Trout Working for Ducks

I  wanted to try my hand at waterfowl hunting for a few years. Living in Massachusetts, procuring the appropriate paperwork to exercise the most mild form of my second amendment rights wasn’t the most expedient process. Add in a pandemic, and what I planned on doing in 2019 didn’t materialize until this fall.

This past week I finally got out. It was, as anticipated, excellent.

Immediately I began to think about all of the things I didn’t know about hunting ducks. For as often as I am in the woods fly fishing, hiking, and camping, I was now doing something completely different. Still, there were some points of continuity between my sporting pursuits that made me feel like I wasn’t starting at square one.

Whether it is hunting ducks or getting into another new outdoor activity, being familiar with fly fishing will reveal some deficiencies and also bring some advantages. Here are two things that I need to work on, and two things that fly fishing has prepared me for, as I get into waterfowl hunting:

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Podcast Ep. 154: Final Stage Fly Fishing

Inevitably, you’ve heard about the “four stages of the angler.”

I don’t know who first came up with this timeline, but I do think it holds true. That being said, I don’t necessarily agree that it is as linear as is often implied. Often times progress means building upon the foundations you have already laid down. As you grow in your fly fishing experience, this is certainly the case.

This week I share why I think the first three stages of angling are each essential parts of the fourth.

This episode is brought to you by X-Chair. Upgrade your home office by heading to XchairCasting.com  and get $100 off your order.

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

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The Fly Trap Fly Holder

Over the  years I have accumulated a lot of fly fishing gear. There are quite a few rods and reels. I have flies designed for fish I’ll never see. There are also more pairs of nippers and forceps than a reasonable person should own. Bottles of floatant, packets of strike indicators, and sinking agents provide a near infinite array of options for presenting flies across a multiplicity of angling scenarios. So often, the majority of these items get sorted through more than they get used.

Some items, however, stay in the front of the drawer because they’re constantly used. The Fly Trap Fly Holder is one such item. For me, it has been for over five years.

The genius of the Fly Trap is twofold:

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The Closing Day Sabbath

We were created to rest. Five days of vocational work followed by two days of other work is still seven days of work. Scripture gives a divinely ordained reason to rest. Unsurprisingly, secular biologists and psychologists agree. We have periods of time for this, and periods for that. The same applies in fly fishing. For me, October 15th is the end of the season.

So, I rest. But I still fish.

Even though I live in Massachusetts, I consider the mountain streams of New Hampshire my home water. There are plenty of trout I can and do pursue much closer to home. However, the tumbling rivers deep in the forests  of the Granite State are where I feel the most connected in New England. And the vast majority close to fishing on October 15th.

There are still plenty of options for trout in New Hampshire and the adjacent states  on the 16th of October. And you’ll find me on the waters that are open to fishing throughout the winter. I don’t stop fly fishing. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t mark the end of the season. I take the opportunity to rest.

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Podcast Ep. 153: Head to Toe Fall Fly Fishing

I don’t use the term magic much. But there is something magical about fly fishing in  the fall.

The woods and the fish get more colorful. The fishing seems to last all day; it stops being a morning and evening activity. The air is crisp and and the water has a little more of a bite when your hands get wet.

All of that is much more enjoyable when you’re comfortable. In this episode I talk through my thought process of dressing for angling success. Autumn temperatures and weather can be variable, so it is always better to plan than wing it.

This episode is brought to you by X-Chair. Upgrade your home office by heading to XchairCasting.com  and get $100 off your order.

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

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3 Steps for Careful Fly Fishing

Recently I had a very unproductive morning on the water. Fish were not where they were supposed to be. In this particular river system there are a few sure-fire spots. Nothing rose and nothing spooked. If I had to guess, the brook trout dropped down into the main stem of the river to seek out smaller tributaries before the coming spawn.

The only confirmation came from a few fish in one such small tributary.

However, these fish came from a place well above where any of the transitory trout could access. Above waterfalls. Above obstructions. These fish don’t have options. They’ve been there who knows how long.  These fish were there for me because they have to be there. High water or significant drought might compel them to move somewhere else in the watershed. But it is only the most significant, maybe even traumatic, events that force these trout to move.

Loving small water and wild brook trout, there are dozens of little creeks like this that I’ve fished carefully. I’ve kept them close to my chest with similar custody.

That doesn’t mean I don’t fish them. In fact, I choose to hike up for tiny trout quite often. I play by certain rules, though. Here are three things that I consider as I do what I can to care for these fish and their streams:

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Astral: My New Favorite Fly Fishing Shoe

Outside of your terminal fly fishing gear, footwear might be one of the most important things you’ll purchase. You could make the argument that whatever you’re walking, wading, and standing in for hours on end is more important than a lot of what is in your fishing vest.

Over the past five years I’ve been wet wading in Astral shoes. The Astral Brewer is an excellent light sneaker that was designed for paddlers moving in and around the water. Initially purchased to replace some sandals, they turned into my go-to wet wading shoes. The shoes are lightweight, quick drying, and boast the best traction of any sole I’ve ever used.

They are till going strong five years later. But I decided to add another pair of shoes to my gear closet. I went with the Astral TR1 Mesh. They’re built more like a light hiker than a sneaker. Their form and function seems to be a better fit for the environments  and  fly fishing I find myself in these days.

Suffice it to say, I think I’ve found my new favorite fly fishing shoe.

Here’s how the TR1 Mesh excels in every way that have made the other Astral shoes so great on the water.

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Podcast Ep. 152: Fish Fight, part 2

So much work goes into getting a fish onto your hook. But then what?

A social media post got me thinking about how we fight fish. It is all about getting into and maintaining the right angles. This helps you and it helps the fish. Today I talk about two concepts for staying or getting in the right position when trying to get a fish to hand. One involves your feet and the other utilizes your gear.

After all, you did spend all that time getting a fish onto your hook.

This episode is brought to you by X-Chair. Upgrade your home office by heading to XchairCasting.com  and get $100 off your order.

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

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6 P’s for Taking Someone Fly Fishing

Have you been fly fishing for decades or even just a few years? Consider the volume of knowledge that you have amassed. All of the on-stream experiences add up. Include all the guided trips, books, blogs, and YouTube videos: that is a lot of angling data.

If someone asks you to take them fly fishing, they are not secretly hoping you’ll download all of said data into them while on their first foray into the activity. First, it is impossible. Second, it won’t be fun for anyone. After all, they asked you to take them fishing. They didn’t ask for a study session as if they were being quizzed on it.

Unless you’re a guide or a paid instructor, you should approach these opportunities with the mindset of sharing something you love in a way that gets through to the other person. That often means being outside, grasping the basics of the sport, and catching fish. That last one is surprisingly important, believe it or not. Here are three things that should direct your time taking someone fly fishing for the first time:

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VIDEO: Fly Fishing’s Controversial Gear

Nippers draw more ire than any other piece of fly fishing gear. The reason? Anglers are very opinionated regarding how much one should spend on this relatively simple piece of equipment.

The nipper is a simple instrument. It cuts leader material and should include a small needle for clearing out hook eyes.

You can procure an implement that fulfills all the aforementioned requirements for around $10.  Some say that is too much. Others are fine spending ten times that amount. Again, opinions are strong. Stronger than what is necessary, in my humble opinion.

Today I share a quick video with six different nipper options, ranging from $3-$100. Hopefully it helps you think about what the best option is for your fishing and your budget.

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