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Troutbitten

Domenick Swentosky

Life on the water. Troutbitten is a deep dive into fly fishing for wild trout in wild places. Author and guide, Domenick Swentosky, shares stories, tips, tactics and conversations with friends about fly fishing through the woods and water. Explore more. Fish hard. And discover fly fishing at Troutbitten.com — an extensive resource with 1500+ articles about trout, friends, family and the river.

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  • 25 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 59 min
  • English

Episodes 25

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  • S20 · E7
    September 6 · 45 min

    Fighting Big Fish #7 -- Everything All At Once

    For this season finale of our skills series on fighting fish we take questions and comments from the podcast audience. We cover the following: -- Fighting and landing big trout in small streams. -- Fighting trout in shallow water, and keeping them down. -- Drag settings. -- Strip sets. -- Landing two fish at the same time. -- How location and water type affects decisions. -- Cranking the reel vs pumping the rod. -- More on rod choice. My friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell to wrap up this season. Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hook Set and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish ARTICLE | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish -- The Last Ten Feet VIDEO | Troutbitten | The Casting, Drifting and Fighting Position - It's All the Same PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S20 · E6
    August 30 · 51 min

    Fighting Big Fish #6 - The Last Ten Feet, and In the Net

    This podcast is all about the the end of the fight. Everything we’ve walked through in the previous episodes gets you to the point where the fish is within range and just about ready for the scoop. A lot can go wrong at the end of a fight, so there’s a lot that needs to be done right. We cover body, fish, net and rod positioning, all in relation to the river currents. We talk about when we get the net ready and what to do with it. We cover trapping the line with your trigger finger and what to do with the reel's drag. We also talk about when to scoop, what to scoop and where to scoop -- as in, the landing zone. And we go over net preferences too. Perhaps most importantly, we talk about the concept of spreading your wings at the end -- where the rod hand goes back and the net had reaches out, so the fish’s head comes to the top of the water, and the trout glides into your waiting net. Perfect, right? Yeah, we also talk about less than idea situations and address some mishaps -- how to deal with things when it all starts to fall apart. My friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for a thorough breakdown of the last ten feet. Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hook Set and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish ARTICLE | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish -- The Last Ten Feet VIDEO | Troutbitten | The Casting, Drifting and Fighting Position - It's All the Same PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S20 · E5
    August 23 · 57 min

    Fighting Big Fish #5 - Side Pressure!

    Side pressure puts real leverage on a fish. It's where control begins and power originates. All the other skills before this one set us up to maximize side pressure, with the right angles and a great plan for landing the trout of a lifetime. I think the opposite of side pressure is upward pressure, or pulling up with the rod tip, and we don't want to fight the fish at the surface. So while side pressure can keep the fish lower in the water column, upward pressure brings a trout to the top, often way too soon. So with a low rod angle, pulling to the side as much as possible, we force the trout to fight not just the current pushing downstream in its face, but also our constant pressure to the side. A trout wants to hold the current that it’s in, and by pulling sideways, the trout has to work against that pressure to stay in its current. And nothing wears a trout down quicker. My friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for a deep dive into real side pressure. Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hook Set and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish ARTICLE | Troutbitten | Side Pressure - What It Is and How to Use It VIDEO | Troutbitten | The Casting, Drifting and Fighting Position - It's All the Same PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S20 · E4
    August 16 · 38 min

    Fighting Big Fish #4 -- Planning, Positioning and The Fighting Stance

    Landing a good trout is more about planning, quick thinking and good technique than luck. And in this episode, we talk about being ready for a big fish. With a little forethought and preparation, with even slight adjustments to body positioning, we put ourselves in the best position to show a picture of a lifetime rather than tell the story of another trout that got away. A few months ago I published a video to the Troutbitten YouTube channel with the title: The Casting, Drifting and Fighting Position — It’s all the Same. What we talk about in this episode, very much mirrors that last part of that video. We Cover These Key Concepts -- The Fighting stance (a Galloup idea) — It’s an athletic position, centered, balanced and strong — Uses large muscle groups. compact and not extended — Ready to move and adjust — We’re also ready for the hook set from here — The “Orvis” pose -- Arm slot -- Position in the river — Where we put our body determines the kind of pressure we can put on the trout — Our job is to guide the trout into the places we want it to be. — Don’t be along for the ride. Be in control Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish VIDEO | Troutbitten | The Casting, Drifting and Fighting Position - It's All the Same PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S20 · E3
    August 9 · 50 min

