Christmas Fishing Traditions

Cutting down the family tree. Caroling around the neighborhood. Candlelight Christmas Eve service.

…and culling the chewed up flies from the wool patch on your vest?

While fly fishing and Christmas might not inherently go hand-in-hand, that doesn’t mean you can’t integrate two amazing things. And if two amazing things come together for your good, you might as well make plans to do them year after year.

Below are four potential Christmas fishing traditions. Even in the cold and dark of winter, they’re great ways to keep your foot in the icy waters of your favorite past time while also  looping in some of the benefits that come with the most wonderful time of the year.

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Casting Across at The Fly Fishing Show

I’m excited to announce that I’ll  be presenting twice at this year’s Marlborough stop of The Fly Fishing Show.

Since the beginning of Casting Across I’ve encouraged my audience to make annual plans to attend outdoor expos. And since the beginning I’ve done my best to address the complaint that these shows are just opportunities to spend money. Because if all you do when you go to an event like this is walk the aisles with your hand over your wallet, you’re doing it wrong.

While there are plenty of good deals to be had on equipment and experiences, the real value of outdoor shows is the opportunity to interact with and hear from other anglers. Sometimes it is the most prominent figures for generations of fly fishing. Sometimes it is the author of the latest book or subject of the most popular short film. And then, every once in a while, it is a part-time writer with something interesting to share.

If you’re a reader or listener, I’ll be honored if you attend. It would be great to meet you in person and have a conversation about fly fishing. Here are the details about the two presentations at The Fly Fishing Show in Massachusetts: 

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Podcast Ep. 318: [Cast1] Good Knots & Bad Knots

Try as you might, you can’t fish without knots. And just like a spelling test, you have no excuse to not do well. You can practice them until you fingers go numb.

Today I’m running through my favorite knots from fly to backing. There may very well be better knots out there, but these have served me well under varied scenarios in two decades of fly fishing.

But only start here. Head online and check out some diagrams and helpful animations to help put these knots into practice.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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The Best Last Minute Fishing Gift You Can Plan

Every year I make a concerted effort to write about the best fly fishing gift that you can give. It has the potential to cost thousands of dollars. It can also be free. Either way, it takes effort and it can be absolutely special.

It is the gift of fishing. Taking someone fishing, telling someone to go fishing, or facilitating a fishing excursion isn’t anything that can be put in a box. But for real anglers, the anticipation of that weekend in June or that day in April is better than any socks, gadgets, or jam of the month club.

This year I’m breaking this gift down into a few different varieties. What you write on that card can fit your budget and who you are buying for. It can be intricate, taking months of planning. It can be spur-of-the-moment, pulling you out of a procrastination pickle. Either way, it will work.

Here’s four ways to give an amazing fly fishing gift… whether you think about it for two weeks or two minutes:

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3+1 Fly Fishing Mini-Disciplines

Everyone likes making a little adjustment that produces big results. It is remarkable how there are so many mini-disciplines within fly fishing which, when one engages in them, open up doors of angling opportunity.

Today I’m sharing four things you can spend a little time on that have the potential to make big changes in your fishing. They’re the kinds of things that some people geek out over or focus on to the extreme. But singular devotion isn’t necessary. You can dip your toe in these four sub-fields and gather skills and information that will make you a more efficient and effective angler.

If you want more details and examples, head over to your favorite podcast catcher and listen to  3 Ways to Improve Angling Efficiency. But check out those three, plus one more, below:

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Podcast Ep. 317: 3 Ways to Improve Angling Efficiency

No matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, there are ways to improve your efficiency on the water. Now if that sounds clinical and not at all cohesive with the artistic flair that accompanies fly fishing, bear with me.

Efficiency is all about being able to to what you want to do when you want to do it. Today I walk through three things that anyone can do  to gain a greater understanding of the equipment and technique that everyone needs to enjoy angling.

