This week, I interview Captain Joe Mattioli [43:31]i on a place I have always wanted to fish--New York Harbor.  Despite having chased striped bass and bluefish with a fly rod for over 40 years, I have never had the pleasure of fishing New York Harbor and I have always wanted to.  So join me as I interview Captain Joe and hear stories of this world-class fishery beneath the Statue of Liberty and off Coney Island.

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

I have issues with knots in my leader, especially with streamers and other heavy flies.  How do I fix this?

I have a 9 ft 5-weight Recon and a starter fly reel I bought a few years ago.  Should I buy a new reel to go with my rod?

When fishing for bass, if I use a heavier line like a bank shot on my 6-weight rod, how should I adjust my casting style?

Are there any trade-offs?

I use a double Uni Knot to join tippet, but I can't tie a Blood Knot to save my life.  What are the relative strengths of these two knots?

I just upgraded my fly-tying vise.  What other tools should I upgrade if I want to improve my tying?

My tippet keeps breaking when using sink-tip lines.  What can I do to prevent this?

Would you recommend a Recon 2-weight or 3-weight for fishing small streams plus bluegill fishing with my kids?

How many flies do you lose in a day of small stream fishing?

Where would you go to catch a trophy brook trout?

What should I do with my dry fly when fishing still water? 

Should I move it or let it sit?

What can we do to reduce the trauma to fish when we play them?

This week I interview Orvis-endorsed guide Jay Aylward [51:05], a largemough bass fanatic on the fly rod, about how to find and catch them.  And not just any largemouth, but trophy bass.  Or at least trophies on a fly rod...
In the Fly Box this week, I get some great tips from listeners and also some interesting questions, including:

Fly pattern suggestions for a road trip across Colorado
What are your top 10 trout flies I should tie?
How does water fluctuation below a dam affect trout behavior?
I can't catch trout on anything but worm flies and woollies in my local river.  Why can't I catch them on standard nymphs?
How do I sort through the creek chubs to catch the nice brook trout below them?
Can I cut my poly leader back to make it shorter?
What line do I need to put on my 10-foot 8-weight single handed rod if I want to try some two-handed casts?
Why did a fly shop put a 6-foot leader on my outfit when I bought it?
A listener offers more suggestions on why you should tie your own leaders.A
nother suggestion on how to record small streams you fish--the Basemap app.
What is an affordable, dependable Orvis rod?
Why can't I catch the carp in my local pond?  Do you have any suggestions?

[Interview @ 38:40]

There are few things more fun in fly fishing than catching bluegills with a popper or nymph.  For the most part, once you find them it's easy and un-challenging fishing.  But if you want to up your game and chase trophy bluegills, the kind that will put a big bend in a 3-weight rod, you need special techniques.  This week Orvis-endorsed guide Kip Vieth shares his passion for big bluegills, and his special techniques for catching them--even in summer heat.
In the Fly Box this week, we answer the following questions from listeners:

I had a big brown trout chase my fly right after a big tumble of branches rolled down the river on top of him.  Is this common?

What can I do with some grouse feathers I obtained?

Does a 7 1/2-foot knotless leader have the same level tippet length as a 9- or 12-footer, or is the tippet length proportional?

I started tying my own leaders but had a blood knot break.  Should I go back to knotless leaders?

Would it be a good idea to tie smaller streamers with a shank and a trailing stinger as opposed to using a longer-shank hook? I have heard that long-shank hooks don't hold fish as well.

What are some good rules for keeping your distance on crowded trout streams?

I always hook my fly onto one of my guides but recently I had a guide break when I was pulling the rod apart.  Is that a bad practice and am I weakening the guides by doing this?

When someone says they are fishing a 9-foot or 12-foot leader, does that length include the tippet?

I had a Davey Knot break on heavy tippet.  Is the Davey Knot weaker in heavier materials?

How do I keep the fly line from pulling my leader back inside the guides when making short casts?

This week we continue our exploration of small streams with Brian Slusser in California [@37:47] and Brown Hobson of North Carolina [@1:24:38]. Both are experienced guides and love small stream fishing. Even if you don't fish these regions, you'll find plenty of great tips and fly suggestions for your own region.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and also some great additional information from listeners, including:
I have a small bass pond in my neighborhood. What would you suggest regarding patterns and techniques?
I have a bunch of old flies from the 1940s. How can I tell if they are still good?
Is there a comparable approach to Euro nymphing when fishing for steelhead?
Some great information from a listener on the confusion around greenback cutthroat restoration in Colorado.
Why aren't all hooks barbless?
Do you have any tips on tying with calf body hair?
What are some good crab patterns for fishing for striped bass in New England?
Can you suggest some tips on tying in biot tails for nymphs like the Copper John?
Should I always be fishing my nymphs dead drift or should I try imparting some movement to them?
A listener calls in with some great tips for finding small stream trout in Colorado