It would be easy to say that I regret not reading Christopher Camuto’s A Fly Fisherman’s Blue Ridge years ago. Not only is it well written, but the author’s experiences overlap with my own in a remarkable way. It is good enough that I can simply embrace that it was providentially saved for me today. …
There is something wonderful about the naive expectations children possess about fishing. They assume that if they cast their bobber, hook, and worm into a body of water that they will catch a fish. It makes sense. This is what fishing is, after all. Fish eat worms. Fish live in water. It really isn’t that …
Times have changed… I think. It doesn’t seem like there is the same kind of animosity from fly fishers directed towards folks tossing worms and lures. While there are some real potential problems with certain types of fishing (deep-hooking with treble hooks, litter from bait containers, etc.), there is no reason to vilify an entire …
Most of my fly fishing books are purchased because of their historical reputation or from the hype surrounding their release. Every once in a while, a book falls into my hands with no fanfare whatsoever. In the case of John Inglis Hall’s Fishing a Highland Stream, the lack of fanfare at its acquisition has been …
I’m on my way down to the Mid Atlantic. Trout are in the plans, but the real target that I have is smallmouth bass. These fish are so incredibly fun on the fly rod. They take dries, nymphs, and streamers. And you may have heard that they’re willing to chase a popper, too. There are …
One of the simple joys of fishing in the summer is walking into a creek in shoes and shorts. It doesn’t give you any kind of angling advantage, but it is awfully satisfying. And while the simplicity and carefree nature of wet wading shouldn’t force you into making all sorts of purchases, there are a …
Magazines have been an important part of fly fishing for a long time. And although their luster has faded significantly since the dawn of the internet, regular angling periodicals are a great source of information, entertainment, and expression. Trout is the quarterly publication of Trout Unlimited. For nearly 25 years, the late Dr. Robert Behnke …
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 …
