Double-hauling a size 18 Parachute Adams out into the middle of a pond on a windy day is not my normal fly fishing. But some days that is where the fish are, and that is what they’re biting. It was what was in front of me and I had to figure out a way to …
Don’t be a hero. The fish aren’t going to be impressed that you waded into the surf with a 6-weight. No trout is going to eat your articulated streamer with more ferocity because you chucked it using a 3-weight. Plus any fish you’ll be catching with either of these approaches is going to put up …
Fly fishing is about the experience, not the labels or the quality of your gear. …but you need gear to fish, right? And if you need gear, it means picking one label over another. And that means money is a factor. So what do you do? In this episode, I quickly go through a dozen …
How many fly rods do you own? How many of those rods are within one line-weight designation of another? It is very normal to own an 8-, 9-, and 10-weight. Many trout anglers have multiple 5-weight rods; each with a different length or flex profile, each giving him or her an advantage as the situation …
This past episode of the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast has seen a great response in the first weekend after release. In it, I discuss what I write about below. For a link to the episode, scroll to the bottom of this article. There is something idyllic about standing in a river, casting a dry …
Cast at a 45-degree angle upstream. Mend. Allow the fly to drift without dragging. Repeat. Honestly, that sounds like an ideal situation. The stereotypical dry fly presentation is fun. However, there are plenty of times when the fish or the setting are anything but stereotypical. So… what now? In this episode I share three dry …
You’re not going to catch a fish here. I said it out loud. There were dozens of people on the beach behind me, but the sound of the waves on the rocks drowned out my voice. You’ve only got a little time to fish, so why aren’t you going where you know there’s fish? Again, …
“I just go out there… by myself?” “Yup. You’ve got your flashlight?” “Yeah…” “You can do it, bud. I’ll be right here.” It was just a quick trip to go to the bathroom. But it was in the woods. And it was dark. And it was the first time he had done anything like that …
“I’m in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I’ve just caught an enormous fish. But I don’t give a crap.” …at least that is what your face is saying. That is just one example of how people take fly fishing too seriously. Unless you are part of the <1% of anglers who …
Most fly tying revolves around a few basic techniques. And these techniques are essentially all about you revolving materials around a hook. Figure that out, work on the nuance, and you’ll soon be tying and fishing good flies. So where do you go from good? Experience comes from trial and error. Feathers that look good …
