire Fly Fishing Experience from 2020-08-08T16:56:14
Fish pics are ubiquitous. Instagram has every angle of fish pic you can imagine. But there’s more to shoot when you’re on the river than just pictures of your big brown trout. In thi...
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248: The Complete Guide to Fly Fishing with Streamers – with Dave Kumlien from 2020-08-01T18:10:25
If you’ve never felt the violent strike of a brown trout on a streamer, you haven’t really lived. In this guide to fly fishing with streamers, we interview Dave Kumlien, Montana outf...
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247: Our Love-Hate Relationship with Salmo Trutta from 2020-07-25T18:43:27
Salmo trutta tend to dominate wherever they live. Also known as brown trout, salmo trutta often push out brook trout – or at least push them upstream. Brown trout thrive in warmer waters. ...
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246: 7 Under Explained Aspects of Fly Fishing, Part 1 from 2020-07-18T19:02:35
“Duh! How did I not know this after all these years?” There are so many aspects of fly fishing that simply escaped us during the first few years of fly fishing. Frankly, we’re ...
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245: Summer Wearables for Fly Fishing Comfort from 2020-07-12T22:49:47
Fly fishing comfort in summer simply requires a few basic items of clothing. Certainly dry-fit clothing is at the top of the list. So is a water-resistant cap or hat. In this episode, we offer u...
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244: Fly Fishing the Small Creeks of Montana from 2020-07-05T02:45:53
Small creeks in Montana are plentiful and full of trout. While the big rivers get all the press, it’s the smaller freestone creeks where some of the best fishing is. We love to fly fish th...
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243: 7 Midsummer Fly Fishing Tips from 2020-06-27T16:59:13
Midsummer fly fishing tips include taking a siesta in the middle of the day and trying your hand at catching trout with a size #22 Trico imitation. In this episode, we discuss a few of the chang...
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242: Outdoors Lessons from Our Fathers from 2020-06-20T17:15:20
Parents, both mothers and fathers, play an inordinate role in the belief systems and destiny of their children. This weekend is Father’s Day Weekend, and so we wanted to share the lessons ...
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241: 8 Places to Cast Your Dry Fly from 2020-06-13T12:30:42
Dry fly fishing is one of the great joys of the sport. One key element of success is where you cast your dry fly. It’s both art and skill. In this episode, we identify the eight places whe...
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240: Simplifying Your Fly Fishing Experience from 2020-06-08T15:13
Like all of life, fly fishing has become increasingly complex: Just try to sort through the dizzying array of fly fishing rods before you purchase your next one. In this episode, we discuss our ...
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239: The Intrigue of Fly Fishing a Familiar River from 2020-05-30T17:02:46
Fishing a new creek or river for the first time is exciting. But there’s also an intrigue of fly fishing a familiar place, a stretch that you’ve fished for years. In this episode, we...
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238: Best All Around Fly Rod for Normal Folk from 2020-05-23T13:30:53
The best all around fly rod is up for debate. The answer is, of course, it depends. Many fly fishers have more than one rod, but if you had to choose, which would be the best all around fly rod?...
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237: 6 Lists for Fly Fishing Success from 2020-05-16T16:48:57
Fly fishing success means different things to different people. For many of us, just a day on the river is success. In this episode, we identify six lists from our book “The Fly FisherR...
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236: 6 Practices for Stalking Trout from 2020-05-09T14:22:08
Stalking trout is a basic concept of fly fishing, but yet it’s often not part of the curriculum of new fly fishers. In this episode we identify six practices for stalking trout and tell a ...
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235: Flies that Work Anytime and Anywhere from 2020-05-03T01:00:41
Flies that work anytime and anywhere are essential to your fly box. Yes, there may be some specialty flies that work only during specific hatches, but more often than not, the basics are pretty ...
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234: 4 Questions for Your Next Fly Fishing Trip from 2020-04-26T00:53:26
Your next fly fishing trip may seem like years away in this moment in history, but soon enough, it will be time to plan. In this episode we discuss four questions to help winnow your options to ...
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233: Tips for Landing Bigger Fish from 2020-04-18T18:06:53
Landing bigger fish is impossible if you simply try to rip in the fish like you would if you were spin fishing. In this episode we identify several tips that have helped us increase our catch ra...
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232: Fishing Emergers during a Hatch from 2020-04-11T11:39:43
Fishing emergers during a hatch is as fundamental as it gets. And yet, most new fly fishers rarely hear about this approach early on. In this episode, we start off with a couple great stories fr...
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231: The Wading Risk of Soft River Bottoms from 2020-04-04T13:37:29
Soft river bottoms pose a unique risk to wade fishers. In this episode, Dave recounts a winter fly fishing experience in which he got stuck in the mud while trying to wade to a run. It was 31 de...
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230: Montana Outfitter Dave Kumlien on Safe Wading from 2020-03-28T12:01:36
Safe wading is rarely the first thought on a fly fisher’s mind as he or she plans for a day on the river. It should be. In this episode, we interview Dave Kumlien, a Montana outfitter for ...
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229: The Hope of Fly Fishing in the Waiting from 2020-03-21T20:34:54
The hope of fly fishing is a day in the not too distant future when our fears have been suspended and we make our way upstream with only the next run on our mind. In this episode, we focus not o...
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228: The Makings of an Outdoors Friendship from 2020-01-12T13:09:01
Friendship makes the outdoors better. At least that’s our perspective, given that our outdoors friendship has lasted four decades. In this episode, we discuss the makings of friendship and...
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227: A Conversation about Yellowstone Runners from 2020-01-05T13:06:27
Yellowstone runners are the big brown and rainbow trout that move up from Hebgen Lake into Yellowstone National Park’s Madison River each fall. In this episode, we discuss Chester Allen...
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Episode 226: Top 10 Fly Fishing Lessons of the Year from 2019-12-29T13:00:02
Every day on the river is the chance to grow in your understanding of how to fish. Every item of gear that you purchase gives you some information about what to buy (or not buy) the next time ar...
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Episode 225: Late Season Fly Fishing from 2019-12-22T15:00:47
Late season fly fishing can be challenging for a variety of reasons. One is obviously weather. Another is that the hatches are over with the exception of midges or the ocasional baetis. You̵...
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Episode 224: One Fine Rainy Day on the Madison from 2019-10-10T17:10:40
All good things must come to an end, and this was the final day of our fly fishing trip in mid-September. Rain was in the forecast, so we hoped upon hope that there might be some baetis hatching...
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Episode 223: One Fine Strange Day on the Boulder from 2019-10-10T17:07:46
After two terrific days on the Yellowstone River, we changed it up a bit. We headed to the Boulder River, south of Big Timber, Montana. This is the third of four episodes from a recent fly fishi...
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Episode 222: One Fine Sunny Day on the Yellowstone from 2019-10-10T17:04:16
Our second day on the Yellowstone this fall was even better than the first. This is the second of four episodes from a recent fly fishing trip to Yellowstone Country in Montana and northern Wyom...
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Episode 221: One Fine Cloudy Day on the Yellowstone from 2019-10-10T16:59:17
We are not good at quitting. This is the first of four episodes from a recent fly fishing trip to Yellowstone Country in Montana and northern Wyoming. In August, after four wonderful years, we s...
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S5:E12 The Last Run of the Day from 2019-08-25T12:00:06
Every day of fly fishing has a beginning. And an end. There’s often a sense of sadness right before, and certainly, after the last run of the day. Not every “last run of the day̶...
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S5:E11 How Fly Fishers Gain Confidence from 2019-08-18T11:55:25
Fly fishers gain confidence by fishing for brook trout. Brook trout are forgiving, and there’s nothing like an afternoon of catching 15 brook trout to increase one’s confidence. That...
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S5:E10 Strange Sightings While Fly Fishing from 2019-08-11T18:05:38
Strange sightings while fly fishing are part of the overall experience of the sport. In this episode, we recount watching a car float by while fishing the Yellowstone, a mink steal a duck from a...
