The Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast explores the quarry and the culture of fly fishing. Each episode, I'll discuss some aspect of fly fishing - the people, places, and things that go into the pursuit of fish.
There are differences between chucking articulated flies against the bank of a roaring tailwater and fishing a streamer in a small creek. There are also differences between dapping tiny attractor patterns and fishing a streamer in a small creek. The...
18 min
327
The 5 People You Meet in Fly Shops
You will find some real interesting characters in fly shops. After nearly two decades of formal, empirical anthropological research, I’ve developed an efficient classification system and taxonomy for the types of individuals one encounters in fly...
14 min
328
Big Rivers: Don't Worry, Go Fishing
While fly fishing on wide, expansive trout rivers might be totally normal for you, it is a far cry from the creeks and streams that many anglers call home. This can lead to apprehension or even avoidance. It is understandable. I've been there. But...
18 min
329
Fly Tying Events for Beginners & Experts
Chances are there is a fly tying event that is held on a regular basis somewhere near you. Fly shops, fishing clubs, and TU chapters are all getting in on these gatherings. Whether you are a beginner tyer or an expert, I think you should go. In this...
18 min
330
From Trout to Panfish (& Back Again)
A lot of anglers started fishing by tossing worms to hungry sunfish. Usually, there is a progression from that point to more complex, conventional gear. For some, fly fishing becomes their preferred pursuit. There are also anglers who go straight to...
18 min
331
Native, Wild, Stocked, & McDonald's
When is a fish native? When is it wild? Can it be both? And what about stocked trout? In this episode, I give a very quick overview of this topic. I look at the historic range of the three major American trout/char species, and talk about why knowing...
19 min
332
Finding Your Own Water
When was the last time you found new water to fish? I don't mean flipping through a fly fishing guidebook or following the stocking truck. Have you ever gone out with map in hand, located water, and fished it? Doing this can be much more rewarding...
18 min
333
Why You Should Fish the Shenandoah
Within a few hours' drive of the urban sprawl that surrounds Washington, DC, you can get into some amazing brook trout fishing. Or, you can get into some spectacular smallmouth bass fishing. Or, you can do both. The Shenandoah is a remarkable,...
21 min
334
A Fly Fisher's First Trip Out West
Growing up fly fishing the east, the trout and waters of the west always felt mythical. In this episode I talk about my first trip to Colorado, which is probably not unlike a lot of people's first trip out west. There is so much that is different. At...
16 min
335
Listener & Reader Feedback, I
I truly appreciate every thoughtful comment I receive on Casting Across. Moreover, I feel that if you took the effort to continue the conversation that I started then I should respond. In this episode, I interact with three comments that I received....
18 min
336
Gear for Small Stream Trout: How & What
You can catch fish with virtually any and all gear. That being said, there are certain kinds of gear that are especially suited for specific scenarios. Small stream trout fishing is no exception. Beyond what kind of gear you bring, how you carry it is...
19 min
337
Fly Line: More Important than You Think
Sadly, fly line is the piece of gear that lives in the shadow of the stars of the show: rods and reels. But for most fly fishers, line is much more important than a reel. For all anglers, fly line is much more important than we give it credit for. In...
19 min
338
Diversifying Your Outdoor Experience
It is okay to do more outdoors than fly fish. In fact, there are a lot of benefits that come with adding more and different types of outdoor activities to your life. And, in my opinion, doing so will actually help your fly fishing.
17 min
339
Vehicles for Fly Fishing
Does your car help or hurt you in your fly fishing endeavors? The truth is that there are a few things you can do in, and to, your car to make it the perfect fly fishing vehicle.
18 min
340
Why You Should Fish the Ozarks
Arkansas might not seem like a premier angling destination. But if you've heard of the enormous browns, the beautiful rivers, and... the delicious Southern cooking, you know that the Ozarks is one of the most unique fly fishing spots in the USA. In...
18 min
341
A Late Introduction to the Podcast
It is episode 4 of the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast. ...which seems like as good of a time as any to start sharing who I am, what I do, and what this podcast is all about.
11 min
342
Fly Fishing in the Winter
You don’t have to fly fish in December, January, and February. As long as local regulations allow it, and you can ethically pursue fish, you aren’t limited to drilling a hole in lake ice if you want to get after some trout. Here are...
18 min
343
The Perfect Small Stream Fly Rod
There is no perfect small stream fly rod. Various rod manufacturers and publications have declared they have the rod for fly fishing on high mountain streams or small meadow creeks. Such superlatives draw in attention (and customers). As is...
19 min
344
Fly Fishing is Trespassing
Trespassing. Not the illegal kind, but simply stepping over lines we don't usually cross. That is what fly fishing should be. A little danger, a bit of skill, a few fish, and fitting in to a picture bigger than yourself. Crossing boundaries that...