Podcast Ep. 136: Why You Should Fish Rocky Mtn. NP

Although it is certainly not the most wild place in the west, Rocky Mountain National Park provides plenty of fantastic fly fishing opportunities.

Rocky Mountain is one of the most visited national parks in the country on an annual basis. It boasts numerous visitor centers, hundreds of miles of trails, and most of the iconic species of the region. All that, and a lot of trout. Moreover, there are plenty of options for the angler.

Listen as I talk through where to fish, what to bring, and why a quick trip to RMNP with rod in hand is well worth it.

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

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Rusty Flybox: True Companions

Like a lot of you, I have quite a few fly rods. There is certainly wisdom in having the right tool for the job. Different weights and lengths allow you to accomplish different tasks. For each of us, there is a point where we decide to add another arrow to the quiver.

Admittedly, sometimes that point is just because I want to.

Still, I keep coming back to the same fly rods. Perhaps it is because I made the best choice the first time around. It could be that I have just become comfortable with them. Maybe, just maybe, most of the rods I’ve acquired in the years since have been superfluous.

No. That can’t be it.

Regardless of why you or I return to the same rods for fly fishing season after season, they are worth celebrating. They’re just bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite. But without them, where would we be? Here are some thoughts on three of my true companions:

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Altoona Brookies: Squaretails on the Diamond

Why is Altoona, Pennsylvania the only place in the world where you’ll be able to watch nine grown men, dressed up as brook trout, running around a field?

On the weekend of June 25-27, the Altoona Curve (AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) will be taking the diamond as the state fish of Pennsylvania.  For a series against the Harrisburg Senators, they’ll rebrand themselves as the Altoona Brookies. Along with the new name, caps, and jerseys, the club will be promoting a number of local conservation organizations.

Add in all of the normal, minor league fun that comes with a night at the ballpark and you  have an excellent opportunity for the family to have a great night out – especially outdoors enthusiasts and anglers.

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Podcast Ep. 135: Fly Local

Who doesn’t love a good fly fishing trip? Whether it be exotic locations on the other side of the globe or premier destinations across the country, most anglers long for exciting water in which to fish.

But what about the creek down the road?

In this episode, I talk about the inherent value of fishing locally. The trout might be stocked, the ponds might only hold sunfish, and the ambiance might not be pristine. But there is value. I also discuss how staying local is valuable in three other aspects of fly fishing.

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

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Planning & Executing: A Fly Fishing Gift

“You want to know what your Father’s Day present is?”

“Umm… do you want to tell me?”

“When we go on vacation to Virginia later this month, we want you to take a whole day to go fishing.”

“That is a great present.”

“I was going to surprise you, but I thought you’d have more fun if you got to plan it all out.”

“Yeah, that and I need to pack the right gear… That is great; thank you!”

What followed was something of a mental flowchart. Laying in bed, the options and the alternatives and the pros and the cons all ran through my head. I get to fish a lot. Getting an entire day to fish is still a treat, though. Having the opportunity in the Mid Atlantic, my fly fishing home waters, is extra special. Usually I do fish when we go down to visit family. A morning in the mountains for brook trout. An after dinner session with the kids on the suburban retention ponds.

But a whole day? This is a good thing (and a great gift). And she was right: part of the fun has already been planning it out. So how does one go about choosing when there are so many choices, so many favorites, so many unexplored waters?

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Weigh, Measure, & Show Grace

I’ve never carried a scale or a tape measure on the river. At one point in my life, when I fished primarily with a single fly rod, I knew the length of the rod butt to the cork and to the stripping guide. Even then, the inconvenience of laying a trout alongside my rod made this process tedious. So I didn’t do it. As far as weighing fish goes, I did have friends who would carry a spring-operated scale in their tackle box. These devices, which clip to the fish’s mouth, seemed inaccurate. Moreover, their use on a lot of two and three pound fish seemed unnecessary.

What is the point of quantifying fish with precision?

There are some situations where it makes sense. As heretical as it may sound to fly fishers, keeping fish is a thing. When one does that, measuring is very important. Regardless of what you think of tournaments, they rely upon numerical record-keeping.

More valid than both of those examples though are the benchmarks of the angling community. Although it is ultimately arbitrary, a 10 pound bass means something. What does “a five pound trout” mean? I am impressed with a 20 pound catfish… but should I be? Don’t some get to be 100 pounds? And circling back to bass: In some California lakes 10-pounders are by-catch. Up north? A 10 pound largemouth isn’t just something. It is legendary.

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Podcast Ep. 134: Sunglasses – Don’t Fish Without Them

Aside from my rod, line, reel, and flies, there is no more important piece of fishing gear than sunglasses.

Yes, they keep the sun out of your eyes. But a good pair of sunglasses will help you catch fish and keep you safe. There aren’t many gadgets that you can slide into a vest pocket that you can say that about. That means “any old pair” might not do. It also means that you would be justified in spending more than $20.

In this week’s podcast I talk about how to choose frames, how to select lenses, and how I chose the specific sunglasses that I fish in.

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

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Smallmouth Will Ruin It

Smallmouth bass are dangerous. Wherever you find them, they cause headaches for fly fishers who normally pursue trout. They change everything. Once these strong, fast predators make inroads, you can be sure that they’ll impact your angling.

Why? You’re going to forsake the gentle creeks for the big rivers. You’ll have felt the pull of a smallmouth. You’ll have seen the surface explode under a  popper. How are you going keep anyone down on the stream once they’ve seen river bass?

Pound for pound, inch for inch, smallmouth are perhaps the most well-rounded freshwater fish. Some fish might pull harder, but don’t get as big or chase the same variety of flies. Other species grow to gargantuan sizes only to fight with significantly less gusto. A smallmouth bass will eat anything and everything, run hard, jump high, and fool you into thinking you’ve hooked into something much larger every time.

They’re dangerous to trout anglers, though. Particularly when they’re found in rivers, fishing for these bass is a simple transition. Aside from retrieved surface flies like poppers, sliders, and gurglers, fishing for smallmouth is essentially the same as fishing for trout. And while the dramatic strikes and active angling of topwater patterns is productive (and a real thrill), you’ll catch more smallies if you do fish for them like trout.

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Memorial Day, the Right Way

There is no right way to observe Memorial Day.

Go fly fishing. Grill something in the backyard. Take care of some house projects, lounge in front of the TV, or catch up on some work that needs to get done.

In my opinion, all of those activities can be right for Memorial Day if they’re done with some contemplation. With a few moments of conscious recognition that we’re able to take the day off, able to work, and able to whatever because of the relatively unique brand of freedom that we have in the United States. That freedom is something we shouldn’t take for granted. It is special because of what it is, but more so when we consider that it was purchased with the lives of thousands. Lives that were, for the most part, voluntarily laid down.

Head outside into the woods or stay on the couch. If you do so with remembrance, humility, and gratitude, I think you’re doing it right.

Enjoy today, Memorial Day.

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Podcast Ep. 133: Fly Fishing Gifts

Giving gifts to a fly fisher isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Admittedly, we’re a pretty particular bunch.

I mean, we have preferences on which kind of nippers we use to cut millimeters of tippet.

In this week’s podcast, I do give some specific ideas. However, I also talk about a few kinds of gifts that you can give (or ask for) that are virtually foolproof. There are some gifts that anyone, anywhere, regardless of how long they’ve fished or what they fish for, can use.

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

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