On a beautiful spring morning with bluebird skies, I took a few hours to explore a new stretch of river in search of bass. The water had just come down to a reasonable level after a drastic amount of rain, and the color was about where it should be. I found my way into a …
I’m a fly fishing guide. I’m not licensed, bonded, insured, or endorsed by any of the big fly fishing brands. I’m not listed online, affiliated with a shop, or on anyone’s pro staff. You’re not going to see a website with lots of trophy fish pictures or celebrity testimonials. I do have experience, though. Through …
Ah, nature. Mountains, trees, rivers, and, of course, fish. Have you ever noticed that sometimes there are other animals that vie for your attention while you are out fly fishing? It is true. Surprisingly, it isn’t just a majestic eagle soaring overhead or a regal-looking buck silhouetted against an azure sky. Nor is it always …
Yesterday I was in Washington, DC, for Rolling Thunder. A million motorcycles parading by is a far cry from the bucolic setting that most of us seek out as part of our fly fishing. But it was quite the sight, quite the sound, and quite the scene. The purpose of the event made it even …
I like to think that I’m mature enough to make decisions for myself. Maybe it is prideful, but between my age, my education, and my intelligence, my actions shouldn’t be so easily swayed. Then I get a text message with a picture of a fish. My day takes a little bit of a right turn. …
Don’t ever take a stream, a pond, or any other water for granted. Take a minute to consider the closest lake or river. Maybe you’re there every day. Or, maybe you drive past it daily and then again whenever you go fishing. Maybe you have ample reason: it isn’t that great, it’s crowded, it’s too …
I can clearly remember my first cast fly fishing out west. It came shortly after I pulled off the side of the road on Colorado’s route 34 along the Big Thompson River. Coming from the plains and foothills outside of Loveland, I also began my first ascent into the Rocky Mountains. Ever mile I drove, …
Most Fridays on Casting Across are devoted to other people’s contributions in the fly fishing community. Articles, pictures, social media accounts, videos, podcasts, products, and more will be featured on The Last Cast of the Week. Today, I’m sharing items from Brackish Flies, Forbes/Orvis, and South Texas Kayak. If you’d like to be featured in …
When was the last time that you got a little lost? Anything counts: hiking or driving, in the woods or in the city. GPS, and the ubiquity of that technology – particularly on smart phones, has made getting lost an infrequent occurrence in this day and age. Survival skills training for 95% of North America …
About 10 years ago, I went bowling. Standing at the counter, waiting for my freshly aerosoled shoes, I noticed a brightly colored trifold brochure. “Stretches for Bowling.” A professional bowler (I assume) was featured on the cover, doing his best to not exert himself too much by pulling his left arm across his chest. The …
