News On The Fly

Welcome to the latest edition of the Orvis News Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival, in which we scour the Web for the best fly-fishing videos available. This week, we offer 10 new videos that feature some cool species and locations we don’t often see in the F5. . . .

The post Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival 10.01.21 appeared first on Orvis News.

In this week’s podcast, my guest is David Brooks, executive director of Montana Trout Unlimited. With prevailing drought conditions in the western United Sates and increased demand from many users–from agriculture to municipalities to . . .

The post Podcast: David Brooks on Saving Water for Trout appeared first on Orvis News.

In this week's podcast, my guest is David Brooks [43:45], executive director of Montana Trout Unlimited. With prevailing drought conditions in the western United Sates and increased demand from many users, from agriculture to municipalities to recreational angling, how can we balance the use of water? David explains the difference between the riparian doctrine used mostly in the eastern United Sates, and the prior appropriation doctrine used in western states, and explains how users have come together to apportion water for human use and for keeping enough water in rivers to support healthy trout populations. It's not easy and often contentious but it's a fascinating issue and there is hope that with wise use of water by all stakeholders we can support ranchers, farmers, cities, and healthy trout populations.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips, including:
A note from The Mayfly Project on cities where they're looking for volunteers to help mentor foster kids in fly fishing
When I catch a fish and it jumps all over the pool, does that spook other fish?
What is the best way to kill and prepare a trout for eating?
How much distance do you gain from the double haul?
What are the reasons for strip setting in salt water and not for trout?
A tip on keeping your fly line from falling back inside the guides when making shorts casts on small streams
A heartwarming thank-you note to Nick Lyons
How can I keep my flies in the strike zone longer in fast-moving saltwater current?
What is the best way to light a fly while it's in the vise?
Why did people in a fly shop tell me that Euro nymphing is cheating?
What is an appropriate amount to tip a guide, and is it the same from multiple days as it is for a single day?
When the kokanee start running up into my trout stream the trout stop biting. Why?
Which way would you lean for a dry-fly specific rod?
My guide puts his thumb in the mouth of smallmouth bass to revive them. Is this effective and would it be valid for other species?

Last summer, my friend Jim Stiglich left me a voicemail that said, simply, “Hope you’re out there fishing hard, because fishing’s fun.” I jotted down his profound, understated quote because somehow I knew that his sentiment would be important to . . .

The post 5 Tips For Completing The Western Native Trout Challenge appeared first on Orvis News.

Rene Harrop is one of the West’s iconic fly tiers, starting his small business–along with his wife, Bonnie–in 1968 on the banks of the Henrys Fork. He designed the Hairwing Dun in the 1980s while fishing the Firehole in Yellowstone National Park, and it . . .

The post Video: How to Tie an Isonychia Harrop’s Hairwing Dun appeared first on Orvis News.

Thursday is the LAST DAY of our “20 September Days” Photo Contest, so make sure you get out on the water and take a great image. I hit the 20-day mark last Friday, when an incredible rainstorm chased us off the water and blew out all the . . .

The post Photos: Just THREE Days Left in This Year’s “20 September Days” Contest appeared first on Orvis News.

In this great video, Tim explains why he believes that thread tension is the key to improving the quality, look, and durability of your flies, and then he sets about showing how to achieve this level of tension. From adjusting your bobbin to bracing the . . .

The post Video: How and Why to Use Maximum Thread Tension appeared first on Orvis News.

While it’s often true that “a poor craftsman blames his tools,” even a master fly caster might struggle with the wrong leader when chasing redfish. If it’s too short or too supple, the leader can extend prematurely and then kick downward unpredictably into . . .

The post 2 Simple Rules for Building a Perfect Redfish Leader appeared first on Orvis News.

[This episode was originally posted in April of 2018]

This week I have a chat with Amelia Jensen, perhaps the best trout-spotter I have ever seen. I have always thought I was pretty god at seeing trout in the water, but Amelia can see fish I would never have spotted. Learn some of her secrets in this week’s podcast—you’ll be surprised at how often you can spot trout if you know what you’re looking for, even in fast, deep, or slightly off-colored water.

In the Fly Box this week we have the following tips and questions: · A tip from a listener on how to carry long pre-rigged fly assemblies

· A question about what fly to fish along with a streamer when swinging for spring trout

· A question on tips for spotting bonefish

· How should I fish the tails of pools?

· A listener tip on how to keep your hands warm when fishing

· Flashy vs. non-flashy nymphs and where to put them in your nymph rig

· A question about why fish get picky after catching a bunch of them from the same run

· Why do trout take dry flies when I don’t see any rising?

· Tips for avoiding spawning rainbow redds

Welcome to another edition of our weekly trivia challenge, in which we test your knowledge of all things fly fishing and where you might learn a thing or two about this sport we love. It’s been a few months, as I’ve been super-busy. So here’s the first . . .

The post Take an ALL-NEW Orvis Fly-Fishing Trivia Challenge 09.23.21 appeared first on Orvis News.

As September comes to a close, your photos and stories from this year’s 20 Days in September serve as a reminder for why we love the sport of fly fishing. As anglers, it is our obligation to care for and recover the waters we enjoy. With more people exploring . . .

The post #CleanMyWater: Trout Unlimited Launches Nationwide Cleanup Contest for Trout Week appeared first on Orvis News.

