Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

#879 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/879      Presented by: FishHound Expeditions  In this episode, I'm joined by Orion Good, a Fishhound Expeditions guide who's quietly dialing in what actually works when the salmon don't show and the bead bite disappears. We dig into nymphing in Alaska trout nymphing, why the Duracell fly keeps producing when nothing else does, and how Orion locates fish in constantly changing systems. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/879     

#878b Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878b       Presented by: Mountain Waters Resort When people think about Newfoundland fly fishing, Atlantic salmon usually steal the spotlight. But tucked into the same rivers and lakes are some of the hardest-fighting brook trout you'll ever see, including sea-run fish pushing three to five pounds. In this episode, I sat down with Les Wentzell to walk through brook trout fishing. We dug into timing, locations, flies, wind tactics, and why a simple dead-drift can outfish flashy presentations. If you're heading to Newfoundland for salmon, this episode opens the door to a second fishery that's right under your feet. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878b        

878 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878 Presented by:  Smitty's Fly Box, Intrepid Camp Gear, Stonefly Nets,  Togiak River Lodge   Today, we're digging into how fly rods are really designed. Not the marketing side, but what really goes into the design, the testing, and why some rods last for decades while others fall apart. Zac Dalton from St. Croix Rods is on the podcast today, and he walks us through how fly rods are designed from the ground up.    We talk about rod action and why faster is not always better, what durability really means for anglers who fish hard, and how different actions change the way a rod fishes and casts. We also get into cork, handles, and we even touch on the conventional side toward the end.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878

#877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877 Presented By: San Juan Rodworks, FishHound Expeditions, Pescador on the Fly, TroutRoutes Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing in Southern California looks nothing like a mountain river—and that's exactly why it works. In this episode, Frank Vargas breaks down how surf fly fishing actually functions, from reading tides and beach structure to understanding how species like perch, corbina, and leopard sharks use shallow water to feed and travel. Frank shares how incoming and negative tides reveal feeding lanes, why anglers often walk past productive water, and how sight fishing in the surf can feel more like targeting carp than blind casting waves. This conversation covers gear, etiquette, safety, and why slowing down and learning to see the beach is the key to success in one of the most overlooked fly fisheries in the country. #877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877

#876 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876   Presented by: AVC Rig Most adventure rigs look great online. Fewer are built for real miles, real weather, and those long fishing days that end well after dark. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Dunkerly to talk about building camper vans that actually work for anglers. Matt runs Adventure Vehicle Concepts, and his approach is refreshingly practical. This isn't about Instagram builds or overcomplicating things. It's about access, simplicity, and designing a rig that helps you fish more without getting in your own way. If you've been thinking about a van for fly fishing trips, road travel, or long weekends chasing water, this episode will help you avoid the most common mistakes before you ever pick up a tool. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876     

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B Presented by: wetflyswing.com/sponsors Streamer season is officially here in the Ozarks, and this one is all about slowing things down and fishing with intention. January kicks off the most aggressive window of the year, especially for big browns and smallmouth, and today Chad Johnson is digging deep into how they approach it. He walks us through why post-spawn is such a key window for them, how aggression bites drive streamer eats, and why presentation matters more than fly choice.   If you fish the Ozarks (or any tailwater with changing flows) this is one you'll want to bookmark. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/875 Sponsors: Togiak River Lodge and On DeMark Lodge Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing doesn't fall apart because it's too hard. It falls apart because there's too much going on at once. Too many rods, too many flies, too many opinions, and not enough clarity about what actually matters on day one. In this episode, I sat down with Phil Monahan to strip fly fishing back to its essentials. Phil's spent decades teaching, writing, guiding, and answering the same beginner questions over and over. His takeaway is simple. Most new anglers don't fail because they lack skill. They stall because they're overloaded with choices. Phil's new book, The Orvis QuickStart Guide to Fly Fishing, is all about cutting through that noise and helping people catch their first fish faster.  

