Henry Winkler, an actor, author, producer, and angler, is here to chat about fly fishing, Happy Days, and his incredible life.
We find out what it felt like to get offered the movie, Grease and why he turned it down, how he got the role in the HBO show Barry, and how he managed to do great things while being challenged with dyslexia.
We dig into his books and movies – how they came to be and the inspiration behind them. And we discover similar truths about fly fishing and acting.
Click below and listen to the Podcast with Henry Winkler:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Show Notes with Henry Winkler
02:55 – For the past 10 years, Henry has been fishing in Swan Valley, Idaho
05:20 – Double hauling is the most tricky thing for Henry. He’s been fishing since 1986 but he’s never done a double haul. The second most difficult thing for him is the rules: the things you need to do in order to place the fly in the place you need it – mend, strip, watch, strike
07:20 – The truth about fly fishing and acting for Henry:
You cannot take for granted 1 minute of being in the process
You cannot just do it haphazardly – you will miss the fish, you will miss the spot
09:00 – Henry’s wife, Stacey Weitzman is also a good fisherwoman
10:55 – For a long time, Henry didn’t think he was capable of dry fly fishing, then one day he started dry fly and became successful at it
12:30 – Henry describes the guides that he’s had
15:09 – Henry and Lin Oliver wrote 39 novels for children
17:20 – MacGyver was the first show Henry produced because he couldn’t get hired as an actor
17:55 – Happy Days introduced Henry to the world. He used to receive 55,000 letters a week and people welcome him to their homes all the time.
20:30 – Henry, who played principal Himbry in the movie Scream, was asked to go uncredited because the producers did not want to detract any attention from the younger, lesser known actors
23:05 – Hank Zipzer: The World’s Greatest Underachiever – is a story about a boy who has dyslexia. Henry also considers himself dyslexic.
27:15 – Henry’s favorite fly pattern is called the Winkler – it’s a pattern that someone made for him when he fished a river in Blackberry Farm, Tennessee. It’s like a little mayfly. Unfortunately, we don’t have a picture. He said it works well.
29:28 – Henry tells the story of when he went to New Zealand for 10 days to fish. He was sponsored by an outfitter. His favorite trip though was when he went to Argentina.
32:00 – Henry was offered the role of Danny Zuko for the movie, Grease, but he turned it down because he played Fonzy for already 10 years and he couldn’t sing. He could dance though.
Ross Purnell, the Editor of the Fly Fisherman Magazine, shares how he fulfilled his childhood dream by filling in one of the most important roles at the publication. Find out who are the people that inspired him to fly fish and who mentored him to become a fly fishing writer.
Ross describes the process of creating content and how they come up with ideas for stories that make it to the magazine. We also discover who the top contributors are at FFM. Plus, we get a glimpse of the big topics they’re going to feature in the next 2 issues this year.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about The Fly Fisherman Magazine with Ross Purnell:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Show Notes with Ross Purnell and The Fly Fisherman Magazine
03:15 – Jacques Cousteau was Ross’s first hero. He used to watch Jacques’ videos all the time when he was a kid. That made him become more interested in the underwater world.
Photograph: Cine Text/Sportsphoto/AllStarPhoto courtesy of The Cousteau Society
08:00 – Ross deal with 2 kinds of stories in the magazine:
In most of the stories that run there, he’s not personally involved. Somebody pitches him the story idea and he decides if it’s a good fit – they write it, and he edits it. That’s 95% of the content in the magazine.
Someone calls him up and says “this is a great story or this has never been done”. If it fits in the schedule and no other experts on the ground, he considers it.
11:20 – Ross’s mom bought him a subscription to fly fisherman magazine on his 16th birthday. He started reading stories from Lefty Kreh and Gary Borger. He also bought VHS tapes about fly fishing. That’s how he learned to fly fish.
13:00 – Jim McLennan wrote for the Fly Fisherman Magazine. He owned the local fly shop in Canada where Ross lives. That became an inspiration for Ross to dream of writing for magazines.
27:45 – Ross describes their conscious effort to highlight other species aside from trout. They also highlight lesser-known waters so that people would get off crowded waters.
