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Author: Matthew

River Apollo, IV

Today you’re seeing part 4 of a series. Read the beginning of River Apollo here. Paul wasn’t an off the rack kind of guy. His rocky past and idyllic present were each a few standard deviations away from the middle of society’s bell curve. He knew this. He was thankful for this – even for …

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Podcast Ep. 238: Approaching Mountain Trout

They’re not the biggest or most technically-challenging fish, but there is something special about a wild trout caught high up in the mountains. And while those who spend a lot of time walking trails with fly rod in hand know that it is possible to catch dozens of feisty trout in these secluded creeks, this …

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Fly Fishing Summer Reading Challenge

June. July. August. Summer means bass chasing poppers, stripers crashing in the surf, and long hikes to still-chilly mountain trout creeks. These three months have a lot going for them. I’m not too fond of the heat, but I’m quite partial to the fishing… and the vacations, the evenings on the deck, and the ever-so-subtle …

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The Soldier-Angler

Decoration Day was the forerunner to the modern celebration of Memorial Day. A reunifying United States  formally and corporately acknowledged the fallen. In steps through the decades and through other wars, Memorial Day as we know it came to be. Thaddeus Norris’ The American Angler’s Book was published in 1864. Although the war was still …

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Podcast Ep. 237: Your First Cast with Bamboo

Bamboo might be what your great grandpa’s rod was made out of. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t fish with it too. And maybe, that means fishing with grandpa’s clunky five-and-dime bamboo fly rod. Why fish with a rod material that is now three generations old? Today I talk through three reasons why you …

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River Apollo, III

This is, as the title says, the 3rd part of the story. Read the beginning of River Apollo here. Paul never wanted to be a mascot for anything. One time he came close. (That is, in fact, a significant part of his life. But it is significant enough to wait for a more opportune time. …

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Straying from Black Lines

Anthropologists believe that a cave painting in the Czech Republic is the earliest example of a map that we have. The markings seem to represent local mountains, valleys, and rivers. The features on the map pointed to the fields they farmed and the forests they hunted. There was time, care, and investment represented on that …

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Podcast Ep. 236: Fishing Centimeters Down

Dry flies, nymphs, and streamers. They work just fine, but there are plenty of ways to fish these flies. One of the most effective ways to fish dries and nymphs is in the surface film or just below the surface. While a high-floating dry is romantic and bottom-ticking nymphs get a lot of hype, fish …

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River Apollo, II

Read part I of River Apollo here. Only once had Paul encountered a bear on the little creek that ran in front of his property.  It was years ago and well upstream from his house. The gentle valley that the stream flows through intensifies ever so slightly; enough that things feel close and tight in …

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Casting Across on Fish Untamed

As is the case in all facets of life these days, podcasts serve as de facto commentary for the fly fishing community. Fly Fishing podcasts have been something that I’ve written about on Casting Across since the website launched. The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast has well over 200 episodes catalogued. And I’ve been featured …

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