Currently browsing… Fly fishing
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How to fish a soft hackle
I became a soft-hackle devotee about five years ago after a visit to Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Mont., on a fly-buying binge for a trip to the Firehole River. The shop's proprietor--and fly fishing legend--Craig Mathews convinced me to give soft hackles a shot that blustery fall day, and I've been a believer…
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How to fish a boulder garden
Here's one for you western anglers who are wondering, with all the late winter snow and the spring rain, if we're ever going to see fishable water levels anytime soon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWSL0H-old0 The answer is, the water's already fishable. We just need to find the places where trout are holding amid the near-constant temperature changes and…
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Better fishing in the Driftless Area
“We make fishing better” is one of our mottos here at Trout Unlimited. Our efforts do more than simply make fishing better, of course. But everything we do, at some level, translates to better fishing. That sits pretty well with our 300,000 members and supporters because most of them are, in fact, anglers and appreciate…
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Natural vs. Prince
One thing nymph anglers often forget--or may never realize--is that nymphs, particularly if they're suspended under an indicator or high-sticked through a fishy run, will ride through the water column vertically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4KncCDsLQ The good news is, natural nymphs, when struggling in the current and not able to reconnect to river-bottom stones and rocks or other…
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Time for a new fishing hat?
On one of its first big fishing trips, the hat blew off my head as we motored across the morning surface of Black Lake. The sun had just hit the water, filtered by a thin layer of fog coming off the lake, and our guide goosed the outboard without much warning. It flipped off my…
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Backcountry bull trout featured in ‘Secrets’
Bull trout are the native char of the inland Northwest. They live in the coldest, cleanest water and thrive in the most far-flung places. They get big and surly. They chase gaudy streamers, prey on smaller fish and can be very challenging to pursue. They're also a vital indicator species when it comes to a…
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Panfish … for the pan
Across the country, the panfish bite is on. Or it's about to be on, depending on where you live. And don't be shy. Take your limit. Especially of the small ones. Panfish, like bluegill, bream, pumpkinseed and almost all varieties of sunfish are prone to overpopulating and stunting in a lot of lakes and ponds.…