Fishing Forecast

“You can’t play a Bach solo partita on the fly rod…but a split bamboo fly rod, used well, is also a small embodiment of human grace.” – George Black August means the Sun Valley Summer Symphony season begins. So when you are done listening to the rush of water against your legs, the song of the Red-winged Blackbird, the collective…

“…neither time nor repetition has destroyed the illusion that the rise of a trout to a dry fly is properly regarded in the light of a miracle.” ― Harold F. Blaisdell It is the thing that brings anglers back to the river time and time again…the take, the moment the trout commits to the fly. The point of contact stirs…

“The cast is so soft and slow that it can be followed like an ash settling from a fireplace chimney. One of life’s quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly becoming the author of something beautiful, even if it is only a floating ash.” ― Norman Maclean The only thing better than making the…

"It is motion that gives the fish his first warning of danger.” ― Lee Wulff While wading the Creek, move like a heron. When casting, let your fly and line alight the water as soft as a cottonwood seed. And on the Wood, don’t rush to the river’s edge without watching the margins. Don’t stand in the very water that…

Trout are among those creatures who are one hell of a lot prettier than they need to be. They can get you to wondering about the hidden workings of reality.” ― John Gierach Last week, Joe Humphreys reminded us to “look up” and take in the natural beauty of the place we live in. Remember also to “look down” and…

“On the best days on the river, the life of vibrating devices and glowing screens disappear, and all that matters is the temperature of the water, the speed of the flow, the skittishness of the fish, the accuracy of the fly, and the neatness of the cast.” ~ Kirk Wallace Johnson, author of The Feather Thief No matter what might…

“For me, there’s more to fishing than the display of equipment and discussing nifty theories and knowing the Latin names of the insects our flies imitate— there’s the sudden tug on the line that says you found the answer to a particular angling problem.” ~ Joe Humphreys fromTrout Tactics Certainly, having the right gear makes a difference. No doubt, understanding…

“Most aquatic insects seem to obey no hard rule in the timing of their appearance, and Brown Drakes are no exception.” ~ Rene Harrop The Brown Drakes seem to be playing a game of peekaboo. This “now you see us, now you don’t” behavior can be attributed to the fickle spring weather. But with stable temperatures in the forecast, this…

“Last night I took my two children to watch Live the Stream-The Story of Joe Humphrey, where they got to see the many facets of my 90-year-old mentor: husband, father, friend, conservationist, coach, teacher, athlete, competitor, and mentor. I wanted them to observe what a purposeful life looks like, and this film hits the message out of the park.” ~…