“Definition of a fly rod—an antenna, which transmits peace, tranquility, excitement, fellowship and most of all, an awareness and appreciation for the outdoors.” ~ Roderick Haig-Brown No matter the make, no matter the length, no matter the style…the fly rod is the thing all anglers have in common. Its singular purpose: to connect anglers with the underwater world of their…
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“Fishing should be a ceremony that reaffirms our place in the natural world and helps us resist further estrangement from our origins.” ~Thomas McGuane The fall foliage peaks over the next few weeks and the spectacular fall scenery coincides with spectacular fall fishing. Autumnal days rouse the angler's soul. Allow the ritual of fishing to help you cast your worries…
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“In a life properly lived, you're a river.” ~Jim Harrison When angling well, you are not at odds with a river, nor a victim to its indifference. You are the river, one with the surroundings, flowing as the river flows. When angling well, your relationship to the water is not mere simile, you are not “like” or “as” a river.…
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“The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.” ~Thomas McGuane Which is more important, the right fly or the proper presentation? Once you have exhausted every possibility with regards to a perfect drift, from the angle of approach, to leader build and tippet size, and the fish still refuses to take… it must be the fly.…
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“Most fishermen use the double haul to throw their casting mistakes further.” ~Lefty Kreh As we enter the second week of August, there are a lot of great fishing opportunities to look forward to on the Wood, Silver Creek, Big Lost, and the other fisheries in the Valley and beyond. Keep in mind, with the smaller bugs and lower water,…
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“Fly-fishing is solitary, contemplative, misanthropic, scientific in some hands, poetic in others, and laced with conflicting aesthetic considerations. It's not even clear if catching fish is actually the point.” ~John Gierach What is fly fishing to you? The next time you are waist deep in a river, take a second and reflect. Contemplate your aesthetic considerations. Think about the experiences…
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“The music of angling is more compelling to me than anything contrived in the greatest symphony hall.” ~A.J. Mclane As we move into August, the best fishing is during the most pleasant times of day, and with day time highs in the 80s to 90s, the pleasant times have shifted to the morning and evenings. Along with the shift in…
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“The finest gift you can give to any fisherman is to put a good fish back, and who knows if the fish that you caught isn't someone else's gift to you?” ~Lee Wulff This season, our rivers have been blessed with an abundance of wild fish. The finest gift anglers can give to the trout as the waters warm up…
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“A fly fishing season does not pass in which I do not find myself misguided by following one of my favorite precepts.” ~ Huish Edye As this fly fishing season gets under way, keep this one essential fly fishing precept in mind: there is always something new to learn. Follow this, and you are sure not be misguided! And, if…
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“Really, the only thing a psychiatrist can do that a good (fishing) guide can't is write prescriptions.” ― John Gierach This is the time of year most anglers salivate like Pavlov's dog. The days are shorter and the morning temperatures are cooler. The mountains have seen their first dusting of snow and there is a hint of yellow in the…
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