The Articulate Fly

Episode Overview

On this episode of The Articulate Fly, author Steve Ramirez returns to talk about why he writes and to introduce his fifth book, A Season in Patagonia: An Angler and Naturalist's Journey to a New World. Recorded on October 6th, the day the Kindle edition dropped, this fly fishing podcast conversation explores seeing, doing and the real cost of living with purpose.

Marvin Cash frames the discussion around two practices: the practice of seeing and the practice of doing. Steve, a former U.S. Marine and Texas master peace officer who spent 35 years in criminal justice, counterterrorism and undercover work, a former college professor and the author of Fly Fisherman's The Seasonable Angler column, breaks seeing into noticing, radical empathy, learning and change. He explains why hope is an action verb, why he shares rather than complains and why he sold his firearms and pared down his possessions to fund the travel behind his books.

The pair also cover community, technology as a tool, treating land as something we borrow and steward rather than own and how Steve sustains the emotional energy this work demands. For anglers, Steve makes the case for being a complete angler who reads the whole ecosystem, from Texas Hill Country white bass that run when the bluebonnets bloom to golden dorado in northern Argentina.

The book retraces the conquistadors' path from the cliffs of Portugal through Mexico, the Sea of Cortez, the Yucatán, the Amazon and the Peruvian cloud forest to the southern tip of Patagonia, including a grueling canyon trek above Jurassic Lake. The hardcover releases November 3rd, with signed copies available through Bob White Studio.

Key Takeaways

• How to practice deeper seeing on the water by noticing, perceiving with radical empathy and letting what you learn change how you fish and live.
• Why reading natural cues, such as the Texas Hill Country bluebonnet bloom signaling the white bass run, makes you a more complete angler than checking a chart.
• How small, concrete actions like planting natives and leaving leaf litter around trees for fireflies turn conservation concern into personal agency.
• Why responding instead of reacting (slow is smooth, smooth is fast) protects your energy and judgment in a reactive, online world.
• Why traveling as a traveler rather than a tourist, including taking deliberate non-fishing days, deepens destination trips from the Amazon to Patagonia.
• Why self-care and finding your tribe are essential to sustaining purpose-driven work over the long haul.

Locations & Species

A Season in Patagonia follows a route from the cliffs of Portugal through Mexico, the Sea of Cortez and the Yucatán, across the Central American rainforest, through the Brazilian Amazon's Xingu watershed with Kayapó guides and the Peruvian cloud forest, into northern Argentina for golden dorado and on to the southern tip of Patagonia. Steve highlights springtime in southern Patagonia at Jurassic Lake, where a canyon trek up the river feeding the lake passed through wildflowers, guanacos and puma country. Closer to home, he points to the Texas Hill Country, where the spring bluebonnet bloom coincides with the white bass run. He also cites the vanished glaciers he walked beneath in the Peruvian Andes as context for why the book pairs fishing with conservation.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What is A Season in Patagonia by Steve Ramirez about?

It is Steve's fifth book, an angling and natural history journey that starts at a cliffside place in Portugal known as the End of the World and follows the conquistadors' path through Mexico, Central America and South America to the southern tip of Patagonia, which has its own End of the World. Along the way he fishes, travels with Indigenous guides and examines how the ways people treat each other and the land have shaped outcomes. He calls it the hardest book he has written, because he had to find hope himself before he could leave readers hopeful and ready to act. The hardcover is officially released November 3rd, with the Kindle edition already available.

What does Steve Ramirez mean by the practice of seeing?

He describes layers: noticing, perceiving through radical empathy (understanding rather than sympathy, extended even to fish, deer and trees), learning and then changing. He distinguishes real seeing from the autopilot most of us drive on and argues that many people avoid it because seeing creates an obligation to act. For anglers, that means paying attention to everything happening in and around the water, not just fish counts and size.

How can anglers stay engaged when conservation problems feel overwhelming?

Steve's answer is agency: the moment you do something, you are no longer a victim. He borrows the line "you can always feed the birds" and practices it at home with native plantings, shelter for wildlife and leaf litter left around trees for fireflies, moths and butterflies. He pairs that with responding rather than reacting and with the idea that self-care is not selfish, because even purposeful people need springs to refill the river.

Why does Steve Ramirez say we borrow the land rather than own it?

Drawing on Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass and time with Indigenous communities in Africa and the Americas, Steve rejects the idea of forests and rivers as undeveloped land. He now goes further and sees himself as a temporary steward and member of nature's community, holding it for future generations of people and every other species. He ties this to fly fishing through the complete angler who understands the whole system, not just the most basic aspects of catching fish.

Purchase A Season in Patagonia

Sponsors

Thanks to TroutRoutes for sponsoring this episode. Use ARTFLY20 to get 20% off of your TroutRoutes Pro membership.

Related Content

S6, Ep 76 - PODCAST INTERVIEW: Casting Homeward: Steve Ramirez Shares River Wisdom and New Adventures

S6, Ep 88 - Tarpon Town Magic: Fishing, Friends and Firsts

S8, Ep 73 - REDUX: The Fight for Our Future: Land Tawney on Grassroots Advocacy and Public Lands

S6, Ep 105 - Painting, Patents and Pages: Brian Hester's Latest Endeavors

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Helpful Episode Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction

0:01:40 Why We Write and How We See

0:14:14 Community and Our Ties to Nature

0:19:19 Stewardship, Fishing and What We Leave Behind

0:26:26 Writing to Help Readers Truly See

0:34:08 The Cost of a Purposeful Life

0:40:37 Self-Care, Hope and Staying Engaged

0:51:00 Legacy, Ripples and Living with Urgency

0:56:10 A Season in Patagonia

1:05:39 How Steve’s Writing Has Evolved

Episode Overview

On this Central PA Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly, George Costa of TCO Fly Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, breaks down what late-October trout fishing looks like as cold mornings set in and the spawn approaches. With overnight lows in the low 30s, low and clear water and little rain in the forecast, George explains why timing and patience matter more than ever right now. He also makes a strong case for leaving spawning trout and their redds alone as the season turns.

George reports that the fishing has been okay but not great. A few caddis, olives and October caddis are still around, but dry fly action is thin and nymphing has been the most consistent approach. Falling leaves are making clean drifts a challenge, so anglers need to work the water methodically to find actively feeding fish. Streamers have been moving trout early and late, particularly from daybreak until roughly 8 or 9 a.m. while the sun is still low on the water, while the best nymphing window has shifted to roughly 1 to 4 p.m. once the water warms.

The heart of this episode is spawning-season ethics. George expects redds to start appearing across Central PA within the next one to two weeks, with heavy spawning running from late October through December and redds still visible into January. He describes exactly what a redd looks like, explains why you should never wade through one even when no fish are present and calls out anglers who chase "Internet hero" photos of big trout pulled off spawning beds. The episode wraps with a look at TCO's fall fly tying classes, including next week's Brew and Bugs, and shop hours for serious anglers planning their next trip to State College.

Key Takeaways

• How to identify a trout redd as a clean, polished-looking patch of gravel so you can avoid fishing to spawning fish or wading through eggs.
• Why big trout caught in the middle of a November day are often spawning fish that should be left alone rather than caught and photographed for social media.
• When to fish streamers in late fall, focusing on daybreak until about 8 or 9 a.m. while the sun is still low on the water.
• When to switch to nymphing on cold-morning days, targeting the roughly 1 to 4 p.m. window after the water warms.
• Why falling leaves and low, clear water demand a slower, more methodical approach to finding actively feeding trout.
• Why dry fly fishing with caddis is a low-percentage play in late October compared to subsurface tactics.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Nymphing is the primary producer in this report, with George pointing to the early-afternoon window after the water has warmed as the most productive time to fish subsurface. Streamer fishing remains effective in low-light periods, especially at first light before the sun gets high on the water, when trout are more willing to move to a fly than on bright, sunny days. Dry fly options are limited to lingering caddis, olives and a handful of October caddis, and George is candid that working a caddis all day is more about luck than a reliable strategy. He also flags that heavy leaf drop is making a clean drift difficult and recommends a deliberate, cover-the-water approach in low and clear conditions.

Locations & Species

This report covers trout streams across Central Pennsylvania from TCO Fly Shop's home base in State College. Late-fall conditions are low and clear with cold mornings in the low 30s, heavy leaf drop and little rain in the forecast, which George describes as typical for this time of year but a bit chillier than normal. The key seasonal factor is the trout spawn, with redds expected to appear within one to two weeks and heavy spawning activity running from late October through December. Anglers fly fishing Central PA for trout this fall should plan around afternoon feeding windows and give spawning areas a wide berth.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What does a trout redd look like?

A redd is a small, clean patch of gravel and rocks that looks shiny and polished compared to the surrounding streambed. It is a trout spawning bed, so if fish are on it they are actively spawning and should be left alone. Even if no fish are present, you should not walk on a redd because it may hold trout eggs.

When do trout spawn in Central Pennsylvania?

According to George Costa, redds typically start appearing in late October, with heavy spawning running through November and December. Redds can still be seen into January. Anglers should avoid fishing to trout on redds and steer clear of spawning areas throughout this period.

What is the best time of day to fly fish for trout in Central PA in late fall?

With cold mornings in the low 30s, George recommends getting out a little later in the day for nymphing, with the best bite window running roughly from 1 to 4 p.m. after the water warms. If you want to fish early, streamers are the better choice from daybreak until about 8 or 9 a.m. while the sun is still low on the water.

Why should anglers avoid fishing to spawning trout?

George's point is simple: spawning trout are doing their thing and deserve to be left alone, and walking through a redd can crush the eggs it holds. He notes that many of the big trout showing up on social media in the middle of a November day are spawning fish. His advice is to skip the Internet hero photos and leave those fish alone.

How are falling leaves and low water affecting fall trout fishing in Central PA?

Heavy leaf drop is making it hard to get a good drift, and low, clear water with little rain in the forecast has made for fishing George describes as okay but not great. His advice is to slow down, take your time and work the water thoroughly to locate the trout that are actively feeding.

Related Content

S8, Ep 75 - Autumn Angling Insights: George Costa's Tips for Central PA's Changing Waters

S7, Ep 94 - Rain Dance Revelations: George Costa on Central PA's Fishing Forecast

S7, Ep 89 - Fall Fishing Forecast: George Costa's Insights on Low Water and Seasonal Strategies

S8, Ep 71 - Fall Fishing Forecast: George Costa on Streamers, Hatches and Safety Tips

View all Central Pennsylvania Fishing Reports with George Costa

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Episode Overview

On this episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash sits down with Eric Hurst, the fly designer behind the Umpqua-produced Thrasher and Agent Scully streamers, fresh off his first season in Montana. It's a candid conversation about guiding burnout, building a name from scratch and designing streamers that actually swim. For serious streamer tiers and anglers weighing a move from Southeastern tailwaters to big Western trout water, Hurst's perspective is unusually raw and practical.

Hurst grew up bass fishing in Alabama and came to fly fishing self-taught, learning to tie largely from YouTube before spending close to a decade guiding out of Alpharetta Outfitters on the Georgia tailwaters around Atlanta, with days in Tennessee and North Carolina. Now working for Kelly Galloup at Galloup's Slide Inn in Montana, he explains why Western trout key on hatches far more exclusively than Southeastern fish, why he would rather fish a good caddis hatch than chase the salmonfly hype and why he has stepped away from guiding until he knows his new water well enough to be fully confident. The heart of the episode is streamer design: his profile-first philosophy, the Mike Schmidt "rule of halves" for building a tapered silhouette, pairing buoyant and sinking materials so the fly works with less input on the retrieve and a glue-free thread wrap, also from Schmidt, for securing articulation wire. He also shares how Umpqua came to him about the Thrasher and Agent Scully, previews his new Secret Shopper, walks through the materials currently on his bench and makes the case for Bobbin the Hood as the event every streamer tier should attend.

Key Takeaways

• How to build a tapered streamer profile with the "rule of halves," sizing each successive material at roughly half the length of the one behind it.
• Why pairing buoyant materials like deer hair with sinking materials like Laser Dub produces a fly that moves on its own and requires less work on the retrieve.
• How to secure articulation wire without glue using Mike Schmidt's back-and-forth thread wrap that tightens under tension like a Chinese finger trap.
• Why trout in Montana key on the hatch more exclusively than fish on Southeastern tailwaters like the South Holston, and what that means for an angler moving west.
• Why less is more at the vise, from trimming back a fly that already looks finished to pulling out long fibers rather than stacking materials.
• How handing new patterns to shop staff and clients gives a designer more objective field-testing feedback than fishing them personally.

