Where a fish lives has a HUGE impact on how it behaves and what it eats. Now, this matters to anglers, because if you understand how fish behavior and bug activity changes from a freestone to a tailwater, you'll eliminate A TON of frustration that many beginners experience. On this episode, Spencer Durrant will walk you through the information you need to know about the three main types of rivers, and how this knowledge can directly lead to putting more fish in the net. You'll also learn...

You can learn a lot about fly fishing from reading books or watching videos, but they don't always tell the complete story. Often, the lessons that stick with us the most are the ones we learn when we have a tough day on the water, or when we finally figure out how to catch a certain fish that's been elusive all season.  On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce talk about the fly fishing lessons they've learned that don't really show up in guidebooks, and how applying...

Nymphing is by far the most effective way to catch fish on a fly rod. After all, 80% of a fish's diet is made up of nymphs! But how do you become FANTASTIC at nymphing? Once you have a good grasp of the bascis, what are the skills and techniques you should focus on to become confident with your nymphing?  On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through four advanced nymphing strategies to help you go from lucking into fish every now and then, to consistently catching tons...

Dry fly fishing is the toughest style of fly fishing to master. You need to get SO MUCH right if you want to catch the biggest, pickiest fish on dry flies. Your presentation has to be solid, your knowledge of hatches has to be great, and your casting needs to be on point.  So, how do you get to that level? How do you avoid those extremely frustrating moments when you're fishing a hatch, only for the fish to ignore your flies, or quit rising altogether? Is it really as simple as practice...

If you want to progress from lucking into fish every now and then, to consistently catching fish, what are the most important things to focus on? What skills or techniques bring you the most bang for your buck?  Well, if you're serious about unlocking your potential as an angler, then you'll pay attention to the three things Spencer Durrant discusses in this show. He'll give you an in-depth look at the skills that, if you work to master them now, will help you become a confident,...

If you've ever walked into a fly shop to get outfitted for fly fishing, you've probably felt like you were floating in the Pacific Ocean with NO LAND in sight! The amount of things you CAN buy is overwhelming! So, what do you actually need to get started? On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through a list of all the gear beginners need, and he explains WHY this is the gear you should start with.  You'll also learn about:  When to use a dry dropper rig How to set the...

If you're a beginner, you probably have TONS of questions about fly fishing! And while we try to answer a lot of those on Untangled, sometimes we miss a few.  So on this show, Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce sat down with two beginning fly anglers, to answer their questions and hopefully point them in the right direction. The beginners ask everything from how to adjust your reel to the best way to fish big rivers.  If you're a beginner, one (and probably more) of your common questions will...

What flies do you ACTUALLY need in your box? And how do you know which ones to choose? Is there some sort of secret that we're just not telling the fly fishing masses? Not really. Knowing what flies to take with you to the water (so you don't end up hauling 1,000 flies every time) comes with experience. But on this episode of Untangled, we're going to short-circuit that experience and give you all the info you need RIGHT NOW to always pick the right fly.  You'll also learn about:  How to...

If you don't rig your flies correctly, you won't catch fish.  Alright, that's a bit dramatic - but it's not far off from the truth! The way your flies are rigged impacts your ability to present them in as realistic a way as possible. And since our goal is to fool fish into thinking our fake fly is the real thing, you can see how important it is to correctly rig your flies. In this episode, Spencer Durrant walks you through how he rigs his dries, nymphs, and streamers, sharing the exact steps...

The single most important skill you can develop is to present your flies in as lifelike and natural a way as possible. You could have the PERFECT fly, but it won't matter if you can't put that fly in front of a fish in a way that mimics the real thing. In today's episode, Spencer Durrant walks you through six tips that will help you perfect your presentation and immediately start putting more fish in the net.  You'll also learn about:  Fly recommendations for bass and bluegill Loop-to-loop...

Beginners don't always have a guide, or even an experienced fishing buddy, to help them overcome the mistakes they make on the water. There's A LOT of trial and error that goes into learning to fly fish, especially if you're doing it on your own. Today's show breaks down four of the most common beginner fly fishing mistakes, and how to fix them, so you can quickly improve your skills and have a better chance at putting more fish in the net.  You'll also learn about:  The best way to rig...

Have you ever wanted to fly fish in Alaska? Okay, that's probably a dumb question. Alaska is an AMAZING place, and Spencer Durrant just got back from a week chasing salmon, trout, and grayling. He shares the story of that trip, along with some of the most important lessons he learned, that apply not just to fly fishing in Alaska, but chasing fish EVERYWHERE. This is an episode of Untangled you don't want to miss!  💥 Want to Level Up Your Fly Fishing Skills? Check out our FREE ➡️ YEAR-ROUND...

