There’s No Trout There

“Ain’t no fish in there.”

I’m confident that by fish he meant trout. Because there was, without a doubt, fish in this creek. Suckers finned in the clear pools. Dace chased little olives and midges. Suckers and dace are certainly fish. But few people with full vests and fancy fly rods are actively looking for suckers. Few folks with worm buckets and cane poles are looking for suckers, for that matter.

“Well, that may be,” I said. “But I’m going to give it a whirl and see if I can find anything swimming around.”

He eyed me suspiciously. I imagine he was considering what kind of nefarious or seedy deeds I was actually planning such that I’d put together such an intricate ruse of fly fishing for trout in a stream that he knew held no trout. For all he knew I was going to go and get high. Or worse, that I was a fed.

“Why don’t you try Spring Creek?” (actually, “crick”) he asked with equal parts benevolence and apprehension. “They’ve got that whole fly fishing only section. You’ve got to throw them back and everything.”

read more

Podcast Ep. 331: One Reel, More Fishing

How should you think about fly reel acquisition? Should you buy the best? Should you buy the least expensive thing that will hold line? Should you skip the headache of such questions and aim towards the center?

While I don’t begrudge anyone who wants a premium, machined reel or the angler who is content with gear made of plastic, I do have a recommendation for an option that will give you more for less money. More what? More fishing. More fishing options, specifically.

Figure out what I’m talking about, and hear my rationale, in this week’s podcast.

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

read more

VIDEO: Messing with Fly Fishing in Texas? Start Here

Texas is a big place. And contrary to many stereotypes non-Texans may have from watching westerns, there is a lot of water across the state.

If there is water, there are likely fish. And if there are fish, you can cast a fly to them. Even in some of the biggest cites in the country.

That is the point of The Local Angler series, with Dallas being the most recent entry. I’ve been quite pleased with the quality of the information and presentation in these books. So whether you’re  a native Texan or one of the many transplants, whether you travel there for business or for pleasure; these books are certainly worth flipping through to get excited for some real fish in real interesting places.

And yes… I know that one of the books was upside-down in the video. 

Watch what else I have to say about the books, and find out where you can pick them up, below:

read more

Feature-Rich Fly Line from Sunray

Virtually all fly fishing situations can be approached with basic gear. A medium fast, 8’6″, 5-weight loaded with weight forward line will give you what you need to catch trout. But modifying one of those components to better match your skill or your circumstances can make a real difference. For example, a higher quality line will usually reduce friction and allow for a longer cast. A more specialized line will be constructed with a taper that can turn over large flies, load at shorter distances, or sink at a specified rate. If your fishing would benefit from such features, it is worth considering adding a new spool or simply swapping out your core line.

Sunray ‘s Kevlar NoKnot EZ Back Cast fly line is a specialized line that is loaded with features and could serve anglers in a variety of fishing conditions.

Many of those features are  highlighted in that voluminous product name:

  • The line is built off of a Kevlar core. This means that the line, unlike the majority of fly lines, won’t stretch. While this eliminates any shock absorption in the line (your rod tip and leader still provide this), it allows for quick connections on hook sets. Subjectively, it feels like long lengths of line pick up off the water with less effort.
  • “NoKnot”  has a few implications. Like many lines these days, there is a welded loop that allows for a loop-to-loop leader connection. Sunray does add some reinforcement, so the weld won’t give out before the line itself. More unique is the integrated backing. What is actually going on is that the braided Kevlar under the PVC coating extends for another 150 feet. There is a seamless transition between the two. While this isn’t a reason to buy the line, it is a nice perk.
  • The real star of the show is the taper of the line, hence: EZ Back Cast. And that is a feature that deserves a little more attention.

read more

Podcast Ep. 330: Fly Fishing Accusations, XXXIII

Every once in a while I do get a legitimate accusation. Recently I was called out for platforming high-end, pretentious fly fishing equipment.

While I don’t want to eliminate your anticipation for what this might have looked like, I do think it is important to mention that a quick email exchange brought swift resolution.

Still, you should listen to this week’s episode to hear what I’m talking about. And, before you get to that, you’ll hear me discuss beginner fly tying and online fly fishing auctions. As always, thanks for your questions, comments, and accusations that make these episodes – and Casting Across – special.