    Fighting Big Fish #3 -- Fighting Them Fast, The Tug-of-War and Knowing the Strength of Your Tools

    This third part of our Troutbitten Skills Series is all about the guiding principle of fighting fish fast. We talk about how this mindset guides our decisions and our movements for all the other skills. Because we want to fight trout fast we use side pressure and we position ourselves for maximum leverage. We thing about current direction and fighting zones, all in an effort to fight a trout fast. Because the longer a trout is on the line, the more chance it has to get off. We also cover these key concepts: -- The tug-of-war. Either they pull or you pull. -- How the stalemate becomes a mistake. -- Knowing the strength of your tools. -- Understand the power in the rod and the line. -- How fast is too fast, and when to ease up on the pressure. -- Utilizing drag settings Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S20 · E2
    August 2 · 49 min

    Fighting Big Fish #2 - Where to Fight Them

    Fighting trout in a river, creek or stream is all about the currents. So for this episode of our seven part skills series on fighting big fish, we talk about fighting fish upstream, downstream or across. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each angle? And what about current depth? Should we aim to fight the fish in the lower, middle or top part of the water column? And finally, we talk about the fighting zones in a river, meaning, what types of water are a safe choice for fighting the biggest trout of your life? We also go through a little more on the hooksets from last week, and we briefly discuss how much of this applies to the stillwater game and to other species. Here's the Episode List for Season 20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources CATEGORY: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely CATEGORY | Troutbitten | Fighting Fish PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? READ: Troutbitten | Work With a Trout and Not Against It ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Fight Fish Fast Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S20 · E1
    July 26 · 57 min

    Fighting Big Fish #1 - The Hooks Set and What Comes First

    For Season 20 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we have seven episodes lined up for a Skills Series that's all about how to land the biggest fish of your life. Because, when you do hook the big one — that one you’ve been waiting for — a Whiskey, a Namer or the best fish of your life, you want the skills for fighting big fish with confidence. You want these habits to be engrained into your muscle memory, because you don't have time to think about this stuff when the biggest fish of your life shows up. Here's the Episode List for S20 1. The Hookset and What Comes First 2. Where to Fight Them (Water Column and More) 3. Fight Them Fast (You Pull or They Pull - Work With a Trout) 4. The Fighting Position 5. Side Pressure 6. The Last Ten Feet (The Finishing Moves) 7. Wrap Up (With Stories) My good friends, Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me for this season. Resources Category: Troutbitten | Catch and Release Safely PODCAST: Troutbitten | How to Handle a Trout PODCAST: Troutbitten Set the Hook! All About Different Hooksets ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Are We Taking the Safety of Trout Too Far? VIDEO: Troutbitten | HOW You Set the Hook Matters Most! - Hook Sets for Dry Flies, Nymphs, Streamers and Wets ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Don't Guess - Set the Hook and Set Hard ARTICLE: Troutbitten | Hookset Direction - Downstream Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S19 · E10
    June 28 · 1 hr 14 min

    Freewheelin' - Out of Town Guides, Wet Flies, Stocking Over Wilds . . . and More

    In this Season 19 finale of the Troutbitten Podcast, we tackle a grab bag of topics. We call these episodes the Freewheelin' Troutbitten. This one was unintentional. We had plans to cover a topic of fishing with friends vs fishing solo, but once we opened up some of the leftover topics surrounding the Grievances episode from last week, we just kinda got things rolling and let it go. The last half hour is dedicated to our most important conservation message -- stop stocking over wild trout. My friends Bill Dell, Dr. Trevor Smith, Matt Grobe and Austin Dando join me for a fun conversation. Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S19 · E9
    June 21 · 1 hr 11 min

