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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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.

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.

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...