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Fly Fishing Gifts for the New Angler

Buying gifts for someone who likes fly fishing can be daunting. What do they have? What do they need? Will they even use something I pick out? There are some items that will always be useful. Especially when shopping for someone who has just started fly fishing, certain gifts will absolutely make their way onto …

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Fly Fishing Thanksgivings

I am thankful for fly fishing. I am thankful for the quiet. My job is busy and my home is busy. I wouldn’t trade either of them for the world. But my time on the water offers some much needed contrast. This doesn’t mean that fly fishing is passive. The mental exercises often eclipse the …

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What You Can Get Out of Fly Tying

I don’t consider myself a fly tyer. But I tie flies. I tie flies because it is economical. I tie flies because I don’t fish dozens of patterns, and I’ve learned to tie what I like to use. I tie flies because it is fun. It is a challenge, but it is fun. If I’m …

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Fly Fishing Sideways

The first time we fished this creek, it was magical. The fish weren’t especially large, but they were plentiful. They attacked flies with vigor. They fought with ferocity. Above that, finding and accessing the creek was an adventure. That made the fishing better. Generally speaking, our experience was delightfully repetitive. Lots of fish. Fish willing …

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Rock Bass & RC Cola

Can we fish in your creek? “Sure. Um… what’s in there?” I don’t know. But there has to be something. *** We had passed by the creek countless times. It was always just scenery. It was never the destination. If anything, as a small tributary, it was an afterthought. The Potomac is a big river. …

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The Trout that Should Not Be

There are no brown trout here. Fish aren’t going to rise unless bugs are hatching. Nothing in this pond is over a few pounds. You can’t use flies – they’ll only take bait. Oh yeah? For an unpredictable pursuit like fly fishing, those statements sound awfully concrete. Add in a little bit of competitiveness and …

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Writing a Classic Fly Fishing Story

If you were to write a classic fly fishing story you’d start with an existential statement. Maybe something about water or wind  or the challenge of catching a fish. You’d develop it a bit. Then, you’d launch into the metaphor. Because this is real fly fishing writing, and everything is a metaphor for something else. …

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