What is the most essential part of your fishing rod? That is a bit of a trick question. The answer is really all of it. Hook-keeper aside, there aren’t really nonessential components on a fishing rod. Of course you need a handle. Obviously you can’t fish without a reel seat. Each guide, including the tip …
Your stuff shouldn’t own you. But if you own stuff, at least take care of it. Fly fishing gear is meant to be outside, get wet, and pushed to the limits that wild animals and wild places require. That doesn’t mean that it will be happy if it has to endure a difficult life in …
Streamer fishing. The ways in which people think about it are much more diverse in the 21st century, but at the core it is still all about imitating a baitfish to trigger a predatory response. Whether you want to throw a six-inch, weighted, articulated fly with a PG-13 name or a size 10 gray ghost, …
It feels like only yesterday that fly rod companies were advertising every new offering as FAST. Rods for trout, striper, and everything in between touted quicker action that produced longer casts with greater accuracy. Of course, there are always trade-offs. For many models, this meant reduced sensitivity and feel. Still, some builders produced some quick-action …
There are very few things that an angler can control while fly fishing. You can’t force a fish to be in a spot. You can’t demand that a fish eat your fly. And, of course, you are totally unable to dictate weather and water flows. But you can control your cast. In this episode I …
I know. I talk about light fly rods a lot on Casting Across. Part of the reason is because I really, really enjoy them. And the other part is because some of you still need to learn that they are really, really enjoyable. In all seriousness, in today’s podcast I talk about the versatility of …
Fly fishing gear is a big part of Casting Across. I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetics, the marketing, and, most importantly, the function of fly fishing gear. Consequently, I’ll review new products on the site from time to time. But appreciating fly fishing gear shouldn’t only be about the latest model or newest technology. The things …
Whether it be due to location or preference, some anglers routinely pursue species like bass. Additionally, the waters they frequent aren’t the typical wide smallmouth rivers or vast largemouth lakes. Our nation is covered with small steams that contain robust populations of bass and other warm water fish. If your local creek is where you’re …
Like a lot of you, I have quite a few fly rods. There is certainly wisdom in having the right tool for the job. Different weights and lengths allow you to accomplish different tasks. For each of us, there is a point where we decide to add another arrow to the quiver. Admittedly, sometimes that …
In this week’s episode, I answer questions about rods, reels, and leaders. But they’re some awfully specific questions. That being said, I’m confident that you – the fly fisher – will appreciate and benefit from the scenarios that elicited these questions. What pushes us to experiment and innovate is questions, problems, and curiosity. While I …
