We caught enough for my family to eat their fill of fish tacos. The tender crappie filets are complemented by a spicy sour cream, pickled onions, and cilantro. There were enough pieces left over to freeze for some chowder, too. But you can’t cook fish chowder in seasons where your windows are closed. You want …
I can’t recall for certain how many pairs of $5.99 sunglasses I owned in the first years of my fishing life. But I am confident that it was far, far less than would total the price of the fancy pairs I wear these days. And, I think it bears mentioning, these cheap sunglasses were name …
I do talk about fly fishing gear a lot on Casting Across. But there is something that will trump equipment nine out of ten times: skill. Within reason, your proficiency with equipment will overcome not having that rod, fly, or gadget that is designed specifically for a particular task. This is a good thing. Because …
At first blush, it is a bit sacrilegious. Nestled in between spoons and spinners in a brightly colored blister pack, it can’t be a fly. And it has propellers for goodness’ sake. Propellers! Rubber legs we can deal with. Gummy-bodied saltwater patterns produce fish. Mop flies have grown on us. But propellers? Are we not …
Humility is important when it comes to any kind of instruction. To that end, it is best to remember that none of us came into this world expert in anything good or worthwhile. We had to learn. And we often learned by asking questions. I was fortunate to have a well-stocked angling section in a …
The most recent episode of the podcast was number 400. And while I acknowledge that putting it together has taken a commitment on my part, your buy-in and support has been the most impressive facet of this whole enterprise. So, what is the state of things at this modest milestone? This is what I wrote …
I always refer to Casting Across as a website. Yes, that is a little ambiguous. But that’s not wrong. And I acknowledge that there are other labels that could be used to describe it. Perhaps other terms would be better. But there is one I have never employed. Blog. First, it is not a pleasant …
This website has been up and running for over a decade. Three times a week, articles have been posted to Casting Across. Although it all has to do with fly fishing, the particulars of the topics vary wildly. But there is one facet of fly fishing that appeals to a good segment of the readers, …
My Father’s Day gift this year is a new chainsaw. At the time of writing, I do not have a new chainsaw. This has nothing to do with my wife or children and everything to do with my unrelenting hope that I can fix my old chainsaw. A part has been ordered. For all the …
Everybody knows largemouth bass. Tournaments tie heavy purses to them. Kitschy wall decor celebrates them. They’re America’s fish. And even though catching one can be as easy as putting a worm on a hook under a bobber, tangling with the biggest specimens takes some real know-how. Understanding behavior and seasonality is essential for quality and …
