Great Lakes, Midwest and Northeast Fly Fishing Tips from Podcast Guests
These 22 tips for fly fishing the Great Lakes, Midwest and Northeast come from guests on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast — guides and anglers working Pennsylvania limestone streams, the driftless region, Ohio steelhead water, and Great Lakes rivers for bass, musky and carp. Each tip came straight from the guest, unscripted.
These tips come from the closing minutes of Fly Fishing Insider Podcast episodes, where Christian Bacasa asks every guest the same question before they go: what's your best tip? No script, no notes — just what has worked for them.
This collection pulls 22 answers from guests fishing the Great Lakes, Midwest and Northeast, from Pennsylvania limestone streams to the driftless region to Great Lakes tributaries for bass, musky and carp. The episodes span 2019 through 2024.
Jump to a Section
- How Do You Read and Approach a Pool on Technical Water?
- Streamer Tactics for Trophy Trout, Steelhead and Salmon
- What Rig and Fly Choices Actually Hold Up?
- Warmwater and Multi-Species Tactics: Bass, Musky and Carp
- How Do You Get Better Faster on Midwest and Northeast Water?
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Read and Approach a Pool on Technical Water?
TIP 01 · READING WATER
Approach spring creek pools from downstream, bottom to top
— Mel Hayner, Minnesota driftless-region guide and shop owner · Driftless Region History and Spring Creek Stealth Approach Tactics - Mel Hayner, S5E203
Stealth is more important than anything here — the streams are shallow and clear, and the fish concentrate in drought years.
Why it matters. Spring creek trout spook from wading disturbance before you ever cast. Wade into a pool from the bottom and you push fish upstream, shutting down the water above.
How to do it. Start at the tail-out and work upstream in stages. Keep early casts short and soft. Save your best cast for the head of the pool, where the biggest trout usually holds.
TIP 02 · READING WATER
Work a tail-out pool bottom-to-top, saving the eddy for last
— Corbin Rinehart, Central Pennsylvania multi-species angler · Joe Humphreys's and Going from Trout to Multispecies, S6E225
Fish sit facing into the current, so coming down on a pool from the top has a good chance of spooking them.
Why it matters. Trout face upstream, so wading in from above puts you in their field of view first. The biggest fish often sit in the eddy, where feeding takes the least effort.
How to do it. Walk around a pool rather than wading straight down it. Fish the tail-out gravel first, then the belly, then the break. Finish on any back eddy — save it for last.
TIP 03 · MENDING
Throw forward and back mends as the water changes
— Bill Nolan, Pennsylvania drift boat and fly fishing guide · Proficiency in Multiple Styles, Fly Fishing Out of a Boat and Mending - Bill Nolan, S5E193
When we're heading into shallower riffle water, I'll throw a big forward mend and let the current drag that through.
Why it matters. A drift boat changes the mend angle every few seconds. The same mend through riffles and deep runs pulls flies out of the zone half the time.
How to do it. Throw a forward mend heading into a riffle so the current pulls the flies through clean. Mend back upstream once you're in a deeper run to slow the drift and let flies sink. Learn to spot the drop-off so you switch mend direction on cue.
TIP 04 · READING WATER
Ask where the fish are before asking what they're eating
— Bill Nolan, Pennsylvania drift boat and fly fishing guide · Proficiency in Multiple Styles, Fly Fishing Out of a Boat and Mending - Bill Nolan, S5E193
Instead of asking what flies are they hitting on, ask: where are the fish at? Are they in the riffles, the pools, are they deep, are they surface feeding?
Why it matters. Fly pattern gets more credit than it deserves. A trout has to be in front of your fly before it can eat it.
How to do it. Study the water before tying anything on — riffles, pools, deep runs, the surface. Find where trout are holding first. Then match depth, and a fly, second.
TIP 05 · PRESENTATION
Let a missed cast drift back instead of ripping it out
— Mel Hayner, Minnesota driftless-region guide and shop owner · Driftless Region History and Spring Creek Stealth Approach Tactics - Mel Hayner, S5E203
If you miss your mark, don't rip it right out of that prime water — let it drift back to you before you pick up and cast again.
