The Best Flies for Fall Fly Fishing: 10 Must-Have Patterns | Ep. 146

If you've spent most of your time fishing on small streams, making the jump to fishing bigger rivers can be intimidating. Where do you cast? Where are the fish holding? And do they still eat the same flies they do in small streams? This week on Untangled, we'll answer all those questions, and more, as you learn the 5 key tips for fishing big rivers.  You'll also learn about:  Why you can't use a 7 or 8-weight rod for small stream fishing with dry flies How to keep fish from getting off when you're using barbless hooks How to use woolly buggers underneath indicators to mimic crawdads, leeches, and other common fish food  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Finding Fish eBook - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

After a long day of fishing, when the trout refused EVERY fly you threw at them, how often have you gone home and looked up some information about the best flies to use during a certain time of year? And when you've done that, have you ever thought, "Well, this is all interesting, but how much does it apply to MY local river?" Well, the short answer is, probably a lot. The longer answer is that as you learn to identify bug trends and aquatic insects, you'll dramatically level up your fly fishing skills.  So, this week on Untangled, we're breaking down fly selection into its basic parts, so you can learn how to pick the right fly the next time you're on the water.  You'll also learn about:  Why tapered leaders are the ideal choice for nymphing Why you might start out a day catching fish, only to quickly stop catching them for the rest of your time on the water The impact that cloud cover has on fly selection and fly color choices  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT   

How do you become a "great" fly angler? And what makes an angler "great" anyways? In this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer and Alex chat about the one trait all the best anglers they know have in common, and how you can set realistic goals to help you achieve your own level of greatness in fly fishing.  You'll also learn about:  How to cast flies in the wind Whether the color of clothes you wear on the water impacts how many fish you catch How to plan fishing trips to places you've never been, and when you have a limited time to go fishing LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Finding Fish eBook - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE VIDEO - Find New Places to Fly Fish - WATCH IT NOW

Us fly anglers share A TON of things: new fly patterns, casting techniques, wing sauce recipes. But we're pretty guarded when it comes to our favorite fishing holes. And why is that? Why is there so much secrecy around where we go fishing? Well, it's not just because we're keeping all the fish for ourselves. There's actually quite a few good reasons to keep fishing spots a secret, the most important of which might just be the adventures you can have while discovering new water on your own.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn how keeping fishing secrets can benefit both anglers AND fish. You'll also learn about:  Pre-tying rigs before getting to the river, to cut down on rigging time Why you go from consistently catching fish in one spot, to catching no fish, even if you're using the same flies How to teach your spouse/significant other to fly fish LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Finding Fish eBook - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT  VIDEO - Find New Places to Fly Fish - WATCH IT NOW

You don't need to overhaul your fly box for fall fishing. Some of the patterns you used all summer won't work anymore (hoppers and stoneflies fall off the menu during fall) but you likely have everything you need right in your box. Just a few bugs are on the menu during fall, which makes matching the hatch a breeze! This week on Untangled, I'll share the 10 patterns I never leave the house without when I'm fishing in the fall.  You'll also learn about:  My personal expecatations for a day on the river How to cast your fly rod when using a strike indicator  What kind of fish can you catch on a 5-weight rod? Is it enough for use in big rivers, chasing bigger fish?  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE VFC Fly 3-Packs - CHECK THEM OUT

If you're consistently struggling to catch fish, you're probably trying to figure out why. Are your casts bad? Poor fly selection? Are the planets just aligned against you? While all that CAN have an impact, you're often struggling to put fish in the net because of one problem: you're not focusing on the fundamentals.  In this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through the three basics of fly fishing -- casting, fly selection, and presentation -- and why you need to focus on those when nothing else seems to be working.  You'll also learn about:  Casting single dry flies, and setting up rigs for single dry fly fishing How much tippet to use when setting up multi-fly rigs  What to do when you don't catch fish from water that looks PERFECT LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Rigs & Knots Pocket Guide - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

While everyone else is obsessing over pumpkin spice and college football, YOU'RE out on the water, because you know fall is one of the best times of the year for fly fishing!  And if you didn't know that? Well, this week's episode of Untangled has you covered. Fall is one of the best times to bust out the dry fly rods, target big fish on small bugs, and hunt for that new personal best. You just need to know how to overcome some of the hurdles that this season will throw at you. Today's episode walks you through 4 tips for successful fall fly fishing.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for seeing small dry flies in low-light conditions Why some fish seem to eat any dry fly, no matter what's actually hatching How to ensure your fly cast has the proper timing to create tight, accurate loops  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Rigs & Knots Pocket Guide - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

So, you've picked out a fly, made a cast, and hooked a fish -- now what? Is there a mantra you can chant to help you land the trout? Some spell to calm your nerves?  It's honestly not that complicated. Fighting and landing fish on a fly rod requires some understanding of how to use your rod and reel to their full extent. Once you figure that out, you'll have A LOT fewer stories about the big one that got away!  This week on Untangled, you'll learn all you need to know about fighting and landing fish on a fly rod.  You'll also learn about:  How to deal with drag on your dry-dropper rigs, and how to improve your presentation with them How to rig up your nymphs in a double-nymph or dry-dropper-dropper rig What to look for in a guided fly fishing trip when you're a beginner angler  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Do you need a million flies in every fly box? What about a $1,000 fly rod, or those bougie waders you keep seeing ads for? Will any of this actually HELP you catch more fish? The short answer is no. Fly fishing is A LOT simpler than it often appears, and you DON'T need a pile of the latest and greatest gear to catch more fish.  This week on Untangled, we're busting 5 of the most popular gear myths, so you can focus on what really matters: putting flies in front of fish, and making them look real.  You'll also learn about:  How the diet of big and small fish is different How to cast multi-fly rigs Some tips for fighting and landing big trout in rivers LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Gear Checklist - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

The elk hair caddis is one of the world's most famous dry flies. It floats high, it's easy to see, and trout all across the globe LOVE this pattern. But did you know there's more to it than just dead-drifting it through likely-looking water? The elk hair caddis one of the most versatile flies in the sport, but it doesn't get used that way.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn how to use the elk hair caddis to catch more fish, along with the history behind how, when, and why this fly was developed.  You'll also learn about:  Where trout move to when water warms up during the summer How to decide what flies should be in your day-trip boxes, and to downsize your fly collection to only what you need How to detect the subtle bites from wary trout  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE VIDEO - Best Trout Flies - CHECK IT OUT