Online Iron Fly: Pig Farm Ink X Vedavoo

We could all use a little fun and community these days. While most fly fishers are fortunately still able to spend time on the river or behind their vise, the Coronavirus pandemic has led to a lot of uncertainty and isolation. And although everyone is absolutely concerned about those who are battling the virus, the social and economic impacts of the fallout are no less real.

Pig Farm Ink, known for fun and unorthodox Iron Fly tying events, has been building community for years. Vedavoo, maker of American-built bags and packs, has been organizing artist-driven fundraising since it’s founding. They have come together to create the Online Iron Fly, a four-week competition meant to bring people together.

Iron Fly events are usually held in local restaurants and breweries, and they follow the same model as Iron Chef. Tyers of all skill levels have to create a fly using mystery ingredients. Talent is relative and fun is paramount. The Online Iron Fly will be a little different, but will retain the soul of the events. Tyers will submit their flies via Instagram. Judges will come from across fly fishing, and prize-awarding sponsors will all be companies within fly fishing that have been impacted by COVID-19.

Each week anyone and everyone has an opportunity to be a part of the Online Iron Fly. All you need to do is follow a few guidelines (below) and make sure your fly gets submitted on time.

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Closing Down on Opening Day

The first year I lived by the lake I decided I’d go fishing on opening day. I knew it would be crowded, but I thought it would be fun. On my morning jogs that spring I had witnessed the number of trout cruising in the shallows. On warmer days I could see dimples on the water. This signified that at least some of these stocked trout had the wherewithal to rise to bugs.

While virtually every river around town was open to year-round angling, the pond fell under opening day regulations. A Saturday in April. Not one day sooner. And, as I came to discover, not one day later – that is if you didn’t want to fish over  trout that had been through 48 hours of pure piscatorial pandemonium.

Opening day was nuts.

Far be it from me to criticize anyone who wants to fish shoulder-to-shoulder over 12″ pellet-fed fish. Seriously. If that makes someone happy: fine. If that is nostalgic, a source of food, a way to introduce a kid to fishing, or just a way to spend a spring morning: fine. I’m not dogmatic. The who, what, when, where, and why are none of my concern. It was the how that turned my head.

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Podcast Ep. 72: Why You Should Fish the Upper Delaware

A remarkable and diverse trout fishery is within a half day’s drive of most of the US population.

And, you can thank these rivers for those famous bagels and pizzas in New York City.

The Upper Delaware River system consists of multiple waterways featuring a diverse group of fishing opportunities. The trout that inhabit the rivers are strong, big, and plentiful. On any given day in the season, you should be able to fish dries, nymphs, or streamers.

Whether you haven’t tapped into this resource, or it is a favorite trip, listen to some thoughts on approaching and enjoying the Upper Delaware.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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Fly Fishers: Watch Bill Dance (Seriously)

When was the last time you learned something from watching a fly fishing film? I’m not talking about what you gleaned from sweeping shots of dramatic scenery or triumphant hugs after trophy catches. I mean tips n’ tricks: do this to catch that. Fly fishing films are often entertaining, notoriously artsy, but lacking in their ability to convey practical know-know. That is all well and good, because they’re not necessarily meant to teach. They’re meant for a good time (and a little bit of product placement). That just means you’ve got to look elsewhere for a little bit of learning.

My suggestion? Forget the fly fishing genre all together and watch some bass fishin’. (Not fishing – fishin’.) And if you’re going to go that route, go big. Go to the top. Go watch you some Bill Dance. Bill Dance has been fishing on television since 1968. Along with the likes of Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, and Hank Parker, he has been educating and entertaining millions of anglers for over half a century.

He drives a big, glittery bass boat. He casts treble-hooked crankbaits on heavy line with high-tech baitcasting reels. He fishes in jeans. He catches fish after fish after fish. And there are a lot of things that fly fishers can learn from him and his peers.

Here are four reasons why you,  the fly fisher, should watch bass fishing shows:

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You Care More than Conservation

Good writing doesn’t start with a list of caveats. But I’m more concerned with clarity than quality, so:

  • I think that the Coronavirus pandemic is terrible.
  • I appreciate that the pandemic has elicited a great diversity of experiences, reactions, and perspectives.

With those disclaimers out  of the way, I’ll get right to the point. COVID-19 has revealed something about people in general, fly fishers in specific. People know that humans matter more.

