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Author: Matthew

The Pros and Cons of Camping

“Number… four!” he said, with a delight unseen up until this point in the conversation. Number four, as it would have it, was the campsite furthest from where we requested to spend the night. We paid our twenty bucks and quietly left the office. Driving past more desirable tent sites, heading further and further away …

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Fly Fishing at Fourteen

I began fly fishing at the age of fourteen. When I turned 30 a few years back it struck me that not only had I been involved in the sport in one way or another for over half my life, but that I’d been fly fishing for longer than I’d known my wife or lived …

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Fish have to Eat: Fly Fishing in the Winter

“Fish have to eat.” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said that. If you’re a fly fisher, and you’ve gone out in the winter in pursuit of fish, you may have offered that same phrase as part of your explanation to a skeptic. Friends, family members, and concerned passersby might be puzzled …

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Somerset Fly Fishing Show: The Load-Out

After a couple of fly fishing shows, I feel like the audience that Jackson Browne sings about in “The Load-Out.” For those of you missing out on a quintessential piece of music, I’ll bring you up to speed: Browne sings about the daily grind of the touring musician, while each city’s crowd experiences the spectacle …

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Fly Fishing a New Trail

I’m always amazed by the places that trout live. With conservation being part and parcel with fly fishing for the past few generations, there is almost a subconscious assumption that salmonids are fragile. This isn’t to downplay the reality of the situation. Deforestation, pollution, and overfishing have ravaged rivers and lakes to the point that …

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The Fly Shop on the Lake

Mention Southcentral Pennsylvania to a fly fisher, and chances are they will understand exactly where you’re talking about. In the angling world, it isn’t just the middle third of the commonwealth’s bottom half. Within this portion there is a valley that is bordered by the ridges of North and South Mountains, and in it lie …

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Fly Fishing Podcasts Worth Listening To (Updated)

Are you planning on going somewhere this weekend? Somerset, perhaps?  There is absolutely no reason why you can’t be entertained while cruising down the freeway or even sitting in traffic. Three months back, I listed my top five fly fishing podcasts. I wanted to add some new episodes to the podcasts that I’ve previously suggested, …

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Risen Fly: Rods, Reels, & Relationships

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. For so many anglers getting into fly fishing, a lot of invention goes into assembling everything that is needed in a somewhat expensive sport. Risen Fly, a company that has been selling rods, reels, and a number of other accessories since 2013, was birthed out of that …

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At the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show: Wrap Up

A perennial fixture of the fly fishing scene, the winter shows featuring vendors, tyers, and outfitters are highlights for anglers enduring the winter doldrums. With the premier expo holding events at seven locations across the country, and numerous other shows put on by sportsman’s groups and Trout Unlimited chapters, anglers from virtually anywhere can spend …

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At the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show

   Today I’ll be attending the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, Massachusetts. I’ve come prepared with a camera, a notebook, comfortable shoes, and enough money to get into only a little bit of trouble. I’m planning on spending the day seeing familiar faces, meeting new folks, and, well, buying stuff. Next week I plan on …

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