Podcast Ep. 147: Reaching for a 3-Weight

I know. I talk about light fly rods a lot on Casting Across.

Part of the reason is because I really, really enjoy them. And the other part is because some of you still need to learn that they are really, really enjoyable.

In all seriousness, in today’s podcast I talk about the versatility of a shorter and/or lighter fly rod. They’re not just gimmicks. They’re really helpful for casting line, presenting flies, and playing fish. I also go down memory lane, sharing some anecdotes about my first times seeing and fishing with these rods.

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

This episode of The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Use the code CASTING at checkout for 20% off your entire order and free worldwide shipping.

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Laughing At Form: Fly Fishing Function

This image popped up immediately upon searching for “stereotypical ugly fishing gear”

Today, like every day, I opened my email to see a litany of messages from fly fishing companies. Each got a quick glance. One gave me pause. There was a new pair of wading boots that was being touted. New technology. New angling opportunities. New! I bet they work really well. But they sure are ugly.

Perhaps I’m being overly critical. Maybe I’m superficial. After all, fish don’t care. Fly fishing isn’t a fashion show. Only vain and inefficacious anglers give a second thought to how they look. Or it is conceivable, that if given the choice between something hideous and something less-than-hideous, people can take a moment to choose.

Styles come and styles go.  In my 25 years of fly fishing I can finger at least three distinct color palettes that dominated the catalog pages: British khaki and forest green, tan and sage, steel and navy. We’re not at neon and floral prints… yet.

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Smallmouth: A Fly Gear Primer

Smallmouth bass are an excellent species to pursue with a fly rod. In fact, smallmouth techniques have more in common  with traditional trout fishing than with popular largemouth bass practices.

While trout gear will get the job done in many situations, the angler who chooses to chase smallmouth with regularity will want some species-specific equipment. Making such changes will give you an advantage as you fight smallies. More importantly, you’ll be able to cast and present flies much more efficiently.

Here are some preliminary suggestions for smallmouth rods, reels, lines, leaders, and flies:

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Podcast Ep. 146: Camp Close to the Fish

There are two schools of thought when it comes to sleeping on a fishing trip. Some people want comfort: resorts, hotels, your own bed. Some people want quick: tents, cabins, someone’s futon. Both approaches have their place. Your budget and your destination might be the determining factors. But the benefits of quick are cost, effort, and proximity to the river.

If you can, and your car allows for it, there are a lot of benefits to spending the night car camping. You can’t get any quicker than that.

Today I discuss why you’d (potentially) want to sleep in your car, as well as how and when I choose to go that route.

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

This episode of The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Use the code CASTING at checkout for 20% off your entire order and free worldwide shipping.

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Art of Appreciation

There are many talented fly fishing artists out there. I am always impressed at the diversity represented in the depictions of something as simple as a brook trout flank. Light spots on a dark background. Orange bellies and white tipped fins. Vermiculated backs leading to square tails. But they are presented using different media, different techniques, and different visions. One fish, many interpretations.

Trout in particular, but fish in general, inspire people to depict them in some way, shape, or form. There were cave paintings of fish. There are fish adorning the walls of the great art museums of the world.  There are countless Instagram accounts featuring digital and physical angling artwork. Whatever the next thing might be, fish will be in it because fish demand portrayal. Their color, their shape, and their lines move our hands and minds.

Even someone like me, with a modicum of talent, can put something halfway presentable together.

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National Parks: Fish Your Water

Less than a decade after he accepted Robert E, Lee’s surrender at Appomatox, Ulysses S. Grant signed a law making Yellowstone the first national park in the United States. In the following decades, more landmarks and wild places were protected by the federal government. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Organic Service Act. With  that action, the USA now had an  agency that would “promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter specified by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

For fly fishers, it is good that “the wild life therein”  includes fish.

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Podcast Ep. 145: Mid-Season Maintenance

Most fly fishers do a decent enough job of looking over, cleaning, and organizing their gear before the season starts. But if you have been fishing hard (or intermittantly) there are a few things that you should take a look at before you head into the fall.

Today, I share three different things that I look  at throughout the season, with a special emphasis as summer wraps up. Along with these tips, I discuss a few of my product and technique preferences.

Maintenance isn’t about being obsessive. It is about keeping your gear from failing and potentially keeping a fish from escaping.

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

This episode of The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Use the code CASTING at checkout for 20% off your entire order and free worldwide shipping.

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Trout & Feather: August ’21

If you’ve been fly fishing for any amount of time, I hope you’ve come to the realization that most outings aren’t going to look like the centerfold of Gray’s Sporting Journal. There’s a few reasons for this:

  • the fish
  • the river
  • and you

Let’s start with you. Never, ever do you fantasize about untangling the nymph rig that has somehow spiderwebbed itself into a cat’s cradle. Yet there you are. You had a few long, picturesque casts. But the last one had a little something off. Maybe it was your wrist. Maybe you were distracted by a fish rising upstream. Maybe your phone buzzed in your front wader pocket. Regardless, you’re no longer shadow casting like Brad Pitt. You’re spending four times as long unweaving your bespoke furled leader as you would if you’d just admit defeat and tie on the streamer you’ll end up using.

There is a link to the rest of the post, entitled Fish Ugly after the jump.

But before you do that, be sure to check out the two videos I’ve included in today’s post. Tim of Trout & Feather talks Euro Nymphing in both: the why, the how, and the what. They’re definitely worth the watch!

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

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Fly Fishing Museums

Fly fishing is treasured by so many because it is a multifaceted activity. On one hand, it is a solitary pursuit. Yet it always takes place within some sort of community. Today’s contemporaries follow old paths walked by countless anglers that have come and fished before. Some were remarkable because of their contributions in conservation, fishing technique, or ability to capture the sport through art.

Across the country, fly fishing museums celebrate the individuals and communities that have contributed to regional or global angling.

These museums are often situated only a cast’s-length from renowned water. There might be a couple of simple exhibits or room after room of collections. Dedicated volunteers labor to preserve and present the stories that give items value. Like fly fishing as a whole, these centers are all relatively humble. However, each represents the unique community and waters that ties it all together.

For the person visiting a destination river, a museum offers up an excellent  opportunity to better get a sense of place. For the local angler, museums can be hubs for social gatherings, fly tying sessions, or conservation fundraisers. Whether stopping in to peek around or joining through membership, even the solitary fly fisher will appreciate the history and community featured in these museums.

Here is a listing of fly fishing museums in the United States:

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Podcast Ep. 144: Be An Amateur Angling Historian

Latest and greatest had to start somewhere. Often, that place had a lot going for it too.

Having a preliminary knowledge of the history of fly fishing might pay off in really good fishing. More often than not, the reward is going to be in what you learn and how that impacts your time on the water… regardless of if you’re catching fish or not.

Today I share three reasons why digging into the history of fly fishing will be beneficial, and three great ways to get started.

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

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