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Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good
Wadering up on the banks of a Pennsylvania trout stream last week I faced a dilemma. Which rod? I had three choices. An 8-foot 6-inch 3-weight that’s perfect for dry flies. An 11-foot 3-weight Euro nymphing rod that is perfect for, well, Euro nymphing. And a 10-foot 3-inch 3-weight that is perfect for swinging wet…
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PSA: Please pee in the river
In the event you do not have a loo with a view, please do the surrounding landscape a favor and pee in the river. Why you ask? Well, dilution is the solution to the pollution! Say that three times fast... If everyone peed at every campsite, put-in, lunch spot, and take out on the river…
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Chasing native trout across the West and making memories during ‘The Search’
Daniel Ritz places a dry fly hoping to catch an Arctic grayling outside of Delta, Alaska. Gaby Mordini photo. Looking back at Daniel Ritz’s 20 species, 12-state Western Native Trout Challenge journey Editor’s note: Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to accomplish the Master Caster class of the Western Native…
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A boat trailer’s curse
Some things aren’t meant to last a lifetime. It was a good run of nearly six years, but I think it’s time to part ways with an old friend. I’m not a superstitious person but this raft trailer is cursed. I’m sure of it, which is why I’ve chosen to cut it loose on the…
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Video: tips for paddling a canoe on your own
I can say the next time I get in a canoe solo I'll be much better prepared from these simple paddling tips they expertly explain here in this video.
I will be the first to admit, canoes intimidate me. Especially paddling one solo. I'm a rower. I even row canoes if possible... The problem is canoes can go just about everywhere and are found on every type of water. They are a ubiquitous craft in the fishing and boating world. I can't tell you…
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Reconnecting the Colorado River
What is so important about a connected river? Well, to trout, there is an obvious answer: connectivity gives them the ability to survive when adversity strikes. To anglers, there is also an obvious answer: a healthy fishery translates into a better experience on the water. But there is much more to a connected river, and…
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The lost art of roll casting
I wonder why we don’t pay more attention to roll casting. I can’t count the number of books written about perfecting loops and the overhead cast, but there’s a lot less on roll casting. This, despite the fact that when I’m actually fishing, I find myself rolling over false casting at about a 3-to-1 ratio……