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S5:E9 The Truth about Trout Lies from 2019-08-04T13:49:06
Trout lies are places in the river or stream where trout hang out. One of the most well-known lies is called the “feeding lie,” where trout sit in the current or pockets of water and...
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S5:E8 Fishing Hopper Season from 2019-07-28T10:54:35
Hopper season is upon us. And from now until some time in early to mid-September, trout will be attacking grasshoppers that fall or are blown into the river. In this episode, we offer up an intr...
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S5:E7 Surviving Animal Encounters in the Outdoors from 2019-07-21T12:36:36
Animal encounters are a fact of life in the outdoors. We’ve discussed at length the precautions to take when fishing in grizzly country, but there are other types of encounters to avoid or...
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S5:E6 Fly Fishing Trips – Planning vs. Flexibility from 2019-07-14T11:30:42
Fly fishing trips are not easy to plan well, especially if you are heading to a new place. Two factors unravel the best laid plans: weather and whether there is a bite on. Through the years, we&...
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S5:E5 Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park from 2019-07-07T11:30:17
Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park is a different experience than is fishing the national parks in Montana for several reasons. One is that there are no grizzlies. Another is elevation: Fishin...
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S5:E4 Legends of Fly Fishing: Lefty Kreh from 2019-06-30T12:51:24
Lefty Kreh was actually both a lefty and a righty. One of the most beloved and popular American fly fishers, Lefty cast right handed, because he felt it was easier for the majority of folks (who...
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S5:E3 Surprising Things Trout Eat from 2019-06-23T02:44:59
Trout eat pretty much anything put in front of them, including their young. Much of fly fishing is focused on the insects, such mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies. But often trout are looking...
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S5:E2 Fishing Yellowstone National Park from 2019-06-16T11:00
Fishing Yellowstone National Park is a one of life’s great thrills. There’s nothing like hearing the shrill bugle of an elk in the fall while casting a hopper into the Yellowstone in...
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S5:E1 Memorable Traditions in the Great Outdoors from 2019-06-09T11:00:50
Traditions in the great outdoors are routines with meaning. It’s one thing to make a single memory with a fly fishing or hunting trip. But traditions in the great outdoors create multiple ...
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S4:E52 One Fine Day on One Fine Run from 2019-06-02T12:26:18
Steve is the restless wanderer when he is out on the water. He makes a few casts in a run and then skips ahead to the next. He moves on. On a recent trip to the Minnesota Driftless, Steve spent ...
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S4:E51 Crazy Moments from a Recent Fly Fishing Trip from 2019-05-26T12:03:51
You can’t make this stuff up – that’s a common expression after seeing or experiencing something unusual. On a recent fly fishing trip, we collected several strange moments tha...
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S4:E50 Basics of Buying a Fly Fishing Rod from 2019-05-19T20:19:48
Buying a fly fishing rod should be easier than it is. It’s certainly easier to buy your second or third rod than it is your first. If you are purchasing your first rod, the brands and opti...
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S4:E49 Fishing Where Grizzlies and Mountain Lions Live from 2019-05-12T17:03:44
Fishing where grizzlies and mountain lions live requires a heightened level of vigilance. It seems as if there have been more reports of mountain lion attacks the past year or two than in recent...
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S4:E48 Landing Larger Trout from 2019-05-05T14:54:08
Landing larger trout takes a different skill set than what most of us practice on a regular basis. It takes a different set of chops to net a 22-inch rainbow than it does to rip out a 10-inch br...
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S4:E47 Legends of Fly Fishing: Joe Brooks from 2019-04-28T13:54:17
Joe Brooks was one of America’s greatest sportsman, and his contribution to the rise of fly fishing in America, including the conservation of our fisheries, is unparalleled. With this epis...
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S4:E46 Fishing When Nothing Is Working from 2019-04-21T13:13:40
You arrive first on the river. You have a couple miles of river to fish by yourself. The day is slightly overcast. Fishing reports have been fantastic. This is the day. You fish the first run. N...
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S4:E45 Fly Care and Presentation from 2019-04-14T11:11:55
Scant attention is paid to fly care and presentation. So much of the focus is on fly rods, reels, waders, boots – and every other fly fishing gadget known to humankind. But without the fly...
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S4:E44 Simplifying Your Fly Fishing Experience from 2019-04-07T13:35:34
Fly fishing tends to move from simplicity to complexity. You start out learning to cast. And you have one fly rod. You pick up a couple of attractor patterns. And you have one fly box. You purch...
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S4:E43 Spring Dry Fly Fishing from 2019-03-31T11:16:06
Spring dry fly fishing is one of the most delightful stretches of the fly fishing year. While there are other hatches, the two most dominant in most streams and rivers, of course, are Blue Winge...
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S4:E42 One Fine Winter Day on the Blue from 2019-03-24T12:00:45
It was a great day for skiing in late winter – a fresh foot of powder blanketed the landscape. But we were fishing. Recently, we got up before dawn and drove almost four hours to fish for ...
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S4:E41 Fair Labor Practices for Fly Fishing Products from 2019-03-17T12:45:45
Fly fishing is truly global, if for no other reason than most fly fishing products are created or assembled in other parts of the world. In this episode, we interview Peter Stitcher, who, along ...
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S4:E40 What We’d Tell Our 20-Year-Old Fly Fishing Selves from 2019-03-10T11:15:11
If we had it to do over again, we’d do a few things differently. In this episode, we ask the question, “What would we tell our 20-year-old fly fishing selves?” One answer is th...
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S4:E39 Nick Lyons, Fly Fishing and the Good Life from 2019-03-03T12:23:50
For many fly fishers, fishing is more than the simple act of catching a fish. It’s not merely the transaction of hooking and landing a trout or salmon or bonefish. In this episode, we refl...
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S4:E38 Our Simple Guide to Fly Fishing Wading Boots from 2019-02-24T11:31:13
Fly fishing wading boots are the undisputed, most important safety purchase you’ll make for the sport. There are felt soles, rubber soles, rubber soles with studs, and rubber soles with al...
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S4:E37 Peter Stitcher on Spring Fly Fishing from 2019-02-16T18:40:15
Spring is no where to be seen in the Chicago area. Winter is still roaring like a lion. If spring comes in like a lion as well, then we’re toast. But at least the days are getting longer, ...
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S4:E36 Live at the Lee Wulff TU Chapter from 2019-02-10T14:33:20
Trout Unlimited is a distributed army of passionate conservationists, united by the mission to save the coldwater fisheries of North America. Recently, the Lee Wulff Trout Unlimited chapter invi...
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S4:E35 Best Fly Fishing Advice, Part 2 from 2019-02-03T12:20:39
The best fly fishing advice comes in bits and pieces over a long period of time. One accrues advice. In this episode, the second in a series, we offer up some some bits of fly fishing advice tha...
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S4:E34 Taking an Exotic Fly Fishing Trip from 2019-01-27T12:30:30
Steve has fished in Alaska, but other than that, neither of us has gone on a fly fishing trip outside North America. We’ve recently been wondering if it is time. But where to start? We dec...
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S4:E33 Setting Fly Fishing Goals for the New Year from 2019-01-20T20:15:59
Fly fishing goals may seem like a bit of overkill when thinking about the new year. But life often crowds out the good, so setting some fly fishing goals helps us focus on what, truly, is most i...
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S4:E32 7 Questions for Knowing Your River from 2019-01-13T13:40:38
Success on the river comes in part from knowing your river. There’s an intimacy that forms between the fisher and the river: You know the primary runs on the stretch you fish and the lies ...
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S4:31 Wading Commandments Revisited from 2019-01-06T12:59:41
Our most-read post on this site is the one Steve wrote on “The 10 Commandments of Wading.” Using the phrase “wading commandments” is a good way to talk about a subject th...
