There are two types of anglers. Those who fish through the winter, and those who do not. Both are legitimate fly fishers. For the sake of today’s discussion, the only real difference is that one discovers a wader leak on a random day in January while the other has a nasty surprise in April. So …
Paul Ralph Ehrlich passed away on March 13, 2026 at the age of 93. I am going to be quite critical of his popular work and its impact. But don’t assume the dangerous category confusion that stifles meaningful dialogue. Today critique of an opposing viewpoint is considered hate or violence. I’ll unapologetically state that I …
There is a kind of winter greyness that makes you cold just looking at it. Dim slate hillsides covered in pallid, bare trees pointing up at melancholy overcast skies. I want to go fishing. All the gear is right there. But if only the drive had been ten more minutes or there were a few …
Well, apparently I’m not the only one who wouldn’t get an “A+” in civics. When I typed “is” in Google this morning, it either read my mind or assumed I was looking for the same thing most people were searching. Yes. Presidents Day is a federal holiday. As I often do on such hallowed calendar …
For a year I’ve been contributing to the excellent magazine Dark Skies Fly Fishing. Available digitally or in print, this periodical is the spiritual successor to a publication that Mid Atlantic anglers relied upon for decades. In the February/March issue, I give a quick synopsis of what fly fishing looks like in the Shenandoah National …
One of my favorite things to do at fishing expos is to see fly rods I’ve only seen online or heard about on social media. Every once in a while, a company will even reveal a product in development at these events. Better than wiggling them or getting a sales rep’s elevator speech is actually …
Walking the exhibition hall at The Fly Fishing Show is a great example of the diversity of interests within fly fishing. Saltwater and freshwater, tied flies and materials for tying, established companies and small businesses are all represented. There are also nonprofits, antique dealers, booksellers, and artists. Fly fishing is certainly about catching fish utilizing …
I love my lightweight bamboo fly rods. I truly enjoy fishing with my older, wispy fiberglass fly rods. And one of my favorite graphite fly rods is a decidedly slow action 2-weight. This lines up with a common approach to fly fishing small steams. Since the water is small and the fish are small, many …
It wouldn’t be a bad shirt, once it went through the wash. I found it on an island in the middle of the river. The college featured on the front wasn’t far from the western Massachusetts river I was fishing. I wouldn’t dumpster dive or pick up clothes off the side of the road. But …
“It is definitely a bear.” We stood over the track. Shoulder-to-shoulder, strung fly rods in hand, we blocked the trail as we observed the depressions in the mud. It was most certainly a bear. Or someone had taken their very large and very ill-proportioned dog on a walk in the mountains. “Well, it is also …
