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Magnificent Roosterfish: Unlocking the Secrets of El Gallo
Tom Boyd
Fly Fisher/Fly Tier/Author
They’re fast, powerful, and one of the toughest fish to fool on a fly—roosterfish, or El Gallo. Join us as legendary angler Tom Boyd shares his decades-long pursuit of these magnificent predators in Costa Rica. From world-record catches to breakthrough tactics, Tom reveals what makes roosters so elusive, how to spot and hook them, and why landing one is considered the pinnacle of saltwater fly fishing. Don’t miss this chance to learn the secrets of chasing one of the ocean’s most extraordinary game fish!
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What makes roosterfish one of the most challenging saltwater fish to catch on a fly?
- How do their unique auditory and visual senses make them so difficult to fool?
- Can you explain the role of the dorsal comb and how roosterfish use it to hunt or herd baitfish?
- How does the behavior of roosters differ between calmer waters like Baja beaches and the rougher open Pacific waters of Costa Rica?
- Tell us about your very first encounter with a roosterfish on the Costa Rica/Nicaragua border—what did you see and how did it change your fishing path?
- Walk us through your 1998 catch in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo—the first large roosterfish taken on fly under IGFA rules. What made it possible that day?
- How did that world-record catch open doors for you, including your work with Crocodile Bay in Costa Rica?
- What role does structure—like reefs, points, or guano-covered cliffs—play in locating roosters?
- What do you look for in bird activity when scanning a beach for signs of roosterfish?
- What’s your preferred rod, reel, and line setup for roosterfish in Costa Rica?
- Tell us about the development of Boyd’s Wounded Baitfish fly. What made it so effective?
- How closely do you try to “match the hatch” when choosing fly colors and sizes for Costa Rica?
- What retrieves have you found most effective—steady strips, erratic jerks, or wounded-baitfish movements?
- What are your tips for setting the hook properly on roosterfish, given their tendency to spit flies?
- How do you recommend fighting a rooster—rod angles, pressure, and handling jumps?
- Roosterfish are listed as “data deficient” by the IUCN. What past and current research have you done that will help us to understand roosterfish better in Costa Rica and other parts of the world.
More about Tom Boyd...
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Chasing Trout in the Chill - Beating the Cold and Catching More
Jason Randall
Fly Fisher/Fly Tier/Author
When the temperatures drop and most anglers hang up their waders, Jason Randall heads to the river. In this episode Jason reveals how to outsmart winter’s toughest conditions and find trout when the water turns icy. Learn how to locate warmwater seeps, choose the right flies for slow, cold currents, and keep yourself warm, safe, and successful all day long. Discover why winter may just be the most rewarding season to fish — if you know where to look and how to adapt.Ask Jason Randall your most important questions on fly fishing in cold weather...
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Why Did Dave Whitlock Move to Oklahoma?Dave moved to Oklahoma for several reasons but the lower Illinois River is one of them where he caught 17 varieties of fish in one day. You won't want to miss this interview of one of fly fishing's most notable figures.
Fly Fishing for White BassBill Butts loves white bass - they're hard hitting and put on a tough fight. Find out from Bill what it takes to catch these great freshwater sport fish on a fly.
Fly Fishing for Trophy RedfishCaptain Gary Dubiel, has been guiding the North Carolina waters for over 20 years. Gary is renowned for his expertise in light tackle and fly fishing, In his home waters, catching redfish up to 50 inches is not unusual. Join us to learn Gary’s secrets to locating and hooking up with these trophy redfish.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- Can you tell us about your background and how you got started with fly fishing for redfish?
- What makes redfish such a sought-after species for fly anglers?
- What types of water do you fish?
- Can you describe the ideal habitat for finding trophy redfish?
- What is the best time of year for trophy redfish in your area?
- How do the weather conditions affect your approach to fly fishing for redfish?
- How important is line selection, and what type of fly line do you prefer for redfish?
- What types of fly patterns do you find most effective for redfish, and why?
- What is the Pop-N-Fly rig?
- Do you normally sight fish to one fish or to a school?
- What techniques do you use to spot and stalk trophy redfish in shallow water?
- How do you present your fly?
- What type of retrieve do you use and is it different depending on what type of fly you are using?
- What does a typical full-day guided trip entail, and what type of boat do you operate?
- Can you share a memorable story from your guided trips with clients catching trophy redfish?
