My kids get excited about southern panfish. They talk about the brook trout and the largemouth bass, but it is the sunfish, bluegill, and pumpkinseed that they look forward to when we get close to our annual summer trip to Virginia. We have plenty of panfish in New England. They are as willing to eat …
Perhaps this is a little pedantic, but it is worth saying: You don’t need to wade to fly fish. What do I mean? Well, I think a lot of anglers wade too much. We get in the water where we don’t need to. We move too close to where the fish are. We disturb things …
Fly rods are like opinions. Everyone has a bunch and they all serve a purpose. …or something like that. When it comes to picking a fly rod for small stream fishing, you really can’t go wrong. If you a) have it and b) enjoy using it, then you’re all set. There isn’t any need to …
No one has ever seen a body builder and thought, “I bet he’d make an excellent angler.” Similarly, there is no inherent association between the physique of marathon runners and fly casting ability. Why is that? Because while there is absolutely nothing wrong with being in shape, athletic prowess and fly fishing success only share …
Last week I did my darndest to debunk three big lies about fly fishing that keep people away from this wonderful pursuit. Today I’m coming at it from another angle. In this episode, I’m addressing three misconceptions about fly fishing that get people into the sport. Thankfully each of these three items have good news/bad …
Once more, we are turning to a title that finds its origin in Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley. While not his seminal fly fishing work, Rising Trout by Charles Fox is a fantastic addition to any angler’s library. This is also an interesting example of where a reprint is of different value than a first edition. The …
Recently I released a podcast episode entitled “3 Lies that Keep People from Fly Fishing.” (You can listen to it here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.) The first lie that I addressed was one of the most inaccurate assumptions people hold about fly fishing. It is an unnecessary perspective that unfortunately keeps people from …
You’ve probably heard them yourself. There are some myths about fly fishing and fly fishing culture that keep people away from either giving it a try or sticking with it after a little bit of frustration. I’m here to tell you that three of the most common reasons people steer away from fly fishing are …
Even though we all try to cram in anything and everything we might need for a day on the water, the truth is that we have to make some choices. Some flies are going to have to stay in the trunk. That extra spool just won’t fit. But there are some pieces of equipment that …
I am not anti-AI. I also grew up with the Terminator series and, therefore, have a healthy fear of giving robots too much autonomy. One of my favorite ways to interact with large language models is to ask them what other people are asking them. Or, I see what kinds of questions are on people’s …
