2 Guys and a River

Time to fly fish is a snap if you’re living in the American West or near some great streams. And if you have no other responsibilities in life. If you are not a fly fishing professional (and we’re not), you probably have a job. You may have a spouse. You may have kids. If so, … Continue reading "S2:E8 Time to Fly Fish Amid the Busyness of Life" The post S2:E8 Time to Fly Fish Amid the Busyness of Life appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fly fishing made simple is big promise. If you’re just starting out, learning how to cast, read water, and grasp a modicum of entomology can feel overwhelming. We’ve wanted to publish an episode on keeping fly fishing simple, and a recent post by a listener pushed us to make it happen. In this episode, we … Continue reading "S2: E7 Fly Fishing Made Simple" The post S2: E7 Fly Fishing Made Simple appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Montana’s Madison River is one of our favorite western rivers. There’s both the Upper Madison River and the Lower Madison River, two distinct sections. In this episode, we go into story-telling mode, narrating a terrific day of fishing while floating the Lower Madison in late summer. Listen to our latest episode:”One Fine Day on the … Continue reading "S2:E6 One Fine Day on the Madison River" The post S2:E6 One Fine Day on the Madison River appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

The successful fly fisher – what does success really mean? At minimum, success requires a persistence to stay at it during the slow and frustrating days. Like any pursuit, fly fishing demands a certain mindset of those committed to the sport for the long haul. In this fifth episode of Season 2, we identify the … Continue reading "S2:E5 The Five Traits of a Successful Fly Fisher" The post S2:E5 The Five Traits of a Successful Fly Fisher appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Our top nymph and wet fly patterns are probably not the same as yours. Every fly fisher has an opinion. Each river is unique. Yet there remain some common attractor nymph and wet fly patterns that seem to work when there is no obvious hatch in play. In this week’s episode, Our Top Nymph and … Continue reading "S2:E4 Our Top Nymph and Wet Fly Patterns" The post S2:E4 Our Top Nymph and Wet Fly Patterns appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

The basics of nymphing are never as basic as they seem. It takes time to learn the language of this aspect of fly fishing, and it takes a lifetime to become proficient at it. However, it’s worth the effort for most fly fishers. It’s said that 85% of a trout’s diet comes from beneath the … Continue reading "S2:E3 The Basics of Nymph Fishing" The post S2:E3 The Basics of Nymph Fishing appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fly fishing bucket lists make us happy. There’s nothing better than to listen to someone yammer on about great days on the water in places they’ve always longed to fly fish. In this episode, we provide our fly fishing bucket lists. Listen to the second episode of our second season now. Listen to S2:E2 Our … Continue reading "S2:E2 Our Fly Fishing Bucket Lists" The post S2:E2 Our Fly Fishing Bucket Lists appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

A satisfying day on the river – what makes one fly fishing day better than another? In this first episode of Season 2, we narrate the key moments of a satisfying day on the river while fishing in the Minnesota Driftless. The amount of trout we caught was average, but the overall experience was one … Continue reading "S2:E1 What Makes for a Satisfying Day on the River" The post S2:E1 What Makes for a Satisfying Day on the River appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

This completes a year of weekly episodes from 2 Guys and a River. In Episode 52: Fly Fishing Observations from a Year of Podcasting, we discuss what we’ve learned from the weekly task of putting together each episode. The size of the fly fishing industry, the complexity of fly fishing for beginners, the importance of … Continue reading "Episode 52: Fly Fishing Observations from a Year of Podcasting" The post Episode 52: Fly Fishing Observations from a Year of Podcasting appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Tie your own flies? Some might say you can’t be a real fly fisher unless you do. Well, we differ on the matter. Steve ties his own, and Dave doesn’t. In this episode, using a point-counterpoint approach, we discuss the age-old question of whether you should tie your own flies. Listen to Episode 51: Should … Continue reading "Episode 51: Should You Tie Your Own Flies?" The post Episode 51: Should You Tie Your Own Flies? appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Unlikely places to catch trout are good places to drift your fly. We’ve caught fish in shallow riffles, drainage ditches, grassy side channels, and trickles of water that could be barely be classified as a stream. Listen to “Unlikely Places to Catch Trout” and then post on our blog about the most strange places you’ve … Continue reading "Episode 50: Unlikely Places to Catch Trout" The post Episode 50: Unlikely Places to Catch Trout appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Which leaders and tippet work best with a size #8 beadhead woolly bugger? No matter how many articles an aspiring fly fisher reads, he or she has to learn the hard way. It’s nearly impossible to sling a big streamer with a 6x tippet. You really need at least a 3x or 4x tippet before … Continue reading "Episode 49: Making Sense of Leaders and Tippet" The post Episode 49: Making Sense of Leaders and Tippet appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fly fishing brands are everywhere: Sage, Winston, Orvis, Patagonia, Temple Fork Outfitters, Fishpond, Simms, Loomis, and many more. It’s a noisy, cluttered marketplace. It’s hard to make a rational decision. When selecting a fly fishing rod or waders or a sling pack, how do you make the best decision for you? In this episode, we … Continue reading "Episode 48: Fly Fishing Brands and Your Next Purchase" The post Episode 48: Fly Fishing Brands and Your Next Purchase appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

The fly presentation – it is the most challenging aspect of fly fishing. Especially when dry fly fishing or nymphing, perfecting the dead drift demands a mindset of continual learning and a ruthless critique of each cast. Improving your fly presentation is the art and skill of fly fishing. Listen to Episode 47 now! Listen … Continue reading "Episode 47: Improving Your Fly Presentation" The post Episode 47: Improving Your Fly Presentation appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Ever have a magical day on the river? Of course you have. But such days tend to be less common than we imagine. In this episode, we recount a magical day on the river that we know will never be repeated. Three of us fly fished a stretch of water on a warm August day … Continue reading "Episode 46: One Magical Day on the River" The post Episode 46: One Magical Day on the River appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.