Techniques & Gear Covered

The tying discussion centers on articulated streamers and swim flies, including Hurst's Thrasher, a swim fly tied weighted or unweighted, and the Agent Scully sculpin pattern, both produced by Umpqua in standard and mini sizes, with the newly added Secret Shopper to follow. He breaks down two techniques he learned from Mike Schmidt, the rule of halves and a glue-free thread wrap down the articulation wire, along with his recent move from two Hareline 3D beads to one for better swimming action. On the materials side he highlights Montana Fly Company's peppered chenille, used on Mike Schultz's Woodsman to build profile without holding water, and Kelly Galloup's Fish Feathers from MFC printed in rainbow, brown and speckled trout patterns. At the bench he ties on a black-and-gold Regal vise and brushes out fibers with a switchblade-style comb from Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For a deeper dive into swim fly mechanics, see BONUS - The Science of Streamers (Pt II): Kirk Klingensmith on Swim Flies.

Locations & Species

Hurst cut his teeth guiding trout on the Georgia tailwaters around Atlanta, with additional trips in Tennessee and North Carolina, before relocating to Montana for his first season on Western trout water. His biggest adjustment has been how selectively Montana trout key on hatches compared with Southeastern tailwater fish, even during strong sulphur hatches on the South Holston. He describes this year's Montana salmonfly hatch as hit or miss, fishing more like streamer fishing where you have to be in the right place at the right time, and says he would rather catch a good caddis hatch. His fishing roots go back to bluegill and bass in Alabama, which he still revisits to keep himself grounded.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What is the rule of halves in streamer tying?

The rule of halves, which Hurst credits to Mike Schmidt, sizes each material at about half the length of the material tied in behind it. For example, a schlappen tail is followed by bucktail at half the tail's length, and the main body is half the length of the bucktail. The result is a fly that tapers naturally, and Hurst says you can see the improved profile when it swims.

How do you secure articulation wire on a streamer without glue?

Using a technique he learned from Mike Schmidt, Hurst wraps thread down the wire, back up halfway, down the full length and back up halfway again so the wraps behave like a Chinese finger trap: the harder the connection pulls, the tighter it gets. He stopped using glue on his articulation connections entirely after adopting the technique.

How is fly fishing for trout in Montana different from Southeastern tailwaters?

According to Hurst, Montana trout key on the hatch far more exclusively than fish back east. Southeastern tailwater trout will lock onto a strong sulphur hatch on the South Holston, but Western fish often want only what is hatching. He also found the salmonfly hatch less dependable than its reputation and prefers a strong caddis hatch for dry fly fishing.

How did Eric Hurst get his fly patterns picked up by Umpqua?

Umpqua reached out to Hurst first, while he was still tying purely for fun, and asked whether he had ever considered submitting patterns. He sent in the Thrasher, named for Georgia's state bird the brown thrasher as a nod to brown trout, and the Agent Scully, a sculpin pattern named as a nod to The X-Files. Both are now available in standard and mini sizes, the Secret Shopper is coming and he hopes to add micro versions.

What does it take to be a good fly fishing guide?

Hurst says a good guide has to love teaching and sharing, and that catching fish is secondary because no guide can make fish eat. He approaches every trip as a teacher who wants to fish through his clients, and he will not take anyone out on water he is not fully confident on. He also warns that giving everything to clients day after day takes a real mental toll.

Sponsors

Thanks to TroutRoutes for sponsoring this episode. Use ARTFLY20 to get 20% off of your TroutRoutes Pro membership.

Related Content

BONUS - The Science of Streamers (Pt II): Kirk Klingensmith on Swim Flies

BONUS - A Deep Dive into the Swingin' D: Techniques and Tips with Mike Schultz

S8, Ep 14 - Crafting Connections: Blane Chocklett on Fly Design and Conservation at Tie Fest

S7, Ep 9 - Inside The Chocklett Factory: New Fly Tying Products, Bobbin and More with Blane Chocklett

S8, Ep 64 - Streamer Strategies: Ellis Ward's Late Day Fishing Tips for East Tennessee

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Helpful Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:34 First Fishing Memories and Finding Fly Fishing

05:43 From Tailwater Angler to Guide

09:30 Building a Guiding Business and Finding His Style

12:48 Heading West and Starting Over

16:45 Montana Waters and the Joy of Guiding

21:04 Boat Lunches, Beers and Good Company

24:28 Finding His Way at the Vise

27:45 Tying Influences and the Pull of Streamers

31:26 Designing Streamers That Swim

34:08 The Stories Behind the Thrasher and Agent Scully

36:34 Tying Tips, Tools and New Materials

43:50 Winter Plans and Tying Events

Episode Overview

On this Southwest Virginia Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly, guide Matt Reilly of Matt Reilly Fly Fishing explains how to approach the opening weeks of fly fishing musky season and the final stretch of fall smallmouth fishing. Recorded as Southwest Virginia rivers recovered from heavy hurricane rain, the episode breaks down why October and early November musky fishing produces far more sightings than hookups and how to adjust when clear water makes fish spooky. Matt walks host Marvin Cash through his musky calendar, which starts with scattered trips in October before he commits fully in early November. He contrasts early-season conditions, defined by warmer and clearer water, with the colder and murkier water of January and February. Early-season muskies spread through good habitat and move more, producing plenty of curiosity follows, but clear water and sunny days can make them wary. His first adjustment is speed: fishing faster forces an aggressive fish to commit and leaves a follower more fired up by the time it reaches the boat. He also explains why this window suits anglers new to musky and those learning an unfamiliar river on their own. For smallmouth bass, Matt describes fall as a reversal of the spring pattern. He sizes up to 5- to 6-inch streamers, leads with swim flies before slowing down and fishing deeper and keeps topwater in play if flows drop again. Water temperatures in the 50s are generally productive unless a hard cold front has just knocked them down. The episode closes with an update on open musky dates from November through February.

Key Takeaways

• How to use retrieve speed to trigger spooky early-season muskies in clear water on sunny October days.
• Why October and early November musky trips typically produce many follows and sightings but few eats, and why that makes the window a strong introduction for anglers new to musky.
• When to cover more water for musky, since early-season fish spread through good habitat rather than stacking only in key spots.
• How to size up to 5- to 6-inch streamers for fall smallmouth and when to slow down and fish deeper if swim flies get refused.
• Why a hard cold front that drops water temperatures from the 60s into the low to mid 50s can shut down an otherwise good fall smallmouth bite.
• When topwater still makes sense for smallmouth late in the season, particularly if flows fall low again.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Musky tactics center on fast retrieves that make an aggressive fish commit away from the boat, with the logic that a fish that follows without eating arrives at the boat more keyed up and less focused on the angler. Matt also describes covering more water per day in the early season while still concentrating on high-percentage spots. For smallmouth, he favors 5- to 6-inch streamers and starts with swim flies, then slows the presentation and drops deeper in the water column when fish refuse to chase. Topwater remains an option if flows fall again, and big smallmouth regularly swipe at 8- to 10-inch musky flies on musky days, a clear sign of how hard large fish will chase a big meal in the fall.

Locations & Species

This report covers fly fishing Southwest Virginia rivers for musky and smallmouth bass during the October transition. Hurricane rain had raised flows after a low-water year, and Matt hopes the river holds more water this fall and winter than it did last season. Fall and winter musky fishing in Southwest Virginia runs from sporadic October trips into a full schedule from November through February, with early-season fish spread out in warmer and clearer water and late-season fish moving more deliberately in colder, lower visibility water. Fall smallmouth fishing mirrors the spring pattern in reverse, with big fish chasing large meals as the water cools and that window peaking sometime in November.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Why is early-season musky fishing different from winter musky fishing?

Matt Reilly defines the early season (October into early November) by warmer and clearer water than the January and February late season. Fish are spread out and moving more, which produces lots of curiosity follows, but clear water can make them spooky. Later in the year the number of fish caught tends to stay about the same, but fish become more intentional in cold water and reduced visibility means anglers see fewer of them.

How do you get spooky muskies to eat in clear water?

Speed is Matt's first adjustment for spooky fish in clear water and on sunny October days. Fishing faster makes a fish work harder and forces an aggressive one to commit, ideally away from the boat. If it follows without eating, it should arrive at the boat more fired up and less concerned with the angler.

When is the best time for a beginner to try fly fishing for musky?

Matt points to October and early November, when anglers can move a huge number of fish, see plenty of follows and maybe get an eat or two. Those sightings give newcomers context for what they are doing and what the fish are doing. The same window works for anglers exploring an unfamiliar river on their own because fish are spread through good habitat.

What size streamers work for fall smallmouth?

Matt fishes bigger in fall than summer, typically 5- to 6-inch streamers, unless water gets extremely low. Cooling water makes big smallmouth willing to chase down a large meal, a trend that can peak sometime in November, and big fish will even swipe at 8- to 10-inch musky flies. He starts with swim flies and slows down and fishes deeper only if fish refuse them.

How does water temperature affect fall smallmouth fishing?

Water temperatures in the 50s are generally productive for fall smallmouth. The exception is a sudden drop: water in the low to mid 50s the day after a giant cold front, following temperatures in the 60s, usually fishes poorly. Matt describes the overall fall pattern as a reversal of what anglers see in spring.

Related Content

S8, Ep 68 - The Fall Transition: Matt Reilly's Insights on Bass Behavior and Bug Fishing Strategies

S7, Ep 90 - Transitioning Tactics: Matt Reilly on Targeting Smallmouth and Musky This Fall

S7, Ep 99 - Winter's Approach: Matt Reilly's Tips for Catching Musky in Low Water

S6, Ep 137 - Navigating Post-Hurricane Waters with Matt Reilly

S6, Ep 112 - Smallmouth Transitions and Musky Prep: Matt Reilly's Southwest VA Update

View all Southwest Virginia Fishing Reports with Matt Reilly

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Episode Overview

On this episode of The Articulate Fly's Casting Angles series, fly casting instructor Mac Brown of Mac Brown Fly Fish in Bryson City, North Carolina, joins host Marvin Cash to take apart one of fly fishing's most persistent misconceptions: that a faster rod is a better rod. With North Carolina's Delayed Harvest stocking running late and low fall flows limiting the fishing report, Mac and Marvin devote the conversation to rod action and why medium-action rods often outperform fast rods for casting, line control and fighting fish.

Mac frames the discussion around a simple principle — work equals force times distance — and explains how a medium action lengthens the casting stroke and widens the timing window, making it easier for new and intermediate casters to learn. He also emphasizes feel: the counterflex and rebound feedback a deeper-flexing rod sends to the hand, which is critical for presentation casts like the tuck cast and underpowered curve cast. Marvin adds that casting fiberglass smooths out a stroke, and Mac describes fishing his Epic glass rods for October caddis in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A story from the South Holston River tailwater illustrates the cost of mismatched tackle: a capable competition angler broke off fish after fish on light tippet with an ultra-fast rod, then fished until dark without a break-off after switching to an older Sage Light Line. The episode closes with practical ways to compare rod actions — side-by-side casting at a full-service fly shop, reading a rod's bend profile and test-casting during fly fishing show season — plus updates on Mac's remaining fall schools and his 2027 class and show schedule.

Key Takeaways

• Why medium-action rods make casting timing easier to learn, since a longer stroke under the work-equals-force-times-distance principle opens a wider timing window than a fast rod allows.
• How the counterflex and rebound feedback of a medium-action rod helps you develop presentation casts like the tuck cast and underpowered curve cast.
• Why an ultra-fast rod can cost you fish when fishing light tippet and small flies on a tailwater, and how a softer rod protects tippet during the fight.
• How to judge a rod's action without casting it by loading it against a held or tied-off line and noting whether the bend stays in the tip, reaches the middle or extends to the cork.
• How to compare actions objectively by casting fast, medium-fast and medium rods of the same length and line weight back to back at a fly shop or on the casting pond at a fly fishing show.
• Why casting a fiberglass rod can smooth out your stroke and improve your roll casting and fish-fighting feel.

Techniques & Gear Covered

The core of the episode is rod action: Mac and Marvin compare fast, medium-fast and medium-action rods across casting, mending, line control and fighting fish, with Mac explaining how the work-equals-force-times-distance relationship and counterflex and rebound feedback favor medium actions for most trout fishing. Presentation casts such as the tuck cast and underpowered curve cast serve as examples where rod feel matters most, and Marvin notes that slower rods make mending easier and help anglers lose fewer fish. Fiberglass gets its due through Mac's Epic glass rods, which he favors for fall dry fly fishing, while an older Sage Light Line rod is the hero of a tailwater story about protecting light tippet when fishing small midge patterns. Practical evaluation methods round out the gear discussion, from casting a lineup of 9-foot 5-weights in sequence and ranking them by feel to visually checking each rod's bend profile under load.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Why isn't a faster fly rod always better?

