Adventure & Aesthetics: Pirate Fly Fishing

Bright and shiny sells. Often, bright and shiny is only indicative of the external: a façade and nothing more. The fly fishing industry is not immune to this marketing malady. Reels, apparel, and flies that look really good or capture the eye might not help you one bit when it comes to catching fish. In a visual world, form has the capacity to overshadow function.

If you’re on “fly fishing social media,” chances are you’ve seen Pirate Fly Fishing’s fly patch pop up in your feed. It is hard to miss: it’s a big, bright, brown trout-colored rectangle. Sometimes they display it all on its own, other times it is covered with meaty streamers. It looks appealing, and it looks like it works. Their publicity efforts worked on me, because I was interested enough to click on through to their website. After checking out their site, I was interested enough to contact the company.

Pirate Fly Fishing is Maddie Bonthron and Justin West. They live outside of Denver, are recently out of college, and want to make functional products that “look good doing it.”

read more

Show + Tell from the Lancaster Fly Fishing Show

Did you get a chance to go to a fly fishing show this winter? There are definitely still some local events in March and into April, but most shows – including The Fly Fishing Show‘s three month circuit, wrapped up this past weekend.

Honestly, there are a number of reasons to attend these gatherings. Booking guided trips, learning from the experts, and buying that one  item (plus five) you just had to have are usually on the top of most anglers’ lists.

Something that is, to one degree or another, inherent in all of the aforementioned activities is interaction. Even if a sales rep is simply walking you through the features of the latest chest pack, there is a personal touch that you won’t get from an online shopping experience. Seminars, casting demonstrations, and talking options with potential guides are all certainly relational. For a sport that is stereotypically portrayed  as an individualistic pursuit, there is actually a lot of focus on interaction.

That interaction is something that I truly enjoy about fly fishing shows. Guides I’ve used in the past, former coworkers, and  co-laborers in conservation are all “walking the aisles.”  And, in person, I get a chance to connect with people from across the country who I know from online communication.  It is fun to talk face-to-face with someone who made the rod you use or wrote a book you enjoy.

This past weekend in Lancaster, I had three conversations that I’d like to share with you. All three were with people that do something in the fly fishing world and then write about it.  Keep reading and check out these three blogs from some great people:

read more

Road Trip: Lancaster Fly Fishing Show

Contrary to popular belief, no souls were stolen by taking this photograph.

March: the last uncomfortable TSA checkpoint you’ll have to endure before the long, warm flight of  fly fishing season commences.

While that is generally the case, there is certainly some great fishing to be had in March. If you live in many parts of the East, the second half of winter 2017 has proved to provide plenty of opportunities to be outdoors. In short sleeves, no less.

With fishing beginning in earnest, some of the  off-season activities will begin to wane. The last batches of flies will be tied, with the challenge of rearranging fly boxes  now on the table. Gear will need to be cleaned (first, it will have to be located – you might want to get on that now). And you’ll actually get to show up for fly fishing, not just fly fishing shows.

The first weekend in March marks the last stop of the 2017 Fly Fishing Show circuit. The venue is downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Lancaster: it’s more than just Amish. *

*Not the official tourism slogan.

read more

How to Get Your Kids to Love Fly Fishing, part II

The last post on Casting Across introduced three things I have done that have contributed to my boys’ interest in fly fishing. I recommend that you go check them out.

Today, I have three more ideas.

Truth be told, these aren’t just concepts for parents. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, neighbors, teachers, scout leaders, youth pastors – anyone who loves fly fishing themselves and wants to get a young person involved can take some deliberate steps to do so.

Here are ideas four through six for how to get your kid to love fly fishing:

Kids ask questions, you know stuff: answer your kids’ questions!

If you’ve ever found yourself in the endless “why?” vortex, you know that you’ll say just about any nonsensical thing to extricate yourself. Sometimes, a child is just being a pill when engaging you like this. However, there is a genuine level of curiosity in all children. Help them use their powers for good and guide them into fly fishing conversations. Talk about fish, rivers, bugs, flies, rods, waders, flowers, dams, pollution, laws, catch and release, herons, invasive species, seasons: the options are endless.

read more

How to Get Your Kids to Love Fly Fishing, part I

My five-year-old loves fly fishing. How do I know? Yesterday, we’re driving in the car and he says, “Dad, I love fly fishing.”

So there you go.

How did this happen? How did I hit the jackpot with a kid that wants to go fishing with me, wants to hear about my fishing trips, and wants his own fly fishing gear? Admittedly, there are some personality-based predispositions at work. My two-year-old would just as soon find a way to turn fly line into a rope swing so as to propel himself into the creek.

At the same time, there have been some deliberate steps I’ve taken with my three boys. They all know that their daddy likes to go fishing, and we all talk about it regularly. My desire isn’t to force them to become fly fishermen one day, but I do want to share this important part of my life with them.

Here are the first three of six things I’ve done that have contributed to my boys’ interest in fly fishing:

read more

Last Cast of the Week, 2/24/2017

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 AFFTA, Teton Tenkara, and Gink & Gasoline.

