Writing about fly fishing can often focus on the seemingly insignificant. The intricacies of gear, the eccentricities of fish, and the common paces that anglers go through are fairly quaint. But in that commonality there is something special, something remarkable. Particularly on the stream, where we can get lost in our thoughts, the mundane can …
Wood smoke. Mothballs. Dust. Wet waders. These are the scents that won’t be making Yankee Candle’s list of new releases, but that doesn’t mean that they are completely repulsive. Perhaps on their own, they don’t have much to offer. In fact, they can be downright off-putting. No one wants to come away from a hug …
I’m not a photographer. A quick click around this site will confirm that. I don’t think that I’m necessarily bad at taking pictures, but I’m aware that there is a whole lot more to it than what I’m capable of. Capturing the imagery and experience of fly fishing has always been part of the sport. …
As spring turns in to summer, the inevitable articles on etiquette and sharing the resource begin to appear. Calls for civility and attempts to engender kindness are much needed in our sport. I believe that we all desire a more pleasant communal experience on the water. One of the most discouraging moments on the stream, …
Taking a trip to go fly fishing is a special experience. Whether it is a monthly occurrence or something that happens only once a year, taking an excursion of at least a few nights to fish is distinctly enjoyable. There is a lot that goes into that distinctive experience. Being away from home, work, and …
Walking in the shadows of the great volcanic peaks surrounding the ancient city of Antigua, Guatemala, I stopped to pick a ripe coffee berry. That berry was one of a cluster on a coffee tree, which was one of many on the grounds of a great plantation. Some of the varieties of beans and the …
I’m moving. That means getting rid of stuff. It is a very liberating process. Have we touched that fondue pot any time in the last ten years? No. Is the decorative pewter rabbit dish really “our style?” Nope. Do we need all those fly rods? Yes. Yes, we do. There are a handful of things …
If I were a man of lower morals, and it was possible to take out an insurance policy on fly boxes, I might be the victim of an unfortunate and devastating fire. Nothing that would damage my home, mind you. It would probably happen in a trash can out in my driveway. The only casualties …
I’m always fascinated by the dynamic of same/different on the stream. One example is how I can be on a mountain trout stream anywhere in Appalachia, and there is going to be some geological similarities. But if my eyes wander up the banks, the foliage will be completely different north and south. Another is a …
