Chris Leonard has been guiding and teaching fly fishing in the Mammoth Lakes, California area since 2005. Mammoth Lakes is well known for its ski area but it also hosts some great fisheries. Hot Creek, the Owens River, the San Joaquin River, Rock Creek, Rush Creek and Crowley Lake are some of Chris's favorites. Listen in and learn about these eastern Sierra fisheries and how to best fish these waters.

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

• When is the best time of year to fish the Mammoth Lakes rivers, creeks and lakes?
• What is the difference between fishing the Upper and Lower Owens River?
• What river has Golden Trout in it?
• What makes Hot Creek so special?
• Is Tenkara a good system to use on these fisheries?
• What river is known for its hopper fishing?
• What river can you get a grand slam on?
• What's the best way to find fish in Crowley Lake?
• Can you fish Crowley Lake from a float tube?
• What flies work best on these waters?

Skip and Carol Ann Morris are well known in the fly fishing world and they have stories to tell... Their latest book Imposters takes us on a trip of colorful fly fishing experiences blending stories, insights, history and instruction all based on those imposters at the end of our lines. Join us on what will be a fun as well as enlightening episode as they share those experiences with us.

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

• How did the idea come about for you book Imposters and how did you decide to work together on it?
• The title of the book is Imposters. At the most basic level, what are we really asking a fish to believe when we put an artificial fly in front of it?
• Could you provide some insight into how flies which appear to represent nothing in nature seem to catch fish like crazy?
• Fly tiers can become obsessed with making a fly look exactly like the insect they're imitating. How much does anatomical accuracy really matter to the fish?
• The two of you checked the dimensions of your fly drawings with a draftsman's divider so the tails, wings, hackles, thoraxes, and other components would have correct proportions. Why was that level of accuracy important to you, and how difficult is it to draw a fly accurately enough that a fly tier could actually learn from the illustration?
• Do you find that when drawing a fly it forces you to notice details about its proportions, materials, or construction that even the person tying it might overlook?
• In "The Promise, the Beaver, and the Branch," an apparently insignificant piece of water turns out to be much better than you expected. What can that experience teach us about learning to read water without prejudging it?
• Your chapter-opening illustrations don't simply show flies; they often combine the fly with fish, insects, anglers, wildlife, or scenes from the essay. For example, the opening illustration for "The Promise, the Beaver, and the Branch" brings together the trout, beaver, insect, branch, and fly. How do you decide which elements of Skip's story should become the visual story?
• Carol Anne because you're illustrating something Skip knows intimately as both a tier and fisherman, what is the collaboration like? Does Skip ever look over your shoulder and say, "That hackle is too long," or do you have artistic veto power?
• I am a new fly tyer, what pattern is a good start for me for an imposter pattern?
• The Guest Box includes everything from chironomid pupae to Booby Flies and your Predator. Is it more useful for an angler to organize a fly box around specific insects or around how and where the flies will be fished?
• Carol Ann you've spent a lot of time fishing with Skip as well as illustrating his books. Has being an artist changed the way you observe things when you're on the water—the insects, fish, light, vegetation, or other details that the rest of us might walk right past?
• How should an angler change the fly and presentation when trout appear to be taking insects trapped in or just below the surface film?

Tim Jacobs is a guide and FFI Certified Casting Instructor who fishes both the warm waters of the midwest and the cold waters of the Rocky Mountains. Tim will be sharing tactics including rigs, techniques and fly patterns that you can use to catch more bass. panfish, pike, and other warmwater species. Join us and learn Tim's secrets to warmwater fly fishing.

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

• Where do you do most of your warmwater fishing?
• What does a fly fisher need to know about lakes to be productive?
• Is it more productive to fly fishing from a boat?
• How do you dissect an unknown lake?
• What types of rods and lines do you need for warmwater fly fishing?
• Where should you look for largemouth bass?
• What is your primary method for finding fish?
• What types of flies do you use for largemouth bass?
• When fishing rivers for smallmouth bass, how do you work the water?
• What's your go-to fly for smallmouth bass?
• Where do the pike hold in the water column?
• How do you rig up your leader and shock tippet for pike?
• What are your favorite types of flies for pike?
• Where is the best place to find pike?

Tim Heng has fished the Roaring Fork River in Colorado for 30 years. Learn all about fly fishing the Roaring Fork and the secrets of hooking up with the lunkers that call it home..

Robert McConnell started fly fishing in Western Pennsylvania and later moved to Houston, Texas. He had to adapt and learn about fishing a whole new world from the city waterways to backcountry rivers and streams. Join us to learn about fishing warmwater species in southeast Texas including carp, spotted bass, largemouth bass, panfish and even prehistoric gar and bowfin.

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

• What are the main areas to fish in the Houston area?
• How can you find out about public access?
• What species can you target Lake Conroe?
• What are the best ways to fish Lake Conroe?
• Is the West Fork San Jacinto River easy to wade fish?
• What species will you find in the West Fork San Jacinto River?
• How is the East Fork San Jacinto River different from the West Fork?
• Where is the best place to fish for carp?
• What type of flies do you use in most of these fisheries?
• Where do you go to get away from the crowds?
• What's the best way to fish Sheldon Lake?
• Which fisheries offer the best gar and bowfin fishing?
• What type of fishery is Brays Bayou?
• Is there good fishing in downtown Houston?

