It is impossible to capture the experience of being outdoors in words. Well-written prose will communicate a lot. However there will always be moments that get left out, or, more likely, moments that words can’t adequately describe. Similarly, photographs are good but limited. While a picture might be worth 1,000 words, an image devoid of …
I’m sure there is a fly shop out there that will sell you anything and everything that you would need to go fly fishing. But I doubt it. Reason being, there is a lot of non-fly fishing stuff that I need to get to the water and stay on the water. If you’re engaged in …
The Potomac is a big river. Flowing from the steep hollows of western Maryland and West Virginia down into the tidal portions of Washington, DC, it is big. There are diverse sections of river, each with it’s own composition and angling opportunities. Downstream of historic Harpers Ferry, there are bass and musky hiding in waving …
The resurgence of fiberglass fly rods in the last decade has led to a new generation appreciating the benefits of the material. Often, casting is slower, requiring a more deliberate stroke. Delicate presentations can be made on glassy water to selective fish. And, when hooked, decent-sized fish can put a good bend in a fiberglass …
For me, Sunday is a work day. Mornings and evenings are especially busy, and I try to keep the afternoons as low-key as possible. But rest is important. We were made to take breaks. Add to that Father’s Day. I know it is a made-up holiday. However, my kids like it a lot. My four …
The very first strike indicator I bought and used was a Palsa pinch-on float. The guy behind the counter at the fly shop said they were the best, and I took his advise seriously. For what was probably a decade, anytime a fly presentation required an indicator I squeezed on a Palsa. While they may …
After writing about my top 3 panfish flies earlier in the week (there is a link below), I got thinking about how I often fish them when I’m chasing the largest specimens in my local waters. As much as I like loud, fast, and active presentations, I have to say that subtle is usually the …
There is something special about warm evenings on the local pond. Even the most aggressive saltwater anglers and devoted trout tacticians appreciate the experience of walking the bank with a pocket of bugs, picking off hungry panfish. But which bugs? Admittedly, my warmwater boxes are stuffed to the point of testing their magnetic closures. But …
I have my grandfather’s fly rods. He wasn’t a fly fisherman by any stretch of the imagination. As far as he could recall, he used them a handful of times in Illinois and Wisconsin for bluegill, little pike, and the random brook trout. There are four of them: a beat up dime store bamboo, a …
It is a lot of fun to pull up to the river, hop out of your car, and just get to fishing. On the other hand, if you can do that in a particular spot it means that countless others can do the same as well. A little initiative and, if you’re able, a little …