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.

***

AFFTA –  Recycled Paper Fly Boxes

In hindsight, some things are so simple that it is hard to believe that it has taken this long to figure it out.  Ditching disposable, plastic fly boxes for paper makes sense on so many levels. And with three sizes, there is absolutely no reason for a shop to not explore using these containers for everything from midges to meaty pike flies. If your local shop experiments with these, let them know what you think!

Teton Tenkara – Fly Fishing Books

If you read Casting Across, you are probably aware that I hold fly fishing books in high esteem. Although I have a pretty sizable and diverse library,  my fly tying section is limited. In this second post on the great blog Teton Tenkara,  a handful of tying titles are put forth for your consideration. There is a brief synopsis of each book, as well as a few  helpful notes from the blogger. If you’re looking to add a classic tying tome to your shelf, these are some good options.

Gink & Gasoline – Pay to Play

This post, by Justin Pickett,  is the blogging equivalent to  chumming for piranha. The premise of the short piece is this question:  What do you think about pay-to-fish waters? At the moment I’m writing this, there are over 70 comments. It is a good question to ask, think about, and answer. This topic, with some pretty far-reaching implications, is always going to be on the radar of the fly fishing community. So… what do you think?

read more

Rock Solid Techniques for Spotting Trout

The angler must approach the river with the greatest of care. Being mindful of shadows, silhouettes, and sudden movements, one must proceed with great caution. Indeed, even the intensity of streamside footfalls ought to be considered.

All the while, the fly fisher needs to be scanning the water. All the likely lies of the fish should be studied: pools, behind rocks, along undercut banks. Although the coloration of fish is superbly suited for camouflage, there are certain tell-tale signs to look for. The observant eye may perceive a shadow upon the gravel bed of the river, the quick flick of a tail, or the slightest movement on the bottom of the steam.

Upon spotting the fish, the very first cast should be made with utmost precision. Many fish, such as wild trout, will not tolerate more than one cast – two at the most.

Yet, this particular fish hasn’t chased your offering after five or six casts. Luckily, your efforts haven’t sent him fleeing for cover!

read more

Fly Fishing Trips & Playing 20 Questions

You’ve probably been there before. Lying in bed, the night before a fly fishing excursion. You have thoughts. Questions, actually. You might attempt the counting sheep equivalent of visualizing heavy trout coming to the net. But, for analytical minds like many fly anglers possess, that practice gets one thinking about hypotheticals and other situational what-ifs.

So, there you are; awake. With a litany of issues, pertinent and inconsequential, running through your head.

Will my alarm wake me up?

Should I try fishing a new creek?

Is there gas in the car?

Did I remember to pack a reel?

Will I be the first person to the parking lot?

read more

Last Cast of the Week, 2/17/2017

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  Troutrageous!,  Panfish on the Fly, & Hatch Magazine.

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.

***

Troutrageous! – Tenkara Tuesday

I know that everyone has their fishing angers, and that tenkara draws a lot of ire. A lot of the angst I read seems unprovoked. I’ll give people the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to being uninformed. Over at Troutrageous!, there is a solution in a great regular feature called “Tenkara Tuesday.” It is similar to the very piece you are reading presently: some quick hits from around the fish-ternet.  The post I linked to has some great  content, including some of the top entities in the domestic tenkara world. Then, take some time to browse the wealth of posts across the rest of the site.

Panfish on the Fly – Rock Bass

I can vividly remember the first time I got into a creek that was filled with rock bass. This occurred early in my warmwater fly fishing  career, and was definitely an experience that kept be away from trout for a few hot months. The premier panfish fly fishing website, Panfish on the Fly, presents a concise overview of the species. Additionally, it provides some seasonal targeting tips and fly patterns. Just like any sunfish or bluegill, there are definitely ways to go after rock bass that will yield more and bigger fish.

Hatch – Know Your Indicator

“What kind of indicator do you use?” “Uhh… whatever I’ve got?” That is an answer, for sure. It just might not be the best answer. The difference in strike indicator styles isn’t just a matter of form preference; it has a lot to do with function. This article on the Hatch Magazine website breaks down the pros and cons of the major indicators. It is one of those things in fly fishing where you probably didn’t  think about it until you think about it… and then once you think about it, you wonder why you never thought about it!

read more

Wading through Books: Study Habits for Fly Fishing

There are plenty of off-season activities for fly fishers to engage in. Tying flies, cleaning gear, and attending various conservation banquets can all go a long way in helping spring come quickly. All those things are important and keep you busy, but there is another way to spend time that can really benefit you once the ice breaks.

Devoting hours to a passive activity, like studying, can payoff enormously.

Studying has a negative connotation. If the last exposure that you had to sitting down with a book and a highlighter was college or grad school, the association is probably something like a pragmatic exercise in grueling endurance. Yet there is so much more. So many other ways to study. Ultimately, I think you’ll find that engaging in a discipline like this, under circumstances where the payoff is more fish, leads to more than “means to an end” drudgery.

Here are three ways to think about studying fly fishing:

read more