Best Domenick Swentosky Podcasts (2024)

1
Dry Fly Skills #1 -- When and Why 58:39

2h ago58:39

58:39

Season twelve begins. It’s a seven-part skills series dedicated to dry fly fishing. My friend, Matt Grobe, joins me to build the framework — a method and a system — for presenting dry flies to trout. In this first episode, we ask when and why we fish dry flies. What’s the reason we might choose to fish dries over streamers, wets or nymphs? We argue…

1
Prospecting for Trout 1:17:30

1M ago1:17:30

1:17:30

Prospecting is a strategy for covering water. It’s about pace. A lot of what we do, day to day on the water, is searching. We’re looking for activity. We’re trying to find feeding fish. Sometimes we’re looking to find the fish themselves, and other times, we know the trout are there, but they won’t eat, so we’re faced with the choice to change tact…

1
The Airing of Grievances -- Three 1:25:16

2M ago1:25:16

1:25:16

The third annual Airing of Grievances on the Troutbitten Podcast has arrived. Some of this is playful and some is serious. Complaining’s not a bad thing if it accomplishes something productive -- or if it’s kinda fun. Or if it draws attention to some of the absurdities around you. Some things need to change. Because there are plenty of influences a…

1
Set the Hook! All About Different Hooksets 1:14:30

2M ago1:14:30

1:14:30

There are many different ways to set the hook while fly fishing for trout, because there are many different ways to fish for those trout. One size does not fit all. So we adapt our hook sets to suit the situation. In this episode, we cover what is meant by a trout set. We address the differences between hook sets for dry flies, wets, streamers and …

1
The Further You Walk, the More You Leave Behind (a Story) 15:56

2M ago15:56

15:56

Here's a story about the solitude that so many of us seek on the water — how the full experience of planning for a trip, driving before dawn, walking in and exploring a river valley provides a respite from our daily life. It’s a chance for a clear mind and for renewed energy. "The Further You Walk, the More You Leave Behind" is about what we recove…

1
The Troubles With Club Fishing 1:06:21

2M ago1:06:21

1:06:21

We're here for a tough conversation. This one's about fishing the pay-to-play setup of a club. These are the troubles with club fishing . . . One club leads to the next. One private stretch invites another down the road. So clubs lead to the loss of public water for the average angler. And that’s not good. The manufactured fishing scenario of most …

1
How Woodsmanship Catches Fish 1:17:23

3M ago1:17:23

1:17:23

There's an intangible quality built into the best anglers. It's about being comfortable and natural around the water. It's about having an instinct and a guiding intuition on a river that informs decision without even giving it much thought. It's an innate knowledge of the environment and what will happen next. Knowledge of the woods, water, weathe…

1
Boat Fishing -- How Everything Changes When Floating a River 1:13:29

3M ago1:13:29

1:13:29

We're here to talk about floating down a river, about why we like boats, how floating is so much different than wading, how some opportunities are uniquely available and how others are shut off too. It’s the companionship and teamwork, along with the effort and commitment required to get down the river. It’s about a good lunch and friendly banter a…

1
What's the Deal With Emergers? 1:12:16

3M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

Like anything else in fishing, you can take the emerger concept just about as far as you want. You get technical, or you can spin up a couple wet flies, float them in the film, and keep things simple. I’ve often argued that you don’t have to match the hatch when fly fishing. I think it’s a fun approach, but having exactly the right shade of dubbing…

1
The Ethics of Guiding -- More Harm Than Good? 1:16:08

3M ago1:16:08

1:16:08

My friends join me for a tough discussion. What are the benefits of guiding? What are the good things? How does it help anglers? Does it actually help people and make our sport or this fishing scene better, or does it just put money in the guide’s pocket and put more pressure on the trout? Also, what kinds of guided trips are there? Different types…

1
Fishing Through a Caddis Hatch 1:24:18

3M ago1:24:18

1:24:18

Two years ago we did a full episode on Hatches. That discussion was a broad, overarching look at how the bugs — the insects that trout eat — dictate many of the habits of trout. We argued that knowing the hatches, following the emergence and being ready for these events is not only a lot of fun, it drastically improves your success on the water. Tr…

1
The Stages of an Angler 1:05:58

4M ago1:05:58

1:05:58

How many times have we heard the supposed stages of an angler? First you want to catch a fish, then you want to catch a bunch of fish, then you want to catch a big fish, then you want to catch the toughest fish, and then you just want to catch a fish again. This is a clever way to look at a life on the water. But is it really true? This is our topi…

1
Feed Drop -- Troutbitten On The Untangled Podcast 1:10:17

4M ago1:10:17

1:10:17

I was happy to be a guest on the Untangled Podcast with Spencer Durrant. We talked mostly about Nymphing tactics for beginners. We also talked a little about a fishing life and the fly fishing industry. You can listen to that full episode here in the Troubitten Podcast feed Follow the Untangled Podcast hosted by the Venturing Fly Company YouTube ch…

