Why is Altoona, Pennsylvania the only place in the world where you’ll be able to watch nine grown men, dressed up as brook trout, running around a field? On the weekend of June 25-27, the Altoona Curve (AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) will be taking the diamond as the state fish of Pennsylvania. For …
Some of the rivers that our grandfathers lauded as destination waters have declined in one way or another. The quantity or quality of the fish just isn’t there anymore. There are still fish present, and there is still good fishing to be had, but things have changed. And people don’t like change. But change shouldn’t …
Can you spot the steelhead in the image above? There are three fish, each over 20 inches… There is a certain rush in the fall when the days get cooler, the leaves change, and 20 pound trout begin to show up where there was once only suckers and smallmouth. There is a culture, an industry, …
Okay, okay, okay. Lake-run rainbow trout. There. I said it. Now, on to the article: When I lived in the Mid-Atlantic, fall meant trips up to the shores of Lake Erie. After my first time up, it became one of my favorite annual pilgrimages. The fish are great. But there is so much more to …
Where have you fished the most? Do you remember the first time you went? Was it a remarkable success or a tragic comedy of errors? Regardless, I’d wager that you can remember the first time you went fly fishing on your favorite river, stream, or lake. In this episode I recount my first trip to …
All of the children came rushing into the kitchen. They were abuzz about the the bug they had found. It was big. It looked like an alien. It was dead. Quickly my wife corrected them. It is just the husk. The cicada got rid of this, shook it’s new wings, and flew away. Now there …
90 episodes in, and it is still a lot of fun! On this installment of the podcast, I interact with three messages from listeners/readers. I discuss Euro rods on small streams, how to find water that is easy to walk or wade in, and a heartfelt response to a memorial article. As always, if you …
“There was one 17 year-old boy. When we got there, he was off to the side and disinterested. The staff said that if he liked going out and going fly fishing, they’ll all follow.” Heather laughed, “and right then I made it my personal mission to get him on board!” Heather Sees currently serves as …
It was absolutely a leading question, because I wanted one. He had made dozens over the years. I had plenty of chances to buy them in the past. I had never pulled the trigger, but now I was ready. So I asked if he had any of the little fiberglass rods available. “Oh no,” he …
In a time when “non-essential” businesses have to close, fly shops certainly make the cut. And while fly shops aren’t essential for our daily lives, we are absolutely essential for the lives of those who own or work in fly shops. A good fly shop will sell you a rod, some tying thread, or a …
