This article is the 1,571st post on Casting Across. I’m not sure how high that stack of 1s and 0s is, but I know that if you make the font big enough it would reach to the moon and back.
I’m not going to give a big, fancy introduction to this particular post. Below you’ll find the three biggest trophies of online content I’ve landed? released? stocked? in the 10 years of Casting Across. One nearly broke the website from the traffic it generated. The other two are apparently search engine darlings that funnel people to my writing consistently, year after year.
More than all that quantitative whatnot, these three articles represent a great cross-section of Casting Across content. Get a glimpse of each, along with a touch of commentary, below. Then click on the image to read the whole piece.
There’s No Trout There
“Ain’t no fish in there.” I’m confident that by fish he meant trout. Because there was, without a doubt, fish in this creek. Suckers finned in the clear pools. Dace chased little olives and midges. Suckers and dace are certainly fish. But few people with full vests and fancy fly rods are actively looking for suckers. Few folks with worm buckets and cane poles are looking for suckers, for that matter.
This post is, by far, the most popular thing I’ve ever put on the internet. It was read by an astounding number of people in a very short period of time. Perhaps the title was alluring. It could have been that the subject matter was relatable. More likely than not, something AI saw in the jumble of keystrokes propelled the post to the top of some algorithm. Whatever it was, I don’t care. I like it too.
The Perfect Small Stream Fly Rod
There is no perfect small stream fly rod. Various rod manufacturers and publications have declared they have the rod for fly fishing on high mountain streams or small meadow creeks. Such superlatives draw in attention (and customers). As is the case with medium-sized or large rivers, there is no perfect small stream fly rod. It is a matter of opinion; and each opinion is based on personal angling preference.
Most people who land on Casting Across from a Google session do so because they’re looking for information on small stream fly rods. The search term is ridiculously generic, but apparently I hit the SEO lottery. That said, it isn’t like they aren’t getting any information. The site is filled with small stream tactics, gear reviews, and general musings. But head and shoulders among all the tiny creek content? This article.
Throwback Gear Review: Orvis T3
Fly fishing gear is a big part of Casting Across. I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetics, the marketing, and, most importantly, the function of fly fishing gear. Consequently, I’ll review new products on the site from time to time. But appreciating fly fishing gear shouldn’t only be about the latest model or newest technology. The things that you’ve fished with for years – for decades ought to be celebrated as well.
It brings me quite a bit of satisfaction to know that when people are curious about a 20 year-old fly rod, the internet holds me up as an authority. Orvis’ T3 was launched while I worked at one of their company stores. I cast nearly every model, and found that one particular 5-weight immediately felt like an extension of my arm when I sent line rolling out in the parking lot. This piece is equal parts review and reminiscence.