Podcast Ep. 377: Don’t be a Lazy Fly Fisher, I

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We don’t talk enough about how much of a problem laziness is. That goes for people and society as a whole. But, of course, today I’m talking about how laziness is not the friend of the fly fisher.

If you’re being lazy, it means you know better. It means you can do what you should do but you choose not to do that. Why? It is easier not to.

In this episode I walk through three issues where you might be a little lazy in your fly fishing. While  I can say that I don’t err in one of these topics, talking about the other two was a little bit convicting.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Award-Winning Fly Fishing Writing

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It takes quite a skilled pen to write a famous crime novel and famous fly fishing books. But John Voelker (aka Robert Traver) accomplished just that.

His Trout Madness deserves every bit of the prominence it holds in 20th century fly fishing writing. It is a wonderful example of the subgenre of angling account anthologies. Much has been written about this book, and I share a few words in this video.

But the legacy of Voelker also includes new fly fishing writing. The Robert Traver Fly Fishing Writing Award is presented by his foundation in conjunction with the American Museum of Fly Fishing. For nearly 30 years, essays in the spirit of Voelker have been presented and celebrated. What’s more, you can read most of these today.

Watch what else I have to say about the book (and more) and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Art Show at The Fly Fishing Show

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Walking the exhibition hall at The Fly Fishing Show is a great example of the diversity of interests within fly fishing. Saltwater and freshwater, tied flies and materials for tying, established companies and small businesses are all represented. There are also nonprofits, antique dealers, booksellers, and artists.

Fly fishing is certainly about catching fish utilizing a particular technique. But the nature of the pursuit inherently lends itself to creativity and expression. This extends beyond flies and fine bamboo to watercolor and sculpture. Seeing artwork at an outdoor show is  to be expected.

Along with providing artists exposure, their presence at these events gives attendees and other vendors an opportunity to take something home that isn’t purely functional. One might not need a new fly rod, but something one-of-a-kind to place on the mantle could be a great purchase. Booking a trip might be out of the budget, but a print won’t break the bank. Plus, it is  great to support this facet of angling culture.

There were quite a few options for attendees to buy artwork or decor at the event, but these six booths prominently featured fly fishing art at The Fly Fishing Show in Edison, New Jersey.

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Podcast Ep. 376: [Cast1] Fishing from Small to Large Rivers

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Today’s episode is a snippet from one of the presentations that I give at The Fly Fishing Show. It is about a third shorter and you don’t get the benefit of PowerPoint slides, but the content promises to be quite helpful for the small stream angler.

Why? If you primarily fish small streams, there might be some trepidation over heading out to the larger rivers. Sprawling waterways can be intimidating when you’re used to being able to cast bank to bank. However, the skills and observations you make on the smaller creeks can easily be translated to the bigger rivers.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Remembering Forgotten Salmon

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Conservation books are often written after the fact. Articles and blogs can talk about what is happening, but the real what happened of any conservation initiative has a certain longitudinal quality about it.

The Forgotten Salmon of the Merrimack, by Lawrence Stolte, chronicles a century of restoration and protection on the eve of an early-1980’s  program on this New England River. Dams that powered what was the world’s largest textile manufacturing region halted the massive Atlantic salmon runs that were once seen on the Merrimack.  Federal, State, and local groups came together to rejuvenate this once vaunted fishery.

But this was in 1981. What happened after is a little less encouraging. Still, knowing the history is valuable for the conscientious steward of creation. Plus, it is quite interesting.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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The Best Action for Small Stream Fly Rods

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I love my lightweight bamboo fly rods. I truly enjoy fishing with my older, wispy fiberglass fly rods. And one of my favorite graphite fly rods is a decidedly  slow action 2-weight. This lines up with a common approach to fly fishing small steams. Since the water is small and the fish are small, many opt for the lightest and lithest rod possible. Thin, flexible three, two, and one-weights that can virtually double-over on even the tiniest trout are indeed fun to fish.

However, I have come to a strong conviction for serious small stream fly fishing. The optimal fly rod to use is one with a medium-fast action.

This hardly flips anything sacred on its head. Nor does it exclude the use of truly functional and enjoyable tackle. It is simply a specific approach with some legitimate rationales that can benefit those looking to be a bit more efficient and effective as they take to the mountains and valleys in search of trout.

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Podcast Ep. 375: The Real Benefit of Outdoor Shows

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What if I told you that if you think that outdoor shows are all about spending money that you’ve got it all wrong?

Sure, there are opportunities to shell out wads of cash. But you can also support small businesses. In fact, some of them are so small that they might not even technically be a business! Beyond that, there is a lot to see in person that you may otherwise only experience through the cold, distant medium of YouTube. And whether you’re in a giant convention center or the local VFW hall, there are probably people there that are worth taking a few minutes to meet. Why? They’re into the same things you are.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: For Any Angler Who Has Loved a Stream

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If you have ever spent a life, a year, a season, or even a long trip on one particular stretch of water, you know how there is a lot more than fishing going on. The holistic aspect of being on a river makes you a better angler. More than that, it adds to the appreciation as you get to know the rhythms and  subtleties of the ecosystem. For fly fishers, that does mean bugs and trout. It also means other anglers. And it can all be very, very good.

Spring Creek by Nick Lyons was given to me by a man who lived on a stream that I fished diligently for a period of about five years. His rationale was that he liked the book. More than that, it reminded him of the observation and the connectedness necessary to master the little spring creek that we were both learning to fish.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Fly Fishing, Lost & Found, and an Edsel

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It wouldn’t be a bad shirt, once it went through the wash. I found it on an island in the middle of the river. The college featured on the front wasn’t far from the western Massachusetts river I was fishing. I wouldn’t dumpster dive or pick up clothes off the side of the road. But there was something seemingly pure about a shirt that had been in the tailwater’s gentle cycle for at least a weekend.

Plus, it wasn’t like I drank the unopened bottle of hard cider that I kicked up along with it.

I’ve discovered quite a few interesting items while fly fishing. Only a couple have managed to make it home with me. The aforementioned shirt did, although I never wore it. Once, off the cost of Boston, I was casting for striper when a thermos bobbed up towards me. I maintain that the saltwater and the dishwasher got is as clean as could be. Then there was the pocketknife that shone in the sun from the bottom of a Pennsylvania mountain stream. It was rusty, but it had promise. Like the shirt, the discovery felt too good to waste. But it ended up getting trashed instead of refurbished.

I’ve never found a fly rod. But I have snagged at least three spinning rods. That doesn’t include the Snoopy rod, caked in mud, that I extracted from the mud of a spring creek like a WalMart Excalibur. There have been coolers filled with rotten food.  Why I opened them? Curiosity, I suppose. There was once a backpack that I passed by but then returned to after the notion of a wad of bills wouldn’t leave my mind. Another time, a crumpled tent piqued that small part of me that wanted to be a forensic evaluator in high school. I didn’t want to find anything grizzly. Yet if there was something grizzly, someone probably should find it.

The fly fishing discoveries have been large and small, from totally worthless to kinda-sorta worth keeping. And then there was the time I found a car.

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Podcast Ep. 374: Casting… Indoors?

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Hear me out: I am not saying everyone can or should practice fly casting indoors.

But if you can, why not?

In today’s episode I am really discussing how a lot of us would benefit from more and more diverse fly casting practice. Although it is essential to practice casting under ideal circumstances, it makes a whole lot of sense to also practice in realistic settings. Can you always face your target? Are you always able to go 10-to-2? Is it always feasible to fully pivot your hips while double hauling? The answer is no. So  go ahead and prepare for those situations.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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