"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.

In the short term, reeling with the casting hand might lose fish. But in the long term, it encourages poor line maintenance principles.

In this article I give a lot of thought to the various inefficiencies and handicaps that hurt when reeling with the casting hand . . .

Continue reading What Hand Should Turn the Fly Reel? 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.

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.

Transporting a fly rod is not as straightforward as it may seem. But it can be. For many of us, our preference to keep the fly rod rigged and ready to fish presents some challenges.

For years now, the Smith Creek Rod Rack has been my perfect solution. The Rock Rack stores up to seven rods inside the vehicle, keeping them secure and away from passengers — from kids, dogs or mishaps. Attachment is easy, the design is smart and the Smith Creek build is solid.

Continue reading 100 Day Gear Review: Smith Creek Rod Rack (with VIDEO) 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.

Finding the fulcrum with your trigger finger, and cradling the rod in your hand makes for effortless casting. If your rod hand aches at the end of the day, you’re doing it wrong.

Everything about casting and drifting improves by holding the rod with barely enough pressure to keep it in your hand. The fish will follow.

Continue reading Maybe You’re Holding the Fly Rod Wrong at Troutbitten.

If you’re thinking about a new fly rod (and who isn’t), it’s helpful to understand the upside and downside of extra length. Whether your intentions for the new rod are tight line tactics, streamers, dries, or a versatile tool that can easily tackle all of these, the advantages and disadvantages of extra length in a fly rod are important to understand . . .

Continue reading The Pros and Cons of a Longer Fly Rod at Troutbitten.

Rod tip recovery is the defining characteristic of a quality fly rod versus a mediocre one.

Cast the rod and watch it flex. Now see how long it takes for the rod tip to stop shaking. Watch for a complete stop, all the way to a standstill — not just the big motions, but the minor shuddering at the end too.

Good rods recover quickly. They may be fast or slow. They may be built for power or subtly, but they recover quickly. They return to their original form in short order.

Here's why . . .

Continue reading Thoughts on Rod Tip Recovery at Troutbitten.