Podcast: Stream Access Now! With Rob Parkins



Big News: Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast and the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast are now available in their entirety on Spotify, which will update automatically when we upload new content.

Stream Access Now! is the title of a very useful guide produced by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (available on their website or on the Orvis Fly Fishing Learning Center), which gives you the stream-access laws for all 50 states, plus some fascinating essays on the varying ways that states treat stream access. In this week’s podcast with Rob Parkins, Public Waters Access Coordinator for BCHA., he details how laws vary from state to state, how you can find access points, and dos and don’ts of fishing on both public and private lands. It’s essential knowledge for the traveling angler, particularly if you don’t fish with a guide and are unsure of the legality of entering a stream in a state where you have not fished before.

In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual mix of great questions and suggestions from listeners:

  • If my fly comes back with empty caddis cases on the hook, does that mean the caddis hatches are over and I should not fish a caddis?
  • Are sea-run Pacific steelhead any more delicate than Great Lakes steelhead?
  • If I harvest a deer, should I try to use any of the hide for fly tying, and how do I deal with it?
  • Is it okay to fish a click-and-pawl reel for smallmouth bass, and does reel “balance” matter?
  • Why don’t people fish much with winged wet flies anymore?
  • How do I keep my Double Bunny Rabbit strips from getting stiff?
  • How can I see my dry fly when looking into strong glare?
  • What is the best camera for capturing the brilliant colors of fish?

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


Rob Parkins is an expert on stream-access laws.
Photo courtesy Rob Parkins

One thought on “Podcast: Stream Access Now! With Rob Parkins”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *