5 Years of Casting Across

“You should do  it. You should write about fly fishing.”

We had spent the day fishing the West Branch of the Delaware,  A number of fat brown trout came to hand, fooled by sulpher emergers. After the mist and the dark made seeing difficult and wading treacherous, we retreated to a riverside pub.

“You’d be good at it, and you’d have a blast doing it.”

Jeff has always encouraged me. In things more important than fly fishing writing. However, over a cheeseburger we were talking about my idea to write about something. I had a lot of ideas. Perhaps it was the West Branch flowing within earshot, but fly fishing rose to the surface again and again.

“‘Casting Across’? I  like it.”

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Religion, Politics, & Fly Fishing

Always talk about religion and politics when you go fly fishing.

And why wouldn’t you? Perhaps you have been told that such subjects are taboo for the dinner table, the break room, or the morning train. But maybe that is part of what is wrong with society. We can’t handle a difference of opinion. Furthermore, we can’t reconcile disagreement with cordiality. We have become intolerant of tolerance. So we do not talk. And not talking is often evidence of not thinking.

Fly fishers know that the woods and the water lead to contemplation. So, let us be better. Let us think.

Although the mind can wander, it often thinks about what it prioritizes. What matters to you? Talk about it when you are fly fishing. Now, this is not a license to be a raving zealot or lecturing hermit. Just talk about it. Explore ideas. Consider your presuppositions. Work concepts out to their logical conclusions. Share your opinion, and then contemplate a second one.

Can you talk about it and still enjoy the water? Of course. You are wonderfully made. You can think about two things at once. Furthermore, your mind has to go somewhere. Why not make a habit of giving it some exercise? You can still focus on the fish, the insects, and all the other necessary things. You are capable of both/and. You are able to cast and consider; each with enough effort to be effective.

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Podcast Ep. 102: Fish Tales – Under the Bridge

We all have memorable fish that we have caught. Some of the most memorable might be fish that we didn’t catch right away. That is the story of this fish.

This episode is a little different than most. Hear me talk through a season of chasing one particular brown trout. Along with some of the narrative, I share a little bit of the “how” and “why.”

Hopefully you enjoy it. More than that, hopefully it will get you thinking about chasing after that one fish yourself.

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

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Trout & Feather: October

Can you spot the steelhead in the image above? There are three fish, each over 20 inches…

There is a certain rush in the fall when the days get cooler, the leaves change, and 20 pound trout begin to show up where there was once only suckers and smallmouth. There is a culture, an industry, and a mythos that surrounds the lake run species from the UP of Michigan to New York State.

Often, the perception is that Lake Erie or Lake Michigan steelhead fishing means combat angling. That the only way to do it is to stand shoulder to shoulder, dodging weighted trebles and discarded egg cups. It can get that way. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It can be solitary. Yet it takes work. And then, of course, you have to trick animals that have been bombarded with flies, lures, and bait – and who have very little interest in actually eating – to get on the end of your line.

I haven’t perfected the Great Lakes steelhead game, but I think I’ve done it enough to offer up some principles that can make for a great day on the water.

That is an excerpt from Great Lakes Steel (aka, Adfluvial Rainbows), the article I wrote for Trout & Feather in October.

Also I share two great fly tying videos from Trout & Feather. If you have the materials, you’ll be able to tie both very quickly. Plus, you’ll learn a lot about the techniques that underpin both patterns.

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

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Fly Line Loop-to-Loop: Not All Are Equal

If you fish enough to wear out a fly line over the course of a season, you should absolutely tie a leader to your fly line with a nail knot. The result is a smooth connection that will not only slide through your guides with ease, but also facilitate the best transfer of energy. In other words, casts and presentations will be optimal because there is no hinge point between your line, leader, and fly.

However, if your fly lines last a few seasons or are used in a variety of situations, you’re better off with a loop-to-loop connection. These systems allow for replacing leaders, adding poly-leaders, and making quick  crisis management. If you’re prepared, fishing with “loops” means  no complex knots while on the stream.  All you have to do is thread a leader through two small loops and you’re ready to fish.

But not all loops are created equal. A bad loop will effect your cast and/or presentation. A bad loop will get hung up in your guides, leading to lost fish or damaged equipment. A good loop is a simple and great thing.

