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.
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?
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?
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.
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:
“Everyone says it, but it is really true for our veterans: trout don’t live in ugly places.”
Joe Cresta didn’t hesitate when asked why fly fishing is such an effective avenue for helping veterans. Cresta is the New England Regional Coordinator and Chair of Project Healing Waters‘ Advisory Council. PHW is a country-wide, fly fishing-focused nonprofit that seeks to facilitate the emotional and physical wellbeing of veterans. “But there’s a lot more to it than being outside and catching fish,” he continued.
“For so many of us, life goes from 100 miles an hour to zero when we return to civilian life. We enjoyed the structure of the service; outside of that feels like the wild west. We enjoyed the camaraderie of the military; we don’t always have that anymore.”
PHW was founded in 2005 to serve wounded service members at Walter Reed Medical Center who recently returned from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then it has expanded to over 200 programs which work with veterans from the Korean War to those who come home from duty today. Knowing that not all wounds are visible, the only requirement for participation is a disability rating from the VA or a referral from a doctor.
“Once they’re in,” Cresta says, “they get that structure and brotherhood that they’ve been missing.”
While you are more than welcome to try to catch the largest fish in a particular line class, I’m talking about record-keeping. What kind of records, you ask? Well, I have four that I discuss on this episode of the podcast.
Whether you have a fancy Moleskine journal or (like me) use Excel, there is some information that can be beneficial to you if you take a few moments to record it. And who knows: maybe it will help you catch a world record fish.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
I used to have regular stuff and fishing stuff. There was a hard line of demarcation that was basically drawn by where a certain article of clothing or piece of gear came from. Orvis and Cabela’s stuff was fishing stuff. Eddie Bauer and Target stuff was regular stuff.
Then one day I realized that my fishing sunglasses were infinitely better than the sunglasses I kept in my glovebox. Why was I compromising? Why didn’t I want clearer, lighter, and more comfortable sunglasses while I was driving? Sure, they could get dropped or sat on. But they don’t have a finite number of uses built in, such that walking around town in them would cause them to spontaneously combust.
Once I came to this (obvious, simple, etc.) realization, it completely changed the way I bought and used gear. Here are a few thoughts on the matter:
In the fly fishing community, the consensus on wading gear is waders and boots. Find breathable waders that fit and pair them with a good pair of boots that fit too. This way, you not only stay dry: you stay comfortable and can move safely. For the vast majority of anglers across a wide variety of conditions this is the way to go. But in frigid tailwaters or mid-winter steelhead rivers there is one variable that becomes as important as comfort and safety.
You have to stay warm.
All trout water is cold. Sometimes, it gets so cold that it is unbearable or even dangerous. No matter how many layers you put on, there will be some limitations based upon your waders:
You can only fit so many warm layers under your waders.
You can only have so much air circulation in your wading boots.
Why do those matter? And what can you do about it? Let me explain:
Dry flies looked about the same 100 years ago. Streamers? Things were a little different.
We hadn’t gotten around to articulated flies that use half a bucktail yet. But we still caught fish. And the flies that were being fished worked. Plus, you could cast them on your regular trout rod. All was well in the world.
And it still is. There is no reason why you can’t fish a Mickey Finn, Grey Ghost, or Edson Tiger today. In fact, I suggest you do. So much that I recorded a whole podcast on the worthwhile enterprise.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