Mac Brown calls "faster is better" one of the most common misconceptions he has encountered in his teaching career. A fast rod compresses the casting stroke into a very short timing window that is hard to control, while a medium action gives a longer stroke that new and intermediate casters can manage more easily. He also notes that many elite casters and lifelong instructors choose medium-action rods for their own fishing.

Why does rod feel matter for presentation casts?

A medium-action rod transmits counterflex and rebound feedback to the caster's hand, while a very fast rod releases its energy so quickly that the caster feels very little. That feedback is what helps anglers develop and refine presentation casts such as the tuck cast and underpowered curve cast. Mac's view is that the right tool for building that feel is almost always a medium action.

Why do anglers break off fish on tailwaters with fast rods?

A very fast rod gives little cushion when fighting fish on light tippet with small flies. Mac describes a skilled competition angler who broke off fish after fish one morning on the South Holston River tailwater with an ultra-fast rod, then fished until dark without another break-off after switching to an older Sage Light Line. The lesson is that the rod, not the angler, is often the reason fish are lost in light-tippet situations.

How can you tell a rod's action without casting it?

Have someone hold the end of the line or tie it off to a tree, then bend the rod and study the curve. Note whether the rod flexes only in the upper third near the tip, bends into the middle or loads all the way down toward the cork. Mac says a rod that bends only at the tip is probably the wrong choice for tailwater fishing with small flies.

What is the best way to compare fly rod actions before buying?

Cast several rods side by side. Marvin recommends pulling multiple rods of the same length and line weight — for example a fast, a medium-fast and a medium-action 9-foot 5-weight — off the rack at a full-service fly shop and ranking them by feel. If a shop isn't an option, fly fishing shows are an ideal alternative, since most manufacturers rig rods for test casting on the casting pond.

Related Content

S8, Ep 72 - Casting Essentials: Mac Brown's Guide to Power and Arc

S8, Ep 65 - Mastering the Roll Cast: Mac Brown's Essential Techniques for Challenging Waters

S8, Ep 45 - Casting Fundamentals: Mac Brown on the Art of the Reach Mend

S8, Ep 1 - Show Season Strategies: Mac Brown on Learning vs. Entertainment in Fly Fishing

View All Casting Angles Episodes with Mac Brown

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Episode Overview

This Central PA Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly, a fly fishing podcast, catches up with George Costa, manager of TCO Fly Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, for an early-fall look at trout conditions across the region. Falling leaves, wind and dropping flows made for a slower week, but rain in the forecast should freshen things up just as the streamer bite and the first redds of the season approach.

Costa explains how leaves turning and falling into the water, pushed along by steady wind, have made clean drifts difficult as flows ease toward the lower side. Nymphing has stayed consistent for anglers who can work their flies through the leaves, while dry fly action has been hit or miss despite caddis, olives and Isos on the water. A forecast half inch or more of rain on Sunday should deliver a welcome bump clearing out leaves, adding a bit of color and kicking the streamer bite into gear.

He also flags a key seasonal milestone. Early redds traditionally show up around the end of October, and Costa expects to see them within the next two weeks, especially on Spring Creek, where trout tend to start building redds on the earlier side. With great water all year and comfortable fall temperatures, he calls this a great time of year to get out.

Marvin and George close with TCO's busy fall and winter class calendar, including new classes at the Reading location plus fly tying and on-the-water classes in State College, along with fully stocked shops and State College hours.

Key Takeaways

• How to keep nymphing productive in early fall by working flies through the leaves that are fouling drifts on windy days.
• Why a half inch or more of rain can reset Central PA streams by bumping flows, flushing out leaves and adding the color that switches on the streamer bite.
• When to expect the first trout redds in Central PA, with Spring Creek typically leading the way ahead of the traditional late-October timing.
• Why dry fly fishing remains hit or miss right now even with caddis, olives and Isos on the water.
• How to find TCO Fly Shop's fall and winter fly tying and on-the-water classes in State College and elsewhere.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Nymphing carried this report, with George Costa noting that subsurface rigs have produced consistently for anglers who can get their flies down through the leaves drifting in Central PA streams. Streamer fishing is the technique to watch as fall progresses, with Costa expecting the streamer bite to pick up on calmer days and after Sunday's rain adds color and flushes out leaves. Dry fly fishing has been hit or miss, with caddis, olives and Isos present but few reports of strong surface action. No specific fly patterns or rigs were named in this report, butTCO Fly Shop's locations are fully stocked for the fall and winter season, and its fly tying classes offer a way to sharpen bench skills over the colder months.

Locations & Species

This report covers Central Pennsylvania trout water around State College, with Spring Creek singled out as the stream where early redds typically appear first. Early-fall conditions include falling leaves, windy days and flows easing toward the lower side, with a forecast half inch or more of rain expected to bump flows and add color. Early trout redds traditionally show up in Central PA around the end of October, and Costa expects them within the next two weeks on Spring Creek. For anglers looking for fall fly fishing strategies in Central PA, the approach is to nymph through the leaf litter now and be ready for a streamer bite as rain and cooler nights take hold.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

How do falling leaves affect fly fishing in Central PA during the fall?

Leaves turning and falling into the water, especially on windy days, make it difficult to get a good drift. George Costa says this contributed to a slower week on Central PA streams. Nymphs have still produced for anglers who can get their flies through the leaves.

What fly fishing methods are working best in Central PA in early fall?

Nymphing has been the most consistent method, as long as anglers can work through the leaves in the water. Dry fly action has been hit or miss even with caddis, olives and Isos around. Costa expects the streamer bite to start picking up soon, particularly on days that are not super windy.

How will fall rain change fly fishing conditions in Central PA?

With flows easing toward the lower side, Costa sees a forecast half inch or more of rain as a great little bump. The rain should clear out leaves, add a bit of color to the water and get the streamer bite going.

When do trout start building redds on Spring Creek?

Early redds traditionally appear in Central PA around the end of October. Costa expects to start seeing them within the next two weeks, especially on Spring Creek, where trout tend to build redds on the earlier side. Now is the time of year for anglers to start watching out for them.

How can anglers find TCO Fly Shop's fall and winter classes?

TCO lists its classes under the Education tab at tcoflyfishing.com. New classes were just posted for the Reading location, and the State College shop offers fly tying and on-the-water classes. The State College shop is open 9 to 6 Monday through Saturday and 9 to 3 on Sunday, and TCO's other shops keep similar hours.

Related Content

S8, Ep 71 - Fall Fishing Forecast: George Costa on Streamers, Hatches and Safety Tips

S7, Ep 94 - Rain Dance Revelations: George Costa on Central PA's Fishing Forecast

S7, Ep 89 - Fall Fishing Forecast: George Costa's Insights on Low Water and Seasonal Strategies

S7, Ep 86 - Navigating Fall Waters: George Costa's Tips for Low and Clear Conditions

View all Central Pennsylvania Fishing Reports with George Costa

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Episode Overview

In the final Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report of the season on The Articulate Fly, Captain Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides explains how to keep putting smallmouth bass in the boat as Central Pennsylvania's rivers drop to low, crystal-clear fall levels. It's a timely fly fishing podcast segment for anyone chasing smallmouth late in the season, when the fish get stingy and every presentation mistake gets punished.

Two weeks after a healthy shot of rain, a nor'easter that came up the East Coast delivered far less precipitation than hoped, and both the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers are now dropping and gin clear. Brian breaks down why the fish are tough: a pattern of short stable spells broken by passing cold fronts and falling barometric pressure, combined with steadily dropping water that makes smallmouth easier to spook. His answer is constant adjustment, rotating patterns and downsized Clouser Minnows until something works, then changing again when the bite dies a mile or two downriver.

Marvin and Brian also dig into drift boat presentation for low, clear water: longer casts placed slightly upstream so the fly swings down and across ahead of ledges and drop-offs, keeping the boat steady and the oarlock "window" each angler should fish from the bow and stern to get a natural, drag-free drift without mending. Brian covers his color strategy for overcast versus bright days, why he's staying with floating lines as the river gets skinny and why tiny lead eyes beat bead chain for getting Clousers down without hanging up. The episode wraps with how to book spring 2027 smallmouth dates before Brian hits the winter show circuit.

Key Takeaways

• Why passing cold fronts and steadily dropping water make Pennsylvania smallmouth moody and why stable weather fishes better.
• How to cast longer and slightly upstream in low, clear water so your fly comes down and across a ledge or drop-off before the fish see the boat.
• How bow and stern anglers can each keep their casts inside an oarlock-defined window to get a drag-free drift at boat speed with no mending.
• When to switch to darker flies on overcast days and brighter, flashier flies on sunny days.
• How downsized Clouser Minnows with 1/50-ounce lead eyes on a floating line get to the fish without hanging up in skinny water.
• When to book spring smallmouth dates, since April and May fill first and Brian recommends reaching out before the end of December.

Techniques & Gear Covered

This report focuses on drift boat streamer tactics for smallmouth in low, clear fall water. Brian casts longer and slightly upstream to get ahead of ledges and drop-offs, letting the fly come down and across rather than landing on top of spooky fish. He assigns each angler a casting window, with the bow angler working from the oarlock forward and the stern angler from the oarlock back, and has them cast at roughly 45 degrees so the fly drifts at boat speed with no belly in the line and no need to mend. On gear, he's fishing floating lines exclusively and downsized Clouser Minnows tied with 1/50-ounce lead eyes, keeping the fly moving so it gets down without snagging. Fly color follows the light, with darker patterns on overcast days and brighter patterns with more flash on bright days, while boat discipline matters too: anglers should stay centered in the lean bars rather than drifting to the gunwale, since a listing or rocking boat pushes out waves that spook fish.

Locations & Species

Fly fishing the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers in Central Pennsylvania for smallmouth bass is the sole focus of this late-season report. Both rivers are dropping and crystal clear after a nor'easter delivered less rain than expected, to the point where Brian went from floating anywhere he wanted to bouncing off rocks within two weeks. Fall cold fronts and falling barometric pressure are making the fish fussy, so late-season smallmouth fishing in low, clear water calls for stealthy presentations, smaller flies and frequent pattern changes. Unless rain arrives, this marks the end of Brian's smallmouth season, with bookings already open for spring and summer 2027.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Why are smallmouth bass hard to catch in low, clear water in the fall?

Brian Shumaker says it's a combination of weather and water. Smallmouth like stability, and fall cold fronts that drop the barometric pressure make them moody and fussy. At the same time, steadily dropping, crystal-clear water means the fish can see anglers and boats more easily and spook.

How should you cast to smallmouth in low, clear water?

Make longer casts and place them slightly upstream so the fly can get ahead of the ledge or drop-off and come down and across to the fish. Because smallmouth can see you more easily in clear water, putting the fly ahead of them rather than on top of them reduces spooking. Keep the boat steady while casting, since rocking pushes out waves that alert fish.

Where should the front and back anglers cast from a drift boat?

The bow angler should cast from the oarlock forward and avoid casting straight downstream, because the boat drifts toward the fly and it covers no new water. The stern angler should cast from the oarlock back and avoid casting upstream, which only drags the fly unnaturally. Casting at about 45 degrees within that window lets the fly drift at boat speed with no belly in the line and no need to mend.

What fly colors work best for smallmouth on cloudy versus sunny days?

Brian goes with darker flies on overcast or cloudy days. On bright days he switches to brighter colors with more flash. Beyond color, he rotates patterns and downsizes Clouser Minnows constantly, because a fly that works in one stretch may stop producing a mile or two downriver.

What fly line and fly weight should you use for smallmouth in low water?

Brian fishes floating lines exclusively as the river gets skinny. Instead of bead chain, he ties Clouser Minnows with 1/50-ounce lead eyes, which get the fly down where it needs to be. As long as you keep the fly moving, it won't hang up much in that kind of water.

Related Content

S8, Ep 69 - Navigating the Transition: Captain Brian Shumaker on Smallmouth Behavior and Fishing Techniques

S8, Ep 63 - Seasonal Shifts: Brian Shumaker's Smallmouth Strategies for Late Summer

S8, Ep 68 - The Fall Transition: Matt Reilly's Insights on Bass Behavior and Bug Fishing Strategies

S4, Ep 51 - SMALLIE REDUX: Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides

View all Pennsylvania Smallmouth Reports with Brian Shumaker

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Episode Overview

This award-winning episode of The Articulate Fly, which took 1st place in the 2026 Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) Excellence in Craft awards (Radio/Podcast: Conservation), features outdoorsman, conservationist and grassroots organizer Land Tawney on how hunters and anglers can protect America's public lands and waters. Recorded in Fall 2025, the conversation pairs Land's nearly 30 years of conservation advocacy with a candid assessment of what he calls the most serious threat to public lands he has seen in his career. Raised in Missoula, Montana, Land traces his conservation ethic to childhood float trips during the Big Hole River salmonfly hatch, his parents' work as full-time conservation lobbyists at the state legislature and mentors including fisheries biologist and author Jim Posewitz. He breaks down the three ingredients that helped grow Backcountry Hunters & Anglers to roughly 40,000 members across political lines (fun, an open path to volunteer leadership and standing for something) and explains how to coach empowered volunteers without breaking them. Land then introduces American Hunters and Anglers Action Network, a 501(c)(4) that can lobby without the limits placed on 501(c)(3) groups and engage directly in elections. He lays out a "dismantle, defund, divest" framework for current threats, from a proposed mine just south of Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Ambler Road through Alaska's Brooks Range. Finally, he makes the case for responsible development and principled compromise, citing the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Montana's Blackfoot Valley as models. It is essential listening for any angler who wants a real voice in the future of the waters they fish.

