Blog

Story: A Fish Named Dave

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Tim Schulz has a great story over in Hatch Magazine about a fish he named Dave. Yes, he named a fish. It’s named after Dave Delisi, the man who sold Tim a few rods at Sweetgrass years ago. Tim named the fish because he caught the same on on multiple occasions. It’s a fun, lighthearted story that we’ve all probably experienced ourselves at times. I’ve often wondered how many times I’ve caught…

Catching Lake Trout on the Fly

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Photo: Don Graham/Flickr Lake trout are an underrated fish to target on the fly rod. It makes sense, though, since they live so deep for most of the year. Unless you’re fishing in Canada, catching them on a fly rod outside of a few weeks in spring and fall is just about impossible. If you want in on the action, though, you need to listen to this podcast from Joe…

Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Population Down Again

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Striped bass are an important fish for a variety of reasons, but us anglers love them for the great experiences they provide at the end of a fly rod. That’s what makes the recent news about Chesapeake Bay striped bass populations all the more concerning. As Eliza Noe over at Phys.org wrote, “According to a 2024 survey from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which monitors the success of young…

Ross Launches Casting for Recovery Cimarron Reel

Friday, November 22, 2024

Ross Reels has launched a limited-edition version of their Cimarron reel to support Casting for Recovery. Casting for Recovery is a nonprofit that uses fly fishing to help women with breast cancer. The limited edition Cimarron will be a 5/6, and with every sale, Ross will donate $50 to Casting for Recovery. Casting for Recovery’s retreats introduce over 800 women each year to the therapeutic sport of fly fishing, offering…

Fishpond’s New Stormshadow Lineup

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Fishpond has released a bevy of new products for 2025, and you can take a look at all of them here. Today, we’ll focus on the release of their Stormshadow lineup, a collection of bags and packs for every angler. These products should be available at your local Fishpond retailer soon. All bags in the Stormshadow line use recycled fabrics that have been weatherproofed, while a few are completely waterproof….

Tying Tuesday: Streamers!

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

This week’s Tying Tuesday is streamer heavy. I guess it’s that time of year! We start out with an interesting flashy minnow pattern, then move on to the most unique leech I’ve ever seen. We’ll finish up with an ol’ classic, tied up in purple. The first fly this week is a Palmer Chenille Minnow, from the folks at All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter on YouTube. This is a…

What Moves Trout to the Fly?

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Photo: Dom Swentosky/Troutbitten Does the fly you fish matter more than how you fish it? That question is the crux of Dom Swentosky’s latest story over at Troutbitten. I agree with Dom’s premise that ” I think how you fish your handful of flies is usually more important than what those flies are.” I carry just over two dozen different patterns with me, and I’m able to fish well enough…

Scott Releases 50th Anniversary Rods

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Scott Fly Rods have a cult following in the Rockies, and for good reason. They make great sticks (I’m in love with their recent Session lineup), and they’re honoring their 50th anniversary by releasing new builds of five classic rods from each decade the company has been around. “Rather than replicating the originals, we decided to build the blanks to spec with a resto-mod approach to finishing them,” Scott wrote…

TU Releases New Film, ‘Lifeblood’

Friday, November 15, 2024

Trout Unlimited (TU) has released a new film highlighting restoration work on Muddy Creek, near Rawlins, Wyoming. Rawlins is famous for being home to the Wyoming State Penitentiary, awful winters, and an abundance of that ever-present Wyoming wind. And while Muddy Creek probably won’t put Rawlins on the map as a must-fish destination, it’s an important project to restore an integral tributary within the Colorado River Basin. Between drought and…

Korkers Debuts Neo Flex Thermo Boot Collection

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Waterproof winter performance. Korkers, the award-winning outdoor footwear brand, is proud to introduce the Neo Flex™ Thermo collection, a fusion of cozy slipper-like comfort with rugged, waterproof performance features intended for wet, mucky, cold winter days.  The collection of slip-on boots features two color options for Men and two for Women.  In addition to a soft, fleece lined interior and protective, waterproof rubber outer, the Neo Flex™ Thermo boots are…

Idaho’s Walleye Problem

Saturday, November 09, 2024

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr Walleye are posing a problem to salmon and steelhead through the Snake River Basin in Idaho. And according to a new press release from the Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG), fisheries managers are asking anglers to be more vigilant in catching and killing these fish. “For the past couple years, Idaho Fish and Game has asked – and continues to ask – anglers to harvest any walleye…

What Counts as Fly Fishing?

