Burritos, Breaks, and Flies - A Fly Fishing Podcast

We have an awesome stillwater school coming Feb 29-Mar 2 2024! Hosted by Pyramid Fly Co and Phil Rowley Fly Fishing, this is an all inclusive guided instructional course at the home of the World's largest Cutthroat Trout. We sit down with Phil and discuss all the attributes, benefits, and thrills that this school has to offer. It's gonna be an awesome school, and if you have had a knackering to bone up on your stillwater skills, well, this is the course for you! Listen in and we hope you sign up!!

Here we are, its the 3rd iteration of the "Gear Up For The 'Mid Event". We breakdown what this year's event is going to offer, and to boot we have Kevin Scott, the Director of Sales for Battle Born Beer, join us to give us an education on what Battle Born Beer is all about. This years show is going to be great, and we moved it to a Saturday to let more folks enjoy it. Take a listen if you want to more...this show is going to be great and if you are a Pyramid Lake enthusiast or just love having fun in the outdoors amongst cool people, well, this isn't and event you are going to want to miss!

The stillwater legend takes on the infamous Pyramid Lake, and the outcome is the stuff dreams are made of....at least fly fishing dreams. We were honored at Pyramid Fly Co to host Phil for a few days of R&R out at the Lake, and quite honestly not sure if the trip could of been any better than it was. Plenty of grub, awesome companionship with the PFC crew and friends, and of course some hogs reeled in that left a perma-grin on Phil's face. Tune in to this podcast to hear all about this excursion into the realm of the world's largest cutthroat trout.

Innovation is something that befuddles most industries, and even though the fly fishing industry preaches innovation it is rarely actually fulfilled. Here in which we find an anamoly in the industry...LidRig. In a moment that one would least expect, LidRig founder Scott Wilday had an epiphany, and this was that of the OG LidRig invention of the magnetic nipper. Let me tell you, this one breaks all the rules but plays in the boundaries of primal creation, function, and needs. This led to the spawning of a handful of other ingenious products that utilize magnet technology, and they aren't gimmicks as they fulfill needs that you may didn't even know you need while on the water. We also go deep down the burrito rabbit hole and inadvertenly may have come up with the next new LidRig product, but you will have to listen to figure that one out! We recorded this at the Battle Born Beer Brewery in Reno, NV so if you hear any noise in the background it is nothing more than brewers producing the nectar of the gods. Enjoy!

Meet the the young gun of the Pyramid Fly Co guide team, Cole Hildahl. Cole is the youngest member of the PFC team at 22 years old, but don't let his age fool you...this kid can get on the hogs. He absolutley loves fishing for the World's Largest Cutthroat Trout at Pyramid Lake, NV and enjoys putting clients on these fish as well. We will learn a bit about his love for the lake, how he got into guiding, and what a day in the life of a PFC guide looks like during the busy season. Of course we dive into a bit of Burrito talk and have convince Cole that his favorite burrito is a carnitas burrito. Good times to be had on this podcast, so sit back and take a journey into the guide life with Cole Hildahl.

This is the deep dive into the mind of Trevor Herring of Pyramid Fly Co. Being a full time guide isn't for everyone, it takes a special breed of human. One that is at peace with the solitude of the outdoors, but is also eager and willing to share the splendor and lore of being immersed in nature with those are willing. Trevor has mastered many things during his time as a guide at Pyramid Lake, such as being a logistics coordinator, mentor, teacher, and incredible fly tying/creation skills. All of these accomplishments make for one hell of an experience for his clients while under his tutelage chasing the largest Cutthroat Trout in the world. Sit down, kick up your feet, and open your ears for the philosophical journey into the mind of Trevor Herring.

Why do we Chucker? Great question. What is Chucker? Another great question. Where does one Chucker? You Chucker at Pyramid Lake...and the boys from Pyramid Fly Co are experts at it. Ok, enough of the semantics....Rio Elite Switch Chucker line is our preferred bobber line (Indicator line for all you purists) that we utilize with leeches and midges in pursuit of the world's largest Cutthroat Trout in Pyramid Lake, Nevada. We love this line for many reasons, and to help explain what makes this line unique we invited industry rep Alex Ramirez of Rio Products to help us break the mystery down of this fantastic product. Want to step up your game, cast further, hook set better, defeat the wind, and simplify your casting technique? This is the line for you! Of course no BBF podcast would be complete without a symposium involving burritos, and Alex brings his A-game to this discussion. According to Alex the best burritos in California are in Mammoth, Ca and Vista, Ca, and from the sounds of them they are worthy of planning your fly fishing trips around. Hungry Yet? Well....listen in for a double dip into fly fishing and food lore!  