Key Takeaways

• Why grassroots action is the most accessible way for busy anglers to influence conservation policy and how pressure from the field gives lobbyists leverage at the negotiating table in Washington, D.C.
• How fun events, an open path to volunteer leadership and a consistent stand for the resource helped Backcountry Hunters & Anglers build an unusually broad coalition of hunters and anglers.
• How to coach empowered volunteers after a misstep rather than holding them back, and why Land would rather rein in a running horse than coax one out of the barn.
• When to lean in on an issue, with maximum effort reserved for bedrock fights such as the sale of public lands and attacks on the Clean Water Act that affect everyone.
• Why the difference between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations determines who can lobby without limits and engage in elections, and how American Hunters and Anglers Action Network complements groups like Trout Unlimited.
• How to recognize the "dismantle, defund, divest" pattern behind current threats to public lands and waters, from agency staffing cuts to land sale proposals.

Locations & Species

Land's fishing roots run through southwest Montana, where float trips during the Big Hole River salmonfly hatch shaped his earliest memories and mentor Dale Burk's favorite pattern, the Golden Stone, proved its worth even when salmonflies were on the water; Marvin recalls hitting the same hatch on the upper Madison River with his young son. The conservation discussion spans the 640 million acres of public lands Americans own, with particular focus on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota, the caribou and salmon habitat of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the proposed 210-mile Ambler Road through Alaska's Brooks Range, which would cross 11 rivers and roughly 3,000 streams. Land points to Wyoming's oil and gas fields as a cautionary tale for mule deer and pronghorn migrations and to Montana's Blackfoot Valley as a model of collaborative compromise among timber companies, ranchers, hunters, anglers and recreationists. He also notes that roughly 70% of Montana's fishing access sites were funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a direct link between federal conservation policy and the places anglers actually fish.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What is the difference between a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4) conservation organization?

Land explains that 501(c)(3) groups such as Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Ducks Unlimited can devote only a limited portion of their budgets (he cites 20%) to grassroots and direct lobbying and cannot engage in electoral politics. A 501(c)(4) like American Hunters and Anglers Action Network can lobby full time and work to elect or unseat candidates based on their conservation records. Land sees the roles as complementary: the 501(c)(4) builds pressure from the grassroots so 501(c)(3) organizations can walk into the room and make the deals.

Why should anglers get involved in grassroots conservation advocacy?

Land argues that grassroots action is the easiest way for people with careers and limited time to make a difference, because it lets you "do what you can with what you got, where you are." Noise from the field is what gives lobbyists leverage in Washington, D.C., and, without that pushback, compromise and progress do not happen. His closing message is that hunters and anglers are either at the table or on the menu.

How did Backcountry Hunters & Anglers build such a broad coalition?

Land credits three ingredients. The first is making conservation fun through pint nights, brewfests, storytelling nights and film festivals, the second is letting any volunteer willing to contribute time and energy step into leadership without paying years of dues and the third is standing up for the resource every time in plain language. Combining youthful exuberance with the sage wisdom of longtime advocates attracted young and old members alike, and he also credits the talented volunteers and staff around him.

What are the biggest threats to public lands according to Land Tawney?

Land groups the threats into three categories: dismantling, defunding and divesting. Dismantling includes deep federal agency workforce cuts (which he estimates at about 25% of most agencies), a threatened reduction in force and efforts to open special places like the Boundary Waters and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to development. Defunding includes a proposed 35% cut to federal land management agencies, while divesting refers to public land sale proposals that were stripped from legislation but that Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chair Mike Lee has said he is not done pursuing.

How can public lands be developed responsibly without sacrificing conservation?

Land stresses that he is not anti-development, citing Theodore Roosevelt's principle of managing resources for the most people over the longest time. He points to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a compromise that balanced North Slope development with protection, to phased oil and gas development that cleans up as it goes and to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which directs offshore oil and gas royalties to conservation and access nationwide. Modern selective timber harvest and the Blackfoot Valley collaborative show that compromise is a path forward rather than a dirty word.

Sponsors

Thanks to TroutRoutes for sponsoring this episode. Use artfly20 to get 20% off of your TroutRoutes Pro membership.

Related Content

S8, Ep 66 - The Roadless Rule Debate: Chris Wood on Protecting America's Wild Spaces and What You Can Do

S7, Ep 105 - Changing the Narrative: Robbie Kroger's Mission with The Origins Foundation

S7, Ep 91 - The Chocklett Factory: I Have Been Everywhere, Man

S8, Ep 14 - Crafting Connections: Blane Chocklett on Fly Design and Conservation at Tie Fest

Connect with Our Guest

Follow Land on Instagram.

Follow American Hunters and Anglers Action Network on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

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Follow our Substack newsletter for episode updates, tips and resources.

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Helpful Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction

07:02 The Importance of Grassroots Activism

11:02 Empowering the Next Generation

15:32 Building a Broad Coalition

17:45 Utilizing Digital Tools for Community

26:08 The Role of American Hunters and Anglers Action Network

33:14 Addressing Current Environmental Threats

43:52 Responsible Resource Management

53:24 Call to Action for Listeners

Episode Overview

On this Casting Angles episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash and Mac Brown, fly casting instructor at Mac Brown Fly Fish in Bryson City, North Carolina, unpack the biggest light bulb moment from Mac's recent casting mastery workshop: casting arc and applied power are inseparable, and many loop problems blamed on "too much power" are really a mismatch between the two. It is a practical lesson for any angler who wants cleaner loops at varying distances, and it arrives just as Western North Carolina anglers face a delayed start to the fall delayed harvest trout season.

Mac explains why the same length of line can either unroll cleanly or turn into a tuck cast depending on how much force is applied across a given arc. He stresses reading the pace of the cast and shares a verbal cadence of "slow, slow, slow, fast" for timing the back cast. He also offers a quick yard drill that pairs a very slow stroke with a very narrow arc to show how easily minimal power overwhelms a short casting path. Marvin adds a power calibration drill built around rod noise and backing off until the loop collapses.

The second half turns to conditions and news. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is pushing delayed harvest stocking back a month to early November and stocking fewer fish after a brutally hot and dry summer, a hatchery renovation and heat-related fish kills. Mac celebrates Team USA's first-ever adult men's team and individual gold medals at the world championships in Idaho, led by Michael Bradley of Cherokee, and previews his four-day fall school. Cooler nights and fresh rain are finally dropping water temperatures on Southern Appalachian trout streams such as Deep Creek.

Key Takeaways

• How to diagnose a tuck cast by reading the pace of the cast rather than assuming the problem is simply too much power.
• Why casting arc and applied power must be matched, so that a narrow arc needs far less effort than most anglers expect.
• How to use a "slow, slow, slow, fast" verbal cadence to time the back cast and stop rushing the stroke.
• How to find the minimum power for a symmetrical loop by backing off until the loop collapses and then adding just a touch of force back.
• Why a low frequency whoosh from the rod is an audible sign you are overpowering the cast.
• When to expect Western North Carolina delayed harvest stocking this fall and why a hot summer and hatchery setbacks pushed it to early November.

Techniques & Gear Covered

The core technique is matching casting arc to applied force: Mac uses the traditional clock face framework, such as a stroke from 10 o'clock to midnight, to show how excess force on a given arc produces a tuck cast instead of a line that simply unrolls. Marvin frames arc length as the runway for acceleration, noting that a longer stroke lets you build speed gradually and that overpowering the final pinky pull on a short runway produces a tuck. Mac's yard drill pairs a very slow forward stroke with a very narrow arc to form a tight loop, then widens the arc until effort and path match for a perfectly straight cast. Marvin's complementary drill uses the low frequency whoosh of the rod as feedback, backing power off until the loop collapses and then adding a smidge to establish a symmetrical foundation. Together the two drills put the caster in charge of both variables: the effort and the length of the path.

Locations & Species

Fall trout fishing in Western North Carolina starts later than usual this year, with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission delaying delayed harvest trout stocking by a month to the beginning of November and planning to stock fewer fish. The delay follows a brutally hot and dry summer, the closure of the Pisgah hatchery for a major renovation in late 2025 and fish kills at the Armstrong hatchery, where hot water on Armstrong Creek was made worse by tree cover lost to Hurricane Helene. Conditions for Southern Appalachian trout are improving, with four straight nights in the mid-40s, a three-inch rain after roughly two months without a significant one and noticeably cooler water on streams like Deep Creek. Marvin also notes that the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has had plenty of water.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Why does my fly line tuck on the back cast even when I'm not using much power?

According to Mac Brown, arc and power are so interrelated that a tuck is often a mismatch between the two rather than simply too much power. With a very narrow arc, even minimal effort can be too much and turn the loop into a tuck. Widening the arc to match the effort you are applying produces a straight cast that simply unrolls.

How do you know how much power a fly cast needs?

Marvin Cash's drill is to keep backing off the power until the loop collapses, then add back just a smidge of force. That point is the foundation for a symmetrical cast. A low frequency whooshing sound from the rod is a reliable sign that you are using too much power.

How should you time the back cast?

Mac recommends saying "slow, slow, slow, fast" out loud as you make the back cast, which reflects how long the stroke should take. If the cast is already over by the time you reach the first "slow," you have applied too much force too early. Watching the pace of the cast is the quickest way to see whether timing is the problem.

When does delayed harvest trout stocking start in Western North Carolina this fall?

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is delaying delayed harvest stocking by a month, so it will not begin until the beginning of November, and fewer fish will be stocked. The delay stems from a brutally hot and dry summer, the renovation of the Pisgah hatchery and heat-related fish kills at the Armstrong hatchery. Marvin suggests using the extra time for casting practice and skill work on the water.

Related Content

S7, Ep 80 - Foundations of Fly Casting: Mastering Variability and Adaptability with Mac Brown

S7, Ep 76 - From Repetition to Retention: The Path to Mastery in Fly Casting

S8, Ep 7 - Casting Foundations and Fishing Frameworks: Insights with Mac Brown

S8, Ep 67 - Elevate Your Cast: Mac Brown's Expert Tips on Haul Timing and Line Speed

S7, Ep 85 - Navigating Delayed Harvest: Mac Brown's Insights on Fall Fishing Tactics

View All Casting Angles Episodes with Mac Brown

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Episode Overview

George Costa, manager of TCO Fly Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, returns to The Articulate Fly for another Central PA Fishing Report as the region shifts firmly into fall. Recent rain has pushed creeks across Central Pennsylvania's limestone country well above seasonal flows and off-color, but George reports everything is on the drop and should be fishable again this weekend, with cool water temperatures keeping trout active and comfortable. Fall hatch activity is picking up, with Isos (Isonychia), tan caddis and October caddis all showing well, and George notes a recent streamer bite that produced trout already colored up for fall. He and host Marvin Cash also flag a practical safety reminder: Pennsylvania's fall hunting seasons open October 1st, so anglers fishing shared public waters such as Spring Creek Canyon on state game lands should wear blaze orange. Away from the water, George runs down what's happening at TCO's shops heading into the off-season, including end-of-summer clearance pricing on Simms, Grundens and Patagonia gear, and a full slate of fall and winter fly tying and on-the-water classes across TCO's locations. Among the highlights is a class taught by Allen Rupp, Dave Whitlock's legacy tyer, covering streamer tying and the NearNuff Sculpin pattern. The conversation offers a quick, practical snapshot for anglers planning trips to Central Pennsylvania's limestone streams this fall: current conditions, what's hatching, where the fish are biting and how to gear up.

Key Takeaways

• How to time a trip to Central PA limestone streams safely as high, off-color fall water drops back into shape this week.
• Why fall streamer fishing is heating up as cooling water temperatures push trout to feed aggressively ahead of the spawn.
• What to watch for on the hatch front, including Isos, tan caddis and October caddis activity as Central Pennsylvania moves deeper into fall.
• Why anglers should wear blaze orange on Pennsylvania state game lands like Spring Creek Canyon once hunting season opens October 1st.