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S4:E30 Days of Mystique on the River from 2018-12-30T12:49:44
Have you ever had one of those days on the river that transported you to a different dimension? Not every day of fly fishing is a day of mystique, but through the years, we’ve had special ...
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S4:E29 Decisions that Make or Break Your Fly Fishing Day from 2018-12-23T15:03:06
A day on the river always comes with a series of decisions that can make or break your fly fishing day. In this episode, we identify a few of those and discuss how we go about moving from decisi...
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S4:E28 One Fine Day on the East Gallatin River from 2018-12-16T15:28:13
The East Gallatin River would look like a piece of ribbon candy, if you viewed it from a drone. It’s a slow moving creek that for the most part runs through private property north of Bozem...
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S4:E27 Best Fly Fishing Advice, Part 1 from 2018-12-09T12:00:17
The best fly fishing advice often comes with a small dose of humiliation. Or at least with a palm to the forehead, “Duh!” That’s how we felt when a guide recently said to us, &...
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S4:E26 Avoiding Fly Fishing Burnout from 2018-12-02T12:36:16
Fly fishing burnout seems like a malady for someone with too much time on his or her hands. But there can be too much of a good thing. Some have taken time away from the sport, others have stopp...
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S4:E25 The Angling Interval: Key to Fish Survival from 2018-11-25T12:46:43
Catch and release fly fishing has been around for more than a half century. In recent years, there has been a renewed push for fish survival with the Keep ‘Em Wet movement (#keepemwet), th...
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S4:E24 Protecting Your Fly Rod from 2018-11-18T13:02:08
Protecting your fly rod is as simple as obeying this rule: “Slow down!” We’ve lost rods, stepped on rods, and broke other fly fisher’s rods. In this episode, we step back...
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S4:E23 One Fine Day on Quake Lake from 2018-11-11T12:16:50
Quake Lake was formed in 1959 when an earthquake triggered the collapse of a side of a mountain. The mountain fell into the Madison River, creating a natural dam. This fall, we fished Quake Lake...
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S4:E22 Are You Too Serious about Fly Fishing? from 2018-11-04T13:35:40
Is fly fishing truly a hobby for you? We recently read a New York Times column called “In Praise of Mediocrity,” which ripped on America’s fascination with turning every hobby ...
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S4:E21 Top 10 Dont’s When Visiting Yellowstone National Park from 2018-10-28T11:30:53
You’ve read all about all the wonderful places to see or things to do the next time you visit Yellowstone National Park: Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Fall, Yellowstone Lake ...
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S4:E20 How to Learn the Basics of Euro Nymphing from 2018-10-21T13:50:31
At the request of our listeners, we’ve now published an episode on euro nymphing. Our take is a bit different. Instead of interviewing an expert, Steve interviewed someone who is clearly a...
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S4:E19 Catching More and Bigger Fish with Streamers from 2018-10-14T19:12:51
Bigger fish on streamers is common promise. Often you hear, “If you want to catch bigger fish, throw on a streamer. Yet fly fishing with streamers is not popular among many fly fishers. In...
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S4:E18 Overcoming a Fly Fishing Plateau from 2018-10-07T14:42:51
When starting out in the sport, most fly fishers struggle to build skills in all the areas required for success: casting, reading waters, grasping a cursory understanding of entomology, and simp...
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S4:E17 Mysteries of the Fly Fishing Universe, Part 3 from 2018-09-30T11:17:07
The fly fishing universe is filled with mysteries. One deep, unsolvable mystery is how few calories a day of fishing burns relative to the large amount of calories consumed at the Supper Club or...
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S4:E16 How to Plan a Memorable Fly Fishing Trip from 2018-09-23T11:30:34
Planning a memorable fly fishing trip is pretty easy if you do a few things right. There are factors that you can control, of course, and then there is the weather – and whether the fish a...
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S4:E15 Organizing Your Fly Box Chaos from 2018-09-16T11:51:44
Fly box chaos is real. You start out nice and organized, with pretty little rows, and then the Law of Entropy kicks in. Next thing you know, your fly box looks like a tossed salad. In this episo...
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S4:E14 What Fly Fishing Does for Our Day Job from 2018-09-09T13:26:59
What fishing does for our day job is more than just relieve stress. That’s important, of course. But fly fishing is about something bigger, or maybe deeper. While both of us would love to ...
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S4:E13 Properly Handling and Photographing Fish from 2018-09-02T11:45:58
No where are there more pictures of fly fishers handling and photographing fish than on Instagram. Everyone has a unique angle on the fish – close up, far away, underwater, one-handed, two...
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S4:E12 Fly Fishing in Snake Country from 2018-08-26T12:00:44
Fishing in snake country is pretty much inevitable. Rattlesnakes and copperheads, just to name two venomous snakes, pose a risk to fly fishers, depending on where you live, in late spring, summe...
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S4:E11 The Missing Salmon Project from 2018-08-19T11:17:42
Wild salmon have gone missing in the United Kingdom. For every 100 salmon that leave the rivers of the UK for the sea, less than five return. That is a decline of nearly 70% in just 25 years! In...
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S4:S10 Summer Dry Fly Fishing Lessons from 2018-08-12T11:44:07
Dry fly fishing lessons happen when you, well, fish with dry flies. This summer, both of us got away to fish while on trips to the West, caught some nice fish, and relearned a few basic lessons....
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S4:E9 Drift Boat Fly Fishing from 2018-08-05T14:21:27
Drift boat fly fishing is often the first experience that someone has with fly fishing. The experience can ignite a passion for the sport. In this episode, we recall our first drift boat experie...
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S4:E8 For the Love of Fly Rods from 2018-07-29T11:20:16
The fly rod is the foundational element of gear for a fly fisher. If you have one fly rod, you need two. And if you have two, you definitely need two more. We love fly rods, and in this episode,...
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S4:E7 Hemingway, the Outdoors, and the Good Life from 2018-07-22T11:04:47
The outdoors and the good life are synonymous. And Ernest Hemingway embodied the good life, with his exotic safaris, hunting in Idaho, and fishing in Cuba. He prefigured many of the great fly fi...
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S4:E6 Our Favorite Dry Fly Dropper Rigs from 2018-07-15T11:08:49
In this episode on dry fly dropper rigs, Steve and Dave discuss their favorites and how and when they use dry fly dropper rigs. Once you start using a dropper with a dry fly, you'll never go bac...
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S4:E5 Mysteries of the Fly Fishing Universe, Part 2 from 2018-07-08T11:22:35
Life in the great outdoors is one big mystery. This is our second installment of fly fishing mysteries, and in this episode, we discuss some deep ones, such as: Why do fly fishers wear chest wad...
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S4:E4 Fly Fishing on a Family Vacation from 2018-07-01T11:33:07
Fly fishing on a family vacation is a nice idea in theory but often impractical in reality. Often, you simply make the family unhappy with you. In this fun episode, we regale each other with fam...
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S4:E3 Fly Fishing Rules Made to Be Broken from 2018-06-24T11:19:36
Fly fishing rules include using light tackle to catch more educated fish, avoiding bright sunny days, and switching to nymphs when nothing is rising. There’s a lot of conventional fly fish...
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S4:E2 Nymph Fishing Tips from Our Listeners from 2018-06-17T11:22:33
Nymph fishing tips from us are one thing. Nymph fishing tips from the true experts – you, our listeners – are quite another. The best part of publishing our podcast is all the wisdom...
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S4:E1 6 Fly Fishing Trends Shaping Our Sport from 2018-06-10T10:59:33
Never has there been a better time to be a new fly fisher. The only word is “more”: more gear, more videos, more podcasts, more articles, more fly fishing shows, more YouTube channel...
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S3:E52 When Your Honey Hole Disappears from 2018-06-03T11:43:39
Every stream has its honey hole, the pool or run that consistently produces. But things change. The river changes: a heavy snowpack and then a spring blowout or maybe even a drought. And your ho...
