WFS 505 - Stillwater Fishing Tips with Darren Huntsman - Stillwater School Giveaway, Henry's Lake, Sheridan Reservoir

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/505 Presented by: Bearvault , Chota Outdoor Gear , Waters West Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Darren Huntsman, a seasoned angler and expert in Stillwater fishing, shares his valuable tips and expertise in fishing the Henry's Lake area. This episode is a must-listen for fishing enthusiasts of all levels as we get ready for our exciting event where we will give away a fantastic fly fishing trip and a collection of top-notch gear specifically designed for Stillwater fishing. Darren's insights will help you enhance your skills and achieve success on your next stillwater fishing adventure. So, grab your fishing gear, prepare to soak up some wisdom, and get excited about the incredible giveaway event that awaits. Stillwater Fishing Tips Show Notes with Darren Huntsman 3:42 - Darren gives us a quick intro about him and his love for Stillwater fishing. We had him in the podcast in Traveled #7 where we talked about the top lakes to fish in Idaho. For this episode, he'll be giving valuable tips on Stillwater fishing. Casting 5:50 - Learn how to cast. On still waters, not being able to cast a good distance is a severe handicap. You don't need to be grandmaster, but you need to throw farther than 30-40 feet. 8:23 - The most common problem people have with casting is timing. Wait a little bit longer for that line to load your rod on your backcast. 8:40 - Keep your rod tip high on your backcast. 10:10 - Keep that straight contact line from the minute you start your countdown to when you start with your retrieve. So have your watch with you. Gear 7:13 - Use a bit heavier rod like a 6 or 7-wt to be able to cast into the wind. 24:35 - If he can have one pattern to fish a stillwater with, it's a real sparsely tied black and blue leech that Phil calls a bruised leech. Leeches are one of the most abundant food sources for fish year-round. 39:25 - Bring rain gear. The worse the weather, the better the fishing. 42:52 - Tie your own bugs. If you're not losing flies and you're not hanging up on the bottom, you're not down where the fish are. 45:50 - When done properly, a throat pump will not harm a fish. You only pump its esophagus, not its stomach to see what it ate in the last hour. He describes further how he does this. Presentation 12:20 - Know the depth of the water so you can count your fly down and be consistent with your presentation to the fish. 19:27 - Watch your rod position. It's very important to have your rod tip down. 30:00 - The shallower or the clearer the water is, the longer his leaders are, anywhere from 11 to 15 feet for a single bug. If he's going to throw a dropper, he's going to lengthen that out to 15 or 18 feet because he wants his first fly to be about 9 feet from where his fly line and leader join. 57:25 - Vary your retrieve until you find the retrieve that the fish want. His basic standard retrieve is about an 8-inch strip. Retrieve 21:20 - Depth, Retrieve, and Pattern (DRP) --Phil Rowley discusses this in detail in our Littoral Zone #3 episode. 27:48 - Figure out when a fish subtly takes it and you don't feel it. Darren's favorite way of Stillwater fishing is to cast and retrieve. Finding the Fish 36:20 - Find the habitat or the weed beds. That's where the bugs live which are the food source of the fish. 52:20 - When you're out on a lake, use your senses. Take a pair of binoculars so you can watch what fellow anglers are doing and don't be shy to ask questions. 56:27 - Be patient. 56:28 - When you think you're deep enough, go a little bit deeper. 1:03:40 - We're giving away a Stillwater fly fishing trip plus a bunch of gear. Visit wetflyswing.com/giveaway to join. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/505