Rusty Flybox: 3rd of July

Today is not a holiday. But tomorrow is. And like any red-blooded American, I’m working today before stocking up on meat, charcoal, and colorful imported explosives. No time for fly fishing writing.

But, the Rusty Flybox is a channel for me to break out a few posts that didn’t get a lot of traction the first time around. Either they didn’t play nice with search engine optimization or I released them before Casting Across built a readership. Or, they stunk. But I don’t think that last one is true.

As tomorrow is a holiday, and since Fridays are slotted for podcast releases these days, I thought I’d trot out another Rusty Flybox. This Independence Day (Eve), you can read about:

  • Fly fishing on the 4th of July.
  • Hot tips n’ tricks for more trout!
  • Being a nice person in and around fishing.

Check out all three articles below:

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VIDEO: Best Small Stream Fly Rod for Under $100

One of the great misconceptions about fly fishing is that it costs a lot of money to get started.

In some ways, that’s true. There are a lot of specialized types of fly fishing and angling techniques that aren’t easy or possible with entry level gear. And although small stream fly fishing for trout or other species doesn’t require a lot of nuance, you’ll quickly notice the limitations of a run-of-the-mill fly rod.

The Risen Fly Fishing Genesis 7’6″ 3-weight is not only a good fly rod, it is an excellent rod given the sub-$100 price point. I’ve fished it on mountain lakes and small streams, and I have really enjoyed it. I have also put it into the hands of beginner fly casters, and they have been able to make accurate presentations within minutes of casting the rod.

I decided to make a quick video review highlighting what I like about the Genesis. Take a moment to check it out below. If you have any questions about the rod or its performance, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Podcast Ep. 33: Throw Your Money at Waders & Boots

Waders and wading boots are often afterthoughts in fly fishing gear discussions.

But  if you fish a lot, would you rather have a great fly rod and mediocre boots or a mediocre fly rod and great boots? I don’t think I’m overstating things when I say that another few feet of “castability” isn’t going to matter much if your footing is unstable and your back hurts.

In this episode of the podcast I discuss a few (potentially controversial) things that you should think about the next time you go out to buy waders and wading boots.

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

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A Stuck Fly Rod (& 6 Things That Should Help)

Let me be clear: I did virtually everything I should have done beforehand. The rod was stored disassembled, in it’s sock, in it’s tube, sealed. Nothing was applied to the male ferrule. No paraffin, no candle wax, and definitely no nose grease. I know that there are different sides to this debate, but rod makers I’ve personally talked with have advocated the position of “just keep it clean.”

Regardless of any proactive steps I did or didn’t take, the rod was still stuck. Time travel is, for better or for worse, off the table.

Of course, I just tried to pull it apart. Think of how often you break down your rod without any issue. A firm grip on either side of the joint usually does it – and does it unremarkably. I encountered resistance. And this is when I knew my rod was, in some way, stuck.

Step two was a more deliberate version of just pulling. I tucked the butt of the rod into my left armpit and grabbed below the ferrule with my left hand. My right hand grabbed above the ferrule joint, and I pulled hard and straight. Usually this method, with a bit more power and bracing, unsticks over-tightened ferrules. This didn’t make a difference.

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Fly Fishing that Shines in the Rain

A bluebird morning quickly turned dark and ominous. Not coincidentally, a fish-less morning quickly turned interesting.

It seemed like perfect conditions: a warm, still, spring morning. There were bugs in the air. No one else was in the parking lot, and there weren’t any fresh boot tracks on any of the trails. The only thing missing was trout. I’m not so confident that I won’t say that a stream can get the best of me. But I know this stream. I should at least be spotting fish – spooking them even.

Then sporadic raindrops began to fall. My first thought was, “this will pass.” Sporadic turned into consistent. I thought, “shoot.” Leaving wasn’t an option. I came to fish, and I was prepared to get wet. It isn’t that I’m superior to literal fair-weather anglers, it is just that I don’t have enough opportunities to be choosy. Plus, I was getting discouraged.

I kept casting and moving, and things started to change. A few fish chased.  I  missed a few. I caught some.  All while a steady rain was coming down.

What happened?

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Podcast Ep. 32: Playing 20 Fly Fishing Questions

You’ve probably been there before. Lying in bed, the night before a fly fishing excursion. You have thoughts. Questions, actually. You might attempt the counting sheep equivalent of visualizing heavy trout coming to the net. But, for analytical minds like many fly anglers possess, that practice gets one thinking about hypotheticals and other situational what-ifs.

