This week, my guest is Dave DiBenedetto, Editor-in-Chief of Garden & Gun Magazine, who is a lifelong fly fisher. If you read the magazine, you can see that they frequently publish fly-fishing stories, and also that they stress conservation. In their latest issue, they make public their Champions of Conservation Awards, which go to people who are making a difference at the grassroots level in all areas of conservation. Recipients range from Capt. Bennie Blanco in the Florida Everglades; to Savi Horne, who works to keep agriculture sustainable for Black farmers; to Dr. Jennifer Rehage, who has discovered shocking levels of pharmaceuticals in Florida's bonefish population—and seven other fascinating individuals who have made a difference. We also talk fishing, from marsh redfish to small-stream trout in the mountains of the South.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more:
What is your take on small river fishing from a kayak for smallmouth bass?
What is the best way to travel with a fully assembled fly rod inside an SUV or Jeep?
Can I fish a dry/dropper or indicator with my 10-foot, 3-weight Euro rod?
What is the minimal number of fly rods one can own for the most diverse situations and number of species?
And what rods should they be?
Is there any way to have a smooth connection from line to leader with the convenience of a loop-to-loop connection?
Do we need to be as careful when releasing bluegills and bass as we are with trout?
Is there anything wrong with adding colored marks to the end of my fly line and Euro-nymphing with a short leader?
Will trout that are eating tiny flies take a bigger dry at last light? Can I Euro nymph in small streams with a short rod?
What is the minimum and maximum amount of gear you would take for an afternoon of fishing?
The fish I get in my net quickly often struggle a lot. Should I play them longer?
Is there an app to analyze your casting?
Someone suggested using thinner-bodied Zebra Midges. Is that a good idea?
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