TroutRoutes: Mapping Angling Adventure

There are certain tools that are indispensable in fly fishing.  A rod and line are obviously important. You need flies, too. Tangible on-stream items begin to add up quickly. Often overlooked, but no less significant, are all the resources needed to be successful on the water. Casting instruction and reading the water aren’t automatically imparted once you step into a stream. And before you step in the water, you need to know if you can legally fish in that particular spot and, if so, how you get there.

Figuring this out has always meant relying upon the guidance of others. Similarly, you could cross-reference state regulations with maps. If you wanted to add another layer of information, you could overlay the access information  found in local or regional guidebooks. Or, you could download TroutRoutes.

There are a number of fishing apps out there. What differentiates TroutRoutes, first and foremost, is that the data is not crowdsourced. Neither is it about you sharing your information.  TroutRoutes was designed so that anglers can know  where and how they can fish, legally and conscientiously.

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Podcast Ep. 223: Das Wading Boot

How much can you say about wading boots? Well, at least 20 minutes.

I’ve long maintained that wading boots are one of the pieces of gear that deserve your hard earned money. They keep you comfortable and they keep you upright. Or, they keep you fishing.

In today’s episode I talk about some things to think about when shopping for wading boots (and I do intend that as plural!). This is a great discussion to share with a new angler, as I walk through some of the most common questions.

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

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Now I Have Him

Freshwater. Saltwater. Fly tying. Lifestyle. For decades, I have bought plenty of items from every one of those sections in fly fishing catalogs. In recent years, shooting and paddle sports have been added to the mix. Browsing the aisles of an outdoor store or scrolling through an online retailer, I could easily find something anywhere that would be useful. With one exception. Dog stuff. Collars, toys, and treats might as well have been golf clubs or ski poles. I didn’t have a use. But that stuff was always at Orvis, always at Bass Pro, and usually at local fly shops.

Now I have a use. Because now I have a dog.

To be more precise, my family has a puppy. This charming little lab/husky mix’s mom was a rescue. While she was being processed for adoption, she gave birth to eight pups who yielded an unprecedented number of applications. At the same time all of this was happening, I was a month into processing feelings around how much I had enjoyed the company of some family pets over the holidays.

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Trout are Tough

photo credit: Eric Lu

I am all for the safe handling of fish; especially trout. But I’ve seen plenty of things in my decades of being outdoors to dispel any assertions that trout are delicate organisms living their lives in constant threat of mortal peril. You can kill a fish if you’re careless. They’re also a lot more robust that we give them credit for.

Empirically, fish persevere because they get big and perpetuate their populations. Anecdotally, I’ve encountered trout that should not be alive but are.

There was the sixteen-inch rainbow with the snagging hook stuck in it’s gut. Just north of his anal fin, the  golf ball sized treble hook sat embedded and snug. The fish ate my fly just fine. He fought well; perhaps from the perpetual weight lifting he had been engaging in for who knows how long. There was no sign of infection. There wasn’t any indication of malnourishment or stress. I removed the hook, tossed him back in, and he swam away. I’m confident he’s awaiting an opportunity to repay the favor.

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Podcast Ep. 222: 4 Ideas for Offseason Action

Yes. I know that for most fly fishers there is no “offseason.” But at the bare minimum, contending with shorter days and impossible weather will render the December-February period less intense than June or September.

With that big caveat out of the way, I want to share what this episode is about: Redeeming the time.

Today I talk about four things that you can do sans fly rod that are perfectly suited to cold days. Plus, each and every one will have a tangible payoff come springtime.

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

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Solitude Together

For most anglers, fly fishing means being alone together.

It is an oxymoron. But it is certainly something that anyone who fishes understands. Fly fishing is all about solitude, but it is a solitude that we often love to share with others.

Why does this matter? Because relationships matter. People matter a whole lot more than fly fishing. And fly fishing can be an excellent point of contact for people. Sharing the solitude gives the pursuit much more value than it possesses on its own.

Not to overanalyze what ought to be natural, but  how do you pursue fish and people simultaneously?  How do you pay attention to someone else and pay attention to your drift? To be very pragmatic; how do you cast next to someone else who is casting?

