Fly Fishing Books, part 4

November 15, 2017

“What are you reading these days?”

I ask that question at work, of family, and to folks that I interact with in the fly fishing community. It might come across as nosy or weird, but I am truly interested in what people are interested in. What we read, and the rationale behind it, is fascinating. Desiring some specific knowledge makes the most sense. Entertainment is as good of a reason as any. Morbid curiosity works, too. Books allow you scratch all of those itches, and more – even in the world of fly fishing.

If you fly fish, you can get pretty much anything and everything that you need from the internet or talking to people. But if you rely on just those two things, you’re missing out on some really beneficial stuff. You can learn, be amused, and see why those people fish that way. To be honest, I’ve read and bought fly fishing books for all of those reasons and more.

While I don’t break down my recommendations by those lines, I have tried to offer up a couple of types of books. 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!

Stringer Things

November 13, 2017

There are places that respectable anglers don’t venture near. These forbidden locations are just on the edge of everyday life. The normal places that one might pass on the way to go fly fishing. What keeps grown men and women away is fear. The kind of fear that stems from the oh-so-familiar knowledge that what exists just on the other side of the safe and acceptable is the exact opposite. An upside-down reality where things are eerily similar, yet terrifyingly different.

Usually, they are the back roads or muddy pull-offs. Instead of a well-maintained parking lot with a kiosk explaining the catch-and-release regulations, there are deep tire ruts and a few bags of illegally dumped trash. Where one would usually expect a narrow trail to a river, there is a wide path marked by styrofoam worm cups and Bud Light cans. The ultimate destination is even different: slow, or stagnant even.

Why a fly fisher would even entertain the thought of setting out in a place like this is hard to comprehend. The danger is palpable; the results are inevitable. It even feels wrong. The scene clashes with name-brand waders and any fishing rod that isn’t more aptly referred to as a “pole.” But every once in a while, you hear tale of some angler who treads these chilling trails, casts into these unholy waters, and encounters ghosts that were thought to be left far in the past.

The scary truth is that these scenes exist everywhere: public parks, highway overpasses, and suburban retention ponds. Fly fishers try to ignore what is lurking behind every fence and wall. But like a flickering light or shifting shadow, the memories tend to reappear when least expected. Most unsettling is the knowledge that these are not figments of the imagination, but rather real moments tied to tangible places.

For some, in those split seconds it can come flooding back like an uncontrollable wave:

Rusty Flybox: Your New Fly Rod

November 10, 2017

There are two types of fly fishers in the world: the ones who are thinking about getting another fly rod, and the ones who are actively shopping for another fly rod.

Be it graphite, fiberglass, or bamboo, a fly rod is what makes the real connection between the fisher and the fishing. Your hand holds the cord, you feel the line load, and you (hopefully) experience the fight of a fish. For those reasons, and because we like stuff, most anglers are always thinking about another fly rod.

You might want an upgrade, need to fill a hole in your arsenal, or simply desire one more fly rod. And some folks can just go out and buy whatever they’d like, whenever they’d like. For the rest of us, the process takes a little bit of deliberation. Recently I wrote about the merits of casting any rod you might be interested in well before you get too deep down the rabbit hole of considering purchasing it. Here are three more posts that address the issue from a number of perspectives: steps to go through when beginning the process, what I like about a new rod I have, and the feasibility of sticking with an older piece of gear.

Read and watch them all here:

Buying a Fly Rod Takes More than a Wiggle

November 6, 2017

“That’s a nice fishing rod.”

It is a cold, hard fact that 75% of the time that particular phrase occurs is while someone is standing indoors, wiggling the tip of a fly rod. Ask a fly shop employee. Ask a company rep at a tradeshow. Hand your average angler a fly rod and see what happens. The wiggle, the nod of passive affirmation, and the comment.

That being said, I’d wager that most of us have done it. “This is a nice rod,” we say, as we’re essentially making an evaluation akin to judging a book by its cover. More accurately, it’s like judging a book by the typeface on the cover. Or, the sound the pages make as you flip through them with your thumb. Given, it is sort of like kicking tires on a new car or looking down the sights of a friend’s rifle: there are certain things that we just do when put into a situation. Certain things feel like they help us evaluate what we’re looking at, but these actions really just flit about the periphery of a real assessment. It is forgivable. But it isn’t logical.

