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This episode of Traveled comes straight from the floor of the East Idaho Fly Tying Expo, where anglers gathered to share patterns, techniques, and the kind of conversations that only happen when tiers and fishermen slow down and talk shop. Scott Sanchez joins us to break down one of the most important — and misunderstood — feeding windows in fly fishing: the emerger stage. We dig into how trout feed in the surface film, how to read rise forms correctly, and why classic wet flies and soft hackles remain so effective when fish aren’t fully committing to dries. It’s a thoughtful, observation-driven discussion inspired by time spent at the vise and on the water, and a reminder that good fishing starts with paying attention.

Today’s story bridges two very different worlds: the tight banks and icy tributaries of the Great Lakes, and the raw, tidal power of Western...

Episode Show Notes Jason Balogh is back from Fish the Fly Guide Service to recap his season around Jackson Hole and break down how he...

Stillwater trout don’t always eat because they’re hungry — and that’s where many anglers get stuck. In this solo episode of the Littoral Zone Podcast, Phil Rowley breaks down the power of attraction and explains why trout often strike flies for reasons that have nothing to do with feeding. When matching the hatch fails, attractor patterns can trigger responses rooted in curiosity, aggression, and territorial instinct. Drawing from decades of stillwater experience, Phil explores when and why attractor flies work, how to fish them responsibly, and which patterns consistently provoke strikes from otherwise inactive trout. From blobs and boobies to FABs, worms, and exaggerated chironomids, this episode reframes how anglers should think about fly choice, presentation, and trout behavior in lakes.

If you’re trying to figure out where you can find giant stoneflies in July, chase technical midge eaters in March, and explore private spring...

Fly fishing has a way of pulling you back when you need it most. And for Mike O’Brien, those quiet hours on the water...

Episode Show Notes The first time you hear someone describe bonefish moving through Hawaiian water like ghosts, you get curious. When that someone is a...

Episode Show Notes A fly rod that disappears in your pack but still fishes like your everyday rod sounds like a stretch. In this episode,...

Episode Show Notes If you’ve ever stood knee-deep in a Western river wondering whether a trout spey rod might change your whole approach, this conversation...

Episode Show Notes Some flies come and go, but a few patterns just keep catching fish no matter where you take them. In this episode,...