Catch & Kill & Release

October 11, 2017

Back in the spring I was paddling the shallows, casting into likely spots to see what kind of fish I could get into. This pond – a slow part of a river, actually – holds largemouth, smallmouth, chain pickerel, yellow perch, stocked trout and salmon, and a handful of other species. I had already landed a large pickerel and a number of perch, but larger fish were elusive. In this situation it is always and only the fault of the lure, so I decided that after one more cast I would switch to something larger. This would, of course, elicit strikes from the larger fish I had been presenting my paltry offering to already.

One more cast. Famous last words. For many anglers they mean a few more hours on the water past the point when good judgement would have had them home. For a few, it is the cast from which memories are made. “Then he hit,” you brag, “on the last cast of the day.” Incidentally, you probably made a few more casts. But what is a little embellishment between fishermen?

For one golden shiner, “one more cast” wasn’t just a phrase. It was a death sentence.

At this point in the story I have already tipped my hand. A fish died. That, both in context and in a vacuum, is a sentence that sends the online angling police after you these days. The shedding of innocent golden shiner blood? Too much to bear. Capitalizing on the tragedy with pictures and jocularity? Atrocious.

Let me explain.

Fall Run: Eastern Steelhead

October 9, 2017

There is an inherent symmetry in the fall run of steelhead within the Great Lakes system. There is cool rain, and the fish move from the lakes into the tributaries. There is a run of fish, and the anglers move from the trout streams into the tributaries. The fish shed their silvery sheen, and the anglers don their fleece. All the while leaves fall, college football’s regular season begins and ends, and the world goes from back to school to Christmas decorations.

It is nonsensical to make qualitative comparisons between the fish and people. But a quantitative analysis of the previous eight months might reveal that many steelhead have been much more active and productive than some of the anglers pursuing them. Although their life isn’t nearly as harrowing as their truly anadromous forefathers, they’ve been cruising the depths and fattening up for the spawn. Undoubtedly, that has been a more goal-oriented existence than some folks. But who are we, or a fish, to judge?

Certainly one can fish for steelhead year round. Powerful boats, depth-plumbing rigs, and electronic fish-finding gear make this a reasonable endeavor. However, there is something ritualistically special about pulling off the road across from a supermarket, scrambling down the gravelly edge of a bridge’s slope, and seeing a 30-inch fish in a small creek. The rod has been left strung up in the car from the last fishing trip a few days ago. The boots, waders, and fly boxes are all primed to be equipped for a few hours’ worth of chasing big trout before dinner.

Last Cast of the Week, 10/6/2017

October 6, 2017

Most Fridays on Casting Across are devoted to other people’s contributions in the fly fishing community. Articles, pictures, social media accounts, videos, podcasts, products, and more will be featured on The Last Cast of the Week.

Today, I’m sharing items from Blue Halo, Rep Your Water, & Douglas Outdoors.

If you’d like to be featured in the Last Cast of the Week, or have seen something that others might be interested in, use my contact form or shoot me an email (matthew[at]castingacross[dot]com). Also, be sure to subscribe to Casting Across to never miss a post.

Check out the links, along with my thoughts, below:

5 Thoughts for Streamers on Small Streams

October 4, 2017

I love fishing small streams, and I am not alone. The pay off from the whole experience of fly fishing on a small stream equates to a lot more than just catching fish. Usually you are alone, in beautiful places, and away from it all. Usually, you are only catching small fish. But, there is no reason why you can’t get a 12 or 14 inch mountain brookie or cutthroat into the rotation every now and again.

Larger fish will certainly eat dry flies and nymphs, seeing as they too are opportunistic feeders in these particular habitats. But how do you go about catching the largest fish in any other river? Big, meaty, streamers.

There are differences between chucking articulated flies against the bank of a roaring tailwater and fishing a streamer in a small creek. There are also differences between dapping tiny attractor patterns and fishing a streamer in a small creek. The rod, flies, and approach have to all be significantly altered from what you’re used to. Here are five things you ought to consider if you want to get into the pool bosses of your local, small stream – including my favorite presentation:

Setting Sail Again with Pirate Fly Fishing

October 2, 2017

If their first fly patch caught your eye on social media because of the vivid colors of the brown trout pattern, the brook trout design of the new First Mate probably had you following links to learn more about Pirate Fly Fishing.

Back in March I spoke with Justin West of Pirate Fly Fishing about the launch of their first product. Recently, I had the chance to speak with the other half of Pirate Fly Fishing, Maddie Bonthron, about the next item they will hopefully be rolling out: the First Mate Patch.

