Two Empty Rivers When I moved to Massachusetts in 2010, state-published fishing guides were still promoting Atlantic salmon runs in the Merrimack River. Massachusetts and New Hampshire had infused money and fish into the river to encourage the return of these majestic animals. Initially I was excited. While every angler I talked to was aware …
Prior to moving to New England I didn’t use canoes or kayaks very much. It was a matter of priorities and necessity. When I was outdoors I went fishing or hiking. Neither really required a vessel. Every now and then I would float a river for fun, but paddling and angling never really mingled. Ten …
Wading is simple… in theory. You stay upright and you stay dry. Don’t go too deep and don’t go in fast water. In warm weather you wear sandals or lightweight shoes. The rest of the year you wear waders and boots. As with everything else in fly fishing, wading footwear has been designed, redesigned, and …
How would you rate your favorite fly rod? 5 stars? 2 thumbs up? Are you not into rating things? Regardless, people rate, review, and chime in on rods, reels, nippers, marabou feathers, fly shops, guides, and even moderately interesting websites and podcasts. This all begs the question: What do you do with this information? In …
It is okay to get excited about the little things in life. A good parking spot. An onion ring mixed in with your french fries. A nice sunset on your evening commute. Inconsequential, yes. But no one is going to fault you for smiling about it. If all that holds true, then it is absolutely …
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 …
Earlier in the week I put out another fly fishing gift guide. Such posts are seasonally relevant and hopefully helpful. But lists can only be so long and still stay readable. Furthermore, including something necessitates excluding something else. So what if none of those gifts tinseled your tree? Today I’ve gathered up a number of …
I do a fair amount or research for work. Most of the information I search for is still found in physical books. One of the most frustrating things is when a book doesn’t have an index. I know the information is in there somewhere; I’ll just have to work to find it. Obviously, Casting Across …
I’m pretty careful of my fly rods and reels. Only a few pieces of gear have truly been damaged. I can’t say the same thing about waders, however. For whatever reason, I’m tough on waders and wading boots. Maybe I “fish hard,” or maybe I don’t look where I’m walking. Regardless, I’ve put holes in …
I’m going to keep a good thing going! Last week was all about fly shops on Casting Across. It started with two companion pieces, each listing 25 of the top rated fly shop in each state. That was followed with a podcast episode where I asked, and answered, what makes the good fly shops good? …
