[Interview starts at 42:22]
This week, Tom talks to legendary fly shop owner, author, conservationist, and fly designer Craig Mathews. Although this is a podcast about a fly-tying material, there is much more info here—such as how to fish small flies and how to see those tiny flies on the water. But Tom and Craig do talk about one of the most amazing materials in fly tying—pheasant tail fibers—which is not only for nymphs. Learn about why pheasant tail is such a magical material, how to tie a durable pheasant-tail body, and how to use it on dry and wet flies, as well as nymphs. Matthews—founder of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana—is a veritable font of wisdom, and he’s got a new book coming out, Pheasant Tail Simplicity: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Fly Fishing, co-authored with Yvon Chouinard and Mauro Mazzo.
In the Fly Box, Tom features these questions and more:
- Do I have to sight-fish in saltwater, or can I just fish my flies around likely structures?
- Are “hot spots” as effective on dry flies as they are on nymphs?
- Have you used those new clear-tip lines from Scientific Anglers for trout, and what do you think of them?
- Why did I not catch trout on my first day on a river, yet clean up on fish two days later?
- A tip from a listener on how to not lose your wading belt.
- Can I fish streamers for smallmouth bass upstream like I do for trout? All the videos tell me to cast at a 45-degree downstream angle.
- For fishing for striped bass from shore, is a 9-foot or a 10-foot rod better?
- What type of leader do you recommend for swinging wet flies and soft hackles?
- Have you ever tried to make your own amadou?
- What fly box should I use for my tiny nymphs?
- What is the best way to remove materials from a fly to re-use the hook and bead?
- Is there any etiquette about wading an alpine lake?
Photo via craigmathewsyellowstone.com
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