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 …
The first half of this story can be read here on Casting Across. Immediately, the ascent was treacherous. I plodded up the loose forest floor in my wading boots, every step strengthening my resolve to get to the top while simultaneously increasing the force with which I asked myself “why?” Mind you, this was a …
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 …
It was a damp fall morning. The kind of morning where the weather wasn’t great but at least it wasn’t damp and summer. There wasn’t any humidity to speak of, just a little wet. You could see it on the changing leaves, sense it underfoot, but not feel it in the air. We had gotten …
Imagine watching a movie dozens of times but never seeing the beginning. Assuming the story isn’t too complicated, you’ll probably get the gist of things. And if it’s a good flick you’ll enjoy the experience regardless. Up until this past week, that was kind of my experience with Shenandoah National Park. Since the earliest days …
Crystal clear. Bug factory. Low gradient. Constantly cold. Lush vegetation. Year ‘round. Lots of big, wild, selective, spooky trout. Each statement describes one aspect of spring creeks. But even all of them together fail to adequately communicate how special these unique waterways are. I’ve been privileged enough to fish spring creeks in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, …
On March 14th, 2018, Bernard “Lefty” Kreh passed away. He was 93. And in his 90’s, he was still a fly fisherman, an author, and an ambassador for the sport. His contributions to the development of tackle, the library of angling, and the community of fly fishers was inimitable. This was not a secret to …
There is an intimacy in the Appalachian Mountains. While few segments of the topography are severe like much of the Rockies out west are, there is a tangible closeness in the hollows and valleys of the eastern mountain range. Perhaps it can be attributed to the contrast that Appalachia provides. With only a short drive …
The orange fins. The blue halos around red dots. The dark parr marks that span the transition from the olive back to the golden sides. The unbelievably milky white belly. Sometimes I feel I relate to juvenile brook trout like a proud parent. I know everyone thinks that their kid is the cutest, but I …
Casting Across isn’t really about me. I’m not a huge fan of writing about myself, and I dislike reading what I’ve written about myself even more. And if I don’t want to read it, why should I expect anyone else to? That is why I try to focus on the quarry and the culture of fly …
