Advertise on podcast: Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

#884 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/884 Presented By: Smitty's Fly Box, Montana Fly Fishing Lodge, FishHound Expeditions, TroutRoutes Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Progress in fly fishing often happens when you stop treating techniques as separate lanes and start combining them. In this episode, Brian DeLoach shares the hybrid system he's developed by blending Euro nymphing principles with heavy jig-style streamer fishing to efficiently target predatory fish. Brian explains why stout leaders and heavier rods protect fish during the fight, why drift matters more than tippet visibility, and how changing retrieves—including dead drifts, jig motions, and active strips—can trigger aggressive eats. If you've ever wondered how to fish streamers more efficiently without sacrificing control, this episode gives you a complete system to try. #884 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/884

#883 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/883   Presented by: Patagonia If you've ever wondered why some anglers seem to always be in the right spot at the right time, this episode digs straight into that idea. In this conversation with Simon Chu, we talk about New Zealand fly fishing, spring creeks in Montana, and why slowing down and walking often reveal what boat fishing hides. Simon spends his seasons split between hemispheres, guiding and testing gear in some of the most demanding conditions on the planet. We get into Patagonia waders, sight fishing big browns, and the mindset shift that comes from hunting individual fish instead of covering water. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/883    

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/882 Sponsors: Fly Fish with me Utah, TroutRoutes, and On DeMark Lodge. Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing has a way of making simple problems feel complicated. Your cast feels off, the presentation isn't doing what you want, and suddenly you're blaming everything in your hand. In this episode, we dig into understanding fly line design with Zach McKnight from Cortland Line, and it's one of those conversations that can instantly clear the fog. Not by piling on more jargon, but by getting back to the one connection that quietly drives everything: rod to line to fly. We also get into a little company history, why Cortland is working hard to be "the Cortland your grandpa remembers," and where fluorocarbon actually makes a difference when the water is clear and the fish are spooky.

882 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/882 Presented by: Mountain Waters Resort, AVC Rig, Togiak River Lodge, TroutRoutes What if the hardest fly fishing in the world is not about numbers, but about patience, restraint, and waiting all day for one real chance? That is the game today's guest lives in. Rick Kustich is back on the podcast. Rick has spent decades chasing some of the toughest fish on the planet, from Great Lakes steelhead and giant muskie to Atlantic salmon and windswept rivers in Patagonia.  He breaks down why strategy matters more than repetition, how small adjustments change everything, and what it really takes to fish at the highest level.    Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/882

#881 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/881 Presented By: San Juan Rodworks, Fly Fish with me Utah, FishHound Expeditions Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Stillwater fly fishing rewards anglers who focus on presentation, depth, and efficiency rather than constantly changing flies. In this episode, Phil Rowley sits down with England's Howard Croston — former world champion, longtime England team member, Hardy product developer, and Fulling Mill fly designer — to unpack the tactical decisions that consistently put trout in the net. From reading unfamiliar lakes and understanding stocked fish behavior to leader diameter, drift control, and eliminating "myths" about fly color, Howard explains how competition fishing sharpens efficiency and forces anglers to focus only on what truly matters. The result is a practical, systems-based approach any stillwater angler can apply immediately. #881 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/881

#880 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/880 Presented By: San Juan Rodworks , On DeMark Lodge, Toyota Canada Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors There's a point in fly fishing where casting stops being the hard part, and decision-making takes over. In this episode, Dave Stewart is joined by Nick Elcheson from Scott Lake Lodge to break down sight fishing Northern Pike in shallow water, where patience, positioning, and timing matter more than power. Nick explains why fly fishing for pike is essentially freshwater flats fishing, how seasonal water temperature controls fish location, and why waiting for the right fish often leads to better outcomes than covering water. You'll learn how small decisions near the boat affect success, how to approach shallow bays, and what separates a missed opportunity from a clean eat when targeting big pike. #880 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/880

#878b Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878b       Presented by: Mountain Waters Resort When people think about Newfoundland fly fishing, Atlantic salmon usually steal the spotlight. But tucked into the same rivers and lakes are some of the hardest-fighting brook trout you'll ever see, including sea-run fish pushing three to five pounds. In this episode, I sat down with Les Wentzell to walk through brook trout fishing. We dug into timing, locations, flies, wind tactics, and why a simple dead-drift can outfish flashy presentations. If you're heading to Newfoundland for salmon, this episode opens the door to a second fishery that's right under your feet. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878b        

878 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878 Presented by:  Smitty's Fly Box, Intrepid Camp Gear, Stonefly Nets,  Togiak River Lodge   Today, we're digging into how fly rods are really designed. Not the marketing side, but what really goes into the design, the testing, and why some rods last for decades while others fall apart. Zac Dalton from St. Croix Rods is on the podcast today, and he walks us through how fly rods are designed from the ground up.    We talk about rod action and why faster is not always better, what durability really means for anglers who fish hard, and how different actions change the way a rod fishes and casts. We also get into cork, handles, and we even touch on the conventional side toward the end.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/878

#877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877 Presented By: San Juan Rodworks, FishHound Expeditions, Pescador on the Fly, TroutRoutes Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing in Southern California looks nothing like a mountain river—and that's exactly why it works. In this episode, Frank Vargas breaks down how surf fly fishing actually functions, from reading tides and beach structure to understanding how species like perch, corbina, and leopard sharks use shallow water to feed and travel. Frank shares how incoming and negative tides reveal feeding lanes, why anglers often walk past productive water, and how sight fishing in the surf can feel more like targeting carp than blind casting waves. This conversation covers gear, etiquette, safety, and why slowing down and learning to see the beach is the key to success in one of the most overlooked fly fisheries in the country. #877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877

#876 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876   Presented by: AVC Rig Most adventure rigs look great online. Fewer are built for real miles, real weather, and those long fishing days that end well after dark. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Dunkerly to talk about building camper vans that actually work for anglers. Matt runs Adventure Vehicle Concepts, and his approach is refreshingly practical. This isn't about Instagram builds or overcomplicating things. It's about access, simplicity, and designing a rig that helps you fish more without getting in your own way. If you've been thinking about a van for fly fishing trips, road travel, or long weekends chasing water, this episode will help you avoid the most common mistakes before you ever pick up a tool. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876     

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B Presented by: wetflyswing.com/sponsors Streamer season is officially here in the Ozarks, and this one is all about slowing things down and fishing with intention. January kicks off the most aggressive window of the year, especially for big browns and smallmouth, and today Chad Johnson is digging deep into how they approach it. He walks us through why post-spawn is such a key window for them, how aggression bites drive streamer eats, and why presentation matters more than fly choice.   If you fish the Ozarks (or any tailwater with changing flows) this is one you'll want to bookmark. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/875 Sponsors: Togiak River Lodge and On DeMark Lodge Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Fly fishing doesn't fall apart because it's too hard. It falls apart because there's too much going on at once. Too many rods, too many flies, too many opinions, and not enough clarity about what actually matters on day one. In this episode, I sat down with Phil Monahan to strip fly fishing back to its essentials. Phil's spent decades teaching, writing, guiding, and answering the same beginner questions over and over. His takeaway is simple. Most new anglers don't fail because they lack skill. They stall because they're overloaded with choices. Phil's new book, The Orvis QuickStart Guide to Fly Fishing, is all about cutting through that noise and helping people catch their first fish faster.  

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/874 Sponsors: Intrepid Camp Gear, Grand Teton Fly Fishing, and Montana Fly Fishing Lodge Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Most fly fishing gear is built for comfort. Some of it is built for performance. But very little of it is built with the assumption that conditions can turn from "kinda crappy" to "this could go bad" in a hurry. That's where Grundéns comes in. In this episode, I sat down with Justin Waters, who's right in the middle of translating nearly 100 years of commercial fishing toughness into gear that guides, steelheaders, and fly anglers lean on when the weather goes sideways. We dug into why durability beats "features," what guides actually do to destroy gear, and how the best product ideas still come from the hardest fishing jobs on Earth.

873 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873 Presented by:  Grand Teton Fly Fishing This episode breaks entomology down into something you can actually use. Sawyer Finley, guide at Grand Teton Fly Fishing, explains how insects live, move, and emerge—and how trout respond to that reality, not just to textbook hatches. The focus is on observation, timing, and availability, not memorization.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873  

#872 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872     Presented by: Moccasin Fly Club In this episode, I sat down with Nicolas Rivero to dig into fly fishing Patagonia. We covered the two-basin setup in Patagonia, the famous Limay River, giant brook trout in mountain lakes, and what a full April trip with Moccasin Fly Club looks like on the water. If you're curious about swinging flies for migratory trout, fishing both lakes and rivers in one week, or planning your first Patagonia trip, this one's packed. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872