Life on the water. Troutbitten is a deep dive into fly fishing for wild trout in wild places. Author and guide, Domenick Swentosky, shares stories, tips, tactics and conversations with friends about fly fishing through the woods and water. Explore more. Fish hard. And discover fly fishing at Troutbitten.com — an extensive resource with 1500+ articles about trout, friends, family and the river.
Fighting trout in a river, creek or stream is all about the currents. So for this episode of our seven part skills series on fighting big fish, we talk about fighting fish upstream, downstream or across. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each angle? And what about current depth? Should we aim to fight the fish in the lower, middle or top part of the water column? And finally, we talk about the fighting zones in a river, meaning, what types of water are a safe choice for fighting the biggest trout of your life? We also go through a little more on the hooksets from last week, and we briefly discuss how much of this applies to the stillwater game and to other species. Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
For Season 20 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we have seven episodes lined up for a Skills Series that's all about how to land the biggest fish of your life. Because, when you do hook the big one — that one you’ve been waiting for — a Whiskey, a Namer or the best fish of your life, you want the skills for fighting big fish with confidence. You want these habits to be engrained into your muscle memory, because you don't have time to think about this stuff when the biggest fish of your life shows up. Here's the Episode List for S20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources Category: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout PODCAST: Troutbitten Set the Hook! All About Different Hooksets ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? VIDEO: Troutbitten | HOW You Set the Hook Matters Most! - Hook Sets for Dry Flies, Nymphs, Streamers and Wets ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Don't Guess - Set the Hook and Set Hard ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Hookset Direction - Downstream Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
In this Season 19 finale of the Troutbitten Podcast, we tackle a grab bag of topics. We call these episodes the Freewheelin' Troutbitten. This one was unintentional. We had plans to cover a topic of fishing with friends vs fishing solo, but once we opened up some of the leftover topics surrounding the Grievances episode from last week, we just kinda got things rolling and let it go. The last half hour is dedicated to our most important conservation message -- stop stocking over wild trout. My friends Bill Dell, Dr. Trevor Smith, Matt Grobe and Austin Dando join me for a fun conversation. Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/ Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
We’re here for our fifth annual Airing of Grievances episode. We do this every June, at the end of the spring seasons of the podcast. We do it to have some fun, and we do it because it’s helpful to call out the bad things and try to make them better. We also do this because Frank Costanza from Seinfeld once said . . . “I gotta lotta problems with you people, and now . . . you’re gonna here about it.” So we’re here to complain about things, to clear the air and to get things off our chests about the fly fishing industry. And that means just about everyone involved, from the big fly fishing companies and brands, to the start ups. From the fly shops to the guides that work for them. From the independent, part-time guide, to the die-hard angler, to the weekend warrior and to the fisherman who has become fly-fishing-curious in the last few months. Everyone. No exceptions. And that starts with our own self-grievances. After a few years of doing this and getting so many replies from other anglers with their own gripes, we decided to open up the grievances episode to YOU , the listeners. We did that for the first time last year, and this year we have more submissions than ever. So we’ve compiled a list of the most common grievances with the fly fishing industry. And no one is safe. Joining me are Austin Dando, Bill Dell, Trevor Smith and Matt Grobe. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- One PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Two PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Three PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Four Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/ Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
Here's a good talk about other styles and other species, and how using a spinning rod or baitcaster can open up your fishing world to a more complete set of skills and a better understanding of . . . fishing. Most fly anglers can pick up and cast a spinning rod or baitcaster, but if you spend some real time to develop an intimate understanding of the strengths and the possibilities, you gain another base of knowledge. The same can be said for chasing other species: bass, carp, musky, redfish, permit, snook, striper. They’re all different, all with unique challenges and solutions that transfer over to the trout world, given the right circumstance. The question is, can you learn everything -- that same, full skillset of presentations, of reading a river and more, by only fishing a fly rod? That’s part of what we talk about in this podcast. My good friends Austin Dando and Bill Dell join me for this one. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Versatile Angler - S3, Ep15 VIDEO: Troutbitten | Fish and Film - One Morning for Versatility Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
Over the last few decades, fishing apparel has undergone a dramatic evolution. Today, we expect more than ever from our boots, waders, jackets, and shirts because we've grown accustomed to the advantages of purpose-built gear that's ready to deliver. Comfort, support and durability are the hallmarks of great fishing gear. So I sat down with Kevin Sloan, the founder of Skwala fishing, for a look at where the industry stands now, a look back at where we were and a forward look at where we're going. It was a fun conversation full of in-depth technical specifics on why and how good designs last. Kevin also has a lifetime of fishing stories to share. Resources READ: Troutbitten | All the Things READ: Troutbitten | 100 Day Gear Review - Skwala RS Wading Boots READ: Troutbitten | Critical Wader Care - Advice from the Companies Themselves - How to Wash and Dry Your Waders Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
