Ernest Schwiebert is probably my favorite fly fishing author. He began fly fishing at the age of eight. During his lifetime, he fished with most all the famous Catskill fly fishermen. They regarded him as a pre-eminent colleague at an early age. He authored five books on fly fishing, three of which I have read. […]
‘Tis the start of a new year! I couldn’t think of a more apropos topic than “getting started” into the sport of fly fishing. I intend the discussion to be helpful both for those interested in starting, and those helping others get started. There are five minimal essentials needed to place an artificial fly on […]
In “Moving Water”, Dave Hall, fly fisher, author and artist, combines his talents to reflect upon experiences along his life-long fly fishing journey, shared with friends and family. The verses come in snippets, leaving much unsaid. The accompanying misty, muted paintings portray the peace, tranquility and beauty to be found in nature and friendships. The […]
Many, if not most, fly fishers believe that a good cast is most dependent upon the fly rod and the caster. However, I would posit that the fly line contributes as much to the end result as the rod. In addition, once the cast is completed, the choice of line impacts the presentation and effectiveness […]
As leaves begin to turn from green to crimson and gold, trout anglers begin to think of fishing streamers. While streamers can, and probably should, be fished throughout the year, few question their especial efficacy in the fall. This is particularly true in streams inhabited with fall spawners, that is, brown and brook trout. Exhausted […]
I am a life member of Trout Unlimited, and believe in the balance of nature that biodiversity provides. But native trout restoration is an issue that gives me angst. It’s hard to witness the destruction of a healthy fishery with rotenone, in the hopes of restoring a native fishery. I do ponder whether it is […]
This summer, fishing buddy Reid and I planned a camping trip to include south central and southeast Idaho. But temperatures in the mid-nineties and forest fires in the central portion of the state led to a change of plans. We confined our trip to fly fishing southeast Idaho. The major fishery there is the Henry’s Fork […]
When I began fly fishing for trout, I was fortunate to be living in Virginia. The Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia boast over 2,000 miles of native brook trout water. Such small mountain streams offer the ideal venue for learning how to fly fish for trout. They require stealth, accurate casting, and good presentation. In […]
Before I retired, I tried to fish two or three times a month. Working Monday through Friday and sharing a weekend on-call schedule, I couldn’t afford to wait for an ideal set of fishing conditions. When I had a week-end day free, I either went fishing and dealt with the conditions at hand, or I […]
Over the past several years, I have written separately about the four seasons of fly fishing for trout. Done in this manner, I think it’s difficult to convey the many changes that occur during the transition from one season to another. With this piece, I will focus on the transitions. It is during these periods […]
Last winter, fishing buddy Reid presented me with a challenge. The past few summers we fished in southwest Montana. Looking for a change, he most wanted to get away from the hordes that flock to the well known streams in that region. After some thought, I suggested that we try fly fishing Idaho, North Central […]
I recognize that to venture into the topic of fly fishing etiquette may be Quixotic. But with the ever increasing number of anglers on our streams today, unpleasant encounters seem to be increasing. The discussion of etiquette usually comes up after a drink or two at the end of a day’s fishing. After a retelling […]
Spring is the season of hope, at least for fly fishers. We have become weary of winter, of fishing impossible-to-see midges, and of standing in chilly rain and snow waiting for an olive hatch to happen. Spring refills the trout streams with water, and promises a return of more predictable hatches, with flies that don’t […]
Most trout anglers who take up fly fishing get their start by fly fishing small streams. What is it about small streams that attracts us? Is it their abundance? The sound of a mountain stream plunging over rocky falls into waiting pools? The gullibility of some of its finny inhabitants? Perhaps it’s the intimacy between the fly […]
I want to start the new year off with a bit of a twist. Instead of writing an advice column, I’m going to offer a few vignettes, spin some fly fishing short stories. They arise from quirky but true events that have happened over the years. Matching the Hatch “When you come first to the river in […]
Fall is a special season for all, especially for fly fishers. The multi-colored riparian foliage is like a brilliant tapestry, strung along the streams’ edges. Its sheer beauty is sometimes distracting when fly fishing fall. But the trout, brook and brown, are in peak condition, ready to spawn, and fiercely defend their reds. Thus it is the […]
Fly Fishing Destinations – Ennis, Montana Montana and fly fishing are almost synonymous. Ever since Norman MacLean’s novella, “A River Runs Through It“, became a movie in 1992, fly fishing has become increasingly popular. As a result, Montana has become a major destination for fly fishers. There are so many good streams and destinations in Montana to consider, […]
Whenever I’m scouting a new trout stream, one of the types of water I look for is the riffle. Why? Well, to paraphrase the famous bank robber Willie Sutton, I want to fish riffles “because that’s where the fish are”! In this article, “Fly Fishing the Riffle”, I will describe the features of a riffle, its […]
Fly fishing magazines frequently publish articles with titles like “Six Steps to Better Fly Fishing”, or “Ten Tips to Catch More Trout”. But in this article, “Fly Fishing Tips: How to Find More Trout”, I’m going to up the ante, and discuss THE ONE TIP which is most likely to put more trout into your net. I […]
British Columbia is a storied fly fisher’s paradise first brought to the attention of the fly fishing world by the many books of famous author/fly fisherman Roderick Haig-Brown. He living on Vancouver Island, and his fishing and writings were mainly centered on the coastal rivers of British Columbia and their native fish, salmon and steelhead. […]
After spending the summer in Montana, interrupted by a two-week trip to Kamchatka (see September article), I knew that when I returned to Virginia I would have to adjust my fly fishing expectations, or in political parlance, “do a reset”. However, I was not prepared for the severity of drought that I found to be […]
The idea of going to Kamchatka to fly fish was first thrust into my conscience a number of years ago by one of my fishing buddies, Jason. He had been there as a college student to study a unique fauna, and longed to return in order to fly fish. However, the airline that flew from Anchorage […]
It’s April, a month of transition in the Virginia Piedmont region. For the trout fisherman, it’s a time of transition too, from days of mostly tying flies to days of fly fishing. Spring fly fishing offers some of the year’s best dry fly fishing. Trout emerge from their winter holes, hungrily looking for food. Just […]
It’s wintertime in the Virginia piedmont, home to hundreds of brook trout streams. Temperatures dip into the low twenties and high teens at night, and rise into the forties during most days. Ice forms along the shady edges of the streams, but most of the water remains open, running freely down the mountain slopes. The […]
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