What fly-fishing's trade association does for conservation, with Lucas Bissett

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

My guest this week is Lucas Bissett [38:42], executive director the AFFTA, the trade association for the fly-fishing industry. Lucas talks about the support they give to small, grass roots organizations for education and habitat protection—organizations that may not be able to apply for larger grants. One of their current projects, which we discuss in detail, is how ocean fish stocks will be managed due to the changes in migration patterns due to climate change. Lucas tells us that the federal organizations that set regulations for harvest and size lengths are very responsive to public input, so its something for which you can make a difference.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:

• I was told the river we fished had lots of 15-inch fish but all we caught were fish up to 12 inches. Could the fish have been in the bottom of deep pools because of the warmer water?

• A tip from a listener, one I'm not completely sold on, for putting stick-on strike indicators on top of dry flies when using heavily weighted nymphs on droppers.

• How do you fish the famous Woolly Bugger in a small, slow moving, turbid stream?

• What two-handed rod should I use for fishing smallmouth bass?

• A listener asks for philosophical advice on whether to enjoy fishing for striped bass in Atlantic salmon rivers.

• A listener has been enjoying fishing for fallfish as trout streams warm and asks for a podcast on fishing for fallfish

• If you are fishing a tandem nymph rig and one fly is not working at all, should you switch out that fly?

• Do you change to a different fly line taper as you go up or down in line sizes?

• Why is there a cutter on tippet spools? Doesn't everyone carry snips?

• Does Tom have a succession plan for the podcast?