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Image by Michael Edgerly This story in Newsweek reports on a sobering reality for anglers. Extensive research examining over 23,500 freshwater species confirms our waterways face an unprecedented crisis. Nearly one-third of decapods—the freshwater crustaceans that help sustain many freshwater ecosystems—and more than a quarter of all freshwater fish species now face significant extinction risk. Since 1970, more than one-third of global wetlands—critical nurseries for countless species—have vanished at a…

I’m definitely dreaming of warmer weather, and in this week’s Tying Tuesday you’ll be treated to a nice little mayfly pattern, perfect for tossing during early spring hatches. Then, you’ll learn about a midge (which, admittedly, you could use right now), and that’s followed up by an interesting shrimp pattern for anyone looking to chase permit and bonefish while the rest of us freeze. In the first video, Madison (from…

Photo: Courtesy of Dom Swentosky/Troutbitten When you lose a fish, Dom Swentosky believes, you’re at fault—not the fish. And losing a fish is decidedly different from missing one, as Dom is careful to point out. In this recent story over at Troutbitten, Dom lays out why he “believes the blame lies with the angler and not the fish” when your line suddenly goes slack in the middle of a fight. As is…

Photo: Ed Dunens/Flickr I have a love/hate relationship with fly tying. I enjoy the satisfaction of catching fish on flies I made myself, but I’m a decidedly average tier. It can take me an hour or more to tie up enough flies to last me a day (although that probably says more about my propensity to lose flies than it does my tying ability). Either way, I’m always intrigued with…

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie Fishing slams are an interesting concoction that offer a legitimate challenge for those looking for a new challenge. In the most general sense, a fishing slam is when an angler catches two or more species of fish in a day. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) recognizes a few different types of slams, including the Fantasy Slam (five species in a single day) and the Saltwater Grand…

Late in 2024, the R.L. Winston Rod Company announced the release of their Pure 2 rod series. But that wasn’t the only new product to hit the shelves bearing Winston logos. The Twin Bridges, Montana-based rod company also launched a new line of polarized sunglasses. I’ll be completely honest—when the folks at Winston mentioned they were launching sunglasses, I was skeptical. How well could a fly rod company do at…

Photo: Courtesy of Bajio Bajio, the makers of fly fishing-centric sunglasses, just announced a fishing scholarship in which they’ll pay for one winner to attend a 2025 Fish for Change summer program. The winner will choose to attend a program in Honduras, Mexico, the Bahamas, or Costa Rica. Fish for Change “empowers young people to become global citizens through experiential learning,” according to their website. Their weeklong programs throughout the…

Photo: James Loesch/Flickr New York City probably isn’t high on any list for destination fly fishing. Yes, there’s plenty of great fly fishing outside of the Big Apple, but did you know there’s a decent fly fishing culture there, too? Jared Zissu, writing for Sports Illustrated, takes us through the “surprisingly diverse” fishery in New York City, as well as its local fly shop, the Urban Angler. “The truth is, you have a few…

Photo: Bureau of Land Management/Flickr The 2025 World Youth and Ladies Fly Fishing Championship will be held in Idaho Falls from July 12 to July 19. The competition will occur on the Snake River, Henry’s Fork, Hebgen Lake, Warm River, Sheridan Lake, and the Grey’s River. This will give visiting anglers a true taste of the fishing available in the Idaho Falls area, and disperse fishing pressure to various rivers…

Catching marlin, sailfish, and swordfish on a fly rod is one of the pinnacles of the sport. It’s a lot of hard work, and usually costs a fair amount of money, as well. But it’s in these envelope-pushing endeavors that we’re able to make some of the best leaps forward in fly fishing. Jeremy Block is the first person to ever document catching a broadbill swordfish on fly tackle, and…

Skwala, the Bozeman-based apparel company, has released their latest product, the RS Outpost Jacket. This is a bomber, do-it-all cold weather piece intended for use in the most extreme environments. Skwala uses the same 150 grams of 3DeFX+ insulation found in their Fusion 3/2 Puffy to provide warmth in the Outpost. On top of that, they’ve covered the insulation in a fully waterproof shell with taped and reinforced seams. You’ll…

The late Bob Popovics, legendary saltwater fly tier, will be honored at the Fly Fishing Show when it comes to Edison, New Jersey on Jan. 24 – 26. The American Museum of Fly Fishing will honor Popovics with the 2025 Izaak Walton Award posthumously on Saturday, Jan. 25. The event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., and will also feature a tribute film and a few guest speakers. Popovics…

Winter is a hard time of year for a lot of anglers. Between the holidays, bad weather, less daylight, and a lack of hatches, chasing fish is exponentially more difficult now than at other times of the year. However, winter fly fishing is completely worth it for those who brave the cold and can figure out where the trout are holding. Some of my biggest trout I’ve caught on a…

In this most recent episode of the Troutbitten podcast, Dom and the crew talk about how to shorten the amount of time you spend getting ready on your tailgate, or at your trunk, when you pull up to the river. In Dom’s words, “Just get your waders on, your boots laced, and get to the river. It should be as simple as that.” I’m usually quicker at this than most…

Photo: Louis Cahill Chasing redfish on the fly is something I’ve always wanted to do. And I’ll admit, I’ve thought to myself that it look easy enough. I reckoned I could get the hang of it quick enough to make a trip down south worth my time and money. Then, I read this story by Owen Plair, over at Gink & Gasoline, and realized how wrong I was. He talks about…

Lani Waller needs no introduction for steelheaders, as he was one of the most respected steelhead anglers and teachers before he passed away in 2024. His big project was a film series about catching steelhead, which is widely regarded as one of the best educational film series ever produced. In addition to that, he wrote a few books and contributed to Fly Fisherman Magazine and Wild Trout and Salmon Magazine.  The last project…

Photo: Alex Stulce For the past five or six years I’ve been an ardent supporter of the chest pack as the premier way to carry and store tackle while on the water. I’ve never liked sling packs, backpacks are too unwieldy, and all the vests I’d worn in my earlier fly fishing years weren’t great for my back, neck, and shoulders. My current chest pack is on its last leg…

If you received some gift cards for Christmas, or you’re looking to treat yourself to something during the last of the holiday season sales, then you might want to look at this list of Ken Baldwin’s favorite gear from 2024. Ken writes about fly fishing for Sports Illustrated, and he put together a series of articles on the pieces of gear he enjoyed most this year. You can read about…

In this recent episode of the Articulate Fly podcast, host Marvin Cash sat down with Austin Conrad to talk all about fly fishing for bass and musky in Virginia. Austin is co-owner of Virginia Trophy Guides, and he has a wealth of experience to draw from as he educates anglers in this episode. I personally enjoyed how he highlights the year-round fishing opportunities in Virginia, with musky in the winter…

Photo: Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/Flickr MidCurrent has recently reported on a few of the challenges facing wild salmon and steelhead across the world. Hatchery-raised salmon and steelhead pose a serious threat to wild fish, but it’s not always clear why, even to those who consider themselves well-versed in conservation. This recent article in Fly Fisherman Magazine can help alleviate some of that confusion. John Larison writes that the four…