#877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877

Presented By: San Juan Rodworks, FishHound Expeditions, Pescador on the Fly, TroutRoutes

Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Fly fishing in Southern California looks nothing like a mountain river—and that's exactly why it works. In this episode, Frank Vargas breaks down how surf fly fishing actually functions, from reading tides and beach structure to understanding how species like perch, corbina, and leopard sharks use shallow water to feed and travel.

Frank shares how incoming and negative tides reveal feeding lanes, why anglers often walk past productive water, and how sight fishing in the surf can feel more like targeting carp than blind casting waves. This conversation covers gear, etiquette, safety, and why slowing down and learning to see the beach is the key to success in one of the most overlooked fly fisheries in the country.

#877 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/877

#876 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876

Presented by: AVC Rig

Most adventure rigs look great online. Fewer are built for real miles, real weather, and those long fishing days that end well after dark. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Dunkerly to talk about building camper vans that actually work for anglers.

Matt runs Adventure Vehicle Concepts, and his approach is refreshingly practical. This isn't about Instagram builds or overcomplicating things. It's about access, simplicity, and designing a rig that helps you fish more without getting in your own way.

If you've been thinking about a van for fly fishing trips, road travel, or long weekends chasing water, this episode will help you avoid the most common mistakes before you ever pick up a tool.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/876

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B

Presented by: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Streamer season is officially here in the Ozarks, and this one is all about slowing things down and fishing with intention. January kicks off the most aggressive window of the year, especially for big browns and smallmouth, and today Chad Johnson is digging deep into how they approach it.

He walks us through why post-spawn is such a key window for them, how aggression bites drive streamer eats, and why presentation matters more than fly choice.

If you fish the Ozarks (or any tailwater with changing flows) this is one you'll want to bookmark.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/875B

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/875

Sponsors: Togiak River Lodge and On DeMark Lodge

Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Fly fishing doesn't fall apart because it's too hard. It falls apart because there's too much going on at once. Too many rods, too many flies, too many opinions, and not enough clarity about what actually matters on day one.

In this episode, I sat down with Phil Monahan to strip fly fishing back to its essentials. Phil's spent decades teaching, writing, guiding, and answering the same beginner questions over and over. His takeaway is simple. Most new anglers don't fail because they lack skill. They stall because they're overloaded with choices.

Phil's new book, The Orvis QuickStart Guide to Fly Fishing, is all about cutting through that noise and helping people catch their first fish faster.

Show Notes: Https://wetfyswing.com/874

Sponsors: Intrepid Camp Gear, Grand Teton Fly Fishing, and Montana Fly Fishing Lodge

Sponsors:https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Most fly fishing gear is built for comfort. Some of it is built for performance. But very little of it is built with the assumption that conditions can turn from "kinda crappy" to "this could go bad" in a hurry.

That's where Grundéns comes in.

In this episode, I sat down with Justin Waters, who's right in the middle of translating nearly 100 years of commercial fishing toughness into gear that guides, steelheaders, and fly anglers lean on when the weather goes sideways. We dug into why durability beats "features," what guides actually do to destroy gear, and how the best product ideas still come from the hardest fishing jobs on Earth.

873 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873

Presented by: Grand Teton Fly Fishing

This episode breaks entomology down into something you can actually use. Sawyer Finley, guide at Grand Teton Fly Fishing, explains how insects live, move, and emerge—and how trout respond to that reality, not just to textbook hatches. The focus is on observation, timing, and availability, not memorization.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/873

#872 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872

Presented by: Moccasin Fly Club

In this episode, I sat down with Nicolas Rivero to dig into fly fishing Patagonia. We covered the two-basin setup in Patagonia, the famous Limay River, giant brook trout in mountain lakes, and what a full April trip with Moccasin Fly Club looks like on the water.

If you're curious about swinging flies for migratory trout, fishing both lakes and rivers in one week, or planning your first Patagonia trip, this one's packed.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/872

#871 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/871

Presented By: Montana Fly Fishing Lodge

Big Montana rivers can feel overwhelming, even for experienced anglers. In this episode, Alex from Montana Fly Fishing Lodge breaks down how he approaches iconic waters like the Yellowstone, Bighorn, and Stillwater Rivers—and why many anglers struggle to find consistency on large freestone systems. It's a practical conversation focused on simplifying decisions, reading water effectively, and understanding what really matters on big rivers.

We dig into fly fishing tactics like dry-dropper setups, nymphing adjustments, and streamer opportunities, along with how Alex adapts throughout the day as conditions change. Along the way, Dave also shares details on the Montana Fly Fishing Trip and Gear Giveaway, giving listeners a chance to turn these lessons into a real-world experience on Montana water.

#871 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/871