Tweets and emails from the IFTD show floor suggest the industry show may appear in New Orleans next August, which could bring the Underground out of his temporary trade show retirement, especially if a shot at redfish is involved.

Let the good times roll…

Orvis Stuff

Orvis surprised the industry a few years ago with the introduction of its Helios rods, and in addition to a pair of new reels I don’t feel like writing about, their new $350 “Access” fly rods sound interesting, and they’ve announced (surprisingly) yet another remake of the Superfine line.

Read on, Undergrounders.

Access Fly Rods

Are the new Access rods the $350 equivalent to the Hydros, which is the $550 equivalent to the $800 Helios?

I doubt Orvis would put it that way, but that’s why you read the Underground instead of product literature… From Manchester:

The new Orvis Access rods introduce a huge breakthrough in mid-priced fly rod designs. Lighter than any other rods in their price class, they utilize the Exclusive Load Ratio developed for the Helios and Hydros rods to produce a taper that feels powerful yet lively when casting or when playing a fish.

Recent breakthroughs in fiber/resin combinations by the military contractor who provides Orvis with its raw materials allow the rod designers to make these rods ultra-lightweight and responsive.

Superfine Fly Rods

Several years ago Orvis “overhauled” the much-beloved Superfine series of fly rods, which had been in production basically forever.

And yes, there was discontent.

Some suggested they’d dramatically over-stiffened the wonderfully smooth rods, and since the company has re-tooled the line so quickly, maybe there was truth to the rumors. From Orvis:

Superfine Touch rods are an entirely new rod series from Orvis. Despite their retro un-sanded finish, they utilize the latest in graphite raw materials, resins, and scrims and an entirely new taper that is as smooth and easy-casting as the original Orvis Superfine, but with more precision and accuracy.

It’s a fact that most fly rods today are optimized for casting 35 feet and beyond. When shorter casts are needed (actually in the range most trout are caught), the angler needs to adjust his or her casting style and work too hard to get the rod to flex properly at 15 to 25 feet. The new Orvis Superfine Touch rods were painstakingly designed and tested to make perfect casts at distances less than 30 feet, even though with an adjustment in casting style they can reach out to 60 feet.

According to Orvis Marketing Kahuna Tom Rosenbauer:

“We went back to the drawing board–new mandrels, new material, new taper. What we came up with was a more progressive, less butt-flexing taper that loads perfectly at 10 to 25 feet.”

Because I’m a geezer who likes slower, softer rods, I may request one of the new Superfines for testing, comparing it against my sizable stack of old geezer rods, and we’ll see how it measures up.

(Probable Sign of Geezerhood: Almost none of the synthetic rods I fish are still available.)

See you at home, Tom Chandler.

It’s a simple equation.

That said, what is interesting is an email comment offered by Orvis Grand Marketing Poobah Tom Rosenbauer:

“I’ve been worried about the lack of growth in the fly-fishing industry for a long time and have grown tired of waiting for our trade association to do something meaningful about it. We’ve decided to partner with TU to give free fly fishing lessons for novices every Saturday in July this summer.”

Ouch.

The relationship between Orvis and AFFTA is largely open to interpretation; insiders have suggested the Orvis presence at prior AFFTA trade shows was more courtesy than necessity, and they barely made an appearance at last year’s show.

Stay tuned for more exciting industry gossip.

For now, here’s the Orvis Press Release:

SUNDERLAND, Vermont (June 9, 2010) — Orvis and Trout Unlimited are partnering to offer a new industry event to introduce new fly fishers to the sport of fly fishing – Fly Fishing 101. Never before has there been such an organized effort across so many locations to give new fly fishers a chance to learn the great sport of fly fishing free of cost. “Newcomers to fly fishing are often intimidated with casting and other elements of getting started in the sport. The Fly Fishing 101 event will help participants learn fly fishing basics in an easy, non-threatening way,” said Tory Myler, Orvis Retail and Wholesale Marketing Manager.

