Paul wasn’t an off the rack kind of guy. His rocky past and idyllic present were each a few standard deviations away from the middle of society’s bell curve. He knew this. He was thankful for this – even for the struggles and the scars that they left. As much as anyone would love a life on the banks of a picture-perfect trout stream, he enjoyed it more because of where he’d been. But his picture-perfect trout stream wasn’t average, either.

It was a spring creek. A wide, slow, grassy spring creek. The current never seemed to flow in a straight line downstream, but the water always ended up in the next pool. The bugs came out at weird times. The fish holed up where they shouldn’t be. The wading bordered on unsafe. Paul loved it for it’s eccentricity and how it paralleled his own perpendicularity.

He learned the value of maintaining the river’s eccentricity nearly 25 years ago. Within days of moving in, anglers and local historians were dropping in to “welcome” him. Gerry King’s predecessor, Carl Hybel, brought some sort of casserole that his wife had made. Paul wasn’t one to spurn generosity, even when it was a dish nearly a decade out of time. But if there was an emetic that could bring back something eaten in the late 90’s, Paul would gladly imbibe a bottle of it. Because that tater tot-topped trojan horse led to all sorts of trouble.

Carl returned a few days later to collect the casserole dish, etc.

I’m glad you liked it. Kathy is a real whiz in the kitchen. Hey, Paul. You mind if the guys from the chapter access the creek from your property to do a little stream cleanup?

“A little stream cleanup” sounded benign. Turning down “a little stream cleanup” would have been akin to spurning free snow plowing or trash hauling or pressure washing. “A little stream cleanup” was mitigated speech for another euphemism: habitat improvement.

Podcast Ep. 238: Approaching Mountain Trout

June 2, 2023

They’re not the biggest or most technically-challenging fish, but there is something special about a wild trout caught high up in the mountains.

And while those who spend a lot of time walking trails with fly rod in hand know that it is possible to catch dozens of feisty trout in these secluded creeks, this kind of fishing can be intimidating. It can be intimidating to a new angler. It can also be a bit perplexing to the experienced fly fisher who has only every cast into expansive runs and wide pools.

Today I’m scratching the surface of this topic by walking through what my first steps are when approaching mountain trout.

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

Fly Fishing Summer Reading Challenge

May 31, 2023

June. July. August.

Summer means bass chasing poppers, stripers crashing in the surf, and long hikes to still-chilly mountain trout creeks. These three months have a lot going for them. I’m not too fond of the heat, but I’m quite partial to the fishing… and the vacations, the evenings on the deck, and the ever-so-subtle easing of life’s pace.

For the last few years I’ve been pushing myself to read more. I’ve certainly read more quality. (Would you believe that thousands of pages of early 20th century Dutch theology is what I gush about if asked?) I’ve also made a concerted effort to read quantitatively.

I don’t read to simply add to a list. I don’t listen to audiobooks on 2X speed to warp through a semester of British lit over the course of a week. First, I’ve diversified. Theology, history, classics, mystery, and fly fishing all make the grade. It keeps my brain interested and it fuels my creativity in ways that pounding the same note over and over again never will. Second, I set goals.

And I’ve got an attainable goal for you:

Pick three fly fishing books and read them this summer.

One for June, one for July, and one for August. Even if you pick three 300-page tomes, you’re looking at less than 10 pages a day. That is the equivalent of scrolling on Instagram for 10 minutes or reading 10 unnecessary emails. Or watching the commercials during half of a baseball game. I could go on. The point is that you can do it.

I’ve written ad nauseum about the wonderful literary heritage that we all owe so much to within fly fishing. Technique, travel, and narrative all have their own special place on the angler’s bookshelf. The best loved works usually incorporate all three. A book can take you places while you’re reading it, spur you to get outside, and propel you to fish better when you’re out there. All that, for 10 pages a day.

You can do it. If you’re a reader, simply add a few fishing books to your stack. If you’re not a reader, fly fishing books usually have enough pictures to give you that shot in the arm so you’ll turn the next page. Read something new. Reread something you’ve read a few times already. Read the (short story!) Big Two-Hearted River or the marginally longer A River Runs Through It. Do it so you can say you’ve done it and so you can lay hold of that air of fly fishing cultural legitimacy.

A simple summer reading challenge is a great way to build some good book-habits. Stick to it, and it will stick to you in ways that you’ll truly appreciate.

Want a suggestion? Here are a few.

Let me know what you plan on reading below!

The Soldier-Angler

May 29, 2023

Decoration Day was the forerunner to the modern celebration of Memorial Day. A reunifying United States formally and corporately acknowledged the fallen. In steps through the decades and through other wars, Memorial Day as we know it came to be.

Thaddeus Norris’ The American Angler’s Book was published in 1864. Although the war was still being waged, soldiers still took time to fish for pleasure and for sustenance. A man might have been fighting a trout one day and then fighting for his life the next. With the high death toll of the conflict, soldier-anglers were certainly among the casualties.