1
Catching Up -- Patagonia, Leader Sales, Live Streams, Beer, Hosted Trips and More 58:49

5M ago58:49

58:49

In this interim episode, Becky and I look back on what has happened in 2024 so far, and we set the table for what’s to come. We talk about Patagonia, videos, articles, podcasts, livestream podcasts, one-on-one sessions, hosted trips, guide season, the next Troutbitten Leader Sale and a Troutbitten beer. Thank you for being part of this Troutbitten …

1
Critical Nymphing Concepts #7 -- Animating the Nymph 1:04:08

5M ago1:04:08

1:04:08

Here we are with our final installment, part seven of our series on critical nymphing concepts. Almost all of our focus throughout this series has been on achieving dead drifts. We aim for natural looks that imitate what the real bugs do most. So we try to stay in one lane, we try to find the right speed and the right depth. Most of the articles on…

1
Critical Nymphing Concepts #6 -- Line on the Water 53:09

6M ago53:09

53:09

This episode is about tension and slack. It's about how we manage fly lines and leaders on the water while nymphing. Remember, each of these episodes — all of these concepts — apply to all styles of nymphing. So we might choose to lay line on the water with an indicator rig (and sometimes mend it) just like we might choose to float the sighter with…

1
Critical Nymphing Concepts #5 -- Weight: The Fundamental Factor 55:23

6M ago55:23

55:23

This discussion is all about weight. It’s the fundamental factor in nymphing. Because as soon as you choose to leave the surface, once you clip off the dry fly and fish anything else . . . weight is necessary. Even wet flies have some weight. They’re designed not to float but to break the surface with at least the weight of the hook. With streamers…

1
Three Ways to Dead Drift -- Critical Nymphing Concepts #4 44:54

6M ago44:54

44:54

This episode features what might be the most important concept of nymph fishing. There are three different ways to present a dead drifted nymph to the trout -- three ways to imitate what trout commonly see from the naturals. While trout eat dry flies in one plane (the surface) the complexity of currents underneath introduces more difficulty, simply…

1
Suspender Advantages -- Critical Nymphing Concepts #3 45:44

6M ago45:44

45:44

In the third part of this critical nymphing concepts series, we consider the advantages and disadvantages of fishing with a suspender. We cover the following Indicator styles and why the type matters Not all indicators are created equal Choosing tight line or indy, or combing both What you lose by adding and indy What you gain by adding an indy Com…

1
More Influence or Less? -- Critical Nymphing Concepts #2 46:05

7M ago46:05

46:05

In this second episode of our Critical Nymphing Concepts series, my friend, Austin Dando, and I walk through the idea — the concept — of having more influence or less over the flies. Meaning, who or what is in charge of the nymphs? Is it you or the river? And do we want to have more influence over the flies or less? What looks more natural? Which c…

1
Critical Nymphing Concepts #1 -- The Three Questions 51:54

7M ago51:54

51:54

This Season Ten skills series is about the critical concepts of nymphing. In seven episodes this season, we're covering the what and the why of nymphing. The techniques we work on are physical skills necessary to get great drifts and fool fish. But these nymphing concepts are about putting a reason behind everything we do. Why do we make the change…

1
A Troutbitten Glossary 1:20:25

7M ago1:20:25

1:20:25

For this final episode of Season Ten and of 2023, we wanted to have some fun. In this episode we walk through a bunch of Troutbitten . . . terms, words, sayings, phrases . . . and talk about what all of this means. Let’s call it a Troutbitten glossary. If you’re lucky enough to have your own group of long-time fishing friends, then I’m sure you hav…

1
Bad Habits That Hurt 1:06:31

8M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

We’re here to talk about bad habits — things that aren’t personal style but just bad form. These are bad habits that come with a consequence. These are, quite simply, mistakes. And in every case, there’s a much better way to do things. We meet anglers from all over the country and the world, we often see these bad habits from good anglers. And inev…

1
Fishing With a Camera 1:28:46

8M ago1:28:46

1:28:46

This one is about taking photos and videos on the water, about camera gear, about keeping that gear safe but available, and even a few tips on taking a good fish selfie. Photography is something that we see most anglers get into, at least a little bit. I’ve often described the fish selfie as the grand compromise of catch and release fishing. We don…

1
Our Favorite Rivers 1:01:33

8M ago1:01:33

1:01:33

Some favorite rivers meander and roll through stunning scenery and enchanting tracts of wilderness. And most trout fishermen quickly realize that the pursuit of wild trout takes them into some of the most beautiful valleys on earth. But some other favorite rivers run through towns or behind old factories. Maybe they’re paralleled by a highway or na…

