Untangled Fly Fishing Report | September 2026

You show up to the river for a day of fishing, you're stuffed FULL of optimism and happiness, you get all rigged up — and then your mood just CRASHES. There aren't any fish rising. No bugs hatching. No trout sunning themselves in the shallows. Just a river that feels as lifeless as those lovely political ads we're forced to watch during football season. What's the play here? How do you start from what feels like nothing, and end up catching fish, when the river is holding all its cards close to the vest? It boils down to knowing where the fish are probably hanging out, what they're probably eating, and how to get a good presentation. And today on Untangled, that's exactly what you're gonna learn.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for rigging up with hoppers and other large flies How to measure the river temperature so you know when to stop fishing Should you opt for larger or smaller flies when fish reject your first few drifts? How to teach others - including family - how to fly fish Tips for sight fishing to rising trout Why the loop knot is the undisputed best knot for fishing on lakes 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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - Watch the Beginner Masterclass - CHECK IT OUT RESOURCE - Get The First Fish Roadmap - CHECK IT OUT

Guided trips are fantastic! They're a great opportunity to learn from people who live and breathe fly fishing. But there's always one awkward part of the day, especially if you've never been on one before - the tip. How much do you tip? Are they expecting it? Is there ever an instance where you'd WITHOLD a tip? Today on Untangled, you'll learn all about tipping culture in fly fishing, and whether it's something you should consider on your next guided trip.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

If you've ever heard other anglers talk about how great it feels to catch fish on flies they tied themselves, you've probably thought they were overselling it. They make the experience out to be something on par with your first kiss, or getting your driver's license.  So if catching fish on a fly you tied is that good, then it stands to reason that catching fish on a fly you INVENTED is even better — right up there with getting married, or watching a tax write off actually SAVE you money.  This is all well and good, but there's one question we need to ask — how exactly do you start coming up with your own fly patterns? What makes it YOURS and not a copy of someone else's?  It's honestly pretty simple — it all comes down to tying your flies to fill a specific need, rather than just sitting at the vise and hoping inspiration strikes. You'll also learn about:  The different fly rod actions, and what they mean in plain English How to pick between realistic and attractor-style nymph patterns Tips for becoming a fly fishing guide LINKS FROM THE SHOW GEAR - New Fly Rods From VFC - CHECK THEM OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - How We Fly Fish With Nymphs - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - Fly Rods 101 - CHECK IT OUT  

We almost lost one of the most iconic trout species in the world. From the 1970s to 2005, roughly 3.5 million of these fish were eaten by a predator illegally introduced into their ecosystem. It was only through hard work - and a bit of luck - that the fish managed to survive at all. But how did this happen? Why does it matter if some fish go extinct? And where did this all take place? Well, that's what we'll explain in today's episode of Untangled.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

There's one mayfly that, when it hatches, brings EVERY fish up to the surface - including the big ones. These bugs, once they start, come off like clockwork. The fish dutifully follow.  So, what's the catch? Because if there's one true thing about fly fishing, it's that nothing is THIS simple.  Well, these mayflies are tiny. Microscopic. And the fish get EXTREMELY picky about which ones they're eating. Some times, they want the male mayflies. Other times, they're only eating the females. Throw the wrong one, and your chances of catching fish are as good as Spencer's at quitting Diet Coke.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn everything you need to know to take advantage of this tiny mayfly.  You'll also learn about:  How to fight fish more effectively The techniques used for fishing with barbless hooks How much time you should expect to struggle when you start fly fishing How to handle days when rivers are blown out from rain LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get TroutRoutes PRO Free For One Month - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

The best thing you could do right now is to turn off this podcast, get your gear together, and go fishing.  If you can't just drop everything and head to the river right now - maybe you're at work, or any good fishing is a long drive away - then I suppose you could keep listening to today's show. But the message at the end will be the same as it is now: get up and go fishing.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

The second installment in our Everyday Angler series features Hyrum Weaver, a longtime friend of Spencer's, and one of the fishiest guys he knows. Hyrum is a truly great fisherman who claims he hasn't been skunked in the 21st century. He's also one of the best people you could ever hope to learn from - whether it's figuring out lakes, learning to tie better flies, or simply the key things to look at on rivers to find more fish, Hyrum is a wealth of information, and he's sure to help you level up your game as an angler.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

As the weather finally starts to cool off, that means small mayflies are back on the menu! But they're not the only thing to think about as you hit the water in September. Terrestrial fishing can be excellent this month as well, and will continue to be great until the first hard freeze fo the year. Today on Untangled, you'll get a refresher course on all things fall mayflies, as well as some tips and tricks for troubleshooting those moments when the fish refuse your flies.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT VFC 3-Packs  - Get The Fall Flies - CHECK THEM OUT

Brookies are the favorite of tons of anglers. They're gorgeous, and the big ones can be extremely frustrating AND rewarding to catch. But they're also one of the biggest threats to the long-term survival of native fish like  cutthroat trout. Brookies are more aggressive than cutties, so in places where the two fish live side-by-side, brookies outcompete cutthroat for food. Eventually, the cutthroat just can't persist on the landscape, and they disappear. So, to help cutthroat and other native fish like gila and apache trout, sometimes fisheries managers ASK for you to kill brook trout. Does killing a few brookies REALLY help cutthroat? And is this a sound practice, or do fish biologists in the West just have it out for brookies? Today on Untangled, we'll dive into all of this and explain what really goes into conserving and protecting our native fish. You'll also learn about:  What stomach pumps are, and why Spencer thinks they're unethical  Camp traditions and recipes for fishing trips How to get the most out of backpacking trips to go fly fishing How to tell if you've spooked fish from a given fun 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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

Why are so many of the flies we tie, use, and sell, all brightly colored, when most of the real-life bugs trout eat are drab and dull? Why do our fly boxes look like they'd be more at home at a middle-school craft fair, or a tea party, than on the river? Well, it all boils down to how trout perceive color. Understanding this key detail of trout biology can help you better understand how and why trout react so well to certain fly patterns.  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 Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - How Trout See Color - CHECK IT OUT