A lot of fly tying materials on the market, but nothing in comparison to what Hawgfish has to offer. Morgan and Nico of Pyramid Fly Company talk with Hawgfish founders/Owners Derrick and Dave about what makes their brand different, unique, and awesome. Mountain Mohair, Hawg legs, Hawg Hackle, Leech Candy, and cutsom "Gettin' Jiggy" jigheads to name a few of Hawgfish offerings, all of which are incredible. Colors that defy  bland commercial offerings, jig head colors that break all the rules, and even a fly selection with a proven track record of crushing cutthroats, browns, and other popular gamefish. Of course, we talk about the application and use of Hawgfish at our favorite fishery, Pyramid Lake. Don't think we didn't remember to discuss burritos...one hell of a burrito discussion in this podcast! Grab a burrito, a tasty horchata, and take up a comfy seat and soak this one in.  

You can talk about a lot of different and/or unique trout fisheries in the world, but none equal or compare to Pyramid Lake. Big water, big fish, and big weather...you have to put the hours in and be able to withstand the elements as this fisheries prime time isn't in the summer. Thats where Pyramid Fly Company comes in. PFC is the premier guide service on the lake, and also the only guide service truly based at Pyramid Lake. We chat with Morgan Kane, Head Guide and President of Pyramid Fly Co, about the season opener, upcoming events, his personal forecast for the 2022/23 season, and even a gear review on the teams use of the Simms bootfoot waders. We even dive into the conversation discussing the teams depth chart, so you will get descriptive analogies that highlight the talents of PFC Guides Trevor Herring and Cole Hildahl, plus even a segment mentioning the Godfather of the team himself, the legendary Capt. Robert Hagerty. Sit back and enjoy this candid conversation with one of the best Guides on Pyramid Lake, and don't forget to give them a call to book your trip of a lifetime at 877.732.3597 or www.pyramidflyco.com, LET'S GO!!

You have a considerable amount of choices when it comes to fly fishing rods, and it is easy to get lost in the multitude of choices available in today's market. Enter Mystic Outdoors AKA Mystic Fly Rods...we chat with the owner of Mystic, Jeff Brady, on what makes this brand so unique, where it is rooted, where they are today, and what the future looks like. With a comprehensive selection of rods in a great price range coupled with a majority of the rods being handmade in the U.S., well, we have a solid contender that challenges the efficacy of high end and status quo market leaders! We share our experiences with the rods, discuss scandanavian taper, and of course we deep dive into an in depth burrito discussion that pits the colorado style burritos against our standing benchmark- the carnitas burrito. 

We are excited to announce the 2022 "The Gear Up For The Mid Event". This is our second running of the show and it is shaping up to be a great one! We are calling out to all Pyramid Lake enthusiasts to join us at Battle Born Beer on September 27th from 6-9 pm to enjoy Battle Born Beer, Tacos, and check out all the latest and greatest gear and services that support Pyramid. We will be having a knockout of a raffle too with so much stuff you will just have to listen to the podcast to learn more. Enjoy the podcast and we hope to see you at the event! Go to bearfishalliance.com to see all the event info. 

Fly Fisherman as a collective tend to have the propencity to position themeselves as the "Great keepers of the fly fishing aura of enlightenment", I mean you can picture it now...outstretched arms reaching to the river or lake and summoning all the knowledge and know how of fishing. We are all guilty of this in some form or the other when it comes to our beloved addiction to the water. Well, this episode will force you to pull your head out of the sand a bit and explore some new tactics coming from our bretheren in the conventional fishing world....Hook Up Baits out of San Diego, Ca. We sit down with Chad and Jojo and discuss the origins of the bait, how it was developed, and how it is made, and of course we dive into the top three burrito joints in the greater San Diego area! This is a great podcast....tune in and get yourself ready to experience Hook Up Baits!