There are some settings where it is possible to fish a few yards from each other and not compromise your angling efforts. Heavy spinner falls, salmon runs, or amidst the crashing waves on the beach: these situations allow for conversation and fishing in equal measure. If you are sharing a drift boat, then this dynamic is automatically part of the experience. Proximity usually means a running dialogue punctuated by hook sets or attempts to convince the other person to move to a new spot.

It is completely within the rules of fly fishing to stop, sit, and rest while on the water. Taking breaks allows you to perform the essential tasks of observation and rest. Or, there could be a conversation. Streamside chats could be purely about tactics, or they could go deeper. There is something disarming about being in nature that facilitates genuine discussion, even among the most hardened of individuals. Fishing is about more than catching fish. We all know that. Enjoying the scenery and the company doesn’t  compromise what you’re there for. If anything, it enhances it.

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Lizards & Largemouth

The small college I attended in South Carolina was situated on a significant piece of land in the state’s Piedmont region.  There were rolling sand hills covered in pine trees, and sharp bluffs overlooking a broad river. We also had two ponds. Each held significant populations of the premier fish of the American south: the largemouth bass.

It is hard to overestimate the cultural ubiquity of the largemouth bass in the majority of the sub-Mason-Dixon region. Their silhouettes adorn everything from mudflaps to biceps. They’re found everywhere, they grow large, and they eat everything. This last aspect of their character is what I’ll be discussing today.

Even before I considered fishing either of the campus ponds I spent time walking their weedy banks. Coming from a slightly more northern latitude, I was fascinated by the fire ants and rattlesnakes that simply existed in the real south. I was amazed to find giant spiders  creating webs between cattails. I was terrified by the car tire sized snapping turtles. I was intrigued when a faint slap on the surface of the water resulted in an explosion that sounded like a cinder block had been tossed into the pond.

More interesting was that it happened again. This time I saw what caused it.

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Podcast Ep. 221: What (was) Pebble Mine?

Did you hear that Pebble Mine is toast?

One of the most significant conservation initiatives in fly fishing history has (hopefully) come to a positive conclusion. In this episode, I give a brief recap of what the proposed mine was all about and why it elicited such a strong reaction from the outdoors community. Also, toward the end of the podcast, I throw in a few items that should be food for thought for those who have been paying attention to this long battle.

Check out this brief show, and then head online to dive deep into the multi-faceted subject that was and is the fight against Pebble Mine.

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

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Fishing Shopping: In Person or Online?

Anyone who has spent significant time in a great fly shop knows that a lot more happens in these eclectic small businesses than  buying and selling. Fishing tips are given. Cups of coffee are shared. Friends are made. But obviously, the transactions are what keep things humming along.

I continue to champion the value of patronizing local fly shops. We need them. They need us. There is no doubt about that.

However, the siren song of online tackle dealers and web-only sales are hard to pass up. There is something to be said for choice, convenience, and savings. At the same time, those three  pragmatic facets ought not shift all or most of our fishing business to the virtual storefront. There should be a balance. It isn’t wrong to buy something online. It isn’t inherently right to buy something from a brick and mortar.

Hopefully you’ve not had a crisis of conscience about this issue. But it is worth considering. Here are three reasons why shopping online might be the way to go:

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3 Ways to Learn at The Fly Fishing Show

Every year I attend at least one stop on The Fly Fishing Show’s east coast schedule. Along with catching up with fly fishing friends and browsing the exhibitors’ booths, I made time for the various kinds of scheduled programs. This year I watched a casting demonstration focused on dry fly presentation. I attended seminars explaining flies for trophy brook trout and two-handed gear. I was also given the opportunity to sit in on a fly tying class for articulated streamers.

I continue to be impressed at the quality of these presentations and their applicability for all kinds of anglers. Similarly, I am surprised that more aren’t standing-room only.  Even though there is an absolute wealth of information available online, the personal and in-person aspects of these programs create unique educational  occasions.

These demonstrations, seminars, and classes are all different in format and content. Each are valuable for all anglers, especially those who are already planning on attending The Fly Fishing Show (or similar expos).  Here are  quick breakdowns of the three programs and their distinctives:

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