Welcome to the latest installment of the Wednesday Wake-Up Call, a roundup of the most pressing conservation issues important to anglers. Working with our friends at Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, the Theodore Roosevelt . . .

The post Wednesday Wake-Up Call 09.22.21 appeared first on Orvis News.

Here’s another “guide-fly” lesson from Alvin Dedeaux of All Water Guides. (Or, as he calls them, “super easy to tie, down and dirty, quick and easy, fish-catching guide flies.”) As Alvin says, he doesn’t want to create flies that are complicated or take a long . . .

The post Video: How to Tie a Simple, Effective Redfish Fly appeared first on Orvis News.

It’s Day 21 of our “20 September Days” Photo Contest, which means that there’s a little more than a week left. So far, I’ve missed just three days; how about you? My friend Mike Sepelak is the first I’ve seen to hit the 20 mark. Good on him! It’s still not . . .

The post Photos: Week Three of This Year’s “20 September Days” Contest appeared first on Orvis News.

One of the more annoying things in fly fishing is when it’s hard to thread your tippet through the eye of a fly because there are hackle fibers in the way. Hackles too close to the eye can be a problem at the vise, as well, because they can become . . .

The post Video: How and Why to Use a Hackle Guard appeared first on Orvis News.

I've been a Swift Fly Fishing "Fanboy" for years now and even though the entire Epic range of fiberglass fly rods are swell, I think everyone at least needs an Epic 686 and a Bandit.  I could fish the world with just those two sticks and have a hoot doing so.  

The problem with this suggestion has been that the method of entry required that you to go one of several routes with a Ready to Wrap Kit(w...

Welcome to a classic edition of the Orvis News Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival, in which we scour the Web for the best fly-fishing videos available. I had a bit of oral surgery this morning, which left me somewhat whacked out, so this week, we’ve got a . . .

The post Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival 09.17.21 appeared first on Orvis News.

This week my guest is Sascha Clark Danylchuk, executive director of Keepfishwet.org and a fish biologist who has intensively studied the science of releasing fish in a responsible manner. We’ve talked a lot about trout lately in the podcast, so this one . . .

The post Podcast: Sascha Danylchuk on Species-Specific Release Techniques appeared first on Orvis News.

Initially posted on July 28, 2019 This week, my guest is Davy Wotton, who is originally from Wales but now lives and guides on the White River in Arkansas. I get frequent questions about swinging soft hackles and wet flies, a technique that I am not the best at, so I brought in the angler whom I consider the ultimate expert on this kind of fishing. Davy blends the British traditions with American conditions, so he really has the best perspective on this kind of fishing, which can be both challenging and subtle—especially when fish are taking emergers. It’s a long podcast, but since I have never done one on this topic, I make up for lost time. And Davy had many interesting points to make. The Fly Box is a bit shorter this week because the main podcast is so long. But we cover some interesting questions, as usual: What can I do to keep my Stimulators floating? When do you fish a nymph and when do you fish a streamer? Can you use weed guards on trout flies? Why am I breaking off so many fish? Do some rod guides work better than others? More on pressure and its effects on fish What is the difference between a freshwater and saltwater rod? How can I see my fly in a fast riffle? How do I know if small streams hold trout? Why do trout bump my flies and why do they come off quickly?

Fall fishing often requires a more technical approach as water levels drop and hatches become smaller and scarcer. While these conditions may not typically bring to mind the clunky old classics, a few old school fly patterns still manage to excel when . . .

The post 3 Classic Fly Patterns Worth Revisiting This Fall appeared first on Orvis News.

It’s Day 15 of our “20 September Days” Photo Contest, which means that we are exactly halfway through our challenge. So far, I’ve missed just one day; how about you? The fishing in southwestern Vermont has been really great, thanks in part to our rainy . . .

The post Photos: Week Two of This Year’s “20 September Days” Contest appeared first on Orvis News.

October is our annual Fall Orvis Days celebration, and each Thursday evening of the month, there will be a Facebook Live event featuring a different host and guest discussing time-tested fall techniques that will help you catch more trout. You can find . . .

The post Don’t Miss These Fall Fly-Fishing Facebook Live Events! appeared first on Orvis News.

October is our annual Fall Orvis Days celebration, and throughout the month, there will be Facebook Live events featuring a different host and guest discussing topics that will help make your life with your best friend better and more enjoyable for . . .

The post Don’t Miss These Fall Dog Facebook Live Events! appeared first on Orvis News.

Back in 2012, some friends approached me with the opportunity to be a “test client” for a fly-fishing operation they were trying to establish deep in the Bolivian Amazon. Thrilled by the photos of big golden dorado they showed off, and tempted by the . . .

The post The One that Got Away: Lost Gold appeared first on Orvis News.

In this great video, Tim ties a heavily weighted slinky version of the Muddler, featuring a tungsten cone and plenty of lead-free wire. The bunny tail and rubber legs offer plenty of lifelike motion, and two kinds of flash material add to the pattern’s . . .

The post Video: How to Tie the Conehead Bunny Muddler appeared first on Orvis News.

Summer might be winding down but the hopper box is still getting a workout.  Signature Tyer Charlie Craven of Charlie's Fly Box gets deep in the weeds on his favorite terrestrial patterns, what's in his fly box, and then how he likes to rig his hopper rigs on the water.  

Press PLAY twice on these latest shortie films from Umpqua.

Check out the Umqpua's Guide to Terrestrialsf...