The Articulate Fly cover art

The Articulate Fly

The Articulate Fly

Written by: The Articulate Fly
Listen for free

About this listen

 The Articulate Fly Fly Fishing Podcast regularly releases interviews with national and regional personalities covering fly fishing, fly tying and fly fishing travel. We also regularly release fishing reports for the novice and experienced fly angler. Whether you just loved a River Runs Through It or you are a streamer junkie, a dry fly addict, a swinger or a nymph head, we have you covered! To learn more, visit www.thearticulatefly.com.The Articulate Fly LLC
Episodes
  • S8, Ep 33: Tying Tradition: Jason Taylor's Journey Through the Art of Fly Tying

    S8, Ep 33: Tying Tradition: Jason Taylor's Journey Through the Art of Fly Tying
    May 15 2026
    Episode OverviewIn this episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash sits down with Jason Taylor — a Philadelphia-area fly tier, Tiers Row fixture at the Edison show and regular contributor to Masters of the Fly — for a wide-ranging conversation about fly tying philosophy, natural materials and the tradition of innovation rooted in Bob Popovics' work. On this fly fishing podcast episode, Taylor traces his journey from a 2008 Belize honeymoon that ignited his passion for the sport, to the early-2010s online forums — particularly Stripers Online — that connected him with a formative community of Northeast saltwater tiers including Popovics and David Nelson. Taylor shares the philosophy that drives every session at the vise: every feature in a fly must serve a purpose, and materials should be used as sparingly as possible to achieve it. The conversation digs into the enduring versatility of the hollow fleye platform — what Taylor calls "the Christmas tree" — its adaptability across materials and applications, and his own innovations including an ostrich herl hollow fleye variant and a Surf Candy adaptation with embedded foam for neutral buoyancy when targeting false albacore in calm, glassy conditions. Taylor also offers detailed guidance on selecting and handling bucktail and ostrich herl, shares tying tips rarely covered elsewhere, and takes listeners through the exotic and vintage natural materials currently occupying his tying bench.Key TakeawaysHow to apply Bob Popovics' "Christmas tree" principle to hollow fleye design — preserving the core profile shape while freely adapting materials, proportions and techniques.Why using less material than you think you need almost always produces a more castable, livelier fly.How to select bucktail for hollow fleyes by identifying soft, kinky fiber pulled from the middle half to two-thirds of the tail for the most predictable flare under thread pressure.Why a neutrally buoyant fly presentation — using embedded foam under a hard body paired with an intermediate line — consistently outperforms standard Surf Candy patterns when false albacore become selective in calm, flat-water conditions.How to stabilize thread wraps using brushable cyanoacrylate applied directly to the thread before making final wraps rather than to the hook or materials.Why grading ostrich herl by length, taper and barb density — rather than just overall plume size — is critical to achieving consistent movement in large saltwater patterns.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode centers on hollow fleye construction — specifically the bucktail collar technique Bob Popovics developed and Taylor has refined over more than a decade, including his personal adaptation of palmering ostrich herl down a mono or shank base to create a mobile, feather-forward variant. Taylor details his Surf Candy–based neutral buoyancy modification, incorporating foam beneath the hard body to maintain a suspending presentation throughout the retrieve — not just the first few strips — which he argues better matches the behavior of bait sitting still in calm, low-turbulence water when paired with an intermediate fly line. He also covers his evolution of the Semper Fli, replacing time-consuming palmered feather fronts with commercially available fly tying brushes for consistent, production-speed results without sacrificing profile. On the tools and materials side, Taylor explains his preference for monofilament thread for virtually all saltwater work (with gel-spun for mounting eyes), walks through his grading process for both bucktail and ostrich herl, and advocates for brushable cyanoacrylate applied to the thread to more durably secure the final wraps. He references Regal as his favored vise, Tuffleye (a blue-light–cured resin with origins in dental applications) as his preferred coating for albie and Surf Candy patterns, and monofilament as the default thread for nearly all non-dry fly work.Locations & SpeciesTaylor's saltwater fishing world centers on the Northeast coast — New Jersey beaches and jetty structure where he targets false albacore (albies) and striped bass. The neutral-buoyancy Surf Candy modification he developed addresses a specific condition: calm, glassy water where bait is suspended neutrally in the water column rather than being pushed and darting erratically, a situation that allows albies to scrutinize flies far more critically than in ripping current. The foam-infused body paired with an intermediate line creates the illusion of naturally suspended bait being dragged just below the surface — a presentation Taylor describes as reliably effective when albies appear finicky. Jetty fishing accounts for heavy fly loss in his program, which directly influences his bench work: efficient, repeatable tying at high quality is not just an aesthetic goal but a practical one.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredWhat is the "Christmas tree" principle and why has the hollow fleye remained...
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • S8, Ep 32: Spring Fishing Unlocked: Mac Brown's Tips for Targeting Elementary and Graduate School Fish

