Bad Fish: Competing & Cheating

Ohio DNR

The late luchador, Eddie Guerrero, once said, “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.”

I’m not sure how one cheats in professional wrestling. However, that sentiment has been echoed among competitors across a number of sports. So it is no shock that the latest, hottest duo to hit the Lake Erie Walleye Trail has been busted for eschewing any semblance of angling ethics.

The pair, who had been winning tournament after tournament, was finally caught following a September 30th weigh-in. For the uninitiated, a weigh-in is the point in the competition when the empirical rubber hits the road. How much do each team’s fish weigh. Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were in the business of tipping scales, so it was no surprise their sack of walleye was heavy. What was a surprise, however, was the rigid innards of one of their fish.

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Ms. May & Trout Calendars

For over 20 years I’ve been surprised when I open the mailbox on a random day in October. Why? Because sometime in early autumn the next year’s Trout Unlimited calendar shows up. While hardly an informal holiday, it is a pleasant event to receiving mail  that doesn’t make an immediate trip to the recycling bin.

So, let it be known that I like receiving the official calendar of Trout Unlimited.

…but I’ve been less than enthusiastic about some of the photograph choices as of late. After all, it is Trout Unlimited we’re talking about. So why are over half of the pictures not trout?

I get it. Kids are cute. Excited anglers are exciting. But TU is primarily about, and I quote, “bring(ing) together  diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.” So show me some trout and salmon. If you want this hanging at my desk, that is.

Okay. Let’s pause and recalibrate for a moment. I am not truly upset. There are countless matters that are significantly more important than this. But in the grand scheme of minutiae, the  TU calendar fish count has been something I’ve thought about more than once. I think about my friend Mike’s garage, where dozens of old TU calendars graced the walls. Fish and fabled rivers covered the area around his tying bench. I think about myself, staring at bull trout, greenback cutthroats, and western rainbows as a teenager. The dates on the bottom half were incidental. The salmonids were the eye candy I was there for.

Unsolicited, I’ve decided to weigh in on the editorial choices that have been made. So I’ve got a list, some data, and my opinions. Here you go:

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Podcast Ep. 204: Why You Should Fish National Parks

You’ve got land: fish it!

Make plans to visit a National Park. While there may be other, more premier fly fishing spots in the vicinity, parks provide something unique and special.

Our National Park Service includes locations as diverse as the breadth of our country. Whether it be famous rivers in Yellowstone, brook trout creeks in Great Smoky Mountains, or the wild mangroves along the Everglades, anglers should be heading out to your land.

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

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Rusty Flybox: Maine

I am in Maine.*

*When this post is released, I will be/will have been in Maine.

The Pine Tree State is a spectacular spot for all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts. That is why my family and I are planning on catching some late-season hiking while camping in and amongst the changing foliage of northern New England. And, if all goes according to plan, I might catch a few brook trout.

Once more: Maine is thick with all manner of recreation in the woods and on the water. Today I’m sharing two articles and a podcast that are Maine-centric.

  • Brook trout are the same, but different, across Appalachian Mountains.
  • A Maine-bred conservationist has a lot to share.
  • You should fish Maine.

Click on the pictures or post titles below to read the whole articles:

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First Fly Fishing Plans for 2023

This past week, press releases about The Fly Fishing Show hit every nook and cranny of the angling internet. Dates, locations, and early ticket sales went live for the largest consumer exposition event focused on fly fishing.

Over the short history of Casting Across, I’ve written a handful of articles explaining why I recommend that fly fishers  make a reasonable effort to attend fly fishing events. A stop at The Fly Fishing Show will expose you to the latest gear, give you a chance to meet up with old friends,  and facilitate classes with some of the top names. You can ask expert fly tyers questions, take advantage of great equipment sales, and book your next expedition. At the very least, an afternoon walking around the convention center will get you really excited for the coming fishing season.