The East Walker River, a legendary Brown Trout fishery in the Eastern Sierra of California is in need of your help. The CDFW imposed a new regulation that doubles the legal limit, allows barbless hooks, and closes the fishery during the winter. We have personally experienced the degredation of this fishery in the short time this reg has been imposed and are looking to change it to a realistic regulation that would protect the legacy of the fishery. A petition has been set forth by Jim Reid, Owner of Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport, Ca that has a feasible and realistic approach to protecting the fishery by essentially mirroring the current regulation on the Nevada side of the river. Please listen in for details on the regulation change and how and where you can sign this petition to support a positive outcome for the fishery. 

We have an abundance of great waters to fish in the Eastern Sierra, however the challenge for many is knowing how to find fish effectively to make the most of the day. Another issue we face is the pressure the local waters get, so we discuss our methods to finding fish in rivers and we touch a bit on stillwaters as well that have been worked over and tromped on. We also chat a bit about our new supporter, Myaderm, an all around awesome CBD product and also dive into a descriptive analysis of the BBQ Tri Tip Tacos from Growlers Eatery in Bridgeport, CA. Bear with us on this podcast, we had a tad bit of bandwith issues, not to mention losing connection, fire alarms, etc...good times! Sit back and enjoy this podcast on reading water!

20% off at Myaderm.com with code BEARFISH

SHHH!! Don't talk about it.....you know, the Eastern Sierra. Well, we give you the 10,000 ft tour of the popular waters around the fabled Bridgeport area;  East Walker River, West Walker River, Bridgeport Reservoir, Twin Lakes, Upper Owens River, and Crowley Lake. We also introduce you to the BFEF/BTEP programs to enhance these fisheries and of course talk about our favorite Sierra chow...Growlers Eatery!

What's the best fly line leader on the market today? Easy...The Whiz Leader from Monic Fly Lines. This product has flown under the radar for some time, but we are here to bring it to light. We have put it to the test and it is hands down a champion. We talk about it with Jarvis at Monic and he breaks down what it is all about, his experiences with it at Pyramid Lake and on Colorado Waters, and what Monic is all about. Also he discloses to some degree his favorite Burrito locations in Colorado. Check this one out!

We dive in head first on the Loop Q Reel and discuss our experience with it, primarily testing it against the predatory species of trout at Pyramid Lake, Nevada. We have put over 2 seasons on these reels and are pretty impressed with them…definitely a winner in our books. In a diabolical twist we add a new segment where we do a food pairing with the Q reel. Yes, a food pairing…a bold new concept that you will have to hear to understand, and it might even have you craving some “Fancy Dogs”. Hope you enjoy the review!

Wader Review? Yes indeed. We discuss the Adamsbuilt line of waders with Denis Isbister of Wild Fish, Wild Places. We are avid fans of the Wader and boot system from Adamsbuilt, but having Denis on board brings a huge amount of intel on the waders as he has worn the AB brand on fishing adventures in Alaska, Russia, Jurassic Lake, and more. We cover all the finer points of waders and why selection is crucial to a productive day on the water (and a safe one), and why we believe the Adamsbuilt line is the best wader on the market. We also go in depth of all the hidden features on the waders (Burrito pouches, jet pack mounting brackets, etc) and we also discover strange facts about Denis’ “tight is right” fashion sense. This is a fun and informative podcast, we hope you enjoy it!

We kick off Season 3 (3 years of BBF! Awesome!) with a 3rd visit from the always sensational Phil Rowley. In this episode we discuss the finer points of Scuds (Shrimp!) and the where, when, why, what and how aspects of them. We cover multiple perspectives, ranging from out home waters at Pyramid Lake, NV to Phils home waters in Canada, and we also tie in Lago Strobel, AKA Jurassic Lake. Scuds are a prominenet food source, but when do we use them? What Size? What color? How do we present them? All important questions that get answers! In Phil's words "Scuds are the Rodney Dangerfield of Fly Fishing, they get no respect". Enjoy this awesome podcast!

Nets. Usually overlooked, an afterthought, or left at home in your scurry to get out the door and onto the water. World renowned fish wrangler Denis Isbister and I dig into the finer points of why nets are so essential, what makes for a good net, and most importantly break down the greatest nets in the world for big game...The Adamsbuilt Salmon/Steelhead Net and Boat Net.

We travel down across the equator into the South Pacific to the North Island of NZ to chat with the legendary Gareth Bayliss (Digitally travel, our budget sucks). Gareth has been creating awesome YouTube videos of his adventures across New Zealand pursuing Trophy Rainbow and Brown Trout, and let me tell you that these trout are incredibly huge! Gareth's ability to track down and find the biggest and baddest Salmonoids in the world is pretty much unmatched, and we are stoked to have him on this podcast...not to mention we have a pretty important discussion revolving around meat pies and burritos. 