I see this phenomenon on a pretty regular basis. There are five fly rods in my office. They are there for decorative purposes, but they’re the real deal. As people come in for various reasons, be they fly fishers or not, most will inevitably find their way to the rod rack. They’ll usually ask if they can touch them, and after my affirmative response they’ll proceed to pick one up. And wiggle it. “Yeah, that’s nice,” is the common sentiment expressed in one way or another. I smile. It is a smile that belies a quick transition from condescension to sheepishness. I know better, but I know I’ve done the same.

For example: I recently told someone that the new Orvis Helios 3 is “a nice rod.” What was I basing my authoritative opinion on? Some online reviews and… me, standing in a store, wiggling a Helios 3. That is the kind of hard-hitting perspective on gear that everyone wants? Right? read more

Last Cast of the Week, 11/3/2017

November 3, 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 Trout & Feather, Windknots & Tangled Lines, and Small Stream Reflections

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:

Brook Trout: The Real Substance of Appalachia

November 1, 2017

There is an intimacy in the Appalachian Mountains. While few segments of the topography are severe like much of the Rockies out west are, there is a tangible closeness in the hollows and valleys of the eastern mountain range. Perhaps it can be attributed to the contrast that Appalachia provides. With only a short drive from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Atlanta, it is hard to believe that the quiet forests are in the same states. Even the sounds of the names are simpler, calmer, and less hurried: Cumberland, Smoky, Shenandoah.

Part of the intimacy of Appalachia has to do with the fact that civilization has long been here. Native Americans first, then European settlers. The game, timber, and forage all made the relatively accessible mountains a haven of sorts. The evidence of their presence, and the presence of their descendants/our ancestors is over every ridge and behind every old oak. Clearings, charcoal pits, stone fences, rusted stills, and chimneys pepper the landscape.

Once you get beyond the human element, and the fact that the mountain range itself runs unbroken from Alabama to Maine, the specifics of the setting change as you traverse the Appalachians. Plants differ wildly from north to south. Birds, insects, and some mammals only exist on one side of the Mason-Dixon Line or the other. If you take the time to notice, the soil smells different.

But one natural component of the Appalachian Mountains that is consistent up and down the entire range is the brook trout.

2 Years of Fly Fishing People, Places, & Things

October 30, 2017

Casting Across is two years old. For two years, there have been three posts a week covering all manner of fly fishing topics. Some technique, a few humorous anecdotes, and a handful of takes on the people, places, and things that make fly fishing culture what it is.

In reality, it is those people, places, and things that make “going fly fishing” a culture and not just a hobby. That is why I’ve been writing on Casting Across for two years. The conversations on the phone and on the water enrich the angling such that is a holistic and well-rounded part of life.

For a while I’ve been toying with the idea of getting rid of the advertisements on Casting Across. Then, a friend and industry member suggested the same. He thought I’d get more out of the streamlined look and that it would also reflect the unbiased opinions in the writing. I agree. It took a few months to make it happen, but as the website hits it’s second anniversary, I’ve got something that exceeds the benefits of the old ads.

A new page is debuting on the site, and I’m calling it People, Places, & Things. This page is a list of just that: the people, places, and things in fly fishing that I have come to truly enjoy. Furthermore, they all have supported Casting Across in one way or another. I highly recommend each, and encourage you to follow the links to find out more. The section headings take you to the corresponding website, and the bullet point links refer you to past Casting Across posts featuring each company.

Last Cast of the Week, 10/27/2017

October 27, 2017

Today, I’m sharing items from the International Fly Tying Symposium, Tightline Productions, & Hatch.

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

In Defense of Tenkara

October 25, 2017

For most anglers, fly fishing is an activity reserved for the margins of life. It is fit it in when it can be: between work, family obligations, school, and all the other obligations that rightly get top billing. Fly fishing might get penciled in for a day or weekend now and again, but mostly it’s relegated to the margins.

Taking advantage of those short-but-precious hours or minutes is key. Fifteen minutes at a pond between meetings, a quick cast into a creek while waiting to pick up the kids, or a little time allotted to fishing on a family hike can do wonders. It might satisfy a longing. Or, it can at least scratch an insufferable itch.

Gear and all the necessary/optional accouterments are a fun and entrenched part of fly fishing culture. However, these margin outings don’t lend themselves to having a full angling arsenal on hand and at the ready. You might stumble into an opportunity. You might only have as much time to fish as it usually takes you to put on your waders and rig your rod.

These moments, among a number of other scenarios, are where tenkara excels.