“What’s wrong with the creek?” It was a legitimate question. We were catching fish. We always caught fish. Not dozens, but a dozen maybe. Although it was a pretty pressured fishery, it consistently produced trout. “We just want to try something different,” I said. The man behind the counter gave us a mildly exasperated look. …
Honestly, I’ve vacillated on what today’s post would be about. This isn’t a website where I expect you to get your cultural commentary. But from where I’ve been and where most of us have been, casting techniques and fly rod reviews just didn’t seem right. Still, I’m going to focus on the outdoors. Instead of …
I check the ladder up to the tree house every spring. After a cold New England winter, no one gets to head up into the fort until I test every step. This year, with all the craziness, I neglected to do so. Until I inadvertently did so. Honestly, I am thankful. One, it is only …
The Fuse – Jackson Browne: The Pretender, 1976 Singer-songwriters hit even better at 5 in the morning. Familiar lyrics accompany familiar highways. Alan and I were accustomed to the meandering route from Northern Virginia to South Central Pennsylvania. 7 to Leesburg, 15 north through Point of Rocks, past Big Hunting Creek in Thurmont, and then …
Sometimes in fly fishing, it’s just the getting out that matters. It can’t always be weekend trips, float planes, or grand vistas. It might rarely be plans. Except for the ongoing plan that you’ll go fishing when you can go fishing. To that end there is always a rod, a handful of flies, and a …
“ACTUALLY, the fish is not that large. The angler is just holding it close to the camera. Just thought you should know.” . That was a real comment I saw. It was on social media (surprise, surprise). Imagine if internet commentators ran the world? The economy, global politics, and the proper viewing order for the …
Cast after cast; nothing. I added weight, I took weight off. I lengthened my leader, I brought the fly closer to the indicator. I tried just about everything. Everything, except tying on a small cream-yellow caddis nymph. Probing some familiar water in the early spring, a hare’s ear nymph was a pretty safe choice. Fishing …
UV resins are a lot of fun to use. Expert fly tyers and beginners alike can open up a bottle and do amazing things with these quick-curing liquids. Certainly they excel as an alternative to traditional head cement. You can build up bodies with the thicker resins, and use thinner iterations for creating rock-solid thread …
This is my favorite spot. It is my go-to, my sure-fire. I don’t believe in luck, but a man who does would call it his lucky spot. The fish I catch there with consistency reinforce this designation. I do pretty well. But having a favorite spot is more than catching big/lots of fish. When you …
Especially on the East Coast, things are so incredibly close. The places where you are miles from something are few and far between. With such a significant percentage of the country’s populating living a few hours from the major National Parks and Forests, there is a good chance that you’ll be sharing the backcountry most …
