This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer, and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way of making a Bow-and -Arrow cast that was new to me. I think anyone can benefit from Pete's advice.

In the Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners:

What do you think about tying on eyeless hooks and making eyes out of silk bead cord?

What do you mean by the term "swinging flies"?

Can I target grass carp on a fly?

Can you ice fish with flies?

How do I fish a lake for trout from my kayak?

What do you think of the electric socks that are controlled by an app?

A great tip from a listener on avoiding spooking trout in small streams.

Can a figure-8 knot be used in fly fishing?

What do you recommend for a rod for fishing larger eastern rivers?

How can I correct a casting issue where my fly gets caught on my line-to-leader connection?

Do I need to buy a specific saltwater outfit for Belize or will my current steelhead rod work?

Do you recommend weed guards for fishing in Belize?

How much do brown trout move in the fall?

Do you think it's possible that a stocked tiger trout could have moved 30 miles from where it was stocked?

Can I overline my 3-weight rod by two line sizes for really short casts?

My wife has problems with glare on the water. Do you think there is something wrong with her eyes?

Which precautions should I take releasing trout in subzero weather?

I frequently get questions about CDC or Cul de Canard, a special feather found on ducks that makes very effective dry flies, emergers, and nymphs. What is it? Where does it come from? Why is it so special? What kinds of CDC are there, and how do you use it? And when fishing these flies, how do you treat them. My friend (and friendly nemisis from our monthly fly-tyig tie-offs) Tim Flagler [46:41] and I tell everything we know about CDC and its uses. I hope this answers many of your questions.

In the Fly Box this week, we have great tips from listeners and questions, including:

A tip for fly fishers who suffer from arthritis

Would it be better for me to take lessons on the water or hire a guide?

What are the best saltwater knots?

How do I avoid hitting myself and other people in the boat when fishing a heavy streamer?

Tips from a listener on repairing old bamboo rods, and advice for finding them at tag sales and reconditioning them

How do I pick up small hooks and beads that I drop off my tying table?

Can I overline my 3-weight fiberglass rod by two line sizes for fishing small streams?

Advice from a listener on cleaning and maintaining cork grips

What do you wear under electric socks?

Can I take some old flies and add a parachute to them?

What do you recommend I tie with all these game bird feathers I have been saving from my hunting trips?

When do you use wire, and when do you use beads on nymphs?

Do stocked fish push wild fish out of their normal places?

How do I keep my Elk Hair Caddis wing from rotating after I fish them for awhile?

Todays guest might make you mad. If you’re a trout angler he will certainly make you feel uncomfortable. Doug Thompson [37:29] is the author of The Quest for the Golden Trout, and the book is not what you think it might be from the title. He is a professor in geoscience and environmental studies and does research in geomorphology and hydrology. In examining critically what we do to ensure trout fishing, Douglas Thompson gores some sacred cows, including our obsession with stocking trout, non-native species we introduce, the way we manipulate the physical structure of rivers to benefit trout, and even the fishing tackle industry itself. You might think this book would make me angry, but it’s carefully researched and argued and has made me look differently at the structure of our entire trout-fishing industry.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:

How do I repair an exposed thread and a bent ferrule on my bamboo fly rod?

How do I know when it's time to replace my sinking line?

How can I distinguish between weighted and unweighted flies? Do people fish for walleye and American shad with a fly rod? If so how do they do it?

Why do I foul hook fish when fishing with two nymphs?

Which floating line is best with my 10-foot 3-weight Clearwater?

Do you have some tips for casting with a sinking line?

A tip on feeling better about getting skunked

A story about why we should always debarb our hooks

What does Tom do when he is in a slump?

This week, my guest is Tim Landwehr [43:50], of Tight Lines Fly Fishing Company in De Pere, Wisconsin. Tim has decades of experience guiding for smallmouth bass and is co-author of a book on fly fishing for smallmouths. He shares some innovative and modern techniques for catching difficult smallmouths under all conditions, some you have probably never heard of or thought about.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:

When I am Euro nymphing, why do trout always take my fly on the swing, after it has finished its dead drift?

I have trouble seeing my beetle imitations on the water. What can I do?

Why did trout, after refusing countless dead drifts during a spinner fall, take my fly as I stripped it back to me?

If you had to fish nymphs that only imitated one order of insects, which one would it be?

If I simplify my nymph collection to more generic imitations, will I do as well as if I worry about imitating specific insects?

What is the difference between a Comparadun and a Sparkle Dun and which one is better?

If I have the same guide two days in a row, should I tip him or her both days?

How many indicators should I carry for a day of fishing?

Do you prefer the Helios 3 D or F model in a 9-foot, 5-weight rod?

A fly shop owner told me not to submerge my reel. Was he right?

What is the best way to store dry flies?

A listener gives another good reason to always tie or buy three flies of the same pattern

How can I eliminate wind knots in my dry dropper rig? What is the best way to fish in the surf?