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Fly Tying: Catskill-style Red Quill
I love our fly fishing heritage. I love the way our craft is steeped in tradition. And there are some flies that just emote the glorious past of fly fishing—flies like the Red Quill, tied in the video below by Joe Fox. As Tim Flagler describes it, Fox is "fly-tying royalty," based largely on his…
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Voices from the River: Kiss the fish
By Eric Booton I practice catch and release. I pinch my barbs and tie on barbless hooks when I can. I carry a rubberized net and am an avid supporter of the keepemwet movement. If you ar e following the Trout Unlimited blog I can pretty safely assume that you are familiar with the concept…
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Short casts: Cutties on the brink, Gonzaga steelhead, mud snails in Michigan
Some unsettling news this week from NPR—the fish first identified by European newcomers to the northern Rockies is in peril. West slope cutthroat trout (and, let's be honest, cutthroat trout throughout the American West) are in trouble. NPR reports that earlier springs, dryer weather and invasive species, like non-native rainbow trout, are pushing the fish…
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Video spotlight: 120 Days
Many fly fishers claim obsession. We spend hours and hours hunched over fly tying vises meticulously crafting the right bug for the right fish at the right time of year ... or even the right time of day. We load up on thousands of dollars worth of gear—whether we really need it or not. We…
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Video spotlight: Using nippers to beat knots
If you're like me, and not the perfect fly caster in the wind, you've experienced your share of wind knots that have fouled up a solid hook-set or just made tough casting even harder. Getting wind knots is easy, really. Getting them untangled? Not so much. In the video below, Joe Shafer shows a simple…
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Trout Tips: Patience and deliberation
Editor's note: The following is exerpted from TU's newest book, "Trout Tips," available for order today. Patience and Deliberation Count for a Lot Move slowly toward the river, and stalk patiently. It's very easy to spook fish away before you've even thrown your first cast by not being quiet and mindful. Once you've stepped into…
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Voices from the River: The Morning Mouse
by Kirk Deeter I wouldn’t have believed it if it hadn’t happened to me. I went fishing the other day and got an early start on the river, not long after sunrise. The air was chilly, and there wasn’t much bug action (at least not that I could see above the surface) so I decided…