Fly fishing is ninety percent mental, the other half is physical… or something like that. Truly, having the right mindset when approaching the stream and presenting your fly matters. You have got to be reasonable in what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, but having confidence counts for a whole lot. I quickly cover …
Most fly fishers enjoy getting new gear. However, it is most enjoyable when it is on your terms. Having something fail or break unexpectedly is frustrating. It is beyond frustrating when it happens on the water. While manufacturers don’t get a total pass on quality control, in the 21st century most reputable companies produce and …
Want to know how to make a better presentation with your fly? Cast better Want to know how to catch more fish? Cast better. Want to know how to have more fun fly fishing? Cast better. Learning to be able to cast a fly rod better is part of growing as an angler. It might …
The “what” and “why” of using a dry/dropper rig are explained a few weeks into Fly Fishing 101. You cover more water, present to more fish, and maximize your catching potential. But there have always been many more ways to tap into 2 fly systems than a Chernobyl Ant with a Copper John underneath it. …
If you’re not fishing a dry/dropper, you’re missing out on an excellent way to maximize your fish-catching potential. But there are other “dropper” rigs that work really well in a variety of scenarios in which a dry fly trailed by a nymph just wouldn’t make sense. In this episode I talk about four ways you …
When it comes to reading water, the fly fisher who is observant of details will be rewarded. This way of angling doesn’t mean casting your fly to every square inch of the creek. It entails reading the water at a level that goes beyond riffle, run, pool. Slow down. Think and assess. Don’t just fish …
If you can’t explain it, you don’t really get it. What does this have to do with fly fishing? Think of it this way: Can you explain the basic mechanics of a cast? Could you give a quick overview of why the feeding behavior of fish changes with the weather? Why should I buy a …
What are you good at in fly fishing? Any sampling of fly fishing media will inevitably yield a majority of articles, videos, and posts telling you “how to.” (Casting Across is certainly not above that, to be fair.) And it makes sense. We all want to get better. We want to cast better. We want …
It feels like I was laying on that rock for hours. Like I got there in broad daylight and left as night approached. However long it really was, it was a long time. I wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t catching fish after fish. I wasn’t exactly having fun laying on the rock. I was trying to …
A bluebird morning quickly turned dark and ominous. Not coincidentally, a fish-less morning quickly turned interesting. It seemed like perfect conditions: a warm, still, spring morning. There were bugs in the air. No one else was in the parking lot, and there weren’t any fresh boot tracks on any of the trails. The only thing …