Single-Handed Spey CastingSimon Gawesworth shares his techniques on using casts adapted from two-handed spey casting to one handed casts that enable you to fish the most challenging spots that most anglers pass by.
Fly Fishing, Writing and StoriesJohn Gierach has been writing about fly fishing for most of his life. He is the author of twenty-one books including Trout Bum, Sex, Death and Flyfishing, Standing in a River Waving a Stick and A Fly Rod of Your Own. Join us for a chat with John about his writing, inspiration and of course fly fishing.
Midge SecretsRick Takahashi considers midges the most important year-round foods source for trout and they are in almost every stream and lake around the world. Listen in to learn about tying and fishing midges that will work no matter where live.
Wet Fly MagicDave Allbaugh, a professional guide in Pennsylvania, has spent the last 30 years both on the stream and at his vise perfecting his wet fly fishing techniques and flies. His methods are effective throughout the year and he takes great pride in teaching his clients this lost art of fly fishing. Join us and learn Dave’s secrets to wet fly fishing.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- Are wet flies the same as nymphs and soft hackle flies?
- What are flymphs?
- What materials do you use for bodies and hackle?
- What size do you tie your wet flies?
- What flies do you start out with in April and May in PA?
- What is your favorite "go to" wet fly when there is no hatch in progress?
- What variations of flies do you use when searching?
- What are some of your favorite classic wet fly patterns?
- What weight type of rod do you use for wet fly fishing?
- What lines work best for wet fly fishing?
- What is your leader and tippet setup?
- How do you rig up a multi-fly setup?
- How do you present your flies for the best results?
- Is upstream or downstream presentations more effective?
- Do you add any action/movement to your flies?
Yellowstone - Fly Fishing ParadiseCraig Mathews has fished Yellowstone National Park for over 30 years. Learn from Craig where, when and how to fish this incredibly beautiful and diverse fly fishing destination.
Trout Hunting Colorado's Four SeasonsLandon Mayer has fished Colorado his whole life and has guided across the state for many years. Listen to this podcast to find out when the best seasons are to fish and how to fish them.
Golden Trout of the High SierraRalph Cutter spent his nine month honeymoon hiking through the Sierra with his new wife Lisa going through nearly every pass and fishing many of the waters. The Sierra range is the home of the golden trout, California's state fish, but it's not easy to fish for them. Listen in to hear Ralph tell his secrets about fly fishing the Sierra for the golden trout.
Angling Approaches for StreamsLearn from Jason Borger techniques for getting to those hard to reach fish and tips on making those perfect casts. He will focus specifically on mending, approach and presentation, and ways to fish the fly to both trout and smallmouth bass.
Fly Fishing for Sea-Run Cutthroat TroutChester Allen has been fly fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout for over 15 years. Listen in to hear his secrets and strategies for chasing these beautiful and aggressive feeding cutts, including in-depth information on how to figure the tides, find the best beaches, and how to rig for success.
Trout - Hidden in Plain ViewDuane Redford will delves into what the top 10% of anglers are seeing and doing differently from the fly fishing masses, and how they are consistently putting fish in the net in every situation. Join us and learn from a master angler how to increase your odds of catching more trout.
The Seasons of Stillwater - Rocky MountainsRichard Pilatze's expertise is high mountain stillwater fly fishing. He'll be talking with us about the stillwater fishing seasons in the Rocky Mountain region, detailing what the fishing conditions will be, what hatches occur and best methods to fish at that time of year. Join us a get dialed into high mountain stillwater fly fishing.
Trout Spey and the Art of the SwingSteven Bird started trout spey fishing long before the current trend started. Many fly fishers equate spey fishing with steelhead or salmon on large rivers but it can be applied on small rivers or streams for trout just as effectively. Join us to learn about the gear, flies and techniques used for trout spey fishing that you can use on your next outing.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What inspired you to write your book Trout Spey & The Art Of the Swing?
- What got you started spey fishing?
- What is trout spey?
- What advantages does two-handed spey fishing for trout offer?
- What is the ideal rod for trout spey?
- What is the difference between a trout spey rod and a switch rod?
- What type of lines are used with trout specy?
- How do you select a tip?
- How do you set up your leaders?
- What are the different parts of a wetfly presentation?
- What is the Leisenring Lift?
- What determines what size, color and proportions of your flies?
- Do you fish multi fly rigs?
- What are you favorite wet fly patterns?
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