I'm not an expert fly tyer. ...so why listen to 20 minutes of what I have to say on the subject? While I'm not an expert, I am proficient enough to tie what I need. But I've taken the circuitous route to get to this point. I've started and stopped....

Big flies catch some of the big fish, some of the time. But small flies catch most of the fish, most of the time. And you can't get much smaller than midges. In this episode I give a brief primer on one specific facet of midge fishing: using dry flies...

Every January I spend a few weekends at The Fly Fishing Show. There is some great networking, dangerous shopping, and top-shelf people watching. Above all, it is good to see people I might only talk face-to-face with a few times a year. But  this...

That tiny, compartmentalized plastic cup. You probably had one in your tackle box when you were a kid. You need to have one in your fly fishing vest today. Because if you're not using weight, you're not fly fishing right. But split shot is just the...

A lot more goes into a good fly shop than some big-name decals on the windows. Sometimes, a good fly shop has faded sign with a cartoon worm underneath the words "live bait." I'm not kidding. What makes a good fly shop is all about the soul on the...

Of course you know which weight you want for your next fly rod. Or do you? I'm only questioning you because I've had to question myself. Sometimes we get stuck thinking about what the marketing, or our fishing buddy, or our biased presuppositions tell...

Questions, questions, questions. I am well aware that my writing and speaking might leave you with a few things you're still wondering about. Which is great. Go out and experiment. Open a book and read. Show up to a TU meeting. Bend the ear of your...

* This is the second installment of a two part series ; listen to episode 58 for part one. * My first grand scheme was met with mixed results. I was at the point where the chase was as attractive as the catch. I wasn't going to stop until I found...

How far do you have to drive to get to trout? How far do you have to drive to get to native trout? The second question is one that has been on my mind for as long as I have been fly fishing. There is something about wild fish, even if they're...

Reading maps is a lost art. Yes - art. Creating maps might be all about precise science, but interpreting maps is much more nuanced. Especially when it comes to finding fish. Even if you don't think about maps, most fly fishers rely on maps in some...

Casting Across isn't an interview- or discussion-based podcast. There are plenty of those out there, and I encourage you to listen and subscribe. There are some great ones. But as this is the one-year mark of the podcast, I thought I'd break out of...

What are you thankful for? We ask that question a lot, especially towards the end of November. This is also a natural time to ask what in fly fishing you are thankful for. The heart of the season is wrapping up, and you have time to consider what you...

Even when it is frigid outside, the fish have to eat. Which means you can go out and catch them.  The only problem is that going out entails being out. Thanks to modern technology and a little common sense, it is actually pretty simple to stay...

Your first months and years of fly fishing will  probably produce some of your most treasured moments. You won't have all of the knowledge, experience, or gear, but every cast will yield something new and wonderful. This week I look back at three...

Fly fishing is ninety percent mental, the other half is physical... or something like that. Truly, having the right mindset when approaching the stream and presenting your fly matters. You have got to be reasonable in what you're doing and how you're...

This week marks four years of Casting Across; four years' worth of articles about the people, places, and things that go into the pursuit of fish. What have I learned? Even though the fly fishing community includes an incredibly diverse array of...

50 episodes! But really, the milestone for a weekly podcast is 52... This week I respond to four  listeners/readers.  I discuss the quality of my podcast, keeping your eyeballs safe, a few pieces of gear an angling "noob" might want to pick...

I'm surprised at how many devoted fly fishers haven't tried catching Great Lakes steelhead. Big fish, manageable rivers, and easy access seem like a perfect combination. Sure, fishing for these lake-run trout isn't the same experience as going to the...

By the time Fall rolls around, most fly fishers' fly boxes are looking pretty rough.  Truth be told, many new anglers also have chaotic and bizarre collections of fly patterns. Although it might not be for everyone, I have a concept that I've...

Contrary to popular Hollywood tropes, you can't go back in time. However, others can learn from your mistakes. And hindsight can also help you make better decisions going forward. All of that is true in the big, important parts of life. It is also...

I could hear it. It was coming closer. And there I was: alone in the woods, halfway across the world, holding only a fly rod. It wasn't even that great of a rod. 10 years ago I went to Italy. There was culture, cuisine, and an ill-fated fly fishing...

What would you say if you were told that you owed every fish you caught an apology? How  about that you actually needed to find a fish, confess your sins, and atone for your angling? Recently a seminary (I use that term loosely) shared that they...

Rod, reel, line. I say no! It shall be rod, line, reel. For most fly fishing scenarios, your reel is the least significant part of your terminal tackle equation. Of course there are some real, legitimate exceptions. But more often than not most trout...

I don’t want to feel like you’re being attacked. I am sure that you are really, really into fly fishing. If you were to tell me everything you know, share your angling expense report, and rattle off where you’ve been I bet I’d be impressed....

What harm is a little rain? For some reason, the myth exists that fishing isn't any good in the rain. Maybe we should keep that fallacy going, because getting out on the river in the rain is a great way to get to spots and fish that would otherwise be...