Minnows rarely make the news. Yet a quick search for “Virginia fallfish” turns up what seems to be a relentless pursuit among anglers of the commonwealth to find bigger and bigger examples of Semotilus corporalis. Josh Dolin is the latest fisherman to get his name attached to this underrepresented species. Yes. Fallfish are underrepresented. They …
Anyone can catch a bluegill. But catching big, dinner plate-sized, rod bending bluegill? That takes a lot of luck, or better yet, a good amount of skill. On today’s episode I walk through three things that will help you find, hook, and catch the biggest sunfish, pumpkinseed, and warmouth in the pond. There are some …
Every one of us has our favorite kind of spot to fish. Riffles, runs, pools; banks, boulders, ledges. There is a reason why you’ll gravitate to such spots regardless of which river you’re on. One of my favorites is creek mouths; where smaller rivers run into larger rivers. These are intersections for fish and bodies …
Smallmouth bass are an excellent species to pursue with a fly rod. In fact, smallmouth techniques have more in common with traditional trout fishing than with popular largemouth bass practices. While trout gear will get the job done in many situations, the angler who chooses to chase smallmouth with regularity will want some species-specific equipment. …
I’m sure you’ve seen videos of giant New Zealand brown trout blowing up a dry fly. The only fish for a hundred yards is stalked, observed, and chased with tactical precision. When everything goes right, the water explodes with the most furious salmonid intensity, But again, I’m sure you’ve seen videos of this happening. You …
It’s the 5th of July. I’m here to declare another kind of independence. You, my fly fishing friend, are invited to secede right along with me. Maybe you don’t feel like you’re living under an unbearable burden. Perhaps there are no angling shackles upon your casting arm. But if there is even the slightest chance …
Whether it be due to location or preference, some anglers routinely pursue species like bass. Additionally, the waters they frequent aren’t the typical wide smallmouth rivers or vast largemouth lakes. Our nation is covered with small steams that contain robust populations of bass and other warm water fish. If your local creek is where you’re …
Part of this year’s Father’s Day gift was “a day to go fishing.” (Note: this is a great gift to give someone.) Now, I get to fish a lot. But this gifted day was special because it was to be used while we were on vacation in Virginia. Picking a spot to fish wasn’t easy, …
Smallmouth bass are dangerous. Wherever you find them, they cause headaches for fly fishers who normally pursue trout. They change everything. Once these strong, fast predators make inroads, you can be sure that they’ll impact your angling. Why? You’re going to forsake the gentle creeks for the big rivers. You’ll have felt the pull of …
These fish are more than substitutes or fall-backs. Yes, time on the pond will give you a chance to improve your casting. You will have other fishing opportunities in the warmest months when it would otherwise be unwise to pursue trout. You will learn new things about fishing streamers and topwater patterns that you can …
