Riffles are the buffet line of the river. They're jam-packed with both food AND hungry fish, but a TON of anglers just skip this type of water. They think riffles are too shallow to hold fish. This week on Untangled, Spencer Durrant walks you through everything you need to know about riffles. You'll learn how to identify one, WHY fish and bugs hang out in them so much, and how to present your flies in a riffle.

You'll also learn about:

• Proper etiquette for fishing on different rivers
• How to put together an effective double-nymph rig
• The differences between stocked and wild trout

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Finding Fish in Riffles - WATCH HERE

eBOOK - Finding Fish in Rivers - CHECK IT OUT

PODCAST - Complete Guide to Wet Flies - CHECK IT OUT

Rainbow trout are known for their acrobatics, and for growing so big they look like more like a football than a fish.

You can also catch rainbows in LITERALLY every state in America.

But how often do you treat rainbows as just an afterthought? We're busy chasing browns, or cutthroat, or brookies, but rainbows don't always get the love they should. And that's a shame, since some of the BEST fish I've ever caught on a fly rod are rainbows!

This week on Untangled, we're taking a deep dive into rainbow trout. You'll learn about their life cycle, their feeding habits, the flies they like - even the best places in a river to look for them!

If you want to hook into a big ol' rainbow trout this year, you've gotta listen to this week's show!

You'll also learn about:

• How to find new places to go fly fishing, even if you're traveling to somewhere you've never been before
• Some tips on finding new flies to tie, and materials to tie those flies with
• The value of looking for, and discovering, new places to fly fish, all on your own

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Rigs & Knots Guide - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

PODCAST - The Ultimate Guide to Brown Trout - LISTEN HERE

VIDEO - Find Your Own Fly Fishing Spot - CHECK IT OUT

You want to become a better angler. You'd like to catch more fish, definitely catch bigger fish, and feel confident in any river you find yourself fishing. So, what skills should you focus on if you want to make that leap?

Well, as I looked back on my own experiences, I found 7 skills that helped me quit feeling overwhelmed and outgunned.

If you focus on these 7 skills, you'll avoid A LOT of the mistakes I made, and you'll be able to fish with confidence no matter where you are.

You'll also learn about:

• The differences between powder and gel floatant for dry fly fishing
• How to properly mend your fly line when fishing a dry-dropper rig
• When to untangle your line, or cut and re-tire your entire rig

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Right Fly eBook for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Get the Finding Fish eBook for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Get the Year-Round Hatch Chart for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Performing the Reach Cast - CHECK IT OUT

VIDEO - How to Mend Fly Line - CHECK IT OUT

The early-season hatches you find during spring are some of the BIGGEST challenges you'll face in fly fishing.

And after a winter where you've been cooped up and dreaming of fishing, the last thing you want is to get frustrated because these hatches are SO TOUGH to fish.

This spring, you won't be the angler who can't figure out the fish.

This week's episode of Untangled takes a deep dive into 8 of the essentially fly fishing skills that will COMPLETELY change how successful you are this spring.

These skills are GAME-CHANGERS that will help you read the water better, make smarter fly choices, and present your flies more naturally.

In this episode, you'll also learn about:

• The importance of backing on a fly reel, and why every fly reel needs it
• How to keep your nymphs from constantly snagging the bottom of the river
• How to set the hook on dry flies

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Year-Round Hatch Chart for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Get the Right Fly eBook for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Spring fly fishing is here! But how confident are you that you have the right flies for the job? If you don't have the right flies, you could be missing out on what I think is the BEST fly fishing you'll have all year.

In this episode of Untangled, I'll walk you through the 14 must-have fly patterns I use every spring. You'll learn their names, the sizes and colors I recommend, and the real-life bugs these flies imitate.

You'll also learn about:

• The major differences between cheap and expensive reels, and why your best bet is a middle-of-the-road option
• When and if you should use flies that are larger than the naturals you see on the water
• Spencer's top three dream fly fishing trips

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Right Fly eBook for FREE! - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Brown trout have a reputation for being the smartest - and PICKIEST - fish in the river. If you've ever had one reject your fly, you know it feels like a personal rejection!

But here's the good news: once you understand brown trout behavior, their favorite foods, and where they live, catching them is MUCH easier!

In this episode of Untangled, we'll break down everything you need to know about brown trout. You'll leave with the tactics you need to know to catch a trophy!

You'll also learn about:

• How and why the same flies work in so many different rivers in America
• A leader setup for dry-dropper rigs
• Tips for catching and cooking trout
• Where the fish in small creeks spend their winter

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Rigs & Knots Guide - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

eBook - Find Fish ANYWHERE - CHECK IT OUT

VIDEO - Fly Selection Master Class - CHECK IT OUT

GEAR - VFC Fly Collections - CHECK THEM OUT

Have you ever heard of "trash" or "junk" flies, and wondered what the heck they are? If a fly is considered "trash," should you even be using it?

Well, here's the thing: these so-called trash flies FLAT-OUT CATCH FISH!

Seriously, these trash flies are some of the most effective patterns out there! And in this episode of Untangled, Spencer walks you through what trash flies imitation, why they're controversial, how to fish them, and why they deserve a spot in your fly box.

You'll also learn about:

• Tippet rings (FINALLY!)
• The importance of fishing multiple types of water to improve your skills
• Spencer's process of selecting flies for a dry-dropper rig
• The reason we add tippet to leaders
• Suggestions for a guide looking to outfit his boat for his first guide season

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the FREE Year-Round Hatch Chart - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

Catching trout is often the focus of most fly fishing media. But not all of us live near great trout fishing! You might live next to a farm pond full of panfish, or on the coast near striped bass. So, all the trout-centric fly fishing content can get kinda old. Here's what most folks don't immediately understand, though -- the skills you need for trout fishing overlap with the skills you need for almost every other fish!

Bonefish, bass, tarpon, roosterfish, taimen, musky, pike -- these are all vastly different from trout, but they still require a good knowledge of fly presentation, fly selection, casting, and reading water. Those are foundational skills you need no matter what you're fishing for!

On this episode of Untangled, Spencer walks you through how trout fishing can overlap with all sorts of other species, and gives you concrete examples of what that looks like. You'll also learn about:

• Building your own leaders
• The most versatile fly rod OTHER than a 9' 5-weight
• How to cast after making a LONG drift through a good run

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

Get the Right Fly eBook - CHECK IT OUT

Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT

QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE

#LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE

VIDEO - Fly Fishing Knots - WATCH HERE

VIDEO - Wildfly Smallmouth Film - WATCH HERE