Every Saturday in July 2010 from 9AM-12PM, participating Orvis stores and dealers will offer free fly casting classes and free classes on rigging a fly rod and reel outfit. Upon completion of the courses, every participant will receive a $15 Orvis savings card and a certificate for a free membership to Trout Unlimited – a $35 value. Volunteers from Trout Unlimited will be on hand at select locations to aid with the instruction. “Fly fishers are a significant part of Trout Unlimited’s membership because of our mission to protect, conserve and restore coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in North America. Our volunteers are excited to help newcomers learn and enjoy the sport of fly fishing,” said Christopher Anderson, Trout Unlimited.

Growing the sport of fly fishing is a concept wholly embraced by the fly fishing industry, but anglers don’t always evidence support for the idea.  I can see the utility of more humans lined up behind the concept of clean water, but I do find myself hoping any industry growth occurs on big waters and not small streams, where ‘two’ is definitely a crowd.

With AFFTA seemingly focused largely on its own survival as of late), the Underground has to ask:

What would the Undergrounders do to grow the sport (assuming you actually want the sport to grow)?

And frankly, the industry’s not wholly without blame. Sweeping ad campaigns clutter the magazines and Intertubes, and in a surprising number, grim, unsmiling fly fishermen fish as though there’s an IRS auditor waiting for them on the bank.

Stare directly into the marketing light too long, and you start to wonder why anybody would take up the sport.

Which is why it’s nice to see somebody in the industry apparently enjoying themselves, though the source this time will come as a surprise to most of us.

Orvis.

(Yep. Me too.)

I don’t know if I necessarily expected everyone at Orvis Central to be drinking brandy from snifters and wearing smoking jackets, but I wasn’t expecting self-deprecating humor.

I’ve heard it said dying is easy, it’s comedy that’s hard, so falling on your face in a massively unfunny video is a risk.

That hasn’t happened here, and the appearance of even a tiny bit of humor in this industry makes me hope somebody pulls their head out of their waders and hires potential comic genius filmmaker Steve Apple to produce a series of funny fly fishing/product videos.

They’d entertain, they’d inform, they’d go viral, and they’d lift the Cone of Darkness that sometimes seems to obscure the real fun of the sport.

(Note to fly fishing advertisers: if you don’t believe “fun” works, I challenge you to watch this short video by marketing juggernaut Nike, who produced what amounts to an amateur video that went totally batshit viral)

The rest of us are having fun on the river. Why aren’t fly fishing’s advertisers?

See you having fun, Tom Chandler.

NOTE: Because the I posted this on a Friday (so it would be four posts deep by Monday), I’m making it “sticky.” It will remain atop the stack until Monday…

Now that Alaska’s announced a statewide felt sole ban – and with a Vermont ban already in the works (plus New Zealand, plus…) – one thing seems clear.

Some of you may not be wearing felt-soled wading boots much longer.

The topic of felt soles and bans led to a spirited debate on the Underground, and while the necessity of anti-felt legislation is debatable, the future will likely include bans for at least some of the Undergrounders.

And another reality intrudes; even though I’m not yet legally obligated to wear rubber soles, some of us abandoned felt long ago, and haven’t looked back.

In my case, felt was fine when new, but wore quickly on the sharp-edged rocks of the Upper Sac’s railroad tracks. After a few months of hiking along the rails, the grippy felt largely disappeared, the studs protruded, and I was left wearing boots with a truly distressing tendency to skate on smooth, angled rocks.

It’s the kind of thing that made both the L&T and my insurance company break out in a rash.

And dry land performance? Winter performance? Let’s not go there.

In simple terms, I haven’t conducted a yearlong test of rubber and studded rubber soles because I may one day be forced to wear it.

Instead, I believe it may already be a better all-around choice than felt.

No guides were harmed over the course of our wading boot test (though I thought about it)

In fact, I’ll go a step further: It’s possible felt bans may be unnecessary; the bulk of the market could simply move to rubber/studded rubber sans legislation.

