The MEND Fly Fishing Podcast
Hosted by Joe Rotter and we talk all things fly fishing and some hunting. Discussions include nymphing, streamer fishing, fly fishing, bad ass casting, saltwater, and too much technical crap to list here.
Hosted by Joe Rotter and we talk all things fly fishing and some hunting. Discussions include nymphing, streamer fishing, fly fishing, bad ass casting, saltwater, and too much technical crap to list here.
Listen on:
Episodes
Nov 29, 2025
Nov 29, 2025
1 hr 16 min
High school teacher Ryan Burch describes a year‑long solo journey to catch a fish in each of the lower 48 states, four months in and 10,000 miles traveled so far. He shares stories from the road—camping, local fly shops, standout fisheries like Henry’s Lake and the Madison, and close calls such as a tense encounter in Wisconsin.
The episode covers gear and rig details, memorable people he’s met, lessons learned from guides, and the highs and lows of long‑term travel and fishing. Follow his project on Instagram at @TalesOfThe48 and expect more adventures through the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Nov 29, 2025
1 hr 16 min
Nov 24, 2025
Nov 24, 2025
1 hr 22 min
Casual group podcast. Joe Rotter and Jason Harwood host Chris Waddle to discuss tightline nymphing, competitive angling, and the learning curve from backyard casting to mini-comps. They share personal fishing stories, gear choices, and why tightline techniques reveal more trout in close, pressured water.
Key takeaways include reading water and beats, changing depth before flies, maintaining contact with your nymphs, practical competition rules and strategies, and tips to get over the beginner hump with tightline nymphing.
Nov 24, 2025
1 hr 22 min
Nov 19, 2025
Nov 19, 2025
41 min
Joe Rotter ties a simple, fast nymph and walks through why he ties flies on short notice—how pattern choice supports fishing style, materials to use, and keeping flies light and effective. He also explains how tying your own flies increases focus and success on the water.
The episode also covers fishing techniques that produced recent success: mono yarn tightline indicators for technical currents, jigging chartreuse mop flies and leech-style patterns in slow edges, short-line evening nymph rigs, and practical takeaways from guided trips and outings.
Tight Line Indicator Rig: https://youtu.be/gjWVUndhwTQ?si=7aj9v6XDoe1ow0G5
Nov 19, 2025
41 min
Nov 5, 2025
Nov 5, 2025
35 min
Joe Rotter goes solo and covers a week of fishing highlights: a long-running blue-winged olive hatch, precise small-dry fly tactics with ultralight rods, and tips for slow hook sets. He also talks about jig streamers, a strong worm bite after rain, new Gray Watermaster Kodiaks at Red's, and the value of vintage and modern Sage rods.
Listeners get practical gear notes (sink-tip and single-fly rigs, New Zealand indicators), tying tips for squirmy worms, and advice for spotting and targeting pods of feeding fish during hatches.
Nov 5, 2025
35 min
Oct 30, 2025
Oct 30, 2025
39 min
Joe Rotter and Hayden Williams chat riverside about fishing this week and focus on the technical aspects of fishing the BWO hatch this past week. Tips and BS. Good stuff.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Oct 30, 2025
39 min
Oct 15, 2025
Oct 15, 2025
1 hr 18 sec
Joe and Eric trade hunting stories, river reports and tactics after a big cold snap brought bigger trout and lively blue-winged olive hatches. They cover stonefly and streamer action, tightline nymphing with Protagon-style flies, and the value of a two-rod system for opportunistic dry-fly eating fish.
Plus: upcoming events (women's rendezvous and Fly Fishing Film Tour), practical gear tips on gloves and layering, and quick advice on picking flies in person for the best results.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Oct 15, 2025
1 hr 18 sec
Oct 7, 2025
Oct 7, 2025
1 hr 6 min
Joe and Shop Manager Bob deliver short, practical fall fishing advice for DIY anglers: observe the river and other fishermen, favor small BWO patterns (sizes 18–20), use yarn indicators and shorter nymph rigs, and avoid over-deep setups. Pre-rig rods and keep flies, tippet and tools organized so you can fish efficiently.
The episode also shares shuttle‑peeping and wade vs. float tips, steelhead trip anecdotes, the value of humility and experimentation, and recommends soft hackles and focused strategies for October low-water fishing.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Oct 7, 2025
1 hr 6 min
Sep 30, 2025
Sep 30, 2025
1 hr 26 min
Joe Rotter hosts Russ Miller, 12-time Team USA Fly Fishing Competitor and currently working for Umpqua Feather Merchants. Years ago Russ politely humbled Joe and showed him how effectively a Euro Nymph system cand be in the right hands. It was a revolution. These two chat a bunch about fishing, euro nymphing, and share a few stories from their individual journeys.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Sep 30, 2025
1 hr 26 min
Sep 23, 2025
Sep 23, 2025
31 min
Joe Rotter hosts a solo episode unpacking a recent guided day on the low, clear Yakima River and previewing the October caddis hatch. He talks through the morning bite, how fish move deeper during the day, and why timing and stealth matter in fall trout fishing.
Practical takeaways include testing flies on lighter tippet (6X) to check effectiveness, running a New Zealand‑style yarn indicator and the indicator tool, rig setups (leader lengths, Frenchie and tungsten mop flies), rod/tippet choices, and proper catch‑and‑release handling.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Sep 23, 2025
31 min
Sep 16, 2025
Sep 16, 2025
1 hr 21 min
Joe Rotter and Patrick Kilby chat about how and why to tie your own flies. They share some history, stories, and some really good tips for someone dusting off the vice or starting from scratch.
Connect with Red's :
Website: https://www.redsflyfishing.com
YouTube Channel: Red's Fly Shop - YouTube
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redsflyshop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsflyshop
Email: staff@redsflyshop.com
Phone: (509) 933-2300
Sep 16, 2025
1 hr 21 min

About Joe Rotter
Joe is a partner at Red's, a riverside fly shop in the Yakima River Canyon. While their .com business is worldwide, the river keeps him locally engaged.He has been fortunate to travel the world to Russia, Chile, Argentina, BC, Belize, Christmas Island, Mexico, Costa Rica, Alaska, Cuba, Florida Keys, and the Everglades. His knowledge of worldwide angling keeps things interesting. He's happy to chat about many different fisheries.

