Casting Across Fly Fishing

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.

Sports
Wilderness
Society & Culture
326
AntiSocial Media & Fly Fishing
"What we have here... is a failure to communicate." As connected as technology has allowed us to become, it seems like we're farther apart than ever. We're closer in many ways, but disconnection runs rampant. In something as fun, as good, as pure as...
20 min
327
How Sneaky Should a Fly Fisher Be?
Folklore and “grandpa always said” make up a great deal of how and why fly fishers approach the water. But do we really need to be quiet, camouflaged, and flat on the ground in order to catch fish? In this episode of the podcast, I look at four...
23 min
328
Real Fly Fishing Reading
Fly fishing books have been an important part of the sport for hundreds of years, taking different forms and meeting various needs. Even in an age when so much information is available at the tap of a smart phone, tangible media is incredibly...
20 min
329
More Than Conservation Conversations
Reposting and hashtagging is nice. But that isn't conservation. Headline causes are great - if you actually get your feet on the ground and get your hands dirty. There is nothing wrong with "raising awareness," but perhaps there are some more profound...
23 min
330
You Never Go Fly Fishing Alone
Although fly fishing is an escape, we’re incapable of detaching completely. Our thoughts rightly meander from fly presentation to work, family, whats next. Our present fishing is profoundly linked to how we have fished – and who has fished with us...
17 min
331
Banjo Minnows & Fly Fishing
On its face, fly fishing elitism is silly. It is okay to prefer the fly rod. And it has it advantages. But there is no reason to look down upon conventional tackle. In fact, there are plenty of reasons why a spinning rod should be part of your overall...
22 min
332
Get Organized... Now!
If you have been stuck indoors, you might want to just grab your sling or vest and hit the water as quickly as possible. But it is helpful to take some deliberate time to clean up. Also, comprehensively organizing your fly fishing pack ahead of time...
18 min
333
Tips to Follow for Fly Fishing Leaders
In my experience, some fly fishers either care way too much about leaders. Most don't care enough. Fussing over the exact number of centimeters of 4X you need for a certain taper might be overkill. But simply looping on a knotless, tapered leader and...
21 min
334
Listener & Reader Feedback, II
You speak, I listen. And then I speak about it. In this episode, I respond to some feedback that I've received from Casting Across articles and podcasts. There is a comment on keeping spots secret, a question on how I prioritize fly fishing, and an...
17 min
335
5 Thoughts for Streamers on Small Streams
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
336
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
337
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
338
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
339
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
340
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
341
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
342
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
343
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
344
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
345
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
346
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
347
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
348
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
349
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
350
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