Podcast Orvis

I get a lot of questions about how fly rods are designed and I think there are a number of misconceptions about where that new rod, like the Helios Blackout series, came from. Where did the idea come from? How is the design created? If you want a 9-foot, five-inch 5-weight rod, do you just add five inches to an existing rod design? I think you’ll b…

In a great on-site chat, Reid sits down with his friend Doug Duren. Since their last chat, Doug has formalized Sharing the Land, an effort to connect access seekers with landowners in a collaborative stewardship effort. The two discuss conservation, hunting, land use, and life in general while sitting down at the Duren farmhouse in Wisconsin. Learn…

You may wonder why I’ve done a podcast about beavers. You may be greatly surprised by the beneficial interactions between beavers and trout habitat—I know I was after talking to Ben Goldfarb author of the book Eager [43:26]. Beavers have a much more positive effect on trout streams besides just making deep pools, and they don’t present any problems…

Reid chats with his good friend Chad Love, editor of the Quail Forever Journal. Chad speaks about his native Oklahoma, the hunter·s progress, writing his way through a career, and the QF initiative Bird Dogs for Habitat. A wonderful chat with one of the most thoughtful guys in the game.

I’ve been asked to touch more on the spirituality of fly fishing in my podcasts, and honestly I’m not very good at that. So I asked a thoughtful friend and author, Dylan Tomine [32:54], to touch on these aspects of fly fishing. I don’t think we got very spiritual, but we do ramble on about the other aspects of fly fishing we enjoy besides catching …

This week, my guest is Thomas Larsen [45:47] from the Orvis Outfitters team. Thomas is a stillwater expert and gives us some great tips on how to find trout, and how to target them, when you don’t have the benefit of a watercraft. Maybe you don’t have a boat, can’t afford a raft, or backpack to high mountain lakes—this podcast is for you. In the Fl…

Reid shares some introspection, thoughts on seasonality and turkey hunting, and his recent travels. With May just around the corner, he leans into his reliance on the things that don't change, and his understanding that all things invariably change. The story he shares reflects his own evolution and education as a turkey hunter, and provides some l…

This week, my guest is author, You Tube personality, and author Tim Cammisa [34:00]. We have a spirited discussion on fly patterns—which of the most common ones are untouchable, and which do we modify with different materials and techniques. And are they even the same fly if we modify them? In the Fly Box, we have some great questions this week, in…

Another installment in partnership with Purina ProPlan, Reid is again joined by Dr. RuthAnn Lobos in a discussion about canine dental care. Dr. RuthAnn discusses the way in which dental health impacts the overall health and function of a dog, and the way that a dog's teeth/mouth can be an indicator of underlying health issues. Great tips on at-home…

This week, my guest is Steve Davis, chief scientists for the Everglades Foundation [49:31]. Steve gives us an update on the Everglades restoration project, which will benefit fisheries and clean water throughout Florida and not just in the Everglades. And it’s an optimistic report, which we don’t always have when we report on conservation issues. S…

Reid joins Glen Blackwood, Director of Regional Development for the Ruffed Grouse Society / American Woodcock Society in a discussion about books, collectibles, and ephemera. As a noted authority on sporting books and writing, Glen speaks to his experience, what writing resonates with him, and what the future of sporting literature holds.…

Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of “Seven Deadly Sins” podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of …

Del Whitman of DC Whitman Custom Gunsmithing joins Reid to discuss an article that the duo collaborated on for the March/April issue of Shooting Sportsman Magazine. The podcast discusses springs, their function and fabrication as it pertains to fine guns. A bit granular in detail, listeners may benefit from a video reference, this one by our friend…

This week my guest is Land Tawney [25:52], CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and we discuss recent issues regarding public access on rivers in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. This is a timely topic, as public access advocates just won a big court victory in New Mexico (Phil please link to your blog post). I hope the podcast will get you up…

This week my guest is Noelle Coley [41:25] of Blackfoot River Outfitters in Missoula, Montana. Noelle is a serious winter fly fisher, with experience both in Colorado and Montana. She gives us great tips on flies, techniques, and of course dressing to keep warm. WE can all benefit from her experience and have more fun—and stay more comfortable—whil…

Finding those tiny, unpressured trout streams is a delightful form of exploration. You won’t find them on the internet or in books or magazine articles—at least the ones you really want to fish. But finding a small stream that you’ll probably have all to yourself and discovering the delights of catching eager trout on dries and nymphs—and sometimes…

Abel and Remy Labelle, a father/son duo from North Haven Island off the Maine coast, join Reid to explore how kids get involved with hunting. At 9, Remy is a passionate and accomplished hunter and outdoorsman who hopes to follow his father and grandfather into the work of a Registered Maine Guide. Abel and Remy discuss his unique childhood, island …

This week, my guest is the executive director of the Native Fish Coalition, Bob Mallard [42:09], who tells us why the organization was formed and what they do. His group took issue with some of the sentiments expressed in last week's podcast with Kirk Deeter, so to give everyone a broader view of the issue of wild native fish (as opposed to just wi…

Rehan Nana of Garmin and Phil Bourjailly of Field & Stream lean into the attributes and drawbacks of Bill Ruger's iconic Red Label Shotgun, and his short lived Gold Label as well. These two guests have hunted and shot both guns extensively, but come to slightly different conclusions about the quality of design, fit, and finish represented by Ruger …

Have we gone too far with native species? with Kirk Deeter This week, my guest is Kirk Deeter, editor of Trout Magazine. Kirk is never one to shy away from controversy, and our topic this week is the concept of native species and the feasibility of trying to turn back the clock. We also ramble a bit about the state of the fly-fishing world in gener…