The best part? Nothing is expensive, complicated, or exclusive. Anyone can do it. And there is a good chance – I’d say a great chance that you have already dipped your toe in each of these three things.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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The Amateur

The article was about the drudgery of nymphing in the coldest weather or storing waders for the winter or something that insinuated taking a break from fly fishing was an option. Apparently it triggered some people. A few comments and emails rolled in, questioning my angling bona fides and stating that any fly fisher worth his 6-weight never quits, never lets his boots dry, and never sleeps in past 5:00am. I think I was called a “rank amateur.” You might say that it was a sub-charitable response.

I get it, though. I do. I’ve been zealous before about things. I’ve been zealous about fly fishing and its unwritten rules, for that matter. All of us go through a stage of immaturity, after all.

Okay, maybe some people go through two.

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Curating Your Own Fly Fishing Library

Even though shelf space is limited, a good fly fishing book is worth having. And, especially around the holidays, it is worth giving or receiving.

If you fly fish, you might consider building up your own fly fishing library. It doesn’t have to be stack after stack, stocked with first editions and rare old-world volumes. A simple stack of books that cater to your area or interests is a tangible resource for when you’re not on the water. Whether you’re the kind of person who will sit for hours or simply flip to a specific page to get the information you need, there are countless books that will be helpful.

Below are five ways to get your collection up and running. The best part is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. There are options for every budget. And it is another hobby that exists on the periphery of fly fishing .

Check out all five suggestions below:

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Podcast Ep. 316: The Thankful Angler

We have a lot to be thankful for. This is a universal truth, but is especially applicable for fly fishers.

Today I walk through a handful of things most fly fishers are (or should be) thankful for. But first, I dive into some gifts that are the kind of thing that you could (or should) give to anyone this holiday seeing.  And, as I discuss, both giving gifts and being appreciative of the gifts we have been given are wonderful opportunities the season presents.

Happy Thanksgiving from Casting Across.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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Give Thanks for Fly Fishing

I am thankful for fly fishing.

I am thankful that it gives me an opportunity to slow down. Even when I’m driving hundreds of miles away and then running deep into the woods, I’m dialing back most of my mental processes. I can think deep thoughts and work through all manner of issues when I’m on the water. Or I can repeat the same lyrics to a random song over and over again for seven hours. I’m sure there are other ways I can accomplish these things, but I’m grateful fly fishing makes it happen.

I am thankful for the plethora of voices in fly fishing writing. Books were my first and most frequent angling tutors. Passing along this joy to others has been almost as fun as reading itself. In recent years, it has been a privilege and pleasure to be sought out to  read and review books; both by new writers and established figures in fly fishing.  I appreciate the words, and the men and women that wrote them.

I am thankful for a supportive wife. It would be inappropriate to say that she tolerates my fly fishing and Casting Across. She encourages it. Whether it be an occasional weekend away or a product-review photo shoot on the kitchen table, she  takes it in stride. I’m able to bounce ideas off of her, solicit constructive criticism from her, and  talk about the rarely riveting minutiae of fly fishing with her. And all of this is only a tiny fraction of why I’m thankful for her.

I am thankful for riverbanks. Catching fish or not, there is always something fascinating to find on the banks of the river. Bear tracks, old bottles, bright salamanders, and peculiar ferns are part of going fishing. Being watched by a fox has a qualitative value with an exchange rate equaling three or four fish. The splendor of flora and fauna is worth observing and, ideally,  savoring. From time to time the traces of humanity can induce a smile or some contemplation. These are moments I’m grateful for.

I am thankful to the God who created it all. It takes an unfathomable amount of faith to believe that the remarkably poignant experience of catching a wild trout is simply the result of  random chance on matter. I’m convinced that the one who rose from the dead was speaking the truth when He attested to the sovereign hand that brought the world into being, put people in it, provided a solution for our rebellious folly, and also saw fit to make brook trout beautiful. Much more could be said, but I’m most thankful to Him.

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