Some Awful Fly Casting

Recently, I witnessed some truly atrocious fly casting.

No offense, but it was awful. Splashing on the forward cast, snapping on the back cast, whipping the water into a froth awful.

It wasn’t just one guy, or even two buddies out having fun on the trout steam. It was angler after angler. Maybe I fish remote streams enough that I’m not seeing the state of casting in the fly fishing world. What I experienced was eye-opening and shocking. And it isn’t the first time I’ve been shocked by what I’ve seen on the river.

Without being too obvious, I tried to watch as much as possible. What was going on? Could it have been some “fly fishing for beginners” outing that I was witnessing? Was I just being judgmental?

At the end of the day, I realized it was a group of unaffiliated anglers from a wide range of locations fishing with generally high-quality gear.  They were just really bad at fly casting… and they weren’t catching fish. Was there a correlation? Probably.

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VIDEO: New Rod from Risen Fly

I got a new fly rod!

I’ve been on a nymph fishing kick the last year, and so I decided to get serious about (one of) the most essential pieces of gear. This 10-foot 3-weight from Risen Fly is part of the launch of their brand new 23PS series.

Trying something new, I shot a little stream side video highlighting some of my favorite features of the rod.

If you haven’t checked out Risen Fly yet, I encourage you to do so. They have some great gear that seriously rivals some of the  standards, and often at prices that blow the competition away. Plus, you can use code “ACROSS” at RisenFly.com to save 15% on your order.

Have a look at the rod, my thoughts, and a beautiful stream below:

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The “Why” Behind My Nymph Rig

The previous post, “My Wonderful, Simple Nymph Rig”  has been read a few times. Hopefully anglers can take my attempt at a rudimentary subsurface system and use it to catch more fish. The  how of the rig, which is where the simplicity exists, was explained in the article.

What I realized, after the post was already up, was that I really didn’t do a lot in explaining the why of each individual part in the rig. On one hand, that would just be responsible writing. On the other hand, there is a very good chance that by seeing my method you could improve upon it in any number of ways to suit your own needs. I encourage you to do so!

So piece by piece, here is why my nymphing rig looks the way it does:

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My Wonderful, Simple Nymphing Rig

There are plenty of rabbit holes to fall down in the world of fly fishing. Body segments on dry flies, tapers of lines, and the precision used to curve the bill of your new hat. Each one of these topics allows for a little bit of “it’s all personal preference” and “here’s the right way to do it,” but so many things and fly fishing are a study and world unto themselves.

Leaders are no exception. There are countless formulas for leaders that cater to different fish, flies, streams, conditions, and more. Add in the fact that you can be working with fluorocarbon, monofilament, and various braids… it can be overwhelming.

And while it may be tempting to simply unravel a knotless, tapered leader that you bought at the fly shop, there is some wisdom in having a few specialized options for certain circumstances.

Fishing nymphs is one such circumstance.

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Rusty Flybox: Summer

Earlier this week, I wrote about the real opportunities that are available for fly fishing for trout – even in the heat of the summer. I realize that even if you try to follow all the recommendations that I gave, there are still plenty of parts of the country that either can’t or shouldn’t engage in fly fishing for trout in the hottest months.

So below are some other posts from Casting Across that give other options and ideas for safely hitting the water in the heat. Be responsible and a good steward, but get out there and catch fish.

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It is Hot Out! Fish for Trout

Summer is hot in general, but August is really hot. Regardless of your perspective on any thermal phenomenon occurring on a global scale, the heat of these middle months is undeniable.

Trout aren’t big fans of heat.

Without getting all sciency, factors such as heat in the mid-70’s and the associated reduction in dissolved oxygen will put trout in significant distress. Created to be relatively resilient, they will hold on if they have to endure such conditions for short, intermittent stretches. However, if they are put into a situation where they must exert themselves – say, fighting at the end of a line – there is a good chance that they’ll die.

