Many (? most) fly fishers obsess over their fly selection. They carry more than a few boxes of flies at all times, and spend a
The salmon fly hatch is surely one of the West’s most famous and sought after hatches. Anglers from around the globe flock to the few
While “to tightline or suspension nymph” may at first appear to be a binary question, it is not intended to be so. Each of these
We’ve done our research, come to the stream, looked about, maybe looked at some streambed stones, tied on our fly(s), and waded in. But after
Perhaps best known for his later work, “Nymphs and the Trout” (1958), I recently found Sawyer’s first book, “Keeper of the Stream” (1952). He grew
This summer, fishing buddy Reid and I decided to explore the waters of western Wyoming. We couldn’t go until late-September, and therefore knew that the
I have just published the 2nd edition of my book, “The Ramblings of an Aging Angler, Lessons Learned While Fly Fishing for Trout”. It
The West is in the midst of an unprecedented heatwave, with daily ambient temperatures running 10-15 degrees above normal. In addition, the winter snowpack was
We’ve reached the stream, and to our disappointment, there are no bugs in the air. Except for spring and early summer, when healthy trout streams
It’s fall in Montana, and the flyshop ceilings are echoing the cries of “It’s streamer time, it’s streamer time!” But I beg to differ. It’s
Winter is nearing its end here in Montana, although begrudgingly. One day it’s sunny and nearly 70 degrees, and the next it’s 30 degrees with
Most discussions of how to increase your catch-rate of trout dwell on time-of-day, water temperatures, fishing techniques, or flies. Each of these is important, but
Since the advent of fly fishing, fly fishers have had their demons. The summer trico hatch is mine. Through the ages it has frustrated fly
Virtually every fly fisher loves to fish a hatch. It’s hard to beat the pleasure of targeting a rising trout, selecting the right fly, presenting
When I take newcomer fly fishers to a stream, one of the first questions asked is where to cast the fly. Teaching newcomers to read
Another of my favorite author’s is Charles E. Brooks. He hales from an earlier era, and wrote several books, two of which I have read.
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,
I recently found another book written by one of my favorite fly- fishing authors, Leonard M. Wright, Jr. Its title is “Fly-Fishing Heresies“. Wright
Summer is finally here! With it comes the eagerly anticipated summer hatches. On many streams, the early morning trico hatches and spinner falls offer the best
Like many fly fishers, perhaps most, in my early learning phase, I felt overwhelmed with all the fly patterns available. It seemed like each pattern
Fly fishing is becoming ever more popular. Most people try it once or twice, while a few make it an annual event for a week
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
Trout spend the majority of their time feeding subsurface, specifically on nymphs. Thus serious trout fishermen strive to become better at nymph fishing. I previously
Does it really matter whether we fish for trout with artificial flies that are exact imitations or merely impressions of the natural fly? I confess
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