In 25 minutes, I only scratch the surface of this historic fly fishing region. Situated in south central Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Valley boasts some remarkable spring creeks. Who doesn’t like big fish in small, beautiful water? While the rivers aren’t what they once were, they are still worth seeking out. Moreover, a great opportunity for …
Having your rod separate into two pieces is never a good way to catch a fish. But that is precisely what happened. With a sudden sensation of weightlessness followed by an awkward plop, I realized that the top two sections of my rod were in the pond. Injury had been added to insult, as my …
When is a fish native? When is it wild? Can it be both? And what about stocked trout? In this episode, I give a very quick overview of this topic. I look at the historic range of the three major American trout/char species, and talk about why knowing this information can be helpful. Oh, and …
I heard about this spot where there’s supposed to be trout. Not just any trout. Brook trout. Wild. Native. And this spot is quite close. And it is surprisingly urban. And it seems too good to be true. This knowledge, like any lead on buried treasure or city of gold, was stumbled into. A chance …
Within a few hours’ drive of the urban sprawl that surrounds Washington, DC, you can get into some amazing brook trout fishing. Or, you can get into some spectacular smallmouth bass fishing. Or, you can do both. The Shenandoah is a remarkable, beautiful, and historic region of the Mid-Atlantic. For fly fishers, it offers great …
We rounded the corner at the exact same time. The dense streamside foliage kept the other person obscured until we were only about ten feet apart. Happening upon someone relatively unexpectedly, deep in the woods, wasn’t the startling facet of our interaction. That was this: “So, have you caught anything?” he asked. “Yeah,” I replied, …
Thought number one: “Well, that’s where the trout were the whole time.” Thought number two: “I’m pretty sure I’m going to fall to my death.” Looking back, all these years later, the latter is clearer. In my mind’s eye, I can see the pool. I can see the fish. I can see where I was …
Want to know a good problem to have? Catching so many fish that you’re struggling to keep your fly afloat. While that might sound a little bit like humble bragging, it is something that happens to all anglers from time to time. The reality is that it can be problematic. If you’re catching a lot …
Brook Trout… And people think that the leaves are pretty in autumn! Maybe it is good that the fall colors of brookies are our little secret, otherwise every blue line and back trail would be littered with trout peepers. As it is, the deeper you get into the woods the more brilliant your surroundings and …
Good old Labor Day. A day off to celebrate other days off. I know that is a gross misrepresentation… kind of… For me, there will be work today. I’ll be laboriously reading, writing, and – completely unrelated – assembling IKEA furniture. Don’t worry, I took yesterday afternoon off (to fish). And I’m taking tomorrow morning …