1
What Works When and Why? -- Mono Rigs and Euro Nymphing Styles 1:15:31

8M ago1:15:31

1:15:31

This episode is a conversation about tight line leader styles. We share what we like best, what works for each of us and what does not. This is Part Two for the podcast that we two weeks ago, titled, “Tight Line, High Stick, Euro Nymph, Mono Rig -- What's the Difference and How Did We Get Here?” While that first episode laid out a history of tight …

1
Coffee and Secrets (a story), and Catching Up 34:43

9M ago34:43

34:43

Here we are in the middle of season nine, and we’re doing something a little different. This is like an intermission between sets. My wife, Becky, is here, and we’ll catch up on a few Troutbitten things, like updates to the Recommended Gear page and the upcoming fall leader sale. I also have a listener email to share that really gets to the heart o…

1
Tight Line, High Stick, Euro Nymph, Mono Rig -- What's the Difference and How Did We Get Here? 1:13:51

9M ago1:13:51

1:13:51

Over the years, nymphing has grown up a bit. There's more information, more styles and more acceptance of those styles than ever before. While nymphing was once seen as that thing you did when trout wouldn’t eat dry flies or wets, more anglers than ever choose nymphing first — as their go-to method for catching trout in all seasons. Because nymphin…

1
The Stuff You Don't Need 1:06:41

9M ago1:06:41

1:06:41

Sometimes, an angler's love for gear becomes more important than the fishing itself, until the goal becomes a bigger collection of fishing gear instead of a collection of good fishing experiences. We’ve all seen this out there. And sometimes we have to actively fight that urge to want the next thing or believe that our deficiencies on the river can…

1
Turning Around the Toughest Days — How to Save a Slow Fishing Trip 1:06:54

9M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

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 prepar…

1
Trout Fishing and the Spawn 1:14:25

10M ago1:14:25

1:14:25

This conversation is about spawning trout. Specifically, we tackle the ethics of fishing during the spawn, whether it’s right or wrong to fish for trout that are actively in the process of making the next generation of trout. Moreover, where do these ideas of what’s ethical or not come from, and why are the expectations confusing for a lot of angle…

1
How Has Fly Fishing Changed? 1:01:57

10M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

Everything changes. That’s the only constant. And in the fly fishing world, the tactics, the gear and how we share all of this information changes, even though what the trout eat and how they eat it pretty much stays the same. That time frame, that snapshot, from where you entered the fly fishing world, shapes what you do on the water. And it’s ama…

1
Night Fishing for Trout -- Nymphs, Wets and Pushers 1:14:06

10M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

In this six-part series we’ve covered locations, water types, weather, water and light conditions. We’ve talked about the gear, about flashlights and headlamps and glow in the dark stuff. We’ve considered what a good night plan looks like, having a strategy and then adapting. Tactically, we’ve talked about drifting vs swinging flies, about three le…

1
Night Fishing for Trout -- Topwater, Emergers and Streamers 1:11:24

11M ago1:11:24

1:11:24

This is the episode you’ve all been waiting for. Tonight, we talk about fishing the top water. And yes, that means mouse patterns — sometimes. We also dig into a fly style that we feel is often more effective, the mouse emerger concept at night. And we talk about fishing streamers after dark. We cover the effectiveness of many different top water a…

1
Night Fishing for Trout -- Planning and Adapting Locations and Tactics 1:11:35

11M ago1:11:35

1:11:35

All fishing trips benefit from a good plan, and most of us couldn’t stop planning, hoping and dreaming about an upcoming trip if we wanted to. Our night fishing plans are a good beginning. Aimed toward solving the mysteries after dark, these plans are formed around expectations and based on the conditions. Where are the trout, and how are they feed…

1
Night Fishing for Trout -- Swinging and Drifting 1:03:05

11M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

We night fish with many different fly types: surface patterns, mouse emerges, streamers, wet flies, nymphs and Harvey Pushers. And all of these flies can be presented in two very different ways — drifting and swinging. There’s a lot of variety within these two categories. There are many ways to do both. And every fly type may seem to have its best …

1
Night Fishing for Trout: Lights -- Natural and Artificial 1:19:08

11M ago1:19:08

1:19:08

In this second part of the Night Fishing for Trout Skills Series on Troutbitten, we consider light. First the naturals, like moonlight and starlight, then we discuss city lights and other artificials, like our own flashlights and headlamps. Lastly, we’ll discuss the use of glow-in-the-dark stuff, like fly lines, indicators and more. I'm joined by m…

1
Night Fishing for Trout: People, Places and Things 56:25

12M ago56:25

56:25

This season is a skills series about fishing for trout after the sun goes down. And for the next six episodes, we’ll break down the night game into an outline that roughly follows the topics of a series that I published on Troutbitten, titled, Night Fishing for Trout. My night fishing friends are joining me for this episode -- Josh, Trevor and Aust…

