How far do you have to drive to get to trout?
How far do you have to drive to get to native trout?
The second question is one that has been on my mind for as long as I have been fly fishing. There is something about wild fish, even if they’re teeny-tiny, that encapsulates so much of why I do what I do.
And I’m not alone.
This is the first of a two-part narrative of my wild-eyed quest for local, native trout.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
ATTENTION FLY FISHERS: PASS THIS ARTICLE TO YOUR SPOUSE, CHILDREN, OR NOT-SO-SECRET SANTA
Need a last minute fly fishing gift? Even if you don’t know the first thing about fly fishing, getting a great gift can be pretty easy. That’s because there are people spread across this country who are literally sitting and waiting to help you buy fly fishing gifts.
Who? Fly shop employees.
In this day and age, fly shops are vestiges of another time. They are niche, independent, brick and mortar stores that are often labors of love. They are the kind of place that you can go to for a gift and some guidance as you shop.
For the non-angler looking to buy a fishing gift, this is perfect. Here are four simple things that you’ll need to know as you go into a fly shop to buy a gift:
Cold cut through every exposed inch of skin like a knife. Wool and fleece and neoprene worked in unison but were unable to achieve success. Numbed fingers struggled with the most basic knots; hope was used as much as monofilament. The stream was the only moving thing in the stark winter landscape. Patches of snow were scattered throughout the valley, but their whiteness only pointed out the surrounding grey. Trees stood still and barren as if dead, The ground itself was frozen as solid as the random protruding stones. Here and there, ice formed around rocks and downed logs at the edge of the stream. Normally, these would be spots where trout would hold. But the cold had come. The freeze was creeping deeper into the hollow. Each step meant going deeper into the bleak, like a descent into some new kind of madness that…
And I fell on a rock.
Flat on my back. Like in a cartoon.
Reading maps is a lost art. Yes – art. Creating maps might be all about precise science, but interpreting maps is much more nuanced. Especially when it comes to finding fish.
Even if you don’t think about maps, most fly fishers rely on maps in some way, shape, or form. You need to find the stream. You need to find the special regulation section of stream. You need to find the place on the stream where the fish are supposed to be.
In this episode I share some map-centric memories, and give three tips for using maps to find fish that you might have otherwise overlooked.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
There is plenty of cynicism in the world. I’d say that a disproportionate amount of it rests among certain segments of the fly fishing community. Perhaps it is the outlet for all the frustration that comes from being outsmarted by fish. It is very irrational to be irritated by a trout. It’s only slightly less irrational to be irritated by totally undeserving people, places, and things.
Still, there are some occasions that are immune to ire. It’s hard to think of something bad to say about an event that combines three pillars of fly fishing: food and drink, talking about fishing, and supporting a worthy cause. Such an event would make the Grinch grin. Make Scrooge smile. Make the antagonistic angler amicable to anything.
Why Knot’s The Holiday Party in Boston fit that bill. It was a good time. It was a great time. It supported, promoted, and raised money for Elevate Youth. While Elevate Youth isn’t a strictly fly fishing program, it does get kids in the outdoors and exposes them to what environmental stewardship looks like. Beyond that, they receive mentoring and walk away empowered in all sorts of new ways.
Even if I hadn’t been out in a week, the first cast felt like it was simply the next cast in a succession of fly fishing moments. It was like picking up where I had left off. Like I had never left. Never stopped fishing.
It is a great feeling.
I’ve had two such seasons in my life. Without looking at journals or photograph timestamps I can’t remember exactly when they were. That isn’t an indictment on the impact that those seasons had. I certainly enjoyed all the fishing. Circumstances just converged such that consistent fly fishing was interwoven with everything else. Nothing was sacrificed or brushed aside. Fishing just found its way into the melody of life.
Casting Across isn’t an interview- or discussion-based podcast. There are plenty of those out there, and I encourage you to listen and subscribe. There are some great ones.
But as this is the one-year mark of the podcast, I thought I’d break out of the mold and into an interview for an episode. Two interviews, actually.
Hear me talk to two of the people who have impacted my fly fishing the most. Actually, these are two people who have had a tremendous impact on my life.
My 7- and 5-year old boys.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
Earlier in the week I put out another fly fishing gift guide. Such posts are seasonally relevant and hopefully helpful. But lists can only be so long and still stay readable. Furthermore, including something necessitates excluding something else. So what if none of those gifts tinseled your tree?
Today I’ve gathered up a number of gift-giving articles from the Casting Across archives. Some were put out for Christmas, some were released for other holidays. Some are simply products I think you (or that special somebody) would enjoy. Below are over a dozen links, each containing multiple gift options. Plus, you can read why I think each item is worth giving.
Additionally, if you have a question about the gear listed – or anything else, for that matter – please don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally. I’ll gladly answer to the best of my ability.
Buying gifts for someone who likes fly fishing can be daunting. What do they have? What do they need? Will they even use something I pick out?
There are some items that will always be useful. Especially when shopping for someone who has just started fly fishing, certain gifts will absolutely make their way onto the water.
I’ve picked out 12 items from 7 companies that I think any angler on your list will enjoy. Most of them are $30 or less. All of them would benefit someone who is new to fly fishing. All of them would be things veteran fly fishers would still buy, use, and enjoy.
Check out these 12 gifts sure to please a new fly fisher… or one who has been doing it for decades:
What are you thankful for? We ask that question a lot, especially towards the end of November. This is also a natural time to ask what in fly fishing you are thankful for. The heart of the season is wrapping up, and you have time to consider what you appreciate about the quarry and the culture of fly fishing.
This week, I mention a handful of things that I am thankful for. While I doubt our experiences are exactly the same, there is enough commonality within fly fishing that I know you’ll be able to relate.
Also, I talk about some programs that truly deserve all of our gratitude.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