That’s not what you’d call a universally accepted view – and I’m wary of marketing-driven “green” campaigns against felt – but given my recent testing, it’s an idea whose time may have come.

Some Background

For two years after swearing off felt, I wore studded rubber boots from Weinbrenner, which didn’t offer anything near the grip of today’s rubber soles.

Last year’s initial tests of “sticky rubber” soles were promising, but ultimately, plain rubber soles by Simms, Patagonia, Korkers and others didn’t make the cut on tough freestone rivers.

In easier wading situations – like the Bitterroot or Roque (and most of the Upper Sac), plain sticky rubber worked well enough (better for me than some others, apparently).

And on small streams – where dry grip is as important as wet grip – the soft Patagonia sticky rubber soles were superb (and light, and comfortable).

In other words, modern rubber wading boots have something to offer – but not in hard-to-tough situations.

So What About Studded Rubber Soles?

My on-the-water experience with studded rubber soles is pretty clear; compared to plain rubber, studded rubber soles offer a practical, all-around substitute for felt and studded felt.

The grip on soft surfaces – like slimy, snotty rocks – is much better than straight rubber (as you’d expect).

They also last longer and clean easier than felt (though clean soles are hardly the final solution in the invasives issue).

In my experience, studded rubber also outperforms felt in winter, in icy situations, in mud, and in a few other situations.

And yes, the durability issue means they should offer far more bang for your buck.

But do they grip well enough? Let’s see.

Our Lab Rats

I tested the Simms, Korker and the new Orvis studded rubber boots on a notoriously slimy portion of the Upper Sacramento.

(Disclosure: I bought the Patagonia Riverwalkers, but the Simms, Korker and Orvis boots were sent for review. And I’ll send ‘em back if they want.)

I could have added studs to the Patagonia boots, but like them just the way they are, so I didn’t. With studs, I expect they’d work as well – or as poorly – as the boots I tested.

I also tested some screw-in studs from a company called Grip Studs. They feature an interesting design and drop-dead easy application tool, and they’re worth a look, though you probably won’t be able to buy them at your fly shop.

Grip Studs look very secure, and the mounting system is easy. Might be a great way to add studs to non fly fishing shoes too...

On the river, I waded through what amounted to an underwater obstacle course, and tried to grade the performance of the boots.

I toured bowling-ball sized snot rocks, climbed on dry, steeply angled bankside granite, hit what I called “the Muck Run” and tromped on a few other substrates.

Included was a distressingly effective test where I climbed up on an angled, slippery underwater rock, then tried to see how much downward “oomph” it took to slip the boots.

How’s that work? Well, I’m happy to report no one was there to video the scene.

And thrilled to say I got all the boots to finally let go, though never went in over my waders (I am Catman).

Just to make it interesting, I also took the tour with a pair of studded felts (older Weinbrenners), and my old Weinbrenner studded rubber.

Added to the mix were my impressions from all the studded rubber trips taken in the fall and winter. They weren’t head-to-head tests (I was fishing after all), but they provided useful information.

The Results

Prepare to not be surprised.

Basically – as you might expect – the modern studded rubber boots delivered similar experiences.

The studded Weinbrenners were exactly as I remembered – solid boots, but lacking grippy rubber, a lugged sole, or much in the way of grip from the small spikes.

In other words, they didn’t measure up.

The studded felts did wonderfully on the smooth, curved snot rocks (the soles flex to fit the contour, increasing grip), yet caused me to wish I was wearing a highly absorptive undergarment on the smooth, slanted granite and the big dry rocks.

Was there an Absolute Grip Winner (barely) among the studded rubber contenders?

Barely. But yes.

The Orvis Studded Rubber EcoTraX Soles

The Orvis sole delivered grip similar to the other boots on the firm stuff (rocks, etc), but on softer surfaces (like really thick algae, mud, etc), they clearly outperformed the others (even the studded felt).

The reason for their grip? I’m guessing it’s not their sole, but their aggressive, four-bladed stud design.

We call that aggressive; The four-bladed Orvis wading boot stud.

