Fishing Barefoot, Like John-Boy

I’m man enough to admit that I watch The Waltons, from time to time. The wholesome life of the Depression-era mountain family is the TV version of a palate cleanser. People on The Waltons aren’t perfect, but love and community and family almost always win the day.

That, and they go fishing a lot.

The show is set In Virginia, on a fictitious mountain in a fictitious county. They’re close to Charlottesville, but otherwise the scenes are made up. An exception is the local river; the Rockfish River.

John-Boy Walton and his siblings would fish in the river for sport and for food. The Rockfish River flowed alongside mountain roads. Floods made it a force to be reckoned with. Like real mountain communities, the River was a constant yet impersonal entity that gave and took away. But more often than not, it gave.

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Rusty Flybox: You Rolling River

I’ve never lived in the Shenandoah region. But at various points over the years I have been located close enough to become familiar with this spectacular part of the country. And I’ve spent this past week at the foot of the mountains, just outside the park.

In and around Shenandoah National Park there are a wealth of options for the fly fisher. Brook trout and smallmouth bass steal the show; up in the mountain hollows and down in the river valleys, respectively. The fishing is accessible and approachable, but presents a myriad of challenges for beginners and experts alike. With the other historical, cultural, and outdoor activities available, and the proximity to major metropolitan areas, this part of Virginia is special.

Here are two articles about trout fishing on small mountain streams, and a podcast that explores the diverse angling opportunities in the Shenandoah.

Read each article by clicking on the titles or the pictures below:

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Podcast Ep. 41: Cast Better to Fish Better

Want to know how to make a better presentation with your fly? Cast better

Want to know how to catch more fish? Cast better.

Want to know how to have more fun fly fishing? Cast better.

Learning to be able to cast a fly rod better is part of growing as an angler. It might be about distance, accuracy, or efficiency. Regardless, a little bit of perspective, patience, and practice can go a long way to make your time on the water better.

I discuss a few ways to think about fly casting practice in this episode. But at the end of the day, I realize that catching fish and having fun is a lot more important than perfect – even good – form.

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

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The Opposite of Fly Fishing

For years I maintained that ice fishing was on the extreme end of a spectrum, the polar opposite of fly fishing. You fish up and down. You carry what you need on a sled. You don’t need to attempt stealth. You can eat a sandwich while fishing. Ice fishing is a lot of fun, and it is very different than fly fishing.

But it is trolling that is the opposite of fly fishing.

I was up at five and speeding across the lake at 5:30. Even though it was still the hottest part of summer, the cool mornings had begun to mark a change in the median temperature. The water was covered with fog and I was joyfully sipping from my coffee during the smooth patches of the ride.

We arrived in the center of the lake. The large body of water is made up of a number of  tentacle-like segments that meet in a central hub. This is the deepest part of the lake, and the mouths of the many arms create  variances in the depth. These channels and dropoffs are like shorelines for large segments of cooler water. The transition points also make perfect ambush spots for big, predatory fish like lake trout and landlocked salmon.

The salmon were our quarry.

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The BEST Fly Shop

A few weeks ago I compiled a list of the top rated fly shops in each state. The list was just that: top rated, not best.

So what makes a fly shop the best? Maybe even better than another that is highly rated online? Admittedly, it is very subjective. Your preference might be dictated solely by proximity: either to your home or your home water. Your choice could be all about brand loyalty: whoever carries Company X is going to get your dollar. For a lot of fly fishers, preference and choice isn’t a luxury: you’ve got one fly shop, love it or leave it.

All that to say, there are some things that virtually every good fly shop has in common. Here are a few criteria that my favorite shops meet, and that I personally value as being necessary. Necessary for my loyalty, and necessary for keeping their doors open in a difficult market.

Check out my thoughts below, and feel free to leave yours in the comment section at the bottom:

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Podcast Ep. 40: Fly Fishing Accusations IV

40 episodes in, and I have a lot of questions, comments, and other feedback to interact with.

This podcast I  answer a question about fishing while backpacking, sing the praises of old fly rods, and address “Japanese shower climbing.” Briefly, but I address it.

It is a lot of fun to hear what readers/listeners are thinking when they interact with Casting Across, and these episodes allow me to take previous content to another level of specificity.

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

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So You Tore Your Waders

I’m pretty careful of my fly rods and reels. Only a few pieces of gear have truly been damaged. I can’t say the same thing about waders, however. For whatever reason, I’m tough on waders and wading boots. Maybe I “fish hard,” or maybe I don’t look where I’m walking. Regardless, I’ve put holes in and torn through neoprene, Gore-Tex, and even vulcanized rubber.

Thankfully, all but the most colossal rips can be repaired. And virtually every repair can be made stream side. All you need is the right stuff, properly applied.

Since I’ve had a little bit of experience, including recently punching the hook of a thick-shanked saltwater streamer through my waist, I thought I’d share  my take on the what and how of wader repair. I have two product recommendations and four tips on actual repairs.

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Creative Ways to Fly Fish with 2 Flies

The “what” and “why” of using a dry/dropper rig are explained a few weeks into Fly Fishing 101. You cover more water, present to more fish, and maximize your catching potential.

But there have always been many more ways to tap into 2 fly systems than a Chernobyl Ant with a Copper John underneath it.

Here are four dropper rig ideas for all types of trout fishing. These incorporate streamers, dries, nymphs, and even mice. What they all have in common is this – the flies work in tandem. Fishing the flies together can create a whole greater than the sum of each individual fly’s parts.

Check out the four rigs, as well as a few notes on knots and storage, below:

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Podcast Ep. 39: Beyond Dry/Dropper – Creative 2 Fly Rigs

If you’re not fishing a dry/dropper, you’re missing  out on an excellent way to maximize your fish-catching potential.

But there are other “dropper” rigs that work really well in a variety of scenarios in which a dry fly trailed by a nymph just wouldn’t make sense. In this episode I talk about four ways you can utilize two flies to improve your fishing and your catching.

How many of these techniques have you tried?

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

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Fly Fishing & the Escape From Reason

I consider myself an avid reader of fly fishing content. The scope of my interests ranges from literary classics to random posts on social media. For whatever reason, fly fishing writing has a unique penchant to transcend “I caught a fish” or “this is how I caught a fish” and wade deeply into “catching a fish made me stare into my own mortality and the very meaning of reality.”

If you read fly fishing content at all, you know that last phrase isn’t hyperbole. If anything, it is an example of subtlety within the genre.

The contemplative, quiet nature of fly fishing is tailor made for romance. Standing in the same water your quarry swims in, and the necessity to understand the rocks and the weather and the seasons draws one’s consciousness to the smallness of our existence within the… see? See how easy it is to slide from rote explanation to gushing loquaciousness?

That is fly fishing. But I have a concern.

My concern isn’t with the language and the syntax. Frankly, I am not even opposed to the poetic; be it truly heartfelt or blatantly verbose. Expressing what it is like to be outdoors, doing what you enjoy matters. It is wonderful if fly fishing is a significant part of your vocation or recreation. Blessed is the man who can fish often and still balance the rest of his life. I harbor no ill will toward anyone who fishes, catches fish, and shares their passion for the pursuit.

My concern is this: does fly fishing give meaning to your life, or does your life give meaning to fly fishing?  

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