What if the most demanding fly fishing in the world isn't about numbers, but about patience, restraint, and committing to fish that might only give you one real shot all day?

Today's guest has spent decades hunting the hardest freshwater fish on the planet from Great Lake Steelhead to giant musky, from Patagonia's wind-swept rivers to historic Atlantic salmon fishing.

Rick Custis joins us to talk about what it really takes to fish at the top end, how strategy

matters more than repetition, and why small adjustments separate success from long, empty days on the water.

This is the wet fly swing podcast where I show you the best places to travel to for fly fishing, how to find the best resources and tools to prepare for the big trip, and what you can do to give back the fish species we all love. Today, Rick Custitch is back. He's going to take us into his world where he's been up to Chason Muskie and some of his other trophy trips he's been out and about.

We're going to find out how two-handed rods and modern space systems are evolving

and how we're going to prepare for that next Atlantic salmon trip.

We're going to find out also about a brand new podcast series we got going with Rick.

This is a big surprise here.

We're unleashing today. Rick is going to be hosting

some episodes on this podcast. So we talk about that and what that's going to look like. All right.

Well, let's get into it without further ado. Here he is. Rick Custitch. And, uh, let's get into it.

How's it going, Rick? Great, Dave. Always, uh, very good to talk with you. Yeah. Yeah, this is going to be a fun one today. It's been a little while since we chatted last. I think it was episode 6.54. We talked about Muskie, and that was back in 24, fall of 24. So we're probably going on like a year and a half. I want to get caught up first, today we're going to talk about, we've got a couple big announcements today. I think, you know, we talked a little bit about a trip we're planning in the future, but also we've got a podcast, a new thing we're going to announce today, which is exciting. But take us back before we get in all that. Just what have you been up to since kind of late 24? What's this last

year been like for you? Boy, just, I was just looking back at some photos just the other day

of what this year has looked like and definitely wide and varied. Pursuit a lot of different species.

I have had a lot of challenges with the weather up and down this year.

But, yeah, I'd say overall it was a good year.

I did another trip to Argentina for C-run brown trout.

Had some successful guiding for steelhead a little bit for musky.

My personal musky fishing was pretty good again this year.

And even though the weather kind of squelched the end of the season for us, I did end up with a couple really good fish. So always, that's kind of always

what you're looking for when you're musky fishing. It's big game hunting. So, you know, if you can get

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