Ep. 169 - Chad Johnson - Choosing the Right Fly Even When the Hatch isn't Obvious

Fly fishing the White River is part science, part sorcery and no one unpacks that mystery better than Chad Johnson. In this episode, he breaks down the bug calendar, why hatches behave strangely, and what to throw when there’s no hatch at all.

Whether you’re dialed in or just getting started, this episode is packed with seasonal tips, fly strategy, and river wisdom from one of the best in the business.

> Join our Patreon aka "The Holler" <

Support for this episode:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vortex Optics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Industry-defining scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Moultrie Mobile⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - The ONLY cell trail cameras with A.I. integration

⁠Diamond State Fly Co.⁠ - Cotter's premiere fly fishing shop

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Umarex Airguns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - The leader in Air Rifle technology

⁠Big Pete's Taxidermy⁠ - High-quality work returned in a reasonable time

00:00 – The three major White River hatches: midges, caddis, and sulfurs

06:00 – Caddis hatch chaos

14:00 – Caddis, Sulfurs, and Hopper season

22:00 – Why girdle bugs work—even without stoneflies

29:00 – Reading trout behavior: depth, lead flies, and water clarity

What is The Ozark Podcast?

In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.

Our hosts are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kyle Veit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kyle Plunkett⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - and our producer is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Matthews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JD Clayton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theozarkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: [email protected]