Techniques & Gear Covered

George highlights a developing fall streamer bite on Central Pennsylvania's limestone streams, with trout already showing fall coloration as water temperatures cool. He also flags active Iso, tan caddis and October caddis hatch activity worth matching as conditions stabilize after recent high water. On the gear side, TCO Fly Shop is running end-of-summer clearance pricing on Simms, Grundens and Patagonia. TCO's fall and winter class schedule includes a streamer tying session and a NearNuff Sculpin class taught by Allen Rupp, Dave Whitlock's legacy tyer, alongside additional fly tying and on-the-water instruction across TCO's locations.

Locations & Species

This report centers on Central Pennsylvania's limestone stream country in and around State College, including public water on state game lands such as Spring Creek Canyon. Recent rain pushed local creeks well above seasonal flows and off-color, though George reports levels are dropping and the fishery should be fishable again this weekend. Trout are the focus of this fishery, and cooling water temperatures combined with fall hatch activity (Isos, tan caddis and October caddis) are setting up favorable conditions heading into peak fall streamer season. Anglers should expect high, off-color flows to continue to clear absent additional rain.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Are Central Pennsylvania's limestone streams fishable right now?

Yes, but use caution. Recent rain pushed creeks well above seasonal flows and off-color, but George Costa reports water levels are dropping and the fishery should be fishable again this weekend heading into the following few weeks.

What fall hatches are active on Central PA streams right now?

George reports good numbers of Isos (Isonychia), tan caddis and October caddis beginning to show, all typical fall hatch activity for late September into early October in Central Pennsylvania.

Why is fall a good time for streamer fishing in Central PA?

As water temperatures cool, trout become more aggressive and begin coloring up ahead of the fall spawn. George reports a recent streamer bite already producing colored-up fish, with more good streamer water expected over the next few weeks.

Why should anglers wear orange on Pennsylvania state game lands this time of year?

Pennsylvania's fall hunting seasons, including deer and pheasant seasons, open October 1st. Anglers fishing shared public water such as Spring Creek Canyon should wear blaze orange to stay visible to hunters using the same game lands.

Where can anglers find fall and winter fly tying classes near State College, PA?

TCO Fly Shop runs a full schedule of tying and on-the-water classes at its State College shop, including a streamer class and a NearNuff Sculpin class taught by Allen Rupp, Dave Whitlock's legacy tyer. Full listings are at https://www.tcoflyfishing.com.

Related Content

S6, Ep 118 - Central PA Fall Fishing Report: George Costa's Tips and Tactics

S6, Ep 129 - TCO Fly Shop's George Costa Discusses Prime Fall Fishing Conditions

S7, Ep 49 - Rain, Hatches and Cicadas: A Central PA Fishing Update with George Costa

S7, Ep 70 - The Dog Days of Summer: Trico Tactics in Central PA with George Costa

View all Central Pennsylvania Fishing Reports with George Costa

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Episode Overview

In this episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash sits down with Michael Williams, owner and host of Nomadic Waters, to explain how anglers catch Amazon peacock bass on the fly and what makes a Brazilian jungle expedition work. Williams runs Orvis-endorsed trips on the Rio Negro, Rio da Lua and Rio Tatuagem, where guests chase Temensis and rare Vazzoleri peacock bass from Bass Tracker boats and floating cabins. It is a practical roadmap for trout and saltwater anglers weighing a first Amazon trip.

Williams traces his path from a shared fly rod with his sister and guiding in Colorado to humanitarian work in Brazil that grew into Nomadic Waters. He explains why an ambushing peacock bass demands a faster retrieve rather than a pause, how a partner-style doubles strategy lifted catch numbers 30 to 40 percent and why presentation and casting matter far more than fly choice. He also covers pacing yourself in equatorial heat, including the mandatory midday siesta that raised fish counts. Williams also explains how community partnerships and the nonprofit Parallel Resource reflect a philosophy of exploration without exploitation. Along the way, he addresses who thrives in the Amazon, from beginners to professional guides, and he explains why guests who arrive as self-declared experts are the hardest to help. For any angler asking who should book an Amazon trip and when to go, this conversation offers honest answers.

This re-broadcast of S7, Ep 2 (January 10, 2025) won First Place in the 2026 OWAA Excellence in Craft awards for Radio/Podcast Fishing.

Key Takeaways

• How to trigger a peacock bass strike by speeding up your fly as the fish charges out of structure instead of pausing the retrieve.
• How to raise your catch rate by fishing as partners so the second angler casts behind a hooked fish, a doubles strategy that lifted Nomadic Waters' numbers 30 to 40 percent.
• Why casting quality, presentation and a solid strip set matter far more than fly choice when a 12-pound peacock bass can shatter 40-pound leader on its first run.
• How to pace a hot equatorial fishing day by picking your shots and taking a midday siesta, a change that raised fish counts even with three fewer hours on the water.
• When to time an Amazon trip: the Rio Negro from mid-January through February (sometimes into March) as water falls, and the Rio da Lua and Rio Tatuagem from September through November.
• How to decide whether an Amazon expedition fits you, based on your appetite for exploration, your willingness to take coaching and your comfort with heat and long casting days.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Williams describes a boat-based, partner-style approach to peacock bass: casting to structure and lagoon edges from Bass Tracker boats on the larger rivers and john boats with casting platforms on the smaller ones, then speeding up the fly as a fish charges out of cover. Most eats come within about 20 feet of the rod tip, which lets anglers watch every strike and finish with a strip set. He stresses that peacock bass do not eat only big flies, that a 12-pound fish can shatter 40-pound leader on its first run and that a clean double haul and an efficient cast keep the rod rather than your shoulder doing the work. Nomadic Waters often targets schools of two-pound fish on day one, because they teach presentation, speed, depth and hook sets before anglers cast to larger fish. Gear mentions are light: six and seven weight rods with floating lines and ant or beetle patterns for matrinchã plus small spinning rods with bait for piranha off the back of the mothership.

Locations & Species

Nomadic Waters fishes three Brazilian Amazon rivers: the Rio Negro (a mothership with daily trips in Bass Trackers), the small, clear water Rio da Lua (float plane access and floating cabins) and the Rio Tatuagem (home to the rare Vazzoleri peacock bass). Target species are peacock bass, including 20-pound Temensis on the Rio da Lua, with piranha, red tail catfish and matrinchã as variety. A typical week on the Rio Negro puts about ten guests on roughly 1,200 landed fish. Seasonal timing follows the water, since the Rio Negro can rise or fall about 30 feet in a season: mid-January through February (sometimes into March) once levels start falling, September and October for the Rio da Lua and November for the Rio Tatuagem, with those two rivers resting about ten months of the year.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

How do you fish for peacock bass on the fly in the Amazon?

Cast to structure and lagoon edges where peacock bass ambush prey, and speed the fly up as a fish charges out of cover because stopping the retrieve makes it lose interest. Most eats happen within about 20 feet of the rod tip, so you see the strike and finish with a strip set. Nomadic Waters also fishes as partners: when one angler hooks a fish, the second casts behind it at the followers, and this doubles strategy raised catch numbers by 30 to 40 percent.

What skills do you need for an Amazon fly fishing trip?

Williams welcomes all experience levels, including beginners, and says the best guests are willing to explore, take direction and ask for help with things like a double haul. He ranks the cast and presentation far above the fly pattern, and he warns that a 12-pound peacock bass can shatter 40-pound leader on its first run. Anglers who want a sure thing are a weaker fit than those who enjoy discovery, and guests who arrive as self-described experts unwilling to take guidance are the hardest to help.

How do you handle the heat and physical demands of peacock bass fishing?

Pick your shots instead of casting at every fishy-looking spot, because tired anglers get sloppy, miss strikes and snag trees. Williams compares fly casting in the Amazon to a baseball pitcher's limited number of great pitches per game and teaches guests to let the rod do the work rather than the shoulder. Nomadic Waters schedules a mandatory midday siesta with lunch and air conditioning, then fishes the last couple of hours of light, and catch counts rose even though the fishing day is about three hours shorter.

When is the best time to fish the Amazon for peacock bass?

For Nomadic Waters, the Rio Negro season runs from mid-January through February and sometimes into March, timed for when the water has been falling for a couple of weeks and the fish have gone about three months without fishing pressure. The Rio da Lua fishes best in September and October and the Rio Tatuagem in November, and the season ends before Thanksgiving. Water level is the deciding factor, because the Rio Negro can change by about 30 feet in a season.

What does exploration without exploitation mean for a fishing operation in the Amazon?

Williams uses it as a core value filter for every decision, tied to Nomadic Waters' origins as a humanitarian group working with remote Amazon communities. A support vessel carries a medical clinic, a dental clinic and water filtration systems. Guests share community lunches with villages, and a separate nonprofit called Parallel Resource was created to support the work. He warns against well-meant help that does not last, citing a visiting group that placed braces on children in a village and never returned, so that the Nomadic Waters dentist later spent a day removing them from adults.

Related Content

S5, Ep 83 - A Fly Fishing Life with Jeff Currier

S6, Ep 132 - Fly Tying and Destination Travel with Tim Flagler

S5, Ep 111 - Gustavo Hiebaum of SET Fly Fishing

S8, Ep 20 - Behind the Scenes: Mark Melnyk's Adventure with The New Fly Fisher

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Helpful Episode Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction

0:06:10 The Guide Bug

0:14:19 Building Nomadic Waters

0:17:54 The Amazon Experience

0:28:46 Understanding Peacock Bass

0:34:58 Fishing Strategies Revealed

0:40:58 Unique Fishing Environments

0:51:44 Distinct Angling Experiences

0:59:36 Timing Your Trip

1:01:36 What Sets Us Apart

Episode Overview

On this Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash checks in with Captain Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides for an early fall conditions update as the smallmouth bite makes its seasonal shift from bugs to streamers. With surface temperatures dropping into the 60s ahead of an incoming rainy, cooler pattern, Shumaker explains why the region's smallmouth bass are moving off the shallow flats and staging in deeper pockets, and why the topwater bite has effectively shut down for now. The conversation centers on the tactical adjustments that come with this shoulder season transition: downsizing from a size 2 to a size 4 streamer, swapping an intermediate line for a floating line and nine-foot leader to slow the fly's descent, and building in a deliberate pause that triggers strikes. Shumaker also walks through proper streamer hook set mechanics, contrasting the trout set most anglers default to with the strip strike his smallmouth program demands, and explains how holding the rod at roughly a 45-degree angle off to the side keeps steady pressure on a hooked fish through the fight, which matters even more if barbless hooks are in play. Looking ahead, he outlines what an Indian summer warm-up could mean for a brief return of topwater action layered on top of an already dominant streamer bite.

Key Takeaways

• How to adjust streamer size and line choice as Pennsylvania smallmouth water temperatures drop into the fall shoulder season, downsizing to a size 4 streamer on a floating line and nine-foot leader for a slower presentation.
• Why building in deliberate pauses on the retrieve is critical to triggering strikes from bass that have shifted from a topwater bite to a slower, subsurface streamer bite.
• When to expect the smallmouth bite to shift decisively from topwater bugs to streamers as surface temperatures fall through the 60s and days shorten.
• How to execute a proper strip strike and why to hold the rod low and to the side at roughly a 45-degree angle to keep steady pressure on a hooked smallmouth through the fight.
• Why fishing barbless hooks requires maintaining constant line tension, since any slack lets a head shaking fish work the fly loose.
• When an Indian summer warm-up could bring bugs back into play alongside an already established streamer bite for the final weeks of the season.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Shumaker's fall program centers on downsizing streamers, dropping from a size 2 Clouser-style pattern to a size 4, fished on a floating line with a nine-foot leader instead of his usual intermediate setup to slow the fly's descent through the water column. The technique hinges on incorporating deliberate pauses into the retrieve. On the hook set, Shumaker teaches a strip strike with the rod held low, correcting anglers who default to a trout-style upward set that fails to bury the hook. Once a fish is on, he recommends fighting it with the rod at roughly a 45-degree angle off to the side rather than straight up, which keeps steady pressure on the fish and helps prevent it from throwing the hook, especially with barbless hooks that rely on tension rather than a barb to stay pinned. He also touches on a topwater approach for warmer stretches, working poppers slowly with a pop-and-dead-drift retrieve rather than constant motion.

Locations & Species

This Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report covers Captain Brian Shumaker's central Pennsylvania guide waters as they move through the early fall shoulder season. Surface temperatures have dropped into the 60s and are trending lower behind an incoming rainy, cooler weather pattern, pushing bass out of the shallows and into deeper pockets and slower moving water. The bug activity that defined the summer topwater bite has shut down with the falling temperatures, leaving streamers as the dominant presentation, though Shumaker notes that a stretch of Indian summer in the high 70s to low 80s could bring a brief return of topwater action.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

When does Pennsylvania smallmouth fishing shift from a topwater bite to a streamer bite in the fall?