Why it matters. Yanking a fly back after a bad cast spooks more trout than the miss did. On clear spring creek water, that can shut a fish down for the rest of the session.
How to do it. Let a missed cast drift through and clear the fish's window before lifting off. Pick up quietly, not the instant it lands wrong. Keep pickups over good water to a minimum.
Streamer Tactics for Trophy Trout, Steelhead and Salmon
TIP 06 · STREAMERS
Target overcast, off-color days with dark flies for trophy trout
— Simeon Myers, streamer angler targeting trophy trout on Pennsylvania limestone streams · Trophy Trout Hunting - What Big Rapalas Tell You About Big Streamers, S3E148
Trophy fish may only be feeding once a day, or once every several days, and they're looking for the biggest payoff for the energy they spend.
Why it matters. A trophy trout holds out for a high-value meal, so it takes more chances on a stormy, off-color day than a clear one. Those are the days most anglers skip.
How to do it. Watch the forecast and prioritize overcast skies and rain that will color the water. As it stains up, go dark — black shows up best in off-color water. Fish those days with confidence.
TIP 07 · NYMPHING
Match fly weight and depth to the water column
— Corbin Rinehart, Central Pennsylvania multi-species angler · Joe Humphreys's and Going from Trout to Multispecies, S6E225
If fish are feeding mid-column and you're bugging the bottom, they're not always going to eat that fly, even if it's an emerger they want.
Why it matters. Trout often feed at one specific depth, not just the bottom. A rig weighted only to reach bottom can drift right past fish holding higher up.
How to do it. Think about where fish are likely feeding before you rig — deep near boulders, shallower for emerger feeders. Run a dry-dropper with the trailer six to twelve inches down when trout aren't rising. Pair a heavy anchor fly with a lighter trailer to probe two depths at once.
TIP 08 · FLY LINES
Use sink-tip lines, not full-sinking lines, in river current
— A smallmouth bass fly fishing guide on rivers near Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
If you're throwing a sinking line in a river it creates a huge belly, and you're blasting that fly past the fish way too fast.
Why it matters. A full-sinking line bellies out in current and drags the fly through the strike zone too fast. A sink-tip gives the same depth without losing control of drift speed.
How to do it. Save full-sinking lines for still water. In river current, fish a sink-tip system and swap tip density — hover, intermediate, type three, six or seven. Change density often until you find the depth holding fish.
TIP 09 · STREAMERS
Use a heavier sink tip to manage streamer depth
— A Michigan and Alaska guide specializing in streamer fishing for migratory fish · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
If I go a little heavier on my sink tip, it's easier to adjust my depth — I can strip faster to come up, or feed more line to go deeper.
Why it matters. Forcing a rod tip underwater to chase depth limits how well you can work a streamer. Gear that reaches depth on its own beats fighting your equipment all day.
How to do it. Go up a size in sink tip and let the line do the work. Tick bottom occasionally to confirm you're deep enough, then work back up. Keep your rod low and your stripping hand out front for a full strip.
TIP 10 · SWINGING
Stop bombing casts — steelhead sit closer than you think
— Jeff Liskay, Ohio steelhead and musky guide, swung-fly specialist · Episode 90 - Jeff Liskay - A Steel Header's 6th sense., S3E90
Bombing it across the river usually means you're throwing into six inches of water on the far bank — most fish are mid-river to the inside curl on your own side.
Why it matters. A max-distance cast often flies the fly over the water steelhead are actually holding in. It's also harder to control through the swing.
How to do it. Cap your cast so the running-line loop matches roughly the length of your rod. Think of the head as a rudder you steer, not a fly you drag. Fish your own bank and the inside curl first.
What Rig and Fly Choices Actually Hold Up?
TIP 11 · RIGGING
Lock a slip strike indicator with a small granny knot
— Mel Hayner, Minnesota driftless-region guide and shop owner · Driftless Region History and Spring Creek Stealth Approach Tactics - Mel Hayner, S5E203
Put that indicator about the depth where it's going to run along the bottom at a 45-degree angle, and tie one little granny knot in the line to keep it from sliding.
Why it matters. A slide-style foam indicator creeps out of position over a day of fishing. A small slip knot fixes that without making it a one-use piece of gear.
