"To go fishing is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature, charity toward tackle-makers, patience toward fish, a mockery of profits and egos, a quieting of hate, a rejoicing that you do not…
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"...knowing a river intimately is a large part of the joy of fly >fishing." - Roderick Haig-Brown To know a river intimately, one must experience it in all of its seasons. Of course, most anglers know the more popular seasons, summer and fall, when our local rivers are tricked with glamorous hatches and idyllic conditions. But those who know a…
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"Many of us probably would be better fishermen if we did not spend so much time watching and waiting for the world to become perfect." -Norman Maclean With the great ski conditions throughout December, the rivers have been receiving light angler pressure. And January is traditionally a month when anglers hibernate and tie flies for the upcoming season. These anglers…
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"When we fish, we are awake. We are attuned to the environment, to the world, to the reverence and wonder of life." -Dan Baughman 'Tis the season for making resolutions. This year make a resolution to fish more. For it is in the pursuit, the act of angling, that we find humility. SILVER CREEK Remember, this time of year…
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"There is a certain something in angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind."- Washington Irving Life seems to accelerate during the holidays. It is easy to be overwhelmed while balancing work, travel, shopping, and cheer. I have a remedy: notch out a chunk of time, grab some warm fly fishing garb, hire a guide, and head to…
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“What a severe yet master artist old Winter is.... No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel." -John Burroughs The light in winter is a challenge for the fly fisher. Shorter days and the low angle of the sun create tough light conditions with heavy glare making it difficult to read the water, see the…
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“Winter bites with its teeth, or lashes with its tail." - Montenegrin >Proverb You can easily tame the beast of winter with layering and preparation. A successful winter fly fishing outing begins with insulation. Start with a Patagonia Merino mid-weight bottom along with a pair of the SIMMS Guide pant for the bottom half. For the upper half, layer the…
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“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."- Nathaniel Hawthorne Sunday, November 2nd is the end of Daylight Saving Time and with the days already getting shorter as we move towards the December Solstice,our autumnal sunshine is very precious. There is plenty of time to hibernate in the months to come. Don't…
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"I am so glad I live in a land where there are Octobers."- L.M.Montgomery October is more than just an excuse to drink beer or don a costume and trick or treat. October days are among the most pleasant of the year. For a fly fisherman, October means Fall Baetis, Mahogany Duns, Red Quills, and aggressively feeding fish. These are…
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"There are as many reasons why and ways to fish as there are people who do it."- Russell Chatham Why? A season can be a reason: Cottonwoods bejeweled in gold; Mountains tipped with snow; Windshields frosted with morning dew. And the colors...Blue Winged Olive, Mahogany, Red Quill, Golden Brown...are reason enough. While I love all the seasons in which trout…
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“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.” – Benjamin Franklin A resolution, the noun, is often an empty platitude. To resolve, the verb, takes action. This year, be courageous and resolve yourself to be a better angler with each cast mending the failures from the previous attempt. Big Wood…
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“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” – Hal Borland At year’s end, the fishing season goes on…and the truly wise remember to renew their license. Big Wood The river will see an increase in pressure during the holidays, so look for access points…
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