Podcast: How to be a Great Fly-Fishing Client, with Simon Perkins



There’s lots of discussion about what makes a good guide and why some are better than others for a whole host of reasons. But the guide/angler connection is truly a team effort, and there are things a client can do to get more out of the experience and have a more enjoyable and educational trip. Simon Perkins, Orvis COO, was a fishing guide before he hung up his oars for an office job. He shares his experiences, good and bad, and suggests ways we can be better clients. He also shares a few stories about his best and worst days of being a guide and a client. A couple are quite colorful, and I think you’ll enjoy them.

In the Fly Box this week, we cover the following topics:

  • How can I roll-cast big streamers?
  • How do I fish streamers in small brook-trout streams?
  • What is the best tool for measuring water temperature, and how cold does water have to be before trout stop feeding?
  • Where is that new Clearwater Euro-nymphing rod?
  • Can I use my 5-weight rod for surf-fishing in the ocean?
  • Are wool fingerless gloves any good?
  • Is 20-lb fluorocarbon too light for the butt section of a leader?
  • What are gut leaders?
  • Is a UV light essential for fly tying?
  • Is roll casting more difficult with a shorter rod?
  • My wife and I fished some big articulated streamers and had no luck. What were we doing wrong?
  • I have a pile of old flies. How do I identify what they are?

If you don’t see the “Play” button above, click here to listen.


Simon Perkins (right) with a client, in 2010.
Photo via Facebook

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