2 Guys and a River

Wade fishing is not like drift-boat fishing. In a drift boat, you cast to your left. You cast to your right. If you're with a guide, he or she tells you where to cast. However, if you wade-fish primarily, like we do, the learning curve has no end. Every outing contains lessons in what not to do. Occasionally, we get it right and catch a few fish. In this episode, we discuss some of the tactics we've learned or relearned in the past couple years. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

The more you fish, the more your gear breaks down, the more you learn, and the more stories you have. In this episode, we discuss new gear, new (or really old) insights, and some crazy stories from the past couple years. What's that old line? If you're not growing, you're dying. Well, we're not dying. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

The title of this episode is the tagline of our podcast. As we fish more, and the years pile up, our appreciation for the sport continues to grow. In this episode, we tell some stories that capture our love for fly fishing. We also add a lightning round at the end of this episode, so don't leave before we finish! It's good to be back! Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Expensive fly fishing gear won't improve your catch rate. And least not significantly. In this episode, we provide an overview of the common fly fishing brands as well as some of the essential clothing and gear for safety and comfort while you're on the river. It's not an extensive list, but it's a start as you prepare your holiday wish list. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Learning to cast is the first act of the beginner fly fisher. For natural athletes, casting is almost an extension of their arm. And soon the fly fisher is casting 80 to 100 feet with grace and beauty. For the rest of us, however, the long cast is a long obedience in the same direction. For example, the double haul cast may take years to perfect. In this episode, we celebrate the shorter cast - the one you'll use to catch more fish. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

You can read about fly fishing. Watch videos. And listen to podcasts (this one, hopefully!). To become even moderately competent, though, you need to "do" fly fishing. There are no shortcuts. You need days on the river when you don't catch a thing. In this episode, we identify five big buckets or categories that you need to master (or at least become moderately proficient at) to catch fish and enjoy the sport. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Can you remember the first brook trout you caught? They're not the biggest fish in the river (except, perhaps, the ones you catch in Labrador), but the beauty and ease of catching a brook trout creates joy for even the most experienced fly fisher. This episode is not so much a how-to show as it is an "ode to brook trout fishing" episode. We're celebrating the wonder of brook trout and catching them on the fly. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Sophisticated fly fishers don't false cast, right? How many times have you heard someone say, “You won’t catch fish with your fly in the air. So, stop all the false casting"? Well, that's just plain wrong. Or at least only partially true. False casting is not just for beginners. It's for veterans as well. Recently, Hatch Magazine published an excellent article by Todd Tanner titled “The Truth about False Casting,” which identifies six good reasons for false casting. In this episode, we discuss each reason and apply it to specific situations while out on the river. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

There's nothing like a fisheries biologist to clear up a few myths about the trout in your favorite stream. In this episode, we interview Driftless fisheries biologist Kirk Olson, who is lucky enough to work in four of the top trout fishing counties in southwestern Wisconsin: Monroe, Vernon, La Crosse, and Crawford counties, with more than 1,300 classified miles of trout streams. We cover topics like the problem of brown trout eclipsing brook trout in many streams, perpetual leases, and what percentage of the fish population the river kills each year. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Later beats earlier. That is one of best nuggets of insight when considering a time to fish the rivers in the Yellowstone ecosystem in the fall. Less crowds. More solitude. The possibility of runners. And even a few late mornings with a BWO hatch. In this episode, we discuss our fall fly fishing wisdom from almost fifteen years of fishing in Montana. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

It's not just the early bird who gets the worm. Sometimes, so does the late bird. Many fly fishers leave way before dusk. We often do, especially if we've been fishing all day. But later in the day can produce some great moments on the river. And bigger fish. In this episode, we discuss the opportunities of fishing at dusk. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Look, look, look - that's solid advice for every fly fisher who wades into the river. In this episode, we identify several key ways to slow down to observe what's happening in the river before you step into it. Too often, we equate casting with fly fishing. It's better to pause before you sling your fly and observe what's happening at the pool you want to fish - as well as the ones above or below it. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Learning to fly cast is the first act of the newbie fly fisher. Fly casting well is fundamental to catching fish. It's a skill that is developed over time. But we've discovered that you never arrive. That is, we've noticed that our fly casting can get worse over time, if we don't keep honing the skill. In this episode, we offer 9 simple fly casting tips to improve your catching. In the end, it's all about the fish you catch, right? Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

We both got our early fly fishing chops from slinging flies into the bigger rivers in the inter-mountain West - the Madison, Gallatin, the Yellowstone, the Missouri, the Boulder, and others. In mid-life, we both moved to the Chicagoland area and had a rude awakening when fishing the spring creeks of the Driftless region. We caught fewer fish, and the rivers were not really rivers but small creeks. In this episode, we discuss the differences between the two regions to help fly fishers prepare for fishing either one. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

There's no greater thrill than catching a trout on a dry fly. We love to fish streamers and nymphs, but when push comes to shove, we'd rather tie on a dry. In this episode, we recall a bunch of terrific days (or, in some cases, minutes) catching rainbows, cutthroat, or browns on a dry fly. We also layer in some key takeaways from each story to provide some practical help. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

It takes a village to raise up a fly fisher. The first person of the village is likely a parent, friend, or acquaintance who walked beside us in the early, awkward days of learning to cast, read the river, and tie a basic knot. Next are the fly shop owners and guides who drip insight into us as we buy flies and purchase float trips. Then there is the army of Trout Unlimited volunteers who spent weekends improving our rivers and streams. And then there are the industry pundits and legends who publish books, videos, podcasts, and other helpful resources. An unheralded person of the village is the conservation warden. He or she is in many ways quietly responsible to maintain order and even safety while we enjoy the outdoors. In this episode, we interview Michael Burns, a Driftless conservation warden out of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. While our listeners come from all places in North America and even Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, we thought Mike's perspective as a Wisconsin conservation warden applies to everyone everywhere. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

You've set the hook. Now what? In this episode, we offered up some of the best practices for netting and releasing your fish. One of the most important reminders is to monitor the interval between the time you hook the fish and when you release it - the shorter (obviously) the better. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

“Trout do 80% of their feeding underwater.” We've repeated that platitude often over the years. In a recent issue of TROUT magazine, a publication of Trout Unlimited, Tom Rosenbauer labels that platitude a "trout myth.” In this episode, we discuss seven points that Rosenbauer makes in the article and apply them to our fly fishing experience. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

New resolutions are often tied to the new year. We've decided to release our resolutions near the beginning of the real fly fishing year - spring. We love fishing in winter, but we catch most of our fish and spend most of our days on the water in spring, summer, and fall. In this episode, we each offer up four resolutions for upcoming fly fishing season. Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

We hit the river a couple weeks ago and discovered once again that winter fly fishing is not like fishing in the other three seasons. A recent fly fishing newsletter helped put winter fishing into perspective with a few tips. We thought you might benefit from these as much as we did. Spring is coming! Our Book for Beginners The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists Website https://2guysandariver.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver