Fly fishing means a lot to me. I genuinely, truly enjoy being outdoors chasing fish with a fly rod. Make no mistake about that. And I am so appreciative of the experiences and opportunities that fly fishing has afforded me. Most recently, with Casting Across. But over the past 25 years I have met remarkable …
If you fly fish for trout, you can fish 12 months out of the year. There are a handful of very important caveats to that statement, but it is true nonetheless. Exceptions aside, it is key to understanding some of the reasons why fishing changes throughout the year and why. In another surface-level introduction, I …
The world of fly fishing has come a long way. The tweed and wicker creel, old white guy image represents vintage advertisements more than present reality. Paul, while white, a guy, and older, never really fit the prototype for the angling catalog model. Truth be told, he had never owned a wicker creel. Two of …
While there are countless fly fishing books, only a handful are truly important. Some novels are important because they capture the whole of fly fishing so well, in turn captivating audiences generation after generation. Books that explore technique can be important if they perfectly articulate an aspect of angling or pioneer a new paradigm. Such …
You’ve got a fly rod. You’ve wrangled a few dozen flies into a box. You’ve even managed to get a hot tip on where some trout might be found. …now what? Having all the gear and all the intel won’t amount to anything unless you can cast your fly and cast it in the right …
Why do you think your gear is inadequate? Why are you unsatisfied with the places you go and the fish that you catch? What has lead you to question your legal, preferred technique? How much time have you spent angry in comment sections? Why has another angler you’ve never met, and probably never will meet, …
Yes. It is an old meme. But it is a good meme. And, to be honest, I couldn’t get it out of my head so it has found itself at the beginning of this post. Last year I set out to compile an exhaustive fly shop directory. Aside from the fact that I’m convicted that …
Water, water everywhere… but is it water worth fly fishing? Today we’re asking the question: “Where can I find fish?” The answer has two parts: First, how do you find fishable water? Second, where do you look once you’ve found a river worth fishing? Books have been written about both of these topics. But this …
“It looks like the last part of this week is going to be in the mid 50s. I’m considering putting in an hour or 2 on [local river] – would you be interested?” “YES. Friday?” “Probably, in the late afternoon” “Okay. I’ll put it on the calendar.” “Full disclosure, this piece of river is just …
Authentic conservation means getting together and getting dirty. And authentic conservation doesn’t always entail leveling a giant dam or pouring millions into a famed trout river. Sometimes authentic conservation comes down to a handful of devoted anglers putting time, energy, and effort into their local water. That is the story of Reel Change, the latest …
