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Domenick Swentosky

Life on the water. Troutbitten is a deep dive into fly fishing for wild trout in wild places. Author and guide, Domenick Swentosky, shares stories, tips, tactics and conversations with friends about fly fishing through the woods and water. Explore more. Fish hard. And discover fly fishing at Troutbitten.com — an extensive resource with 1500+ articles about trout, friends, family and the river.

Troutbitten

Here's a good talk about other styles and other species, and how using a spinning rod or baitcaster can open up your fishing world to a more complete set of skills and a better understanding of . . . fishing.

Most fly anglers can pick up and cast a spinning rod or baitcaster, but if you spend some real time to develop an intimate understanding of the strengths and the possibilities, you gain another base of knowledge.

The same can be said for chasing other species: bass, carp, musky, redfish, permit, snook, striper. They’re all different, all with unique challenges and solutions that transfer over to the trout world, given the right circumstance.

The question is, can you learn everything -- that same, full skillset of presentations, of reading a river and more, by only fishing a fly rod? That’s part of what we talk about in this podcast.

My good friends Austin Dando and Bill Dell join me for this one.

Resources

PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Versatile Angler - S3, Ep15
VIDEO: Troutbitten | Fish and Film - One Morning for Versatility

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Learning From Other Species and Other Styles

Over the last few decades, fishing apparel has undergone a dramatic evolution. Today, we expect more than ever from our boots, waders, jackets, and shirts because we've grown accustomed to the advantages of purpose-built gear that's ready to deliver.

Comfort, support and durability are the hallmarks of great fishing gear. So I sat down with Kevin Sloan, the founder of Skwala fishing, for a look at where the industry stands now, a look back at where we were and a forward look at where we're going.

It was a fun conversation full of in-depth technical specifics on why and how good designs last. Kevin also has a lifetime of fishing stories to share.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | All the Things
READ: Troutbitten | 100 Day Gear Review - Skwala RS Wading Boots
READ: Troutbitten | Critical Wader Care - Advice from the Companies Themselves - How to Wash and Dry Your Waders

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Tech Talk About Boots, Waders and More - In Deep with Kevin Sloan of Skwala

We’re here to talk about fishing angles. Are you wading upstream or down? And are you casting upstream or down? What’s your preference? Why do you make that decision? When, if ever does it change? And does your casting direction always follow your wading direction?

Sometimes, these preferences seem regional, while other times it’s specifically about the tactic -- meaning that swinging wet flies, for example, suits a downstream approach best. But sometimes, angle choice seems more like tradition, and many anglers simply fish a certain way because their Dad did.

Most of us at Troutbitten look at things objectively. We all went through a period of time where we tore everything down that we thought we knew and rebuilt the database from the ground up. We want to know what really works best.

My good friends Matt Grobe and Bill Dell join me to answer these questions.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | The Downstream Fisher Yields to the Upstream Fisher
VIDEO: Troutbitten | Riverside: Fishing Direction - Should You Work Upstream or Downstream?
READ: Troutbitten | Face Upstream, Fish Upstream
READ: Troutbitten | The Advantages of Working Upstream

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Fishing Angles - Upstream or Downstream?

What’s the nymph really doing under there? How is it affected by the currents? And is the attached tippet dragging the fly unnaturally across, over, up or out of the natural, one-seam drift that our picky trout are waiting for?

The challenge of nymphing is mercifully balanced by the frequency at which trout feed on these bottom dwelling food forms. So even if we get one in ten drifts just right, the rate at which we might fool fish makes this maddening quest for perfection more than worth it. Simply put, nymphing is fun because it works — and because there’s always a way to make it work even better.

Our nymphs require weight to get under the surface and down to the trout. And “how much weight” is a fundamental consideration — perhaps the primary factor — toward the goal of drifting nymphs naturally.

If you’re into anything long enough, you’ll notice the trends. And you can watch dogged convictions shift, en masse. In an industry as niche as fly fishing for trout, the opinions of just a few influential anglers often shape the next metamorphosis. So it is with the nymphing game, as the current trend for lighter flies and lighter tackle has taken a strong foothold. But just a few years ago, the concept of anchor flies was driving weighty considerations in the opposite direction. (Just as many trout found the net, by the way.)

