Why is Altoona, Pennsylvania the only place in the world where you’ll be able to watch nine grown men, dressed up as brook trout, running around a field? On the weekend of June 25-27, the Altoona Curve (AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) will be taking the diamond as the state fish of Pennsylvania. For …
“You want to know what your Father’s Day present is?” “Umm… do you want to tell me?” “When we go on vacation to Virginia later this month, we want you to take a whole day to go fishing.” “That is a great present.” “I was going to surprise you, but I thought you’d have more …
Shows what I know. Months ago I was crestfallen about the perceived state of one of my favorite trout streams. A small, spring-fed, brook trout oasis in and amongst suburbia has been messed with. Not by man. By rodent. By castor canadensis: the North American beaver. The darned things had dammed up the creek. A …
This trout came to hand as the result of a lot of choices. I chose to do some work to find this fish. There are plenty of times when I just want to catch something. Bass, sunfish, and even trout will fit the bill. And they can be found with relative ease in water bodies …
Fly fishing isn’t necessary in the same sense as food, shelter, and health are. But the peace and respite it provides are invaluable for us. So we’re planning on going fishing. Whether it be because of travel restrictions, health concerns, or financial limitations, going fishing has meant staying fishing for a lot of people. Thankfully, …
Who hasn’t seen a Mickey Finn? The fly has a history that goes back at least 100 years. It has enjoyed staying power for the simple reason that it catches fish. Consequently, it is a fly that you’ll find in assortments sold to beginners as well as on the vises of seasoned experts. Living in …
His habit, or compulsion, was to repeat himself often while alone and on the water. A full monologue to an audience of zero was crazy. A clever quip, repeated numerous times may very well pass as three-quarters sane. “If you’re going to fall, better to do it in front of people so they can laugh …
The angler is always unnerved when holding a fly rod and simultaneously hearing a crack. Even when a hand or eye is on the branch being broken, the ear startles the mind into thinking the thing broken is the thing that shouldn’t be broken. Sliding down the rock face, trying to keep himself upright and …
“Of course it would be on my last cast.” He muttered this primarily to himself. He was also aware that he was muttering those and other, more colorful, sentiments to any startled woodland creatures in the immediate vicinity. That is if they all hadn’t vacated the entire valley from the noise he had quickly stirred …
Merry Christmas from Casting Across! Since this episode is being released on the night of Christmas Eve, I thought I’d go ahead and do something a little different. Nostalgia and tradition is a big part of the holiday season. Stories of those who came before us and the way things used to be come part …
