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In much of the country, mayfly season is just kicking off, so here’s a great primer on these elegant aquatic insects. This video covers the lifecycle of mayflies, as well as how to match each stage. If you’re a new fly fisher, this is a great introduction that will serve as a base of knowledge that you can build on as you learn more about the specific species of mayflies…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features a big attractor dry, a deep-diving nymph, and a cool tube fly. (A reader recently requested a tube-fly video, and we aim to please.) We kick things off with a video from McFly Angler, who teaches us to tie the legendary Madam X, designed by Doug Swisher in the 1980s. This is a great attractor pattern, and one that works well in a dry-dropper setup….

Lid Rig—a fly-fishing tool company based in Littleton, Colorado—makes a variety of cool magnetized tools that are designed to make life on the water easier. For 2025, they’ve introduced the Lid Rig 3.0 nipper ($59.95), which attaches to the brim of your fishing hat. With replaceable 440C stainless steel jaws and dual cutting surfaces, this state-of-the-art tool is versatile enough to trim anything from 8X tippet to braid with unparalleled…

The healing powers of fly fishing are well documented, as programs around the world have used the sport as therapy for everything from breast cancer to childhood trauma. As Georgia records one of the sharpest declines in opioid-related deaths nationwide, people in recovery are redefining what healing can look like—rooted in peace, connection and hope. Sylvia Huron transformed her personal struggle with addiction into a mission to help others when…

Let’s face it, quality fly-fishing gear and apparel can be expensive, so buying pre-owned is a more-affordable option for many people. The problem has been finding a trustworthy place to do so. eBay and Facebook transactions can seem like a leap of faith, as you don’t necessarily know whom you’re buying from and whether or not the items are as described. The folks at Simms have launched a resale platform,…

Juvenile brook trout, or parr, have vertical bars that help camouflage them; these fish are most vulnerable when they’re small. Photo: Jeff Parsons, via The Provincetown Independent Sea-run brook trout, known as “salters,” used to run up rivers throughout the Northeast, but a combinations of habitat destruction, dams, and competition from other species eradicated most of the anadromous populations by the mid 1900s. A fascinating article by Jim Gilbert in…

An angler holds a wild steelhead caught and released in the Skagit River system during the 2025 fishing season. Photo: Marcus Reaves The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the Skagit and Sauk rivers will close to all fishing on Friday, April 11, due to lower-than-anticipated returns of wild steelhead. The last day open for steelhead fishing will be this Thursday, April 10. In-season catch surveys, test…

Lee and Joan Wulff at the school they founded almost a half century ago. Founded in 1979 by Joan and Lee Wulff, the Wulff School of Fly Fishing has been a pillar of the fly-fishing community, teaching thousands of anglers the art and technique of Joan Wulff’s pioneering casting methods. For more than four decades, the Wulff School has introduced beginners to the sport, refined the skills of experienced anglers,…

When a master fly-caster speaks, we should listen. In this video from Mad River Outfitters, Tim Rajeff of Echo Fly Fishing discusses the important of straight-line tracking during the fly cast. If you’re not paying attention to how your casting hand and arm are moving throughout the motion, you’ll have trouble with accuracy and making tight loops. Rajeff offers a couple of pointers and practice methods to help you get…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features three very different patterns that can come in handy at various times in spring. This month will see the first Hendrickson hatches in the East and Midwest, and Michigan’s Lance Nelson walks you through the process of creating a Tilt Wing Hendrickson Emerger. The way he creates the angled wing post—and even adds a bit of flotation—is particularly interesting. Next up, Devin Olsen shows the…

Traveling anglers come to learn that every state has its own Byzantine government website, and navigating to the page where you can purchase a fishing license can be an exercise in frustration. But you certainly don’t want to be caught on the water without the proper documentation. Luckily, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) put together a cool online tool that sends you directly to the right page for…

As a new fly-fishing season gets underway and anglers deal with windy conditions and rusty casting skills, the chances that someone is going to get hooked are perhaps higher than ever. So it’s worth offering a refresher course in how to remove a hook from human skin. In the best of all possible worlds, the hook is barbless, but even if it isn’t the process is fairly straightforward, simple, and—best…

Each year, Orvis recognizes the best of the best among the members of its Endorsed Lodges, Outfitters, and Guides (ELOG) program. The winners of these “Of the Year” Awards are chosen based on a number of criteria, the most important of which is customer feedback: the reviews from the customers who have experienced these operations are the ultimate arbiters of success. Other criteria include the operation’s environmental commitment to and…

By Rick Mikesell For 2025, Umpqua Feather Merchants has launched a complete new line of nylon tippet material, STRATOS X, designed specifically for dry-fly fishing. According to the folks at Umpqua, STRATOS X is made from a proprietary, low-density co-polymer that is 10% lighter than standard nylon, allowing it to float higher and longer than other nylon tippets. The material’s gray camo pattern is designed to minimize visibility, and its…

According to Trout Unlimited CEO and President Chris Wood, “Media reports that lawmakers are considering the sale of public lands to help pay for a budget reconciliation bill are extremely troubling.” Outdoor Life magazine reports, “Congress is reportedly considering sweeping public-land sales as part of the federal budget reconciliation process in pursuit of the Trump Administration’s goal to find $10 trillion in both revenue generation and cost savings.” Wood’s statement…

Most fly fishers have heard of Dame Juliana Berners (who may not have actually existed) and Carrie Stevens (who invented the Grey Ghost streamer, but the first fly-fishing real superstar in the U.S. was a six-foot-tall master outdoorswoman named Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby (1854-1946), who has the distinction of being Maine Guide #1. Here are a couple of short videos from WABI in Bangor, Maine, that highlight Crosby’s difficult early…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features three patterns fished on or near the surface. We kick things off with my old friend, Rob Streeter, demonstrating his method for tying a high-floating Fat Albert variant, which will make a great indicator fly, beetle imitation, or all-around attractor fly. Next up, Andy from Andy’s Flies walks us through a classic North Country Spider first tied by T.E. Pritt in the late 1800’s. It’s…

Chase and Aimee Bartee of Tight Loops have been making some of the more compelling fly-fishing/adventure films of the last decade. Their current project is a series called “For Wild’s Sake: The Rare Trout Chronicles,” and the latest episode just dropped. It’s a 47-minute epic about getting off the beaten path, meeting like-minded adventurers, and exploring the history of Utah’s native trout. The quality of the filmmaking and photography is…

American anglers looking to catch big fish in Canada—such as this beautiful pike from Wollaston Lake in Saskatchewan—will be more than welcome this summer. Photo: Sandy Hays The current political relationship between the U.S. and Canada seems to be more fraught than it has been since the 1700s, which may have traveling anglers asking themselves if a trip to our northern neighbor is still a viable option. A new article…

 Tom Rosenbauer’s podcast guest this week is country singer JD Clayton, a talented singer/songwriter and all-around nice guy who loves to fly fish for smallmouth bass in his native Ozarks. He fills Tom in on what their fishing is like, and why he loves this rural part of the country so much. Check out the video at the bottom of the page to follow along with JD and friends…