The Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer

Mon, 24 February 2025

Backcast: George Daniel on Winter Fly Fishing

This episode was originally published on January 30th, 2021

This week, continuing our series of podcasts on winter fly fishing for trout, I interview George Daniel, author and guide. George is also an Orvis ambassador and field tester, and teaches fly fishing at Penn State. As you'll discover, there are many similarities with winter fishing in other parts of the country, along with some flies and techniques a bit more appropriate for the Northeast.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including:
Do you use touch dubbing, split thread dubbing, and composite loop dubbing techniques?
I'm looking for a fly line to fish streamers for bass, trout, and panfish. Which line should I get?
What leaders do I need for my Clearwater Trout Spey setup, for both Skagit and Scandi lines?
What's your technique for catching largemouth bass, and what are your favorite flies?
Why can't I get my dubbing noodle to behave?
Which intermediate line should I get for fishing streamers and indicators in four to eight feet of water?
A great tip on a method for wetting marabou and other materials without putting them in your mouth.
I went fishing before a cold front and got skunked. I thought fishing was supposed to be good before a cold front.
What line and leader and tippet would you use for trout in lakes in 15 feet of water?

Direct download: George_Daniel_on_Winter_Fly_Fishing_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

Mon, 17 February 2025

Backcast: More Winter Fishing Tips with Rachael Leinweber

This episode was originally published on January 14th, 2021.

My guest this week is Rachael Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics.

In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:
Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel?
How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing passion?

Direct download: More_Winter_Fishing_Tips_with_Rachael_Leinweber__1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

Mon, 10 February 2025

Be Prepared for Medical Emergencies When Fly Fishing, with Mike Tayloe

My guest this week is Mike Tayloe [33:07], who is a fishing guide, EMT, and wilderness medicine trainer. Tayloe (he prefers this to Mike) has trained many Orvis-endorsed guides and lodges on emergencies that you'll encounter on the water. Basically, they're the same emergencies you'll find at home but without the ability to get a rescue squad or ambulance quickly. The bad news is that we can't give you training on wilderness medicine on a podcast. The good news is that Tayloe will tell us how to get training for these emergencies (an online course is not the recommended way to go) and how to put together your own first aid kit so that you are prepared to deal with common medical problems. He goes into great detail on what to include in your kit, and recommends places to either get a complete pre-made kit or where to buy the right components—and the best course is not to buy a cheap kit in a big box store. This podcast, with proper training and a good kit, could save your life or that of a fishing buddy.

In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of questions that may answer questions you have had, such as:

When should I use split shot as an "in-line" rig as opposed to the drop shot method?
Is it better to use fewer big split shot or a number of smaller ones?
What can I do with egg yarn other than make egg flies?
Mayfly nymphs look flat. Why don't we use more flies with a flattened shape?
Should I cast my streamers upstream, across-stream, or quartering down and swinging?
Where should I look for striped bass along a marshy shoreline?
How important is color on emerger flies. Most of the patterns I see imitate the color of the duns but shouldn't we be more concerned with the color of the nymph?
Why are high-end fly rods more expensive than high-end conventional rods?
When tying flies, should I tie every size in the right range or should I skip sizes?

Direct download: Tayloe2025.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

Mon, 3 February 2025

Ten tips on making your fishing writing better, with Dave Karczynski

Dave is one of the best young voices in fly fishing [38:14]. He's the real deal—he is a fishy guy and can handle a fly rod with the best of them, but he's also a teacher of writing at the college level and a published author. (His new book is terrific and the title is Calling After Water.) Dave gives us what I consider a mini master class on how to write about fly fishing so that your stories are engaging, concise, and fun. I know you will find many useful tips in this podcast.

In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of great questions from listeners, including:

What are the benefits of tube flies?

Can I nymph fish for steelhead with a Spey rod?

Is there a benefit from using UV fly-tying materials?

What is the best way to attach pre-made droppers to my leader?

Tippet ring, surgeon's knot, or blood knot?

Why do people look down on swinging wet flies for trout?

How can I fish a bigger river without wasting my time trying to fish it all?

Is it better to go to a smaller streamer when fish are just bumping the fly?

How can young people help to improve our environment?

Direct download: becoming_a_better_fly_fishing_writer.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am EDT