This month on Trout & Feather, I’ve contributed an article titled Learn from Your Ancient Angling Ancestors. It focuses on one of the most valuable tips I can give new and experienced fly fishers. It has to do with how you approach the river… before you even approach the river. A thousand years ago, without …
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 …
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 …
You can keep your flies in anything. At the end of the day, it is how you fish your flies – not where you store them – that ends up catching fish. Of course, for only a few dollars you can get the right fly box. It might lead to better organization. It could even …
This was my first fly box. Things were pretty simple then. I don’t remember how I came across the “Plano Micro Magnum.” There is a good chance that I bought it at The Sports Authority. I can say with great certainty that it was inexpensive, that I didn’t deliberate over the choice, and that I …
Big flies catch some of the big fish, some of the time. But small flies catch most of the fish, most of the time. And you can’t get much smaller than midges. In this episode I give a brief primer on one specific facet of midge fishing: using dry flies sized 20 and smaller. Getting …
It is easy to judge your skill as a fly tyer by how a fly looks. While pretty flies are indeed fun to look at, the real goal ought to be flies that fish well. (It can’t be ignored that often the flies that fish well do look good.) So what are you doing to …
Fly fishing is ninety percent mental, the other half is physical… or something like that. Truly, having the right mindset when approaching the stream and presenting your fly matters. You have got to be reasonable in what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, but having confidence counts for a whole lot. I quickly cover …
One of the smallest fly fishing accessories might make the difference between catching and not catching. Think about the times you’ve missed fish. Was it because you were too slow? Was it because there was slack in the line? Was it because the fish was just slashing at the fly and not trying to eat …
By the time Fall rolls around, most fly fishers’ fly boxes are looking pretty rough. Truth be told, many new anglers also have chaotic and bizarre collections of fly patterns. Although it might not be for everyone, I have a concept that I’ve tried to implement in how I fill and maintain fly boxes. In …