This observation is not meant to trivialize the sacrifice. Unless we personally know a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who has passed in the line of duty, Memorial Day and other observances can be somewhat abstract. It can be helpful, at times, to see the intimate lines of shared experience between us. They were husbands, neighbors, fathers, friends, and fly fishers.

Podcast Ep. 237: Your First Cast with Bamboo

May 26, 2023

Bamboo might be what your great grandpa’s rod was made out of. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t fish with it too.

And maybe, that means fishing with grandpa’s clunky five-and-dime bamboo fly rod.

Why fish with a rod material that is now three generations old? Today I talk through three reasons why you should consider adding bamboo to your arsenal. I also discuss a few ways that you can procure a bamboo fly rod. Spoiler: Two of them don’t involve thousands of dollars.

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

River Apollo, III

May 24, 2023

This is, as the title says, the 3rd part of the story. Read the beginning of River Apollo here.

Paul never wanted to be a mascot for anything. One time he came close. (That is, in fact, a significant part of his life. But it is significant enough to wait for a more opportune time. It is the kind of story one shares after an unwanted guest leaves.) However, living in a prominent house on a prominent trout stream put him in the crosshairs of various foundations, associations, and causes. Every good cause needs a face, and his weathered visage was apparently good enough for both cold water conservation and historical initiatives.

Paul how’s the fishing?

Paul was already irritated by the knock. Then he was further irritated by the fact that Gerry King was the one from which the knocking originated. The phrasing of the question, which sounded as if there was no comma between “Paul” and “how’s the fishing” irritated him to a point where he knew he must consciously smile and be pleasant so as to not slam the door in the face of the regional VP of Trout Unlimited.

Straying from Black Lines

May 22, 2023

Anthropologists believe that a cave painting in the Czech Republic is the earliest example of a map that we have. The markings seem to represent local mountains, valleys, and rivers. The features on the map pointed to the fields they farmed and the forests they hunted. There was time, care, and investment represented on that stone wall. Those ancient peoples depended on their map and everything that it meant to their culture and their survival. What is still unconfirmed is which sections of the map’s river are designated as catch and release water.

Regardless if Neolithic man denoted special regulation waters or not, it is true that generations of anglers have relied heavily upon maps. And there are a number of options for today’s angler.

Printed out maps from fly shops contain timely, hand-scrawled notes and up-to-the-minute corrections. These documents don’t pretend to replicate scale. Simplistically rendered houses and fences attempt to serve as complementary, distinguishing features around the focal point. A nondescript squiggly line representing water.

Slightly more technical, topographic maps provide a wealth of information. Elevation lines to determine stream gradient. Routes to access points. Land designations. Quaint fish-with-a-hook icons. Customization is important: Highlighter to designate special regulations. Asterisks to mark parking options. Grease stains to recall where one may get barbecue.

Online maps provide layers of options (subject to data availability). Guidebooks cover nearly everything, albeit in encyclopedic bits. Apps synthesize all manner of data.

Podcast Ep. 236: Fishing Centimeters Down

May 19, 2023

Dry flies, nymphs, and streamers. They work just fine, but there are plenty of ways to fish these flies.

One of the most effective ways to fish dries and nymphs is in the surface film or just below the surface. While a high-floating dry is romantic and bottom-ticking nymphs get a lot of hype, fish absolutely hone in on bugs drifting high and tight.

Today I talk through three ways to make this valuable presentation. Nothing requires fancy gear or a different box of flies. Using what you have, you can target some hungry (and usually visible!) fish.

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

River Apollo, II

May 17, 2023

Read part I of River Apollo here.

Only once had Paul encountered a bear on the little creek that ran in front of his property. It was years ago and well upstream from his house. The gentle valley that the stream flows through intensifies ever so slightly; enough that things feel close and tight in a semi-subconscious way. It was making its way across the face of a hillside roughly 75 yards away from him. He watched it, frozen and fascinated. The wind shifted and the black bear stopped, lifted her nose, and ran directly away from him. It was fast and it made a lot of noise.

The intensity of the sounds around him immediately brought him back to that moment. Even in broad daylight, a stone’s throw from his garage, the idea of being the first victim of a bear attack in this area in modern times was very real. The potential news headlines and memories all flashed through his mind in the seconds it took before he saw the two white tails bounding through the trees. Deer. Loud, spooked deer. Deer, he thought, are so loud when you’re not looking for them. They’re supernaturally silent when you are looking for them.

Casting Across on Fish Untamed

May 15, 2023

As is the case in all facets of life these days, podcasts serve as de facto commentary for the fly fishing community. Fly Fishing podcasts have been something that I’ve written about on Casting Across since the website launched. The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast has well over 200 episodes catalogued. And I’ve been featured as a guest on a handful of podcasts, as well.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Katie Burgert from Fish Untamed. We talked about how I got into fly fishing, why I started Casting Across, and what kind of reading can turn into great angling experiences.

Even if you listen to me week after week, you’ll definitely hear something new and different as I answer Katie’s questions. Listen to the episode, and learn more about Fish Untamed, below: