Mayflies to caddisflies, knowing how to match the hatch can make or break your day on the water. Henry Ramsay, author of Matching Major Eastern Hatches will dive deep into the life cycles of key insects, the flies that best imitate them, and the strategies you need to fool more trout. Whether you’re new to entomology or a seasoned angler looking to refine your approach, this episode will help you unlock the secrets to more productive days on the stream.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• Henry, what inspired you to write Matching Major Eastern Hatches and how does it differ from other hatch-matching books?
• For someone new to Eastern waters, how important is it to understand insect life cycles compared to simply having the “right” fly?
• What do you consider the six most important insect groups anglers need to master in the East?
• What role does observation—both streamside and in-hand—play in accurately identifying a hatch?
• Do you think that more emphasis should be placed on fly fishermen being able to identify nymph and pupa stages of mayflies and caddis flies?
• When matching a hatch do you prefer a fly that is a direct match or more of a general look fly?
• Mayflies are the poster child of hatch-matching—what are the major Eastern species anglers should know?
• How can you tell when trout are feeding on emergers?
• Regarding multiple flies, what conditions determine the setup you use?
• How important are mayfly spinner falls to the trout angler?
• Caddisflies often confuse anglers compared to mayflies—what key differences should we focus on?
• How do you fish caddis emergences differently from mayflies in terms of presentation?
• Stoneflies are often overlooked in the East compared to the West—how important are they in Eastern streams?
• What common mistakes do anglers make when trying to fish a stonefly hatch?
• Midges can be intimidating because of their size—how critical are they to Eastern fly fishers?
• How do you adjust your fly selection when conditions are tough and trout ignore traditional hatch patterns?

Rene Limeres has spent hundreds of hours guiding and fishing for the legendary taimen in Russia. Learn from Rene about this unusual fish and what it takes to hook and land fish that can get up to 200 pounds.

Paul Weamer has spent over decade fishing the Upper Delaware River watershed where the trout are large, wild, and highly selective. Be sure to listen in to find out about this great fishery and the special techniques used to hook up with the trophies.

Rick Hartman a professional guide on the Texas coast who specializes in redfish. Listen in to Rick's secrets on hooking up with the big ones.

Brad Miller has fished smallmouth for over thirty years on some of the most hallowed waters in the Midwest and Canada. If you want to catch more smallmouth listen in as Brad goes through the top ten flies that have been written about, tested and voted upon by guides, experts and everyday anglers. He'll tell you what they are and how to fish them.

Greg DeMars has fished all over the world but the waters around the Dallas/Fort Worth area are his home waters. Greg will guide us to the hidden gems and unexpected fishing spots in the heart of the bustling Metroplex. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a curious novice, join us to uncover secret creeks teeming with fish, all set against the urban backdrop of DFW. Don't miss out on this adventure that's just around the corner!

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What are the key differences when comparing urban fishing to more remote locations?
• Do urban fish tend to generally be more aggressive?
• What weight rods do you recommend?
• Are the waters in the Dallas Fort Worth area easily accessible to the public?
• What are the river laws in Texas?
• What are the most common species to target in the DFW area?
• What are some of your favorite flies?
• Are most of the rivers and streams suitable for wading?
• Can you tell us about the downtown Dallas area fisheries?
• What does the North Dallas area offer that is different from downtown?
• What is fishing like in Timber Creek and Lewisville Lake?
• Are Big Fossil Creek and Big Bear Creek good places to fish in Fort Worth?
• What fishing is available in the Mid-Cites area?

Debbie Hanson, a professional guide in southwest Florida, specialized in getting her clients hooked up with Florida’s strain of largemouth bass. These bass are different than the strains in the north and many consider them the monsters of largemouth bass. Listen in to learn about these bass and how to hook up with what may be your trophy bass of a lifetime.

• What makes the Florida strain of largemouth bass different?
• What is the best place to fish for trophies in Florida?
• Does the Florida strain exist in other states?
• What are the factors that contribute to the growth of trophy-sized bass?
• Where do you look for the larger bass?
• What are the most effective flies to use for largemouth bass?
• How deep do you fish?
• What's the best time of day to fish?
• What fly did you catch your trophy largemouth on?

