ARTICLES
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Fighting Big Fish With Side Pressure — What It Is, How To Use It
Side pressure pulls the trout from its lane. While the fish faces the current and tries to hold a seam, side pressure moves that trout from its comfort zone and forces it to work against the force of our bent fly rod — all while keeping the trout low. And while we never want to play a trout to exhaustion, the art of a good trout fight is in taking them to the point where we have more control over their body than they do.
Three Nymphing Questions to Solve Any Problem
There are three questions that lead you to solving all your nymphing problems. If you’re struggling, if you’re wondering if the empty net is your fault, ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly.
Is everything in one seam? Do I have to be this far away? Is my fly deep enough for long enough?
Assuming that a dead drift is the goal for your nymph, answering these three questions leads you to correcting your own mistakes . . .
PODCAST: The Airing of Grievances 2 — S7 Ep11
There are problems in the fly fishing industry. And this episode is for highlighting some of the worst. Because it’s fair to call balls and strikes, and because it helps to acknowledge that things could be better and try to make a change.
STORIES
Night Shift – The Thicket
Friday night I wrapped up my gig at the Phyrst with my buddy Noah, then made the transformation from musician to fisherman again. I've done this a bunch of times now, and the thorough contrast in venues is remarkable: from the noise and chaos of the State College bar...
Gear – Kids In Waders
Took Aiden fishing today. No, it's really not too cold if you dress for it. For my youngest son, that means three pair of socks, three pants, two heavy shirts, winter coat, hat, and waterproof mittens. Sure, it takes about fifteen minutes to get dressed, but then I...
Night Shift – Christmas Lights
I decided to fish close to home and in a section that rolls through a small neighborhood. No, it's more like a series of cabins. It was an odd choice. A great choice during the day, but at night I always try to stay away from light sources because I've learned that...
TACTICS
The Pros and Cons of a Longer Fly Rod
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 . . .
Fly Casting — Five Tips For Better Mending
Mending is a bit of a lost art in fly fishing, and I meet fewer and fewer people with much skill for it. Remember to start with slack. Then keep your mends small and crisp. Mend like you mean it, and be willing to make mistakes. Have fun out there . . .
Fly Casting — Shoot Line on the Pickup
The pickup is one of the most overlooked aspects of the casts. And by learning to shoot line on the pickup, the options for delivering our flies with precision and with subtle variation are wide open . . .
NYMPHING
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STREAMERS
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ANGLER TYPES IN PROFILE
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BIG TROUT
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NIGHT FISHING
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