“Last summer I headed out to do something that has been on my bucket list.” Joe Monaghan continued: “I rented a little Sprinter decked out for camping. I was all by myself and I had no agenda whatsoever. I drove east and started fishing; I started fishing all of western Montana. It was great. I …
Happy Thanksgiving from Casting Across! This episode was recorded around noon on Thanksgiving. Consequently, I talk about turkey and what I am thankful for. We all have a lot to be thankful for. Regardless of your lot in life or how many fish you catch, we all have so much for which we can express …
I am thankful for fly fishing. This means I am thankful to people; not just thankful with some nebulous sentiment. That isn’t true thankfulness. True thankfulness has a person as the object. True thankfulness can be given and received. I am thankful to Alan, who introduced me to the sport. As a teenager, he needed …
On a warm, overcast fall morning the fish were jumping all across the pond. With every stroke of the paddle, there was a flash under water or ripples on the surface. Baitfish skittered. Lazy insects disappeared in loud slurps. Fish shot out of the water, presumably for the joy only comprehendible to the simple mind …
This week on the podcast I interact with some questions that are the most common interactions I receive month after month, year after year. Fly line for small streams and fly fishing books are two things that I’m (relatively) passionate about. Consequently, I get feedback about both topics. I also talk about the (legitimate) passion …
The calendar says that winter doesn’t arrive until late December. The frost on my windshield and the ice on the edges of the streambank say otherwise. Cold weather means flies can be tied and deer can be hunted. But it also means that there are aspects to fly fishing that open up to us. Taking …
Bass are unaware of Daylight Savings Time. They don’t have an emotional response to the first frost or “sweater weather.” They certainly aren’t swayed by the pumpkin spice-ification of the world. This does not mean that bass, like any other fish out there, are not impacted by the temperature shifts that accompany the change of …
Even though the footprint of the Great Lakes’ tributary system is relatively small, its’ opportunities are significant and easily accessible by most people in the US. Whether you’re chasing steelhead in Pennsylvania, lake run browns in New York, or salmon in Michigan, you have the opportunity to tangle with huge fish in smaller rivers. Some …
Whether you are putting your fly rod away for the winter or you finally realize that your cork handle is what has been stinking up your truck’s cab, you should definitely take the time to clean your gear. Just like anything else, fly rods need maintenance. While they are not technical or complex by any …
For a split second, my brain doesn’t comprehend the implications of the sensation. Where there was once tension – a pulsing fish pulling against the line and the current – is now simply slack. It takes a moment to wrap my head around the fact that the fish is gone. Next comes frustration. It might …