31:40 – John Randolph got Dave Whitlock to do the first printed story for carp fishing
38:30 – There’s always an opportunity to get your story in the magazine. You can reach out to Ross at ross@flyfisherman.com and pitch your idea, why it’s interesting and why it should be in the magazine.
39:20 – They publish 3 annuals. One of them is called, Destinations, and it’s mostly about international fly fishing – it comes out every labor day
40:30 – One of the annuals is called, Gear Guide, which comes out before Thanksgiving
41:20 – And then the other annual is called, Fly Fishing Made Easy – a magazine for beginners
52:12 – Ross talks about Indifly – a nonprofit organization that brings attention to some of the unknown fisheries in the world, partnering up with the local communities and making sure the locals benefit from the program.
58:20 – FFM comes out 5 times a year and 3 are already done as of this date (2022)
58:30 – Ross is excited about the Klamath Dam being taken down. It will be featured in their fall FFM issue.
1:01:30 – Ross talks about the Deerfield River relicensing in Massachusetts
1:02:55 – George Daniel has a story coming out about “Controlling Your Loop” – Ross talks about it and some other things coming up for FFM
1:04:00 – Ross talks about the biggest FFM they’ve published
Conclusion with Ross Purnell and The Fly Fisherman Magazine
So there you go..
If you have an idea for a story that you think would be good to put in the magazine, you can reach out to Ross at ross@flyfisherman.com. They always welcome fresh and interesting stories.
Ross is proof that dreams come true when you chase your heart. He loved reading fly fishing magazines when he was young and programmed his mind that he will one day write for the magazines, so he did. Law of attraction baby, it works!
Whatever it is that you see yourself doing, even though it seems so far from where you’re currently at.. just take that first step and focus on what you can do now. Keep that vision in mind but don’t let it overwhelm you. Trust the process and the rest shall follow!
Sherry Meador, Board Chair for the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA), sheds light on their organization’s conservation mission.
Sherry helps us understand how the Upper Missouri River watershed is threatened by a silent invasion of noxious weeds.. weeds that degrade the water quality, reduce native biological diversity, and negatively impact the population of many wild species like elk, deer, swans, variety of ducks, other plants, and of course our fish.
We discover how we can help prevent the spread of these invasive weeds, how we can contribute to the water and streambanks restoration projects, and how we can get involved in ways we can and become more aware of the overall health of this river.
There’s more to it than I could describe so here’s Sherry from UMOWA.org to enlighten us about it.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance with Sherry Meador:
03:30 – Sherry had been involved with the noxious weed project on the Smith River. UMOWA board started in 2014 and Sherry joined 6 years ago.
04:50 – The Missouri River is the longest river in the country. It starts at 3 forks which is about 75 miles upriver from the dams of Helena down to the great falls but they’re primarily focused on the primary fishing area between Holter Dam and Cascade.
08:55 – UMOWA was established by a group of guides and fly fishers. It was established to get baseline data and to get the river back to the high quality or what was considered a good level. They collect water quality samples 3 times a year.
10:10 – They will have the river’s health summary report available on their website for us to see this summer
11:25 – They’re done a couple of restoration projects on banks where they’re trying to get the plants back there to get less erosion – read more here
11:40 – They also work on noxious weeds which are on the land but goes up to the habitat. They work with land owners by the river, trying to get them involved in this project. Noxious weeds are silent invasive and a threat to the watershed. Read more about this project here
16:30 – UMOWA is in need of enough funding. They are to the point of getting the to the next level because there’s so much integration they need to do with the Department of Environmental Quality and Dept. of Natural Resources.
19:00 – You can help UMOWA’s mission by checking their website to understand more about their projects, spreading the word about their mission, and signing up for their newsletter.
21:40 – Sherry kind of retired as an attorney. For the past 5 years, she hasn’t been working much as an attorney and into some other projects. She describes what her job looked like when she was practicing law.
26:10 – You can also support Montana Watershed Coordination Council – they are doing similar work on watersheds in Montana. UMOWA works with Pat Barnes from Trout Unlimited. Sun River Water Shed Group is a smaller watershed group but also doing some great work out there.
28:40 – They also do some river clean-up where everybody can also volunteer. They have a big event on August 20th this year at the New Brewery in Craig. There’s going to be a raffle too where people can win a Ro drift boat.