We’re here to talk about fishing angles. Are you wading upstream or down? And are you casting upstream or down? What’s your preference? Why do you make that decision? When, if ever does it change? And does your casting direction always follow your wading direction? Sometimes, these preferences seem regional, while other times it’s specifically about the tactic -- meaning that swinging wet flies, for example, suits a downstream approach best. But sometimes, angle choice seems more like tradition, and many anglers simply fish a certain way because their Dad did. Most of us at Troutbitten look at things objectively. We all went through a period of time where we tore everything down that we thought we knew and rebuilt the database from the ground up. We want to know what really works best. My good friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me to answer these questions. Resources READ: Troutbitten | The Downstream Fisher Yields to the Upstream Fisher VIDEO: Troutbitten | Riverside: Fishing Direction - Should You Work Upstream or Downstream? READ: Troutbitten | Face Upstream, Fish Upstream READ: Troutbitten | The Advantages of Working Upstream Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
What’s the nymph really doing under there? How is it affected by the currents? And is the attached tippet dragging the fly unnaturally across, over, up or out of the natural, one-seam drift that our picky trout are waiting for? The challenge of nymphing is mercifully balanced by the frequency at which trout feed on these bottom dwelling food forms. So even if we get one in ten drifts just right, the rate at which we might fool fish makes this maddening quest for perfection more than worth it. Simply put, nymphing is fun because it works — and because there’s always a way to make it work even better. Our nymphs require weight to get under the surface and down to the trout. And “how much weight” is a fundamental consideration — perhaps the primary factor — toward the goal of drifting nymphs naturally. If you’re into anything long enough, you’ll notice the trends. And you can watch dogged convictions shift, en masse. In an industry as niche as fly fishing for trout, the opinions of just a few influential anglers often shape the next metamorphosis. So it is with the nymphing game, as the current trend for lighter flies and lighter tackle has taken a strong foothold. But just a few years ago, the concept of anchor flies was driving weighty considerations in the opposite direction. (Just as many trout found the net, by the way.) As with most things, real success with nymphs lies somewhere toward the middle of these extremes, and persistent success comes from a combination of both. Resources Here's the full article: READ: Troutbitten | Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural? Here are supporting articles: READ: Troutbitten Drifting Light Nymphs READ: Troutbitten | Over or Under -- Your Best Bet On Weight READ: Troutbitten | Leading vs Tracking vs Guiding the Flies Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
For our Season 19 Intermission, my wife, Becky, joins me to check in on what's going on in the Troutbitten world. We talk about the upcoming leader sale in the Troutbitten Shop (May 24th), the Troutbitten Film Festival, guide season, changes to the Troutbitten Beer with New Trail Brewing Company and the Mono Rig book status. Then my son, Aiden, joins me for a short conversation about spring fishing. Resources VIDEOS: Troutbitten | Fish and Film | Category SHOP: Troutbitten | Category | Leaders Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
There’s something about fishing that leads us to believe that we can figure out what the fish want to eat that day — at that moment. Really, we want to believe that. And maybe it’s true often enough that trying to figure ‘em out . . . is a smart strategy. But I’m sure you’ve also had the experience of getting back to camp and every one of your friends all caught fish — but they all caught them on different flies and different water types. And you’ve definitely met the guy in the parking lot who’s positive that he has the answer for catching fish that evening. And maybe he’s so sure of it that he’ll make it work, just because he’ll fish it so hard. Is there really anything to figure out? That’s our topic for this episode. We work around the ins and outs of when, why, where and how chasing that goal of figuring things out makes any sense. My good friends Matt Grobe, Josh Darling and Bill Dell join me for this one. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation - Trout Eat Anything, But Sometimes They Eat Another Thing Better READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck READ: Troutbitten | Asking the Best Questions to Catch More Trout Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
How do you get deeper into the game? Is it a choice or just good fortune? We live a life on the water, and a couple of episodes ago we talked about burnout — how a lot of anglers dig in, fish hard, go all out for a few years, and then just fade away. That’s the end point for some people, but tonight we’re here to talk about the beginning. We want to consider the start of a fishing life, or more accurately, the start of a dedicated fishing life. Most people who become serious anglers have some fishing experiences for a while, and then for whatever reason, the whole thing just becomes . . . more. All of the Troutbitten crew that you already has made fishing our lives for a very long time. And we can give you our opinions and experiences on this whole thing. But for a newer, fresher perspective, we invited some friends who are a little younger in the game. Both of these guys fished off and on since they were kids, but something triggered them to go deeper. That’s process is more recent for them than it is for us, so we wanted to hear from them . Meet our good friends Anthony Marrazo and Andy McDonald, who join me with Austin Dando and Bill Dell. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Rivers and Friends READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Stages of an Angler - S11, Ep1 Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
