John Juracek on Observation, Hatches, and the Joy of 12-Inch Trout

Every episode of After The Hatch starts on the water. This time, Steve and his Big Sky Anglers co-owner Jonathan Heames fish the Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park on a cold, rainy June afternoon. The Green Drakes they're hoping for are slow to show, so they spend more time watching than casting, and that's what turns the day around. Jonathan has been guiding for about 30 years, much of it on the technical Henry's Fork. He explains why he believes "observation is a superpower" and how hatch-focused "ranch style" fishing shapes the way he reads every river. He also covers why Green Drakes bring up fish you might not see the rest of the year, and how to treat spinner falls like a crop you can predict from the wind and weather. And he tells the story of the day his mentor Bob Jacklin handed him a ham sandwich and told him not to make a cast until he'd finished it, a lesson every first-time Yellowstone angler should hear.

Every episode of After The Hatch starts on the water. This time, Steve spent a rainy PMD day on the Firehole with fly fishing legend Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies and co-founder of 1% for the Planet. When they sat down afterward, Craig talked through what 56 seasons in Yellowstone have taught him: sit and watch before you cast, recognize when trout are eating emergers instead of duns, and stay flexible when the hatch charts don't hold. He also tells the stories behind the Improved Sparkle Dun and the Pheasant Tail Sparkle Dun, and explains why he's moved from 4X down to 6X tippet. The second half turns to conservation. Craig covers the Yellowstone cutthroat recovery, why the lake trout removal work is far from finished, how anglers can get involved, and why wild places and wild fish are worth fighting for.

Every episode of After The Hatch starts on the water. This time, Steve Hoovler spent a cold, snowy spring day on the Madison in the park with twin brothers Doug and Dan Daufel. They're Bozeman anglers, longtime fly tiers, and the builders behind Montana Brothers Rod Works. The fishing was slow that day, and when they sat down afterward the brothers said what most anglers won't: they should have moved sooner. Most of the conversation is about what it means to be a "classically oriented" angler: hunting for feeding fish instead of blind fishing. The brothers make a strong case for slow-action rods, explaining how a rod that bends deep casts better at 20 to 40 feet, gives you better feel, and even fights fish more efficiently. They also explain why you should get close and plan as if you only get one cast. From their years as commercial tiers (90 dozen flies a week), they break down their design philosophy (flies that float well, are easy to see, and are easy to tie), the origins of their Improved X-Caddis, and why they now fish greased nymphs in the film during big mayfly hatches. They round it out with their must-have spring flies, the early park opener, fishing rested water away from crowds, and simple trip-planning advice for first-time visitors.

After the Hatch is a fly fishing documentary podcast about how experienced anglers observe, adapt, and make decisions on the water. Hosted by Steve Hoovler of Big Sky Anglers, each episode begins with a day of fishing alongside guides, local legends, and veteran anglers who have spent years learning the waters they fish. Afterward, the conversation continues off the water—digging into the decisions that shaped the day, the experiences that shaped them as anglers, and what they’ve learned through a lifetime of fishing. It’s not about secret spots or magic flies. It’s about experience, observation, and the lived-in perspective that helps great anglers continue to find great fishing season after season.