How to do it. Slide the indicator to a depth that tracks roughly 45 degrees off bottom. Tie one overhand knot against it to hold it in place. Untie, slide and retie when you need a new depth.
TIP 12 · FLY SELECTION
Carry the Black Death stonefly nymph as a go-to pattern
— Chris Ritter, owner of North Kill Tackle, a handmade landing net maker in Pennsylvania · Episode 02 - North Kill Tackle, EP 2
If I only had one fly in my box, it would be the Black Death — a stonefly pattern with a black squirrel body, a red rib, and a black CDC collar.
Why it matters. A stuffed fly box invites second-guessing that costs time on the water. One proven confidence pattern keeps you fishing instead of digging through boxes.
How to do it. Tie or buy a few Black Death nymphs in standard stonefly sizes. Fish it as your first searching pattern on a tightline rig in freestone water. Adjust depth and weight before you switch flies.
TIP 13 · FLY SELECTION
Build a small confidence fly box instead of matching hatches
— A Pennsylvania competition fly angler and guide · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
My main flies are a tag nymph, a plain pheasant tail, and a Walt's worm — those three are probably 90 percent of my nymph fish for the year.
Why it matters. A crowded fly box adds decision fatigue and pulls focus from presentation and location, which matter more than exact imitation.
How to do it. Build a core box around two or three proven nymphs in a range of weights. Add a few situational patterns for off-color water or winter. Trust presentation and location over matching the hatch exactly.
Warmwater and Multi-Species Tactics: Bass, Musky and Carp
TIP 14 · FLY SELECTION
Move flies from topwater to deep through the day
— A smallmouth bass fly fishing guide on rivers near Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
You may start with poppers in the morning, then you're fishing something much deeper during the day, and going neutrally buoyant again at night.
Why it matters. Post-spawn smallmouth shift feeding depth predictably over a day. Fishing one depth all day means missing most of the productive windows.
How to do it. Start with a deer-hair popper worked in the top few inches. Move deeper through the middle of the day. Switch back to neutrally buoyant near the surface as light fades.
TIP 15 · PRESENTATION
Figure-eight every cast, not just when you see a follow
— Jan & Dan Donavon, co-founders of Musky Fool, a musky fly fishing community and brand · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
If you're not doing a figure eight at the end of every cast, you're missing 50 percent of the muskies you don't even know are there.
Why it matters. Musky often trail a streamer invisibly and only commit once you start the figure eight. Skipping it costs strikes from fish you never knew were there.
How to do it. Make the figure eight automatic on every retrieve, not just when you see a follow. Keep the fly moving in a wide, smooth eight with no pauses. Stay ready on the second or third pass — musky often commit late.
TIP 16 · PRESENTATION
Approach carp with the sun at your back
— Matt Martin, fly fishing guide specializing in carp, Ontario · Episode 117 - Matt Martin - Carp on the Fly, S3E117
Approach with the sun at your back — you'll cast your shadow forward, but with polarized sunglasses that lets you see fish much further out.
Why it matters. Carp fishing is sight fishing from start to finish, so poor light makes it nearly impossible to find fish before they find you.
How to do it. Plan trips for sunny days with light or no wind. Keep the sun at your back and wear polarized sunglasses to cut glare. Stay aware of where your shadow falls.
How Do You Get Better Faster on Midwest and Northeast Water?
TIP 17 · MINDSET
Find a more experienced angler to fish with
— Geri Meyer, fly shop owner (The Driftless Angler) and women's fly fishing advocate · Episode 37 - Geri Meyer - Women in Fly Fishing, EP 37
What helped was finding somebody to fish with, especially somebody a little better than you with more experience, and fishing with them as much as you can.
Why it matters. Anglers who fish alone with no one to ask stay stuck longer. Fishing regularly with someone more experienced compresses the learning curve fast.
How to do it. Find a partner who is noticeably better than you through a fly shop, a club, or a beginner-focused group. Fish with them regularly, not just once. Ask why questions about casting, fly choice and reading water.
