Outside of rod, reel, line, and fly, there are few pieces of gear as integral to the angler as footwear. Your casting is only going to be as good as your stability. Your endurance on the water is directly tied to your level of comfort. And, of course, any and all skill is much less …
Trout are trout, right? Especially if two brookies or cutthroat are swimming only a few hundred yards from each other, they’re going to behave, eat, and look the same. Right? Maybe. But if you’re talking about a fish in a mountain stream versus a fish in the mountain lake that feeds said stream? Maybe not. …
There is a head-spinning number of people in the southern part of Pennsylvania, the central part of Maryland, and the northern part of Virginia. A good portion of them are anglers, too. However, all three states are absolutely overflowing with waters teeming with fish. Even in some of the most urbanized areas you can find …
I’m a fly fishing guide. I’m not licensed or insured. I’m not formally endorsed by any fly fishing brands. I’m not listed in an online directory or affiliated with a shop. You’re not going to see a section on this website with random smiling sports holding trophy fish. I do have experience, though. Not only …
You can catch so many panfish with the flies in your trout fly box. So many. In fact, give me a well stocked trout fly box over a typical panfish fly assortment any day. But… having some of those poppers helps. And make sure there are a few leggy nymphs. Oh, and a couple of …
David Coggins does something really impressive with The Believer. He makes a globe-hopping, non-stop year of fly fishing come across as relatable. Whether your travel schedule is thick or thin, this 2024 title is sure to capture your interest. Coggins is a wordsmith, and his writing is just as compelling as the angling adventures he …
Some folks are convinced that the Loch Ness monster is just a sturgeon or a catfish. Such people are plagued by the chronic condition of being unimaginative. Devoid of whimsy or wonder, they suffer from the kind of hyperrealism that leads them to tell children that Santa is made up. And, I’m confident they begin …
You absolutely can (and should) fish for panfish with whatever gear you own. Fish for trout, stripers, and peacock bass with whatever gear you already own, for that matter. Of course, you’ll have a slightly easier and more enjoyable time if you have equipment that is either specifically designed for the particular pursuit or within …
Coffee table books have a reputation; so too do books that are ubiquitous. How could something so popular and so prevalent be that good? Well, the late Chris Santella did some great work in his 50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die series. The two books, which respectively came out in 2004 and 2011, …
When I was asked if I would be willing to contribute to a Mid-Atlantic based fly fishing magazine it was a quick yes. Growing up fishing Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, I ravenously consumed every page of region-specific periodicals. These free magazines were an essential part of any stop at the fly shop. It was encouraging …