If you want to take part in UMOWA’s movement, you can reach out to them via website at UMOWA.org – they always welcome new ideas and volunteers.
Conservation topics may not always be the most interesting topics out there but it should be our responsibility as anglers to be aware of the things that destroy our rivers and their habitats. So if you want to enjoy these rivers at their best quality, there are many ways to contribute like spreading the word, donating, volunteering, or at the least, be a more disciplined angler – keep the fish wet, wash your boats and your waders after use.
Greg Epstein, owner of Jackson Hole Fly Company, tells the story of how he acquired a 40-year-old fly shop in Jackson, Wyoming. We find out what they have going at the shop – how they produce around 1000 types of flies, outsource materials, and create basic fly fishing packages that are easy on the pocket but great in quality.
We hear some pretty crazy stories from Greg including one when he got caught in an avalanche while skiing. Greg also tells us about his involvement with Teton Gravity Research and his responsibilities being a County Commissioner at Teton.
Jackson Hole Fly Co is one of our podcast sponsors and you always hear me talk about the good stuff they do. Well today, we hear from the headman himself, so hit that play button to get a better feel of their products and service.
Click below and listen to the Podcast with Greg Epstein from the Jackson Hole Fly Company:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Show Notes with Greg Epstein and the Jackson Hole Fly Company
03:50 – In 2001, Greg moved up to Alaska – Girdwood, a little southeast of Anchorage
04:50 – Greg used to ski. Then he became a ski photographer.
05:30 – Greg’s wife also loves fly fishing
06:20 – In 2014, Greg got caught in an avalanche while skiing and endured severe injuries. That’s when he went all-in with fly fishing because all he could do was sit on a boat and cast.
07:30 – In 2018, Jackson Cardinal company was for sale – a fly manufacturing, fly distribution company, started by the guy named Kirk Stone in 1978. Greg and his wife didn’t buy the business until 2019.
09:30 – Greg tells the story of how he survived that avalanche
13:00 – Greg teaches his 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter how to ski and fish
14:30 – Greg was head of the production and one of the people who helped create and write the risk management program for all the athletes for Teton Gravity
17:00 – Immediately after they purchased the company, they created Jackson Hole Fly Company. In 6 to 8 months they got everything completed from the website to branding, all the marketing, etc.
18:10 – Their customers are mostly novices and don’t want to do extreme outdoor sports but they want to go out, they want to camp, and disconnect from their day-to-day life
25:45 – If you don’t see a pattern you like from their fly selection, you can email them at support@jacksonholeflycompany.com
28:10 – Kirk Stone, the previous owner grew the Jackson Cardinal fly company from the ground up. It reminds me of the story of the Umpqua Feather Merchants. We had Russ Miller on the podcast at WFS 303
29:20 – Greg gives a bit shoutout to his employees for doing an amazing job, loving what they do, and really passionate about fly fishing. They got 3 dogs in the shop as well – 1 black Labrador and 2 Corgis.
33:35 – They get their flies tied in Kenya. They ship the materials to Kenya. They source all of the materials out of the country.
35:30 – Greg explains the logistic issues they encounter when shipping the materials
39:00 – The Green River is about 45-50 mins away from their shop. That’s Greg’s favorite river to fish and camp.
40:10 – They use a 16-foot Hyde drift boat
41:20 – Greg’s favorite fly is a Peanut Envy streamer. He also likes a Duracell nymph
Photo courtesy of Ugly Bug Fly Shop
46:30 – Greg shares some photography tips
Don’t be afraid to turn the camera horizontal or vertical to get a better photo
If you’re using an SLR camera, have it accessible. The last thing you want is to have some fish struggling while you’re setting up your camera.
50:00 – JH Fly Co has a 50% off Spring sale. They always have a sale going so check in with them often.
50:45 – Greg is a County Commissioner at Teton and conservation is a big part of his responsibility
56:15 – Alaska wild-caught salmon are healthier to eat
You can find Jackson Hole Fly Company on Instagram @jhflyco
Conclusion with Greg Epstein and the Jackson Hole Fly Company
So there you go..