    The Airing of Grievances -- Five

    We’re here for our fifth annual Airing of Grievances episode. We do this every June, at the end of the spring seasons of the podcast. We do it to have some fun, and we do it because it’s helpful to call out the bad things and try to make them better. We also do this because Frank Costanza from Seinfeld once said . . . “I gotta lotta problems with you people, and now . . . you’re gonna here about it.” So we’re here to complain about things, to clear the air and to get things off our chests about the fly fishing industry. And that means just about everyone involved, from the big fly fishing companies and brands, to the start ups. From the fly shops to the guides that work for them. From the independent, part-time guide, to the die-hard angler, to the weekend warrior and to the fisherman who has become fly-fishing-curious in the last few months. Everyone. No exceptions. And that starts with our own self-grievances. After a few years of doing this and getting so many replies from other anglers with their own gripes, we decided to open up the grievances episode to YOU, the listeners. We did that for the first time last year, and this year we have more submissions than ever. So we’ve compiled a list of the most common grievances with the fly fishing industry. And no one is safe. Joining me are Austin Dando, Bill Dell, Trevor Smith and Matt Grobe. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- One PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Two PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Three PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Airing of Grievances -- Four Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook Thanks to TroutRoutes: Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at https://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to Skwala Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at https://skwalafishing.com/

  • S19 · E8
    June 14 · 1 hr 9 min

    Learning From Other Species and Other Styles

    Here's a good talk about other styles and other species, and how using a spinning rod or baitcaster can open up your fishing world to a more complete set of skills and a better understanding of . . . fishing. Most fly anglers can pick up and cast a spinning rod or baitcaster, but if you spend some real time to develop an intimate understanding of the strengths and the possibilities, you gain another base of knowledge. The same can be said for chasing other species: bass, carp, musky, redfish, permit, snook, striper. They’re all different, all with unique challenges and solutions that transfer over to the trout world, given the right circumstance. The question is, can you learn everything -- that same, full skillset of presentations, of reading a river and more, by only fishing a fly rod? That’s part of what we talk about in this podcast. My good friends Austin Dando and Bill Dell join me for this one. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Versatile Angler - S3, Ep15 VIDEO: Troutbitten | Fish and Film - One Morning for Versatility Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E7
    June 7 · 1 hr 15 min

    Tech Talk About Boots, Waders and More - In Deep with Kevin Sloan of Skwala

    Over the last few decades, fishing apparel has undergone a dramatic evolution. Today, we expect more than ever from our boots, waders, jackets, and shirts because we've grown accustomed to the advantages of purpose-built gear that's ready to deliver. Comfort, support and durability are the hallmarks of great fishing gear. So I sat down with Kevin Sloan, the founder of Skwala fishing, for a look at where the industry stands now, a look back at where we were and a forward look at where we're going. It was a fun conversation full of in-depth technical specifics on why and how good designs last. Kevin also has a lifetime of fishing stories to share. Resources READ: Troutbitten | All the Things READ: Troutbitten | 100 Day Gear Review - Skwala RS Wading Boots READ: Troutbitten | Critical Wader Care - Advice from the Companies Themselves - How to Wash and Dry Your Waders Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E6
    May 31 · 1 hr 8 min

    Fishing Angles - Upstream or Downstream?

    We’re here to talk about fishing angles. Are you wading upstream or down? And are you casting upstream or down? What’s your preference? Why do you make that decision? When, if ever does it change? And does your casting direction always follow your wading direction? Sometimes, these preferences seem regional, while other times it’s specifically about the tactic -- meaning that swinging wet flies, for example, suits a downstream approach best. But sometimes, angle choice seems more like tradition, and many anglers simply fish a certain way because their Dad did. Most of us at Troutbitten look at things objectively. We all went through a period of time where we tore everything down that we thought we knew and rebuilt the database from the ground up. We want to know what really works best. My good friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me to answer these questions. Resources READ: Troutbitten | The Downstream Fisher Yields to the Upstream Fisher VIDEO: Troutbitten | Riverside: Fishing Direction - Should You Work Upstream or Downstream? READ: Troutbitten | Face Upstream, Fish Upstream READ: Troutbitten | The Advantages of Working Upstream Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • May 27 · 16 min

    RIVERSIDE: Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural?

