SKY/light – Douglas’ Versatile 3-Weight

Double-hauling a size 18 Parachute Adams  out into the middle of a pond on a windy day is not my normal fly fishing. But some days that is where the fish are, and that is what they’re biting. It was what was in front of me and I had to figure out a way to make it happen.

Which, of course, is what a lot of fly fishing comes down to.

Having a fly rod that can be versatile is helpful. It’s efficient and effective to be able to do most of your trout fishing with one tool. The more and more you fish, you figure out what your regular angling scenarios look like. You find your normal. You get what you need to hit that target and a little bit on either side.

So what if your target is high country lakes filled with finicky surface feeders? What if you need to throw a small flies, but you have to contend with windy conditions? What if you have to make delicate presentations far across the river? That kind of target can’t be hit by just any fly rod.

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Don’t be a Big Fly Hero

Don’t be a hero.

The fish aren’t going to be impressed that you waded into the surf with a 6-weight. No trout is going to eat your articulated streamer with more ferocity because you chucked it using a 3-weight. Plus any fish you’ll be catching with either of these approaches is going to put up a fight on a properly matched rod. You’ll still enjoy it, and they’ll be more apt to play ball.

Again, the fish don’t know or care. If anything, the presentation is going to suffer if your stroke is squirrely. Then they might care, because your fly is causing chaos and/or might not be anywhere near them. A common manifestation of a fly too heavy is a loop that doglegs sharply to the outside and splashes almost perpendicular to the end of your fly line. That might make for an enticing popper presentation, but you don’t have accuracy or any sort of control. Its not how you should be fishing.

There are all sorts of circumstances that might tempt you to throw a big fly with light gear. The deep undercut bank. The popping baitfish. The fast, deep run.  If you know you’re going to encounter those opportunities, plan accordingly. It is easier to accommodate lighter than heavier.  If you’re in a situation where this question is even crossing your mind, you can afford to go up a line size.

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Podcast Ep. 94: Fly Fishing Gear, Spend or No?

Fly fishing is about the experience, not the labels or the quality of your gear.

…but you need gear to fish, right? And if you need gear, it means picking one label over another. And that means money is a factor. So what do you do?

In this episode, I quickly go through a dozen or so pieces of fly fishing gear. I share my opinion on what kinds of gear warrant a little more money and which  don’t. There are countless variables that I don’t explore, and you know your budget and your angling better than I do. Still, you may benefit from hearing why and how your priorities could stand a slight reshuffling.

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

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The Next Sunglasses You Need for Fishing

How many fly rods do you own?

How many of those rods are within one line-weight designation of another?

It is very normal to own an 8-, 9-, and 10-weight. Many trout anglers have multiple 5-weight rods; each with a different length or flex profile, each giving him or her an advantage as the situation demands. Dry fly vs. nymph rig. Weighted streamer vs. topwater slider. The same spot on the water can call for two different tools based upon the conditions. Having a quiver of fly rods is normal.

Floating and sinking lines. Lightweight and heavy jackets. More boxes of flies than you can count. When we depend upon gear to get us to the fish, we’re willing to have exactly what we need.

A pair of quality lenses in a lightweight, durable, comfortable frame will often be an angler’s go-to sunglasses. They’re always on the brim of his hat and secure on a retainer around her neck. Sunglasses help you see fish. This matters when you’re sight fishing, when you’re watching for the take, and when you’re in a fight. Sunglasses also help you see the stream bottom. Structure, cover, and topography all matter. These are keys to finding fish. Maybe more importantly, they’re key to keeping you upright and safe.

There are some popular lens colors, such as amber or grey, that will work in virtually every circumstance. But virtually every isn’t the same as every. As the sun moves behind the trees, you might find yourself sliding your favorite glasses down your nose to look over them. Back and forth. They’re helpful for blocking out the glare. But late and early in the day they’re too dark to see those necessary details in the water.

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Dry Flies, 3 Ways

This past episode of the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast has seen a great response in the first weekend after release. In it, I discuss what I write about below. For a link to the episode, scroll to the bottom of this article.

There is something idyllic about standing in a river, casting a dry fly across the current, and making a precise presentation with a downstream drift. Being able to stand in the right spot, make a clean cast, and mend you fly into a feeding lane where a hungry trout is waiting is just about perfect.