When you fish somewhere you've never been before, do you get nervous about being skunked? Is that even normal? I mean, a river's a river, right? How different can they be?  Well, rivers are different from each other, and it's totally normal to be nervous about not catching from a river you've never visited before. On today's show, Spencer Durrant will take you through the four tips he uses to tackle water he's never fished before, and if you remember these tips, you can replace all your...

What the heck is a dry fly? And what are nymphs for? And what about streamers -  those are party decorations, right? So, why would anyone fish with that? If you've found yourself asking these questions, you're not alone. The world of flies is confusing, especially for beginners. Luckily, you have a Diet Coke-swilling guide to help you understand all the different flies we use for fly fishing. On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through everything to know about the...

One of the biggest problems that holds beginner fly anglers back from really finding success is this: they overthink the sport. Fly fishing, at its essence, is a simple sport! And in this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant will walk you through WHY it's so simple, and give you some tips to remind yourself of that when it feels like you don't know how to catch fish on a fly rod.  In addition, you'll learn about:  The difference between fly rod actions How to properly store your rod,...

Do you wanna catch big trout? Do we even need to ask that question?  We all love big fish, but sometimes, it feels like catching them involves more luck than it does skill. However, with the right foundation of knowledge, you can put yourself in situations where you have the best chance possible to net a trophy trout.  You'll also learn about:  How long you can store fly line, leaders, and tippet before you should replace them How and why to choose the right nymphs for a nymph or...

What do you do when the bugs are hatching, but no fish are rising to eat them? Or, what if the fish are rising, but they're refusing your flies? And how do you handle it when literally EVERYONE on the river is catching fish, and you're only catching the skunk? Do you go home empty-handed, like the commies after WWII? Of course not! You listen to this episode of Untangled, where Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce walk you through common situations you'll run into on tough rivers, and help you...

Small stream fly fishing is one of the sport's greatest experience, but tons of anglers overlook these hidden gems. Tiny rivers can present some tough challenges for anglers, but that's where today's episode of Untangled comes in!  Spencer Durrant will walk you through EVERYTHING you need to know about fly fishing small streams, including how to rig up your flies, what flies to use, how to approach the water, and how to get the best presentation possible, so you come home with tons of...

What are the best trout rivers in America? You know, the rivers that every angler should visit before passing on to that great river in the sky. And for that matter, why do we hold some rivers in such high regard? On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through his own ranking of the country's best trout water.  You'll also learn about:  Dry-dropper rigs  The science behind water temperature's impact on trout  Why fly anglers don't use barrel swivels  How to find...

What's the hardest thing about learning to fly fish? Is it the casting, learning how to pick the fight fly, or reading water? Or is it...well, everything?  On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant and Alex Stulce walk you through the major paint points you'll encounter when fly fishing, and they offer some great tips to help you navigate these. You'll come out of this podcast full of the confidence you need to absolutely crush it on the water!  Links From The Show FREE EBOOK - Picking...

Do you like losing big fish? Of course not! No one does! On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through a 5-step checklist he's developed over YEARS of losing big fish. If you follow these steps, you'll avoid learning the hard way like Spencer, and start putting more nice fish in the net in no time!  You'll also learn about:  How to assemble a dry-dropper rig with barbless hooks Why barbless hooks are the best option for every angler How to tell the difference...

Have you ever run into an angler who seems to ALWAYS know the EXACT RIGHT FLY to tie on, no matter where or when they're fishing? That might seem like a superpower, but really, it's a skill that just takes a bit of time - and effort - to develop. On today's episode, Spencer Durrant walks you through the 4 concepts you need to learn if you want to always pick the right fly for any fly fishing situation.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for casting dry flies Does color actually matter when...

Euro nymphing supposedly catches more fish than ANY other fly fishing method. If that's true, then why isn't EVERYONE doing it? To understand the truth about Euro nymphing, you first have to understand what the technique actually is. On this episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant explains exactly what Euro nymphing is, he walks you through the pros and cons of Euro nymphing, compared to traditional indicator nymphing, and he shows you which method puts more fish in the net. By the end of this...

Is there such a thing as a "bad" fly? And if there is, what makes another fly "good?" On this week's episode of Untangled, Spencer Durrant is joined by Alex Stulce to talk all about the differences between good and bad flies.  You'll learn about the concept of "magic" flies, and Spencer and Alex will share the 3 characteristics that all good flies need to have.  Submit A Question For The Show! LINK - Beginner Fly Fishing Masterclass LINK - Beginner Fly Tying Masterclass