I Can’t Take a Good Fly Fishing Picture

I obviously don’t know how to take a fly fishing photograph.

As you can see in the example above, it is clear that I haven’t put in the time, energy, or effort required to do  things the right way. The right way, of course, being what is prominently displayed on social media. Thousands of Insta-lebrities can’t be wrong.

I truly desire to get better. I fact, I think we should all be in a constant state of improvement. We should focus on making strides in the little things, like character development or altruism. So we certainly ought to give our utmost attention to what really matters in life: fishing selfies, for example.

I wanted to set out three areas of improvement for my fly fishing photography. I know that I can’t be perfect. But resolutions are the first step to a healthier existence. More likes and follows, at least.

Although you might be able to identify more, here are the three major mistakes I’ve made:

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Tie on Some Fly Fishing Podcasts

I’ve been tying a lot more flies as of late. I’ve also been trying to be more consistent in the quality of my tying. To best achieve this, I’ve turned off the television. But I can’t have silence. That just won’t do.

The solution is easy: podcasts.

I already listen to them while I am doing yard work or driving. It is simple to have something on in the background while I tie. And it just makes sense for fly fishing podcasts to be in the rotation. Sure, I listen to history, current event, and theology podcasts. But that isn’t what Casting Across is about.

As I’ve done numerous times before, I’ve listed a handful of good podcasts and podcast episodes that I think are worth your time.  The men and women who are doing this and doing it well put in a lot of time to provide this free education/entertainment. If you get a chance, leave them a review on iTunes!

They don’t necessarily have anything to do with fly tying. But they’ll definitely work while you tie. Find out why these 5 podcast are ones which I think you should listen to:

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Skating Dry Flies & Accidental Excellence

Excellence by accident. Whether the fly fisher knows or acknowledges it or not, this little quip may very well characterize some of the best experiences we have in angling.

A perfect example is one of the very first memorable trout I caught on a fly rod. Learning to fly fish, it was drilled into me that the fly shouldn’t drag. The dead drift was the goal, and anything else would lead to fishlessness. However, I can still see the wake of that beetle against the current as the white mouth of a big brown trout inhaled it.

Absolutely not dead, certainly not drifting, positively an accident.

I didn’t stumble across some new fly fishing paradigm. Inadvertently, I made a dry fly “move” on the water’s surface. There are a few different ways to give a dry fly a little action, but skating might be the most productive for trout fishing.

Skating dry flies for salmon, steelhead, and trout has been around for ages. Yet for whatever reason (I assume it is the clout of the dead-drift lobbyists) this once-popular technique has fallen out of common use. Even for trout, our fly fishing forefathers would skate mayflies and caddis regularly.

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Rusty Flybox: Cumberland Valley

Next week I’ll be spending a few days in Pennsylvania in pursuit of trout. Although the bulk of my time will be spent on some of the larger rivers in the central part of the state, my schedule allows for a detour to the Cumberland Valley.

Basically, this part of South Central Pennsylvania  includes all the land on either side of I-81, between the Maryland state line and the Susquehanna River, that extends to North and South Mountains. The limestone  bedrock  makes this part of the state flush with cold, clean water. Perhaps due to the diminutive size of the creeks, it is one of the unsung landmark regions in American fly fishing. The heritage, figures, and sometimes trout that have come from the Cumberland Valley loom larger than it’s little spring creeks.

Below are three articles about this part of the keystone state. It is worth noting that each of them concern a place at a time. Spring creek fishing is very resilient to weather and season. Ironically, there have been significant developments in regards to each of the following stories in the short time since their original release. Even as I type, I feel compelled to follow up on all three! But that is for another day…

Today, enjoy the richness of the Cumberland Valley:

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Secret Spots for Fly Fishing (Books)

Sorry for spot burning, folks. I know it is the biggest angling crime of the internet age. It is painful to divulge this secret because it means more crowds and more competition. All of that has a cost associated with it. But this is about the greater good.

And that greater good is literacy.

Fly fishing wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for books. Sure, you don’t need books to go catch fish; but the culture wouldn’t be as rich and well-documented without that great library behind each one of us. Thankfully that voluminous library is often within reach. I’m not usually about making guarantees, but I’m confident that you’ll at least appreciate fly fishing more if you incorporate reading books.

