From Kansas to the Henry’s Fork: An Interview with Stripping Streamers

For Landen Rindlisbacher, fly fishing started far from the trout-filled rivers of the West. Growing up in Kansas, he spent his time pond hopping for bass before a Boy Scouts fly fishing merit badge introduced him to a new way of chasing fish. What started with learning the basics of casting quickly turned into fly tying, YouTube rabbit holes, and an obsession with figuring out how to catch everything from bass and carp to gar on the fly.

Eventually, that curiosity pulled him to Idaho. Today, Landen, better known online as Stripping Streamers, has built an impressive following around fly fishing and the constant pursuit of new ways to approach the sport. His content isn't about pretending to have everything figured out. It's about getting outside, learning as he goes, and sharing the process along the way.

We caught up with Landen to hear how it all began, what led him out West, where the name Stripping Streamers came from, and what keeps him chasing fish today.

Take us back to the beginning—what first pulled you into fly fishing, and what kept you locked into the sport?

I grew up fishing and spent a lot of time pond hopping for bass, so I was already hooked. My introduction to fly fishing came through Boy Scouts, when I signed up for the fly fishing merit badge. A patient angler taught me the basics of casting, and from there, I caught the bug. I started researching, tying flies, and learning everything I could. Finding out that my fourth great-grandfather was one of the first fly fishermen out West only pulled me in further.

Growing up in Kansas, where we don't have trout streams, also pushed me toward chasing bass, gar, carp, and other underrated species on the fly. There wasn't much information out there, so I loved figuring things out for myself and trying to crack the code. A lot of that early learning came from YouTube, but I was also fortunate to find some great mentors. A guy at the local fly shop took me under his wing, my buddy Michael Collins opened my eyes to the technical side of fly fishing, and my uncle in Utah took me out for my first trout. Looking back, those mentors made a huge difference. Fly fishing can feel pretty daunting when you're first getting started, which is a big reason I'm such a proponent of helping people get into the sport. I know how much easier it is when someone is willing to show you the ropes.

You made the move to Idaho and started creating content around fly fishing. What pushed you to bet on that lifestyle, and what did those early days look like?

I’d been making videos for a few years before moving to Idaho, mostly starting with fly tying before realizing how much I enjoyed filming and editing. I spent summers visiting family out West and fell in love with the mountains and trout fishing, so when it came time for college, I applied to BYU-Idaho, the only school I applied to. Having the Henry’s Fork just minutes from my door was exactly where I wanted to be. Once I moved, the content really started to take off. The funny part was that I had no idea what I was doing. I was learning how to read water, get a proper drift, and understand the unwritten rules of Western trout fishing.

Those early days were a lot of time on the river and figuring things out as I went. I got plenty of comments and DMs criticizing things I didn't know I was doing wrong, but I also had people take the time to educate me. I remember one guy explaining why I shouldn't fish to a brown trout sitting on a spawning redd. He could have yelled at me, but instead, he took a minute to explain what I was looking at and why it mattered. That interaction stuck with me. Now, I'm a big believer in educating people instead of immediately jumping to hate. As the sport grows, more people are going to be learning these things for the first time. I'm certainly not a guide, and I don't claim to be the best fly fisherman, but I love being out there, learning, and sharing the adventure along the way.

Where did the name “Stripping Streamers” come from, and how has it evolved as your content has grown beyond just one style of fishing?

I get asked about the name all the time: “Dude, you barely even fish streamers. Why is your account called Stripping Streamers?” And honestly, it’s kinda true. I grew up in Kansas fishing almost exclusively with streamers because so many of the fish I targeted were predators. I loved tying big articulated flies, too, so the name stuck.

I still love throwing streamers when the conditions are right, but these days I’m more interested in catching fish and trying different techniques. I’ve gotten into everything from smaller streamers and leeches to nymphing, where I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with leader setups, tapers, and different weights to dial in a natural presentation. The name has stayed because I love it, and it usually gets a laugh or starts a conversation. I guess Stripping Streamers just stuck, even as the fishing has grown way beyond streamers.

What’s one moment—fish, trip, disaster, or otherwise—that made you realize this whole fly-fishing-content thing was becoming real?

One of the moments that made this whole thing feel real actually had very little to do with catching a fish. Growing up in Kansas, I loved chasing smallmouth, so I’d regularly make the three- to four-hour drive to the Ozarks with friends. On one trip, we spent the day fishing and returned to the truck only to find ourselves completely stuck in the gravel, with no cell service and no idea how we were getting out.

We hiked back to a two-lane highway and flagged down a stranger in an old Jeep Cherokee. He went home, grabbed some rope, came back, and proceeded to pull us out, even cutting the seatbelts out of his own vehicle when he realized he needed more rope. He wouldn’t take a dime for helping us. That day stuck with me because it reminded me that fishing is about so much more than the fish. The content has given me opportunities to travel, fish new places, and experience moments I never would have otherwise. That’s when I really started to realize how lucky I was to turn something I love into a lifestyle.

What’s the most overrated fly pattern in existence—and what’s one underrated pattern anglers should have in every box?

For the most overrated pattern, I’m going to catch some heat for this one: pretty much any dry fly smaller than a size 18. I hate fishing tiny dries. I’m also a terrible dry fly fisherman, so I’m sure that’s more of a skill issue than anything, but you won’t find many of them in my box.

As for an underrated pattern, I’d go with a balanced leech. They catch just about anything, work in a ton of different situations, and are one of those flies you can tie on with confidence almost anywhere. I’m a big fan of the bruised color, too, with black and purple. It’s simple, but it just gets the job done.

Henry’s Fork versus South Fork: if you had one final day to fish only one, where are you going and what are you throwing?

If I had one final day, I’d take the South Fork. I love that it feels a little more remote, with plenty of public land where you can find a bank, head upstream, and get away from the crowds. I’ve also consistently found bigger browns there, which definitely helps make the decision easier.

As for what I’m throwing, it’s a Mini Dungeon. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s about as much fun as you can have with a fly rod. The South Fork can be tough to wade in higher water, but when conditions line up, it’s hard to beat.

Would you, the streamer stripper himself, be down for a full-on streamer-stripping strip-off? If you are, what are the rules, and who from the fly-fishing world would be the toughest competition?

Oh, absolutely. I’d be 100% down for a streamer-stripping strip-off. As for the toughest competition, I’d have to go with Kelly Galloup. He’s basically the godfather of modern streamer fishing and has it down to a science.

I’d probably lose, and there’s no doubt in my mind about that, but I’d learn a ton in the process. If Kelly ever wants to head to the Madison for a biggest-brown competition, I’m in. That would be the dream.

Keep Learning, Keep Fishing

Landen's story is a good reminder that you don't need to have fly fishing figured out before you start. His path began with a Boy Scouts merit badge, a few patient mentors, and a willingness to chase overlooked species in a state with very few trout streams. From there, it turned into a move West, countless hours on the water, and a growing platform built around sharing the process.

That's ultimately what makes Stripping Streamers fun to follow. The name might have started with big flies and predatory fish, but the fishing has grown well beyond that. Whether he's throwing a Mini Dungeon on the South Fork, dialing in a nymph rig, or figuring out a new species, Landen seems just as interested in the process as the outcome. And in a sport with as much to learn as fly fishing, that's probably the best place to be.