GEAR: THE FULL RUNDOWN Fly rods: You can use 9-12 weight rods, either single hand or two hand style. I like a 9-foot, single hand, 9-weight rod for flats and other shallow short game places (casts no longer than 45-50 feet with some 10 feet or less casts needed) like skinny salt ponds or brackish
Fly Fishing Is Good for Your Brain, Part 2: ‘Flow’
This is Part 2 of an occasional series on the links between fly fishing and neuroscience. Read Part 1 here. We can be our own worst enemies. We can regret prior decisions or worry about the future almost without pause. It is all normal and is based on neuroscience. But, none of that seals our
At the Vise: New Stoneflies
It may be overkill, but I’ve been working on new stonefly patterns. Some time ago, I bought assorted patches of muskrat and beaver at Concord Outfitters. I also have some Angora goat dubbing, which is incredibly spiky. It also is very unwieldy until you cut the fibers shorter. Put on a dubbing loop and spun,
Life Lessons from Labrador
It was the fall of 2017, and I was in northern Labrador, waist deep in the McKenzie River. My sloping shoulders portrayed the characteristic posture of a frustrated angler tying on another fly. The river felt cold flowing around my thighs while my flies remained untouched. My angling skills appeared to be no match for