Having your rod separate into two pieces is never a good way to catch a fish. But that is precisely what happened. With a sudden sensation of weightlessness followed by an awkward plop, I realized that the top two sections of my rod were in the pond. Injury had been added to insult, as my …
Winter provides fly fishers with plenty of opportunities. For some, it is one more season to chase anything that swims. For others, it is a brief and anxious respite. Regardless of your intensity, winter is a great time to take stock of your gear and get it all ready to roll for the coming spring. …
There are two unavoidable truths that solidify fly fishing as a 12 season activity: Fish eat all year long. You don’t have the patience to sit the winter out. Let’s be honest, though. It doesn’t make sense. It is cold. The fish are lethargic. There’s no hatches… or sunlight. But what else are you going …
I am blessed. I have four boys. A baby of two months, a two-year old, a four-year old, and a six-year old. As for the eldest, tonight is the last night he will be six. He is very excited about being seven and growing up. We are excited for him. Having other, younger children helps …
This was the worst fly rod ever. Or maybe not. I don’t know. You might like it. But I didn’t. To be honest, there was a time when I liked it. That is why I bought it. I could cast it a mile. In the fly shop parking lot. In my back yard. Even a …
Low and slow winter fly fishing isn’t some sort of revelation. Based on the river and the conditions, one could theoretically fish any kind of fly in the winter. Yet virtually everywhere, dragging streamers slowly across the riverbed produces. It isn’t fast and furious fly fishing, but it is consistent and effective. This is especially …
The year was 1990, and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I took my first trip to this exotic destination. Even at the age of 6 I’d been to plenty of far off locales. In fact, I’d been only a stone’s throw from the area in question numerous times. But this was like …
I heard about this spot where there’s supposed to be trout. Not just any trout. Brook trout. Wild. Native. And this spot is quite close. And it is surprisingly urban. And it seems too good to be true. This knowledge, like any lead on buried treasure or city of gold, was stumbled into. A chance …
You’ll find them affixed to the front of fishing vests, clipped to the brim of ball caps, and stuck to the underside of vehicle visors. They come in shearling fleece and high-density foam. Their purpose is to hold, to dry, to accumulate. A fly patch can tell a story. Fly boxes say a lot about …
It’s January. When was the last time you cast a fly rod? Many, many fly fishers get out and get after fish in the coldest months and the nastiest conditions. I’d wager that the majority, however, stay inside and simply dream of spring hatches. Both are okay. Both are legitimate forms of angling expression. The …
