Geri Meyer is here to talk about all things driftless fly fishing. We will discover what the crane fly hatch is all about, we will get the top caddis flies and how to fish them, and then walk through her patterns and tips for fishing the driftless area. We will also find out what the Driftless Angler and the Women’s Fly Shop are all about.
Sit back, relax, and let’s talk about driftless fly fishing with Geri Meyer, co-owner of Driftless Angler and Women’s Fly Shop.
Driftless Fly Fishing with Geri Meyer. Hit play below!
Find the show: iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
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Driftless Fly Fishing Show Notes with Geri Meyer
3:07 – Geri takes us back quickly to when she first got into fly fishing. She wasn’t attracted to fishing when she was young, but her interest was piqued when she and her family had a casting lesson in Oregon.
4:12 – She and her husband Mat Wagner, also a proficient angler, visited the driftless area in Wisconsin, immediately fell in love with it, and decided to move there.
7:17 – She tells what she loves about living and fishing in New Mexico versus Wisconsin.
8:04 – She tells more about the streams in the driftless area in Wisconsin which is her favorite place to fish. Brook trout and brown trout are the usual species you can catch in this area.
10:14 – There is also a big chunk of driftless in Iowa, but not as big in Wisconsin. Their fishing season stays open year-round.
11:22 – We talk a bit about fishing in Mississippi which she says is an absolute blast during the summer.
12:33 – We dig into their shop which is the Driftless Angler. They hand out maps to clients that give rough information on the streams and watersheds in their area.
14:20 – May is their prime month for fishing in the area. She mentions some of the hatches in the summer such as colored mayflies, crane flies, and caddis.
15:33 – We talk about what the peak season looks like in their streams. For those who are planning to visit their area, they can check the seasons and hatches on their website.
19:23 – We talk about crane flies which she says are difficult to tie. Their go-to cranefly is the Coulee Cranefly which they also sell in their shop.
21:52 – Their caddis time lasts until the end of the summer. Some of the hatches they also get are olives, mayflies, sulphurs, and cahills. More of the bugs and hatches can be found on their website.
23:06 – She mentions some of the popular dries they use for caddis such as elk hair and missing link.
25:20 – She gives her top five patterns and other favorites to have in her box for the whole summer. Her number one is the hippie stomper, followed by purple drank, scuds, pink squirrel, and film critic.
28:27 – I mention our episode with Jason Randall where we also talked about the Driftless area.
28:54 – We go into the detail on how she fishes her favorite flies that she mentioned. For the scud, she dead drifts it and puts a little bounce to it.
34:08 – The biggest she has caught in their streams is a 15-inch brookie. She also shares a bit of her perspective on the brook trout population.
37:04 – There are many great campgrounds in their area. One of which is the Vernon County Campgrounds. A list of other lodging, hotels, cabins, and camp areas can be found on their website.
37:55 – We talk about fishing in Mississippi. She loves fishing for smallmouth bass.
43:28 – They start musky fishing on October 15th and then host trips in January. They do a lot of trips to Argentina, Brazil, and other places.
45:45 – She describes how they do their hosted trips.
49:13 – She talks about the Women’s Fly Shop and how it started.
50:48 – I ask her perspective on the population and involvement of women in fly fishing. She also suggests some efforts that the fishing community can do to encourage more women to join the sport.
58:00 – We dig into gear. She loves the kits from Echo and Orvis. They carry those in their shop.
1:03:50 – We do the Fly Shop Friday segment. She recommends other fly shops near their area such as Root River Rod Co., Orvis shop in Preston, Rod & Rivet, Musky Fool, Tight Lines, and a few others.
1:05:55 – She gives some valuable tips on fishing in the driftless area.
1:07:45 – She likes listening to music from the ’70s to the early ’80s. She loves Queen and Dr. Hook.
You can find Geri Meyer on Instagram @driftlessangler and @womensflyshop.
Facebook at Driftless Angler
Visit their website at DriftlessAngler.com.
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 074 – Jason Randall on Nymphing, Wet Fly Fishing, The Driftless Area, UV, Indicators, Currents
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Driftless Fly Fishing Conclusion with Geri Meyer
Our chat with Geri was an eye-opener for anyone who loves fishing or is interested in starting the sport. Her passion for fly fishing, dedication to welcoming more women in the sport, and her role in establishing the Driftless Angler and Women’s Fly Shop are truly inspiring.
We hope that her story motivates more women to try their hand at fly fishing and take advantage of the fantastic fishing opportunities that the Driftless area in Wisconsin has to offer. With the right gear, the right flies, and the right attitude, anyone can become a skilled angler and enjoy the beauty of the sport. Thank you, Geri, for sharing your wisdom and helping us appreciate the joys of fly fishing even more!
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