3 Reasons to Celebrate this Fallfish

photo: Josh Dolin | Outdoor Life

Minnows rarely make the news.

Yet a quick search for “Virginia fallfish” turns up what seems to be a relentless pursuit among anglers of the commonwealth to find bigger and bigger  examples of Semotilus corporalis. Josh Dolin is the latest fisherman to get his name attached to this underrepresented species.

Yes. Fallfish are underrepresented. They rise to dry flies. They fight as hard, if not harder, than trout of equal size. And they are native to many eastern streams that are considered trout water… even though those trout happen to be from Europe or the American west.

Obviously, there are plenty of significant differences between trout and this largest member of the minnow family. There probably shouldn’t be an initiative to establish Fallfish Unlimited or carve out a few aisles at Bass Pro for fallfish gear. That doesn’t diminish the value of the species or the legitimate intrigue of a 3 pound, 9.5 ounce exemplar.

In fact, here are three reasons why you should celebrate this fallfish and other catches like it:

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Throwback Gear Review: Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor

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.

Today, large arbor reels are the norm. A cursory search yields results showing only about one in ten reels have a traditional spool. Only twenty years ago the inverse was the case. The first generation Battenkill Large Arbor was released in the early 2000s. Subsequent models bearing the same name have come out in the years since, but they bear little resemblance to the design and engineering of the first reel. That first model has stood the test of time and countless fish.

Large Arbor

The industry transition to large arbor formats reflected a pragmatic, function-over-form mentality. For generations, fly reels all looked similar. Porting, colors, and frames varied from model to model, but the smallest trout reels and the largest big game reels on differed in size. Consequently, line would be wound around a tight central spool that fit over the drag spindle. For those big game reels, it meant hundreds of yards of backing and line coiled on itself within an already heavy frame.  Expanding the arbor allowed for larger coils, resulting in less line memory (easier casting) and quicker retrieval  (faster reeling). What started off as a helpful design for saltwater anglers quickly made its way into all fly fishing. Orvis’ entry into the fray was the Battenkill Large Arbor.

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Podcast Ep. 182: Why You Aren’t Catching More Fish

We’ve all had this experience:

You’re fishing in a stream that is loaded with trout. You’ve caught fish there. Others are catching fish there. But today, you’re not getting any action.

There are some very specific reasons why this might be the case. I’ve found that the issues aren’t so much about my casting, my fly box, or the weather. I’ve come to terms with the problem being my approach. Specifically, my patience (or lack thereof) and speed (or the lack of that, too).

Today I give some examples of how these approaches might be what are making or breaking your time on the water.

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

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Real Nippers: Worth an Extra $6

A few articles in Casting Across history have drawn ire from the fly fishing internet. There was the series of posts that calculated the “best rated” fly shop in each state. There have been reviews of products from companies that people don’t like. There are opinions, recommendations, and personal convictions that readers don’t agree with.

And then there is the real controversy: nippers.

Yes. Nippers. The simple piece of gear used to cut tippet. People get irate about nippers. Why? I have some nice tippet-cutting tools. I think there are good reasons to own them. I think they’re a great gift for the fly fisher in your life that has everything.

But I don’t think they’re necessary. Once more: $100 nippers aren’t necessary.

What else isn’t necessary is the self-flagellation of using fingernail clippers. I don’t think that you need to swing to the other end of the spectrum to prove a point or to save $6. Here are three reasons why:

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Fly Fishing Books, XII

Why would I read it if…

  • I could watch the movie?
  • The information is 20 years old?
  • I could get the same information from YouTube?
  • There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other books like it?

These questions are legitimate. But if you’ve ever read a good book, you know how the written word has the ability to not only mitigate but transcend all of those concerns.

Today I am sharing four fly fishing books. It would be reasonable to ask one of the above questions of each suggestion. Irrespective of that, I maintain that they are worth picking up and reading.

