As winter spits its last few storms at those of us in the East, our minds naturally turn to the first main-event hatch of the spring. Hendricksons are on the horizon, and I’m planning my pilgrimage to the Au Sable for a few days of cold fingers and a few nights of huddling in a…
For me and other dry-fly enthusiasts (and that’s putting it mildly, at least in my opinion), this month is the month. It’s “hopper time.” Here in Idaho, our backcountry streams are in great shape–runoff is well past done, night-time temperatures are a bit chilly, whcih serves to keep our high-country streams cold. The warm summer…
About us The Smoky Mountain Angler carries everything you need for a successful fishing trip in the Smokies or anywhere! As the oldest fly shop in Gatlinburg and the only fly fishing outfitter in town, we feature quality fishing gear from Orvis, Simms, Sage, Echo, Redington and more. We have the area’s best selection of…
Soft-hackle patterns have earned a spot in my fly box. Over the last half-decade or so, they have gone from seldom-use curiosities from some hidden corner of a rarely opened fly box to my first choice on many waters here in the West. Why? Because they work. And they often work when streamers, nymphs, traditional…
Dave from the Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Blog interviews the biggest names in fly fishing and fly tying today. He digs out all of the best fly fishing tips and tricks to help you understand how to choose the right gear, find fish, present the fly, discover new patterns and more. Find out about…
It’s dry-fly season. Well, it’s what I like to call “hopper season,” especially here in the West, where big trout will look up for terrestrial bugs that will occasionally end up in the water, thanks to a timely wind gust or just dumb luck. But fishing hoppers and other terrestrial flies isn’t about dumb luck.…
It seems like I’m always short a hand or two and a good tote bag can definitely make life easier, whether running errands or heading to the water, the Wedge Tote from FisheWear is a great addition to any angler’s life. Perfect for hauling gear to and from the water, stashing a change of clothes or loading…
Working at the local level in Southwestern NC to conserve, protect and restore North America’s Coldwater Fisheries and their Watersheds. The Trout Unlimited Unaka Chapter #201 has a significant history surrounding the “Unaka” designation. The name unaka is rooted in the Cherokee language designate unega, which means white (Mooney, J, 1972). Beliefs reveal, 1 in…
By Walt Gasson Like any great company, Trout Scapes River Restoration, LLC is about great people. Brian Cowden is one of those great people. Brian comes to Trout Scapes after being the VP of Sales and Marketing for a Montana based river restoration firm. Prior to that role, Brian worked at Trout Unlimited where he…
Monday At 3 p.m., my iPad dings with a message from the Calm app. “Your inner peace is a gift that keeps on giving,” says the app. It’s tailor made for this audience of one, downloaded in the early days of the pandemic, back when we were all trying to figure out how to be a…
I adore words, especially when they spring from rivers, and most especially when they are on paper.
By Cal Curtice “This is probably the last generation of trout fishers.” — Forest and Stream Magazine 1879 In 1620, virgin forest covered the United States from the tip of northern Maine, south to central Florida, and west beyond the Mississippi River. Native brook trout swam throughout their cool, clean waters, including those in the Finger…
“When we think about people, and the ‘habitat’ people utilize, we don’t just look at the superhighways where they can easily be seen traveling,” he said. “People don’t live on the freeways, people don’t ‘spawn’ on the freeways or on their commute.”
The 10th Annual TU Teen Summit is happening June 28th thru July 2nd on Georgetown Lake, Montana. This annual leadership event brings together teen leaders from around the country, many of whom have attended one of TU’s state fly fishing camps. Part of each Teen Summit includes brainstorming and planning new ways to involve young…
Steve Zakur of Connecticut fishes the edge of a stream bank on a small stream in Montana. My buddy Mike Sepelak is a thoughtful angler. He’s got a steady cast, a smart approach to fishing, and, perhaps most importantly, he’s great to travel with. Over the years, he and I have fished in four countries…
Good fly fishing films not only show good fly fishing. I think a good film is more than just great eats, tailwalking fish and unreal cinematography. I think a good film makes you think. Video of "Welcome to Iceland" Full Film In the full version of “Welcome to Iceland,” (above), the German anglers who crafted…