    S8, Ep 32: Spring Fishing Unlocked: Mac Brown's Tips for Targeting Elementary and Graduate School Fish
    May 13 2026
    Episode OverviewIn this Casting Angles episode of The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash reconnects with Master Casting Instructor and veteran Western North Carolina guide Mac Brown of Mac Brown Fly Fish in Bryson City for a timely mid-May conditions update on the Tuckasegee River. With the delayed harvest season winding down and roughly three weeks left to fish the DH water, Mac and Marvin break down exactly what anglers are up against — and how to read it correctly. The Tuck is running well below its seasonal average at roughly 400–500 cfs compared to a normal 1,600–1,800 cfs, but recent rainfall and cooler temperatures are providing a welcome reprieve from what has been a difficult spring across the mid-Atlantic and southern Appalachians. The episode centers on one of the most practical and underappreciated skills in trout fishing: learning to distinguish between freshly stocked fish and the educated holdover and lake-run trout that share the same water — and adjusting technique and fly selection accordingly. Mac walks through his system for identifying fish by their behavior and location, his nymphing rig progressions through the day, and why moving away from indicators is no longer optional in low, clear water.Key TakeawaysHow to identify stocked versus holdover and lake-run trout on the Tuckasegee by using stocking truck access points and "junk food" fly response as a quick field diagnostic.Why fishing a natural-colored anchor pattern like a Walt's Worm in the morning and transitioning to smaller flies as the day progresses is Mac's preferred nymphing progression in low, clear water.How to position a small nymph pattern on the dropper or point depending on whether fish appear to be feeding higher in the column or holding deep.Why using a large sacrificial dry fly — a Parachute Adams, Stimulator or Elk Hair Caddis — as a sight indicator for a trailing small dry creates a "training wheels" system for less experienced dry fly anglers targeting educated fish on size 18–20 patterns and smaller.How marking your fly line or leader with small foam indicators or competition nymphing wax lets you track takes by watching for changes in the alignment of the indicators or wax marks.Why fishing indicator-free with a longer leader at low water is increasingly critical as DH fish become conditioned to suspension devices.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode focuses primarily on indicator-free and low-profile presentation techniques for technical low-water trout fishing. Mac's core nymphing approach involves a natural-colored anchor fly paired with a very small midge or emerger, with dropper or point placement adjusted based on where fish appear to be in the water column. For dry fly fishing, both Mac and Marvin advocate a sacrificial large attractor — Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulator — with a size 18–20 smaller pattern that fish are actually eating trailed 12–14 inches behind; they call the large fly "the sacrificial fly" for a reason: it never gets eaten, it just helps anglers locate their small fly. As an alternative to a sacrificial dry, Marvin recommends marking the fly line or leader with foam stick-ons or nymphing wax and watching for the indicator marking to straighten on the take. Mac confirms that big bobber rigs and streamers are the wrong tools when PhD fish are locked into size 20–24 midges and blue-winged olive emergers.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredHow do I tell whether I'm fishing to freshly stocked trout or educated holdover fish on the Tuckasegee?Mac's field diagnostic starts with geography: on the Tuck, stocking trucks can only access about five specific pullouts on the narrow gravel road, so fish podded up near those locations are almost certainly recent stockers. Fish holding far from those access points in less obvious water are likely holdovers or lake-run trout. A second confirmation: throw a "junk food" fly — a bright attractor or gaudy nymph — through a riffle. If you're getting easy eats, those are the new fish. PhD fish feeding on size 20–24 midges will ignore streamers and big rigs entirely.When should I use an indicator versus fishing indicator-free on low, clear water?Mac's view is unambiguous: in low, clear conditions — especially late in the DH season when fish have been seeing indicators for weeks — suspension devices hurt your results more than they help. He prefers a longer leader setup, tracking the nail knot or line end visually, and fishing emerger patterns just an inch or two under the film. The mechanics of detecting a subtle take watching the line end are no different from detecting takes when tight-line nymphing subsurface. Marvin adds that marking the leader with foam indicators or competition wax gives less experienced anglers a visual reference without the wake and shadow of a traditional indicator.What is the "sacrificial fly" system for small dry fly fishing?The idea is to rig a large, highly visible ...
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • S8, Ep 31: Chasing Smallmouth: Brian Shumaker's Adaptations for Unpredictable Spring Weather