Although we often get these moments, nature isn’t about perfect. Rivers, rocks, and trees create perfect challenges. Add in our skill limitations and cagey fish and sometimes anglers need to think outside the box.

No formal rules state how you have to fish dry flies. As romantic as a notion of the typical dry fly presentation is, real world scenarios call for ingenuity and adaptation. Below I share three techniques that can be incredibly effective when there is something keeping you from making that “perfect” presentation to the trout you see feeding on the surface:
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Podcast Ep. 93: 3 Ways to Shake Up Fishing Dry Flies

Cast at a 45-degree angle upstream. Mend. Allow the fly to drift without dragging.

Repeat.

Honestly, that sounds like an ideal situation. The stereotypical dry fly presentation is fun. However, there are plenty of times when the fish or the setting are anything but stereotypical. So… what now?

In this episode I share three dry fly fishing techniques that might help. If you have ever encountered situations where the fish aren’t playing ball,  you can’t get into “proper” casting position, or you need a little help seeing your fly  – you might benefit from this podcast.

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

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Reading the Water Out Loud

You’re not going to catch a fish here.

I said it out loud. There were dozens of people on the beach behind me, but the sound of the waves on the rocks drowned out my voice.

You’ve only got a little time to fish, so why aren’t you going  where you know there’s fish?

Again, I asked myself the question out loud. I didn’t answer audibly (that would be crazy), but I did reel in and walk out towards where I should have gone from the start. It was a longer walk. The rocks were bigger and sharper, and the waves were breaking higher. But it was where two currents were coming together to form a bait-trapping pocket. I was right. And I’m glad I listened to me. Because I caught fish.

We all have a finite time in which we fish. Existentially speaking, that’s a very sobering truth. More practically, we’ve got work and family and daylight to factor in. While you technically have a chance to catch a fish in any water, we all know that some is far superior to others. Certain spots are fishier. Cover, structure, etc. Thus, given these proven variables and limited time… why mess around?

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The Woods Should be a Little Scary

“I just go out there… by myself?”

“Yup. You’ve got your flashlight?”

“Yeah…”

“You can do it, bud. I’ll be right here.”

It was just a quick trip to go to the bathroom. But it was in the woods. And it was dark. And it was the first time he had done anything like that by himself. I was feet away inside the tent. Things like this are good for an eight year-old who’ll be a man sooner than I’d like to admit.

Plus, he wants to be able to do stuff like this. Recently he told me that he’d like our next house to have a lot of land. He wants trails and a pond or a creek. He said that he’d like to go for walks as soon as he wakes up in the morning when everything is still a little dark. He told me that he’d leave a note for us saying he’d be back. A quick trip to go to the bathroom while camping was good. Even if it was a little scary.

The first time I drove into the mountains to go fishing by myself started off in an unremarkable fashion. Interstates and highways, loud hair metal and greasy fast food. Roads I’d traveled numerous times before with friends didn’t feel all that different on a solo outing. But getting out of the car to only hear silence and to only see the settling dust from pulling into the remote parking lot felt different.

It was good. Even if it was a little scary.

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Podcast Ep. 92: Don’t Take Fly Fishing Too Seriously

“I’m in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I’ve just caught an enormous fish. But I don’t give a crap.”

…at least that is what your face is saying.

That is just one example of how people take fly fishing too seriously.  Unless you are part of the <1% of anglers who depend on fishing to feed their families, I suggest taking a chill pill. In this week’s podcast, I talk about ways in which we all might take our fishing a little too seriously. Why? Because fishing is about fun. And if you’re not having fun why are you doing it?

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

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Trout & Feather: August

Most fly tying revolves around a few basic techniques. And these techniques are essentially all about you revolving materials around a hook. Figure that out, work on the nuance, and you’ll soon be tying and fishing good flies.

So where do you go from good?

Experience comes from trial and error. Feathers that look good on the vise might not perform underwater. Dubbing that feels buggy might trap so much air that it doesn’t sink. Colors might catch your attention… but not the fish’s.

This month I’m sharing three simple patterns from Trout & Feather. The techniques are familiar, but the nuance makes good flies better. Check out the three flies, and why I think you should give tying them a shot, below:

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