The shift happens as surface water temperatures drop through the 70s into the 60s and the days grow noticeably shorter. Bug activity falls off as the weather cools, and smallmouth bass move out of the shallows into deeper pockets, making streamers the dominant and most productive presentation. A stretch of Indian summer with highs in the 70s or low 80s can bring a temporary return of topwater action alongside the streamer bite.

What streamer size and line setup works best for Pennsylvania smallmouth during the fall transition?

Downsizing is key: Shumaker moves from a size 2 to a size 4 Clouser-style streamer. Rather than his usual intermediate line, he fishes a floating line with a nine-foot leader, which produces a slower fly descent that better matches the fish's mood. Deliberate pauses on the retrieve, rather than a steady retrieve, are what typically draw the strike.

How do you properly set the hook on a smallmouth bass streamer strike?

Shumaker teaches a strip strike rather than the upward trout set many anglers default to, keeping the rod tip low through the hook set. He notes that trout-style sets fail to drive the hook home on a streamer eat, and that switching to a proper strip strike immediately improves hookup rates for anglers used to trout tactics.

What rod angle should you use after hooking a smallmouth on a streamer?

After the strip strike, Shumaker recommends bringing the rod to roughly a 45-degree angle off to the side rather than straight up, keeping it between high and low as the fight develops. This keeps steady pressure on the fish and lets the rod absorb the fight, reducing the chance the fish throws the hook, particularly when it jumps or turns toward the boat.

Why does fishing barbless hooks change how you fight a smallmouth bass?

With the barb pinched down, any slack in the line lets a head shaking fish work the fly loose, so Shumaker emphasizes keeping constant pressure on the fish throughout the fight rather than giving it any give. He pinches barbs both for angler safety and to reduce harm to the fish, but that choice makes disciplined rod angle and steady tension especially important for keeping fish buttoned up.

Related Content

S8, Ep 39 - High Water Strategies: Captain Brian Shumaker's Pennsylvania Smallmouth Insights

S8, Ep 34 - Frog Patterns and Fishing Strategies: Brian Shumaker's Late Spring Smallmouth Report

S8, Ep 31 - Chasing Smallmouth: Brian Shumaker's Adaptations for Unpredictable Spring Weather

S8, Ep 27 - The Pre-Spawn Puzzle: Captain Brian Shumaker's Tips for Pennsylvania Smallmouth

View all Pennsylvania Smallmouth Reports with Brian Shumaker

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Episode Overview

On this Southwest Virginia Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash checks in with guide Matt Reilly of Matt Reilly Fly Fishing for a late summer update on the New River system. After weeks of stable weather, low water and daytime highs in the mid-80s to 90s have kept conditions consistent, though Reilly notes this year's annual cicada hatch has behaved differently than usual, peaking early and sporadically rather than settling into the typical seasonal pattern.

Reilly explains that smallmouth bass are already showing the classic fall pattern of podding up into large schools, a shift that normally shows up later in September but appears to be arriving early this year. He walks through how to approach a pod of schooled-up bass methodically, since dense concentrations of fish create pockets of empty water elsewhere on the river, along with the double-edged nature of that competition: podded up fish can be more aggressive toward a fly, but spooking one can shut down an entire pod at once.

Key Takeaways

• How to approach a school of podded up smallmouth bass methodically, since dense pods leave stretches of otherwise good habitat empty of fish.
• Why competition within a schooled group of bass can make fish more aggressive toward a fly, while also raising the risk that spooking one fish shuts down the entire pod.
• When to expect New River smallmouth to shift into fall schooling behavior.
• Why an inconsistent cicada hatch reduces how tightly smallmouth key on bank-oriented bug lies, pushing more fish toward mid-river holding water instead.
• When to plan a Southwest Virginia musky trip, since the season starts from early-to-mid November and runs into February on the New River system.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Reilly describes sight fishing low, clear New River water for smallmouth bass keyed on terrestrial activity, using a patient, methodical approach to cover water and locate schooled-up fish rather than blind casting likely spots. He details how a pod of bass concentrated around structure like a submerged log can produce competitive feeding, where fish race each other to a fly, but also how the same concentration means a single spooked fish can put the whole group down.

Locations & Species

The report centers on the New River system in Southwest Virginia, where low, warm late summer flows and consistent sunny weather have shaped both bug fishing for smallmouth bass and the approach to schooled-up fish. Smallmouth bass are the primary target discussed, with musky emerging as the seasonal focus starting in November. Reilly frames the current window as a seasonal hinge point, where the first hard frost or a tropical system moving through between early September and October could reshape both water levels and the terrestrial bite.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

How is the cicada hatch behaving differently on the New River this year?

Reilly describes this year's annual cicada emergence as weaker and earlier than typical, with the main foraging event peaking two to three weeks ahead of the typical seasonal window. Since that early spike, cicada activity along the river has been inconsistent, giving this season's bug fishing a different rhythm than prior years even though overall fishing has remained good.

Why are Southwest Virginia smallmouth bass podded up into schools earlier than usual?

Reilly attributes the early schooling behavior to a combination of low water and the natural shortening of days. Fish that normally hold in consistent individual summer spots are already grouping into pods of several to more than a dozen bass, a pattern he typically doesn't see until a little later in the season.

How should anglers approach a pod of schooled-up smallmouth bass?

Reilly recommends staying patient and methodical, since a large concentration of fish in one spot means there will be stretches of otherwise good looking water with no fish present. He also cautions that competition among schooled bass can make them more likely to strike, but that spooking a single fish in a tightly packed group can put the entire pod down at once.

When does musky season start on the New River, and how far out is Reilly already booking?

Reilly expects to shift his focus fully to musky fishing by early-to-mid November, with the season running through February. As of this recording, he is already booked through roughly November 9th, underscoring how far in advance anglers should plan a musky trip.

What could disrupt the current stable fishing pattern before fall fully sets in?

Reilly points to two wildcards: a hurricane or tropical system passing through between early September and October that could dramatically change water levels, and the first hard frost, which effectively ends the terrestrial-driven bug bite and signals the true seasonal turn toward musky fishing.

Related Content

S8, Ep 61 - Smallmouth Chronicles: Matt Reilly's Secrets to Success in SW Virginia

S8, Ep 63 - Seasonal Shifts: Brian Shumaker's Smallmouth Strategies for Late Summer

S8, Ep 64 - Streamer Strategies: Ellis Ward's Late Day Fishing Tips for East Tennessee

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Episode Overview

How do you time a haul so it actually adds line speed instead of working against your cast? On this Casting Angles installment of The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash and Master Casting Instructor Mac Brown of Mac Brown Fly Fish in Bryson City, North Carolina, break down the single biggest mistake anglers make when hauling: starting the pull too early. Recorded during the late summer trout doldrums, before delayed harvest waters reopen in early October, the conversation is built around a practical off-season drill list rather than an on-the-water report. Mac explains how nearly all hauling problems trace back to timing, pointing to Western Carolina University research he participated in that measured line speed jumping from roughly 78 mph to 264 mph at 30 feet once the haul was properly timed. He walks through the pre-haul rotation, the three-point grip and the late pinky pull that generate tip speed before the haul is even added, using a frisbee throw analogy to describe the wrist extension timing anglers need to feel. Mac and Marvin also cover two low tech practice tools, pantomiming the stroke and using a rubber band looped around both index fingers, that let anglers rehearse haul timing without a rod, line or water at all.

Key Takeaways

• How to identify the single most common haul timing mistake: pulling too early, before the rod has finished its late rotation.
• Why feeling real tension in the line hand during the haul is the clearest sign the timing is correct.
• How to use a late pinky pull within a three-point grip to generate line speed before the haul is even added.
• Why a rubber band looped around both index fingers is an effective at-home drill for internalizing haul timing.
• When to prioritize haul timing practice: during the late summer trout doldrums before delayed harvest season opens.
• How pantomiming the casting stroke without a line, rod or water builds the muscle memory that carries over to the real thing.

Techniques & Gear Covered

The conversation centers on haul timing rather than a specific fly pattern or rig, walking through the mechanics of the pre-haul rotation: a late pinky pull within Mac's three-point grip that produces most of the tip speed before the line hand ever adds a haul. Mac frames the correct hauling moment using a keyboard key analogy, a series of backslashes building tension, then a single forward slash as the release, and a frisbee throwing comparison to describe the wrist extension timing that governs both vertical and horizontal casts. He also references controlled line speed testing conducted at Western Carolina University that quantified the difference a properly timed haul makes at 30 feet of line. For gear-free practice, Mac recommends pantomiming the stroke and using a simple rubber band around both index fingers to rehearse the keep-hands-together-then-explode-apart timing that a haul requires.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

Why do most anglers haul too early, and what causes it?

Mac Brown estimates that roughly 95 percent of anglers begin the pull before the rod has finished its rotation, a leftover habit from throwing sports where more effort is applied earlier rather than later. He says the haul needs to come "late, late, late," timed to the pre-haul rotation, a late pinky pull within a three-point grip, so the pull adds to speed the rod tip has already generated rather than fighting against it.

How can an angler tell if their haul timing is correct?

Marvin offers a kinesthetic cue that Mac confirms: if you don't feel real tension in the line hand while hauling, you're hauling too soon. Done correctly, the pull should feel like it is adding noticeable resistance late in the stroke rather than an easy tug at the start.

What practice drills can build haul timing without a rod or line?

Mac recommends two off-water drills. The first is pantomiming the full casting stroke, including the elbow drop that starts the rotation, in an armchair with just the rod butt, something anglers can do while watching football in the fall. The second is looping a rubber band around both index fingers to physically feel the keep-hands-together-then-separate-explosively timing that a properly timed haul requires.

How much line speed does a properly timed haul actually add?

Citing testing from Western Carolina University, Mac notes that without any haul, line speed at 30 feet measured around 78 miles per hour; with a properly timed haul, that number jumped to roughly 264 miles per hour. He points to that gap as the first place anglers should look when they are struggling with wind or distance, particularly in saltwater.

When is the best time of year to work on haul timing?

Mac and Marvin identify the late summer trout doldrums, the stretch before delayed harvest waters reopen in early October, as an ideal window for this kind of practice. With trout fishing slow, anglers can use evening hours to work on hauling in the yard or a park rather than on the water.

Related Content

S8, Ep 65 - Mastering the Roll Cast: Mac Brown's Essential Techniques for Challenging Waters

S8, Ep 49 - Mastering the Cast: Mac Brown's Insights on Shooting Line

S8, Ep 45 - Casting Fundamentals: Mac Brown on the Art of the Reach Mend

S8, Ep 7 - Casting Foundations and Fishing Frameworks: Insights with Mac Brown

S8, Ep 60 - The Bare Necessities: Mac Brown's Guide to Minimalist Fly Fishing Gear

View All Casting Angles Episodes with Mac Brown

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Episode Overview

On this episode of The Articulate Fly, Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood returns to discuss the fight to save the Roadless Rule, the 25-year-old policy now facing a full rescission by the U.S. Forest Service. With a public comment period closing September 21st, host Marvin Cash and Chris cover why this fight matters well beyond hunters and anglers. Chris, who helped write the original 2001 Roadless Rule as a Forest Service policy staffer under Chief Mike Dombeck, walks through its origins, the parallel legislative attack led by Senator Mike Lee and why the rescission would open 44 million acres of backcountry to new road construction. The conversation ranges from Idaho and Utah's grazing and oil and gas leasing inside roadless areas to the outsized role these lands play as cold, clean water sources for the Tongass National Forest, Colorado's greenback cutthroat trout habitat and Idaho's bull trout and Chinook and steelhead runs. Chris also details recent Trout Unlimited conservation wins, including record coho returns from the North Coast Coho Project and a deal to acquire four dams on Maine's Kennebec River to open habitat for Atlantic salmon. The episode closes with concrete advice on how anglers can make their voices heard before the comment deadline.

Key Takeaways

• Why the Roadless Rule's rescission would strip protections from 44 million acres of backcountry that provide the coldest, cleanest water for downstream trout and salmon fisheries.
• How to submit an effective public comment before the September 21st deadline, including personalizing it with a specific roadless area or species that matters to you.
• Why the "de facto wilderness" argument against roadless areas doesn't hold up, since these lands already permit off-road vehicle use, grazing, oil and gas leasing and mining.
• When a more deliberate, iterative rulemaking process (like the state-specific rules Idaho and Colorado developed under the Bush administration) makes more sense than a blanket rescission.
• Why building a broader coalition beyond traditional hunters and anglers is becoming essential to winning public lands fights in the current political environment.