Pat Dorsey shares his tips and tactics for fishing tailwaters. Don't miss this show he'll cover nymphing, dry-fly and streamer fishing for those difficult, hard to catch lunkers.

Ed Engle specializes in tying and fishing small flies. Imitating small insects takes extra care and presenting those tiny flies, detecting the strikes and how to best play a trout on a small fly are all part of fishing small flies. Join us to learn Ed's secrets to accomplishing this.

The Klamath River was once a legendary steelhead and salmon fishery, and now, after the removal of four dams, has been reborn. Mikey Wier works for California Trout, which works to improve the habitats of several fish species throughout California. He was also a professional guide and fished the Klamath River before and after the removal of dams. Join us to learn how the river is doing and the best places and ways to fish it.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What was fishing like before the dam removals?
• What roles did the dams play in what fish were available to target?
• Were there other similar dam removal projects that served to inform how this project should proceed?
• Can you describe the most significant changes to the Klamath River's ecosystem since the removal of the dams?
• What role have local tribes played in the restoration and management of the Klamath River fishery?
• How has the removal of the dams affected water quality and temperature in the river?
• Have there been any notable changes in fish populations or species diversity in the Klamath River post-dam removal?
• How have sediment releases during the dam removal process impacted the river's habitat and fishery?
• Now that steelhead migration up the Klamath is possible, how many years are we looking at to see the Klamath to become once again a legendary fishery with world class steelhead?
• What are the optimal water conditions anglers should look for when planning a trip to the Klamath River now?
• How have hatches and insect populations changed in response to the river's restored flow?
• What are the expectations for the Klamath River fishery in the coming years as the ecosystem continues to recover?
• What advice would you give to anglers who are planning their first trip to the Klamath River since the dams were removed?

Beau has fished the waters of Virginia for over 30 years and finds the shad of the Rappahannock River as challenging a fish as any other. Listen to Beau share his tips and techniques for hooking up with one of Virgina's great sport fish.

Paul McCain guides out of his shop, River Bay Outfitters on Long Island. He fishes many types of water both fresh and salt and for many species of fish. Long Island has so much to offer it's difficult to know where to begin. Paul will guide us to some well known and not so well known places on Long Island and open your eyes to all that's possible. Join us and explore Long Island fly fishing.

Questions asked and answered during the interview:

• What are the prime areas for striped bass?
• Where can you fish the flats on Long Island?
• What is public access like for fishing the shoreline?
• Where do you find the larger striped bass?
• What are the four best flies for striped bass and bluefish?
• Where can you fish for trout and bass at the same time?
• What rivers are the best for trout fishing?
• What are kettle and mill ponds?

Pudge Kleinkauf has been fly fishing for arctic grayling for thirty years. As a professional guide she understands these fish and knows what it takes to find and hook up with the trophies. Listen in to hear her secrets to catching these beautiful fish.

Ron Newman has spent 30 years researching virtually anything that could affect the Kamloops rainbow trout and how they act in stillwater. Learn his inside information that will help you to catch more trout in stillwaters.

Kip Vieth, a professional guide in Minnesota and winner of the 2017 Orvis Guide of the Year, loves fly fishing for Muskies. Muskies are finicky, to say the least. Known as the fish of ten thousand casts you can bet you'll have to work for yours. Kip will help us all learn more about Muskies including where they live, what they eat, what triggers them to bite, how to rig your terminal tackle for success, presentation strategies, and of course how to close the deal. Join us to learn Kip's secrets to success!

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• Are muskies really the fish of 10,000 casts?
• What are the strength and weaknesses of fly fishing versus conventional fishing?
• What makes a rod a good muskie fly rod?
• What type of line do you use and what is your terminal tackle setup?
• What are the advantages of articulated flies?
• Do you need high flies for muskies?
• How do the primary lies change for muskies from summer to fall?
• If you get a follow but no bite what changes do you make?
• Do the moon phases affect the musky bite?
• Is sight fishing an effective method for muskies?
• When is the best time of day to target muskies?