You can see why they’d grip – and why you’d probably only wear these on your brand-new hardwood floors once.

The Orvis soles offered limpet-like grip on the really snotty stuff, and didn’t exhibit the less-desireable characteristics I expected (on smooth, dry, angled rocks, they didn’t skate).

They’re new, so I can’t speak to the longevity of the studs.

Yet I can say with some certainty that they’re not what you’d call “quiet” on pavement and rocky surfaces.

That said, grip is grip, and these have it in spades.

Notes about the Orvis Boots: Though nicely constructed, these boots ran large. I’m normally a size 11, but needed thick socks and a thick neoprene bootie to make these size 11 boots work (and just barely).

Wearing a normal sock and a thinner neoprene bootie (for wet wading) was a nonstarter – my foot positively swam inside them. Order small, or better, try them on.

The Simms Headwaters Boot

The rubber-soled Simms boots are sold without studs, which are purchased separately and installed. (Note to Simms: How about a stud placement chart?)

I tested the Simms Hard Bite Studs (see below), though they also now offer a more aggressive Hard Bite “Star Cleat” (see below below).

Their interesting pebble texture held better than expected.

The Hard Bite Studs feature “welded carbide pellets), which seem to offer good all-around performance (especially if you forget and wear them someplace you shouldn’t).

The Star Bite studs received positive reviews from several Undergrounders, and their rounded, low-profile design didn’t really penalize me in the grip area (I thought they might).

Instead, they were well-behaved, and clearly less damaging to things like car floors, brake pedals, wooden steps and other places you probably shouldn’t be wearing them in the first place.

I don’t have a set of the Star Cleats available for testing, so I won’t comment on them except to say they look aggressive:

We didn't have these available for testing, but they look interesting.

Notes About Simms Boots: The Simms Vibram soles are quite stiff (some like that aspect, though I didn’t), and for a “lightweight” wading boot, they offer a very protective environment. The Simms fit relatively true to size, and are rightly famous for their all-around comfort.

The Korkers Guide Boot

The studded rubber soles of the Korkers Guide Boots feature a more “conventional” pointed stud design, though in some ways, these boots were the most revolutionary tested.

Sure, you want to stone them for the name, but it's hard to argue with interchangeable soles.

The soles are interchangeable, so you can switch between plain rubber, studded rubber, felt, studded felt, and a wicked-looking, massively spiked “mossy rock lug” sole.

The Korker’s changeable soles might ease what I’ll call Felt Separation Anxiety Syndrome, though let’s be clear; changing the soles is not a 30 second operation, and the extra soles aren’t free.

That said, these might be the boots to own if you travel or fish wildly different varying rivers.

Or maybe if you’re indecisive and prone to second-guessing (the Underground caters to all fly fishermen).

The Korker soles gripped well; the Kling-on rubber (Korkers fails the Star Trek Geek Test) might be a bit softer than the stiff Vibram soles of the Simms and Orvis, though probably not as soft as the Patagonia boots.

Notes About Korkers Guide Boots: The Korkers featured the BOA lacing system, which eschews shoelaces in favor of a steel cable and ratchet. Adjusting the tension was very easy – even while wearing gloves. That’s good because they needed to be tightened a few times before reaching an equilibrium – not an unusual occurrence when dry wading boots get wet.

These boots are also very light and very protective, though they ran a little small (thin socks and thin neoprene make them workable, but you’ll want to try these before buying).

A Few Conclusions

It’s likely the differences in grip between the boots I tested had more to do with the design of the studs than the rubber soles.

Tom Rosenbauer of Orvis added a layer of mystery when he said via email that: “The key lies in the stud design AND the placement of the studs.”

According to him, their studs (and apparently, the placement of them) was the subject of a lot of testing.

I can’t swear it’s true, but if I was adding studs to a pair of boots and lacked other guidance, I’d be tempted to copy their stud placement.

I’d also suggest the rapidly evolving design of metal studs was narrowing whatever gap still existed between felt and studded rubber.