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S3:E51 Diners, Dives and Two Hungry Fly Fishers from 2018-05-27T11:47:20
What is fishing without the eating? No matter the luck on the river, we always wind up as two hungry fly fishers, looking to regale each other at a Wisconsin supper club or Montana bar and grill...
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S3:E50 One Fine Day on Nelson’s Spring Creek from 2018-05-20T11:25:44
Nelson’s Spring Creek flows from the hills of Paradise Valley, just south of Livingston, Montana, and into the Yellowstone River. It’s only miles away from DePuy and Armstrong spring...
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S3:E49 Mysteries of the Fly Fishing Universe, Part 1 from 2018-05-13T11:59:07
The Fly Fishing Universe is vast and filled with dark, unsolvable mysteries. One such mystery is, “Why are there no insect hatches on a perfectly overcast day in early spring when just the...
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S3:E48 Fly Fishing Safely in the Summer from 2018-05-06T11:43:36
Fly fishing safely is harder than it sounds, For sure, fishing is no extreme sport. Recently, however, while we were fishing in Yellowstone National Park, two fly fishers were attacked by a griz...
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S3:E47 One Fine Day on the Madison at Bear Trap Canyon from 2018-04-29T11:58:40
Fishing for spring spawners on Montana’s Madison River needs to be on your bucket list. There several stretches of the Madison – the Lower, the Upper, and, among others, the stretch ...
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S3:E46 Why We Like to Fish Alone from 2018-04-22T13:50:32
Some of you fish alone all or most of the time. We don’t. We probably fish five or six days with someone (often together) for every one day we fish alone. And yet both of us enjoy the days...
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S3:E45 What Fishing Guides Have Taught Us about Ourselves from 2018-04-15T14:31:13
Fishing guides are the hardest working folks in the fishing industry. Each year, we budget one guided day on the river, most often float trips, though last year we did a wade trip on the Madison...
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S3:E44 The Variables of Spring Fly Fishing from 2018-04-08T11:35:39
Spring fly fishing is in full swing, though the weather still feels like winter in many parts of the United States, certainly in the northern states. Weather is certainly one variable in spring ...
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S3:E43 One Fine Day between Hebgen and Quake Lakes from 2018-04-01T12:52:34
Hebgen and Quake Lakes in southwestern Montana bookend a short ribbon of the Madison River that is well known for its big rainbows in late March to mid April. In this episode, we recall one fine...
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S3:E42 Adjustments to Improve Your Fly Fishing Game from 2018-03-25T15:28:17
Frustration almost always sets in when the same tactics yield the same results. If you fish only once or twice a year with a guide or outfitter, improving your fly fishing game doesn’t rea...
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S3:E41 Legends of Fly Fishing: Bud Lilly from 2018-03-20T14:23:26
The fly fishing industry today is a mature industry with a thousand niches, such as salt water fishing, Tenkara, even fly fishing for carp. Before fly fishing’s emergence into the conscien...
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S3:E40 Extending the Life of Your Fly Fishing Gear from 2018-03-11T14:34:47
Fly fishing gear can last a long time, if well cared for. Steve just retired a pair of 20-year-old waders. Of course, he isn’t fishing 50 days a year, but just a modicum of care can prolon...
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S3:E39 One Fine Day in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness from 2018-03-04T15:19:05
Harrison Flats is not listed on the trail head as you walk into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in Colorado. The trail ends about a mile below the lake, so finding it is cause for celebration. I...
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S3:E38 Fly Fishing for Brookies from 2018-02-25T13:00:49
Fly fishing for brookies is one of the great joys of life. In this episode, we regale each other with stories of fly fishing for brookies and also discuss a study from the Minnesota DNR about wh...
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S3:E37 When Life Gets in the Way of Fishing from 2018-02-18T13:47:02
Life gets in the way of fishing more than we’d like. We’ve had stretches during which we’ve fished little, and stretches that were full of days on the river. Life often gets in...
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S3:E36 Fly Fishing Off Color Water from 2018-02-11T16:44:32
Fly fishing off color water is pretty much standard fare in the spring. We all fish different kinds of waters – freestone rivers, spring creeks, or tail waters – but when the water m...
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S3:E35 What the Big Brown Trout Had for Lunch from 2018-02-04T23:38:09
Big brown trout are in reality river sharks, as biologists have noted. Brown trout in general also tend take over rivers and streams. Biologists surmise they feast on other trout like cutthroat ...
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S3:E34 The Short Happy Life of a Mayfly from 2018-01-28T15:45:09
Mayflies are an important food source of trout. The short happy life of a mayfly is about a year – and all but roughly a day or so of its life are spent rolling around the bottom of the ri...
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S3:E33 The Roller Coaster of Learning to Fly Fish from 2018-01-22T00:21:18
Learning to fly fish is the worthy pursuit of a lifetime. But the first couple years, depending on how often you fish, can be frustrating. You think it’s about casting, but that’s no...
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S3:E32 The Art of Making Small Adjustments on the River from 2018-01-15T03:18:02
Making small adjustments on the river is the secret sauce to better days on the river. No one ever tells a new fly fisher that the three attractor patterns in his or her fly box won’t work...
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S3:E31 Parenting Kids to Love the Outdoors from 2018-01-07T02:25:59
Parenting kids to love the outdoors is easier said than done. It requires intentionality, patience and flexibility. In this first-of-its-kind episode (for us), we invited several of our kids to ...
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S3:E30 What Your Strike Indicator Tells You from 2018-01-01T12:00:14
Your strike indicator gives off some important signals, the most obvious being whether a fish is working your nymph. In this episode for newer fly fishers, we discuss the various kinds of strike...
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S3:E29 2017 Fly Fishing Reflections from 2017-12-24T18:26:06
Fly fishing reflections are a good way to begin planning for the new year. In this episode, we look back on 2017 and discuss its lowlights and highlights. We both want to fish more days in 2018,...
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S3:E28 Living in Fly Fishing Exile from 2017-12-17T23:55:28
Fly fishing exile is when you wished you lived closer to the big rivers. Steve moved from Bozeman, Montana, to the Chicago area more than ten years ago. And Dave moved from Colorado to the Chica...
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S3:E27 Matthew Lourdeau @castingacross on Fly Fishing Shows from 2017-12-10T19:53:29
Fly fishing shows are not our expertise. We’ve been to a grand total of one in the last five years. We needed an expert, and so we called on Matthew Lourdeau, a fly fishing blogger and fly...
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S3:E26 One Fine Day on the Madison at Baker’s Hole from 2017-12-03T22:59:13
Baker’s Hole is a bucket-list stretch of the Madison River near the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Baker’s Hole Campground is located approximately three miles north of ...
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S3:E25 The Exceptional People You Meet While Fishing from 2017-11-25T14:05:35
The best part of any fly fishing trip is often the exceptional people you meet. Yes, we like to catch fish, but often what gives the trip color and creates great memories are the unexpected conv...
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S3:E24 One Fine Fall Day in Yellowstone National Park from 2017-11-19T20:50
Yellowstone National Park is no doubt our happy place. It’s one of our favorite places to fish, especially in the fall. This fall we fished the Yellowstone and Gardner near the north entra...
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S3:E23 Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine When Fly Fishing from 2017-11-12T18:57:24
Laughter really is the best medicine when your best laid fishing plans go sideways. Or when you snap off the tip of your fly rod on the first day of your fly fishing trip. Or when your partner&#...
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S3:E22 From Guided Float Trips to Fly Fishing Solo from 2017-11-06T03:20:29
Fly fishing solo can be confusing when you’re first starting out, especially if all you’ve ever done is guided float trips. Making the transition is not a snap for everyone. Many fol...
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S3:E21 Which is the Best Overall Fly Rod? from 2017-10-30T02:24:21
Best overall fly rod – it’s not a debate for the ages, but it’s important to new fly fishers. You probably are not going to purchase two fly rods out of the gate. In this episo...
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S3:E20 The Wonders of Brown Trout Fishing from 2017-10-22T15:23:49
Brown trout fishing is everywhere, mostly because the browns have taken over the American waters. Brought over to America in the 1800s, this European specie has thrived globally, even pushing ou...
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S3:E19 Buying Fly Fishing Gear for That Next Trip from 2017-10-15T11:52:47
Buying fly fishing gear is not merely about catching more fish. For some, it’s more like a shopping or hoarding addiction. For others it’s about status. For each of us, purchasing ne...
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S3:E18 Overcoming the 5 Barriers to Fly Fishing More from 2017-10-05T16:52:43
Barriers to fly fishing more include season of life, health, beginner frustration, finances, and many others. In this episode, we identify five common barriers and discuss how we can overcome th...
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S3:E17 One Fine Day on Elk Creek near Augusta, Montana from 2017-10-01T13:14:56
Elk Creek flows out of the Scapegoat Wilderness west of Great Falls, Montana. It’s one of thousands – small-creek fisheries in Montana filled with various combinations of browns, rai...
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S3:E16 Dry Fly Fishing Lessons from the Summer from 2017-09-24T20:27:48
Dry fly fishing lessons are best learned by doing – not by reading or in a classroom. This summer, we had some great days on the river catching brookies and browns on dry flies. We also le...
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S3:E15 You Can’t Fix Stupid Outdoor Behavior from 2017-09-18T01:52:52
You can’t fix stupid is one of the all-time great phrases about how humans can behave in public. It’s also true in the great outdoors. “You can’t fix stupid” also a...
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S3:E14 Fly Fishing Guide Glen Zarboni on Nymph Fishing from 2017-09-10T12:47:54
Nymph fishing is arguably the most productive way to catch more fish and bigger fish. We use the word “arguably” because slinging streamers is a close second. In this interview with ...
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S3:E13 The Mystique of Fall Fly Fishing from 2017-09-03T14:23:05
Fall fly fishing is here. Truthfully, it’s our favorite time of year to fish. The transition from summer to fall to winter means Friday night lights, elk bugling, and cool nights. The brow...
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S3:E12 Fly Fishing Grizzly Country from 2017-08-28T12:11:37
Fly fishing grizzly country should evoke a small amount of anxiety. Surprising a sow at her cubs while making your way along the trail to get to the river is no way to begin the day. In this epi...
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S3:E11 One Fine Morning on the Little Jordan from 2017-08-20T16:14:39
Little Jordan is a tiny stream that flows through a junky farmyard in southeastern Minnesota. We had our doubts about fishing the stream. We had read about the Little Jordan in Bob Trevis’...
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S3:E10 Fishing the Dead Zones from 2017-08-14T01:57:11
Dead zones are those seasons of the year and times of the day when fishing will be unproductive. It’s important to know that as a new fly fisher. If you spend your first few times on the r...
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S3:E9 Fishing the Colorado High Country from 2017-08-06T19:30:45
Colorado high country makes for an amazing backdrop for a day on the river. We each take at least one trip to Colorado each year to fly fish, and the creeks and lakes we fish typically are in th...
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S3:E8 One Fine Evening on Wisel Creek from 2017-07-30T13:20:36
Wisel Creek is a gorgeous spring creek fishery with a tragic past. On August 6, 1866, a flash flood destroyed a community, killing 16 men, women and children in Preble Township, Fillmore County,...
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S3:E7 Fly Fishing Persistence and When to Quit from 2017-07-24T03:46:10
Fly fishing persistence is necessary if you want to catch fish. Wind, rain, cold, snow – fly fishers know the truism that the worst weather is often the best for fishing. There are times t...
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S3:E6 Getting Ready to Fly Fish from 2017-07-17T01:41:02
Getting ready to fly fish is slower for some than it is for others. Some of you jump out of the truck, don your waders in an instant, rig up, and are on your way. Others are more methodical (rea...
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S3:E5 Blogger Matthew Lourdeau on Fly Fishing Culture from 2017-07-10T11:56:07
Fly fishing culture is what you experience every time you walk into a fly shop. The shop monkey speaks a different language – mending, nymphs, attractors, hare’s ear, streamers, mid-...
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S3:E4 The Art of Fly Fishing Alone from 2017-07-02T14:22:25
Fly fishing alone may be the norm for many fly fishers. Not everyone has a buddy. And even if you do, you’ll want, on some days, to head to the river by yourself. In this episode, we discu...
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S3:E3 Summer Fly Fishing Joys and Woes from 2017-06-25T20:14:50
Summer fly fishing can be hit or miss. Summer is here, and in this episode, we list the joys and woes of summer fly fishing. One joy of summer fishing is wet wading – less clothes. One woe...
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S3:E2 7 Tips for Better Fly Casting from 2017-06-18T17:19:05
Fly casting is the first skill that newbies learn. Every Trout Unlimited chapter and every fly shop offers classes. Yet, until a fly fisher hits the river, it’s all academic. There it gets...
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S3:E1 Fly Fishing, Fathers and a Love for the Outdoors from 2017-06-11T13:06:56
Fathers and a love for the outdoors – a few of us had fathers who opened our eyes to the big world of the outdoors. In this episode, we recall the role our fathers played in giving us a lo...
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S2:E52 Lessons from 104 Fly Fishing Podcast Episodes from 2017-06-04T19:32:14
It has been two years. We’re now at 104 fly fishing podcast episodes. In this 104th episode, the finale of our second year, we reflect on the past year and tease out some insights and less...
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S2:E51 Fly Fishing Lies and Half Truths from 2017-05-29T00:54:11
Fly fishing lies are everywhere. Well, maybe not downright lies. Maybe half truths. And maybe they’re not everywhere. In this episode, we identify five fly fishing lies (or half truths) an...
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S2:E50 Our Top 7 Lessons from Hiring Fly Fishing Guides from 2017-05-22T02:41:49
Hiring fly fishing guides is core to how we improve our craft. It’s not cheap, and we do it sparingly (about once a year), but we have found great value in learning from the experts. Click...
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S2:E49 Our Favorite Two Fly Combos from 2017-05-14T14:27:16
Two-fly combos are a staple for many fly fishers. Whether fishing nymphs or dries, rigging up with two flies (the top fly and the dropper or trailer) often increases the odds of success. This is...
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S2:E48 One Fine Day on Canfield Creek from 2017-05-07T16:22:16
Canfield Creek is a gorgeous spring creek fishery in southeastern Minnesota. We love fly fishing in the area, because there seems to be less pressure on the creeks than there is in southwestern ...
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S2:E47 Fly Fishing Net Gains and Losses from 2017-04-30T16:40
Trying to net your son’s first big brown – and causing him to lose the fish – may require psychotherapy for him later in life. We all have a fly fishing net, and we probably us...
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S2:E46 The Limits of Unlimited Fly Fishing from 2017-04-23T17:02:28
Unlimited fly fishing sounds too good to be true. No doubt, most of us would love an extra couple days each year on the river. But if you had the chance to do unlimited fly fishing would you? Th...
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S2:E45 Our 5 Most Dangerous Moments on the River from 2017-04-16T18:15:19
Dangerous moments are not always recognized fully in the moment. Several years ago while we fished the Wyoming Bighorn, the temperature dropped 25 degrees in a two-hour period. We drifted the Bi...
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S2:E44 10 Fly Fishing Proverbs for the Soul from 2017-04-10T00:31:15
Fly fishing proverbs are everywhere. In conversations at the fly shop. In stories after a big day on the river. And in books from our sport’s great fly fishing legends. In this fun episode...
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S2:E43 Casting Upstream or Downstream? from 2017-04-02T18:14:51
Casting upstream is the default mode for newer fly fishers. It’s how we are taught: stand in the river or on the bank near the bottom of the run, and cast upstream. And then mend your line...