For the price as a movie ticket, you can get all of that and more. So I suggest putting it on your calendar sooner rather than later. Then, check out these three plans you might want to consider:

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Podcast Ep. 203: Finding Trout Just Hanging On

There are so many trout out there. Why care about one particular population of trout?

One of the most interesting aspects of conservation work is the cataloging, investigation, and protection of individual fish populations. Acknowledging species and subspecies demonstrates the understanding of a fish’s unique adaptations for it’s native watershed. There are also the benefits of environmental stewardship and historical preservation.

Today I talk about a few fish that fit these criteria. Hopefully it gets you thinking… and maybe out exploring.

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

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Greenbacks are Back: Trout in the News

CPW

If you’ve been even mildly aware of the greater fly fishing culture over the past few decades,  you’ve inevitably seen plenty about the greenback cutthroat trout. Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias has been the subject of countless articles, initiatives, and debates at the local and national level.

Because we all thought it was extinct.

Historically, the greenback was the easternmost strain of cutthroats. Due to all of the usual suspects, this finely-spotted fish was declared extinct in the early part of the 20th century. A few dozen years later, fish matching the description of the greenback were found, Fast forward to 2012, and those fish – fish that were being used to restore the native range of the greenback – were discovered to be genetically impure. The exception was a relatively small  population in a tributary of the Arkansas River.

This extinct/not extinct back-and-forth has long been front page fly fishing news. This week, following more developments in the greenback saga, the fish hit the  mainstream.

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Trout & Feather: September ’22

Digital media is phenomenal. Even for an activity as niche as fly fishing, there are streaming videos, eBooks, and a cornucopia of online options. The information is dynamic, engaging, and relevant. But a day will come when the power is out and the devices aren’t charged. Alternatively, you might want something that is a little more timeless… or simply quieter.

Thankfully, there is a rich literary heritage within fly fishing. The landscape of the sport would be unrecognizable without the works or Izaak Walton, Norman Maclean, and John Gierach. Generations of anglers have learned of far-off destinations, followed fly tying instructions, and daydreamed of rising trout through the pages of a book. Books are not only educational and entertaining; their ideas and the tangible items themselves connect us.

Even with all the digital resources out there, every fly fisher should consider curating their own analog angling library.

There is a link to the rest of the post, Analog Angling Library after the jump.

But before you do that, be sure to check out the two videos I’ve included in today’s post. In one, Tim from Trout & Feather makes a good case for starting from scratch with your nymph hook inventory. Then, in a throwback video from almost ten years ago, Tim walks through a fun variation on a popular pattern.

Watch the videos, and find a link to the article, below:

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Podcast Ep. 202: Concentric Circles of Conservation

Everyone says that conservation matters. But how can you show that you mean it?

You don’t need to dynamite a dam in the PNW or be the lawyer that puts Pebble Mine down for good. You can just be a guy with a bag of trash, a Saturday devoted to counting fish in a ladder, or a member of a town committee. Big stuff matters. So does little stuff. And any stuff that transcends online platitudes and bumper sticker-conservation is worth pursuing.

Today I share a few circles of action that are worth your time and energy.

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

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Be a Better Bad Caster

“Throw a tailing loop.”

I stared at Dave.  “On purpose?”  was my confused reply.

“Yes,” he urged, “cast with a tailing loop.”

My next cast was perfect.

“No. Again.”

My next cast was perfect.

“No. Again.”

Getting frustrated, I jerked my fly rod back and forth quickly.

“There it is! Good job!” His praise was real. “If you want to be good at casting, you need to be able to make all the casts, ” he explained. “You need to feel why the wrong things happen. If you can do that, you can replicate them so you’ll know what to avoid. And you’ll be able to explain it to others, too.”

I watched Dave throw tailing loops and open loops; casts that jerked right and others that curled left; casts that snapped back at him and casts that petered out well before they unrolled. “If you can do that, when you want to do that, you know how to cast,” he said.

And he was right.

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