“Fish have to eat.” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said that. If you’re a fly fisher, and you’ve gone out in the winter in pursuit of fish, you may have offered that same phrase as part of your explanation to a skeptic. Friends, family members, and concerned passersby might be puzzled …
Today I’ll be attending the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, Massachusetts. I’ve come prepared with a camera, a notebook, comfortable shoes, and enough money to get into only a little bit of trouble. I’m planning on spending the day seeing familiar faces, meeting new folks, and, well, buying stuff. Next week I plan on …
I’m not afraid of snakes. What I’m not a fan of is their snaky-ness. Herpetologically speaking, this is the trait that snakes possess that allows them to surprise you. Rarely does one see a snake coming from a long distance off, as you would with a bison or a truck full of rural folk. The …
If accumulating fly fishing books is a disease, amassing guidebooks is its most acute symptom. From the ubiquitous Wilderness Adventure Press Flyfisher’s Guide Series to the locally printed spiral-bound booklets available at fly shops, any angler who is drawn to printed works on the sport knows about guidebooks. Even in an age where so much …
Like most teenagers, I had a number of posters up in my room. Along with Michael Jordan soaring towards a slam dunk and the Nirvana smiley-face, I had one from Sage fly rods. In lighting conditions that emulated sepia tones, an angler stood on the banks of a winding river. The water wove through a …
When I was getting close to finishing graduate school, I decided that a custom bamboo rod was an appropriate way to celebrate. There is something inherently “product of the American education system” about spending a lot of money right as all of those student loans kick in. Regardless, I met with a local builder and …
I’ve driven on Maryland’s I-70 countless times over the years. Most of the miles have been on the stretch between Frederick and Hagerstown. I’ve taken a handful of drives further west, either to continue to the extreme end of the state to fish the Savage River and the Youghiogheny, or to take the spur up …
I’ve always maintained that New Year’s resolutions are a little silly. Take a goal that tops the priority list for so many people on a yearly basis: lost weight. Okay, if you know you are in need of shedding a few pounds on December 1st, why consume the Big Mac, chocolate cake, and gallon of …
Wooly buggers. Egg patterns. Griffith’s gnat. I suppose I could switch it up a little bit and tie something crazy like a wooly worm or a green weenie, but why spread myself thin? I’ve had the materials and a little bit of the knowledge to tie flies for about fifteen years now, but I’ve only …
You’re a mean one, Mr. Nymph. You really are a heel. Even though you catch all the fish, You make me fish by feel, Mr. Nymph. You’re a bad little hare’s ear with some tungsten steel. You’re a monster, Mr. Nymph. You disappear in holes. Why can’t you be a spider? Or some other …