Go to Amazon. Go to a bookstore. Better yet, go to your local fly shop. Pick up the latest and the greatest. The photography-forward books coming out these days are a wonder to behold.

At the same time, don’t neglect some of the most productive spots. They’re off the beaten path and require some serious prospecting, but you’ll be rewarded with some real trophy tomes.

Used bookstores.

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Trout Quixote. six.

A year and a half ago I came face to face with the possibility of living very, very close to wild trout. While out on a run, getting a little lost, a glimpse of a fish in a stream captivated me. I knew the water was cool and clean. The species of the fish was unknown, but there was enough good evidence for me to pursue the lead.

While not an obsession or singular focus, I was taken by the strong desire to catch trout in town. Trout would be exciting, but discovery would be even more of a thrill. A remnant population of brook trout amongst the suburban sprawl? Even a little fish would prove a personal benchmark. More importantly, it would represent the perseverance of something wild.

That was in Northern Virginia. That specific lead went cold, at least in terms of trout.

After some time, I did locate some wild rainbows nearby. I even found a tiny population of native brookies, which I chose to leave alone. I felt like I came to some sort of closure regarding trout in Northern Virginia.

Now, I’m in living in Massachusetts again.

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Photo Contest: #myvedavoo

Hey… that’s my stuff!

And why is a handful of my fly fishing gear laid out in a photogenic and organized manner? Vedavoo’s #myvedavoo photo contest, of course.

The whole point of the contest is to show how different people use their gear. If you’re anything like me, you are into the stuff of fly fishing. The stuff isn’t the destination, but it is absolutely part of the journey. We all carry flies and nippers and tippet, but what else goes into your pack?

I’m interested. And Vedavoo is, too.

For example, I have three ways to store flies in my small-stream pack. There is my  Tacky boxes, my Fly Trap, and my Smith Creek rig keeper. Why three? Because I store my flies in the Tackys, dry individual flies on the Fly Trap, and wrap up whole rigs on the Smith Creek. Personally, I value all three. And it works.

Or this: I’d rather have a headlamp and a buff than more flies. I can make do with the patterns I have on hand, but not being able to see or getting eaten alive by bugs makes fishing miserable.

What kind of interesting/quirky things do you have in your pack?

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Dear Fly Fishers: Be Nice to Buddy the Elf

The last thing any fly fisher wants to think about in the early spring is Christmas and the weather that generally accompanies it. But really, is there any time where Will Ferrell, dressed up like an elf, isn’t funny?

I’d say “no.”

More than his trademark humor, I think there is something that the fly fishing culture can glean from the character. Let’s take a moment to think about ol’ Buddy from the holiday classic Elf.

Do you remember how Buddy reacts when he first steps foot in New York City? There is trepidation, a lot of awkwardness, and some fear. Most of all, there is awe. He sees the big buildings, the interesting people, and even the best cup of coffee in the world. For the very first time, Buddy experiences the wonders of metropolitan civilization and he is transfixed.

But what about everyone else? His dad, stepbrother, and soon-to-be love interest are all over it. There isn’t any magic left in Christmas, and New York city itself seems to have lost its charm. It is all old hat. Their apathy, their negativity, and their scathing words aren’t helping themselves out any. And they very nearly bring poor Buddy down.

So… what does this have to do with fly fishing?

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Of Banjos & Buggers

I have some valuable fly fishing writing to share with you. But first, let me begin by blowing your mind:

THERE IS NO ENTRY FOR THE BANJO MINNOW ON WIKIPEDIA!!!

Shock, I know.

Anyway, growing up I was a fan of the Banjo Minnow. Not only did I use them (and with great success, I will add), but I watched the infomercial over, and over, and over again on whichever high-numbered cable channel the fishing shows aired. And if I found myself in a Bass Pro or Cabela’s where they had the Banjo Minnow infomercial on loop? I’d stop and stare, mouth agape.

Being a sucker for a good/tolerable sales pitch, I sent my $29.95 off and waited impatiently for the 110-piece set to arrive.

At least for me, they worked. Maybe it was the weedless rigging, which was essential in the chemically-enhanced suburban ponds of my youth. Perhaps it was actually the science behind the whole concept: the idea that fish simply could not pass up a dying baitfish. My money? It is on the fact that Bill Dance himself endorsed the Banjo Minnow.

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