In most circumstances, studded felt didn’t hold much of an edge (if any), and in many ways, the new studded rubber simply outclassed the felt.

Some Good, Lightweight News

All the boots tested were far lighter than my old Weinbrenners, yet offered better protection and stability.

In fact, the Orvis and Simms boots weren’t even their most-protective (or heaviest) models, and the Patagonias and Korkers are very light to begin with.

Yet my feet have never felt so sheltered.

And while heavy boots may feed some macho instinct, at the end of a long day of hiking, rock scrambling and wading, lighter is better.

Clearly, not just the soles are seeing improvement.

The Role of Wading Technique

Valuable Tip #2? Learn to wade on a flat foot.

Most people wade like they’re walking down the sidewalk; heavy heel strike, feet far apart, and a constant shifting of balance along a narrow line.

That’s great for covering a lot of ground in a hurry, but it’s pretty much a guaranteed dunking on the river.

Wading so your foot meets the stream bottom relatively flat (the ball of your foot hits about the same time your heel does) might make more difference than any grippy sole ever will.

When wading “normally” it’s easy to lose your balance; when you wade on a flat foot, your whole boot tends to squirm down into a solid footing.

The flat foot was why I avoided dunkings with my not-so-grippy Weinbrenner boots, and probably why I’m happier with the straight rubber Patagonia Riverwalkers than other folks.

Add a wading staff to a flat-footed wading technique, and you may never fall again.

The Final Load Out

I think the new studded rubber boots are ready for prime time – at least on my waters.

Over the course of the last year, those waters have included bouldered small streams, meadow streams, spring creeks, and freestone rivers like the Rogue, Bitterroot, McCloud and Upper Sac.

(Perhaps some of our Northwest readers can chime in with their experiences on the NW’s hard-to-wade steelhead rivers.)

Some anecdotal evidence suggests studded rubber’s also workable on even the “widowmaker” Pit River, though – just like felt soles – every rubber wading boot sole is going to have its good and bad moments

My own personal take? I’m keeping my Patagonia Riverwalkers un-studded – they’re just too good to mess with, and I’d happily fish the Upper Sac with them sans studs.

Still, I also fish the McCloud, Klamath and Pit Rivers, and I think a pair of studded rubber boots is in order.

If you’re waiting for me to pick one out of the scrum, get ready for a massive letdown.

I suggest choosing the pair that fit you the best.

The exception might come in the form of the Korkers, which offer a flexibility the others don’t – but at a price.

Acclimating to studded rubber will require a few changes in thinking. They’re better in some areas, but worse in others, and those with hardwired wading reflexes might have to adjust.

That said, they work, and work well – and should last a lot longer.

The first time you wear them, keep in mind what an industry veteran told me on the phone: “The first time someone wearing rubber soles slips, they immediately forget all the times they fell wearing felt.”

See you with the rubber side down, Tom Chandler.

Patagonia's Sticky Rubber

Other Posts in the Wading Boot Review Series Include (in chronological order):

Gear Review: Are Patagonia’s Riverwalker “Sticky Rubber” Wading Boots Grippy or Gimpy?

The Great Rubber-Soled Wading Boot Test Continues: The Guides Weigh In

The Underground’s Wading Boot Review Begins a New Chapter

[ad#OpenX-468 Horizontal]

Thoughts On Sticky Rubber Wading Boots, Small Streams, And Marketing

Another Step in the Underground’s Ongoing Wading Boot Test

Bans on Felt Soled Wading Boots Gathering Steam: How Long Until You’re Wearing Rubber (And Practicing Safe Wading)?

Some of our lab rats.

Patagonia seems to be that company.

Patagonia's web-based catalog (note the audio player lower left)

From the LA Times web site:

Outdoor and fishing apparel manufacturer Patagonia is doing away with its traditional fly-fishing catalog, instead switching to an online “e-Catalog” only.

