Last Cast of the Week, 5/6/2016

Although I doubt that it will ruffle many feathers or result in any fanfare, I’m making a change to the format of Casting Across. For the first six months of this site, I’ve published basically original content every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I love to write, and the topics in and around fly fishing are so diverse that I can’t imagine ever coming close to exhausting the possibilities.

But I have some changes coming up. I’ll be moving in less than two months, starting a new job, returning to graduate school, and welcoming another child into the family. And I’ll try to fit fly fishing in there somewhere, too.

I want the posts on Casting Across to be of a caliber that I think is worthy of your time. I’d never want to put something on the site “just because.” There is a lot of other good content out there that I already share and comment on time to time, so I want to expand on that concept.

Consequently, I’ve decided to turn Fridays into something devoted to other people’s contributions to the fly fishing community. Articles, pictures, social media accounts, videos, podcasts, products, and more will be featured on what I’m calling the “Last Cast of the Week.”

I’m hardly breaking new ground, here. There are some sites out there that do this on the daily, and do it very well. I’m a big fan of Moldy Chum, Tight Lined Tales of a Fly Fisherman, the Orvis blog, and others.

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Under the Tuscan Trout, part 3

Finding Italian trout… “da solo.”

I’m always fascinated by the dynamic of same/different on the stream. One example is how I can be on a mountain trout stream anywhere in Appalachia, and there is going to be some geological similarities. But if my eyes wander up the banks, the foliage will be completely different north and south. Another is a Colorado trout in a feeding lie, watching natural bugs drift overhead may be a cutthroat. But I’m not thinking any species-specific thoughts when I’m casting to it as opposed to a brown exhibiting the same behavior. I’ll be happy catching either, and the experience will only differ a little. But the backdrop of the Rockies is wholly different than the rolling hills of the Mid Atlantic.

To give one more example: hearing a group of older men talk loudly on the streambank when you’re trying to fish can happen anywhere. Having it be in Italian, and on top of my guided trip, was unique to my current situation.

Especially since my guide was part of their boisterous antics. But that was just one more thing in an interesting day fly fishing, stile Italiano.

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Kicking the Conservation Bucket

I never saw myself as the chain-yourself-to-a-bulldozer, repel-from-a-dam-to-paint-a-crack type. But I wasn’t totally disengaged from the environmental side of fly fishing. As a teenager I had been involved in some conservation. Stream clean ups, seminars, science fair projects – those sorts of things.

So I was a little surprised at myself at what I did on the stream that day.

***

It was summertime, and a friend and I had quite the day fishing. I can’t remember how it started, but I know that it involved catching catfish and carp on the fly way before it was a thing. We were flabbergasted, and admittedly somewhat put off that we weren’t catching bass. Today I know our responses would be much different.

New to driving ourselves around, we bounced from spot to spot. Towards the middle of the day we had found our way to a local creek that we routinely passed, but had never fished before. In the heart of suburban hustle and bustle, the word was that the smallmouth action was decent. We rigged up and began to walk upstream.

Then it happened. Under a noisy, northern Virginia overpass, I had my throw-red-paint-on-a-fur moment.

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Casting Across Six Months (and a Contest!)

Casting Across has been up and running for six months. I’ve really enjoyed the ride thus far, and I’m very glad that friends and family finally convinced me to start putting my writing online.

I’ve gotten back into the fly fishing community after a six-year hiatus of sorts, and it has been a great half of a year. Because of this website, I’ve had some amazing conversations, experiences, and opportunities.

Although six months is somewhat of an arbitrary benchmark, I thought I’d take this opportunity to do a few things:

  • I want to highlight my three most popular posts.
  • You’ll get a chance to get in on my first giveaway. (Details on how to get some great items are below.)
  • I’d be remiss to not acknowledge and thank all of those who have contributed in some way to what I’ve done.

In many ways, those who read my work are the most important part of this whole adventure. Honestly, every read, subscription, follow, and “like” means a lot to me. Thank you!

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Backing

I wonder if I’ll ever see this backing again.

I might. The reel that it is going to be spooled onto is going to feature a six-weight line. There are plenty of circumstances where I could get into a very large trout, a steelhead, or carp that could run me out a hundred feet.

But, the reel in question also has a click-check drag. Chances are, I’d take one of my large arbor, disc drag reels out if I’m targeting one of the aforementioned species.

So, I’d have to say that the odds are against this backing seeing the light of day.

Of course, I will try a hero cast with the rod that this setup is going to be paired with. It is a pretty full-flexing fiberglass model, but I think that I should still be able to shoot out at least 90 feet or so. And even if I can’t, I’ll strip enough line out to give it a go.

But I don’t think that counts. Neither would cleaning the line.

All of my reels were spooled up tight with new backing. Most of them only get unloaded in the case of a rare cleaning. (I should do that more often.)

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Hashtag Fly Fishing

The hashtag is a funny thing. I think that most of us resent the concept to a certain degree, but ultimately appreciate how the things can sum up a lot in a few letters. And it isn’t all #yolo anymore, as every corner of social media has their set of hashtags and language.

Fly fishing is no different. The needles of Twitter and Instagram move based upon the content posted by users, but it is the skillful and prolific use of hashtags that garners an audience.

If you’re a beginner, and are frustrated that your amazing 20-inch trout pic isn’t getting hundreds of heart-taps, you might need to up your hashtag game. I’m no expert on all of this stuff, but from observing the trending trends I’ve put together a bit of a primer.

Use some (or all) of these, and I guarantee that you’ll get at least the same amount of likes and followers as you currently are seeing.

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#flyfishing This one is obvious. You’re letting everyone on the interwebs know that this picture, pithy statement, or link has to do with fly fishing. It might be a selfie with your cat, but you have your Rep Your Water hat on, so #flyfishing.

#catchandrelease Because if you don’t use this hashtag, people will automatically assume that you’re into #killitandgrillit or something like that. Very un-#flyfishing.

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Under the Tuscan Trout, part 2

The Galleria dell’Accademia. The Ponte Vecchio. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. For the past few days, I’d been standing in these places absorbing the immensity of their historical and cultural significance. Statues, paintings, and facades that I’d been seeing my whole life were now right in front of me. There were moments that were humbling, emotional, and contemplative.

And then there were moments when I realized that I was paying hundreds of Euros to fish next to a hatchery.

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4 Reasons For Good Line on Small Streams

As the springtime temperatures climb, anglers also begin to move up to the hollows and highlands in pursuit of mountain trout. Whether it be brook trout in the east or wild cutthroats in the west, the species that occupy high gradient small streams are a favorite quarry of fly fishers.

The nature of mountain creek fly fishing generally demands specific gear. Articles preparing anglers for these situations usually focus on equipment like rods, footwear, and packs. All three of these pieces are vital. In a remote location, a pack is a way to carry gear but also survive. A footwear choice is as much about hiking as it is wading. And rods have to have the right length to fit under canopies while still assisting in making decent presentations to trout.

A piece of gear that is often overlooked for a situation that is exemplified by short casts is fly line. For better or worse, the culture and industry is somewhat preoccupied by the ability to cast long distances. Lines are designed with more grains than traditional weight designations and with tapers that enable hundred-foot casts. The nature of mountain creek angling doesn’t fit that mold.

But that doesn’t mean that fly line doesn’t matter in these situations. Arguably much more important than even the reel, line selection can do a lot to help or hinder anglers fishing small waters. Here are four reasons to consider shopping for a quality fly line – even on your three weight setup.

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Living Your Trout Life

For the vast majority of anglers, fly fishing encompasses a lot more than actually fly fishing.

Looking forward to a weekend away fishing, it isn’t abnormal to anticipate the late night talks around the fire or the trips to the same dive bar in town. One isn’t any less an angler if the promise of that first cup of coffee in the morning is a lot more alluring than jamming tired feet into cold wading boots. When we’re fly fishing, more goes into it than a rod, a fly, and (hopefully) a fish.

Conversely, passionate fly fishers think about rods, flies, and fish when they are far from the river. Time spent scrolling through fishy Instagram pictures, reading angling literature, or even just organizing and reorganizing gear helps pass the time between outings. Living room art might feature trout spot patterns. Bumper stickers and ball caps may feature fly fishing brands’ logos. A child might be named Brook or Fisher.

For the vast majority of committed anglers, fly fishing has a way of sidling into most facets of life.

For one Colorado couple, this omnipresence of the pursuit they love spurred them to design and create clothing that is just as suitable on the water as it is running errands. In a market with a lot of fly fishing lifestyle options, Trout Life has a purposeful aim in the industry. “We were intentional,” Amy Ralston says, “for people to know that our brand is about them living their trout life.”

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Under the Tuscan Trout, part 1

“Oh, yes. There are lots of fish in this river.”

I was skeptical. “But are they wild fish?”

“Oh, yes. They will fight real nice for you.”

Wild might not have been translating the way I wanted it to. “Are these the kinds of fish that are from your country? Or have they been put there from somewhere else?”

“Oh, yes. The fish are from here. Mostly.”

–

I had been given the green light to take a day to go fishing on our European vacation. To protect the identity of the individual in question, let’s just say that the county this story takes place in is famous for pasta and looking like a boot.

Hopping on the internet, I found that there are a number of legitimate trout fishing opportunities in and around where I would have been. Big rivers and mountain creeks, filled with familiar as well as somewhat exotic species. And everything seemed to be accompanied by some pretty remarkable backdrops. I found a couple of guides to communicate with, and started planning a day fishing in the European countryside.

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