Jeff is well-known and well-traveled. He hosts fly fishing trips worldwide and is well known for his presentations at the fly fishing shows, and his incredible artwork. He constantly travels and develops techniques for catching the most exotic fish imaginable in places where even the most avid adventurer refuses to go. His quest to catch 500 different species on the fly continues. Join us as Jeff shares some of his adventures in his quest and find out if he’s getting close to meeting his goal.

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

• How did you first become interested in fly fishing and what inspired you to embark on this quest to catch as many different species as possible?
• Do you have a specific goal?
• What is your current count?
• Which fish has so far been the most fun to catch?
• Which has been the hardest to catch?
• What has been the most challenging journey you’ve had to take to get to a fish?
• Which fish do you think will be the most challenging to catch?
• Which fish are you the most excited to catch?
• Can you share some insights or techniques that you've developed to increase your success rate when targeting various species?
• What fish are next on your list?
• 10 years from now, what’s your prediction on how fly fishing will change?
• How has your pursuit of diverse species affected your perspective on fly fishing and its role as both a sport and a means of connecting with nature?
• What advice would you give to other fly fishers who are interested in pursuing a similar quest to catch as many different species as possible?

The Pacific Coast offers fly fishers a wealth of angling opportunities from Alaska to the tip of Baja California. Scott Sadil's recent book Pacific Coast Flies & Fly Fishing covers many of the proven flies to use for trout, salmon, steelhead, and both inshore and bluewater species and how to fish them. Join us to learn about some of these popular fly patterns, their use, and a bit of history about how they came to be.

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

• How did your latest book Pacific Coast Flies & Fly Fishing come about?
• Do you primarily "match the hatch"?
• Do you fish with whatever works?
• What makes "Bird's BWO Emerger" work?
• Why does the "Vanilla Bugger" attract fish?
• What does "My Favorite Terrestrial" imitate?
• How did the "Green Butt Muddler" come about?
• Does the "Miracle Fly" really work miracles on steelhead?
• How can you be more productive fishing the surf?
• When do you decide to use the "Bullador" in the salt?
• Where do you use "Squid Me" to get the best results?
• Is the "Trilobite" a good fly for surf perch?

Josh Mead, an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, has fished the famous rivers of Michigan since he was five years old. Learn about fly fishing the Pere Marquette River where huge Browns, Steelhead and Salmon make their home.

Spey fishing has evolved from being traditionally used for salmon and steelhead to a wider scope of species including inland trout, smallmouth bass, and even saltwater game fish. Rick Kustich discusses presentation techniques for both two-handed and single-handed approaches to spey as well as lines and heads. Join us and learn about spey techniques and methods, and how spey fishing could fit into your fly fishing future.

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

• Where and when did spey fishing start?
• How did you first decide to learn spey casting and how did you go about learning the various spey casts?
• Other than distance, please list the advantages of Spey casting vs one handed casts?
• Can these techniques be adopted to small waters and smaller fish. This seems to be a big water technique?
• For someone starting out with Spey Fishing and an experienced fly fisher, what would you recommend in terms of equipment?
• What are the basics of spey casting?
• What’s the difference between single-hand and two hand casting?
• How does trout spey differ from “conventional” spey?
• What are the differences between Spey fishing for trout and the traditional wet fly swing?
• Are there practical applications for spey casting when musky fishing?
• What technique would be best for casting in a pond that has no current?
• Can you use a spey rod to fish saltwater from a beach?
• In what circumstances if any, do you use a stripping basket? Are they useful in Spey fishing?
• What type of flies are commonly used for spey fishing?

Robert Cunningham has been chasing world records for two decades and has many stories to tell. Listen in to find out about the rare successful record catches, but also on the far more frequent failed attempts and the angling lessons learned from each of them. Anyone who has ever dreamed of a world record catch as well as any angler seeking to improve his fish fighting skill and techniques will learn from these experiences and enjoy a good fish story or two in the process.

Bill Edrington knows what works and one of those things is fly fishing with wet flies for trout. If you haven't been using wet flies this show will be very enlightening and may change the way you fish in the future.

Daniel Galhardo founded Tenkara USA in 2009 and has brought the traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing where only a rod, line and fly are used to the US. Tenkara is about fly-fishing simplicity and mountain-stream effectiveness. Eleven to fourteen foot long rods allow anglers to fish mountain streams in a way that is nearly impossible with western fly gear. Listen to learn about the history, philosophy and of course the strategies and techniques of using the Tenkara system.

Jeff Blood a lifelong fly fisher talks about what it takes to design and build a commercial fly rod. He'll dispell the myths and sweep away the smoke and mirrors of advertising to get down to what really makes a fly rod great.

Paul Marriner shares his 25+ years of experience fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon. Learn his secrets about tactics, flies, casting and playing this classic trophy fish.

Denny has been fishing, guiding and studying trout behavior for the past 30 years. He's an expert on fish lakes and has developed a selection of suggestive flies that put the trophy trout on the take. Join us on this podcast to hear about Denny's latest new techniques on fishing lakes.