Virtually all fly fishing situations can be approached with basic gear. A medium fast, 8’6″, 5-weight loaded with weight forward line will give you what you need to catch trout. But modifying one of those components to better match your skill or your circumstances can make a real difference. For example, a higher quality line …
Recently I commented that the fly fishing industry is squarely within the “build a better mousetrap” stage of technological advancements. There are very few new things that are entering the long rod, thick line, tiny fly space. That is all fine and good. But it does breed some skepticism from consumers who are being presented …
There is something pleasant about creating new media highlighting old media. And that is precisely what I am doing with my latest project on Casting Across: fly fishing book reviews on YouTube. With five videos up at the time of writing and a few more in the can, this series seeks to show off some …
The Fly Fishing Show is often the best place to go hands-on with gear that has just been or is about to be released. In fly fishing, on the pinnacle of that gear pile sits the fly rod. There are a lot of fly rods at the Show. From under $100 to over $1,000, there …
My four boys love the outdoors. My four boys also love reading. Needless to say, there was a lot of interest when I opened up All Fish Are Awesome earlier this week. Noel Vick’s book follows the simple formula that makes children’s books readable and re-readable (and if your child chooses, the latter can be …
Nearly every fly tyer wants to get better. With focused repetition, patterns become more consistent and come together more quickly. It isn’t in the cards for everyone who sits behind a vise to produce professional-looking bugs. It isn’t necessary, either. Practice makes productive flies that fill boxes and catch fish. Along with guidance, know-how, and …
Nostalgia and aesthetics aren’t the only reason you should buy fly fishing gear. But those two aspects do count for something. And in the history-rich, artistically inclined world of fly fishing nostalgia and aesthetics are often embraced willingly. Bamboo rods and waxed cotton packs are still made and used because they work. They are examples …
Why? Why read, let alone purchase one more compilation of loosely collected fly fishing stories? Why not, if the stories are compelling? If they are well-written? If they resonate with you and with me even if our experiences and lives differ significantly? If the words elicit that special mix of escapism and entertainment? If the …
I have a soft spot for books filled with two- and three-page stories. Perhaps it is because I grew up reading outdoor magazines. It could be that I prefer to write in a short format. Or, it may very well be the case that I have succumbed to the short attention span beguiling so many …
Small stream anglers were some of the earliest western adopters of the equipment and techniques associated with tenkara. Collapsible rods and minimal gear fit right into the methods of those who like to move light and quick into remote places. Tenkara USA was on the cutting edge of introducing Japanese fly fishing to Americans. With …
