The first fish was a fat palomino. They’re bright anyway. Too bright. Unnaturally bright. Genetically modified bright, in fact. This one came out from underneath a tangled mess of roots against the bank to nail a small white streamer. Palominos get picked on. This fish had apparently had enough and it took it out on …
Earlier this week, I shared my annual holiday fly fishing gift guide. Over at Trout & Feather, I decided to take things in a little bit of a different direction. I don’t want to spoil the five delightful suggestions that I offer up in the article. Let’s just say that they include singing wall fish, …
Who doesn’t like to see some wildlife when they’re out fly fishing? Majestic elk, brilliant songbirds, and delicate butterflies add a little something to your angling. But there is a whole host of other critters that are less than pleasant to encounter. Some are downright awful. In this episode of the podcast, I recount a …
Many a fly shop counter has heard the debates and the arguments. “Those aren’t flies.” “If it is within the law, it is a fly.” “That’s a lure.” “You’re just jealous you can’t catch as many fish.” …and so on. In this episode I take a brief look at the spectrum of fly authenticity. I …
“I’m in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I’ve just caught an enormous fish. But I don’t give a crap.” …at least that is what your face is saying. That is just one example of how people take fly fishing too seriously. Unless you are part of the <1% of anglers who …
“ACTUALLY, the fish is not that large. The angler is just holding it close to the camera. Just thought you should know.” . That was a real comment I saw. It was on social media (surprise, surprise). Imagine if internet commentators ran the world? The economy, global politics, and the proper viewing order for the …
There are plenty of reasons to mix camping and fly fishing. Sure, there are some that are all about nature and the experience. But what I am talking about is the pragmatic things: proximity, cost, and a bad night’s sleep helping you wake up early to hit that trico hatch. In this episode I explore …
Never judge a book buy its cover. Unless that book is a fly fisher and that cover happens to have a ventilated back cape. In that case, judge away. Because the only reasonable judgement that you could come to is this: that person knows how how to freaking fish. Anyone who is anyone knows that …
Bears can’t open car doors. Even if a bear could get into the car, a black bear couldn’t do it so fast that we couldn’t start the engine and escape. And a black bear wouldn’t hang on to the roof like James Bond as we swerved down the mountain. I could close my eyes and …
If you Google “muskrat,” you immediately learn a very interesting tidbit. Did you know that Ondatra zibethicus is the only species in genus Ondatra? The only one! Who would have thunk? Once your mind has adjusted to this startling revelation, scroll down a bit more. That’s where the world’s leading search engine gets real. The …