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/874 Sponsors: Intrepid Camp Gear, Grand Teton Fly Fishing, and Montana Fly Fishing Lodge Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Most fly fishing gear is built for comfort. Some of it is built for performance. But very little of it is built with the assumption that conditions can turn from "kinda crappy" to "this could go bad" in a hurry. That's where Grundéns comes in. In this episode, I sat down with Justin Waters, who's right in the middle of translating nearly 100 years of commercial fishing toughness into gear that guides, steelheaders, and fly anglers lean on when the weather goes sideways. We dug into why durability beats "features," what guides actually do to destroy gear, and how the best product ideas still come from the hardest fishing jobs on Earth.

873 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873 Presented by:  Grand Teton Fly Fishing This episode breaks entomology down into something you can actually use. Sawyer Finley, guide at Grand Teton Fly Fishing, explains how insects live, move, and emerge—and how trout respond to that reality, not just to textbook hatches. The focus is on observation, timing, and availability, not memorization.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873  

#872 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872     Presented by: Moccasin Fly Club In this episode, I sat down with Nicolas Rivero to dig into fly fishing Patagonia. We covered the two-basin setup in Patagonia, the famous Limay River, giant brook trout in mountain lakes, and what a full April trip with Moccasin Fly Club looks like on the water. If you're curious about swinging flies for migratory trout, fishing both lakes and rivers in one week, or planning your first Patagonia trip, this one's packed. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872       

#871 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/871 Presented By: Montana Fly Fishing Lodge Big Montana rivers can feel overwhelming, even for experienced anglers. In this episode, Alex from Montana Fly Fishing Lodge breaks down how he approaches iconic waters like the Yellowstone, Bighorn, and Stillwater Rivers—and why many anglers struggle to find consistency on large freestone systems. It's a practical conversation focused on simplifying decisions, reading water effectively, and understanding what really matters on big rivers. We dig into fly fishing tactics like dry-dropper setups, nymphing adjustments, and streamer opportunities, along with how Alex adapts throughout the day as conditions change. Along the way, Dave also shares details on the Montana Fly Fishing Trip and Gear Giveaway, giving listeners a chance to turn these lessons into a real-world experience on Montana water. #871 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/871

870 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/870 Presented by:  Jackson Hole Fly Company,  Fish The Fly, AVC Rig, Drifthook Fly Fishing Somewhere deep in the Ozarks, Missouri splits in two. One side is farmland and highways. The other is the Eleven Point River, where everything goes quiet. No houses. No roads. Just cold, spring-fed water sliding through Mark Twain National Forest and miles of wild trout water where you can float for hours without seeing anyone. In this episode, we dig into fly fishing the Eleven Point River and the surrounding Ozark streams with Justin Spencer. We talk about his indicator jig system, why movement matters more than anything, when the fishing is best, and how trout and smallmouth behave through the seasons. We also cover Missouri's trout parks, blue ribbon water, and how to plan a trip that actually fits the river.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/870

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/869 Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Blooming olives were popping. Trout were rising everywhere. And Eric Johnson was sitting in a drift boat on the Missouri River, staring at one of those dry fly days you don't forget. What makes this episode different is that Eric isn't a guide, brand rep, or longtime lodge regular. He's the actual winner of our On DeMark Dry Fly Giveaway, and this conversation is a full behind-the-scenes look at what happens when someone really does win one of these trips. From the prize pack to the lodge vibe to the reach cast lessons and tiny flies fooling big rainbows, this is the whole picture, straight from the angler who lived it.