We welcome back the undisputed king of the Nevada outdoors, Travis Hawks, to chat a bit about the Brown Trout spawn in Western Nevada. More specifically we narrrow down on the current spawn situation on the Truckee River in NV, and discuss all the Who, What, Where, When, and Why scenarios sorrounding it. This is a great informational podcast, be sure to tune in!

For those of you that are familiar with the Misfits "We are 138" you will know what is up here! Opening day was just plain spectacular, couldn't ask for a better day. We are joined by Bearfish team member Jeff Taylor in this episode as he gives a color commentary on an opener that will go down in history!

In this Burritos, breaks, and flies Micro tip podcast we are going to give you a preview of the gear up for the mid event on 28 Sep 6-9pm @ Battle Born Beer in Reno, NV. We are conducting this event in front of the highly anticipated season opener on Oct 1 in effort to rally the local and regional angling community, plus we will have gear displays, demo rods, custom flies from the Prodigy,  a roll casting competition, a raffle with an excellent prize in the form of a Loop Q series Switch rod and reel loaded with Monic Icicle Line, and a biologist from the USFWS to answer any questions about the LCT program….lets not forget that we will have Battle Born beer on tap and awesome street tacos for $5.

We would like to thank all our sponsors that made this possible: Battle Born Beer (Venue), Loop Tackle, Adamsbuilt, Monic Fly Lines, Semper Fli, Smith Optics, and we will also be joined by Trout Creek Outfitters! So have a listen and we hope to see you at the event!

This Burritos, Breaks, and Flies Micro Tip podcast will be a product review of Monic Fly Lines!

Henley Phantom Tip. We are joined by the one and only Denis Isbister of Wild Fish, Wild Places to hear his experience with the Phantom tip (as well as a few other Monic Lines) and I also share my experience with the phantom tip chasing smallmouth bass and spooky summertime brown trout.

As always a thank you to our Bearfish Alliance Supporters : Loop Tackle, Adamsbuilt Fishing, Ochnser Insurance, and of course to Monic Fly Lines for affording the opportunity to experience their great fly line selection.  Thank you for tuning in and be sure to subscribe at bearfishalliance.com , we have a frequent fish report and also have a cool new bespoke fly angling webstore with essential items for our local waters, as a matter of fact we have a preseason special going right on Bespoke Tailored Loop Tackle Switch rod combos  for pyramid lake so you may want to check that out.

We hope you enjoy this Monic Fly Line Product Review Podcast!

In this Burritos, Breaks, and Flies podcast things get religious as we bring you the Stillwater Gospel according to Phil…Phil Rowley is a stillwater fly fishing legend and sensation, and we are honored and elated to have him onboard as a guest.

We talk all things Stillwater, everything from the balanced leech,chironomids, indicator setups, and a plethora of other items that will definitely help all of us become a better Stillwater anglers. Phil also chats with us about some of his Nevada fly fishing adventures that include Crittendon and Pyramid, and we also shed some light on some other local stillwaters as well.

One the most important topics we cover though is that of Phils favorite burrito, and we we even cover down on a bit of “Burrito 101” with Phil.

This is a great episode and we think you will enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it!

In this episode of the Burritos, Breaks, and Flies Micro-Tip podcast we chat with local fly fishing legend and veteran guide Matt “Gilligan” Koles of Gilligans guide service about fishing for trout in the hot summer months on the Truckee River on both the California and Nevada side.  We cover all the essentials that will help sustain our wild trout fishery during the summer, such as best practices with correct tippet sizes, appropriate rod weights, time and temperature, and fish handling…all elements that are relevant to a trouts survivability.

This weeks episode is coming from deep within the confines of the Pledge's Estate, nestled in the northern eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada's in a land referred to as Reno. We are both pleased and privileged to be joined by none other the President himself (of the Chukar Chasers), Mr. Damon Booth. In this crossover episode we align similarities between  upland bird hunting and fly fishing, and where we find common ground on many items we discover that we cannot agree on the single most important issue that seems to divide all of us, and that is of whom possesses the greatest burrito of them all. We also chat on the remarkable similarities between quail and rainbow trout, why Traegers are so great, fly fishing the outback section of the Truckee River, safe water temps for trout, and go into length on a topic that really affects us all as outdoorsman and that is land access issues.

