VIDEO: Small Streams & Old Fly Rods

I’ve reviewed countless new, shiny 3-weights. The vast majority of them are well-designed, feature-packed, and a lot of fun to fish. I’ve added a handful to my arsenal and have encouraged you to do so as well.

Today, that is not what I’ll be doing.

The fact of the matter is that you might already have a great small stream fly rod in your closet. Or, you could be a few clicks on an e-marketplace away from acquiring such a piece of gear at a reasonable price. Because even old fly rods work really well when fly fishing on small streams.

In this video I show you three rods that came into my possession through three different means. They are three very different fly rods. They are from three different decades. But each is a lot of fun to fish on small streams.

Check out the video below:

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Old Fly Rods & Small Streams

With all the high-tech, high-priced modern fly rods out there, no fly fisher is immune from the allure of the upgrade. However, the small stream fly fisher might just be the most resistant to the contagion. An old fly rod will do just fine on a small stream.

After all,  in that description the “fly rod” is much more essential to the angling equation than the “old.” A fly rod is what is needed to get the job done. The manufacturer, to a certain degree the design, and the length of time the tackle has been in a closet are much less important. As is often quipped: the fish don’t care.

There are two primary reasons why we use and love old fly rods on small streams: They are practical and they are beautiful. (I’ll explain what I mean by beautiful later in the post.) But it is sufficient to say that these categories are each reason enough to fish your old fly rod. It must also be said that they are certainly not mutually exclusive.

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Podcast Ep. 410: Fly Fishing Accusations, XLI

“But why?”

This can be a very obnoxious question. Or, it could be a very revealing question. Do you know why we do what we do when we fly fish?

One of this week’s questions was posed to me by a student in a casting class that I am teaching. Innocently, he asked why we  reel with our non-dominant hand. So I explained it to him.

And I’ll explain it to you… along with two other viewer, listener, and reader pieces of feedback. This includes one that could be considered an accusation!

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: A Modern Dry Fly Classic

Vincent Marinaro’s A Modern Dry-Fly Code is in the top tier of angling books as far as impact goes. By the second edition, it had seen seven printings and been received with open arms and much praise.

And the reason was simple: Marinaro articulated tying and fishing strategies that moved the ball forward.

While the evolution of fly fishing is a very braided river, it is undeniable that some of the major currents we’re drifting today have been fed by this book. Along with discussing terrestrials and midges, the author explains how alterations to a dry fly’s profile can elicit strikes from wary fish. To top it all it is an incredibly readable volume.

If you’re a student of fly fishing history, this is a must-own.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Dark Skies Fly Fishing: Fall 2026

Dark Skies Fly Fishing continues to grow! The content is more diverse. More people are reading this magazine. The look of the publication is being refined, too.

There’s no time like now to read and to subscribe.

In this issue, I have an article entitled “Better Blue Lining.” I distill some of my most productive and helpful small stream tactics into a few pages of information. These tactics are aspects of fly fishing that anyone can adopt. But they’re also the kinds of skills that can also evolve over time.

On top of that, there is a book review on one of my favorite releases of 2026.

Along with my article, there are pieces on nymphing skinny water, patterns for night fishing, and Great Lakes steelhead. Click on the link below to start reading and to learn how you can access the whole issue.

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Podcast Ep. 409: Failing Fly Fishing

So you’re getting skunked.  All that expensive gear, all that planning, and all that podcast information you consumed… and for what! You’re failing fly fishing.

Not so fast.

Sure, catching up on yardwork or taking a nap is all fine and good. But it isn’t over until it is over.

Today I share three ways to approach what you’re doing to see if you can pull the nose up before a crash landing. There are some days that just don’t go your way (I recently had such a day). But with a little patience and conscientiousness, we’ll try to get you closer to a fish.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Fly Fishing & the Deeper Things – A One Minute Review

Another  collection of fly fishing essays? Well… yes. It is, after all, the predominant sub-genre of fly fishing writing.

But something that you might find interesting about Roger Thompson’s The Wisdom of Rivers is that he has certain thematic threads that he weaves through his angling exploits. A good fishing story has more than “I came, I saw, I caught and released.” Thompson gets that truth and crafts a series of 25 essays that touch on the deeper things in life.

And I talk about all of it in less than one minute.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Listen to Fly Fishing

 

The last article I published on other fly fishing podcasts was back in 2020. There was a time when these posts were some of the most popular content on the website. But that was during the COVID times. It was prior to the hordes of AI lists that you’ll find today. It was before there was a thing called the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast. It was a different world. But even though many things have changed (including my time behind a microphone), the benefit of listening to other anglers talk about the quarry and culture of fly fishing has remained constant.

Today I’m sharing four episodes from four fly fishing podcasts. There is a good chance that you’re already familiar with these high-quality shows. But in case you have always scrolled past or happened  to miss a particular episode, this is a good chance to listen to something interesting.

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Podcast Ep. 408: Fly Fishing Goals & Challenges

“I don’t fly fish to compete.”

That may be. But tell me, if you will, aren’t you trying to outwit and then physically overtake the fish?

Even though you may not be into tournament angling (and I am not), we all have goals and challenges that we impose upon ourselves when we fish. In today’s episode, I use a familiar angling motif to talk through some of the ways you can push yourself in your normal fishing or to augment your time on the water.

And I promise: you don’t need a fancy, sparkly boat  to appreciate what I have to say.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Finding Fly Fishing… & Fly Fishing Writing

I can’t remember where I first saw Jesse Lance Robbins’ new book, The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere. Regardless, by keeping my ear to certain segments of the fly fishing ground I was in the know that this title was coming out earlier in 2026.

Today I talk about the book and finding the book.

Robbins is a skilled writer who presents an enjoyable and immensely readable set of 25 essays in The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere.  Quickly, I run down why it deserves a spot on your stack or bookshelf. Also, I discuss how there are some good ways to make sure books like this don’t pass you by.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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