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S2:E42 Fishing Emergers During a Hatch from 2017-03-27T04:38:05
Fishing emergers during a hatch is not the first thing to come to mind for newer fly fishers. Yet, it can be productive. In this episode, we discuss four reasons to throw on an emerger pattern w...
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S2:E41 Better Fly Fishing Photos from 2017-03-20T00:28:11
Taking great fly fishing photos is much easier in an age of Instagram and Snapchat. No matter the apps and technology, though, there are a few principles that can help you up your game. We are n...
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S2:E40 Clues of Trout Feeding Behavior from 2017-03-13T02:29:24
Trout feeding behavior is not an exact science. And yet there are some signals that can help you select which flies to use. In this episode we discuss the four responses of trout when feeding on...
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S2:E39 Gearing Up for a New Fly Fishing Season from 2017-03-06T13:05:39
A new fly fishing season brings new expenses. It may be finally time to buy a new pair of waders. Or a new duffle bag or a pair of wading sandals. Too bad you didn’t purchase them last fal...
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S2:E38 One Fine Day on the Blue River from 2017-02-27T02:00:57
The Wisconsin Driftless region is known for its small spring creeks and bucolic, dairy-cows-and-old-barns setting. Recently, we escaped from the Chicago ‘burbs for a day to fish one of tho...
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S2:E37 How to Plan Your Next Fly Fishing Trip from 2017-02-20T00:00:06
If you haven’t yet made plans for a fly fishing trip this year, you’ll want to listen to this episode. Our fishing year is typically comprised of a series of short trips and at least...
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S2:E36 Fly Fishing Physics 101 from 2017-02-13T04:01:31
Fly fishing physics are always at work if you’re at work on the river. From casting to striking to reeling to mending – the laws of physics won’t be denied. And the better you ...
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S2:E35 Organizing Your Fly Box from 2017-02-06T11:24:24
Organizing your fly box is generally not a top priority until you’re on the river, scrounging for a size #20 BWO in your fly box, and realize you lost the last one on the previous trip. Th...
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S2:E34 Fly Fishing Spring Creeks from 2017-01-30T02:42:19
Fly fishing spring creeks is a snap for those of you who cut your fly fishing teeth on the gorgeous eastern or midwestern creeks of the United States. We didn’t. We learned to fly fish on ...
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S2:E33 Fishing the Wild Places from 2017-01-23T02:17:03
Fishing the wild places is one of the great thrills of the sport. Yes, it’s a lollipop if you are well off enough to fly fish Patagonia, Russia, and New Zealand, but there are many wild pl...
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S2:E32 Fly Fishing Myths of “More” from 2017-01-15T21:21:20
More money, more vacations, more fly fishing – who doesn’t want more of the good life? In this episode, we deconstruct the fly fishing myths of more – more days on the water, m...
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S2:E31 Nymph Fishing Tactics for Beginners from 2017-01-09T00:30:59
Nymph fishing tactics can confound beginner fly fishers. If you’re just starting out, you may ask: How many split shot should I use? How far up should the strike indicator be? Why am I sna...
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S2:E30 Fly Fishing Expectations for the New Year from 2017-01-01T14:15:02
Fly fishing expectations for the new year are in the air (or they should be!). We’re ready to make this next year our best ever, as we seek to find ways to get more days on the water. We&#...
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S2: E29 This Past Year’s Fly Fishing Lessons from 2016-12-26T13:16:39
Fly fishing lessons do not necessarily involve expense. They’re all about learning, growth, and becoming better at the sport. In this episode, we look back on 2016 and discuss what we lear...
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S2:E28 One Fine Day on Willow Creek from 2016-12-19T16:47:41
Willow Creek is a gorgeous tailwater stream that flows out of Harrison Reservoir about an hour west of Bozeman, Montana. The willow-thick creek makes its way to the Jefferson River, which eventu...
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S2:E27 The Myths and Truths of Catching Big Fish from 2016-12-11T21:08:55
Catching big fish is no doubt a signal of skill. Then again, it may not be. A 10-year-old on a guided fly fishing trip can hook and crank in the largest rainbow that the guide has ever seen on t...
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S2:E26 The Markers of Fly Fishing Satisfaction from 2016-12-04T19:03:32
Fly fishing satisfaction is situational. And personal. Folks fly fish for many reasons. There’s no single marker of fly fishing satisfaction, with the exception of “catching lots of ...
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S2:E25 Benefits of a Fly Fishing Buddy from 2016-11-28T17:03:55
A fly fishing buddy (if you can find a good one) can improve your game. You’ll catch more fish. You’ll have to work through the dreary competitive stage, but eventually, you’ll...
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S2:E24 Assessing Our Fly Fishing Gear from 2016-11-21T05:18:12
Fly fishing gear matters. It just does. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive or the brand of choice of the fly fishing literati, but the right fly fishing gear can make a good trip gre...
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S2:E23 One Fine Day on the Gardner River (Day 2) from 2016-11-13T15:01:02
The Gardner River gave us two days of memorable fly fishing last month. During our second day on the river, we had even a better day than the first, and we learned more about the art of nymph fi...
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S2:E22 One Fine Day on the Gardner River (Day 1) from 2016-11-07T04:07:41
The Gardner River near the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park is a gorgeous fishery – with the added bonus of deer, bison, elk, and grizzly bears. In this episode, the first of a ...
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S2:E21 The Art of Fly Fishing Mentoring from 2016-10-31T04:01:54
Fly fishing mentoring is a lot of work. For starters, it takes patience. A lot of patience. And many of us are not wired to watch someone else fly fish. In this episode, we discuss the importanc...
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S2:E20 Sustaining Your Fly Fishing Passion from 2016-10-24T03:39:47
Fly fishing passion can ebb and flow throughout life. If you’re in your twenties, with no or few family obligations, then your days on the river may be unlimited. As your life accumulates ...
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S2:E19 Differences between Native and Wild Trout from 2016-10-16T13:21:42
Wild trout – those two words together make no sense. Aren’t all trout wild? We all know the story of hatchery trout, but what about wild and native trout? What are the differences be...
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S2:E18 Fly Fishing Trip Preparations from 2016-10-10T00:33:58
Fly fishing trip preparations are necessary to make the outing memorable. But a little planning also creates anticipation, which is part of the entire experience. We are about to take our yearly...
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S2:E17 Finding Fly Fishing Solitude from 2016-10-03T02:12:09
Fly fishing solitude is not something you’ll find during vacation season and most weekends. In today’s climate, with growing pressure on the rivers, it takes some work to find a stre...
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S2:E16 Reasons You Are Not Catching Fish from 2016-09-26T01:57:47
Catching fish is not merely about pure skill. Many fishers buy their fly fishing experiences with guides and outfitters. With the latest fly fishing gear, access to a drift boat, and a great gui...
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S2:E15 Fly Fishing with Streamers from 2016-09-19T00:07:40
Fly fishing with streamers is no doubt the single best way to catch bigger fish. For the fly fisher just starting out, slinging bigger flies requires some adjustments. Fly fishing with streamers...
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S2:E14 Lessons from the Yellowstone River Closure from 2016-09-12T02:53:07
The Yellowstone River closure late last month confirmed once again how fragile our rivers are. In one week, about 4,000 fish (mostly whitefish) died due to a parasite. Some sections that were cl...
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S2:E13 Fly Fishing Gear We Use from 2016-09-05T03:46:03
Fly fishing gear is like candy. Or better than candy. There’s no joy like the permission one gives himself or herself to buy a new fly rod or reel, or purchase a new pair of waders. Click ...
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S2:E12 The Promise of Fall Fly Fishing from 2016-08-29T01:38:26
Fall fly fishing – is there a better time of year to fish? The crowds are thinner. Many summer fly fishers replace their fly rods with bows, shotguns, and rifles. They become hunters. Yea!...
