How to Spot Fish on Saltwater Flats, with Jason Franklin

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Are there any tricks to spotting fish on saltwater flats, especially if it's your first time? You may be disappointed to hear that there is no magic bullet and every place you fish will offer different species, water color, and depth. But Jason Franklin [37:36] has a lifetime of experience helping his clients to spot bonefish and permit in the water, and he gives us some solid tips on how to develop this skill. In the Fly Box this week, we have an unusual number of great tips from listeners, along with some questions Tom attempts to answer, including:

• Will a 2-weight rod give me more enjoyment than my 7 1/2-foot 3-weight when bluelining on my local streams? How about a 10 foot two-weight?
• What is the purpose of tying a tippet ring on the end of big dry flies?
• Three great fly-tying and fishing hacks from a listener
• A listener describes how he fixed a bobbin that kept cutting thread using a fly-tying bead.
• What hook sizes can I cast on my 5-weight when fishing for bass? And would it help to put a 6-weight on my rod when casting larger flies?
• What do you think of trying weedless carp flies for fish that are in pockets between weeds?
• If I am tying various styles of streamers in a range of sizes, should I get a rooster cape?
• Do I need to dry out my fly line before putting my reel away?
• I want to try a tenkara rod but my fishing buddy says it's not fly fishing. What do you think?
• I could catch trout on Woolly Buggers but had trouble catching them on small midges. What should I try in this tailwater the next time I go?
• Three tips from a listener on getting success when tight-line nymphing.
• Is it possible to get transcripts for the podcasts?
• What is the process for experimentation with new fly patterns?
• A listener adds another common way to break a fly rod
• When you talk about leader length, do you include the tippet?