Innovative Techniques from UK Stillwater Anglers

Innovative Techniques from UK Stillwater Anglers

Author: Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company June 24, 2024 Duration: 1:41:38
 
I feel that European stillwater anglers are far more sophisticated in their approach to stillwater trout fishing and have studied it in more detail than most North American lake anglers. As a result, they use some techniques that are unlike what you see on most trout lakes and ponds in North America and both the flies and methods they use are worth experimenting with. My guest this week, Chad Critchley [48:21], is a guide and stillwater angler (and a lapsed competition angler) who shares some of these methods with us.
 
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more:
  • How should I retrieve Woolly Buggers for bass and panfish?
  • My knots to my flies are always slipping.  What am I doing wrong?
  • Do you have any tips on fishing larger rivers?
  • Any reason, when fishing a popper/drop[per rig for bass, that I can't tie my popper on a separate dropper instead of tying to the bend of the popper hook?
  • If daytime water temperatures are around 70 but night time temperatures when I fish are 65 degrees, do you think it's safe to fish for trout?
  • Why don't fly anglers use braided line for tippet—it's very supple.
  • Do you take fly tying materials with you on a fishing trip?  How do you decide whether to take them or not?
  • We saw huge schools of striped bass on a flat but they would not take any fly we presented to them.  Do you have any tips?
  • How do you recommend I clean my polarized sunglasses, and what to you recommend to keep them from fogging up?
  • What kind of mayfly spinner patterns should I carry in the Northeast?
  • What is the best way to keep trout hooked when fishing downstream with wet flies?
  • I am young but I still have trouble seeing small dry flies on the water.  What tips do you have for seeing 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: 100

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 1:23:53
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Duration: 45:02
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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…