So, there you are; awake. With a litany of issues, pertinent and inconsequential, running through your head.

I go through some of the questions you might consider before the “big trip.”

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

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A Father’s Days Fly Fishing

Sunday is a busy day for me. Consequently, Sunday is a busy day for my family. We still have time for rest and recreation, but bigger plans usually get pushed off to Monday.

Of course, Father’s Day falls on a Sunday.

Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of second-tier holidays. I’m not offended by those who celebrate anything and everything. To me it’s just a good excuse to grill what I want to grill. But as my kids have gotten older and have become excited at the prospect of celebrating me, it’s become more fun.

Sunday, being busy, meant I got to rest, relax, and grill (bratwurst, FYI). It was rainy, and we just hung out. My kids did get me presents. This is where the fly fishing part comes in:

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The Angler’s Pint: A Perfect Vessel for Fly Fishing Art

Fly fishing and art go hand-in-hand. The connection goes beyond artists using anglers and their quarry as subject matter. There is an intrinsic, pleasing aesthetic to a rod, a reel, and of course – flies. So, the art of angling isn’t relegated to a place over a mantle or a gallery somewhere. It is art that is used. It is art that is enjoyed.

Karen Talbot is the artist behind the popular Angler’s Pint. The Angler’s Pint is precisely what it sounds like: a pint glass designed for anglers. Beautiful fish illustrations adorn the 21.5-ounce glasses. Since its release, this series of glassware has been bought by fly fishers, nature lovers, and beer connoisseurs alike.

As is the case with any product that begins with a dream on a cocktail napkin, there were plenty of steps taken before Talbot saw the concept of the Angler’s Pint become reality.

“My husband and I were living in California, and we loved to head up into the Eastern Sierra to fish – and it was really wonderful fishing. After one trip when we had been fishing all day, we stopped into Kern River Brewing Company on the way home. We were sitting there having a few pints, and I was doodling on cocktail napkin.

“In the United States there really is no official standard for a poured pint, but it is generally 16 ounces. In England they actually etch or print on a little crown for a standard 20-ounce pour. I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if there was an even taller pour line for anglers?’ And it kind of quickly came to me to use the illustration of a fly rod for a standard, and to think of it as ‘a tall pint for tall tales.’

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Podcast Ep. 31: A Pinch of Salt for the Trout Crowd

I’m willing to wager that the bulk of my audience/readership fishes primarily or exclusively in freshwater. That makes sense, because I fish primarily in freshwater.

But saltwater fly fishing is spectacular.

While there are plenty of common elements between the trout stream and the surf, the differences stand out. And they can potentially be daunting if you’ve never chased fish in the salt. Even if you’re going to the shore once or twice a year, having the right gear and a little bit of know-how can yield some great experiences.

In this episode I give you the essentials for casting into a whole new fly fishing world.

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

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Vests and Deep Water

I had never been fly fishing, but I decided that a fly fishing vest would be a good investment.

In junior high, the multi-pocketed khaki vest certainly didn’t have anything to do with style. Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts, baggy jeans, and puffy white Filas were preferable. As is probably the case with everyone, I must have looked ridiculous. Realistically, wearing the vest was a 50/50 proposition between being stuffed in a locker or setting a trend.

Back then I made the purchase because I was going fishing. Camping, canoeing, and fishing, to be more accurate. I was headed off to central Virginia, to a cabin on the banks of a flooded quarry. At the time I had an enormous tackle box, filled with all manner of conventional lures. Rapala minnows, Berkeley worms, Rooster Tail spinners – everything I’d seen the guys use on Saturday morning TV. Dozens upon dozens of lures, all lined up in a giant Plano; a place for everything and everything in its place. Even as a teenager, bringing that monstrosity onto a small watercraft seemed ridiculous. A vest made sense.

After arriving to the cabin and throwing sleeping bags up on top bunks (teenage boys covet top bunks) we set off to fish. Smallmouth and sunfish were caught from shore. Logically, we thought, bigger smallmouth and sunfish would be caught off in deeper water. Illogically, we left fish to find fish.

Four vessels disembarked. Three with two teenagers, one with an adult. John was in my canoe. He had a penchant for quoting South Park and WWF wrestlers. He also had a monstrous tackle box, which accompanied us in the canoe.

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