Stripping Streamers in the Fall, with Butch Wicks 
With all the hype around trout Spey and swinging streamers, let's not lose sight of plain old streamer stripping, which is a faster-paced way of fishing streamers and often results in explosive strikes.  Montana/Washington guide Butch Wicks of Healing Waters Lodge in Twin Bridges, Montana gives us some hot tips on stripping streamers in the Fall. The interview starts at 28:00.

In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments:

I am teaching a friend how to fish nymphs.  Should I start him on dry dropper and indicator fishing or Euro nymphing?

Will my Trout Poly Leaders work OK for swinging flies for Lake Erie steelhead, or do I also need to get Spey Polyleaders?

Why could I not catch fish during a heavy Green Drake spinner fall?I had to cut my fly line.  Is there any way to repair it without a bulky connection?

What should I keep in mind when tying some steelhead patterns to use on Pacific salmon?

A clarification to the podcast on the Clean Water Act from a retired EPA wetland scientist.

What to do if you see someone on the water with very poor fish-handling techniques.Is trout spawning temperature of day length dependent, and  what behavioral clues should I look for?

I saw what I thought were carp feeding on the surface.  Do carp feed on top, and if so what do they eat?

How do you set the hook when using a two-handed strip for striped bass?

When should I use a weighted vs. unweighted fly for striped bass in San Franciso Bay, and what fly line should I use?

This week I interview Monte Burke [@44:46], author of the recently released book Lords of the Fly.  It's a chronicle of the history of tarpon fishing with a fly rod, and especially the magical period in the late 20th century where huge tarpon and the best fly anglers in the world converged on a little town on the Florida coast.  This is truthfully one of the most interesting fly-fishing books I have ever read.  Even if you have no interest in tarpon fishing, the story of the personalities, conflicts, and obsession involved in trying to catch a world record tarpon on a fly is one of the most compelling stories in fly-fishing history. Monte talks about his research and the process involved in writing the book.  It's a tale of egos and gangsters and heartbreak.

In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of interesting questions and tips, including:

How does a new beaver dam affect a trout stream?

What is the difference between a 2-weight and a 3-weight Euro nymphing rod?

How should one approach a larger river with heavy fishing pressure?

How do you suggest handling a fish that has been foul-hooked?

If you were to spend two weeks in quarantine in a hotel room, what six fly patterns would you tie?

An example of great fishing close to home

What do you know about fly fishing for ladyfish?

I am taking my father fishing and he does not have much experience.  Should I hire a guide or just get him an outfit and take him wade fishing?

What are the main differences between Eastern and Western fly fishing?

What effect will the wildfires have on trout streams?

Can I use UV epoxy to finish the wraps on a rod I am making?Can I dye my own fly tying materials?

This week, we chat with Bob Irvin [Interview starts at 42:00], president of American Rivers, an organization that does solid work protecting the aquatic resources we all love.  Bob and I talk about the Clean Water Act and the Clean Water Rule--what these laws have done for us in the past, how they are currently managed, and threats to their effectiveness.  It's not as much fun as talking about trout or steelhead, but it's important stuff to all of us.

In the Fly Box this week, listeners offered the following tips and questions:

What kind of water is best for Euronymphing? 

Can you do it in really slow water for panfish?The booties on my waders are too tight for two pairs of socks.  How can I keep my feet warm winter steelheading?

I have some streams in my neighborhood that people say used to hold brook trout.  How can I find out if they still live there?

A suggestion that keeping the index finger on the top of your rod grip helps with sensitivity.

What is the best fly line to use when trying to cast the entire line?

Can I Spey cast for smallmouth bass?

My dad really outfished me using a Rapala.  I tried all kinds of streamers but no luck.  Is there a fly that is as good as a Rapala?

When I wade waist-deep I have trouble with my casting.  What can I do to fix this?

How can you reconcile our obsession with drag-free drifts and the effectiveness of a swung wet fly?

I have a bunch of old fly lines.  How can I tell what they are, and how can I mark them?

If you have a local stream that you fish often, how long should you rest it between fishing trips?

I am fishing for smallmouth and shoal bass during the day in weedy, rocky water.  What's the best technique to use?

A tip from a listener on a great indicator you can make yourself.

Can you clarify the confusion behind the term "dropper"?

This week I interview biologist Nicole Watson [interview at 46:56], who has a fascinating job. She is working on developing strains of arctic grayling that will hopefully be able to repopulate some of Michigan's rivers. It's not widely known that prior to the arrival of Europeans to rivers such as the Au Sable and Manistee, the dominant salmonid in rivers in that entire area was not the brook trout, but a unique strain of arctic grayling. Learn about how the population was decimated, what is being done to restore them, and how soon we'll be able to fish for wild grayling in Michigan.

Here are some links to websites mentioned in the podcast

MI Grayling Initiative website:
https://www.migrayling.org/

Iron Fish Distillery- whiskeys to support research:
https://ironfishdistillery.com/arcticgrayling/

Iron Fish Arctic Grayling Research Fund (to donate to research directly):
https://manisteefoundation.org/component/funds/view/3933

In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
My 5-weight works fine with nymphs and dries but I have trouble throwing streamers. Is my rod too light for fishing Woolly Buggers?

How do you evaluate a new fly pattern for your own fishing? And what are the factors that make you keep the pattern in your fly box instead of cycling it out?

I have trouble keeping dubbing on the thread when I wrap it on a hook. Are there tips I can use?

Is it a good idea to start with a tippet ring on a brand new leader, and where do you place it?

Is it wrong to hold the index finger on top of a rod grip when casting?

Should I be able to throw a size 8 popper with my 5-weight rod?
What is the most humane way to kill a fish?

How can I "turn up the volume" of my bass flies for use in high, dirty water?

I want to try to catch a 12-inch brook trout in a small stream, but I want to go barbless. What would you suggest for landing my trophy?

I have a 7-weight Recon rod and want to fish heavier streamers. What fly line do you recommend?

What is the best way to remove a small hook from a trout?
What is the best way to travel with fly-tying materials?