Podcast: Beavers and Trout, with Ben Goldfarb

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[Interview starts at 43:26]

You may wonder why I’ve done a podcast about beavers. You may be greatly surprised by the beneficial interactions between beavers and trout habitat—I know I was after talking to Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. Beavers have a much more positive effect on trout streams aside from just making deep pools, and they don’t present any problems to migrating fish. And, yes, we do talk about how to fish a beaver pond, and how to find a good one. I think all fly fishers and nature enthusiasts will learn something new in this podcast.

In the Fly Box, we have some interesting comments, questions, and tips, including:

  • The state stocks big rainbows in my wild brook trout stream. What are your thoughts on this issue?
  • I saw large trout jumping out of the water during a caddis hatch and could not catch any. What do you think they were doing?
  • What are the advantages of a double-taper over a weight-forward fly line?
  • A great story about how an injury caused a fly fisher to rethink priorities
  • What size leader butt should I put on my saltwater lines? And should I use the permanent loop in my fly line for big fish like tarpon?
  • How have Vermont trout streams fared after hurricane Irene?
  • If I pinch the barbs on my flies with forceps, am I legal in places that specify “barbless hooks only”?
  • A comment from a listener on how a generic description like “fly fisher” is also inclusive of people who identify as non-binary.
  • A comment from a listener who believes that encouraging women to fly fish will cause our rivers to become too crowded.
  • A story from a listener who cautions us to be careful about sinkholes along the banks of trout streams.
  • A great tip for practicing your cast before a big trip.
  • What can I do to keep my large dry flies from twisting my leader?

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