Fishing new water is always exciting. Particularly when there is a high degree of certainty that there will be plenty of trout, exploration is enjoyable. A recent morning on a new stretch of river was filled with probing undercut banks and drifts through deep runs. Slow and deliberate observation was the ticket to identifying spots …
There are a lot of misconceptions about fly fishing out there. Some of them are repeated enough with such careless disregard for the truth that I’m comfortable in calling them lies. Today, I address three of them. Two have to do with technique and angling itself; one has broader social implications. Whether you’re a new …
The weather outside is frightful. Or, at least it will be. And you’re all ready to fish in it. Right? If you have the gumption and the warm socks, there is no reason why you can’t fish in the coldest months out of the year. Today I tackle two big hurdles that people face when …
My introduction to fly fishing was on small, intimate rivers and streams. The first time I waded into a broad, sprawling trout river I was confident I wasn’t going to catch a thing. But you know what? I did. And by employing a few simple techniques I landed more big river trout that day… and …
You can do it. You can fish teeny, tiny flies. Moreover, you want to do it. Why? Because if you can fish midges then you can probably fish dry flies any day you want to. In virtually all healthy ecosystems there will always be some tiny insects on the surface film. And somewhere, trout will …
It is never too late to do better. Two of the three things I mention on this episode; I’m really still working on them. But all three are real examples of aspects of fly fishing that would have been great to be keyed in on when I started. This fourth edition (six, if you count …
I am not an Euro Nymphing guru, and this is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the technique/gear/universe. So it is with trepidation that I wade into what is only meant to be a quick, initiatory overview of a topic that elicits very strong emotions. But you don’t need to have an emotional response …
What is reading water? At the most basic level, it is the process by which an angler determines where fish are most likely to be. By assessing a number of variables, it is possible to figure out which parts of a river have the highest percentage of holding fish. But what becomes an intuitive process …
Actually, it is one way to read water with four parts. But that is way too long for a podcast title. After sharing an anecdote about my failing to read water well, I go into my four-pronged approach to approaching rivers. While not remarkable or novel, I believe that this multi-tiered technique is a great …
It sounds like a dad joke; I know. But think about it. Fish are used to water. It is us that are the problem. That being said, there are absolutely some things to consider when fly fishing in the rain. Fish, what fish eat, and what fish swim in all change a little bit based …