Now you know what JH Fly Co is all about. Greg, his wife, and their team are doing an amazing job getting more people engaged in fly fishing. And that’s always the goal.. is to get people on the water, release stress, connect with other folks and create great memories, but also.. have good gear without spending too much.
Thank you, Greg and the JH Fly Co team for partnering with us. We are truly grateful to have you as our sponsor. We’re excited to watch you grow and do more good things for the fly fishing community.
If any of you have more questions for Greg, you can send him a message at support@jacksonholeflycompany.com or send them a DM on Instagram @jhflyco.
Andy Mill, an athlete, broadcaster, angler, and author, shares his passion-filled stories of competing at the highest level in multiple sports. We talk about some of the remarkable guests they’ve had on the Mill House Podcast. We dig into his award-winning book, Passion for Tarpon – how it came to be and who mentored him to write it. And we find out what his yearly routine looks like, living the rest of his days to the fullest.
Andy also shares how he met Chris Evert, one of the greatest women tennis players of all time, their family set up then and now, and their visits to the white house, hanging out with ex-president George Bush. Lots of good stuff in this episode!
Click below and listen to the Podcast with Andy Mill and the Mill House Podcast:
07:00 – Andy talks about his skiing career in the 60s and 70s. He was in the Aspen Valley Ski Club and joined the ski Olympics.
14:28 – “The difference between being good and great as a fisherman – good fisherman catch a lot of fish and big fish, a great fisherman can catch the fish that doesn’t want to be caught. The difference between a good and great guide is a good guide can find fish but a great guide can find a fish that doesn’t want to be found”
17:10 – Harry Spear became Andy’s mentor. Harry refined Andy to become a tournament angler. Seven years later, Andy started fishing tournaments.
18:45 – Andy wrote the book, Passion for Tarpon after winning some tournaments
21:00 – Andy married Chris Evert, the number 1 tennis player in the 70s and one of the greatest of all time, and they’ve got 3 sons. Andy tells the story of how they met.
26:30 – We talk about what makes Aspen special
29:00 – Andy and Chris used to hang out with ex-president George Bush and some other famous folks
36:00 – Andy and his son Nicky founded the Mill House Podcast. We talk about some of the remarkable guests they’ve had on the show.
37:55 – They had Neal Beidleman on the podcast. He was a guide on Mt. Everest in 1996 where 8 people died from a storm. Neal was credited a large role in assisting clients off the mountain to safety.
39:00 – After he got injured, Andy started a show “Ski with Andy Mill”. He covered the 92 and 94 Olympics for CBS. He also worked as a broadcast for 20 years.
40:00 – After 20 years of broadcasting, he got offered to host a fishing show by the Outdoor Life Network
41:45 – Andy had a part-time gig with Good Morning America where he was a segment host. He also wrote for magazines like Tail Fly Fishing
42:55 – Roland Martin was known for bass fishing but when Andy asked him, he said “tarpon on a fly” was his favorite
47:15 – Andy just had a shoulder operation which is already his 23rd operation
47:50 – In spring, Andy and his son tarpon fish for 6 weeks in the Keys. Then to Aspen, get in a high country for elk hunting. Then in Sept and early Oct, they hunt in Colorado and Montana for elk with bow and arrows. Then to Florida to play golf till February. Then back to the Keys.
51:27 – We talk about his son Nicky, how he’s chasing his own heart
55:10 – We talk about the TV show, Sportsman’s Journal with Andy Mill (1990s) – watch one of the episodes below
57:50 – Andy won more tarpon tournaments than anyone. There are only 3 guys that won a bonefish, tarpon, and permit tournament – Andy was the first one who did it.
Conclusion with Andy Mill and the Mill House Podcast
So there you go. We heard a lot of cool stories today. Andy is an extraordinary guy, doing extraordinary things to everything he focuses on. I got to admit.. he’s my idol now. I feel extra inspired to get out there, do what I love to do, and give it my all.
Thank you, Andy for sharing these awesome stories. I hope you continue to live for as long as you like, doing great things for the industry we’re in.
For people out there who are struggling to focus on the thing you like to do, remember Andy – how he’s able to excel in different things. Hopefully his story inspires you that if someone can do it, you can too!
This is definitely my new favorite episode. Leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram at @wetflyswing if you enjoyed this episode.
