Podcast: Fly-Fishing Through Climate Change, with John Gierach

[Interview begins at 58:00]

Our climate is changing, and regardless of whether you think it’s human caused or natural, it is changing. If you don’t believe that, you need to get outside more. John Gierach, thoughtful guy that he is, wanted to talk about this subject—how he deals with changes that have happened in his lifetime and what we can all do to deal with climate change and still enjoy fly fishing—because as he says, “We still gotta live,” and to some of us fly fishing is life. (Check out John’s new book, All the Time in the World.)

In the Fly Box, we have lots of questions, many of them quite basic but still fun to answer because you can always give them a new twist.

• What is the best rig to catch trout with worms? (I hope he meant worm flies and not real worms.)
• What can I do to keep my Depth Charge line from tangling?
• I am moving to Texas and want one rod for inland bass and one for inshore saltwater. Is there one outfit that can do this?
• Am I better off buying one high-end rod or several lower priced rods if I fish in a variety of trout situations?
• Can you overline bamboo and fiberglass fly rods?
• I have a dog that likes to chase rocks and sticks. Any tips on how to adjust a dog to be a good fishing companion?
• Is there any way to tell a trout rise from a chub rise?
• I am confused by fly line numbers and hook numbers. Can you explain them?
• What do fish deep in a lake take my Pat’s Rubber Legs fished quickly? What do the fish think it is?
• How do you fish your Rabbit’s Foot Emerger patterns?
• What do I do with my rod when tying on a new fly or landing a fish?
• Is there a better knot than a clinch knot for tying on size 18 to 22 flies?
• My welded loop has cuts in it. What can I do to fix that?
• What kind of dry/dropper arrangement do you use when there is nothing visibly hatching?
• A good tip from a listener on walking the banks of your favorite rivers in low water to get a sense for the bottom structure.
• Can you tell the difference between a male and female trout by looking at the anal fin?