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The True Cast – Teaching vs. Telling
When it comes to stream etiquette, knowing the difference is key. “Almost everyone loves to be taught how to fish. And almost everyone hates to be told how to fish.” I say that all the time, because it’s a lesson I learned by trial and error over 30 years—through printed pages in magazines, interacting in…
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The True Cast – Barbless… it isn’t just for fish.
I’ll spare you the bloody hand, gushing finger or torn scalp photos. Because the truth is that, while gore might be a digital traffic magnet, there’s really no reason for any trout angler to suffer a puncture wound with a deeply embedded barbed hook. And if you do, I’m sorry, but that’s on you. …
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The True Cast – Every cast should have a purpose
Can you imagine an NFL game where the kicker gets to boot away until the ball finally travels through the uprights? How about baseball where it’s “10 strikes, yer out!?” Or how about matches at golf’s Ryder Cup with unlimited “Mulligans?” None of that makes sense and neither does fly-fishing when we’re firing casts off…
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The True Cast – Is It About Fishing Or Conservation?
Can we please stop asking this divisive, short-sighted, counterproductive, and insulting question? I get asked fairly often if Trout Unlimited is a “conservation” entity, or an organization rooted in “fishing for trout.” Aside from TU, I am also asked whether I think there’s a genuine conservation ethic among most trout anglers, or if we’re just…
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The True Cast – Earbud music and fly fishing… a righteous pairing, or disgusting party foul?
Okay, I can’t help myself; sometimes I like to stir the pot and instigate debate, just because I can. But this is one I actually wrestle with myself, because I’ve been on both sides of the argument many times. The question is: Is it cool to fish with earbuds, listening to music as you make…
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The True Cast – Tuck the arm in for casting accuracy
It’s rarely a good idea to offer unsolicited advice to a spouse, particularly concerning three topics: driving a motor vehicle, anything to do with golf, and casting a fly rod. However, the other day I went fishing with my wife, Sarah, and she found a nice trout feeding along the bank. Though she is a…
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Fly Casting: What You See is What You Get
It’s okay to look at your backcast.
It’s okay to look at your backcast. Your backcast is the foundation for everything that happens, so if it isn’t looking good back there, it probably won’t fix itself when it unfolds in front of you. You just don’t want to turn and contort your whole body out of whack as you look at the…
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