#868 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/868       Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors     Fly tying doesn't start at the vise. It starts standing midstream, watching bugs drift past your boots and paying attention to what trout actually eat. That idea runs through everything in this conversation. In this episode, I sit down with Davie McPhail, one of the most influential fly tyers of our time. Davie grew up fishing Scottish rivers and lochs, learning fly tying the hard way. By watching insects, experimenting with materials, and tying flies that had to work. We dig into traditional spiders, modern synthetics, proportions, durability, and why restraint at the vise still matters more than fancy materials. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/868     

#867 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/867 Presented By: Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho  This Traveled episode connects with conversations sparked by the East Idaho Fly Tying Expo, where anglers gather to share patterns, techniques, and ideas that shape how we fish. Scott Sanchez joins us to break down one of the most important — and often misunderstood — feeding windows in fly fishing: the emerger stage. We dig into how trout feed in the surface film, how to read rise forms correctly, and why classic wet flies and soft hackles remain so effective when fish aren't fully committing to dries. It's a thoughtful, observation-driven discussion rooted in time at the vise and on the water, and a reminder that good fishing starts with paying attention. #867 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/867

863 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/866 Presented by:   Togiak River Lodge Today's story bridges two very different worlds: the tight banks and icy tributaries of the Great Lakes, and the raw, tidal power of Western Alaska. Bailey Adamavich learned to fish where forty-foot casts matter and low water forces precision, then carried that foundation straight into blown-out rivers, chrome-bright kings, and some of the most intense Chinook grabs you can imagine. Bailey was our guide on the Togiak River, and we talked through one of my best days ever swinging for king salmon. We also dig into how Great Lakes tactics translate to Alaska, why simple flies still win, and what it really feels like to guide a full Alaskan season. If you're curious about Chinook on the swing, Midwest steelhead and browns, or the leap from small water to truly big rivers, this one's for you. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/866  

#865b Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/865b      Presented by: Fish The Fly Jason Balogh is back from Fish the Fly Guide Service to recap his season around Jackson Hole and break down how he introduces new anglers to fly fishing. We cover beginner-friendly gear, dry dropper setups, casting basics, and how to read water on big Western rivers like the Snake. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/865b  

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/865 Sponsors: Togiak River Lodge, Smitty's Fly Box, and Jackson Hole Fly Company. Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Last month on the Madison, I watched a perfect example of why Trout Spey exists. Wind ripping. Skinny water. A high bank behind us. Indicator rigs are getting ripped out of the drift the second they touch down. One angler finally stepped out of the rut, grabbed an 11-foot two-hander, and swung flies through water that had shut everyone else down. He wasn't being heroic. He was listening to what the river was asking for. That moment frames this episode with Nick Conklin. We dig into Trout Spey setup, casting fundamentals, and why indicator fishing, high sticking, and swinging are all equal tools. The difference is knowing when to use each and being willing to adapt when conditions get ugly.

#864 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/864 Presented By: Drifthook Fly Fishing, San Juan Rodworks, On DeMark Lodge, Montana Fly Fishing Lodge Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Stillwater trout don't always eat because they're hungry — and that's where many anglers get stuck. In this solo episode of the Littoral Zone Podcast, Phil Rowley breaks down the power of attraction and explains why trout often strike flies for reasons that have nothing to do with feeding. When matching the hatch fails, attractor patterns can trigger responses rooted in curiosity, aggression, and territorial instinct. Drawing from decades of stillwater experience, Phil explores when and why attractor flies work, how to fish them responsibly, and which patterns consistently provoke strikes from otherwise inactive trout. From blobs and boobies to FABs, worms, and exaggerated chironomids, this episode reframes how anglers should think about fly choice, presentation, and trout behavior in lakes. #864 Show Notes: https://wetflyswi

863 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/863 Presented by:  Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho    If you're trying to figure out where you can find giant stoneflies in July, chase technical midge eaters in March, and explore private spring creeks, all while staying in a five-star lodge that's not priced like Jackson Hole, this episode shows you exactly where that place exists. Today we're heading into Swan Valley, right in the heart of one of the most epic fishing zones in the West, with John and Liz Douville, owners of River Retreat Lodge. We dig into how they ended up buying a lodge in the middle of COVID, why March might actually be one of the best fishing months of the year, and how this area quietly sits at the crossroads of the South Fork, spring creeks, big wildlife, and wide-open country.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/863