Why buy a cumbersome fly fishing guidebook when all that information is on the internet? Why purchase something that is just going to be out of date in a few seasons anyway? Today I share why fly fishing guidebooks are not only helpful, but important to anglers. There is indeed a wealth of access and …
Everybody knows largemouth bass. Tournaments tie heavy purses to them. Kitschy wall decor celebrates them. They’re America’s fish. And even though catching one can be as easy as putting a worm on a hook under a bobber, tangling with the biggest specimens takes some real know-how. Understanding behavior and seasonality is essential for quality and …
Fly fishing minimalism is not just about throwing things out of your pack willy-nilly. In fact, jettisoning necessary items doesn’t score you any virtue points. If anything, it is simply bad practice. Today I’m sharing three mentalities, paradigms, or reasons why you might want to slim down your angling load. There are other resources on …
If you’ve ever stepped foot in a fly shop or scrolled down through the options of an online retailer, you might think that fly fishing requires stuff. A lot of stuff. And while most equipment out there does have a specific function for someone somewhere, the vast majority of fly fishing can be done with …
This issue of Dark Skies Fly Fishing makes a dozen in this magazine’s catalog. I’m continually impressed by the caliber of writing featured in the periodical, as well as the diversity of angling topics that are represented. I have two articles in this summer issue. The first is a book review on fishing pressured waters. …
For the last 24 hours, I’ve enjoyed some very aggressive bass and panfish. And while I have no reservations using streamers, I’m more than happy to toss topwater flies if they’re what is on the menu. Today I share some topwater fly tactics for warmwater fish. I discuss some of my preferred approaches to gear, …
There are plenty of “how-to” fly fishing books out there for beginners. Nearly all of them are informative. Many of them are a bit dry, which isn’t a surprise given the fact that they are essentially textbooks. Michael Klimkos’ Introduction to Fly Fishing is hardly tedious. It is written in an engaging style, lending itself …
At the time of writing, I have no plans to fish in Pennsylvania in June. However, I’ll be in and around some of my favorite trout water for a handful of days. And, as the second leg of my road trip does include fishing, I’ll have a few fly rods in my car. So you …
I am not an expert in swinging flies in the most orthodox sense of the concept. In fact, I’ve never made any kind of presentation to steelhead in the Pacific Northwest or Atlantic salmon. However, I have swung wet flies in ways that might not draw the ire of purists. But none of that is …
It isn’t a theological work or even really a devotional, but Harry Murray’s His Blessings Through Angling is a great example of the intersection of faith and fly fishing. Murray isn’t preachy (although I don’t have a problem with folks who are). Rather, he shares examples of how He has seen providence at work in …
