How Agriculture and Trout Unlimited Work Together, with Cameron Aker

How Agriculture and Trout Unlimited Work Together, with Cameron Aker

Author: Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company January 27, 2025 Duration: 1:19:47
 
Many of our trout waters run through agricultural areas. We need food and clean water and we'd like to fish for trout in these waters, but sometimes these things don't play well together.  It's when all user groups get together and come up with solutions that we have the best of both worlds. Cameron Aker [39:29] is the Outreach Coordinator for the Driftless Region of Iowa, and in this week's podcast he tells us how farmers, landowners, Trout Unlimited, and various government agencies have worked together to manage the land for food production while protecting sensitive coldwater fisheries. You'll learn how they do this, who funds the work, and how you can look into starting a similar initiative in your area.
 
In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual roundup of basic questions, good tips, and more advanced questions, including:
  • How do I know when it's appropriate to use resin instead of head cement?
  • I am very new to fly fishing and want to keep my initial fly selection simple. Do you think that's a good idea?
  • Is it a good idea to tie a sacrificial mono loop at the end of my fly line to preserve the loop?
  • What size dry flies do you use in the East for dry/dropper rigs?
  • Are there more "vintage" Orvis reels that you still use?
  • Are there notable distinctions between the various kinds of dubbing?
  • I saw a single caddisfly on the snow recently.  Is this unusual?
  • I had something snap my 12-pound fluorocarbon tippet in a clean break while fishing in salt water. What could have caused this?
  • What do you keep on your fly tying desk, other than the typical tools and materials?
  • What should I bring for a traveling fly-tying kit?
  • Great tips from a listener on how to lessen backache when tying flies.
  • How do you target cold, high rivers?

 


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: 100

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How to Improve Your Indicator Nymphing, With Guide Matt Squillante [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:53
Want to spend less time untangling knots and more time with your flies in the water? Do you want to connect on more of the strikes you get to your nymphs? Want to know the best way to cast indicator rigs? Orvis-endorsed…
Summer Outlook For the Rockies, with Chris Steinbeck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:54
My guest this week, Chris Steinbeck [25:15] of the Blue Quill Angler in Colorado, shares his strategies for dealing with what we expect will be low water and possibly water that is too warm for ethical trout fishing. Thi…
Chasing the Elusive Corbina in the Surf, with Al Quattrocchi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:17
Before you rule out this podcast because you don't live in southern California, you may want to listen to my interview with master saltwater fly fisher Al Quattrocchi [24:46] because he gives lots of great advice on fish…
Travel Tips From Around the World, with Alberto Rey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:25
Orvis-endorsed guide Alberto Rey [33:22] just completed a trip around the world, fishing and exploring on six continents—and he did it all with only two 6-piece Clearwater Rods and two reels and a handful of flies. He ha…
Secrets of the Mother's Day Caddis, with Taylor Edrington [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:48
My guest this week is guide and fly shop owner Taylor Edrington [34:16] of Royal Gorge Anglers in Colorado. His home river, the Arkansas, has an amazing hatch of these bugs, but they also hatch on trout streams throughou…
Orvis' Return to Roots, with Simon Perkins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:02
My guest this week is Simon Perkins [1:11], president of The Orvis Company and a third-generation family member to run the company. You may have heard about some major changes in Orvis' business over the past couple year…
The US Forest Service Needs Your Help, with Paul Hendricks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:53
Many of our favorite places to fish for wild trout are located on Forest Service lands. My guest this week is Paul Hendricks [29:45], executive director of The Conservation Alliance, which is an outdoor industry organiza…
How To Catch Permit On Top, with RA Beattie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:27
Permit on a floating fly? Don't you need to fish heavy flies that get right to the bottom, where permit feed? Sometimes, but over the past decade permit anglers have discovered that permit eat crabs on the surface, and i…
Tips for Urban Fly Fishing, with Marc Fryt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:17
Urban fly fishing is fun and presents some challenges—like bystanders getting in the way of back casts and sometimes fishing from a location high above the water. And it's essential to know how to fish around bridges as…