Podcast Ep. 261: Cold Fly Fishing Encouragement

The weather outside is frightful. Or, at least it will be.

And you’re all ready to fish in it. Right?

If you have the gumption and the warm socks, there is no reason why you can’t fish in the coldest months out of the year. Today I tackle two big hurdles that people face when it comes to fly fishing in cold weather. I also give two techniques that ought to encourage you to get out and explore your local waters in a new way this season.

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

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Moving Fly Fishing Gear

Ah, moving. There are few moments in life that are more stressful and chaotic. Moving is essentially the exact opposite of fly fishing.

If and when you do have to move, you are going to take your angling gear with you. Sure, you could just let the movers have their way with your rods and fly collections. Or, you could treat your valuable reels and even more valuable hackles in the exact way you pack shoe racks and pie pans and photo albums. I think you can see that there is  a better way.

I’ve moved a handful of times. And I’m in the process of moving. While I don’t intend to leave my friends to unload the truck while I hit the river, I also don’t intend to lose or lose track of my fly fishing gear for weeks or months. So while moving is stressful and chaotic, there are a few things you can do to keep your equipment safe and at hand.

Here are four things to consider:

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Trout & the Depth of Temptation

He had ducked under the chain link fence so many times in his mind that doing it for real felt normal. Trespassing wasn’t something he normally fantasized about. However this particular temptation was too hard to resist. The map showed that on the private stretch the river cut deep into the valley. Upstream was always crowded, and separated from this off-limits portion by what was essentially a waterfall. Downstream was private, as well; privately owned by a club too expensive and to pretentious for him to ever join. But too expensive, mostly. Both adjoining segments held fat, wild trout. The forbidden water was surely to die for.

Abandoning his scruples for good fly fishing drove him to the edge of the fence. Its dilapidated nature and singular, modest sign practically pulled him under. It wasn’t “NO TRESPASSING.” It wasn’t “PRIVATE PROPERTY.” It definitely wasn’t “NO FISHING HUNTING TRAPPING.” All that kept him and all the other anglers at bay was a rusty sheet of metal nailed to a tree, scrawled with “KEEP AWAY” in poorly applied paint.

Once he was on the other side of the fence the heat of the moment transformed into a cool damp all over his body. No one was here. No one would know he was here. He just would have to exercise caution when resurfacing on the road.

He had never been on this side of the fence. And while he didn’t expect a maintained trail down to the water, he was surprised by how the hillside of the valley was remarkably steep; much steeper than the public water only a few hundred yards away from where he had entered. The vegetation was thick, too. Pines with low boughs and shrubbery made moving difficult, yet he simultaneously struggled to stay upright because of the pitch of his footing.

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Podcast Ep. 260: Fly Fishing Accusations, XXVI

So I messed up.

To my knowledge, I have never deleted an email from a reader or listener. But just today, right before recording, I did. So whoever you are, this week’s podcast starts off with my heartfelt apology and an answer to your question.

Along with that little bit of Q&A, I interact with two other bits of feedback that will be worth your while.

Thanks for listening!

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

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8 Years: A Quick Look Back

In the previous article I commented on how appreciative I am for all the clicks you’ve given Casting Across over the past eight years. I also shared what I plan to think about over the coming months as I put together content on the site.

Today, I’m looking back. I’m not looking all the way back. I’m only taking a glance at the previous 365 days.

Below I’m sharing four posts that garnered a lot of reads and downloads from you. I’ve picked four categories from the site and linked to each post. Also, I’ve added a word or two as to what I think about each piece – and why I assume you responded so favorably.

Thanks for reading the first time through, and enjoy the best of the best one more time below.

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8 Years: 1,250 People, Places, & Things

Thank you.

Why? Well, you’re reading this article on this website.

And while I’d be writing something, somewhere if I weren’t creating content for Casting Across, I’ve been doing this for the past eight years because you are reading this.

Over 1,250 posts and I don’t have plans on stopping anytime soon. In fact, I have designs on what might be coming up in the near future on Casting Across. Interested?  I’ll share what I’m thinking below.

But first, I want to ask something: Could you pass the site or the podcast  along to a fly fishing friend? I don’t pay for marketing or spend time trying to optimize my search engine ranking. Casting Across relies on word of mouth, social media shares, and the like.

And here’s what you, and anyone you refer to Casting Across, can expect:

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Podcast Ep. 259: The 3 Top Gear Reviews

Casting Across is not a “gear review site.” But it does feature quite a few gear reviews.

And, apparently you like them.

My gear reviews receive thousands upon thousands of views every year. I usually keep those opinions confined to the specific articles, but because there are a lot of thoughts that surround the gear and how I’ve used it over the years I thought I’d mention them on the podcast.

Today I’m talking about the top three gear reviews (by views) I have on Casting Across.

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

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The Last Thing I Need

Sometimes, I get asked questions; questions to which I have a standard response. Here are some examples:

Do you golf?

No. I’m terrible at it. And the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.

Do you bike?

I’m afraid I’d get run over on these New England backroads. And the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.

Do you ski?

I’ve tried it. I can go fast, but I can’t stop. It isn’t ideal. And the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.

I type these words for my fly fishing website, surrounded by over a half dozen bookshelves, in the heat of another duck season. I’m obviously not opposed to diving head (and wallet) first into an activity that interests me.

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How to Find a Fly Shop

Do you have a fly shop?

Only a generation ago, it would be virtually unthinkable for a committed fly fisher to answer “no.” Fly shops were one got gear, got information, and got community.

Today, the internet can and does provide all of those things. But we all know that it isn’t the same. Statistics show that all demographics desire the tangible and the personal after years of virtual.

So, if you are a committed fly fisher: do you have a fly shop?

If not, I’ve got you covered. Here are three things you ought to do when looking for your fly shop.

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Podcast Ep. 258: Death on the River

Sometimes it takes something jarring to get you to realize that you’re not as safe as you thought.

While fly fishing isn’t a risky or dangerous activity, the fact of the matter is that it has elements of risk and danger. Why? It is outside, it is near the water, and you can’t control everything all the time.

Today I share a few sobering anecdotes, along with ways to stay safe on the water. You’re never going to eliminate risk and danger. These are four things you need to know that will hopefully limit what could turn a good day into a tragic one.

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

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