Larry Hersman, the creator of Taos Rods, tells us about his trout spey rods. We find out the advantages of spey rods that are shorter than usual, how they cast, and are they the future of spey rods? We also dig into San Juan River fly fishing – we discover why this was said to be the best trout stream in the world during the winter, and why Larry describes it as “better than heaven” during the ant hatch.
Plus, we talk about Larry’s old job as an Environmental Scientist – how his research and publications had a significant impact on that field.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about San Juan River Fly Fishing with Larry Hersman:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
San Juan River Fly Fishing Show Notes with Larry Hersman
03:30 – 50 years ago, Larry and his friend Jack drove up to Anchorage Alaska. On the way, Jack taught him how to fly fish and the first fish he caught was an arctic grayling.
05:50 – The San Juan Worm fly pattern works great on the San Juan river
Photo courtesy of The English Fly Fishing Shop
06:30 – Larry started spey casting in the Skeena River
11:45 – Larry shares some tips on the recommended line setup for a 3 wt 7-foot spey rods
15:00 – You can dry fly fish with spey casting
15:45 – Larry spends most of his time in the Rio Grande river because it’s only an hour away from where he stays. The San Juan river is about 3 hours away.
16:30 – Rio Chiquito is only 20 mins away from where Larry lives
17:25 – Larry shares some tips on the recommended line setup for a 5 wt 9-foot spey rods
18:00 – The Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics has been a leader in developing the light skagit line. Scientific Anglers, Rio, and Airflo also produce great lines
19:30 – Larry describes casting at the fly fishing show pool in Denver
28:40 – 2 things make the San Juan river unique
Constant water temperature at 40 degrees – water is cold
It’s New Mexico where it’s sunny everyday – weather is warm
27:50 – At the end of May, they release a slug of water to mimic national runoff
29:50 – The word on the San Juan years ago used to be.. it was the best trout stream in the world in the winter because of the warm conditions, the fish are still feeding
30:50 – The ant fall or the carpenters hatch happens in early July and the fish go nuts for them. Size 22, 24, and 26 tiny flies with a 5x or 6x tippet work great
Photo courtesy of SoaringEagleLodge.net
31:30 – 90% of the fish you catch in the San Juan river are rainbows but there are brown trout below the quality water
35:20 – Taylor wrote books about fly fishing New Mexico
35:45 – The Taos Pueblos are considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States (since 1100 AD)
45:10 – The summer is when Larry recommends fishing the San Juan river. Wait 2 or 3 weeks after the river has come down – so start about the early June
46:05 – Call Abe’s Fly Shop to check if the ant fall happens and get there as soon as possible
48:58 – If you go to the Texas hole, that’s the first huge hole on the river. The downside is, if you only target the Texas hole, you’re going to be with a dozen other people
San Juan River Fly Fishing Conclusion with Larry Hersman
So there you go. We discovered why his trout spey rods are great, especially for people who are having shoulder problems or have limited strength like children, women, and older folks. You can reach out to Larry at hersmanl@gmail.com or visit his website to find out more about these short spey rods.
We also discovered some good stuff about the San Juan River. So now we already know when’s the best time to fish there. Check in with Abe’s Fly Shop to find out when the ant hatch begins. If you’ve been there during the ant hatch and the winter, tell us about your experience or send me some photos on Instagram at @wetflyswing.
“What advantage does the clear give you?” That’s the question to start this episode with on choosing a line for fly fishing.
Jarvis from Monic Fly Lines is here today to break down fly lines to give us a better feel for the types of lines out there and their uses. We find out how the different materials affect the performance of a line, the advantages of a clear line, and the ideal line for specific species and water.
