Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer

This episode was originally published on July 14th, 2023. I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of us don't pay attention to the plants. And there are many delicious plants along trout streams you can take home for dinner—most of which will be more nutritionally dense than what you buy in the store—and free. If you have done any foraging at all, you have probably read some of more of Sam Thayer's [40:38] books. In our household his books are the primary source. I was lucky enough to spend some time talking to Sam about why foraging along streams is especially good, and what we can expect to find there. In the Fly Box this week, we have no phone calls but some great questions via e-mail, including: Why do trout in small streams take flies more readily when the water is high? Where do you recommend I go trout fishing in the East in July when I visit this summer? A great story about a listener getting generous advice from a famous angler along a trout river. A tip for keeping rod sections together using clothespins. What is the best streamer reel, line, and leader for a 7-weight rod? What do you do when there is a very heavy hatch and almost too many natural insects? I am having trouble hooking fish using the hand-over-hand retrieve when striper fishing. What can I do to increase my hooking rate? What are three things a novice dry-fly angler should pay attention to? Do you ever tie up dry/dropper rigs at home prior to going fishing? Will my 8-weight be enough rod for fishing for striped bass from a boat? What are some tips on picking flies for striped bass fishing at night?

You can listen to Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Backcast: Foraging Along Trout Streams, with Sam Thayer is an episode from The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast by James Hathaway.

This episode is 01:20:50 long.

This episode was published on Dec 22, 2025.

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