Most anglers think of mending as something you do to fix drag on a dry fly, but I’ve heard some advanced nymph anglers use mends to control depth, not just drift. I understand basic mends to extend a dead drift, but how can I actively use mending to adjust the depth of my nymphs and keep them in the strike zone longer?

Give me riffles, pocket water, or even a deep pool, and I feel like I know what I’m doing. But when I come across those long, slow-moving stretches of flat water, I struggle. The trout seem extra spooky, the drifts have to be perfect, and half the time I can’t even tell if I’m fishing the right water. How do you approach these types of spots?

I love dry fly fishing, but no matter what I do, my flies end up sinking after a few casts. It’s super frustrating when I’m in the middle of a hatch. What can I do to keep my dry flies floating longer?

I always hear that matching the hatch is super important, but I’m overwhelmed by all the insect species and fly patterns. How do I know which dry fly to use when fish are rising, especially if I don’t recognize the bugs flying around?

I’ve been sight fishing for tailing redfish, and while I’m getting plenty of shots, the fish often refuse my fly. I’ve tried switching patterns, adjusting my retrieve, and even downsizing my leader, but I keep seeing the same result—either they spook, or they simply keep feeding without reacting. What should I change to start converting these shots into hookups?a