This week my guest is Charlie Schneider [45:30] from Cal Trout, a great organization that Orvis has supported over the years because they are really effective in protecting wild trout habitat. Charlie talks about the many species and subspecies (or races depending on whether you are a lumper or a splitter) of wild trout found in California, some of are unique to California. The incredibly diverse topography and geology (and proximity to the Pacific Ocean) contribute to this array of salmonids and it's fascinating to get an overview of them. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:
- Why do I have trouble Euro nymphing in slow pools when I have such good luck in faster water?
- I catch steelhead from Lake Ontario tributaries during the colder months but I don't catch trout there during the summer. Why?
- I am having trouble casting a Euro rig. What tips can you give me?
- How can I wean myself off my spinning rod when it's so much more successful that my fly rod?
- What are your thoughts on the Non-Slip Mono Loop for dry flies?
- Have you ever tired the Australian Braid Knot as a replacement for the Bimini Twist?
- Which is more important in choosing a line size—the size of the fish or the size of the fly?
- Can trout spill over a dam into streams below?
- Can you give me some tips on catching cutthroat trout?
- How can I tell if there are trout in a small stream?
- I am 17 and can't afford a hackle cape. Is there any way to save money on a cape, and what color would you recommend I start with?
- Is it so bad if I want to keep a few wild trout to eat? Why the big emphasis on catch and release?
- What is that protrusion on the opposite side of the spool from a reel handle? It can't be a counterweight.
- If I have a medium-fast 5-weight rod, will a 6-weight line make it more of a medium action?
- I lost 30-40 fish in the tail of a pool swinging flies. What was I doing wrong?
- How do you select deer hair for Comparadun wings?
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