How to Find Trout and Turn Refusals Into Eats: Guide Tips from the Provo River with Mike O'Brien
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Dave Stewart
4.7 • 530 Ratings
🗓️ 14 April 2026
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/910B
Presented by: Fly Fish with me Utah
Most anglers walk right past good water without even knowing it.
In this episode, we're digging into how to find trout and turn refusals into eats with Mike O'Brien. He shares how guides break down a river in the first few minutes and what they look for before making a single cast.
We also get into why trout refuse flies that look perfect, and how small changes in your drift and position can turn those refusals into eats. Mike talks about reading trout behavior, spotting high percentage water, and making simple adjustments when things aren't working.
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/910B
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Jackson Hole Fly Company is proud to celebrate six years of crafting premium fly fishing gear. |
| 0:07.6 | To thank you, they're hosting their biggest sale of the year. |
| 0:10.6 | From April 15th to the 30th, enjoy 25% off most of the store and up to 33% off combo kits. |
| 0:18.1 | Whether you're a season angler or new to the sport, now's the time to invest in gear designed |
| 0:22.3 | for performance and built to last. |
| 0:24.4 | Visit jacksonholefly company.com to shop the sixth anniversary sale. |
| 0:28.4 | Exclusions apply. |
| 0:31.4 | Today you're going to hear how guides consistently find trout when other anglers are walking |
| 0:36.0 | past good water. |
| 0:36.9 | Why dry fly refusals happen |
| 0:38.9 | even when the fly looks perfect and the small presentation adjustments that turn those refusals |
| 0:45.0 | into eats. You're also going to learn how experienced guys break down a river in the first 10 minutes |
| 0:50.4 | of arriving, what they look for before making a single cast, and why slowing down your |
| 0:55.2 | approach often leads to more fish. This episode is jam-packed with practical insight from someone |
| 1:00.4 | who spends his season, watching trout and helping anglers understand what's really happening on the |
| 1:05.8 | water. This is the wet fly swing podcast where I show you the best places to travel to for |
| 1:09.8 | fly fishing, how to find the best resources and tools to prepare for that big trip and what you can do to give |
| 1:14.7 | back to the fish species we all love. Mike O'Brien is back on the podcast today and he's going to share |
| 1:21.2 | how guides quickly identify high percentage water. We're going to find out the mistakes |
| 1:26.4 | anglers make when approaching rising trout. We're also going to find out what trout behavior tells you before |
| 1:31.3 | they even touch the fly and how to adjust drift and positioning when fish start refusing. |
| 1:36.7 | Mike always brings a good show. I'm excited for this one and let's get it going. Here he is. Mike |
... |
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