TIP 18 · GEAR
Beginners don't need expensive gear to start fly fishing
— Michael Willy, founder of Vannkriger Fishing Products · Episode 16 - Michael Willy , Vannkriger Fishing Products, EP 16
The stigma that fly fishing is a high-dollar sport — it's not. There's so much affordable gear out there that can get you started and last you your entire life.
Why it matters. New anglers get talked out of the sport by the idea it requires expensive gear or by territorial behavior at the water. Neither reflects reality.
How to do it. If you're new, know that affordable gear will serve you for years. If you're experienced, offer a beginner a pointer instead of treating them as an intruder.
TIP 19 · MINDSET
Try an unfamiliar technique to sharpen your home game
— Geoff Vukelich, Northern Minnesota streamer guide and custom rod builder · Streamer Fishing, Brooks, Lakers and Brown Trout, Plus The Comfort Zone, S5E233
Fishing dry flies over real hatches gave me a different look at how a skittish fish actually moves — and that changed how I fish streamers.
Why it matters. Sticking to one style limits what you notice about how fish behave. Branching out on purpose shows you things your home technique hides.
How to do it. On your next trip, deliberately fish a style you don't normally use. Fish it somewhere the technique is proven, not on your home water. Bring what you notice about fish behavior back to your usual approach.
TIP 20 · ETIQUETTE
Approach other anglers with humility, not ego
— Simeon Myers, streamer angler targeting trophy trout on Pennsylvania limestone streams · Trophy Trout Hunting - What Big Rapalas Tell You About Big Streamers, S3E148
Always remember to be polite, be courteous, be humble, but be inquisitive too, and be social.
Why it matters. Anglers who crowd or ignore others on the water learn nothing. A humble approach to someone doing well can turn into mentorship or a lasting friendship.
How to do it. Give space and watch respectfully before approaching. Lead with genuine interest, not demands for secrets. Share your own flies and pointers with strangers too, especially beginners and kids.
TIP 21 · TRIP PLANNING
Log water temperature, level and location every trip
— A smallmouth bass fly fishing guide on rivers near Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Fly Fishing Insider Podcast
I keep a good record of where we fish, when we fish, water temperature, water level, for the small area that I fish the most.
Why it matters. Without a written record, you rely on fuzzy memory to connect conditions to a good day. That makes a pattern nearly impossible to spot.
How to do it. After every trip, log the stretch fished, the date, water temperature and level, and what worked. Review the log after a season or two. Use the pattern to plan future trips.
TIP 22 · CASTING
Turn your feet toward the target, not just your cast
— Steve Dalley, White River, Arkansas fly fishing guide · Fly Fishing the White River Water System in the Summer, S5E242
Shifting our feet and aligning ourselves to our target is how we make better, more accurate casts, just like your aim in golf is set up by your hip and shoulder position.
Why it matters. A caster who never moves their feet keeps hitting the same spot no matter how they adjust the stroke. Body alignment, not arm mechanics, is the real limiter.
How to do it. Turn your feet and hips to face a new target instead of twisting your shoulders. Square up slightly downstream when nymphing from a boat. Keep your casting arm pointed at the target once your feet are set.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you approach a pool on a spring creek without spooking fish?
Approach from downstream whenever you can, moving slowly and staying low. Fish the tail-out and lower gravel first with soft casts, then work up through the belly and the break. Save your most precise cast for the head of the pool or any back eddy, since that's usually where the biggest fish holds.
What line setup works best for streamer fishing in river current?
Use a sink-tip line, not a full-sinking line, in moving water — a full-sinking line bellies out in the current and drags the fly past fish too fast for them to react. A sink-tip system, or a single heavier sink tip, gets you to depth while keeping control of drift speed.
How far should you cast when swinging flies for steelhead?
Cap your cast so the loop of running line from your reel to your hand matches roughly the length of your rod — about 40 feet on an 11-foot switch rod. Most steelhead hold mid-river to the inside curl on your own bank, not against the far shore.
Do beginners need expensive gear to start fly fishing?
No. Affordable gear exists that will serve a new angler for years, and top-of-the-line rods and reels are not required to get started or to catch fish. The bigger barriers for beginners tend to be intimidation and unfriendly behavior at the water, not the cost of equipment.
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