Dry dropper is great. Just put a nymph under that dry fly and get the best of both worlds. Right? Not so fast . . . The idea that you can have your cake and eat it too — that you'll get perfect drifts on the dry fly and the nymph — and that you somehow double your chances by dropping a nymph under the dry is not true. This is the big lie of dry dropper fishing. Here's the problem: In most cases, neither fly ends up with a great drift. Instead, both flies are compromised and their natural drift is altered. Picky trout don't buy sub-par drifts, so you'll only pick up the occasional lucky trout. But we can have good fishing with a dry dropper rig. It's a go to choice for a many anglers, and it’s one of our favorite ways to fish a river. The point here is to acknowledge the problems with a dry dropper system — the inherent drawback — so we can then specifically deal with them or even get rid of them altogether. Know the problem and try to solve it. My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . the big lie of dry dropper. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper PODCAST: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper - Dry Dropper Skills Series Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
A life on the water is an everyday thing. When we’re not fishing, we’re thinking about it. We’re preparing for it. We’re learning about it. I text with friends almost daily about river conditions and hatches. I drive beside the river just to see it — even though that route takes a few extra minutes. We've all seen die hard anglers living their life on the water -- and then it just goes away. Rising and fading interests are part of human nature. But we've also met plenty of anglers who lament the fact that their waders have been gathering dust for two years. Burnout starts with the small things — sleeping in instead of getting out early, or skipping the evening spinner fall in favor of an earlier dinner. And then, almost without realizing it, you’ve missed a whole season because you made excuses about low water or crowded streams. I think burnout is involuntary. It creeps up and surprises people, but I don't think it has to. Fishing gets old because it becomes average, because some of the mystery or exploration is gone — maybe it becomes predictable. But all of that can be changed with a few intentional decisions, too. My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . burnout. Resources READ: Troutbitten | All the Things READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Buddies S5, Ep12 Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
For Season 19 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we're adding the video component, with the same conversation on both the audio and video side. So you'll still find the audio version of the podcast on Apple, Spotify and every other platform, and now you'll find a video of the podcast conversation on the Troutbitten YouTube channel. The new video format is full of creative possibilities, and we're excited about the future of the podcast. Incidentally, podcasts will now publish on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. EST, instead of Sundays. (YouTube hates Sunday evenings.) Our conversation for episode one is all about luck. And we want to talk about how luck plays into things out there. Do we rely on it? Do we surrender to it? Do we look for it? From the beginning, luck and fishing were intertwined. It became part of our anglers’ lore. And while good luck has surely saved countless fishing trips, bad luck continues to doom the best laid plans of a fisherman. Great trout fishing is rarely the result of good luck. And if the experience was up to the fish and to fate, I’d hardly pick up a fishing rod. Success on the water is not a slot machine. It’s more like a game of poker, where you play the hand you’re given and try to fool your adversary. Sometimes the cards you’re holding almost guarantee success. Then the next day Mother Nature might deal you a hand, where pulling a couple of fish is a grand achievement. My good friends Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me to begin Season 19. Resources READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck READ: Troutbitten | Waiting On Luck READ: Troutbitten | Fish It Anyway Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
This Troutbitten Skills Series and these platforms are an effort to pass along the idea that fly selection doesn’t have to be regimented or complicated. Instead, see flies for what they have in common. Find their similarities rather than their differences. Choose the elements that matter most to you. Find the components of a fly that create enough of a distinction to be the keys to a platform, and build around that idea. I do think some things are undeniable, and almost every angler is going to classify a parachute the same way. That might be true for upright hackles and down wings too. But I’m sure you’ve noticed that the further we got into this season, the less specific each platform became. And again, that’s just because there are only so many things you can put on a dry fly and still have it be successful. Most of the more recent flies designed take their cues from what came before them. Honestly, I assume that will hold true going into the future too. My friends Bill Dell, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me for the conclusion of Season 18. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
