Fly Fishing Strategies for Wild vs. Stocked Trout | Ep. 126

Do you often find yourself stuck deciding between throwing dry flies, or tossing nymphs? Well, you don't have to be! The dry-dropper rig lets you fish BOTH at once, allowing you to cover two parts of the water column in a single cast.  A dry-dropper is one of the most effective ways to catch trout and bass in rivers and lakes, and it's what most of us here at Team VFC use, too. This week on Untangled, Spencer will take you through how to set up this rig, some of its pros and cons, and the flies he likes to use for it.  You'll also learn about:  How long to spend at a hole before moving on and fishing new water Tips for casting streamers and getting distance with those larger, heavier flies Some thoughts on setting up nymph rigs  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the Rigs & Knots Pocekt Guide for FREE - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE VIDEO - Dry-Dropper Setup - WATCH HERE VIDEO - Nymph Rig Setup - WATCH HERE  

How often do you walk by water that you think is too fast to hold fish? Would you be surprised if I told you that the water you THINK isn't all that great, is some of the best water on the entire river?  In this week's episode of Untangled, you'll learn all about how to fish the pockets within that faster water. From identifying pocket water, to understanding why fish hold there, to a few tips for effectively catching fish from it, you'll end this show ready to tackle even more of your favorite rivers!  You'll also learn about:  Techniques for adding distance to your cast Whether your leader length matters on small, brush-choked streams Whether fish eat mosquitoes, and if so, how to handle that situation  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the Right Fly eBook for FREE - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the VFC Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - How to Cast a Fly Rod - WATCH NOW VIDEO - How We Fish: Spring Fly Fishing - WATCH NOW  

What do you do when you run into a fish that just refuses EVERYTHING you throw at it? You get a bunch of good drifts, you assume you're using the right fly, but the fish just ignores your bugs, and acts like you're not even there. What's the next step in a situation like that? Well, this week on Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through the steps he uses to troubleshoot those days on the water that go beyond getting skunked. They feel like the fish took your dignity! And if you want to avoid that, you'll need to hear the three steps he shares in today's show.  In the show's Q&A section, you'll also learn about:  How to pick the right fly rod for carp and pike fishing How to pick the right fly rod for fishing on small streams Why the 9' 5-weight is such a versatile fly rod How to tell emergers, cripples, and "regular" dry flies apart without memorizing the names of patterns  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 - The Right Fly Formula - CHECK IT OUT GEAR - Shop the Fly Flinger - CHECK IT OUT  

There's no such thing as a "magic fly" that works 100% of the time. BUT - the Adams dry fly might be the closest we'll ever get to that kind of silver bullet.  So, what is it about the Adams that makes this fly so effective? It's been around for over 100 yeaers, and anglers today love it as much as they did back in 1922.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn all about how the Adams was developed, how it's changed over the years, and why it's still such an effective fly.  You'll also learn about:  What makes a fly rod good for throwing dry flies How to tie flies so that your materials stay on the top of the hook Whether your flies need to be "Instagram-perfect" in order for fish to eat them  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 STORY - History of the Adams - CHECK IT OUT GEAR - The VFC Fly Collections - CHECK THEM OUT VIDEO - Right Fly Formula - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - Fly Rod Action Explained - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - How to Use the Pinch Wrap - CHECK IT OUT

There's one bug that fish will eat that completely changes how you approach and fish a river. Stoneflies -- one of the major aquatic insect species alongside caddis, mayflies, and midges -- are an integral part of a fish's diet, but they're hugely important from around June through August.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn everything you need to know about stoneflies: where and when they hatch, how to fish 'em, and our favorite patterns here at VFC. You'll be ready to make the most of this incredible hatch!  You'll also learn about:  How to prepare for traveling to fish places you've never been to before Why VFC exists and our goals at this company  How to pick the right guide for whatever trip you want to take Tips for tying your own dry fly leaders  The differences between jigged and regular nymphs  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 - Stoneflies 101 Fly Selection Masterclass - WATCH NOW  

Cutthroat trout are the meanest, nastiest, gnarliest trout that ever roamed planet earth!  Okay, they're not. In fact, they've got a reputation for being kinda easy to catch.  But cutthroat are so much more than just eager dry fly eaters. They're one of the West's native trout, they're hugely important to some of the most unique ecosystems on earth, and catching them in the high country is one of the sport's greatest experiences.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn why so many anglers hold the cutthroat in such high regard. From learning all about their life history and exploring their native range, to tips on how to catch them today, you'll end this episode ready to become part of the cutthroat's epic story.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for picking the right rod to use when teaching little kids how to fly fish Why are there so many dry flies for sale when most of a fish's diet is subsurface? Tips for achieving the perfect mend LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Finding Fish eBook - CHECK IT OUT 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 - How to Mend Fly Line - CHECK IT OUT

One of the toughest decisions you've gotta make is what fly to tie on, and sometimes, that task feels IMPOSSIBLE! One of the best ways to feel confident about picking flies is to learn as much as you can about the food that fish eat.  Aquatic insects are a HUGE part of a fish's diet, and caddisflies are a bug that's almost always on the menu. But we don't give caddis the attention they deserve. In fact, most anglers don't know just how important caddis are, or how much they actually matter to trout.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn all about caddisflies -- what they look like, why fish love 'em so much, and a few of our favorite patterns. This gives you the information you need to go out and give the fish EXACTLY what they wanna eat.  You'll also learn about:  How to tie your dry-dropper rigs so the dropper doesn't slide off your top fly Some tips for fishing during spring runoff  When and how you should use weightless nymphs (nymphs tied without beads)  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 - How We Fish: Spring Fly Fishing - CHECK IT OUT  

Pools - the slow, deep sections in a river - always look so inviting! They're so deep and mysterious, they've just GOTTA hold tons of fish, right?  Well, they do - but catching fish from these pools ain't always easy. If you're anything like me, you've probably left pools feeling like you could've done better, even if you put a few in the net.  This week on Untangled, you'll learn how to fish pools. The tips and tactics I'm teaching are the same ones I used when guiding, and that we've taught to thousands of anglers here at VFC. I know they're gonna work for you!  You'll also learn about:  How long to rest fish before casting to them again, if you've fished or waded through the hole before Using fast clips (or snap swivels) with flies How to tell what weight your fly line is The type of wading boots you need for slippery, tough wading conditions  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 Get the FREE Finding Fish eBook - CHECK IT OUT RESOURCE - AFFTA Fly Line Weight Chart - CHECK IT OUT  

Do you need to use different tactics, flies, and strategies when you're fishing for stocked trout versus wild ones? We hear a version of that question ALL THE TIME here at VFC, and it makes sense. For a lot of people, the most consistent trout fishing they have easy access to are stocked fish. So, we're taking a deep-dive into the world of stocked and wild fish. We'll look at all the differences between the two -- their appearance, behavior, and the flies and strategies we recommend for them.  You'll also learn about:  How steep the learning curve is in fly fishing, and the two things you should focus on to lessen it  Why fish sometimes don't eat caddis dry flies, even if the caddis are swarming in the air above the river How many flies you should carry with you for a day of fishing What counts as a "caught" fish  LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get the FREE Rigs & Knots Guide - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE RESOURCE - Paper about stocking trout - CHECK IT OUT EBOOK - How to Read Rivers and Find Fish - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - Game-changing Presentation Strategies - WATCH IT NOW VIDEO - Match the Hatch with Caddis Flies - WATCH IT NOW  

Catching fish on a dry fly is like MAGIC -- when it actually happens.  As much fun as dry fly fishing can be, it also presents some unique challenges you have to overcome. You need to find your fly after you cast it, you need to make an accurate cast, and none of that matters if you don't have the right fly in the first place.  This week on Untangled, Spencer Durrant covers ten of the most important (and frequently asked) dry fly questions we get here at VFC. You'll learn about everything from improving your drift and presentation, to tricks for setting the hook on small flies.  You'll also learn about:  The importance of tapered leaders, and why you NEED these  The leader setup Spencer recommends for streamer fishing Tips for improving the rigging up process so you can spend more time fishing  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 Get the FREE Right Fly eBook - CHECK IT OUT VIDEO - How to Fly Fish with Terrestrials - CHECK IT OUT