1
Summer Catch Up '23 -- The Fishing, The Shop, Videos and More 49:26

1y ago49:26

49:26

We’re in between podcast season, and it's time for an update about what’s going on with Troutbitten. My wife, Becky, joins me to talk about the past, the present and the near future. The summer Troutbitten Shop leader sale launches on Monday morning, July 31st. All Troutbitten leaders will be back in stock: Harvey, Standard, Thin and Micro Thin Mon…

1
The One With Sloop - Stories With a Troutbitten Friend 1:05:42

1y ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Every Troutbitten regular knows about Sloop. We’ve referred to our friend on nearly every podcast, especially in the last few seasons, as it’s become a running contest to see how we can sneak in a Sloop John B reference. So we’re excited to have John here. Because what we all find so rewarding about this life on the water are the friendships. We fo…

1
The Airing of Grievances 2 1:51:38

1y ago1:51:38

1:51:38

We're back for the annual airing of grievances, here to call out what's wrong in the fly fishing industry. Some of our grievances are lighthearted silliness that doesn't really matter, but it’s fun to roast or to call out. But there’s another kind of grievance too. Because a lot of the stuff going on in the fly fishing industry isn’t really good fo…

1
Why We All Love Big Trout 1:08:10

1y ago1:08:10

1:08:10

This episode is about big trout -- what they mean to us, why we chase them, and how catching a top tier wild trout often leaves a bookmark in the story of our fishing lives. We love big trout because they give us the shakes. Because they elude us. Because they are rare. And because fooling a top tier trout serves as an accomplishment that we know c…

1
That's Not Fly Fishing -- What It Is, What It Isn't, Who Cares 1:04:31

1y ago1:04:31

1:04:31

“That’s Not Fly Fishing.” How many times have you heard this at the bar or seen someone write it on social media? When the way you are fishing isn’t up to someone’s standards, when it doesn’t align with their own preferences, it seems that this frequent argument comes out easily — That’s not fly fishing! Of course, there is no single definition for…

1
This Is The End -- A Story 11:37

1y ago11:37

11:37

This episode is a brief pause in season seven of the podcast to share something that I published to Troutbitten in the early years. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of emotion and activity. The days were filled with energy and adrenaline, as my youngest son's Little League baseball team won the league championship. They battled through two …

1
Vest, Pack or Something Else? Carrying Your Gear 1:19:07

1y ago1:19:07

1:19:07

What’s the best way to carry your gear? Should you use a vest, a chest pack, hip pack, sling pack or something else? How you choose to carry gear is a personal and situational choice. It has everything to do with what you need to carry, and how far you like to walk. Do you need to carry extra layers and a raincoat, and how many tactics do you want …

1
Talking About Tippet -- Size, Strength, Length and Rigging 1:26:17

1y ago1:26:17

1:26:17

The leader might be the most important piece of gear that we have -- more consequential than the rod, the fly line, or even the fly itself. And of course, at the tail end of the leader is the tippet. All anglers must make decisions about tippet every day. What size and strength? What type of tippet? And how long should the tippet section be? Becaus…

1
What to Love About Small Stream Fishing 1:08:01

1y ago1:08:01

1:08:01

This podcast is about small stream fishing — specifically, what we love about the places, the fish, the tactics and the experience of fishing smaller trout waters. These are trout streams that are no wider than the dirt road that you drove in on. And for every blue ribbon trout river, for every destination water that is raved about in the guidebook…

1
Good Wading, Better Fishing -- How Wading Skills Change Everything 1:27:51

1y ago1:27:51

1:27:51

This episode is about wading a river. Good wading. Better wading. Confident wading. Because, for a river angler, nothing is more important. Good wading is not just walking from place to place, it's an almost constant, fluid motion, and fly fishing requires great footwork along the way. I meet a lot of anglers who approach a river all wrong. They wa…

1
High Water, Dirty Water, Muddy Water 1:26:31

1+ y ago1:26:31

1:26:31

What can we do when the rains come, when the snow melts, or when the floodgates open? Rivers rise in many different ways. From quick and heavy summer thunderstorms, to the steady light rain that remains for days at a time. There’s the gradual release of melting snowpack and then heavy rains on that same snow that pushes high volumes of cold water i…

1
What Is More Difficult? Fishing Dry Flies or Nymphs? 1:12:40

1+ y ago1:12:40

1:12:40

We have a fun conversation for this episode, about what’s more difficult — nymphs or dry flies. This is not a talk about which tactic is better. And this discussion isn’t even about which one we might like more. What is more difficult? Nymphs or dries? This is a valuable exercise and an important discussion . . . Just because nymphing might usually…

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