The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast
Tired of overcrowded water? In love with catching wild fish in wild places? Addicted to exploration? Awed by the rugged beauty of nature? Then this is the podcast for you.
We aim to build a library that covers everything related to fly fishing in the backcountry--tactics, flies, gear, survival skills, hiking, weather, outdoor hazards, navigation, camping, ecology, and much more.
Whether you're a hardcore backcountry fly fisher or a newbie interested in getting out there, we've got something for you. Come join us in the pursuit of trout and solitude.
Episodes
61 episodes
Rebuilding After the Storm: A Conversation with The Beacon Network in North Carolina
When disaster hits, the damage doesn’t stop at roads and homes—it tears through rivers, streams, and the communities that depend on them.In this episode, Ross sits down with Jared Dubin and Miguel Huerta of
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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48:33
At the Edge of the Steppe: A Conversation with Peter Fong at Mongolia River Outfitters
Some places change you—not because they’re comfortable or accessible, but because they demand something from you. Deep in Mongolia’s backcountry, far from roads, towns, and certainty, those places still exist.In this episode, Ross sits d...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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58:03
Protecting the West's Last Best Rivers with Western Rivers Conservancy
In this episode, Ross sits down with Allen Law of Western Rivers Conservancy to talk about one of the most effective—and often overlooked—approaches to protecting wild rivers in the American West.Western Rivers Conservancy works to perma...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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40:08
Complaint Corner - Guide, Not God
Not every guide deserves the title.In this season’s installment of Complaint Corner, Ross takes aim at a growing problem in fly fishing: guides who don’t really know the craft, don’t respect the resource, and treat the river lik...
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34:53
It's Knot that Complicated: The Only Knots You Need
Fly fishing doesn’t need a dozen different knots to be effective. In fact, most anglers can do everything they need on the water with just a small handful—if they actually know how and when to use them.In this episode, Ross breaks down t...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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31:10
The Tough Days: Understanding and Salvaging Hard Days on the Water
Every angler knows the feeling—those days when the river goes quiet, the fish disappear, and nothing you do seems to change it. Slow days on the water can mess with your head if you let them, but they don’t have to break you.In this epis...
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37:18
The Psychology of the Cold
The cold isn’t just a condition—it’s a mindset.When the temps drop and the rivers turn steel-gray, most anglers call it quits. But if you know how to prepare yourself mentally, winter becomes one of the most rewarding seasons of the year...
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43:09
Thanksgiving on the Water: Peace, Gratitude, and the Responsibility We Carry
Fly fishing gives us more than fish. It gives us quiet. It gives us space. It gives us a way to breathe in a world that never stops moving. And in this Thanksgiving episode, Ross reflects on the gratitude we owe to the waters that keep us stead...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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28:12
The Fly-Tying Sermon - Why, What, When, and How You Should Tie Your Own Flies
There’s a moment every angler reaches when the flies in the shop just don’t cut it anymore. Maybe it’s a pattern that never quite works the way it should. Maybe it’s that tiny backcountry creek where trout eat everything except what’s ...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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47:02
All About Indies
It might not be glamorous, but it sure as hell catches fish.In this episode, Ross takes a deep dive into indicator nymphing—the most misunderstood, underrated, and effective technique in all of fly fishing. From foam to yarn to Ai...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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52:19
Highways through the Last Frontier: Season 5 Kickoff
The wild doesn’t stay wild on its own.In this opening episode of Season 5, Ross returns from Mongolia—where he chased the legendary taimen on some of the most remote water on Earth—and reflects on what he found there. Among endless stret...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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20:03
More Politics and Closing Out Season 4
Season 4 of The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast comes to a close, but the conversation doesn’t stop here. In this final episode, Ross reflects on the BCFF Podcast journey so far—and turns to one of the most important conservation issues facing ...
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14:35
Fishing the Flip - Figuring Out Turnover Season
As summer gives way to fall, backcountry anglers face one of the trickiest transitions of the year: turnover season. Weather gets funky, waters cool, insect activity changes, and spawning begins to influence behavior.In this episode of <...
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43:16
Into the Muskwa-Kechika with Northern Rockies Adventures
Some places are so wild and remote they feel almost untouched. In northern British Columbia, just outside the vast Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, that kind of wilderness still exists. And it...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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48:09
Designing Innovative Backcountry Fly Fishing Gear with Colter Backcountry
The backcountry demands more from both anglers and their equipment. When every ounce matters and every mile is earned, the right gear can make the difference between a long, grueling slog and a trip you’ll never forget.In this episode, R...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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52:25
The Power of Intuition and Training with James Hamilton
There’s a voice inside you that knows when something isn’t right. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it roars. The key is learning to listen.In this episode, Ross sits down with security expert and former FBI agent James Hamilton from
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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50:22
Complaint Corner - Spot Burning
Backcountry fly fishing is about mastery—learning the water, the fish, and the environment. It’s about exploration, achievement, and growth. It’s about earning your fish and your spots, not having them handed to you.In the second edition...
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Season 7
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Episode 8
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27:20
Stupid Games, Stupid Prizes - Stories from the Wall of Shame
There’s no better way to learn what not to do than by pointing and laughing at someone else’s mistakes. Lucky for you, Ross has a whole wall full of them—and he’s not shy about handing out free lessons.In this episode, Ross pull...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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39:28
When the Mountain Says No
We all love to get out there as often as we can. But some days, you’re just not supposed to be in the wild. Some days, the mountain says No.This episode is all about those moments—the ones where something inside you whispers,
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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47:08
A Guide to High-Alpine Lake Fishing - Gear, Flies, and Tactics
Alright, you've picked the perfect high-alpine lake, found the perfect weather window, nailed your timing, and made the hike. What the hell do you do now?In this episode, Ross walks you through how to make it happen on high-alpine lakes,...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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51:53
Timing Your Trips to High-Alpine Lakes
If you love backcountry fly fishing, chances are you love hiking to high-alpine lakes. But as stunning as these remote waters are—tucked away in rugged mountain ranges—they can be unpredictable and frustrating if you don’t time your trips right...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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38:23
Packing for Self-Reliance - Staying Safe and Prepared in the Backcountry
The wild is unpredictable. That's why we love it.But when you're catching fish out in the sticks by yourself, you have to make peace with the fact that no one is coming to bail you out. That means you have to practice self-reliance, and ...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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51:31
Why We Go - Ghosts, Growth, and Grace
Welcome back, friends. It's officially time for Season 4 of the BCFF Podcast.In this episode, published right on the cusp of prime backcountry fly fishing season, Ross breaks out his tweed jacket to talk about the philosophy of why we go...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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29:37
SPECIAL - Don't Let Congress Sell Our Public Lands
Well, it happened. DC politics have collided with our time in the woods, and that means we've gotta talk about it (even if we'd rather not).In this special--and urgent--episode, Ross talks about a provision in the U.S. Senate GO...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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22:29