Rusty Flybox: Birthday

So this weekend happens to be my birthday. And it isn’t any birthday. It is one of those birthdays. A big, round number that seemed decades and decades away only a matter of years ago is upon me.

But I don’t think it is going to be all that bad.

What it does give me an opportunity to do is share some older articles that reach back into time (not quite) immemorial. I guess that makes it time memorial. I digress.

Below, you’ll find stories that came out of:

  • My first fish
  • My first fish on a fly rod

& one other thing on the website that goes largely unnoticed.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll save a piece of pie (pie > cake) for you.

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River Apollo, VI

Paul’s name was not Paul. The name on his driver’s license was Apollo. His parents, particularly his mother, were living more like Andy Warhol than Andy Griffith around the time of his birth. There was a lot of experimentation in their life. And seeing as they weren’t particularly engrossed in Greek or Roman mythology, Paul considered their choice to name an unremarkable suburban Caucasian baby “Apollo” to be the zenith of their quest to experiment.

He didn’t mind the name on it’s own. What he didn’t enjoy was the conversation that inevitably occurred when he had to give the back story to the rare individual who discovered his true identity. No, I’m not into the space program. No, I’m not a big fan of the Rocky movies. No, I don’t have a twin sister named Artemis.

“Paul” is not only a common name, but it is a legitimate shortening of Apollo. He had no ill will towards his parents. This modified moniker, in his mind, maintained an appropriate level of respect for them. Paul is a low-profile name, and it is one that he wished he would have adopted much earlier in life.

This is part 6 of the story. Read the beginning of River Apollo here.

Paul pulled up to the Lions Clubs building that hosts the monthly Trout Unlimited meetings. The Spring Meadow chapter had been going strong for nearly 30 years. The members had done some truly remarkable things for the protection and conservation of cold water resources over the decades. Many of the local creeks had been polluted, scoured, and channelized at some point in the past two centuries. The time and finances garnered to restore some of the region’s creeks was truly respectable.

These sentiments Paul played over and over in his mind as he shut off his engine and sat in his front seat. It was 6:58. He gave himself another minute and a half’s worth of a pep talk. Flies with honey, and all that, he thought.

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TroutRoutes: 5 Things I’ve Seen

I started using the TroutRoutes app and website in February. At that point in the winter, a lot of the use really was more exploratory. I liked what I saw and anticipated the potential benefits for the upcoming season.

Six months in, and I wanted to share a few practical observations.

Once more, TroutRoutes is not social media. No one sees where you’re fishing. It is also a lot more than a glorified Google Maps overlay. Numerous data sets are integrated throughout the whole country and plugged in for the user to access without needing to navigate separate websites. These features represent one of the main reasons why the software was created: to help anglers confidently find water to fish, and do so legally and conscientious of private landowners.

After half of a year with the app, Here are five things I’ve come to appreciate about TroutRoutes:

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Podcast Ep. 249: 4 Quick Fishing Gear Mods

We live in a day and age when we can use products off the shelf and they’ll perform incredibly well. But if you spend any time on YouTube, you know that there is nothing that is off-limits when it comes to modifying everything from Nerf guns to leaf blower carburetors.

Fly fishing gear is no different.

While I don’t advocate chopping up your rod or sewing something onto your waders, there are some simple things that you can do to improve the  efficiency and effectiveness. Today I share four quick modifications that you can do with your gear to get a little more out of  it on the water.

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

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Fish Art Appreciation

Wildlife art is something most anglers and hunters appreciate. While the Venn diagram plotting the wader or camo crowd with the art gallery types might only share a slight sliver, there is still a sliver. And although Bass Pro bucks or Guy Harvey sailfish might not be critically acclaimed, they are perfectly at home in the hunting lodge or beach house.

But there are plenty of wildlife artists that truly deal in fine art. Moreover, there are plenty of paintings or prints that have significant personal value.

I have quite a few pieces that I appreciate. Some are quite special. The three pictured above have been part of my offices for over two decades.

Let me tell you their stories.

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Podcast Ep. 248: What’s in a Gear Review?

Most of us rely upon others’ reviews of products and services as we attempt to make decisions regarding our hard earned money. More importantly: as we attempt to do our best to catch more fish.

What makes a good review? What kinds of things should you look for as you shop, discern, and discriminate? To make it more personal, what kinds of things do I attempt to do as I write reviews on Casting Across?

Is this a review of reviews? In a sense: yes. Give it a listen.

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

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Never Enough Small Trout

Orange fins.

Blue halos around red dots.

Dark parr marks that span the vertical transition of vermiculated olive back to dusty golden sides.

That milky white belly.

I can not get enough. And  I hope I never will.

As an eastern angler, and a passionate devotee of all things small stream, I think about juvenile brook trout like a new parent. Everyone thinks that their kid is the cutest, but I still know mine is the best.

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Qualifly Reels: Big Game Impact

For just over 10 years, Qualifly Reels have been winning over fly fishers looking for exceptionally engineered and unique reels. Their fully machined reels are all feature rich and are backed by the customer service of the designer himself. New for 2023 is the Impact, a big game reel that comes in sizes 6/8, 9/10, and 11/12.

For the last month I’ve been fishing the 6/8, and can confidently say that it is a reel suited for any and all heavy warmwater and light saltwater situations you might encounter. This particular model gives the angler everything needed for bass, pike, or carp in a lightweight reel. It also serves in saltwater applications, such as chasing schoolie stripers (and larger),  flawlessly.

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Podcast Ep. 247: 3 Ways to Fish Out of a Rut

It could be the season of life, the weather, or even just the recent (lack of) success on the water. But whatever it is, you’ve found yourself in a fishing rut.

What can you do to get back to where you should be? Well, you could power through and just make it happen by doing the same thing over and over again. Or, you could make some small changes that grease the skids.

Unless you’re  fly fishing machine who never skips a beat, this topic probably applies – or will apply – to you. Hear my three suggestions in this week’s episode.

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

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Excel at Keeping Fly Fishing Records

I like the orderliness and comprehensiveness of spreadsheets. I use them for work. I use them for home. I use them for fly fishing.

Yes. I use spreadsheets for fly fishing.

How? I keep track of some pieces of data that I think will be beneficial. Things that aren’t apparent on the surface or necessarily what I want to focus on remembering. But when I need said information, I can click on a file and get everything and anything I need.

This all might be way too involved, too obsessive, or too high-tech for you. And that is okay.  But some aspect of keeping a few notes may very well help you in a small way. If that is the case, then great. Here are three easy ideas for keeping track of some fly fishing information:

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