Also, I think this is important to mention: With minimal effort you can do better than tying your line and leader together with an overhand knot. I’ve seen it countless times. And I’ve heard the justification of “it’s easy and it works.” But your casting and fishing will benefit from a little extra work. Really, all you need is a few minutes and the knowledge of a simple knot.

Whether you are buying a new line or making a repair, it is worth considering how you’re going to attach your leader. Here are my thoughts on four common loop-to-loop methods:

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Podcast Ep. 101: Fly Fishing Accusations, X

Why have more than one pair of sunglasses?

Why spend a lot of time creating loop-to-loop line/leader connections?

Why listen to anything I say?

I answer those questions, and a few more, on this week’s podcast.

Thanks for listening and for subscribing. I always appreciate getting feedback, and have a lot of fun interacting with emails, comments, and social media chirps. Having that back-and-forth is a great aspect to Casting Across, and one of my favorite things about being a part of the fly fishing community. If you have a question or a potential topic for the podcast, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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

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Rusty Flybox: Steelhead

Okay, okay, okay. Lake-run rainbow trout. There. I said it. Now, on to the article:

When I lived in the Mid-Atlantic, fall meant trips up to the shores of Lake Erie. After my first time up, it became one of my favorite annual pilgrimages. The fish are great. But there is so much more to it. I won’t quite call it a “phenomenon,” but it is a pretty cool situation.

Today I have three posts from the Casting Across archives, all focused on steelhead:

  • A thumbnail sketch of fishing Lake Erie tributaries.
  • A story about a death in the family, a new vehicle, and a big fish.
  • A retelling of my first trip fishing  for steelhead.

Check out all three articles, along with a few more related links, below.

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Quasi-Ironic Trout

After hundreds of casts, dozens of holes, and double-digit miles, I caught the best trout right next to the parking lot. Add to all that the fact that I had no business being ready to fish. Why did it happen the way that it did?

I don’t know. But I’ve caught enough fish in quasi-ironic circumstances like this to just be content.

What do I mean by “quasi-ironic circumstances like this”? Well, note the hyperbole in the first sentence of the article. What I was trying to communicate was that I had been fishing all day. A lot. Miles and miles and hours and hours into the wilderness of New England, and I had caught a handful of decent fish. I was content: bright, sizeable brook trout had come to hand earlier in the day. It was a great way to spend an unseasonably warm fall morning.

The fish weren’t coming that easily. After a summer of fast and furious dry fly action, a few cold snaps will bring you back to angling reality. Trout are trout. Even small stream mountain brook trout are trout (char, but… you know). They have a biological flowchart which dictates when they’ll rise to dry flies. Water temperature, flow rate, sunlight, and a host of other variables have much more bearing on these fish than my ability to pick the right fly. Plus, I have to pick the right fly. Then place it in the right place.

Stated like that, fly fishing is simple. But it isn’t always easy.

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Podcast Ep. 100: Special Guests for #100

100 episodes.

That is a lot of my voice.

So, this week I have a few special guests that join me on the podcast. All three have been fishing for their entire life, and I think that you’ll appreciate their perspectives. I can honestly say that they keep it simple, keep it real, and keep it fun.

Also, I wanted to convey a big thank you to all who listen. Thanks for making these 25 minutes part of your week. I truly appreciate it!

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

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Fish Live Under Things (Now, How to Get There?)

Some fish are hard to catch because they are spooky. Others are just too far away. Others still have a chronic case of lockjaw. Then, there are fish that are perfectly willing to see and take your fly… you just can’t get to them. Because they’re under things.

Rocks. Logs. Culverts. Rhododendron tunnels. If there is water, these are prime places for fish like trout to set up shop. They get all the benefits of running water and a steady stream of food, plus they don’t have to worry about overhead predators.

This is a problem for anglers, as we are overhead predators.

How do you get a fly into the tightest spots? Which presentations, casts, and approaches work the best? There are some options, and some are much better than others. Special situations call for unique techniques. Whether it is a typical scene on a mountain stream or an isolated spot on a big river, these are challenges you want to take on. These are fish you want to try to catch.

Here are four ways you get get in underneath, from least to most efficient/effective:

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