As I’ve done for all of the entries in my “Fly Fishing Books” series, I’ve spread the selections over three rough categories:

  • Guide (regional, site specific)
  • Technical (methods, locations, fly tying)
  • Literature (novels, biographies, history)

Check out one kind of each book, why I suggest it, and a bonus read below. And follow the links in the headings to get a copy for yourself.

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Podcast Ep. 181: Fly Fishing for Bigger Panfish

Anyone can catch a bluegill. But catching big, dinner plate-sized, rod bending bluegill? That takes a lot of luck, or better yet, a good amount of skill.

On today’s episode I walk through three things that will help you find, hook, and catch the biggest sunfish, pumpkinseed, and warmouth in the pond. There are some fly and gear considerations, but a lot of it comes down to locating where bigger fish like to hang out.

Panfish were the first foray into angling for many of us. But that doesn’t mean catching the largest and oldest specimens is any easier that finding big trout.

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

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Bigger Works Better: Costa Reefton PRO

The year was 2000. I stood in the bright sterility of the over-irradiated mall sunglass store, trying on pair after pair of shades. I had just seen Mission Impossible 2. Growing out my hair like Tom Cruise would take time. But purchasing some sleek, streamlined sunglasses like he wore in the action flick was something I could do now.  Those tight, trim (albeit flashy) frames set a precedent for all the eyewear I wore for two decades. I aimed for the smallest coverage I could get away with. They had to be lighter. And they had to look better.

Over twenty years later, I’ve come to realize that the most important thing in a pair of sunglasses is that they work better. For me, that meant getting frames that were bigger.

In the last few years I’ve added a few more pairs to my collection. Larger aviator lenses provide excellent coverage. Wider, thicker arms block out some of that irritating peripheral light. On the water and on the road, they both worked better than my minimalist frames. If I can be so bold, they both look pretty good on me too.

With Costa Del Mar’s new Reefton PRO, I’ve been wearing sunglasses that combine large lenses with maximum coverage from direct light.

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Sitting in a Library Reading a Fishing Book

I wasn’t looking to read a book. My goal was to use books to gather information. But despite my best efforts I was turning page after page, laughing, and getting a lot more than fishing tips.

All thanks to John Gierach.

As a child I was a vociferous reader. Books assigned in school were merely speedbumps on a road paved with stacks of books checked out from the library. If the program hadn’t had a cap, I could have sustained myself on coupons earned from Pizza Hut’s Book It initiative. But as is often the case, childlike ambition was quickly crushed by the burdens of teenage years. And by burdens, I mean angst, girls, and a general 13-17 malaise. Those factors, along with the requisite forced reports which accompanied the few books that  remained, stymied any last literary pursuits.

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Podcast Ep. 180: Fly Fishing Accusations, XVIII

We’ve got four topics to cover this time on the audience Q&A podcast. And the Qs are good! Hopefully the As are as well.

This week I’m talking about the hook barb debate, fly suggestions, John Gierach, and what to do with the silica packets that you get with a new pair of shoes. I’m confident that at least one of those items will pique your interest and potentially get you going down a fly fishing rabbit hole.

As always, thanks for the emails and the comments. I appreciate them; so keep them coming!

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

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Prince Nymphs & Cat Stevens

“What is the little white stuff on it’s back?”

“It is supposed to imitate a wing case or something.”

“It looks like it has a starched collar. Are the fish going to go for that?”

The fly shop owner peered over his newspaper at the two young men picking through the fly bins. The less-than-entomological assessment of his prince nymphs didn’t phase him much. Being the proprietor of a hardware/outdoor/variety store on what had become a sleepy main street, he was hardly bothered to the point of criticizing the casual conversation of  teenagers.

“We’ll take these flies.”

“And… two cigars?”

The fly purchase was necessary. It also greased the skids for the tobacco purchase.  17 is almost 18. But in their minds, ten dollars worth of flies would be enough to assuage any vigilance from the shop keeper. After all, he was smoking a pipe. There was solidarity along with the financial incentive. It worked.

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