Don’t buy a fly rod based on the idea that it will protect fine tippets, because every decent rod will do that. Guarding against broken tippets while setting the hook is up to you. Protecting light tippets while fighting a large trout is also up to you, along with the...
Good anglers catch more trout. So let’s get that out the way. There is no substitute for your desire to work hard and solve the daily river puzzles. Put in your time, put out some great presentations, and trout will eat the fly — the price tag on your rod doesn’t...
I field a lot of questions about leaders and fly rods. Those two pieces of gear, along with fly choice, seem to make the top of the list for every angler. We all have our terms and conditions for comparing things like a fly rod. And one of the descriptions I find most...
Nymphing is usually the best way to meet trout on their own terms. And throughout the seasons, simple nymph patterns catch the most fish. That’s especially true here in the fertile limestone spring creeks of Central Pennsylvania, but no matter where I’ve fished...
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 . . .
Here is part two of a short Troutbitten series answering frequently asked questions about the Mono rig.
What rods and reels are a good choice? Why choose one over another? How do we cast these long leaders anyway? Are there certain crucial techniques to use for gaining accuracy and distance? What about sighters? And can we use split shot in addition to weighted flies?
The fly fly rod quick dip is a problem-solving essential. Some things in fly fishing are obvious right away. The concepts of casting and drifting a fly are intuitive for most anglers after just a bit of instruction and a few trips of experience. And a lot of what we take for granted or think is obvious has become second nature only after fishing for a long, long time.
Specialized rods are exactly that — special rods for particular circumstances. Such rods make sense when I’m in a boat, where I can easily switch from one rod to another, or if I’m planning a short one-hour trip where I’ll fish only one tactic. However, my day to day...
Nymphing is usually the best way to meet trout on their own terms. And throughout the seasons, simple nymph patterns catch the most fish. That’s especially true here in the fertile limestone spring creeks of Central Pennsylvania, but no matter where I’ve fished...