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S2:E11 Fly Fishing Etiquette from 2016-08-21T21:47
Fly fishing etiquette – yes, there is such a thing. There are unwritten rules about how a fly fisher should behave while on the river. Listen now to our podcast on fly fishing etiquette an...
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S2:E10 Colorado Fly Fishing High from 2016-08-15T02:46:39
Colorado fly fishing is legendary. It takes a little more effort to get away from the crowds in Colorado than, say, Montana, but Colorado fly fishing is amazing. We took separate trips to Colora...
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S2 E9 When Your Fly Fishing Trip Is a Dud from 2016-08-08T01:57:37
You plan the fly fishing trip. You carve out the time. And you finally make it to the river. And then nothing goes right, especially when it comes to catching trout. Listen now to “When Yo...
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S2:E8 Time to Fly Fish Amid the Busyness of Life from 2016-07-31T23:25:37
Time to fly fish is a snap if you’re living in the American West or near some great streams. And if you have no other responsibilities in life. If you are not a fly fishing professional (a...
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S2: E7 Fly Fishing Made Simple from 2016-07-25T04:23:22
Fly fishing made simple is big promise. If you’re just starting out, learning how to cast, read water, and grasp a modicum of entomology can feel overwhelming. We’ve wanted to publis...
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S2:E6 One Fine Day on the Madison River from 2016-07-18T01:12:06
Montana’s Madison River is one of our favorite western rivers. There’s both the Upper Madison River and the Lower Madison River, two distinct sections. In this episode, we go into st...
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S2:E5 The Five Traits of a Successful Fly Fisher from 2016-07-11T15:02:35
The successful fly fisher – what does success really mean? At minimum, success requires a persistence to stay at it during the slow and frustrating days. Like any pursuit, fly fishing dema...
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S2:E4 Our Top Nymph and Wet Fly Patterns from 2016-07-04T13:30:54
Our top nymph and wet fly patterns are probably not the same as yours. Every fly fisher has an opinion. Each river is unique. Yet there remain some common attractor nymph and wet fly patterns th...
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S2:E3 The Basics of Nymph Fishing from 2016-06-26T22:00:28
The basics of nymphing are never as basic as they seem. It takes time to learn the language of this aspect of fly fishing, and it takes a lifetime to become proficient at it. However, it’s...
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S2:E2 Our Fly Fishing Bucket Lists from 2016-06-20T03:46:18
Fly fishing bucket lists make us happy. There’s nothing better than to listen to someone yammer on about great days on the water in places they’ve always longed to fly fish. In this ...
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Episode 52: Fly Fishing Observations from a Year of Podcasting from 2016-06-05T23:11:08
This completes a year of weekly episodes from 2 Guys and a River. In Episode 52: Fly Fishing Observations from a Year of Podcasting, we discuss what we’ve learned from the weekly task of p...
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Episode 51: Should You Tie Your Own Flies? from 2016-05-30T01:48:36
Tie your own flies? Some might say you can’t be a real fly fisher unless you do. Well, we differ on the matter. Steve ties his own, and Dave doesn’t. In this episode, using a point-c...
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Episode 50: Unlikely Places to Catch Trout from 2016-05-23T13:03:07
Unlikely places to catch trout are good places to drift your fly. We’ve caught fish in shallow riffles, drainage ditches, grassy side channels, and trickles of water that could be barely b...
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Episode 49: Making Sense of Leaders and Tippet from 2016-05-16T01:03:22
Which leaders and tippet work best with a size #8 beadhead woolly bugger? No matter how many articles an aspiring fly fisher reads, he or she has to learn the hard way. It’s nearly impossi...
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Episode 48: Fly Fishing Brands and Your Next Purchase from 2016-05-09T01:15:33
Fly fishing brands are everywhere: Sage, Winston, Orvis, Patagonia, Temple Fork Outfitters, Fishpond, Simms, Loomis, and many more. It’s a noisy, cluttered marketplace. It’s hard to ...
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Episode 47: Improving Your Fly Presentation from 2016-05-01T18:03:05
The fly presentation – it is the most challenging aspect of fly fishing. Especially when dry fly fishing or nymphing, perfecting the dead drift demands a mindset of continual learning and ...
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Episode 46: One Magical Day on the River from 2016-04-23T18:59:44
Ever have a magical day on the river? Of course you have. But such days tend to be less common than we imagine. In this episode, we recount a magical day on the river that we know will never be ...
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Episode 45: The Joy of Fly Fishing with Hoppers from 2016-04-18T00:23:04
There is no joy like the joy of fly fishing with hoppers. Period. It’s a little like learning how to play the guitar. Every newbie guitar player begins by learning how to play Lynyrd Skyny...
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Episode 44: Identifying Trout Lies from 2016-04-11T14:47:40
The ability to identify trout lies in the river or stream may be the single biggest predictor of your success. This is as basic for an aspiring fly fisher to learn as casting. Not all places in ...
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Episode 43: 5 Fly Fishing Dangers from 2016-04-03T23:06:36
Fly fishing is no extreme sport. Just look at us. We couldn’t extreme anything. But fly fishing offers a few ways to die (drowning, the most obvious), and many ways to ruin a day on the ri...
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Episode 42: Spring Fly Fishing Success from 2016-03-27T17:28
Spring fly fishing is filled with the promise of warmer days and blue skies, rain and snow, and spawners and browns. It feels so good to be back along and in the river. Listen to Episode 42: Spr...
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Episode 41: Funny Outdoor Moments from 2016-03-20T21:50:17
Funny outdoor moments – we’ve all had a few. Where would fly fishing be without the stories? In this episode, we regale each other with some of our better fly fishing, hunting, and c...
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Episode 40: The Inconsiderate Fly Fisher from 2016-03-14T00:46:03
An inconsiderate fly fisher – you’ve probably met one. They are not legion, since fly fishing is the sport of thoughtful conservationists, but we’ve all groaned inwardly when w...
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Episode 39: Wade Fishing vs Floating from 2016-03-06T19:45:32
Wade fishing vs floating – it’s not either-or, of course. There is a time for each. But if you plan to take a fly fishing trip to the American West or some other area with bigger riv...
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Episode 38: Fly Fishing Hacks from 2016-02-29T04:59:41
Fly fishing hacks – every fly fisher has them. The word hack has so many meanings today, but for our purposes, we’re defining the term loosely to mean shortcuts or quick solutions to...
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Episode 37: Why We Fly Fish from 2016-02-22T02:43:57
Why we fly fish is personal and subjective. Our reasons are probably not the same as yours. In this podcast, we get a bit more philosophical and reflective as we try to describe fly fishing̵...
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Episode 36: Packing for a Fly Fishing Day Trip from 2016-02-16T13:23:42
A fly fishing day trip takes more thought than cramming your gear into a vest or fanny pack – and then hitting the trail. There’s nothing worse than hiking two miles in to your favor...
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Episode 35: Breaking Out of a Fly Fishing Slump from 2016-02-06T22:43
Have you ever been in a fly fishing slump? One of the signs is, well, the same old, same old. You fly fish with the same results: you keep losing the bigger fish that you hook, you struggle to s...
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Episode 34: Finding New Fly Fishing Waters from 2016-01-31T23:44:34
Sooner or later, your favorite run will be overrun with fly fishers. Or the river will change, as it always does, and you’ll need to find new fly fishing waters. In this podcast we provide...
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Episode 33: Fly Fishing the Wisconsin Driftless from 2016-01-24T21:24:33
Fly fishing the Wisconsin Driftless should be on every fly fisher’s bucket list. We, fortunately, live only about four hours from some of America’s best spring creek fishing. In this...
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Episode 32: Our Five Favorite Trout Flies from 2016-01-18T15:16:26
Are you able to list your five favorite trout flies off the cuff? In this podcast, we discuss our five favorite trout flies. And then our next five as well. The number of fly patterns are legion...