    What’s the nymph really doing under there? How is it affected by the currents? And is the attached tippet dragging the fly unnaturally across, over, up or out of the natural, one-seam drift that our picky trout are waiting for? The challenge of nymphing is mercifully balanced by the frequency at which trout feed on these bottom dwelling food forms. So even if we get one in ten drifts just right, the rate at which we might fool fish makes this maddening quest for perfection more than worth it. Simply put, nymphing is fun because it works — and because there’s always a way to make it work even better. Our nymphs require weight to get under the surface and down to the trout. And “how much weight” is a fundamental consideration — perhaps the primary factor — toward the goal of drifting nymphs naturally. If you’re into anything long enough, you’ll notice the trends. And you can watch dogged convictions shift, en masse. In an industry as niche as fly fishing for trout, the opinions of just a few influential anglers often shape the next metamorphosis. So it is with the nymphing game, as the current trend for lighter flies and lighter tackle has taken a strong foothold. But just a few years ago, the concept of anchor flies was driving weighty considerations in the opposite direction. (Just as many trout found the net, by the way.) As with most things, real success with nymphs lies somewhere toward the middle of these extremes, and persistent success comes from a combination of both. Resources Here's the full article: READ: Troutbitten | Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural? Here are supporting articles: READ: Troutbitten Drifting Light Nymphs READ: Troutbitten | Over or Under -- Your Best Bet On Weight READ: Troutbitten | Leading vs Tracking vs Guiding the Flies Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • May 24 · 40 min

    Season 19 Intermission - Catching Up, Leader Sales, Book, Beer, Film Fest and More

    For our Season 19 Intermission, my wife, Becky, joins me to check in on what's going on in the Troutbitten world. We talk about the upcoming leader sale in the Troutbitten Shop (May 24th), the Troutbitten Film Festival, guide season, changes to the Troutbitten Beer with New Trail Brewing Company and the Mono Rig book status. Then my son, Aiden, joins me for a short conversation about spring fishing. Resources VIDEOS: Troutbitten | Fish and Film | Category SHOP: Troutbitten | Category | Leaders Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E5
    May 18 · 1 hr

    Is There Really Anything to Figure Out?

    There’s something about fishing that leads us to believe that we can figure out what the fish want to eat that day — at that moment. Really, we want to believe that. And maybe it’s true often enough that trying to figure ‘em out . . . is a smart strategy. But I’m sure you’ve also had the experience of getting back to camp and every one of your friends all caught fish — but they all caught them on different flies and different water types. And you’ve definitely met the guy in the parking lot who’s positive that he has the answer for catching fish that evening. And maybe he’s so sure of it that he’ll make it work, just because he’ll fish it so hard. Is there really anything to figure out? That’s our topic for this episode. We work around the ins and outs of when, why, where and how chasing that goal of figuring things out makes any sense. My good friends Matt Grobe, Josh Darling and Bill Dell join me for this one. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation - Trout Eat Anything, But Sometimes They Eat Another Thing Better READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck READ: Troutbitten | Asking the Best Questions to Catch More Trout Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E4
    May 11 · 1 hr 12 min

    Taking the Next Step

    How do you get deeper into the game? Is it a choice or just good fortune? We live a life on the water, and a couple of episodes ago we talked about burnout — how a lot of anglers dig in, fish hard, go all out for a few years, and then just fade away. That’s the end point for some people, but tonight we’re here to talk about the beginning. We want to consider the start of a fishing life, or more accurately, the start of a dedicated fishing life. Most people who become serious anglers have some fishing experiences for a while, and then for whatever reason, the whole thing just becomes . . . more. All of the Troutbitten crew that you already has made fishing our lives for a very long time. And we can give you our opinions and experiences on this whole thing. But for a newer, fresher perspective, we invited some friends who are a little younger in the game. Both of these guys fished off and on since they were kids, but something triggered them to go deeper. That’s process is more recent for them than it is for us, so we wanted to hear from them. Meet our good friends Anthony Marrazo and Andy McDonald, who join me with Austin Dando and Bill Dell. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Rivers and Friends READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Stages of an Angler - S11, Ep1 Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E3
    May 4 · 1 hr 6 min

    The Big Lie of Dry Dropper

    Dry dropper is great. Just put a nymph under that dry fly and get the best of both worlds. Right? Not so fast . . . The idea that you can have your cake and eat it too — that you'll get perfect drifts on the dry fly and the nymph — and that you somehow double your chances by dropping a nymph under the dry is not true. This is the big lie of dry dropper fishing. Here's the problem: In most cases, neither fly ends up with a great drift. Instead, both flies are compromised and their natural drift is altered. Picky trout don't buy sub-par drifts, so you'll only pick up the occasional lucky trout. But we can have good fishing with a dry dropper rig. It's a go to choice for a many anglers, and it’s one of our favorite ways to fish a river. The point here is to acknowledge the problems with a dry dropper system — the inherent drawback — so we can then specifically deal with them or even get rid of them altogether. Know the problem and try to solve it. My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . the big lie of dry dropper. Resources READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper PODCAST: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper - Dry Dropper Skills Series Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E2
    April 27 · 1 hr 5 min

    Burnout

    A life on the water is an everyday thing. When we’re not fishing, we’re thinking about it. We’re preparing for it. We’re learning about it. I text with friends almost daily about river conditions and hatches. I drive beside the river just to see it — even though that route takes a few extra minutes. We've all seen die hard anglers living their life on the water -- and then it just goes away. Rising and fading interests are part of human nature. But we've also met plenty of anglers who lament the fact that their waders have been gathering dust for two years. Burnout starts with the small things — sleeping in instead of getting out early, or skipping the evening spinner fall in favor of an earlier dinner. And then, almost without realizing it, you’ve missed a whole season because you made excuses about low water or crowded streams. I think burnout is involuntary. It creeps up and surprises people, but I don't think it has to. Fishing gets old because it becomes average, because some of the mystery or exploration is gone — maybe it becomes predictable. But all of that can be changed with a few intentional decisions, too. My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . burnout. Resources READ: Troutbitten | All the Things READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Buddies S5, Ep12 Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S19 · E1
    April 20 · 1 hr 5 min

    What About Luck?

    For Season 19 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we're adding the video component, with the same conversation on both the audio and video side. So you'll still find the audio version of the podcast on Apple, Spotify and every other platform, and now you'll find a video of the podcast conversation on the Troutbitten YouTube channel. The new video format is full of creative possibilities, and we're excited about the future of the podcast. Incidentally, podcasts will now publish on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. EST, instead of Sundays. (YouTube hates Sunday evenings.) Our conversation for episode one is all about luck. And we want to talk about how luck plays into things out there. Do we rely on it? Do we surrender to it? Do we look for it? From the beginning, luck and fishing were intertwined. It became part of our anglers’ lore. And while good luck has surely saved countless fishing trips, bad luck continues to doom the best laid plans of a fisherman. Great trout fishing is rarely the result of good luck. And if the experience was up to the fish and to fate, I’d hardly pick up a fishing rod. Success on the water is not a slot machine. It’s more like a game of poker, where you play the hand you’re given and try to fool your adversary. Sometimes the cards you’re holding almost guarantee success. Then the next day Mother Nature might deal you a hand, where pulling a couple of fish is a grand achievement. My good friends Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me to begin Season 19. Resources READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck READ: Troutbitten | Waiting On Luck READ: Troutbitten | Fish It Anyway Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

  • S18 · E7
    March 15 · 1 hr 10 min

    Dry Fly Platforms - The Outliers and The Wrap Up - The Troutbitten Fly Box

    This Troutbitten Skills Series and these platforms are an effort to pass along the idea that fly selection doesn’t have to be regimented or complicated. Instead, see flies for what they have in common. Find their similarities rather than their differences. Choose the elements that matter most to you. Find the components of a fly that create enough of a distinction to be the keys to a platform, and build around that idea. I do think some things are undeniable, and almost every angler is going to classify a parachute the same way. That might be true for upright hackles and down wings too. But I’m sure you’ve noticed that the further we got into this season, the less specific each platform became. And again, that’s just because there are only so many things you can put on a dry fly and still have it be successful. Most of the more recent flies designed take their cues from what came before them. Honestly, I assume that will hold true going into the future too. My friends Bill Dell, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me for the conclusion of Season 18. Resources PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying - Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9) READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies - Dry Fly Skills Series (S12) Visit Troutbitten Website Troutbitten Instagram Troutbitten YouTube Troutbitten Facebook

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