Locations & Species

The episode centers on the 58.5 million acres of national forest backcountry protected by the 2001 Roadless Rule, with particular attention to Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Alaska's Tongass National Forest. These roadless areas supply drinking water for more than 40 million Americans and serve as critical, contiguous habitat: 70% of Colorado's greenback cutthroat trout, 68% of Idaho's bull trout and 70-75% of the Tongass' and Idaho's Pacific salmon and steelhead populations depend on habitat found within roadless areas.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What is the Roadless Rule, and why is it being challenged right now?

The 2001 Roadless Rule bars new road construction across 58.5 million acres of national forest. On August 18th, the U.S. Forest Service proposed rescinding it entirely, with a public comment period ending September 21st. A parallel legislative effort led by Senator Mike Lee also seeks to eliminate the rule and bar any future administration from reinstating it.

Why do roadless areas matter for trout and salmon fishing specifically?

Roadless areas are the source of the coldest, cleanest water for the larger rivers downstream that support wild trout and salmon. They protect outsized shares of at-risk populations, including most of Colorado's greenback cutthroat trout, Idaho's bull trout and the Tongass National Forest's Pacific salmon and steelhead runs.

Isn't a roadless area basically the same as a designated wilderness area?

No. Unlike wilderness, roadless areas already permit off-road vehicle use (33% of all motorized trails in the 12 Western states are in roadless areas), oil and gas leasing, grazing and mining, so the argument that they're "de facto wilderness" locked away from any use doesn't hold up.

How can anglers make their comments count before the September 21st deadline?

Personalizing a comment with a specific roadless area, species or memory that matters to you is more effective than a generic form submission. Comments can be submitted through Trout Unlimited, and the goal is to exceed the 1.6 million comments the original rule drew 25 years ago.

What happens if the rescission goes through anyway?

Advocates expect the rescission to face extensive litigation. Continued advocacy and public pressure are seen as important groundwork for reversing the rescission under a future administration if needed.

Submit Your Comment Before the Deadline

Sponsors

Thanks to TroutRoutes for sponsoring this episode. Use ARTFLY20 to get 20% off of your TroutRoutes Pro membership.

Related Content

S2, Ep 40 - Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited

S7, Ep 98 - The Fight for Our Future: Land Tawney on Grassroots Advocacy and Public Lands

S7, Ep 105 - Changing the Narrative: Robbie Kroger's Mission with The Origins Foundation

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Helpful Episode Chapters

0:00 Introduction

3:56 Why the Rule Matters

10:38 How It All Started

18:18 Roadless Areas Aren’t Wilderness

25:26 Habitat Benefits for All

32:41 The Agency’s Staffing Crisis

39:25 Why Nuance Got Lost

43:01 Broadening Conservation Messaging

45:34 How to Take Action

51:20 TU’s On-the-Ground Wins

Episode Overview

How do you build a roll cast good enough to effectively fish tight, brush-choked mountain streams where there's no room for a backcast at all? On this Casting Angles installment of The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash and Master Casting Instructor Mac Brown of Mac Brown Fly Fish in Bryson City, North Carolina, break down what actually separates a "world class" roll cast from one anglers only think is dialed in. Mac frames the roll cast as the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free tool for the tight, overgrown trout streams typical of the Appalachians and mid-Atlantic, where casters rarely have the 15 to 20 feet of clearance needed for a conventional backcast. The conversation works through the mechanics of the shallow D loop, the critical role of a properly matched double taper fly line over a weight forward, and the anchor placement drills anglers can run in the late summer off-season before trout fishing picks back up. Mac also covers how to reposition the D loop to neutralize wind and why timing tightens up considerably when casting upstream and downstream on moving water. Whether an angler works small freestone streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or any other tight, overgrown trout water, the episode offers a practical framework for turning a serviceable roll cast into a genuinely reliable one.

Key Takeaways

• How to build a genuinely long roll cast by prioritizing precise anchor placement before adding power, since consistent anchor placement handles roughly 90 percent of the battle once the cast becomes dynamic.
• Why a double taper fly line, not a weight forward, is the right gear choice for roll casting, since a weight forward's short head leaves too much thin running line at the rod tip to load the cast properly.
• How to throw a shallow D loop that occupies only 3 to 4 feet of space behind the caster, making it possible to fish brush-choked mountain streams with no conventional backcast room.
• When to set the D loop on the downwind side of the rod to turn wind from a safety and casting problem into a non-issue.
• Why timing becomes more critical on upstream and downstream roll casts, since moving water pulls the D loop away from its initial placement.
• How to use late summer off-season evenings to practice anchor placement in knee-deep water before trout season demands the skill on the water.

Techniques & Gear Covered

The episode centers on roll cast mechanics, starting with the shallow D loop: a compact, low-power pickup that occupies only 3 to 4 feet of space behind the caster rather than a full V loop, making it usable in the tight streamside brush typical of southern Appalachian trout water. Mac ties gear directly to technique, explaining why a double taper line outperforms a weight forward for roll casting, since the mass needed to load the cast sits near the rod tip rather than in a short head backed by thin running line. The conversation also covers anchor placement as a stand-alone practice skill, with Mac recommending anglers wade in knee-deep water and repeatedly set the line so the anchor lands close to a rod length away, refining accuracy independent of live fishing pressure. Additional technique notes include adjusting D loop size and forward loop size for distance and control, positioning the D loop on the downwind side of the rod for safer, easier wind management, and the added timing demands of roll casting upstream and downstream where current pulls the D loop after its initial placement.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What is a shallow D loop and why does it matter for trout streams?

A shallow D loop is a compact roll cast that energizes the line but backs off power quickly enough to occupy only 3 to 4 feet of space behind the caster, rather than a full V loop that might need 20 feet or more. It matters because tight, brush-lined Park and Appalachian streams rarely offer enough clearance for a conventional backcast, making the shallow D loop the tool that keeps anglers fishing productively in that water.

Why does fly line taper matter so much for a long roll cast?

A double taper line carries its mass in the belly of the line near the rod tip, which is the portion doing the work in a roll cast. A weight forward line, by contrast, has a short head followed by thin running line, so attempting a long roll cast with a weight forward often fails because there isn't enough mass positioned where it's needed to load the rod.

How should anglers handle wind when roll casting?

Mac recommends setting up the D loop on the downwind side of the rod as a simple, repeatable adjustment. This keeps the line moving away from the body rather than into it, turning wind from a safety concern and casting obstacle into a non-issue without requiring any additional technique changes.

When is the best time to practice roll cast placement?

Late summer, when water temperatures are too warm for productive trout fishing across the Southeast, is an ideal window to practice. Mac suggests wading in knee-deep water and repeatedly practicing where the anchor lands, aiming for a placement close to a rod length away, so that accuracy is dialed in before the cast needs to perform under real fishing pressure.

Why does timing become more critical on upstream and downstream roll casts?

When casting upstream or downstream rather than across the current, moving water actively pulls the D loop away from its initial placement. That added variable means anglers need tighter timing between forming the D loop and executing the forward stroke than they would casting across slower or stiller water.

Related Content

S8, Ep 49 - Mastering the Cast: Mac Brown's Insights on Shooting Line

S8, Ep 60 - The Bare Necessities: Mac Brown's Guide to Minimalist Fly Fishing Gear

S8, Ep 57 - The Power of Habit: Mac Brown's Strategies for Fishing Success

S7, Ep 20 - Practice Makes Perfect: Mac Brown on Mastering Casting Techniques

View All Casting Angles Episodes with Mac Brown

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Episode Overview

How should anglers pick streamer color when the light drops out on an East Tennessee tailwater? On this East Tennessee Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash checks in with guide Ellis Ward for a conditions update on the Watauga River and the South Holston River after an unusually wet stretch pulled the region out of a prolonged post-Helene drought. Ellis walks through how the sudden swing from months of low water to near-constant rain has scrambled the normal dam release schedule, turning a predictable one-to-six-o'clock Watauga generation window into something closer to ten-to-six or noon-to-nine depending on the day, while the South Holston has only recently returned to regular releases after the TVA system spent the better part of a year recovering from drought. That inconsistency has made dry fly fishing unpredictable, so Ellis has leaned harder into dirty water streamer fishing, night fishing and mousing to keep clients on fish. The back half of the episode tackles a listener question on late-day streamer selection: Ellis explains that a fly's color has almost nothing to do with how a trout perceives it in low light or off-color water, since a backlit fly reads only as a silhouette regardless of hue. Instead, he breaks down why opacity and water-column position, not color, drive strikes when the sun drops or the water turns dirty, using a four-inch Drunk and Disorderly as his low light standard.

Key Takeaways

• How to read Watauga and South Holston release schedules when heavy rain pushes actual generation windows well beyond their posted baseline times.
• Why a streamer's color becomes irrelevant to trout in backlit or off-color water, since profile and opacity determine what the fish actually sees from below.
• When to switch to a bigger, opaque streamer fished higher in the water column for low light or dirty water strikes.
• How positioning a streamer near the surface exploits the same predatory "kill shot" instinct anglers see when a big trout follows a fly up before committing.

Techniques & Gear Covered

Ellis breaks down a practical framework for low light and off-color water streamer fishing: when light is reduced by cloud cover, a low sun angle or dirty water, color stops mattering because a backlit fly is seen only in silhouette, so the two variables that matter are opacity (how fully the fly blocks light) and where it sits in the water column. He favors densely packed materials such as deer hair or craft fur over sparsely tied bucktail for maximum light-blocking, contrasting a sparse bucktail fly with a Craft Fur Changer to illustrate how much more effectively the denser material blocks light once it's wet and compressed. He fishes that fly higher in the water column so a predatory trout gets a clean, unobstructed shot at it rather than having to hunt it out of deeper, murkier water. His go-to for these conditions is a four-inch Drunk and Disorderly, fished in white, yellow or tan with some flash since color reads as irrelevant to the fish in these conditions.

Locations & Species

This report covers the Watauga River and the South Holston River tailwaters in East Tennessee, both part of the TVA's 32-dam reservoir and tailwater system. The primary target species is brown trout, with the discussion centered on dry fly fishing during stable release windows and streamer fishing when water runs high or dirty. Seasonally, the region is climbing out of a prolonged drought that followed Hurricane Helene, with persistent heavy rainfall now producing extended and inconsistent dam releases, flash flooding on Watauga tributaries and a tradeoff between stained water (better streamer fishing) and clearer water (better dry fly fishing).

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What color streamer should I fish in low light conditions?

Color is largely irrelevant once light is reduced by clouds, a low sun angle or dirty water, because a fly viewed from below against a backlit sky reads only as a silhouette. Instead, focus on opacity (how completely the fly blocks light) and fish it higher in the water column where a trout can see and commit to it more easily.

Why doesn't fly color matter to trout in dirty or backlit water?

When an object is backlit or viewed through off-color water, black, white and every color in between look essentially the same dark shape, since there isn't enough light transmission for the fish to distinguish hue. What a trout actually keys on in these conditions is the fly's profile and how much light it blocks, not its color.

How should I position my streamer in the water column during low light or stained water conditions?

Fish it higher in the water column rather than dredging it deep, since a trout has an easier time targeting prey it can silhouette against the surface than something buried in dark, off-color water. This also mimics how predatory fish naturally corral baitfish toward the surface for an easier, more effective strike.

How have this season's dam release schedules on the Watauga and the South Holston been affected by heavy rain?

After a long post-Helene drought, persistent heavy rainfall has pushed the Watauga well beyond its normal generation window, turning its typical one-to-six-o'clock release into stretches closer to ten-to-six or noon-to-nine depending on the day. The South Holston only resumed regular releases in the past couple of weeks after the broader TVA system spent months recovering from low water, making dry fly fishing inconsistent this summer.

Related Content

S8, Ep 50 - Navigating Summer Waters: Ellis Ward on Trout, Musky and the Art of the Evening Bite

S8, Ep 37 - Big Water, Big Fish: Ellis Ward's Strategies for Streamer Fishing Success

S7, Ep 45 - Navigating the Waters: Streamers and Strategies in East Tennessee with Ellis Ward

S6, Ep 128 - Catch Big Fish: Ellis Ward's Insider Tips for East Tennessee Anglers

View all East Tennessee Fishing Report episodes with Ellis Ward

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Episode Overview

Captain Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides returns to The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast for another Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report, breaking down how a fresh round of heavy late summer rain has muddied the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers and reshaped smallmouth positioning heading into Labor Day. Shumaker explains how localized thunderstorm tracks determine which branch of the Susquehanna blows out and which stays clean, meaning anglers who understand the West Branch/North Branch dynamic on the Susquehanna and the Juniata Valley's own storm patterns can often salvage half a river rather than write off an entire day. He details a mud line strategy for fishing the boundary between clear and discolored water and lays out when to stick with "bug" patterns tight to clear banks versus when to switch to intermediate lines and streamers in colors like black-and-purple or chartreuse-and-orange once water clarity drops off. As rising but still fishable flows push Susquehanna smallmouth tighter onto mid-river structure such as grass beds, islands and rock ledges, Shumaker also covers how those fish use discolored water the same way they use shade or cover, sitting in the murk to ambush prey. On the seasonal side, he notes that a lack of an early hard frost could extend the region's topwater bite into the back half of September.

