Tips for Fly-Fishing Backpacking Trips, with Derek Bargaehr

Tips for Fly-Fishing Backpacking Trips, with Derek Bargaehr

Author: Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company January 5, 2026 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 lodge. What exactly should you take and what should you leave behind?  What kinds of flies and accessories should you bring? How can you save weight and still have enough gear for a fun fishing trip? Derek Bargaehr [37:36], an experienced fly fisher and backpacker, gives us tips on how to make the most of your next backpacking trip.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions. A couple of which could only be answered by my co-workers at Orvis so we have responses from both Pete Kutzer, our casting guru and Shawn Brillon, our bamboo rod craftsman.
How can I easily estimate how much backing is on my unlabeled reels?
A listener relates how some podcast advice on emergers helped him and his son have a successful trip
I took a lesson on two-handed casting and it was all done on grass.  Was this wrong?
What advice do you have on cleaning the ferrules on bamboo fly rods?
Are Orvis bamboo fly rods impregnated?
On a tarpon trip, the fish were in deep water so I used a sinking poly leader on my floating line.  Should I have used a full-sinking fly line instead?
Is the Albright knot a better knot than the nail knot for attaching a leader to a fly line or backing to a fly line?
When connecting pieces of tippet I will normally go up two X sizes, like from 2X to 4X.  Is this wrong?
Is it OK to clear a casting lane on a trout stream?
What can I do to find bigger trout during the dog days of summer?


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
Did You Know About Shoal Bass? With Quint Rogers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:31
This week I interview Quint Rogers [31:43], a fly fishing guide specializing in shoal bass fishing in Georgia. We discuss the unique characteristics of shoal bass, their habitat, life cycle, and the best fishing techniqu…
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…
Six Tips for Winter Streamer Fishing, with Brian Slusser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:39
In this episode, my guest is Brian Slusser [32:13], an Orvis endorsed guide based in Truckee, California, who tells us about the nuances of winter streamer fishing. With over 29 years of guiding experience, Brian shares…
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…