    S8, Ep 31: Chasing Smallmouth: Brian Shumaker's Adaptations for Unpredictable Spring Weather
    May 7 2026
    Episode OverviewThe Articulate Fly's Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report returns with Captain Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides, delivering a timely mid-spring conditions update for the Susquehanna River system in Central Pennsylvania. This episode cuts straight to the practical challenge facing every Mid-Atlantic smallmouth angler right now: how to fish effectively when an extreme pattern of temperature swings — 80°F one day, back to the 50s by mid-week — is compressing and disrupting the spawn, locking fish down unpredictably, and keeping the frog bite from ever materializing. Brian, a veteran guide with over three decades on the Susquehanna, breaks down how he approaches these volatile conditions with clients, from the diagnostic logic of starting with yesterday's best fly and quickly reading fish mood, to the deeper strategic pivot of going subsurface on intermediate lines when topwater won't produce. He also touches on where the spawn currently stands — with the first wave already pushing some fish into early post-spawn funk — and what anglers can expect as conditions hopefully stabilize heading toward summer. For anyone planning time on Pennsylvania smallmouth water this spring, Brian's approach to grinding through difficult conditions with a rotating bench of swim flies and crayfish patterns offers both tactical and mental frameworks worth internalizing.Key TakeawaysHow to use yesterday's producing fly as a quick diagnostic starting point and pivot efficiently to Plan B when conditions have shifted overnight.Why slowing retrieve speed and fishing deeper are the first two adjustments to make when dropping temperatures cause smallmouth to lock jaw.How intermediate sink lines provide a versatile middle ground that keeps flies in the strike zone when topwater conditions are marginal.When to rotate through a broad multi-pattern bench — swim flies, Half-and-Halfs, Clousers and crayfish patterns — rather than forcing a single presentation in unpredictable spring conditions.Why crayfish patterns like the Clawdad are producing when stomach content checks confirm fish are actively keying on crayfish as a primary food source.How the unusual spring temperature volatility in Central PA is producing an early post-spawn funk in first-wave fish while later-wave spawners are still active, creating a mixed-mood fishery that demands adaptable tactics.Techniques & Gear CoveredBrian's current approach centers on intermediate sink lines as the primary tool for getting flies into the strike zone. From there, he runs a rotating bench of approximately a dozen patterns, starting with Clousers, swim flies and Half-and-Halfs and moving through the progression until something sticks — a systematic elimination approach that reflects hard-earned guiding experience in variable conditions. When temperatures drop and fish go passive, he leads with slower presentations before working up to more active retrieves. Crayfish imitations have been particularly productive, with Brian noting that fish are showing crayfish in their gullets on inspection — a data point that drives fly selection rather than guesswork. He specifically mentions patterns in the Clawdad-style that can be fished up off the bottom and animated to mimic a fleeing crayfish. Topwater setups remain rigged as a secondary option for afternoon sessions, with Brian noting that conditions like a sulphur hatch could still prompt fish to look up even in an otherwise subsurface day.Locations & SpeciesThe episode focuses on the Susquehanna River system in Central Pennsylvania, the fishery Brian has guided exclusively since founding Susquehanna River Guides in 1993. The Susquehanna is a fertile limestone river renowned for one of the strongest wild smallmouth bass fisheries in the eastern United States, characterized by rock ledges, wide shallow riffles and abundant crayfish and aquatic insect life. Target species is exclusively smallmouth bass throughout this report. The episode is recorded during the mid-spring spawn window, with Brian projecting that spawning activity on his water will wrap up around the third week of May and that some first-wave fish are already showing early post-spawn behavioral funk — while later-wave fish are still active and available. The unusual temperature volatility this spring is affecting fish behavior across the entire east coast smallmouth fishery, not just the Susquehanna, making Brian's adaptable mid-spring approach broadly applicable.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredHow do you adapt your fly fishing approach when spring temperatures swing wildly day to day?Brian starts each session by testing what produced the day before — that gives a quick read on whether conditions have shifted. If that approach fails early, he moves to Plan B: slowing retrieve speed, going deeper and working through a systematic rotation of patterns until he finds something that matches the fish's current mood. The key is staying flexible rather than...
    Show More Show Less
    7 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet