The Clean Water Act, with Tom Kiernan of American Rivers

This week, my guest is Tom Kiernan [38:50], President and CEO of American Rivers, an organization Orvis supports and endorses highly for the world-class work they do to protect our rivers. I wanted to explore the ins and outs of the Clean Water Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century. I think it's important that anyone who enjoys time on the water understands just what it has done for us, and what it can do in the future.

In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some thought-provoking questions, including:

What kind of personal watercraft do you recommend for lakes and slow-moving rivers?

Is the abdomen of a natural insect the only important thing to imitate?

What do you prefer when fishing, a rain jacket or a wading jacket?

If I can't use weighted flies because of regulations, how can I sink my nymph?

What's the difference between a nail knot and a loop-to-loop connection?

Is there a time when one is better than another?

How do I keep the bodies on my big foam flies from twisting around the hook?

What do you do with your rod when landing a fish?

What is a Bimini twist used for?

When do you know that a fish is too much for the rod you are using?

A great tip from a listener on how to teach kids to tie flies without using a sharp hook.

If there are people swimming in a small mountain brook, how far away will the fish be spooked?