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Episode 31: Fly Fishers’ Use of Public Access from 2016-01-11T04:20:35
The use of public access is assumed by most fly fishers. Several years ago, however, Montana’s stream access law was under fire, and the right of being able to wade up or down river up to ...
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Episode 30: Gary Borger on How Fly Fishing Strengthens Families from 2016-01-03T16:25:20
Fly fishing strengthens families. But does it really? Do families that fly fish together stay together? The outdoors in general and fly fishing in particular seem to give parents and their child...
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Episode 29: Planning Your Next Fly Fishing Trip from 2015-12-27T16:47:51
It’s dead winter. And time to make plans for your next fly fishing trip. A few of you hardy souls are winter fishing, but most of us are dreaming of 2016. In this podcast, we discuss fly f...
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Episode 28: Fly Fishing Gadgets Galore from 2015-12-19T16:15:14
Tis the Season. Every fly fisher wants either a gift certificate or two in his or her stocking. Or some crisply wrapped stocking presents from a spouse who knows fly fishing gadgets. In this pod...
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Episode 27: Your Next Guided Fly Fishing Trip from 2015-12-13T19:44:03
Your next guided fly fishing trip – how should you prepare for it? Hiring a fly fishing guide seems easy enough: just pay and fish, right? Yes, it’s an extra expense, of course, but ...
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Episode 26: Landing Bigger Trout from 2015-12-07T20:53:16
Where would we be if we caught all the trout we hooked? There’d be no fishing stories. There’d be no (possibly apocryphal) stories of the one that got away. In this episode, we offer...
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Episode 25: TU’s Dave Kumlien on Fly Fishing and Conservation from 2015-11-28T22:20:21
Conservation and fly fishing are like an old married couple. They’ve been together so long that it’s hard to remember their life before. Yet it’s critical to educate younger ge...
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Episode 24: The Art of Stalking Trout from 2015-11-23T15:22:35
Stalking trout is not on the mind of the beginner fly fisher. It’s hard enough to sling the fly. But there are two sure-fire ways not to catch trout: Creating a drift with a wake that woul...
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Episode 23: The Healing Properties of Fly Fishing from 2015-11-16T03:55:25
Fly fishing seems different in kind from other outdoor sports. There’s something healing about a day on the water. It’s hard to describe to someone who has never fly fished. It’...
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Episode 22: Choosing the Right Fly Rod from 2015-11-09T22:52:18
Choosing the right fly rod is important whether you are new to the sport or a veteran. In this podcast episode, Steve and Dave help aspiring fly fishers select their next trout rod. Dave is adam...
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Episode 21: How to Fly Fish a Lake from 2015-11-02T04:16:24
There’s a reason this podcast is called “2 Guys and a River.” Our experience (such as it is) is largely fly fishing creeks and rivers. But fly fishing a lake has its own deligh...
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Episode 20: Interview with a Fly Fishing Sage from 2015-10-26T22:36:36
Back in the day, Bob Granger was the fly fishing guide to the stars. He has owned a fly shop, tied a zillion flies, and guided celebrities, politicians, and America’s business leaders. In ...
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Episode 19: Our Favorite Outdoor Authors from 2015-10-18T23:19:46
There’s only one “A River Runs Through It,” the classic fly fishing novella by Norman Maclean. But there’s a host of great outdoor writers who capture the joy and emotion...
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Episode 18: The Basics of Safe Wading from 2015-10-12T01:27:36
You haven’t fly fished if you haven’t slipped while waist high in a swift current. Who hasn’t felt the adrenaline surge as the icy water poured over the top of your waders? In ...
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Episode 17: Fly Fishing and Friendship from 2015-10-04T17:45:01
Fly fishing is a solitary act. Yet for us, it has also been the means for a long friendship. In this episode we tell how fly fishing has contributed to many years of laughter and conversation. L...
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Episode 16: Weathering the Weather on the River from 2015-09-28T13:41:05
Weather on the river can be unpredictable. Now that’s a patently obvious statement. But it needs to be said. Some of the best days fly fishing are miserable (in terms of weather) for fly f...
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Episode 15: Gary Borger on Fly Fishing Spring Creeks from 2015-09-20T18:29:09
Fly fishing spring creeks is not like fly fishing the big freestone rivers of the American West. In this episode, we interview fly fishing legend Gary Borger on fishing in the Upper Midwest and,...
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Episode 14: Fly Fishing Personalities You’ll Meet from 2015-09-13T16:56:29
Fly fishing personalities – they are everywhere. On the river. At fly fishing trade shows. In fly shops. And on the trail as you’ve hiking to your favorite stretch of river. We guess...
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Episode 13: Introducing Your Kids to the Great Outdoors from 2015-09-05T19:58
Introducing your kids to the great outdoors at an early age is mandatory if you want them to grow up loving the sport. But how early should you get them out to the river. In this episode, we dis...
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Episode 12: The Stupid Things Fly Fishers Do from 2015-08-29T23:12:50
Fly fishers can do stupid things when zeroed in on trout, steelhead, salmon, or whatever the fish. Some of it is hilarious, some of it (almost) deadly serious. In this episode, we recall some of...
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Episode 11: Five Lessons from a Recent Fly Fishing Trip from 2015-08-23T20:01:36
In this episode, we tease out five lessons from one of our great trips fishing the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Listen to Episode 11: Five Lessons from a Recent Fly Fishing Trip. Listen to Episode 43:...
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Episode 10: How Fly Fishing Restores Wounded Warriors from 2015-08-17T03:15:39
What truly restores wounded warriors, the folks who have sacrificed so much for our country? In this episode, we interview Dave Kumlien, who is the Western Coordinator for the Veterans Service P...
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Episode 9: Fishing the Hatch from 2015-08-13T12:23:46
Fishing the hatch is always a thrill. Nothing beats the joy of hooking into a big fish during a hatch. In this podcast, we offer four ways to make sure you catch fish when the trout begin feedin...
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Episode 8: Crazy Stuff Happens While Fly Fishing from 2015-08-02T17:48:29
Crazy happens. If you fly fish long enough, something wild, silly, stupid, or out of the blue will happen. Just does. In this episode, Steve and Dave recount the silly to the serious, the someti...
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Episode 7: Fly Fishing the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from 2015-07-25T15:34:33
There are a million great places to fly fish. But the center of the fly fishing universe has to be the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. With the Yellowstone, the Madison, the Gallatin – and ...
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Episode 6: Gary Borger on “A River Runs Through It” from 2015-07-18T12:27:31
A River Runs Through It is not so about fly fishing as it is about the love for a family member when you don’t understand him or her. In this episode, we interview Gary Borger, fly fishing...
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Episode 5: Reflections on “A River Runs Through It” from 2015-07-12T03:46:44
Reflections on “A River Runs Through It” are often about family – and what it means to love someone you don’t understand.The movie A River Runs Through It starring Brad P...
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Episode 4: You Can Learn to Fly Fish Too! from 2015-07-06T03:25:35
Fly fishing is more complicated and more simple than it looks. It’s more complicated in that a newbie must buy gear, learn how to fly cast, understand basic entomology, and locate a great ...
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Episode 3: Wildlife Encounters While Fly Fishing from 2015-06-28T13:57:32
Wildlife encounters while fly fishing are quite common. What makes the sport so unbelievably wonderful is the unpredictable nature of the great outdoors. In this episode, we tell a few yarns abo...
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Episode 2: Five Ways to Catch More Trout from 2015-06-23T11:12
Catch more trout? That’s a no brainer. Who doesn’t want to catch more trout? However, it’s one thing to buy a fly rod, watch a video on how to cast, take a class on hatches, an...
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Episode 1: My Best Day on the River from 2015-06-10T16:07:44
Best day on the river – it’s almost impossible to reduce all the great days to only one. In this inaugural episode of 2 Guys and a River, we discuss our best day ever fly fishing. Of...
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