"That slowdown on the tag happens when the lower nymph — your point fly — reaches the strike zone," I said. And even though both nymphs are going slow, they like the position or the level of the upper one.” That can only happen with a two fly rig.

Continue reading One Nymph or Two? — Here’s a Particular Look That Can Only Happen With Two at Troutbitten.

Here’s the bottom line: You do not need an extra-soft rod tip to protect delicate tippets while nymphing. Skip past that selling point in the marketing jargon, and make your fly rod decision on the other factors that matter.

Continue reading Tippet Protection and Nymphing Rods at Troutbitten.

I’m consistently surprised by the lack of river sense that's missing in so many anglers. I mean that literally and not condescendingly. Just as a city kid marvels at the sight of deep darkness on a moonless night, fifty miles deep into a state forest, the country boy doesn’t give it a second thought. It’s experience. And that’s all it is.

People who are new to fishing just don’t know much about rivers. And I never really get used to that. Because so much of what a river does, and what fish do in response, is organic to me. I grew up fishing and playing in small streams. As a kid, I was drawn to every runoff ditch within walking or biking distance. I couldn't stay away. And like anything else, you grow into your surroundings. I don’t think that can be changed, whether we’d like it to be or not.

Anyway, those without that same history with rivers see the water differently, and sometimes I have trouble remembering it.

On a cool April morning, Sam and I hit the water with all his new gear . . .

Continue reading Angler Types in Profile: The Rookie at Troutbitten.

I was resigned to the plan but having a hard time watching it fail.

Why was my confidence so easily shaken? Because a river that was once the most predictable of any that I fish has now become the opposite. It’s a confounding mystery that I keep coming back to, wishing to solve. And I know that with enough time, with an open mind and by running the right experiments, I’ll find the answers . . .

Continue reading Wavering Confidence at Troutbitten.

A great fly rod responds to the angler. The slightest motions and refinements in the cast are transmitted to the rod, and it flexes — it responds in kind. The angler’s thoughts and instincts flow through a great rod, so our accuracy and adjustments become effortless.

We can be in tune with a great rod and perfectly connect with its performance. With some time spent fishing a great fly rod, it becomes an extension of our will. The fly hits the target because we want it to. The leader lands with s-curves in the tippet because that’s what we decided. And the rod makes it happen.

A go-to fly rod is like an old dog or a good friend. We know them, and our connection is natural.

Continue reading Will An Expensive Fly Rod Catch You More Trout? at Troutbitten.

Choosing the right indicator is the first step to setting up and effective system. Balance between indy and weight is the key.

Continue reading Your Indicator Is Too Big at Troutbitten.

How much can we feel the fly at the end of the line? And how well does the fly rod transmit the flex to the angler? These are two very different kinds of sensitivity.

Continue reading Sensitivity in a Fly Rod — Two Very Different Ways at Troutbitten.

Anglers cling to the stories and accounts others. We believe in the experts. We want masters of this craft to exist and to tell us the answers.

Sure, you might have a group of wild trout dialed in for the better part of a season. Maybe it’s a midge hatch every summer morning, or a streamer bite on fall evenings, for one hour on either side of dusk.

But it will end. That’s what’s so special about chasing trout. Like the wings of a mayfly spinner, predictability is a fading ghost . . .

Continue reading Who Knows Better Than You? at Troutbitten.

Of the good fishermen I know, one thing I see in all of them is how easily they can reach conclusions about fish habits. They have a knack for knowing what to trust and when to trust it.

The damned thing about a river is that it changes every day, and the habits of trout follow. If you're observant enough to see the dynamics of a river, you can predict how the fish will respond, just by correlating their behavior patterns with the changes in water level, clarity, food availability, etc. Often, though, that’s a big leap to take. And it requires trusting in your observations enough to act decisively on them . . .

Continue reading What to Trust at Troutbitten.

Choosing a fly rod that's perfect for the Mono Rig and euro nymphing starts with knowing your goals. How versatile do you want to be?

From the best all-around fly rod that's ready to handle nymphs, streamers and more on a long leader, to specialized euro nymphing rods and dedicated streamer rods, here are my favorite tools for fishing the Mono Rig . . .

Continue reading The Best Fly Rods for the Mono Rig and Euro Nymphing — My Favorite Rods at Troutbitten.