Function in Form: VEDAVOO Inversion Sling Review

I have fished with a lot of vests, chest packs, and other fly fishing gear storage solutions in the past 20 years. Most work pretty well, Still, all of them have at least one or two major drawbacks. The right bag or pack for your gear involves: A) the means to hold what you need and B) the ability to do so comfortably.

The Inversion Sling from VEDAVOO strikes that balance. I can carry everything I need for a short trip or a whole day on the water. It can handle a light or a full load without being a burden on my shoulder or neck. Also, the pack is handmade in the US out of the highest quality materials. I’ve used it in the surf, on trout rivers, and with tackle boxes full of spinners and rubber worms with my boys.

Check out this quick video review. I highlight some design features that appear in all VEDAVOO packs, and talk about why the Inversion Sling has become my go-to pack.

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Spring Creek on Repeat

The Fuse – Jackson Browne: The Pretender, 1976

Singer-songwriters hit even better at 5 in the morning. Familiar lyrics accompany familiar highways. Alan and I were accustomed to the meandering route from Northern Virginia to South Central Pennsylvania. 7 to Leesburg, 15 north through Point of Rocks, past Big Hunting Creek in Thurmont, and then west over South Mountain in Cumberland County, PA.

We both cut our fly fishing teeth on the Yellow Breeches. With driver’s licences, wanderlust, and some fly shop tips we began to explore more rivers. More spring creeks. Spring creeks within a few hours of metro Washington, DC demanded an early start on Saturdays. Fish that were spooky and selective by nature didn’t tolerate being fished over multiple times in a morning.

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Podcast Ep. 79: Ultralight Fly Fishing

When was the last time you tried a rod that was two or three  weight designations lighter than your usual setup? Whether you fish in the salt, for  warm water species, or trout, there are some legitimate reasons to downsize.

In this episode I focus primarily on the true ultralight line weights – 2, 1, and 0. There are some principles that you can apply regardless of how and where you fish. Most of all, hopefully it gives you an idea of what modern lightweight fly  fishing gear is capable of.

I also talk about a few rods that have impressed me, and give some links to where you can check them out.

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

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The Pursuit of Fish: Trout & Feather and Casting Across

I’m excited to announce a new collaboration with another great online fly fishing resource: Trout & Feather.

Tim Cammisa has been running Trout & Feather since 2014. His YouTube channel features over 250 videos; the bulk of which are fly tying videos. I’ve used Tim’s videos for my own tying, and have referred many Casting Across readers his way over the years. His production value, instruction, and pattern choices are all as good as it gets.

Personally, I hope that this partnership benefits his viewers and you: my readers. If there is one short stave in the fly fishing barrel at Casting Across, it is fly tying.  Trout & Feather is a spectacular resource, and I’m  looking forward to sharing Tim’s content on this site.

I’ve always thought that my writing on Casting Across gives attention to the center and the periphery of fly fishing. It is fishing, but it is also the people, places, and things that go into the pursuit of fish. To that end, we’re calling my little section on his site “The Pursuit of Fish.” Here’s the first article:

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Finding Your Water

Sometimes in fly fishing, it’s just the getting out that matters.

It can’t always be weekend trips, float planes, or grand vistas. It might rarely be plans. Except for the ongoing plan that you’ll go fishing when you can go fishing. To that end there is always a rod, a handful of flies, and a pair of boots in your trunk. Objectively, the fishing might not be spectacular. But in certain circumstances, even half an hour – even just down the street is like coming up for air. For most of us, the water and the fish won’t jockey for angling magazine centerfolds. Hopefully we realize how even having that option makes us fortunate. read more

Podcast Ep. 78: Getting Lost, Wet, & Stuck

We all do dumb stuff while we’re fly fishing.

…or am I alone in that?

In this episode I share a few big and potentially costly blunders I’ve made in my fly fishing life. Perhaps they will be cautionary. Perhaps they will be of entertainment value. Regardless, they’re there and through them I offer a few things to think about. After all, we learn more in difficulty than we do while at ease.

And stuck on the opposite site of a rapidly rising tailwater is definitely “in difficulty.”

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

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BREAKING: Fish Photos Forge False Fulfillment

“ACTUALLY, the fish is not that large. The angler is just holding it close to the camera. Just thought you should know.”

