Look at that fly. Isn’t it something? Want to know what its deal is? Okay. First: I tied it. Second: I designed it. Third: I haven’t fished it. I’m sure it would catch fish. If it could. But it can’t. Because there’s no hook point. So, what’s the point? There is a very valid point …
Being the mom of a fly fisher can be a thankless job. Why? Under “normal” circumstances, being a mom is often thankless. So much is done and so much goes unseen. Especially in the pre-teen and teenage years, there can be a lot of heartache and anxiety and frustration. That is best-case scenario. Add to …
Visiting a river with regularity reveals how the water is truly a world unto itself. Going fishing means trying to catch fish. That part means focusing on the water. Of course, there are other parts. One must avoid streamside obstacles when walking or casting. Other things, like trees, rocks, or non-fish animals are difficult to …
I’m no stranger to moving chairs from point A to point B. My first job involved moving chairs. I still move chairs. Pick them up, put them down, stack them back up. For me, moving chairs is inevitable. Two weeks ago, while moving chairs, I felt a twinge in my elbow. Using one arm, I …
There are more fish out there that you can’t catch than you can catch. Let that sink in for a minute. The statement, although hardly profound, is true at a number of levels. Firstly, you’re not going to catch all the fish in any given river. Perhaps in a small creek you’d be able to …
“Yeah, but it’s just…” Surf around on fly fishing message boards, scroll through social media, or hang out at angling events and you’ll hear this sentiment about any number of fly fishing products. “That material is just something you can get at the craft store.” “That hat is just a hat with a fishing patch …
If anything about fly fishing gets you down – and I mean really gets you down – maybe it isn’t for you. Maybe you should try wing shooting or surfing or sneaker collecting or curling. But I am virtually certain that the same kind of things that can get you flustered in fly fishing are …
I’m sure there are plenty of summer camps that feature a sunrise wake-up call. But I can’t imagine many of them are attended joyfully by teenagers. Instead of grueling runs or study sessions in the a.m., students at the Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp are up, dressed, and waist-deep in the water. …
Two years ago I wrote a two part series on how you can help your kids get into fly fishing. Although I don’t have a degree in early childhood education and am not a perfect parent, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the ideas I presented back then work. How do …
What if I told you that, for $34.95, you could have a top of the line piece of fly fishing gear? It isn’t a fly box. It isn’t a small tool. It certainly isn’t a rod or reel. It is something that is significantly less prestigious, but absolutely necessary. It is a good pair of …
