The Government, The Environment, and You

When it comes to conservation and environmental issues, politics matter. But arguing about politics on social media doesn’t do a lot.

If those two sentences seem contradictory, keep reading.

You could classify me as a cynic. By and large, I see the bipartisan status quo of the USA to be very much like a game. Not unlike professional wrestling, there is a lot of hullabaloo in Washington with very little real impact. Whichever color/animal is in charge, there is so much red tape that the needle only ever vacillates a bit to one side or the other.

I sound like the idiot if you pay attention to the media in general; social media in particular. Eyes won’t stay firmly glued to screens unless things are portrayed with a heavy dose of melodrama. Regardless of the who and the what, we’re always teetering on the brink of destruction. Our money, children, and *gasp* trout will all be gone. We are literally one ballot measure away from the world of Mad Max.

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Fly Fishing Books, VI

Do you have an Amazon gift card burning a hole in your pocket?

You don’t need me telling you what to buy. But if you wanted a suggestion, I’d encourage you to pick up a fly fishing book.

If you can make a little bit of time, there is always time to read a good fly fishing book. By the fire in the winter. On the back porch in the summer. Riding the commuter rail, sitting in the waiting room, and on lunch break. Having a good book on hand can pass the time and prepare you for your next adventure.

As I’ve done for all of the entries in my “Fly Fishing Books” series, I’ve spread the selections over three rough categories:

  • Guide (regional, site specific)
  • Technical (methods, locations, fly tying)
  • Literature (novels, biographies, history)

Check out one kind of each book, why I suggest it, and a bonus read below. And follow the links in the headings to get a copy for yourself!

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Podcast Ep. 8: Fly Line – More Important than You Think

Sadly, fly line is the piece of gear that lives in the shadow of the stars of the show: rods and reels.

But for most fly fishers, line is much more important than a reel. For all anglers, fly line is much more important than we give it credit for.

In this episode I talk about how line can save you money, improve your casting, and get your fly in front of more fish.

Listen below or in your favorite podcast app:

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All About Fly Fishing Plunge Pools

All fly fishers have their go-to spots. Spots they feel are productive; spots that give them confidence. Some people like to fish riffles. Some people like to fish up against the banks. Everyone likes to fish plunge pools.

And for good reason. Generally, these spots are the deepest, widest, and fishiest places in a river. But why?

Here are three facts about these spots, three reasons why fish love them, and three ways to effectively fish plunge pools:

1.1         A plunge pool is simply the bottom of a source of dropping water. In nature, waterfalls create plunge pools. Through man-made means, plunge pools exist under dam spillways. There are a number of factors that determine the nature of the pool. The height of the fall, the volume of water, and the composition of the streambed are most important.

1.2         While the rapidly moving water itself does encourage erosion, the sediment and debris that the falling water carries is much more abrasive to the riverbed below the source. The gravel or sand at the bottom is constantly shifting and scouring the bottom, while simultaneously being refreshed from upstream.

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What You Liked About Casting Across in 2018

2018 was quite the year for me. By extension, it was quite the year for Casting Across.

Let me begin by saying thank you. I am always humbled and a little surprised that thousands of people want to read what I have to say about things like fly rods or using the sense of smell while fishing. I’ve said it before – I write because I want to write. But I also truly enjoy sharing with others who are passionate about getting outdoors and spending their time fly fishing.

On the last day of the calendar, I wanted to share how people have read, liked, and contributed over the past year.

Here were 3 highlights of 2018 on Casting Across:

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Podcast Ep. 7: Diversifying Your Outdoor Experience

It is okay to do more outdoors than fly fish.

I’d say that it is important to do more outdoors than fly fish.

In fact, there are a lot of benefits that come with adding more and different types of outdoor activities to your life. And, in my opinion, doing so will actually help your fly fishing.

What else do you do during your time  outdoors? How does it  impact your time on the water? In this episode I touch on how hiking, running, hunting, and even foraging can compliment your fly fishing.

Listen below, or in your favorite podcast app:

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My Christmas Present

We certainly didn’t plan on having a baby on Christmas morning. But that was, without a doubt, what happened.

From the  outside looking in perspective, or even our own  once-held this might actually happen standpoint, a December 25th birth isn’t ideal. Yet here we are, and it was more than fine. To be fair, the more important birth that we’re thinking about on Christmas also transpired in less than ideal circumstances. That isn’t something I told my wife during her labor, mind you.

Now I have four boys.

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The 12 Trash Fish of Christmas

The ultimate holiday of the year is nearly upon us. Children are waiting with anticipation. My refrigerator is over capacity. Magic is in the air (mingled with a smidge of stress).

Yet even with all the enchantment of snow and reindeer and yuletide and whatnot, I’m unable give everyone a unique, personal present.

However, I have the next best thing: an angling-themed parody Christmas carol. I know – just what you’ve been wanting.

So gather with kith and kin around the old piano. Pour yourself a tall, frothy eggnog. Get the fire  crackling. Have Aunt Gertrude flex her ivory-tickling muscles and join together in song.

For today, I present to you…

The Twelve Trash Fish of Christmas

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Podcast Ep. 6: Vehicles for Fly Fishing

Does your car help or hurt you in your fly fishing endeavors?

The truth is that there are a few things you can do in, and to, your car to make it the perfect fly fishing vehicle.

Just yesterday I put my 2001 Subaru Forester out to pasture. I didn’t shed any tears, but I won’t lie and say that there wasn’t a montage of sentimental moments that flashed through my mind. To Michael W. Smith’s “Friends.” But a quarter-million miles is enough. He fought the good fight.

It all got me thinking about what made the Subaru such a good fly fishing vehicle. Listen below, or in your favorite podcast app:

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Prime Last Minute Fly Fishing Gifts

Want some great last-minute fly fishing gifts? Want them in your hands in less than three days? Want to make all of this  happen without leaving the comfort of wherever you currently are?

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Obligatory Disclaimer:

You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to buy gifts. It adds stress to an already stressful time and, more importantly, sucks some of the joy away from the occasion.

But it happens. To all of us.

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Obligatory Disclaimer 2:

Fly shops are worth patronizing. You’re going to have to drive. You might pay a small percentage more for the same product than you would if you just hopped on the internet. But good fly shops are staffed by friendly, knowledgeable, helpful people. No internet ever gave my kids a few free flies or hosted a get-together.

But every once in a we get in  a pinch. We aren’t close to a shop, and we need a gift in two days.

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So we can all agree that we should be proactive, loyal fly shop customers? Good.

Okay, now on to plan B:

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