Fly Fishers are Different

Most fly fishers are different. Its the long rod and the thick line. Its the flourished casting such gear requires. Its the trappings and the stereotypes (and the counter-culture trappings and stereotypes within fly fishing). Day to day, we blend in with most normal folk. But on the water? That is where we’re different. We’re the outliers.

Why? Because we tend to not eat the fish we catch.*†

*Are there good reasons for catch and release? Yes.

†Are there fly fishers who do harvest trout and other species? Yes.

Generally, though: we throw them all back. We can probably wax eloquent about the pursuit. There are virtues and joys that come with the challenge and the safe return of our quarry. We should be able to articulate the best practices for conservation. Some ecosystems can only support anglers because of very conservative regulations. Talk that talk. But remember that most people in the world think that fishing results in harvesting.

Okay. Fishing results in killing and eating.

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Podcast Ep. 108: Wading in the Footsteps of Giants

Unless the circumstances are exceptional, the pivotal men and women of fly fishing history can’t offer you hands-on, in the stream instruction.

Their mentoring must occur in the pages of a book or journal; their words and deeds informing and influencing through a necessary medium. Whether you have a “real life” mentor or not, these insights and experiences are priceless. Lasting the test of time, the best of the best understood how to combine the what and the how with the who and the why.

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

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3 Reasons to Fish High & Muddy Water

High water looks intimidating. But  especially in the fall it should be reason for optimism.

Of course, high and off-color water has it’s drawbacks. Wading and access is more difficult. There is literally more water to fish. Regular holes and targets may be impossible to reach. Every one of those concerns is valid. In fact, depending upon the significance of the changed conditions it might be unsafe to even try to fish. However, every one of those concerns has a positive side as well.

Late season rainfall and snowmelt present a few great opportunities for fly fishers because they create opportunities for fish.

Again, don’t let high and muddy water intimidate you. Here’s 3 reasons why you should see bad conditions as a good thing:

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Going & Giving Tuesday

  • Charity shouldn’t be compulsory, but you should be charitable.
  • Financial contributions are often very helpful for nonprofits, but they’re not what they need the most.

A lot of good is done through the Giving Tuesday initiative. And the organizations who benefit from a surge of giving certainly aren’t going to turn their nose up at any support they may receive. Furthermore, an end-of-the-year reminder that prompts someone to offer up a contribution that might have tax benefits is ultimately a win-win.

Still, I stand by the two statements at the beginning of this article.

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Podcast Ep. 107: Waders – Fixing, Buying, Wading

Waders are great until they aren’t.

It is no fun to be wet when you’re not expecting to be wet. That means waders need to be functioning at 100%. If you’re fishing in cold weather or cold water, 95% is no good.

In this episode I talk about end-of-season wader care. Included in that is inspecting, cleaning, and repair. I also share some of my preferred wader repair products and methods. Lastly, I do offer up some advice on buying waders. This is a relatively shallow dive into a deep topic, but it should be a helpful starting point.

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

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Trout & Feather: November

Earlier this week, I shared my annual holiday fly fishing gift guide. Over at Trout & Feather, I decided to take things in a little bit of a different direction.

I don’t want to spoil the five delightful suggestions that I offer up in the article. Let’s just say that they include singing wall fish, garlic and cheese, and industrial-strength harnesses. Is your interest piqued?

This month I feature a few videos from Trout & Feather. One is an unboxing/review video where Tim takes a look at some fly tying tools. The other is a variation on a very, very popular nymph pattern. Both are worth taking the time to watch.

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

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Holiday Fly Fishing Gift Guide

Every year I enjoy putting together a gift guide at the end of the season. I get to look back on the products and brands that impressed me. Then, I share them with everyone who reads Casting Across.

There are a lot of great gift ideas this year; everything from jackets to syrup to art prints to flip flops. Prices range from under $10 to over $600 with a lot of options in between. Along with a short description and a link, I included what kind of person I think that this gift would be perfect for.

Browse through the list (which is arranged from least to most expensive) and see if something might fit in the list of someone you’re shopping for. Or, if you are proactive, maybe there is still time for one of these items to make your list.

Take a look at over a dozen fly fishing gifts below:

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Podcast Ep. 106: A Fly Fishing Cornucopia

‘Tis the week of Thanksgiving. Which means all of the food and fun of Christmas without the stressful shopping, wrapping paper, and cold(er) weather. And, if you play your cards right you might get to sneak a little bit of fishing in.

On this episode of the podcast, I delve into a few topics:

  • Why check out holiday fly fishing gift guides?
  • Do you need to break the bank on your next gear purchase?
  • How can I start a holiday angling tradition?
  • What is a good way to prospect for fish at the end of November?

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

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Throwback Gear Review: St. Croix Avid

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.

I had been fly fishing two times. On the first outing, I broke the top section of my department store fly rod in half. On the second outing, I realized that it’s identical replacement was a little  long and cumbersome for the densely vegetated stream I was fishing. Like a seasoned angler, I set my sights on an upgrade.

Being a teenager at the time, it took some time to save. This meant I had time to shop. I flipped through Cabela’s, Bass Pro, and local fly shop catalogs every night. Price was my first criteria. Length and weight were second-tier issues. Out of youthful ignorance, I wasn’t concerned with the label on the blank one bit. The price was dictated by my patience. Impatience and saving $25 a week  put my budget around $200. Coming from a conventional tackle  mindset of  “lighter is better,” I zoned in on 3- and 4-weights. To address the canopied creeks in the area, I wanted something between 7′-8′.

The 7′, 3-weight St. Croix Avid was ordered over the phone and bought sight unseen. To this day, my first fly rod was the only purchase I’ve made in this manner. But I can confidently say that it worked out pretty well.

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Club in Their House: Tying Flies Online with Students

Beau, demonstrating tying technique for his middle school students.

Whether or not you agree with measures taken to handle COVID-19, it is clear that daily routines of students have been significantly affected. Depending upon age and location, children and teenagers may very well be spending the bulk of their day in front of a screen. While this impacts reading, writing, and arithmetic, there are a whole host of other parts of school that have been altered. Sports, field trips, and clubs generally face stricter regulations than the core subjects. Often, this means they’re eliminated.

Kids bear the brunt, but they can’t do a whole lot about it. Who can do something about it is invested teachers. Teachers like Beau Davies.

Beau teaches and coaches at a middle school outside of Denver. “It is a great school with a lot for the kids to do. Usually, we’re a really club-heavy school. Missing that has been tough. For the kids, but for the teachers as well.”

When he’s not teaching, coaching, or spending time with his family, Beau also likes to fly fish. It is a passion that he shares in the classroom. During the shift to online learning, he’s not only continued to talk about fishing but has invited his students to get involved. “To give them something to do we decided to get some virtual clubs going. It just made sense to give a fly tying club a shot.”

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