Jarvis also shares his experience hunting with the Hadza tribe and some of his saltwater trips in the Bahamas. Plus, we hear a story about one of their customers who has a 20-year-old clear Monic fly line that still works.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about Line for Fly Fishing with Jarvis:
22:55 – The front taper is where the line begins to change in diameter. The belly section is the thickest portion of that line. Your rear taper is where it starts to go back down in diameter
27:00 – For beginners, a little heavier line, one size up, will make you feel the dynamics of your casting. If you have a 5 wt fast rod, a 6 wt line is recommended. If it’s medium-fast, a true to weight size like 5 wt would be good
49:00 – Their Henley Series has a material that they call MoniCore
50:20 – The Henley Phantom Tip is one of their latest lines. Jarvis explains its advantages for fresh and saltwater
51:50 – One of their customer showed Jarvis a 20-year-old clear Monic line – it already turned yellow because of the UV damage but it still works
52:30 – Monic will replace your fly line if it breaks on the first year of buying it
55:10 – All the fly lines they produce are made from Boulder Colorado
56:30 – There’s a chart in each type of line on their website for you to have a general idea of how your setup would be. There’s a chat box there on the website too – send them a message and Jarvis or any from the Monic crew will gladly help
59:00 – Their Icicle line has a more advanced taper called Javelin taper
1:04:00 – The Saltwater Master series has a slickening agent built-in
1:14:30 – Jarvis picks his top fly for fresh and saltwater. For trout, he picks Gold-ribber Hares Ear. For saltwater, he picks the Gotcha Shrimp pattern
Photo courtesy of Umpqua Feather MerchantsPhoto courtesy Saltwaterflies.com
You can find Monic Fly Lines on Instagram @monicflylines
So there you go. I hope you learned some things that will help you decide on what type of line you’re getting next. I think that you can never go wrong with the clear ones. The stealthy type is always great to avoid spooking the fish.
If you’re a beginner, Jarvis recommends to up that line 1 step so that you can feel the dynamics of your casting better. Practice, and practice, then practice some more. Once you feel good about your casting, then you can experiment on your gear setup as you please.
If you want to connect with Jarvis and the Monic team, send them a message on Instagram or via Monic website chat box. They will gladly assist you in getting that perfect line for your needs and preference.
Justin Essian, Papa Bear’s Owner, Director of Operations, and Chief Pilot, brings us to Alaska and helps us lay out a plan for a full DIY wilderness float trip. Fishing Alaska.. we can’t get enough of it!
We talk about the features of rivers like Goodnews, Arolik, and Kisaralik – find out which species you can target there, the best times to fish them, and which species are prohibited to kill and cook. Justin describes what a trip would look like for a group of 3 to 6 – how you can save money for raft rental, and how much it cost per person to get all set for the trip.
Find out how the transportation system works there – the type of airplanes you ride to get to your destination and how reliable are the pilots at Papa Bear. We also dig into some Elk hunting and some other things they have going.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about Fishing Alaska with Justin Essian:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Fishing Alaska Show Notes with Justin Essian
04:20 – Justin graduated with an aviation degree in 2009. He got a job at Papa Bear Adventures to have a little fun while waiting to “start a real life”. But then he got hooked on the lifestyle of fishing, hunting, and the outdoors in Alaska
07:10 – In Alaska, you use a plane to go from point A to point B – it’s like your pick-up truck
11:50 – Justin walks us through what the trip would look like for a group of 4
13:50 – The third week of July is the best time in the year if you want to target all types of species. August is always fully-book because people want to target those silver salmons
14:15 – Mousing is good for the early season because those fish are extremely hungry since they haven’t had enough salmon eggs yet
20:00 – The Goodnews River is 65 miles long
20:20 – The Arolik river is famous for its fantastic early season rainbows – it’s 45 river miles
21:00 – They send their first trip on the 2nd or 3rd week of June
21:20 – Kisaralik is a 100 river miles
Photo courtesy of Kristine Sowl
22:25 – You will be flying straight to Bethel Airport via Alaska Airlines
23:20 – Gold Rush Liquor Company – they call it a “bush order”, you’ll call it “gold rush” and you’ll tell them what you want, send them a picture of your license, you pay for it, they ship it out on one of the local carriers, then the Papa crew will pick it up for you
26:05 – You ride 2 Havilland beaver planes to get to the camp. They’re 1958 and 1958 model planes but they’re well-maintained and got brand new engines on them
27:20 – They use the Otter series rafts
29:20 – Papabear staff will take care of the grocery for you
30:12 – Tip 1: Don’t camp on a shallow island if it’s raining
31:30 – They require a satellite communication device so you can get help for emergency situations. You can rent those devices from them
32:30 – Pilots at Papabear are disciplined enough not to make bad decisions that might end up crashing your plane. When they see thick fog, they don’t fly through it, they turn around and come back to base
36:30 – You can’t kill and eat the king salmons at Kisaralik River but you can at Arolik and Goodnews. The are game wardens are on the rivers, watching. You also can’t kill the rainbows.