“The fishing market is the right place to launch an e-Catalog,” said Patagonia angling Chief Executive Casey Sheahan. “Anglers have turned to the Internet to review water conditions, hatches, plan trips and more, making them the perfect customer for an online, interactive e-Catalog that feels more like a magazine or multimedia site.”

The Web-based, interactive catalog will allow users to view videos and access in-depth product information, as well as provide avenues to purchase items quickly and easily.

“Our hope is that anglers are psyched to get product information this way, so moving forward we can try to avoid sending catalogs to individual mailboxes.”

Whether the time is truly right remains to be seen; it was only a couple years ago that a small manufacturer I know – someone who sells into the outdoor and food service markets – also went to a digital catalog.

The only real pushback? It came from the fly fishing industry, many of whom didn’t seem to know what a digital catalog was, or why an industry largely based on clean water would find it desirable.

The times are changing, though I’d suggest fly fishing’s anglers are ahead of the industry when it comes to the Internet.

I say, Is That a Direct Sales Model?

As noted by an eagle-eyed Undergrounder, clicking on a product in Patagonia’s online catalog (I’ve been eying the Pack Vest, so let’s click that) sends you straight to the Patagonia Web site, where you’ll find plenty of product information – and are offered the chance to conveniently buy the item immediately.

It’s a subtle reminder that the Internet is truly enabling a direct sales model, and while Patagonia has always been something of a catalog company, you know that other manufacturers – largely prevented from direct sales by their commitment to a dealer network – are eying that direct channel (and its “forget about wholesale pricing” margins) somewhat covetously.

Mike Michalak – owner of The Fly Shop in Redding (perhaps the biggest online & offline retailer in terms of revenue) alluded to this in the March issue of Angling Trade, where he wrote an opinion piece suggesting dealers were about to witness an industry turning to a direct sales model at the expense of fly shops.

I think it’s a given that will come to pass on some level, especially given homogeneity of so many fly shops.

In simple terms, the fly fishing market isn’t all that big; fewer manufacturers means fewer choices – and fly shops which already carry pretty much the same gear will be forced to differentiate themselves in other ways.

Those that can’t will disappear.

Direct sales? Manufacturers are eying the channel, but many find their hands are tied.

Of course, Patagonia’s already tapped into direct sales, though if you want to see an aggressive operation, you have to look no further than the old-skool Orvis site.

Sure, it’s cluttered, but beneath it lurks a very advanced email program, plenty of new-school product marketing (like customer product reviews – text and video), a host of other features guaranteed to make a modern marketer smile, and yes – even a burgeoning social media effort.

Meanwhile, competing manufacturers like Scott, Winston & Sage seem content to roll out “new” web sites that look, operate – and fail to engage – exactly like their old Web sites.

The Internet isn’t about to disappear fly fishing’s fly shops, but those shops – and manufacturers – who are slow to recognize its real impacts are doomed to stand on the sidelines while others eat their market share like a stolen lunch.

Patagonia seems to be justifying its new catalog on the basis of environmental impacts. Yet that ignores the very real ability to deliver rich content (video, audio, animation, etc) that can’t happen via print.

And yes, it gives you the ability to direct interested buyers exactly where you want – including to the “buy this” page on your own Web site.

The Orvis Podcast series continues with all-new fly fishing tips (plus new podcasts on hunting and shotgunning).

Learn from one of fly fishing’s most respected authors: Tom Rosenbauer, author of numerous fly-fishing books (including The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide), shares the wisdom and practical techniques that he’s learned throughout his decades of fly fishing around the globe.

Latest Podcast: The Minimalist Fly Fisher

To play any of Orvis’ fun, information-packed podcasts (and many more), simply click here.

Recent Podcasts Include:

• Double Barrel’s First Episode (the new Orvis hunting & shotgunning podcast)
  
• Proper Catch & Release Methods
• Playing with Fish in Fast Water
• All About Fly Fishing with Braided Leaders
• More Tips on Fly Fishing in Small Streams
• Ridin’ Dirty: Tom’s Tips for Fly Fishing Muddy Water
• Bass and Panfish Fly Fishing Tips
• The Top Five Casting Mistakes Fly Fishers Make
• Tom Talks about A River Runs Through It and Gives a Few Pointers on River Etiquette as well as the use of Felt Sole Waders
• Fly Fishing with Sinking Lines

To play any of Orvis’ fun, information-packed podcasts (and many more), simply click here.