The 2021-22 Pyramid Lake Guide Fees were recently published and we have a quick discussion on how this rate hike will affect both guides and clients hoping to travel to Pyramid this fall. 

This Burritos, Breaks, and Flies Micro-Tip Podcast will be covering the East Walker River and the new regulations set forth by the CDFW. This change is of the upmost concern for this trophy fishery and if it remains unchanged it will certainly have a negative impact on the fishery as well as the town of Bridgeport.

What you are about to hear in this podcast is a series of truths, no tales, about the streamer and strip game on Pyramid Lake. We join one of our favorite anglers, Anthony Gulisano, on a recap on his incredible run at the ‘Mid this season this late winter and spring. We will cover what was successful for Anthony as well as tips on how to up the stakes on your own personal streamer game. Lets not forget the food side of the house as well….no burritos this episode because Anthony went whole hog with a full on protein assault on the best damn ziti I have ever had. Might as well been a Unicorn Ziti….it was that good.

Eric was our very first podcast guest and we welcome him with open arms and ears in this triumphant return to the burritos, breaks and flies podcast. Eric is the GM of the world renowned Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno, NV but most importantly he is a passionate outdoorsman and fly fisherman that can really bring some sweet fish to the net.

Alastair operates Twin Peakes in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that targets Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout, Rainbow, and Brown Trout. Not only does Alastair teach single hand and double hand casting techniques along the River Dee, but he also has a hand in running one of the LOOP Tackles field centers where you get hands on with the latest in LOOP products and give them a cast on the River Dee. We chat with Alastair about Spey and Switch Fly Fishing, International hosted trips, and of course a bit about burritos and some awesome spit fired Argentine Lamb....with chimichurri of course! This is a great podcast with a lot of terrific information, you won't want to miss it!

I'm gonna give you your dream shot, I still can't believe I’m doing this, I'm going to send you two up against the best, you two clowns are going top Top Gun – That’s Commander Jordan talking to Goose and Maverick in the classic movie Top Gun. This is what Ben and I hear in our heads every time we hit the water with todays guest, Taylor “The Prodigy” Brune. We feel like mere grasshoppers in this fly fishing masters presence, and we are stoked to have him join us again in this podcast covering high water techniques and some Pyramid Lake fly fishing basics. And yes, as much as we wanted to hear from Jimmy Kimmel on this podcast, we think that having the prodigy in his stead will leave you with a bit more knowledge on how to be successful on our local waters. Sit back and take in some lessons from the prodigy himself, Taylor Brune.

"Fishing is a discipline in the equality of men - for all men are equal before fish" - President Herbert Hoover

In this episode of Burritos, Breaks, and Flies we shift that balance in favor of man as we revisit with local fly fishing ace and industry professional Anthony Gulisano to see what he has been up to since our last podcast in spring of 2020. Anthony will share his experience and wisdom as it pertains to one of his greatest fly fishing passions….and that is cruising and ripping streamers in our local waters and some of his favorite streamer patterns to tie. We also talk Pike, Trout, Pyramid Lake, and cover down on some fish handling faux paus we commonly observe and of course dive into a bit of chatter on some fine cuisine that includes Ducks and Geese. Sit back and enjoy!

(Updated Podcast with all content)

We visit with our fly fishing amigos in Scotland, Wes Parke, Owner and Operator of You Fish Scotland and David Mateer, 2x Gold Medal recipient and holder of the prestigious Scottish Game Angling Instructors Certificate. These two are Demi-Gods in the art of Spey and Switch fly fishing, and have offered up a bit of time to chat with us about the who, what, where, when and why aspects of two handed fishing. The conversation also includes bits about strategies on casting into the wind (handy bit of info for Pyramid Lake) and some great culinary tales…hence the title of the podcast!

Denis Isbister is arguably one of the most well traveled and accomplished anglers in the world today, and hold no prejudice against any type of angling. We go beyond the Denis we know from the accomplished TV Series “Wild Fish, Wild Places” and dig down to get to see what makes this fishing icon tick. From fly fishing to spin casting Denis can really knock it out of the park, so join us on this adventure that blurs the lines between angling types, international culture, and most importantly Burritos (and maybe some Catfish head Soup….yep!). Sit back, crank up the volume and enjoy this conversation we have with a true Jedi of the fishing world.