About this episode
No, I am not talking about buying a trout stream and locking it up in a private club. I am talking about buying a piece of a trout stream, fixing (basically rewilding) the habitat, and then ensuring public access on the water for perpetuity. That's what the good folks at Western Rivers Conservancy do, and in this week's podcast I talk to Josh Kling [45:30], their conservation director, about projects they have on the Yakima and Big Hole rivers—two rivers treasured by fly fishers and in need of help. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: I fished a 5-weight line on my 10-foot 3-weight rod and liked it. Is there anything wrong with this? I foul-hooked a couple fish when using a dry dropper. Is there a way to avoid this? A good tip from a listener on getting the line to leader connection out of your rod tip by using the current. If I use a kayak for accessing wade fishing, should I park at the head of a pool and fish downstream or should I park at the tail and fish upstream? How should I fish deep, slow-moving pools with a mud bottom? Where in the US should I go on a fishing trip with my father? Why are fly rod grips from different manufacturers so different? I impacted my rod with a heavy bead-head fly. How should I inspect it to look for damage? A great tip for attaching the leader to a fly line when using a mono rig. When did fly fishers first use backing on fly reels? Can I throw big flies, as large as a 5/0, on my 8-weight rod? What flies should I use for spawning carp? How do I tell if a bass is on a bed and spawning as opposed to chasing bait? Why did fish strike my Prince nymph when I stripped it and not on a dead drift? Are rods getting stiffer and fly lines getting heavier?