Fly Fishing from a Box

All-inclusive is good. There are plenty of situations where making one decision is preferable to making a handful of decisions. Add in the fact that all-inclusive usually means you’re getting a deal along the way, and it is definitely a route worth pursuing.

When shopping for fly fishing gear, rod and reel kits are a legitimate all-inclusive option for those looking for a new outfit.

Thanks to many major angling companies, pre-assembled fly fishing outfits are no longer seen only as entry level gear soon to be outgrown. Getting all you need so that you can go fly fishing from a box is a legitimate way to go. While such a purchase might be right for someone new to the sport, it doesn’t mean that she’ll be compromising. Fly fishing kits work. For a number of anglers and a variety of circumstances, such an all-inclusive box of gear is the perfect solution.

Here are three reasons why you should consider “fly fishing from a box”:

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Throwback Gear Review: Simms Freestone Waders

Fly fishing gear is a big part of Casting Across. I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetics, the marketing, and, most importantly, the function of fly fishing gear. Consequently, I’ll review new products on the site from time to time. But appreciating fly fishing gear shouldn’t only be about  the latest model or newest technology. The things that you’ve fished with for years – for decades ought to be celebrated as well.

It is in that spirit that I put together this gear review. Although some products are old or even out of production, their value compounds with use, experience, and familiarity. We should enjoy what we use when we fly fish, especially if we’ve enjoyed it for a long time.

If you’ve ever read online reviews for waders, you’ve probably had a minor existential crisis. (Or at least a minor shopping crisis.) Every pair of waders has its share of detractors. Every pair of waders has a series of reviews chronicling the leaks, tears, and ruined fishing trips foisted upon its unsuspecting waders. “$500 and I had to throw them IN THE TRASH!” Or some other, similar online assessment.

Yes: there are less reputable manufacturers. Yes: even the best brands will miss something. But usually the mainstream outdoor companies produce functional, durable waders that will take care of you for seasons if you take care of them.

My Simms Freestone waders aren’t part of my first or second-string gear lineups. But they do still work. And they’re twenty years old.

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Podcast Ep. 231: 3 Steps for Introducing Fly Fishing

Today I’m sharing three practical tips for introducing someone to fly fishing.

For you, it might be a child, a friend, or a spouse. Simply putting them next to you in the water probably isn’t enough. I walk through three things that are worth thinking about: exploration, opportunity, & access.

Whether you’re just getting into fly fishing yourself, or you’re shooting to get someone involved with you this season, listen to how you might want to go about introducing fly fishing.

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

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Best of Show, According to You

There is a lot that you can do at The Fly Fishing Show. Seminars, classes, and other educational opportunities are worth the price of admission. Booking trips or getting ideas for the upcoming season is a great way to kick start the year.

But let’s be honest: looking at gear is one of the best parts of wandering the exhibition hall.

To create some friendly competition, and to highlight the best of the best, the Consumers Choice Awards were instituted last year. Show attendees have the opportunity to vote for products that impressed them the most.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that these are the best products. But, it does indicate which products showed well at the Show. And that does count for something… Even if it is just another look.

Check out the Consumer Choice winners for 2023 here:

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The Day After

We flew in during a thunderstorm. Layovers and small-engine  craft made the segments of the trip feel like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit. Travel can often feel like a chore. At times it has more of a trial feel. The early darkness from the late summer storm took away the sense of place from that wearying day of transit. We had arrived. We miraculously arrived with all our gear. But there was to be no fishing that afternoon. And as evening quickly came over the lodge, the only way we could perceive the river and the surrounding environs was in momentary freeze frame lightning  flashes.

The dawn of the day after was when everything clicked. No flights to catch. No gate changes or missed meals. Just a river full of fish and opportunities. That first day was so crazy, so busy, even so exhilarating. But we experienced where we had arrived on the day after.

I can’t help but think that was how small group of men and women in first century Palestine felt nearly 2,000 years ago today.

