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 …
All of the children came rushing into the kitchen. They were abuzz about the the bug they had found. It was big. It looked like an alien. It was dead. Quickly my wife corrected them. It is just the husk. The cicada got rid of this, shook it’s new wings, and flew away. Now there …
Trivial mistakes and learning opportunities are a gracious reality of life, aren’t they? With the benefit of time and perspective on our side, we can see where we’ve erred slightly or completely missed the boat. This is true with the big things. It is also true in fly fishing. A year ago I released a …
My first key chain came from Cabela’s. It was a Royal Wulff dry fly encased in an oval of resin. It accompanied the two or three keys I needed at the end of high school and beginning of college. It met its untimely demise when I threw my keys out of frustration after blowing out …
Wading boots are a lot more than shoes that fit over waders. The right pair of boots will help you stay safe and keep you comfortable, ensuring more time on the water. But choosing a wading boot is about more than does it fit. It also goes beyond the kind of sole on the bottom …
90 episodes in, and it is still a lot of fun! On this installment of the podcast, I interact with three messages from listeners/readers. I discuss Euro rods on small streams, how to find water that is easy to walk or wade in, and a heartfelt response to a memorial article. As always, if you …
1. Fly fishing for panfish is fun. 2. Fly fishing for panfish is a great way to prepare for fly fishing for trout. These statements are both true, and they are not mutually exclusive. You can fish for bluegill simply for the joy that accompanies fishing for bluegill. And there’s no question about it: it’s …
You can’t catch fish unless your fly is in the water. Guides have told me this, and I have used this simple phrase plenty of times myself. And it is true. But why do we, as fly fishers, keep our flies in the boat or in our hands? What gives us pause? Is it always …
Road trip! Depending upon your particular experiences, that phrase might elicit great joy or terrible fear. But what if you have a fly rod in the car? Or, what if you’ve had a fly rod in the car while taking that same route in the past? Adding a little fishing to a longer drive can …
Full disclosure: Taking kids fly fishing is work. You’re not going to be fishing. You’re going to be untangling monofilament and dodging poppers. The time spent getting ready to go fishing is incredibly disproportional to the time spent actually fishing. And heaven help you if the fish aren’t biting. Taking kids fly fishing is an …
