Blog

Photo: Earl Harper via Hatch Magazine Whereas trout fishing is often elegant and serene, pike fishing can be the exact opposite, and this is exactly why, Chris Hunt argues, fly fishers should not pass up the chance to chase these aggressive, toothy predators: Because, for every trout that “takes your breath away,” I offer you a visual tincture that will both salve and infuriate, satisfy and irritate. For you, dear…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features four frizzy flies that make use of a variety of dubbings, hairs, and feathers. We kick things off with a caddisfly pattern from McFly Angler that sports turkey-slip wings to achieve a lifelike profile and a white parachute post for visibility. Next, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions serves up a Driftless Area classic: John Bethke’s Pink Squirrel . . . but with a twist. If…

Fishpond’s 2026 collection marks a major refresh of some of its most trusted designs, with new materials, reimagined staples, and an expanded focus on sustainability. According to the manufacturer, the lineup includes new colors and styles of Nomad Nets, a rerelease of the waxed canvas Fishpond Field Collection, and, most notably, the introduction of a Dynamic Foam option across the popular Tacky Pescador fly box series. Among the standout releases:…

Releasing a nice brown in Wyoming. Photo: Tom Koerner / USFWS The title of this article by Christine Peterson in Outdoor Life is purposely controversial, but the author covers a lot of ground and talk to a lot of experts who have concerns about the current state of catch-and-release regulations on some iconic rivers in the West. Whether or not you agree with the main premise or any of the…

In an effort to continually bring fly-fishing history to light in new and interesting ways, the American Museum of Fly Fishing is kicking off an exciting program to create commemorative pieces of classic American tackle in partnership with some of the world’s finest reel-makers, rod-builders and artisans. Due to the significant amount of time and effort it takes to create these commemorative pieces, AMFF is producing them in very limited…

If you want to catch more trout on lakes, learning how to fish scuds effectively is a game changer. In this great video from Fly Fish Food, Curtis Fry breaks down everything you need to know about fishing scuds in stillwater—from how they move and where trout feed on them, to the best fly patterns, retrieves, and setups for different conditions. Whether you’re fishing from a float tube, boat, or…

Water flows through a stretch of the Lower Blue River that cuts through private land at Blue Valley Ranch.  As any traveling angler knows, Colorado has some of the strictest water-use rights in the country, so anglers must constantly be aware of the rules they need to follow to stay legal. A new proposal for a well-known stretch of the Blue River is pitting several water-use constituencies against each other:…

To survey aquatic life, the brook trout crew stuns them temporarily, puts fish in a bucket, and measure them before releasing them back into the wild. Photo: Katie Myers / Blue Ridge Public Radio / Grist As climate change reshapes the Blue Ridge, Appalachia’s native trout are losing ground, but a dedicated group of biologists and fly fishers are working hard to help ensure the future of the beautiful, vital…

In this week’s Tying Tuesday, we’re serving up three very different patterns that will be effective in a variety of situations. We kick things of with Lance Egan walking us through a new variation of his high-floating Corn Fed Caddis, this time featuring peacock herl for the body. Next up is the fly everyone loves to make fun of until they catch a huge trout with it. Smitty’s Monthly Fly…

  In response to our recent Ask MidCurrrent article What’s the Secret to Achieving a Dead Drift?, Norway-based angler André Brun sent us a cool video as an example of how you can use Spey casts and reach mends to help in a specific situation. I responded to ask what the benefits of this technique are over a Snap-T or Circle Spey cast followed by a reach mend, and André…

Photo: Thomas Brimer Fly fishers spend a lot time thinking about the right gear, flies, and presentation, but in a recent Hatch Magazine article Chris Hunt writes about a valuable piece of fly-fishing wisdom he learned that had nothing to do with the above: But perhaps the best advice Kirk ever gave me was long before the underwear tip (which was solid, as most of you likely know). He and…

Illustration: Paul Puckett Monte Burke has made a name for himself as the preeminent chronicler of modern fly fishing for tarpon. If you haven’t yet read his Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World-Record Tarpon, you’re missing out. In the latest issue of Garden&Gun magazine, Burke writes about a trip in the Everglades with legendary guide Steve Huff: I blew it again, I tell Steve….

You need to get your streamer or soft hackle wet fly deeper than you can with a floating line. You want it to stay deep during your retrieve or swing. Should you just add a sinking poly leader to your floating line or are there times when a sinking tip fly line works better? In this video, Tom Rosenbauer explains how to make this important fly-fishing decision. The post Video:…

Yakoda’s goal was to build nippers that will stand the test of time but won’t break the bank. Yakoda Supply has re-engineered one of their most popular accessories with the release of the next-generation Yakoda Nipper ($89). According to the manufacturer, the new design blends the same precision and simplicity that made the original a favorite, with upgraded materials and features built to handle years of use in demanding conditions….

  [Interview starts at 41:00] You can catch salmon and steelhead on a fly in salt water before they enter rivers. The fish are bright and strong and may still be actively feeding but the problem is to find them in a big expanse of water. In this episode, Tom Rosenbauer talks to Reed Teuscher of the Orvis Outfitters team, who tells us where to look for these fish, how…

This week’s Tying Tuesday features an interesting collection of patterns that will produce as we transition from fall into winter. We kick things off with a classic, high-floating caddisfly pattern from McFly Angler that just looks buggy. Plus, it can float and emerger or nymph is a dry-dropper setup. Next, Allen McGee shows us how to tie a fly that offers elements of both an emerging dun and a prospecting…

“Fish porn” is—for better or worse—one of the staples of fly-fishing entertainment, for obvious reasons. Every angler dreams of catching the kinds of fish they see in videos from Alaska, New Zealand, and other exotic locales. But Capt. Chris Newsome from Virginia has posted a video of a different genre: casting porn.” Spend a minute and a half watching some killer long casts, great loops, accurate shots, and even a…

This amazing Barry Beck image is entirely in-camera, with no PhotoShop additions. Barry Beck has been one of the top fly-fishing photographers for more than three decades, but one image in particular has always been slightly controversial. In a cool outtake from the documentary “Legacy,” about the live and love of Barry and Cathy Beck, Barry explains how he got this photo of a rainbow trout checking out a drifting…

Ken Watkins posing with the record-breaking permit he caught with San Pedro fly-fishing guide Darrel Smith. Photo via The San Pedro Sun Back in August, we posted a podcast interview with Mike Ward, who had tied Del Brown’s legendary record for most permit caught on a fly. That same month, the record—which had stood for more than two decades—has been broken again, this time by Florida angler Ken Watkins, who…

Have you found it difficult to fully understand how farmed-raised salmon impact wild fish and the environment? There’s certainly a lot of “information” floating around, but it can be difficult to know what’s real and what’s propaganda . . . from either side of the debate. If you’re willing to take the time to look deeper, there’s a new website that can help. The Atlantic Salmon Federation and the North…