“That fish is happy.” I looked over at Doug with the kind of puzzled expression that one would make if the definition of a recently heard word was elusive. But I knew what fish were. And I knew what happy was. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how these two terms had any relation …
Tag: Spring Creeks
Podcast Ep. 167: Current Affairs
Water moves. We all get that. But do we appreciate how and why it moves? Doing so has a significant impact on finding fish, making a proper presentation, and staying safe in the water. These three reasons alone should give you pause when you ask yourself if you can read water. In this podcast episode, …
Podcast Ep. 139: Not too Hot for Trout
A common solution for conservation-minded anglers that place stewardship above sport is to lay off the fly fishing for a month or two. But does that mean that fishing for trout is off limits in July and August? Are bass and carp the only fair game in the heat of summer? (As if these fish …
Explore by Fishing the Other Bank
Which bank do you fish on? It isn’t a trick question or some sort of sneaky form of angling psychoanalysis. In my experience, asking this question reveals one of three common answers: I have to fish this bank, because the other side is inaccessible. I have to fish this bank, because all of the likely …
My Re-Invented Trout Stream
I usually make a habit of walking the banks of rivers, even when they’re closed for the season. There is a lot you can glean from water when you’re not fishing. There is a lot you can learn when you can’t be fishing. While a fall-spawning fish might not be in that same location come …
Podcast Ep. 102: Fish Tales – Under the Bridge
We all have memorable fish that we have caught. Some of the most memorable might be fish that we didn’t catch right away. That is the story of this fish. This episode is a little different than most. Hear me talk through a season of chasing one particular brown trout. Along with some of the …
Podcast Ep. 98: Nostalgia, Losing, & Rock n’ Roll
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 …
Trout Quixote: Seven
I had the morning to myself. While on a family trip in Northern Virginia, I could have easily found my way to some amazing fly fishing opportunities. Feisty mountain brook trout. River smallies on topwater flies. Thick spring creek browns. While there is no such thing as a done deal in fly fishing, each of …
Spring Creek on Repeat
The Fuse – Jackson Browne: The Pretender, 1976 Singer-songwriters hit even better at 5 in the morning. Familiar lyrics accompany familiar highways. Alan and I were accustomed to the meandering route from Northern Virginia to South Central Pennsylvania. 7 to Leesburg, 15 north through Point of Rocks, past Big Hunting Creek in Thurmont, and then …
Podcast Ep. 75: 3 Angles of Short Fly Rods
In my experience, short fly rods are perceived as “small rods for small water.” While there is truth in that, a sub-7′ rod does a lot more than just measure a few feet less than your normal fly rod. This episode, I share three things that I think anyone using a short fly rod should …