What is podcasting?
Podcasting distributes an audio file online for automatic downloading. Once you’ve downloaded the audio file, you can listen to it on your computer or portable media player.

Subscribe to the Orvis Podcast Direct RSS Feed

Join Orvis on Facebook!

<embed src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" quality="high" width="300" height="52" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent"  type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars= "valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://media.libsyn.com/media/orvisffguide/Proper_Catch__Release_Techniques.mp3 pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed>

The Orvis Podcast series continues with all-new fly fishing tips.

Learn from one of fly fishing’s most respected authors: Tom Rosenbauer, author of numerous fly-fishing books (including The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide), shares the wisdom and practical techniques that he’s learned throughout his decades of fly fishing around the globe.

This Podcast: Playing With Fish in Fast Water (click player to start)

To play any of Orvis’ fun, information-packed podcasts (and many more), simply click here.

Recent Podcasts Include:

• All About Fly Fishing with Braided Leaders
• More Tips on Fly Fishing in Small Streams
• Ridin’ Dirty: Tom’s Tips for Fly Fishing Muddy Water
• Bass and Panfish Fly Fishing Tips
• The Top Five Casting Mistakes Fly Fishers Make
• Tom Talks about A River Runs Through It and Gives a Few Pointers on River Etiquette as well as the use of Felt Sole Waders
• Fly Fishing with Sinking Lines

To play any of Orvis’ fun, information-packed podcasts (and many more), simply click here.

What is podcasting?
Podcasting distributes an audio file online for automatic downloading. Once you’ve downloaded the audio file, you can listen to it on your computer or portable media player.

Subscribe to the Orvis Podcast Direct RSS Feed

Join Orvis on Facebook!

<embed src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" quality="high" width="300" height="52" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent"  type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars= "valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://media.libsyn.com/media/orvisffguide/Proper_Catch__Release_Techniques.mp3 pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed>

The Orvis Podcast series continues with several new titles by Orvis Marketing Director Tom Rosenbauer, including:

• Five Common Mistakes Fly Fishers Make with Leaders and Tippets
• Top Five Fly Fishing Tips for Fishing Unfamiliar Waters
• Tom Rosenbauer’s Tips for Fly Fishing in the Surf

You can play all the latest podcasts from the viewer below (scroll to see prior podcasts).

Learn from one of fly fishing’s most respected authors. Tom Rosenbauer, author of numerous fly-fishing books (including The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide), shares the wisdom and practical techniques that he’s learned throughout his decades of fly fishing around the globe.

Scroll down the player sidebar to see prior Orvis podcasts, including:

• Fly Fishing Tips For Small Streams
• Father’s Day Special: Teaching a Child to Fly Fish
• Fly Fishing High and Low River Conditions
• Lord of the Flies: Managing Your Fly Collection

(If you’re having difficulty playing this, visit the Orvis Podcast site)

Subscribe directly to The Orvis Fly Fishing podcast using:

Or simply copy and paste the following URL into a podcasting application:
http://www.orvis.com/ffpodcast

Receive notification of new Orvis Fly Fishing Podcasts by e-mail.

What is podcasting?
Podcasting distributes an audio file online for automatic downloading. Once you’ve downloaded the audio file, you can listen to it on your computer or portable media player.

Join Orvis on Facebook!

Welcome to the most complete report of fly fishing conditions in North America.

Our professional reports are updated weekly with flows and tides, recommended flies and equipment, and special fishing tips for the most important fly-fishing destinations in North America.

Plan your next fishing trip knowing you’ll arrive without any surprises—or discover some new fishing destinations in your area.

(click image to visit the Orvis Fly Fishing Report)

Join Orvis on Facebook!