What do I mean by that?

To be blunt, no one is celebrating the pandemic. Obviously, you say. Hold on – I’ve seen plenty of chatter here, there, and everywhere that would leave me to believe that humanity is the bad guy in the movie. Well, if someone seriously thinks that humanity is does more harm than good, and that natural selection is a truism, then COVID-19 is simply a balancing force. It is nature righting the wrongs of mankind by thinning the herd. If  humanity is purely a different organism in kind, but not in value, then the Coronavirus is doing the environment a favor and we should rejoice in it.

The world has skidded to a halt. There have been less emissions, fewer opportunities for pollution, and a lighter overall impact on the various ecosystems people rub up against. The effect is good. So what about the cause? In stark, pragmatic terms –  red in tooth and claw, etc. – the cause must be good as well. Right?

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Podcast Ep. 71: CoronaCast, Week 1

Captain’s Log… COVID-19 Pandemic… Quarantine… Week 1

There has been so much said about what we can’t do, but there is truly so much that we still can do. For fly fishers, and anyone who enjoys the outdoors, the world is still pretty much wide open.

This week on the podcast I talk about three things I’ve thought about and done during this weird turn of events: what to do before you go fishing, how to go fishing, and maybe even what you can think about while you’re fishing. As always, my hope is that you take what you hear and do something with it.

Stay safe out there. -Matthew

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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Rusty Flybox: Essential Fly Shops

In a time when “non-essential” businesses have to close, fly shops certainly make the cut. And while fly shops aren’t essential for our daily lives, we are absolutely essential for the lives of those who own or work in fly shops.

A good fly shop will sell you a rod, some tying thread, or a handful of patterns that match whatever is hatching. A great fly shop is the hub of the local angling community. If you have ever experienced that dynamic, you know how special and enriching it can be. The gear is good; the people are great.

In difficult economic periods, niche businesses are usually hit the hardest. While the restrictions stemming from COVID-19 might prohibit you from physically walking into a store these days, most shops will offer online ordering. As of today, the vast majority of the world is  still open to fly fishing. If you can still afford hooks, leaders, or a new pair of wading boots you should consider buying from your shop today. Every little bit will help.

Here are three posts that talk about fly shops. Two give some insight into the culture behind the racks of rods and the bins of flies. The third is a podcast episode discussing what makes good fly shops good. Check out the links below:

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Fly Fishers, Pandemics, & the Woods

I’m writing this article the weekend after the president declared a national emergency. COVID-19, or the Novel Coronavirus, has taken the United States to a very strange place. In the past century, the only comparisons might be the responses to world wars and terrorist attacks. A lot could be said about the virus, the government’s response, the media’s role, and dozens of other variables that won’t be truly understood for months – if not years.

Many fly fishers are just choosing to head outside. Quarantining in nature. Social distancing on the water.

I did that very thing. My family and I spent an afternoon playing outdoors. The big boys plinked targets with their pellet rifles and climbed trees. The little ones ran around and picnicked. The weather was beautiful and there was nothing  felt either constricting or contagious.

Then I picked the first tick off my hand.

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Podcast Ep. 70: Fly Fishing Accusations, VII

What do fly rod material debates, bad tying equipment, and a little county in Pennsylvania have in common?

These are the topics i discuss in this episode. And I’m discussing these topics because you have emailed, commented, and chirped on social media about these things. I get a good amount of feedback, and I enjoy being able to answer questions and comment.

Also, I talk  for a bit about fly fishing podcasts. There are some truly great ones out there. That being said, I have a request that I make at the end of the episode.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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The First Fly Box

This was my first fly box. Things were pretty simple then. I don’t remember how I came across the “Plano Micro Magnum.” There is a good chance that I bought it at The Sports Authority. I can say with great certainty that it was inexpensive, that I didn’t deliberate over the choice, and that I was just looking for something to hold the dozen or so flies I owned. The Plano did that just fine.

Dry flies went in some compartments; nymphs went into others. On the reverse side I kept some big streamers. This arrangement still afforded me enough space to drop in a few split shot and strike indicators.

All my flies, and some tackle, all in one place.

In hindsight, that wasn’t so bad. When you only have so much you can only use so much. Furthermore, you only have so much to carry. It made sense to me. And believe it or not, I still managed to catch fish.

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