Back Cast: All About Crayfish and How to Fish Their Imitations, with Jake Villwock

Back Cast: All About Crayfish and How to Fish Their Imitations, with Jake Villwock

Author: Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company July 13, 2026 Duration: 1:36:15

This episode was originally published on March 3rd, 2025.

Crayfish are prey that most gamefish can't resist. They're high in calories, abundant, and relatively easy for bass, trout, and many other gamefish to capture. Yet most of us don't know much about their life cycle and behavior (myself included). Guide Jake Villwock [47:02] has spent his life studying these critters, which gives him important insight on the right fly patterns, but even more important how and when to fish them. You'll learn a lot on this podcast.
 
In the Fly Box this week, there are lots of good questions and I hope my answers will help you in your fly-fishing journey. They include:
I can't seem to get my fly deep enough in bass lakes with my floating line.  Should I get a sinking line for my 8-weight and fish surface flies with my 5-weight?
A listener asks for help from listeners in ways to lessen the pain of losing his beloved fishing dog
I fished a river that has always been full of trout and didn't see a thing. What happened to the fish?
Should I apply my dubbing with clockwise or counterclockwise twists?
Can I tie my dropper onto the tag end of my improved clinch knot?
What are your thoughts and comments on how long a trout stays spooked?
Why do you prefer a sling pack and where do you put your net?
Do resident brook trout in a river get pushed around by migrating steelhead? Do they still feed?
I didn't catch any fish in high, cold water. What should I have done?
What do you think about tying a loop in the end of my tippet and attaching flies with a girth hitch?
Why don't people use landing nets for striped bass?
I saw an anti-reverse fly reel on EBay. What do you think of them?


For anyone who’s ever felt the tug of a line or wondered about the quiet rhythm of a river, The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast is a steady companion. Host Tom Rosenbauer, a well-known author and the voice behind this series for The Orvis Company, doesn’t just offer tips; he shares a lifetime of curiosity spent on the water. Each week, the conversation unfolds like a guidebook coming to life, covering the tangible skills and the subtle philosophies that define fly-fishing. You’ll hear practical advice on technique and gear, certainly, but also deeper discussions about conservation, reading different waters, and understanding fish behavior. It’s that blend of straightforward education and reflective storytelling that makes this podcast unique. Whether you’re planning your first cast or have decades of experience, the aim is the same: to make your hours by the stream more thoughtful and rewarding. Tune in for a mix of solo episodes from Tom and interviews with other anglers, all grounded in a genuine passion for the sport and the wilderness it depends on. This is more than a series of lessons; it’s an ongoing dialogue for anyone who finds solace and challenge in fly-fishing.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Podcast Episodes
10 Tips For Better Line Mending, With Mike Pease [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:11
If you think mending is just lifting your rod and flipping it upstream—well sometimes it is—but there is so much more you can do with line mends to add slack in just the right places, and to deal with tricky currents. Mi…
Is it a Steelhead or a Rainbow? With Katie Kobayashi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:33
When is a trout a steelhead and when is it a rainbow? Are steelhead just rainbow trout that migrate to the ocean? Is it something in their genes or just random chance? And in a given population of rainbow trout, will onl…
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Duration: 1:24:15
Want to get away from the crowds? Want a high mountain lake or stream all to yourself? The best way to do this is to take a backpacking trip, but you need to prepare more than you would for a car trip or a trip to a lodg…
Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:50
This episode was originally published on July 14th, 2023. I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of…
Backcast: All About Bamboo Fly Rods, with Shawn Brillon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:45
This episode was originally published on August 19th, 2022. Want to know how a bamboo fly rod is made? How long it takes to make one? How many different hands touch an Orvis bamboo fly rod before you (and your children a…