“Why do you catch so many fish?” I was asked this question at least three times this past weekend. Out of honesty and humility, I must share that “so many” was a modest number of fish. It was a respectable quantity; even impressive to some. But that meager awe was what instigated the question. Because …
I was past the point where I could hear cars or people. As a general rule, the pools and deep runs that are within a short walk from the parking lot get fished hard. The water looks great. It seems like it might be productive. Styrofoam worm cups and Bud Lite cans are often serve …
Years ago I spent a few weeks in Central America. One of the men I went with shared a simple, yet profound, statement: “Don’t complain about the obvious.” His example was the heat. If you’re hot, everyone is hot. What is the point of commenting on it ad nauseum? Well, maybe it isn’t hot where …
Every once in a while I simply type “fly fishing” into the news section of search bar of my web browser to see what pops up. More often than not it is a local story about an event or an article from one of the larger angling sites. It is interesting to get less-customized results …
Last year, fishing within Shenandoah National Park was verboten from the beginning of August through the beginning of November. Similar bans have been enacted over the past decades. While brook trout populations generally manage to endure hot, dry conditions, it is prudent for such a well-visited area to limit fishing. Because by limiting fishing, they’re …
You should buy any fly rod you want. Walk into a store and get something that catches your eye. Pick the one that fits your budget. Take home the latest and greatest that everyone is raving about online. There is nothing wrong with any of those approaches. But if you want to do a little …
Less than a week ago I opened a post about safety with these words: I’m not being dramatic. Nor am I being flippant. The podcast I was referencing was entitled “Don’t Die Fly Fishing.” Although the label sounds a bit like clickbait, I was not being flippant. And since the episode was recorded four days …
There is a frantic and fun aspect of late spring and summer fly fishing that only lasts about 45 minutes. Although fish often rise all evening and all night, the moments around twilight often see the water boiling with copious feeding activity. It can be amazing. But it can also be intimidating. Fishing in the …
I like it. And I usually don’t like things like it. Moreover, I can’t remember the last time I went out of my way to write a few hundred words about something like it. But here we are. I’m writing, and you’re reading, an article about a smartwatch commercial involving a fake carp. Because apparently …
At this moment, our culture has a long list of fears. One of them is praising the virtues of fatherhood. We’ve lost the ability to think categorically. Easily offended, talking about good dads is perceived as a direct assault against those who didn’t have good dads or those moms who are good. It is stupid …