Friday, November 08, 2024

I’ve seen this question pop up a lot this year, and I commend Ross Purnell over at Fly Fisherman Magazine for bringing up at his publication. In a short post, Purnell talks about his experience fishing New Zealand’s South Island, and how he had to use 22-24 foot leaders to make a decent presentation to the island’s notoriously wary fish. In many cases, Purnell said he was only casting a few feet…

MidCurrent Tested and Trusted: Cold Weather Fishing Gear I Love Right Now

Thursday, November 07, 2024

With fall just about over, and winter set to rule for the next few months, I reckoned it’d be a good time to look at some of my favorite cold-weather gear. This is the stuff I depend on to keep me warm and dry during the worst weather of the year here in the Rockies. I know some anglers don’t like to fish year-round, but I love the solitude and…

April Vokey Joins Mayfly Outdoors

Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Mayfly Outdoors, the award-winning manufacturer of high-performance fly fishing products and parent company of Abel Reels, Ross Reels, and Airflo, is excited to announce that world-renowned fly fisher, guide, author, and conservationist April Vokey has joined the Mayfly family as a brand ambassador. Known for her work through Anchored Outdoors and years of guiding in some of the world’s most iconic fisheries, Vokey has become a respected authority in fly fishing, conservation, and education. Her…

Tying Tuesday: Winter Midges, Bunny Leeches, and CDC

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

This week’s Tying Tuesday is heavy on the subsurface flies, with a midge and streamer tutorial leading the way. You’ll get treated to a simple CDC emerger, as well. It’s time to start filling boxes for next spring, and these are all great flies to start with. Davie McPhail leads us off this week with a 3-in-1 video! You’ll get an up-close look at three winter nymph patterns he recommends…

Podcast Roundup: Nymphing, Streamers, and Travel

Sunday, November 03, 2024

Photo: Matt Keefe/Flickr The Podcast Roundup this week features an in-depth look at nymphing strategies, then moves onto some information about streamer fishing. You’ll finish up with a great chat with Tim Flagler, about fly tying and destination travel. There’s quite a bit in this week’s lineup, so get comfortable while you get to listening. As always, if you have a podcast you’d like to see featured here, please let…

Skagit Secrets

Saturday, November 02, 2024

Photo: Tom Hart/Flickr I’ve always found the world of two-handed rods, and steelhead fishing in general, fascinating. I’ve never done it, but I’ve dabbled in trout spey a bit here in the Rockies. What I’ve been able to do, however, is read up on and learn as much as I can (without actually doing it) about two-handed casting. This recent story in Fly Fisherman Magazine by John Larison caught my eye because…

New Rangeley Lakes Novel from Bob Romano

Friday, November 01, 2024

Fly fishing author Bob Romano’s final installment in his Rangeley Lakes series, Return to Rangeley, is set for release on January 1st. The novel completes Romano’s literary exploration of Maine’s storied Rangeley Lakes region. To reserve an autographed copy, make your check payable to WEST RIVER MEDIA in the amount of $25.00 & send to: Andora and Romano, 15 Essex Road, Suite 406, Paramus, N.J. 07652. Please remember to include…

Costa Launches 2024 Collection

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Costa Del Mar has launched their new 2024 fall lineup, which features 5 new frame options. Details and links to all the new options are below. FINLET Modern aesthetics meet essential functionality. A trusted performance tool for on the water, Costa’s latest performance frame Finlet is built for those in pursuit of the next world record fish. Named after the fins that inspired its sleek design, Finlet features an 8-base…

Blue Ridge Guide Relief Giveaway

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

The Guide Relief Program (GRP), in  collaboration with Adipose Boatworks, Costa, and Flylords, has launched an initiative to provide critical support to guides in the Blue Ridge region affected by Hurricane Helene. Recognizing that guiding is more than just a profession but  a way of life, this campaign focuses on helping the guide communities in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.  The Blue Ridge Relief Giveaway addresses both the immediate financial…