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That was a real comment I saw. It was on social  media (surprise, surprise).

Imagine if internet commentators  ran the world? The economy, global politics, and the proper viewing order for the Star Wars films would cease to be problematic. The perfect mingling of genius, tact, and grace are always on display under Instagram pictures and YouTube videos. I know that all of my worldviews have been influenced by un-punctuated sentences and/or cleverly placed emojis.

Fly fishing is not immune to this phenomenon.

Take the extended-arm fish photo. Is there anything inherently wrong with it? No. Of course not. In fact, it is a great way to show off the fish and not the angler.  No offense, but when I look at your fish pictures I am looking at the fish. Such pictures  can be tastefully artsy or overly dramatic; purposefully funny or cringingly comical.

Will you see me in a lot of these pictures? No. It isn’t my thing. Unless it is a trophy fallfish. Then I let it fly.

Whats for certain is that I notice how big your hand is in proportion to your body. If the length across your knuckles is wider than your head? I know that there are some perspective-bending shenanigans. No harm, no foul.

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Astral Sturgeon: The PFD for Fishing

Prior to moving to New England I didn’t use canoes or kayaks very much. It was  a matter of priorities and necessity. When I was outdoors I went fishing or hiking. Neither really required a vessel. Every now and then I would float a river for fun, but paddling and angling never really mingled. Ten years ago that changed. Fishing in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, I found that a small watercraft was often necessary. Lake shorelines are often densely wooded, privately owned, or both. Rivers are remarkably swampy. To fish, I had to get in a kayak. Quickly, I began to enjoy getting in kayaks.

I am still a novice paddler. Although I enjoy being in small vessels, they’re still means to an end. With my schedule and interests, being on the water is all about fly fishing. My gear choices reflect this reality. High end rods and reels are serviced by packs loaded with the best flies, tools, and miscellany that I can afford. But paddles, anchors, and PFDs? It is whatever I’ve been able to scrounge up or borrow. The PFD, in particular, is usually the weakest link in the chain. Safety is important, but virtually everything I’ve used has lead to a few problems:

  • Fly line gets tangled  on it as I cast, strip, or mend
  • The bulk of it makes wearing any sort of pack or lanyard prohibitive
  • They’re all incredibly uncomfortable

Recently, I’ve been wearing the Astral Sturgeon. And none of those apply.

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Podcast Ep. 77: 5 Things You Need in Your Car for Fishing

There are a lot of articles and podcasts that tell you what you need for fly fishing. There is even content out there that details the backup gear you’ll need.

In this podcast, I talk about 5 (plus 3 more, at the end) non-fly fishing things you should have in your car if you’re going to be spending a good amount of time on the water. Sound abstract? Check it out, hear some of my horror stories, and think about if you’d be prepared in the same situation.

…and yes, duct tape is on the list.

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

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Learning Under Rocks

Cast after cast; nothing. I added weight, I took weight off. I lengthened my leader, I brought the fly closer to the indicator. I tried just about everything. Everything, except tying on a small cream-yellow caddis nymph.

Probing some familiar water in the early spring, a hare’s ear nymph was a pretty safe choice. Fishing virtually any trout water a hare’s ear nymph is a pretty safe choice. Who knows what the fish think it is? It is buggy, visible, and purposefully generic. Usually I can use it to locate a few fish and potentially bring some to hand. Today, in a stretch I know well, I was coming up empty. It turns out I just thought I knew it well.

A few days later I took my family on a hike near the stream. The boys ran, climbed, and did little boy things all over the woods. After we got back to the car I threw on my waders and we walked down to the water. I didn’t have a rod or a fly on me. This was going to be fun, but it was also science class. We homeschool our boys. We believe in a comprehensive, well-rounded education. We also believe that they’ll get excited about the things we’re excited about. I like water and the stuff  that lives in it. Sure enough, they do too.

Today we were going to be conducting a stream survey. I’d rustle up some bugs, we’d check them out, and then take some fun specimens home to study. Decades ago I spent countless days on the water doing macroinvertibrate surveys for science classes. After that, it was an integral part of the teen conservation and fly fishing camp where I served as director. Even today, I rarely fish without picking up and studying a river rock or handful of sediment.

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