As with most things, real success with nymphs lies somewhere toward the middle of these extremes, and persistent success comes from a combination of both.

Resources

Here's the full article:

READ: Troutbitten | Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural?

Here are supporting articles:

READ: Troutbitten Drifting Light Nymphs
READ: Troutbitten | Over or Under -- Your Best Bet On Weight
READ: Troutbitten | Leading vs Tracking vs Guiding the Flies

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

RIVERSIDE: Are Light Nymphs More Effective? Is Less Weight More Natural?

For our Season 19 Intermission, my wife, Becky, joins me to check in on what's going on in the Troutbitten world. We talk about the upcoming leader sale in the Troutbitten Shop (May 24th), the Troutbitten Film Festival, guide season, changes to the Troutbitten Beer with New Trail Brewing Company and the Mono Rig book status. Then my son, Aiden, joins me for a short conversation about spring fishing.

Resources

VIDEOS: Troutbitten | Fish and Film | Category
SHOP: Troutbitten | Category | Leaders

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Season 19 Intermission - Catching Up, Leader Sales, Book, Beer, Film Fest and More

There’s something about fishing that leads us to believe that we can figure out what the fish want to eat that day — at that moment. Really, we want to believe that. And maybe it’s true often enough that trying to figure ‘em out . . . is a smart strategy.

But I’m sure you’ve also had the experience of getting back to camp and every one of your friends all caught fish — but they all caught them on different flies and different water types. And you’ve definitely met the guy in the parking lot who’s positive that he has the answer for catching fish that evening. And maybe he’s so sure of it that he’ll make it work, just because he’ll fish it so hard.
Is there really anything to figure out?

That’s our topic for this episode. We work around the ins and outs of when, why, where and how chasing that goal of figuring things out makes any sense.

My good friends Matt Grobe, Josh Darling and Bill Dell join me for this one.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation - Trout Eat Anything, But Sometimes They Eat Another Thing Better
READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck
READ: Troutbitten | Asking the Best Questions to Catch More Trout

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Is There Really Anything to Figure Out?

How do you get deeper into the game? Is it a choice or just good fortune? We live a life on the water, and a couple of episodes ago we talked about burnout — how a lot of anglers dig in, fish hard, go all out for a few years, and then just fade away. That’s the end point for some people, but tonight we’re here to talk about the beginning. We want to consider the start of a fishing life, or more accurately, the start of a dedicated fishing life. Most people who become serious anglers have some fishing experiences for a while, and then for whatever reason, the whole thing just becomes . . . more.

All of the Troutbitten crew that you already has made fishing our lives for a very long time. And we can give you our opinions and experiences on this whole thing. But for a newer, fresher perspective, we invited some friends who are a little younger in the game. Both of these guys fished off and on since they were kids, but something triggered them to go deeper. That’s process is more recent for them than it is for us, so we wanted to hear from them.

Meet our good friends Anthony Marrazo and Andy McDonald, who join me with Austin Dando and Bill Dell.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Rivers and Friends
READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime
PODCAST: Troutbitten | The Stages of an Angler - S11, Ep1

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Taking the Next Step

Dry dropper is great. Just put a nymph under that dry fly and get the best of both worlds. Right? Not so fast . . .

The idea that you can have your cake and eat it too — that you'll get perfect drifts on the dry fly and the nymph — and that you somehow double your chances by dropping a nymph under the dry is not true. This is the big lie of dry dropper fishing.

Here's the problem: In most cases, neither fly ends up with a great drift. Instead, both flies are compromised and their natural drift is altered. Picky trout don't buy sub-par drifts, so you'll only pick up the occasional lucky trout.

But we can have good fishing with a dry dropper rig. It's a go to choice for a many anglers, and it’s one of our favorite ways to fish a river.

The point here is to acknowledge the problems with a dry dropper system — the inherent drawback — so we can then specifically deal with them or even get rid of them altogether. Know the problem and try to solve it.

My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . the big lie of dry dropper.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper
PODCAST: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper - Dry Dropper Skills Series

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

The Big Lie of Dry Dropper

A life on the water is an everyday thing. When we’re not fishing, we’re thinking about it. We’re preparing for it. We’re learning about it. I text with friends almost daily about river conditions and hatches. I drive beside the river just to see it — even though that route takes a few extra minutes.

We've all seen die hard anglers living their life on the water -- and then it just goes away. Rising and fading interests are part of human nature. But we've also met plenty of anglers who lament the fact that their waders have been gathering dust for two years.

Burnout starts with the small things — sleeping in instead of getting out early, or skipping the evening spinner fall in favor of an earlier dinner. And then, almost without realizing it, you’ve missed a whole season because you made excuses about low water or crowded streams.

I think burnout is involuntary. It creeps up and surprises people, but I don't think it has to. Fishing gets old because it becomes average, because some of the mystery or exploration is gone — maybe it becomes predictable. But all of that can be changed with a few intentional decisions, too.

My good friends Bill Dell, Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe are here with me to talk about . . . burnout.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | All the Things
READ: Troutbitten | How to Stay in the Game for a Lifetime
PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Buddies S5, Ep12

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Burnout

For Season 19 of the Troutbitten Podcast, we're adding the video component, with the same conversation on both the audio and video side. So you'll still find the audio version of the podcast on Apple, Spotify and every other platform, and now you'll find a video of the podcast conversation on the Troutbitten YouTube channel.

The new video format is full of creative possibilities, and we're excited about the future of the podcast.

Incidentally, podcasts will now publish on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. EST, instead of Sundays. (YouTube hates Sunday evenings.)

Our conversation for episode one is all about luck. And we want to talk about how luck plays into things out there. Do we rely on it? Do we surrender to it? Do we look for it?

From the beginning, luck and fishing were intertwined. It became part of our anglers’ lore. And while good luck has surely saved countless fishing trips, bad luck continues to doom the best laid plans of a fisherman.

Great trout fishing is rarely the result of good luck. And if the experience was up to the fish and to fate, I’d hardly pick up a fishing rod. Success on the water is not a slot machine. It’s more like a game of poker, where you play the hand you’re given and try to fool your adversary. Sometimes the cards you’re holding almost guarantee success. Then the next day Mother Nature might deal you a hand, where pulling a couple of fish is a grand achievement.

My good friends Trevor Smith, Josh Darling, Austin Dando and Matt Grobe join me to begin Season 19.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | It's Not Luck
READ: Troutbitten | Waiting On Luck
READ: Troutbitten | Fish It Anyway

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

What About Luck?

How do we handle tough days? How can we turn it around and start catching fish? When the going gets tough, how do we fix it? What are the strategies?

 So, most things don’t turn out the way you had them planned. That’s life. But as you’re driving the dirt road toward your favorite trout water, thoughts and plans unfold in your mind. And while preparing for a destination trip, you expect success. Once you’re finally traveling halfway across the country to that river you’ve wanted to fish for decades, visions of the trout you’ll catch take over.

Your hopes and dreams of what will end up in the net are a primary motivator. And, aside from the fish, you might even be enthusiastic about a new fly rod, a new pair of waders or maybe an experimental leader that you tied up.

For all of this, and for the fishing itself, we expect success. We assume the positive. Because, as my friend Rich Alsippi loved to say, "the fisherman is eternally hopeful." Good anglers are optimists.

Why? Because fishing is filled with so much failure that anyone who stays in the game learns to look on the bright side, to see beyond the fish count, to get past tangled tippet, broken reels, lost flies in a tree and soaking wet clothes from falling in — again.

Things go bad out there. A trout river forces you into mistakes. And sometimes, the fishing is just tough. Trout don’t want to eat.

So you try everything you planned for. You know what should work, and you’ve fished it. But when it doesn’t . . . what do you do?

That’s what we’re here to talk about tonight . . .

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | The Fisherman Is Eternally Hopeful
READ: Troutbitten | The Best Laid Plans of Fishermen often Go Awry
READ: Troutbitten | Fish Hard

Visit

Troutbitten Website

Troutbitten Instagram

Troutbitten YouTube

Troutbitten Facebook

Thanks to TroutRoutes:

Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership at
https://maps.troutroutes.com 

Thanks to Skwala

Use the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order at
https://skwalafishing.com/

Turning Around the Toughest Days — How to Save a Slow Fishing Trip

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