Secrets to Tying Good Fishing Knots, with Robert Ketley

Update: 2024-09-23

Description

I have long enjoyed Robert Ketley's [31:06 ] column in California Fly Fisher magazine because he often delves deeply into aspects of fly fishing that we don't pay much attention to. And he's a tireless researcher. So when I noticed a deep dive he did on fly-fishing knots using a microscope I knew I had to get him on the podcast. You won't learn about which knot is best, but you will learn about why knots hold and why they break, how to tie a knot properly, and what happens when a knot gives way.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some unusually good questions, including:

Will the 10-foot 7-weight Helios D rod offer me enough tippet protection when using 5X for steelhead?
My local wild trout stream has almost dried up this year. Where do the fish go, and how long until this stream can recover?
When wading deep, when I pick up the line and cast I notice I make waves in the water. How can I eliminate this?
When swinging wet flies in a tight stream I need to use a roll cast, but how do I make another roll cast after my flies complete their swing?
I see fish on the bottom of a spring creek but I can't catch them using my tight line technique. What do you think I am doing wrong?
I was scolded by an outfitter when I changed direction when fighting a big fish. He said it will wear a hole in their mouth and they will get off. Was I doing it wrong?
Can I go from a 4X leader with a tippet ring to a 7X tippet? Will not having tapered sections in there be bad?
I don't have much finger dexterity and have trouble saving my tippet scraps. Do you have any suggestions?
A listener reminds us that in lakes in Maine that are listed as fly fishing only, it is illegal to troll a fly.
When trolling a fly from my canoe, how can I get my fly deeper?
Which be the best Helios rod for fishing the Henry's Fork?