What's the First Fly to Tie On? With Award-Winning Outfitter Tim West

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Breckenridge Outfitters is this year's winner of the Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year Award and Tim West [44:07] is the glue that holds this fabulous guide service together. In the interview, Tim talks about how to decide which fly to tie on at the beginning of the day, or when you first approach the water. Do you start with a streamer, a nymph, a wet fly, a dry fly, or some combination of them? What clues should you observe to decide which one to try? We have some fascinating questions this week in the fly box, questions I am sure many of you think about yourself, including:

• Can you explain the difference between fast, medium, and slow fly rods?
• I noticed a bright orange sludge-like material on the bottom of my stream. Should I stay away from this one?
• Do you think kayaks spook trout more than belly boats?
• After a rod, reel, and line, what piece of gear should I consider next?
• When tying to fill a fly box, should I tie one of each pattern or 4 or 5 of the same one?
• Is there a disadvantage of using a perfection loop instead of a non-slip mono loop when tying on a streamer?
• If I see a heron in a pool in a small stream, should I move on and avoid that pool?
• Would it work to have a leader with a very long butt section, a short transition section, and a very long tippet?
• Why do trout eat or reject an imitation of a midge pupa in a lake?
• Do you think a 5-weight outfit is a good rod for taking to Alaska?
• Why don't my marabou flies stay fluffy once they have been used?
• A listener tip for tying a dropper to the bend of a hook.