The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast

Closing Out Season 6 and Looking Ahead

Season 6 Finale: More Than Fly Fishing As Season 6 comes to a close, Ross reflects on the incredible growth of the Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast and the community that

Finding New Water: A Conversation with TroutRoutes

Finding fishable water has never been the hard part. Finding the right water—and knowing how to access it—is where things get complicated. In this episode, Ross sits dow

Built for the Backcountry - A Conversation with Eric Bender of Kifaru

What makes outdoor gear actually good? And what happens when the people designing it are the same people out there beating it up in wild places? In this episode, Ross si

Field Notes - Building Relationships with Wild Places

Recorded from a tent somewhere in the Colorado backcountry, this first installment of Field Notes is an experiment in bringing the podcast out of the studio and into the

What I Carry: Backpacking Essentials for Backcountry Fly Fishing

Backpacking opens the door to some of the most rewarding experiences in fly fishing, but it also requires a different level of preparation, self-reliance, and planning th

Complaint Corner - Big Fish Bros

This season’s installment of Complaint Corner takes aim at one of the most persistent—and annoying—mentalities in fly fishing: the obsession with big fish at the expense

Beauty, Confrontation, and Judgment: The Honesty of Consequence in the Backcountry

After a close encounter with a rattlesnake in a remote canyon, Ross reflects on something bigger than fishing: why we’re really drawn to wild places in the first place.

When Does a Trip Become an Overnighter?

At some point, every serious backcountry angler runs into the same question: when does a fishing trip stop being a day trip and become an overnighter? In this episode, R

Get to the Hoppa - The Art of Fishing Terrestrials

Summer means one thing: it’s time to throw big bugs. In this episode, Ross dives deep into the world of terrestrial fly fishing—grasshoppers, beetles, ants, and the expl

I Hate Waders (and So Should You) - Wet Wading the Backcountry

What if the most “normal” way of fishing isn’t actually the best way? In this episode, Ross makes the case for ditching waders and embracing wet wading as the default ap

Systems and Efficiencies - The Power of Routine

The best days on the water don’t start at the river—they start at home. In this episode, Ross breaks down the power of building systems and routines that make your fishi

Frontier Water: The Wild Still Close to Home

Season 6 of the BCFF Podcast begins with a reminder: you don’t have to go far to find something wild. In this episode, Ross explores the idea of frontier water—those ove

Season 5 Finale: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Season 5 of The Backcountry Fly Fishing Podcast comes to a close with a look at how far the show has come—and where it’s headed next. In this final episode of the season

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

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, a

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 ri

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 th

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 actuall

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

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 m