We flew in during a thunderstorm. Layovers and small-engine craft made the segments of the trip feel like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit. Travel can often feel like a chore. At times it has more of a trial feel. The early darkness from the late summer storm took away the sense of place from …
Happy Thanksgiving from Casting Across! This episode was recorded around noon on Thanksgiving. Consequently, I talk about turkey and what I am thankful for. We all have a lot to be thankful for. Regardless of your lot in life or how many fish you catch, we all have so much for which we can express …
I am thankful for fly fishing. This means I am thankful to people; not just thankful with some nebulous sentiment. That isn’t true thankfulness. True thankfulness has a person as the object. True thankfulness can be given and received. I am thankful to Alan, who introduced me to the sport. As a teenager, he needed …
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 …
There is no right way to observe Memorial Day. Go fly fishing. Grill something in the backyard. Take care of some house projects, lounge in front of the TV, or catch up on some work that needs to get done. In my opinion, all of those activities can be right for Memorial Day if they’re …
Christmas is not my favorite holiday. It’s like the best part of all the other fun holidays, but with a whole lot of other stuff crammed into it. It’s busy. It’s expensive. It’s almost always cold. Consequently, I’ve been known to be a little Grinchy in the Yuletide lead-up. But then Christmas Eve hits. All …
Today is not a holiday. But tomorrow is. And like any red-blooded American, I’m working today before stocking up on meat, charcoal, and colorful imported explosives. No time for fly fishing writing. But, the Rusty Flybox is a channel for me to break out a few posts that didn’t get a lot of traction the …
The ultimate holiday of the year is nearly upon us. Children are waiting with anticipation. My refrigerator is over capacity. Magic is in the air (mingled with a smidge of stress). Yet even with all the enchantment of snow and reindeer and yuletide and whatnot, I’m unable give everyone a unique, personal present. However, I …
Fly fishing is an inherently contemplative activity. Although we frequently think about what we are doing, as the intricacies of pursuing fish demand such focus, there is ample time for our minds to wander. Personally, I believe that there are some things to ponder that are more valuable than others. That being said, there is …
Maybe if Christopher Columbus had been a fly fisherman, he would have been much more benevolent and less sleazy in disposition. Who knows, perhaps Europeans and indigenous peoples could have gotten off on a better foot if the tarpon, bonefish, and permit of Hispaniola were a source of camaraderie and mutual interest. Regardless of a …
