Don't Make These 6 Mistakes in Stillwater Trout Fishing, with Joe Garza
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast
James Hathaway
4.8 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 2 February 2026
⏱️ 105 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
My guest this week is Orvis-endorsed guide Joe Garza [32:54], a guide from JAG Fly Fishing, who explains the intricacies of still water trout fishing. He discusses common mistakes that anglers make, the importance of understanding food sources, and the need for patience in still water environments. Joe shares insights on matching fly profiles and colors to natural food, as well as effective techniques for using indicators. The conversation emphasizes the unique challenges of still water fishing compared to moving water, providing valuable tips for both novice and experienced anglers. He shares his extensive knowledge on fly fishing in still waters, focusing on techniques such as the hand twist retrieve, effective casting, and the importance of proper hook setting. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining tension in the line and understanding fish behavior, particularly in relation to external factors like weather and water temperature.
In the Fly Box this week we have a lot of questions about tackle and winter reading, including:
Is "Sinking Gel" for nymph fishing a waste of money?
What is the difference between the 7'1/2 foot 3-weight Superfine Graphite and the 7 ½ foot 3-weight Superfine Glass rods?
Is there a book you recommend on trout biology?
Are there some books you recommend on learning about hatches?
Can you explain the differences between your three books: Reading Trout Streams, Finding Trout, and Prospecting for Trout?
How do manufacturers set the line recommendations for their fly reel models?
I am 6-feet, 2 inches tall. Does that mean where most people would recommend a 10-foot rod that I should get a 9-foot rod?
What three fly lines would you recommend for a wide variety of fish in fresh and salt water?
What fly patterns do I need to imitate the gigantic Cantaria beetle in Chile?
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, and welcome to the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast. |
| 0:17.0 | This is your host, Tom Rosenbauer. |
| 0:18.6 | And my guest this week is Orvis and Doris Guy, Joe Garza. |
| 0:23.5 | Joe has six things not to do when you're fishing for Stillwater Trout. And these are things |
| 0:31.8 | that I really need to remember and take notes on it because I'm not very good at Stillwater |
| 0:37.2 | trout fishing. |
| 0:37.8 | As Joe points out in the podcast, it's hard. It's often a lot harder than fishing into stream. |
| 0:46.2 | So there are six great tips in the way of mistakes that people make. |
| 0:51.9 | And I know that a lot of you like to fish lakes, high mountain lakes, and places where |
| 0:58.5 | you can get away from the crowd. |
| 1:00.4 | So I hope you enjoy this podcast with Joe. |
| 1:04.1 | It's a very thorough and complete podcast on Stillwater Trouting. |
| 1:09.2 | And before we do the flybox, just a few announcements. |
| 1:12.7 | One is that I have a hosted trip to Iceland this summer, July 15th through 20th, |
| 1:22.5 | and there are a couple of spots left, a couple of rooms left on this trip. |
| 1:26.8 | Now, last year I hosted a trip to Iceland. |
| 1:30.0 | I had never been there before. |
| 1:32.1 | I have always wanted to go. |
| 1:34.6 | And after about a few days of fishing with fish partner in Iceland, I thought, oh, my God, |
| 1:40.6 | I got to come back next year. |
| 1:41.9 | I got to host another trip. |
| 1:43.1 | It was such a good trip. |
... |
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