The First Mate isn’t an upgrade or replacement from the Pirate’s Fly Patch, it is just another option for anglers. The same high-density foam and near-indestructible plastic create the core product. Now, two super-strong magnets sit at either end of the patch. They allow anglers to drop flies or tools on the edges. This patch also uses Velcro to affix to surfaces – boats, car interiors, coolers, or even sling packs. And it is generating similar buzz in the fly fishing world to their initial offering.

“Since March we’ve had some great experiences with the patch,” said Bonthron. “In particular, going to trade shows was great for exposure, networking, and having people get the product in their hands. Once they did that, they saw how relevant it could be.”

The key to this relevance, and the spark of inspiration for the next project, is the simplicity that embodies the design. In a time where even the simplest fly fishing products have the tendency to be over engineered, pirate decided that there was a real benefit to the less is more approach. Bonthron explains: “Sometimes even the simplest things have a learning curve. We like the idea of people understanding what we make, but then seeing a whole range of possibilities of how they could use it.”
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Video: Office Fishing Knickknacks

September 29, 2017

Have you ever answered a question that wasn’t asked?

I have. And you get to hear and watch the answer.

All the while getting the treat of rapid motion, awkward camera angles, my not looking at the right part of the cell phone, glowing hands from being too close to the lens, and other enjoyable byproducts of anyone and everyone being able to film and upload random nonsense to YouTube.

That being said, you do get to see some stuff that is in my office. With commentary.

Come to think of it, I don’t have a lot of fly fishing stuff in my office. All of my good angling whatnot is still in a box at the new house… Perhaps this is just the beginning. Yeah – treat this video as the beginning of the HGTV show, and sometime down the line the big reveal will happen.

There will be excitement, there will be surprises, and there will be tears.

Check out the video below:

Astral: My Favorite Fly Fishing Shoe isn’t a Fly Fishing Shoe

September 26, 2017

After I blew out the heel/ankle on my third pair, I knew I was going to have to bid adieu to a very popular brand of sandals. For over five years, this particular pair of footwear had been pushed with varying degrees of success. Wet wading, beach trips, and casual summer wear saw me in these sandals. But averaging less than two years for over $100? I was ready to move on.

My first inclination was to try out one of the options from within the fly fishing industry. Plenty of brands have angling-specific sandals or wet wading boots. To be honest, however, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. And wading footwear gets expensive quickly.

As much as I love getting the latest and greatest in fly fishing, I was feeling the crunch of being cost-effective and realistic about my chances of justifying another pair of “fishing shoes.”

I did have a gift card to an outdoor retailer. This chain has angling gear, but their focus is on adventure and casual items. I browsed through their selection of sandals and shoes. One pair, initially only through it’s aesthetics, stood out to me.

The Astral Brewer.

A relatively young company (2002) focusing on PFD’s and other water sport accessories, Astral is a popular brand among kayakers in particular. This North Carolina company not only seeks to be on the front lines of both function and form, but also eco-friendly practices. Their reputation is strong, both for use and durability.

Yet I could not find anything, aside from a few random message board comments, about their footwear being used by fly fishers.

But why not? The Brewer, the model I was looking at, seems like a perfect fit for many of my wading needs. Quick drying fabric, solid construction, sticky rubber sole, ports for expelling water and small debris, and the almost universal accolade of comfort. And, they look good.

I bought them, and I used them.

Last Cast of the Week, 9/22/2017

September 22, 2017

Today, I’m sharing items from Hatch Magazine / Patagonia, Beaverkill Angler / Orvis, & Cortland.

Check out the links, along with my thoughts, below:

The Historic Range of Adventure

September 20, 2017

This brook trout was caught within its species’ historic range. You might respond with very little excitement, as that is precisely where one would expect to find any animal. Or, you could appreciate the fact that the historic distribution of char up and down the East Coast has been greatly diminished to the point where there are relatively few populations remaining.

Let me tell you something: this trout is unremarkable in the first sense and very special in the second. But there is much more to this fish than either of those things.

Tbis brook trout is an urban brook trout. it was caught just outside of city limits. Cities, as you know, have been the bane of nature for as long as development has existed. While we can absolutely be good stewards of the creation that is around us, it is totally impossible to not have any negative impact. Some species, and some ecosystems, are much more fragile than others. They feel the brunt of modernity much more quickly and much more pointedly.

Spring creeks and salmonids are up there when it comes to fragility. That is why this brook trout is special.

So, why even fish in a place like this? Isn’t it a bit hypocritical or counterintuitive to stress an already stressed creature and habitat?