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Lower Green River Lake near Pinedale, Wyoming. Photo: Bridger Teton National Forest Sure, places like Bozeman, Jackson Hole, and Vail are great fly-fishing towns, but they’re certainly not off the beaten path. If you’re looking to make a trip out West but don’t want to do the same, old thing, where can you go? Writing in Hatch Magazine, Chris Hunt profiles four towns in Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming where you…

Life Cycle of Myxobolus cerebralis, the parasite that causes whirling disease. via mtpr.org Thirty years ago, the fly-fishing world was terrified by the discovery of whirling disease in Montana’s trout population. Would the rivers of Big Sky Country no longer live up to their legendary status? While the worst-case-scenario predictions never came true, some waters, such as the Madison, saw their rainbow populations reduce by as much as 95%. Whirling…

Traces of the poisonous chemical have been found in brook trout decades after DDT was banned. Photo: Charles Hildick-Smith The persistence of chemicals in the environment is a widespread concern among biologists, and a recent Canadian study demonstrates why consistent monitoring is so important: Residues of the insecticide DDT have been found to persist at “alarming rates” in trout even after 70 years, potentially posing a significant danger to humans…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features a big attractor dry, a deep-diving nymph, and a large saltwater baitfish imitation. We kick things off with a video from McFly Angler, who last week showed us how to tie the Madam X and now follows up with a parachute version called the PMX. This is my go-to pattern for hopper-dropper setups on the mountain streams near my home in Vermont. It floats well,…

What do fly fishing, college pride, and honoring the women in our lives have in common? The TU Costa 5 Rivers Mother’s Day Giving Challenge—a fun and meaningful way to support two incredible nonprofits: Casting for Recovery and Trout Unlimited 5 Rivers Clubs! From April 21 to May 11, TU Costa 5 Rivers College fly-fishing clubs from across the country are going head-to-head to see who can raise the most money for Casting for…

Dave Whitlock shows off a fine largemouth from a 1985 story. Photo via Fly Fisherman Forty years ago, writing in the June 1985 issue of Fly Fisherman magazine, Dave Whitlock suggested a novel approach to catching largemouth bass. At the time, streamers and topwater flies were thought to be the best way to catch bucketmouths, but Whitlock discovered that the nymphs he fished for panfish were also hooking bass. One…

The Fly Fishing Film Tour began with a small group of people looking for something fresh—something something that represented he energy, grit, and soul of fly fishing. Today, these films are part of a new wave of storytelling in fly fishing, and this week’s guest on the “Wet Fly Swing Podcast,” RA Beattie, has been there since the beginning. In this episode, RA shares his journey and highlights from his…

By Rick Mikesell Ross Reels has announced the return of the well-regarded San Miguel fly reel. Originally launched more than two decades ago, the San Miguel has been fully redesigned in Ross Reels’ Colorado factory, blending modern machining and materials with the classic elements that made the original iconic. The new San Miguel features a polished high-gloss black, platinum, gold, and special 50th Anniversary finish on a solid frame, and…

Each year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) carefully counts juvenile and adult coho salmon in North Coast rivers and streams. This work is especially important for tracking the status of endangered populations of Central California Coast (CCC) coho. Last winter, CDFW staff realized they were seeing exceptional numbers of adult salmon returning to Mendocino’s coastal streams during their spawning run. When the monitoring season was over and…

A brown drake mayfly, one of the many species not found in the upper East Branch of the Delaware, likely because the water is too cold. Photo courtesy of River Reporter In 1976, New York Gov. Hugh Carey signed legislation establishing minimum water flows for summer and winter below the dams of the Delaware River system. Angler saw the benefits of these new water regimes almost immediately, in the form…

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…