39:00 – Tip 2: Going in a group of 3 or 6 will save you some money for the raft rental. Raft rent costs $800 that 3 people can fit. If you add a 4th person to the raft, it becomes $2200.
44:25 – Justin tells us the difference between the Arolik and the Goodnews River
47:30 – Seth Hunter, the Operations Manager at Papa Bear, got on the call to describe what the fishing is like in the rivers mentioned – how they’re different in terms of fishing style, fish behavior, gear, etc.
1:00:30 – Justin describes what a 10-day trip would look like, plus the cost per person according to what you have prepared for. But the average cost per person is about $2500, which already includes your rental equipment
So there you go. I hope you learned a thing or two about preparing for your next Alaska trip.
Papa Bear does a great job at organizing these trips, making sure the logistics are taken care of, so you can focus on fishing and having fun.
I’ve been planning for an Alaska trip with my buddies this year as well and I’m even more stoked to get there after doing this episode. If you’re thinking of going to Alaska too, let me know and maybe we can go together!
Send me an email at dave@wetflyswingpodcast.com or message me on Instagram at @wetflyswing
Scott Biron is here to take us into some history of fly tying and fly tyers that have paved the way for fly patterns today. We discover the stories behind these classic flies that have stood the test of time, why they’re considered classic, and what makes them so effective. Scott shares some tips on how to tie these classic flies and the materials he uses. We get Scott’s Top 10 Favorite Fly Patterns and find out why.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about Classic Flies and Fly Tyers with Scott Biron:
42:30 – Blue Dragon and General MacArthur are also Carrie Stevens patterns
43:30 – The Indian Rock pattern is a brook trout magnet. It’s also a pattern by Carrie Stevens
47:50 – Scott talks about the hackle he uses – Ewing Featherbirds
55:15 – The New Hampshire Warden pattern is Scott’s original. He tells us a funny story of when a guy at a fly fishing show said that he didn’t know what he was doing
1:06:25 – Scott uses a Regal Revolution for Vise and Sprite for scissors
Photo courtesy ADH-Fishing.com
1:14:00 – Operation Game Thief is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program that pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. You can call them toll-free within Colorado at 1-877-COLO-OGT, Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT, or contact them via e-mail at game.thief@state.co.us
1:18:30 – The B Pond fly pattern is a wet fly – Carrie Stevens tied 30 B pond streamers commissioned for a group of fly fishers in Massachusetts. They couldn’t find the real recipe for this pattern
Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Conclusion with Scott Biron
So there you go. We learned a lot about the history of classic flies and the tyers who made them. It’s always good to find out how a fly pattern came about. That way we acknowledge the brilliant creators behind the patterns that we enjoy today as a way to show our respect to their work and legacy.
Scott is an amazing fly tyer and is doing great things for the fly tying world. He may be gone in the future but his patterns will surely live on.
I am feeling extra inspired to tie a fly today so I’m heading to my workstation to try one of the flies we talked about. Maybe a Carrie Stevens fly or maybe a Scott Biron fly. What about you, what are you tying today? Let me know in the comments.
Guy Jeans, owner of the Kern River Fly Shop, host of the Kern River Fly Shop Podcast, and vocalist of the band Stoneflys; is here to take us on a wild ride up and down the Kern River. We talk about the 10 native species in California including the golden trout. We find out what fishing is like in different parts of the Kern River, the seasons and hatches, gear, techniques, and flies they use. Guy talks about what they have going at Guy Jeans School of Fly Fishing.
We also dig into Guy’s newfound passion for podcasting – talk about some of the remarkable guests he’s had on the podcast. Plus, we hear some of his band’s original songs and I got to tell you.. they’re pretty awesome!
Click below and listen to the Podcast about the Kern River with Guy Jeans:
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Kern River Show Notes with Guy Jeans
05:15 – There’s a great fly fishing club in Ventura called, Sespe Fly Fishers – they helped Guy get started in tying flies, building rods, casting, etc.
