-
Small-stream tactics in the age of non-native invasives
Native Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Contrary to many conservation-minded anglers, I am one who believes that, along with cockroaches, coyotes and Siberian elm trees, brown trout will survive the apocalypse. They possess many of the traits we Americans admire most: they are intelligent, confident, adaptable, rugged, ambitious and breathtakingly handsome. And for the time being…
-
Three fly-fishing knots everyone should know
Line to leader. Leader to tippet. Tippet to fly. If you can learn the three simple connecting knots for rigging your fly-fishing outfit, you can hit the water in almost any situation. https://youtu.be/Sgpm9Gx_t8c The folks at Gear Junkie and Denver Outfitters teamed up to produce the super-helpful video above. It shows just how easy the…
-
On second glance
A fairly average-looking run on a stream. Or is it? I'd been fishing a small native cutthroat trout stream in eastern Idaho, and came upon what, at first blush, looked to be a fairly featureless stretch of stream. But, as I got closer, I noticed a few things. The long "slick," as I've taken to…
-
Hopper-dropper fishing
With terrestrial season coming on strong throughout the country, it's an obvious time to start flinging a hopper-dropper rig. But what's the best way to do it? What knots make the most sense? How far below the high-floating hopper should the "dropper" nymph be? https://youtu.be/Nz7QQFOPemU The hopper-dropper rig. Here's a great short video from the…
-
Using different fly floatants
Not all fly floatants are created equally. What's more, not all fly floatants are appropriate for universal use on the water. For instance, CDC flies will do better if the angler applies a silicon-based floatant rather than a gel floatant. Bigger flies might require a liquid floatant that can get down into the hairs used…
-
How to fish a dry fly downstream
The "upstream and dry" approach is a commonly accepted method—and on some European waters, it's required—for fly fishing. Here in the U.S., we're blessed with a lot of trout water, and, thankfully, a lot of public lands on which we can fish at our leisure rather than being forced to pay rod fee, walk a…
-
Sunny Days
I always look forward to the transition to wet-wading season. Here in the mid-Atlantic that usually hits in mid-May, unless you’re fishing a tailwater just downstream from a dam, in which case waders are still a must. Even with neoprene wading socks, the first steps into a chilly (but not frigid) trout stream can be…
Category