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

read more

VIDEO: Learning from Lefty – Top Fly Fishing Books

With everything available online to the fly angler  today, what is the value in picking up a big, static, book?

Well, there is a lot. Today I share where books fit into the greater landscape of fly fishing learning. And one of the primary criteria for a book to achieve prominent status is the credentials of the author. In this space, there are few names with the clout of Lefty Kreh.

There is far more to say about the late Lefty than this blurb can contain. But the point is this: as you integrate some good educational materials into your library, you can’t do much better than the two titles penned by this legendary angler.

Watch what else I have to say about the books, and find out where you can pick them up, below:

read more

Beauty over Broken

Casting Across went the online equivalent of belly up on Sunday morning. I came home from church to a handful of emails alerting me to the fact that my website was on the bank, drying in the sun and gasping. And sitting in front of a keyboard and screen completely detached from any physical switches that could be flipped to fix the problem, I felt powerless. So, pit in my stomach, I began clicking on “how to’s.” Each used more words I had never heard before with greater frequency than the last. I didn’t know so many acronyms for protocols for how the internet works existed.

Apparently, lines of code began writing themselves in what I can only assume was a dry run for some Terminator-style technopocalypse. “Then they came for the fly fishing websites,” one day we’ll say.  Was it a malicious attack? Maybe. Certainly not anything directed at a mid-tier angling platform. There’s no crown jewels hidden in my hosting data. But people and the bots they create do mischief and tomfoolery just for the sake of it. More likely than Skynet or a hacker is the reality that I use a boatload of tools, plugins, and templates to make Casting Across hum along. Over the years, one won’t play nicely with the others and there’s a “file not found” or “critical error” fit.

Nearly ten years of writing, links all over the world wide web, and the gateway to my content  on other platforms were all buried under hyphens, strings of numbers, and whatever the symbols < and > are.

But it had never been so dire. It had never been broken.

This was a legitimate concern. And, if it happens again, it will be a concern in the future. But this last week was a reminder that things like my writing, my material possessions, and even my  lifelong passions all exist far down the priority list. Because this week my fifth son was born.

read more

Podcast Ep. 329: [Cast1] Taking a Fly Fishing Trip

There are plenty of all-inclusive fly fishing adventures that only require you to pay and show up. Such experiences are probably quite exquisite… and quite expensive. But even if you are able to afford such fineries, you’ll get more out of your fly fishing trip if you take a few things  with you.

Today I’ll talk about those things. Some are physical items that are worth packing. Others are expectations. And, as you might imagine, having the latter list in order is just as important as organizing the former.

This is the third of three podcasts focused on fly fishing trips. Hopefully these ideas can be a help if you’re going on your first or 101st angling outing.

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

read more

VIDEO: Read the Best Fly Fishing Books Without Picking Up a Book

From 1986’s Trout Bum to 2003’s All the Time in the World, John Gierach made a profound  impact on fly fishing literature. His excellent writing captured the attention of those just getting into fly fishing and seasoned anglers alike.

Due to that level of popularity, you can probably read every one of his major works without ever touching a book.

How does that work?  And why would you want to do that?  I explain myself in today’s video, and give a few recommendations on what you might want to read first. With his recent passing, many are revisiting their favorite volumes from his extensive bibliography.

Watch what else I have to say about the books, and find out where you can digitally pick them up, below:

read more

Lid Rig 3.0: Upgrade to the Top Nipper

Recently I commented that the fly fishing industry is squarely within the “build a better mousetrap” stage of technological advancements. There are very few new things that are entering the long rod, thick line, tiny fly space. That is all fine and good. But it does breed some skepticism from consumers who are being presented with the latest and greatest. I can appreciate that. A new coat of paint or some imperceptible engineering jargon is not worth hundreds of dollars; dozens might even be a stretch.

But there are plenty of people within fly fishing who are trying to tweak and tinker with what they have because they want better. Scott Wilday, the man who created and runs Lid Rig, wants a better mousetrap. His mousetrap just so happens to feature magnets and a design meant to keep one of an anglers’ most important tools right at hand all the time.

Although Lid Rig has churned out other products, most significant being other magnet-based fly and tool storage options, it is the brand namesake nipper that is getting another upgrade. Having fished with earlier models, I can say that the Lid Rig 3.0 was not created because the 2.0 failed. With hands on experience and a conversation with Wilday, it is evident that his desire was to push a good thing to be better.

read more