So, the common solution for conservation-minded anglers that place stewardship above sport is to lay off the fly fishing for a month or two. Good. Great, even.

But does that mean that fishing for trout is off limits in July and August? Are bass and carp the only fair game in the heat of summer? (As if these fish don’t have temperature thresholds…)

As is the case in most circumstances, if a “smarter not harder” mindset is employed the fly fisher can absolutely still fish for trout throughout the warmest times of the year. Here are three things to consider:

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My New Favorite Fly Fishing Shirt

Gruff, seasoned anglers and antagonistic young seekers of “authenticity” alike might deride the discussion of what shirt to buy for fly fishing. The clothes don’t make the man (or woman), but the fact of the matter is that you need to wear a shirt while you’re out on the water. Comfort, function, and yes, even aesthetics, go into this decision-making process. If you choose an old t-shirt, you’ve made a choice. If you pick the flannel that you’ve been fishing in for decades, you’ve made a choice.

I’ve made a choice: the Orvis Drirelease shirt.

For the past year, I’ve been fly fishing in a handful of these shirts. From cool fall mornings to sunny summer days I’ve found myself reaching for one of my Drirelease tops. They look great – which isn’t a fact to gloss over – but they really shine when it comes to comfort and functionality.

Here is my experience with these understated but impressive shirts:

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Last Cast of the Week, 7/28/2017

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 StateCollege.com, The Mayfly Project, & Mousetrap Mondays.

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:

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6 Tips for Fly Fishing with Diving Bugs

I have been on a diving bug kick as of late. To be totally honest, a lot of that stems from me using a diving bug one day, and leaving it on the fly patch in the back of my car. Every time I open up the trunk it is right there staring at me, begging to be tied on. I oblige. Not to make it happy; but because I want to.

These days, diving bugs can be found in deer hair or foam variations. Walking the line between fly and lure, their motion in the water is unparalleled. Obviously, the design and action has taken cues from century-old bass plugs. The curved lip hits all the necessary boxes: movement up and down, movement side to side.

Where I believe that flies of this design actually outperform similar lures is in terms of the benefits you get from materials. First of all, the “chew” of a soft fly is going to be more appealing to a bass than the hard plastic or wooden lure. Also, the bucktail, rabbit strips, marabou, or whatever else is trailing off the back is going to impart a lot more motion when moving or still than anything you’ll find on a traditional plug. Furthermore, I am not anti-traditional gear or even anti-treble hook. That has a time and a place. Yet I think that the benefits of a single hook in its  weedless and hookup characteristics make the diving bug superior.

Additionally, here are six diving bug tips that I think will improve your  fly fishing:

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Brackish Flies: Fishing Canals to the Cape

If you had to pick a place to live with fishing opportunities as a major deciding factor, what would you choose? A blue ribbon trout stream? A lake filled with giant largemouth? Estuaries that see run after run of saltwater fish? Every one of those fisheries has its merit, but there is another angling scenario that is easily attainable: diversity.

The eastern third of Massachusetts isn’t necessarily known for much more than it’s striped bass and bluefish, but Geoff Klane wants the region’s fly fishers to experience the fullness of what greater Boston has to offer. Established early in 2017, Brackish Flies is Klane’s guiding and fly tying operation that focuses on the diverse and exciting fishing that he himself has developed a real passion for.

I met Klane in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts for a morning of chasing warm water fish – carp, in particular. Lowell is an old textile town on the banks of the Merrimack River, and the city is still laced with the canals that were used to power the many mills. Klane enjoys the urban angling, the history, and the exposure that his trips provide for fly fishing in his community.

As we walked he shared his love for the downtown scene and his optimism for ecological and civic renewal. These deep conversations would be punctuated by quick interjections of “there’s one!” or “cast under that bridge real quick!” We landed feisty smallmouth, large-by-anyone’s-standard panfish, and even temped a few aggressive hornpout (that’s yankee for brown bullhead). But it was the big, skittish, and mysterious common carp that we were truly after.

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