They’re not the biggest or most technically-challenging fish, but there is something special about a wild trout caught high up in the mountains. And while those who spend a lot of time walking trails with fly rod in hand know that it is possible to catch dozens of feisty trout in these secluded creeks, this …
I am all for the safe handling of fish; especially trout. But I’ve seen plenty of things in my decades of being outdoors to dispel any assertions that trout are delicate organisms living their lives in constant threat of mortal peril. You can kill a fish if you’re careless. They’re also a lot more robust …
Once again I’m spending the holidays in Virginia. I’m from the Midwest. I root for the Bears, love a good relish tray at family gatherings, and don’t think ketchup belongs on a hot dog. Illinois is where I’m from. But Virginia is home. It is where I spent my formative, teenage years. It is where …
They’ve been around for at least 75 years, but Tiger Trout have experienced a surge in popularity over the past decade. But what is a tiger trout? In this episode, I briefly talk about what makes a tiger a tiger, why we’re in the business of putting them in rivers, and how we should think …
Tomorrow morning I’m waking up early and going fishing. I’ll get to drive on well-maintained interstate highways and state roads. A wide assortment of breakfast options will be available for me to choose from. The forest that I’ll be walking into is public and free to access. Freedom has its perks; even in the small …
In this episode, I use words like impressive, remarkable, and excellent more than I usually do. But those adjectives are necessary when describing Maine and her fly fishing opportunities. Maine could (and does) have a whole podcast dedicated to exploring fly fishing from coast to mountains. Between the stripers, the landlocked salmon, and the brook …
Sometime around the Civil War, smelt were introduced into a number of lakes in southern New Hampshire. This small forage fish proliferated in the cold, deep water. Native fish species, at least those higher up on the food chain, took advantage of the new food source. One small fish, a strain of Arctic char, truly …
We were created to rest. Five days of vocational work followed by two days of other work is still seven days of work. Scripture gives a divinely ordained reason to rest. Unsurprisingly, secular biologists and psychologists agree. We have periods of time for this, and periods for that. The same applies in fly fishing. For …
Recently I had a very unproductive morning on the water. Fish were not where they were supposed to be. In this particular river system there are a few sure-fire spots. Nothing rose and nothing spooked. If I had to guess, the brook trout dropped down into the main stem of the river to seek out …
This time I wasn’t simply fishing. I found myself explaining why I was doing what I was doing. Not how to cast. Not why a dry fly. Why. The reason why I was fishing. For someone who writes and talks about that very subject three times a week, and who has been doing so for …