It's time for the big-meal dry fly platform: hoppers and stoneflies. When we open our fly boxes, we’re looking for a solution. If trout are sipping tiny olives in a soft tailout, we probably reach for the low-riding, vulnerable look of a Comparadun or a Parachute. And if we see trout slashing at hovering, skittering Grannoms in a riffle, we probably choose an Elk Hair Caddis or similar. But what do we pick when the trout food is bigger — when trout are eating hoppers, stoneflies, cicadas or other big bugs on the surface that are twenty times the size of a Blue Winged Olive? Those trout aren’t looking for snacks. They’re hunting for dinner — for the main course. And we need a platform or a style to match the moment. The hoppers and stoneflies platform is a major departure from the delicate mayfly imitations we’ve covered in this series. This platform isn't about perfectly matching the wing of a Hendrickson or the subtle flutter of an October Caddis. It’s about presenting a substantial, high-calorie meal that gets attention. Whether it’s a Golden stonefly clipping across the hoppy water of a bouldered run, or an unlucky grasshopper blown onto the surface from a grassy bank, these are not subtle bugs. They make a splash. They struggle. And in the best moments, they draw explosive strikes. With this platform, we substitute subtlety for buoyancy. Hackle is traded in for rubber legs, and dubbing is often replaced by closed-cell foam. In this episode, we break down this big-meal platform. We’ll look at a parts list, cover some pros and cons about material choices, and look at the particulars of the platform itself. My friend, Matt Grobe, joins me for a detailed look at another of our favorite dry fly platforms. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | What's the Deal With Emergers? S11, Ep4 PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
In this Riverside episode, I share an article that I published a few years ago, title, The Order of Everything. I also share some Troutbitten updates about my upcoming book, about the Troutbitten Shop, about the live podcast on March 28th at New Trail Brewing Company and the Troutbitten film festival happening later this year, in October. There's an order to everything to keep this Troutbitten project moving forward, and the work of these first weeks of 2026 had me thinking about one of my favorite concepts for a day on the water . . . A lot goes into a good fishing trip. It’s a flexible framework of pieces and parts mixed in with a little fortuitous intuition. That first trout to the net is rarely luck. And when you start to lose count of how many fish have come to hand, you can be sure that luck has had very little to do with it. The overarching principles of how to catch a trout — the headers of the outline — are these: Find Trout Don’t spook them Have a Solid Presentation Choose a Reasonable Pattern Fight Fish Fast For me, when the day is tough, if it’s lunchtime and I haven’t yet touched a fish, if I’m losing faith in my strategy and I’m wishing more than fishing, I often gather my wits around this checklist of five. Here's the full article: READ: Troutbitten | The Order of Everything The LIVE Podcast Also, Tickets are on sale for the Live Podcast on March 28th at New Trail Brewing in Williamsport, PA. BUY TICKETS HERE Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
A dry fly emerger is one that has part of the fly underneath the surface. It’s a highly effective form (meaning tout eat it) because it matches the most vulnerable state of things that trout see. In this episode we cover the dry fly platform of emergers. We look at what they are, how and why to use them and the differences in styles within this platform. We cover some history about how emerger design got to this point and what the future might hold. Once the emerger platform really caught on in the fly fishing world, I’d say it has almost replaced many of the traditional, more high riding patterns as the average flies in the average angler’s box. Maybe that’s just my perception, but there’s no doubt, emergers are more popular than ever, and new ideas and turns of thread keep pushing the concept further. My good friend, Austin Dando, joins me for a thorough look at another of our favorite dry fly platforms. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | What's the Deal With Emergers? S11, Ep4 PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
The down wing dry fly style is a perfect match for one of the most ubiquitous insects found in trout rivers across the planet: caddis. The down wing platform is also a first choice for matching many terrestrials, like moths and hoppers, and it finds it's way to stonefly patterns as well. But for this discussion, we cover the down wing and its progression into fly boxes, by looking at three standouts: the Elk Hair Caddis, the X-Caddis and the CDC & Elk. Because the arrival of each of these patterns brought forth major innovations to the world of dry flies. All three of these are down wings, but they are very different players on the water. The down wing, like all of these dry fly platforms, is a structural philosophy. There are reasons for having a wing that lays flat rather than stands up. The down wing is a canvas to be creative with. It starts with a wing that angles back. Then, materials used for the undercarriage dictate how the fly behaves on the surface, along with where, when and how we expect trout to respond. My good friend, Bill Dell, joins me for a thorough look at another of our favorite fly platforms. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
With its simple form of wing, body and tail, the Comparadun is another template for the dry fly angle -- another perfectly adaptable platform. When the Comparadun hit the scene in the 1970’s, it was a significant departure from the norm. Anglers recognized this, but more importantly, the trout recognized this. The Comparadun became a hatch matcher. It became the closer, because the Comparadun specialized in fooling selective trout, with perhaps the most realistic profile of a mayfly out there. The unique design of the Comparadun caught on quickly, because, once again, it solved problems on the water. And it's been fooling wise River trout ever since. In this episode, we go into detail about the Comparadun — a little history, a parts list, some tying tips, fishing situations and best times to choose a Comparadun. My good friend, Bill Dell, joins me for a thorough look into one of our favorite flies. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/
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