Key Takeaways

• How to read localized thunderstorm tracks to figure out which branch of the Susquehanna will blow out and which stays fishable
• Why smallmouth bass hold in muddy or discolored water as an ambush point the same way they use shade or grass cover
• When to switch from "bug" fishing tight to clear banks over to streamer fishing once you move more than about five feet into discolored water
• How rising but still fishable Susquehanna flows push smallmouth bass tighter onto mid-river structure like grass beds, islands and rock ledges
• Why the lack of an early hard frost can extend Pennsylvania's topwater bite into late September
• How to pick streamer colors like black-and-purple or chartreuse-and-orange with intermediate lines for muddy high water smallmouth fishing

Techniques & Gear Covered

Shumaker walks through a mud line approach that targets the seam between clear and discolored water where smallmouth bass concentrate during high flows alongside a two-track presentation strategy that pairs "bug" patterns fished tight to clear banks with streamer fishing once anglers move into muddier water. For the streamer side, he favors intermediate lines paired with baitfish-style patterns in black-and-purple or chartreuse-and-orange color combinations chosen for visibility in reduced-clarity conditions. He also touches on the difference between fishing wide island-studded water like the Susquehanna, where rising flows push bass onto mid-river grass beds, islands and rock ledges rather than tight to the bank, and smaller water where high flows more directly push fish toward bank structure.

Locations & Species

The report centers on the Susquehanna River, where the confluence of the West Branch and the North Branch determines which side of the river runs clean after localized storms, along with the Juniata River and its own Juniata Valley watershed. Target species is smallmouth bass, with Shumaker describing how rising but still fishable flows concentrate fish tighter onto mid-river grass beds, islands and rock ledges rather than spreading them out as they would be in normal lower water. Seasonally, the report is set in late summer heading into Labor Day, with Shumaker noting that, barring an early hard frost, the topwater bite could last into the back half of September.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

How does thunderstorm track affect fishing conditions on the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers?

Shumaker explains that because the Susquehanna is fed by a West Branch and a North Branch, storms tracking from the west without moving north will muddy the West Branch and roughly half the river while the North Branch-fed side stays clear. A similar pattern plays out on the Juniata and the two systems meet near Duncannon, so anglers can often find fishable water somewhere even after heavy rain.

Why do smallmouth bass hold in muddy or discolored water during high flows?

Shumaker notes that bass treat discolored water the same way they treat shade or grass cover using it as an ambush point where they can sit unseen and dart out to grab prey that swims by even though the fish cannot see the same distance in dirty water that they could in clear conditions.

When should anglers switch from "bug" fishing to streamers in high water?

According to Shumaker, visibility along the banks typically holds for about one to five feet before the water turns too dirty, so anglers can still fish bug patterns tight to the bank and in the shade. Once they move beyond that clear margin into discolored water, he recommends switching to intermediate lines and streamers since fish cannot see a surface bug's silhouette well in reduced clarity.

How does rising water change where Susquehanna smallmouth position themselves?

Shumaker explains that on a wide river system like the Susquehanna, rising but still fishable flows push smallmouth bass tighter onto mid-river structure such as grass beds, islands and rock ledges.

Why might a late hard frost extend Pennsylvania's smallmouth topwater activity into late September and beyond?

Shumaker says that, without an early hard frost, the region's damsel activity and flying ant hatch, both of which are already good in the July-through-August window, could keep producing solid topwater opportunities into the second half of September rather than tapering off as usual.

Related Content

S8, Ep 59 - Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report: Captain Brian Shumaker's Late Summer Strategies

S8, Ep 56 - Topwater Tactics: Captain Brian Shumaker's Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report

S8, Ep 52 - Hot Days and Night Bites: Brian Shumaker's Guide to Pennsylvania Smallmouth Fishing

S8, Ep 43 - Smallmouth Strategies and Seasonal Shifts: Captain Brian Shumaker's Pennsylvania Report

View all Pennsylvania Smallmouth Reports with Brian Shumaker

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Episode Overview

On this Central PA Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cashchecks in with George Costa of TCO Fly Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, for a late summer conditions update. Water levels across the region are running well above the usual late summer norm thanks to a wet summer, keeping trout streams fishable throughout the day even as afternoon action remains the slowest window. Costa reports Tricos are still bringing fish up in the mornings, while evening hatches of caddis, olives and the season's first Isonychias round out the dry fly picture. With water levels up, terrestrials such as beetles, ants and crickets are the top producers, fished on a dry-dropper rig with small nymphs like zebra midges, perdigons and Greenie Weenies below. Streamer fishing has also been productive during low-light morning and evening windows. Costa notes that trout fishing is in unusually good shape for this time of year, avoiding the typical low, hot and stressful late summer conditions. Beyond the trout report, Costa shares that the smallmouth bite has been strong on the high water, particularly around the Juniata River, with anglers finding good topwater action by working the banks. He also previews TCO's transition into fall and winter, including new product arriving, seasonal sales and a full slate of fall and winter classes coming to the shop's website in the coming weeks.

Key Takeaways

• How to target Central PA trout during high, late summer flows by fishing dry-dropper rigs with terrestrials on top and small nymphs underneath
• When to fish for the best dry fly action, focusing on morning Trico windows and evening caddis and Isonychia hatches
• Why streamer fishing is producing right now when fished during low-light morning and evening hours rather than midday
• How to find smallmouth bass action on the Juniata River by working the banks with topwater flies during elevated flows

Techniques & Gear Covered

Costa's go-to approach for elevated, late summer flows is a dry-dropper rig, pairing terrestrial patterns like beetles, ants and crickets on top with small nymphs such as zebra midges, perdigons and Greenie Weenies below. Dry fly anglers can also find morning Trico action on Penns Creek and the Little Juniata, along with evening hatches of caddis, olives and early-season Isonychias. For anglers willing to fish low light, streamers are producing a decent bite in the early morning and evening hours. On the smallmouth side, Costa points anglers toward topwater flies worked tight to the bank on the Juniata River, where elevated flows haven't slowed the bite.

Locations & Species

This report centers on Central Pennsylvania's trout waters, including Penns Creek and the Little Juniata, which are running high and cool after a wet summer, keeping fishing viable through the middle of the day despite a typical afternoon lull. Wild and stocked trout remain the primary target, with morning Trico and evening caddis, olive and Isonychia hatches providing consistent dry fly opportunities. Costa also highlights a strong secondary smallmouth bass fishery on the high water of the Juniata River, where anglers working the banks are finding good topwater action despite the elevated flows.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

What are current water conditions on Central PA trout streams in late summer?

Water levels are running well above the typical late summer norm thanks to a wet summer, and temperatures have stayed relatively stable without the usual late summer spikes. Costa still recommends checking stream temperatures in the afternoons, but overall conditions have allowed for fishing throughout the day.

When is the best time of day to fish Central PA streams right now?

Mornings and evenings are producing the most consistent action, with Tricos bringing fish up early and caddis, olives and Isonychias showing in the evening. Afternoons remain the slowest window, so Costa recommends sticking to the low light hours.

What flies should anglers use for late summer trout in Central PA?

Costa recommends a dry-dropper rig with terrestrials like beetles, ants and crickets on top, paired with small nymphs such as zebra midges, perdigons and Greenie Weenies underneath. Streamers are also working when fished during low light morning and evening periods.

How is the smallmouth bite on the Juniata River right now?

The smallmouth bite has been great despite elevated flows, with anglers working the banks and finding solid topwater action. Costa expects the bite to keep improving as water levels drop.

Related Content

S8, Ep 58 - Central PA Fishing Report: George Costa's Summer Strategies for Success

S8, Ep 59 - Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report: Captain Brian Shumaker's Late Summer Strategies

S7, Ep 70 - The Dog Days of Summer: Trico Tactics in Central PA with George Costa

S8, Ep 61 - Smallmouth Chronicles: Matt Reilly's Secrets to Success in SW Virginia

View all Central Pennsylvania Fishing Reports with George Costa

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Episode Overview

What happens to a Southwest Virginia smallmouth fishery when storm after storm rolls through a watershed for weeks on end? On this Southwest Virginia Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash checks in with guide and writer Matt Reilly of Matt Reilly Fly Fishing for a late-summer update on a region caught in a relentless rain pattern, with flash floods dumping 6 to 7 inches of rain in an hour on parts of the watershed while the New River holds up comparatively well thanks to its lake-fed flows. Reilly breaks down how he reads clarity river by river and tributary by tributary rather than trusting a single gauge, and why the New River's roughly 95 percent lake-water makeup gives him options even when stream flow numbers spike. The conversation moves into an unusual bright spot for the fishery: several years of strong smallmouth recruitment have produced an abundance of 0 to 3 year old fish in the 11 to 12 inch range, but a noticeable gap in the 12 to 15 inch numbers class, meaning bigger streamers and bugs are drawing pecks from undersized fish rather than solid hookups on true numbers fish. Reilly and Cash also look ahead to the seasonal transition bearing down on the region, with smallmouth season winding down over the next month to six weeks, musky bookings already filling for November and December and striper season deposits coming in for the spring run. It is a practical, conditions-first snapshot for anglers planning a Southwest Virginia trip around shifting water and a fishery in transition.

Key Takeaways

• How to read water clarity on a tributary-by-tributary basis rather than trusting a single regional gauge when a watershed is hit by scattered storms
• Why the New River's largely lake-fed flow gives anglers a clarity advantage over tributary-driven systems even when overall stream flow spikes
• Why an unusually strong multi-year smallmouth spawn has created a numbers gap, with plenty of small fish but fewer 12 to 15 inch bass than normal
• When to expect the seasonal shift from smallmouth to musky in Southwest Virginia
• Why booking musky, striper and smallmouth trips well in advance matters as Reilly's calendar fills a year or more out

Techniques & Gear Covered

Reilly's late-summer program currently leans on moving-water tactics suited to diminished clarity and elevated flows, including streamer fishing and aggressive topwater presentations on cloudy, rainy days. He notes that with the current numbers-class gap, fishing bigger streamers and bugs sized for mature smallmouth is producing more short pecks from undersized fish than solid hookups. On the highest-water days, Reilly will fish well past the flow range most anglers consider viable, targeting mid-river slack water and bank structure where fish concentrate once flows push two to three times normal CFS.

Locations & Species

The report centers on the New River in Southwest Virginia, where smallmouth bass are the primary late-summer target and the New's largely lake-fed flow gives the system a clarity edge over tributary-driven waters even during heavy rain events. Conditions have been shaped by a stretch of intense, localized storms moving through the Johnson City to Wytheville corridor, producing everything from blown-out tributary water to sections holding good clarity on the same day. Reilly also flags the upcoming seasonal shift, with musky fishing picking up through the New River system from November into winter and a spring striper run drawing early bookings as smallmouth season winds down.

FAQ / Key Questions Answered

How do you find fishable water on the New River during a heavy rain pattern?

Reilly watches radar and tributary-specific conditions rather than treating the watershed as one system, since some tributaries blow out quickly while the main New River can stay comparatively clear. Because roughly 95 percent of the New River's flow originates from lake water upstream, the system tends to hold clarity better than more tributary-fed rivers even when overall stream flow numbers rise sharply.

Why are anglers getting short strikes on big smallmouth flies right now?

Several consecutive years of strong spawning success have filled the river with 0 to 3 year old smallmouth in the 11 to 12 inch range, while the 12 to 15 inch numbers class that anglers normally target with bigger flies is thin this year. The result is a lot of pecks and grabs from fish too small to get the hook, since standard bigger-fly tactics are sized for the missing age class rather than the abundant younger fish.

How high is too high to fish the New River with flies?

Reilly will fish flows well beyond what most anglers consider viable, including stretches at two to three times the typical CFS range for good fishing, though success rates can drop noticeably at those extremes. At very high flows the fish concentrate into mid-river slack water and bank structure, which can still produce opportunities if anglers focus their presentations there.

When does Southwest Virginia transition from smallmouth to musky season?

Reilly expects a fairly abrupt seasonal shift over the next month to six weeks as smallmouth fishing wraps up and musky season ramps into November and December. His musky calendar is already booking well into the winter months, alongside early deposits for the following spring's striper run.

Related Content

S8, Ep 54 - Weathering the Storm: Matt Reilly on Adapting to Summer Fishing Conditions

S8, Ep 46 - Low Water, Big Bugs: Matt Reilly's Southwest Virginia Fishing Update

S8, Ep 59 - Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report: Captain Brian Shumaker's Late Summer Strategies

View all Southwest Virginia Fishing Reports with Matt Reilly

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