06:45 – The Kern River is in the Sierra mountain range, Southern Sierra – 3 hours North of Los Angeles. The river is about 170 miles long.
07:30 – The most popular fish that people come to fish for is the native California Golden trout, the Kern river rainbow, and the little Kern Golden trout
09:30 – Guy went permit fishing in Xcalak Mexico
11:00 – They also have the tailwater called the lower current, below a giant lake where they fish smallmouth and largemouth bass – they fish here in June
12:00 – They also fly fish for carp in Lake Isabela – they held carp fly fishing tournament in May
15:00 – They do 4×4 trips where they have full outfitter camps with a chef and tents
16:00 – Their hot season is in July, August, and part of September. March and April is a prime time to fish in their section on the Kern river – salmon fly hatch and mayfly hatch
17:00 – People took some of the Golden trout and put them in places like Wyoming and Montana
17:55 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has a program called, Heritage Trout Program – a mini contest within California that challenge people to catch the 10 native trout species in California. If you catch 6 of the 10 natives, you get a certificate that has prints of the species you caught drawn by Joseph Tomerelli
19:00 – Guy mentions the 10 Native Trout in California
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Little Kern Golden Trout
The Golden Trout
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Goose Lake Redband Trout
McCloud River Redband Trout
Steelhead Trout
Eagle Lake Trout
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Paiute Cutthroat Trout
20:20 – There are 2 forks – North Fork Kern River (flows into Kernville and comes down from Mt Whitney) and South Fork Kern River (doesn’t get blown out, you can fish it anytime)
23:10 – It’s mostly dry fly fishing for the wild golden trout – from downstream to upstream. Presentation is the key.
24:30 – The typical flies they use are stimulators, smaller stimulators, parachute adams, royal wulf, and ants
25:15 – The gear recommended are super light – 2 wt or 3 wt
25:30 – The biggest golden trout you can probably catch is 15 inches – typical is 6 to 12 inches
28:30 – Guy is holding casting clinics in California
29:00 – They use pontoon boats because of the river structure
30:00 – They have an Instagram called Kooks of the Kern where people post funny photos of what they do on the Kern river
33:00 – There’s a wild trout section in the wilderness area part of the North Kern and they fish stonefly patterns. Nymphing works good there too. They also have chinook and kokanee salmon in lake Isabela.
36:20 – In Fall, they have caddis, mayflies, and some tricos later in the season
37:30 – Their website is the best resource they recommend to people who want to learn more about Kern river fishing. You can listen to their podcast there too.
41:00 – Guy tell us about their location which is close to the ocean and they would fish the surf in Ventura – they fish corbina, surfperch, and leopard sharks
59:10 – Guy tells the story of when they played at a huge venue in Mexico and their amps blew up because of electric surges
1:00:50 – For sidelines, Guy did some commercials in Hollywood as the fly fishing guy in the background. He also worked with actors like Christian Bale in the movie, Vice – he taught Christian how to cast
1:05:00 – Guy shares some tips – Fish from downstream to upstream, stay hidden – be stealthy, good presentation, good cast
1:03:00 – May and June are the best times to fish for the golden trout – the Fall is good for the kern river rainbows. Summer time is good for the carp and smallmouth bass
1:12:30 – They have a brewery in Kern called, The Kern River Brewery – they won many years in a row at the Great American Beer Fest. One of their best beer is the Citra IPA (social shoutout)
So there you go. Another great interview with a fellow podcaster. I always get excited whenever I talk to people who share the same interest. Hopefully, we could put together an episode with me as a guest on his show too. But we’ll see.. I’m not sure if I make a good guest. What do you think?
I’m really amazed at all Guy has going – the fly shop, the classes, the podcast, the band. He surely is living the life he loves and like he said, none of it feels like work.
Oh and Guy’s band, Stonefly.. man they create good music! Their songs are definitely going on my playlist. If you haven’t heard them yet, you’re missing out on some good stuff!
But then back to the Kern River.. if you want to catch some of those beautiful golds, you know where to find them. Try and catch all 10 California native trout species. Let us know how about your experience. Send me a message at dave@wetflyswing.com or DM me on Instagram @wetflyswing
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