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Podcast Ep. 230: Fly Fishing Accusations, XXIII

I got accused of something!

Well, maybe not. And if it is, it isn’t particularly accusatory. But it is a disagreement about fly fishing gear.

So, I address it. I also talk about how and why  I create the podcast that I do. The last topic on the episode has to do with all the component pieces that one can use when fishing streamers.

I truly enjoy interacting with all the emails and website comments I receive. These podcast editions give me a chance to respond in a fun way.

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

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Orvis’ Fools: Its Not that Crazy

I am not a huge fain of April Fools’ Day. Primarily for the reason that I am already quite skeptical of anything and everything I read online. But I do enjoy the yearly gags that some companies routinely roll out. Orvis’ efforts, with all the marketing power at their disposal, are usually worth a smile.

This year they didn’t disappoint. Here’s a quote from the press release from the “Orvis HG”:

Introducing the Orvis HG Bamboo Fly Rod! A triumph of science and craftsmanship, this new rod puts bamboo within reach of every angler, and it makes a great project for the whole family to enjoy. The HG is for “home grown,” because you actually start with a seed and grow a complete bamboo fly rod from scratch.

That is funny. Not chortle out loud funny. But cute, smile and read the rest of the satirical article funny. Which is precisely what I did as I was drinking my coffee on April 1st.

Then I got thinking. Why not? Why not grow bamboo? Why not fish with it?

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Trout Power: The Genetics of Native Fish

brook trout fin samples: troutpower.org

Not all native fish are truly native. It is a gross oversimplification to assume that a brook trout in a New York stream is part of an unbroken line of char going back millennia. Although a watershed or an individual river may have historically contained a particular species of fish, there are numerous reasons why the fish now present are more recent residents. Stocking, migration, and weather events can all alter native fish populations. The only way to discern these changes is through genetic analysis.

Genetic analysis is often the only way to reliably identify individual strains, or populations within a trout species. Anglers are able to tell the difference between different species of trout through coloration or pattern. Within a species, those aesthetic differences aren’t always as significant when trying to determine strains.

Spots, stripes, and hues are not generally reliable indicators among brook trout populations. They might reflect water chemistry or the coloration of the stream bottom, but a dark fish in one creek may very well be of the same strain as a lighter-bodied fish in an adjacent creek. Interestingly, another lighter-bodied fish found far upstream in the latter creek may be genetically distinct.

How is this information gathered, and why is it relevant to the angler?

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Podcast Ep. 229: Investing in Tomorrow’s Fishing Today

What kind of fishing investment am I talking about? The kind in people: yourself, those around you, and those who will be fishing tomorrow.

Today I share a little bit about the most prominent influence in my life related to angling and conservation: the Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp. I can honestly say that my week at that camp (and a string of years as it’s director) made a significant impact on how I fish and think about fishing.

Hear me share my story and how you can get involved.

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

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Genuinely Getting Fly Fishing Work Done

The gents over at the Tailer Trash Fly Fishing podcast tout themselves as “The most genuine fly fishing podcast in the world.” When they do the kind of thing that they’re doing at the Marine Discovery Center this April, they make a pretty good case for that claim.

The format and/or content of T2F2 might not be your thing. (Empirically, that puts you in the minority: it is one of the most popular fly fishing podcasts out there.) But the Space Coast crew puts their money where their mouth is. They are all about fun, community, and legitimate conservation. In a world of virtue signaling and repost karma they are genuinely getting fly fishing work done.

One of the local outlets for this work is the Marine Discovery Center. This local organization is dedicated to education, conservation, and  exploration in the Indian River Lagoon. The ongoing partnership formed between the MDC and the Tailer Trash guys reflect the podcasters’ commitment to supporting their local natural resources while simultaneously building community.

If you find yourself within a short drive of New Smyrna Beach, check out the Marine Discovery Center. If you’re free on Saturday, April 15th – you could do a lot worse than attending this event with these guys:

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