Casting Across Fly Fishing

Although the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast usually doesn't feature interviews,  when it does it goes big. Today I have  5 guests in the studio. And I'm confident that they spend more time in the woods than most fishing, hiking, and hunting celebrities. Who are these remarkable figures? You'll have to tune in and find out. And when you do, you'll also be listening to the 400th episod...

One of the most ridiculous assumptions that you can make in fly fishing is that everyone is going to be just as considerate and respectful as you. First, there is a good chance that your  angling foibles are simply in your blind spot. Equally important,  all people make mistakes out of one kind of ignorance or another. Today I talk about three areas of fly fishing etiquette. There is a chance that...

Under, over, around, and (if you're feeling lucky) through. Trout absolutely love cover. Downed trees, overhanging vegetation, and undercut banks are just three examples of places fish like to safely fin and eat. But how does one get a fly into these locations? Sometimes the path forward presents itself. Other times, you have to get kind of creative. Today I talk about some ideas for problem solvi...

There is a significant segment of anglers who only fish (and rightfully enjoy) the stereotypical trout river or bass pond. These waters are easily accessible and usually full of fish; there is no reason to turn up your nose at them at all. But if that is all you know, you're missing out on some tremendous fly fishing. It just requires wrapping your mind around the fact that trout live in tiny pock...

Fly fishing minimalism is not just about throwing things out of your pack willy-nilly. In fact, jettisoning necessary items doesn't score you any virtue points. If anything, it is simply bad practice. Today I'm sharing three mentalities, paradigms, or reasons why you might want to slim down your angling load. There are other resources on the particulars (including articles, podcasts, and videos on...

For the last 24 hours, I've enjoyed some very aggressive bass and panfish. And while I have no reservations using streamers, I'm more than happy to toss topwater flies if they're what is on the menu. Today I share some topwater fly tactics for warmwater fish. I discuss some of my preferred approaches to gear, to casting, to presentation, and to setting the hook. But at the end of the day, getting...

I am not an expert in swinging flies in the most orthodox sense of the concept. In fact, I've never made any kind of presentation to steelhead in the Pacific Northwest or Atlantic salmon. However, I have swung wet flies in ways that might not draw the ire of purists. But none of that is what I'm talking about today. The weird uncle of that noble tactic, swinging streamers and nymphs for bass and t...

Perhaps this is a little pedantic, but it is worth saying: You don't need to wade to fly fish. What do I mean? Well, I think a lot of anglers wade too much. We get in the water where we don't need to. We move too close to where the fish are. We disturb things  as we wade and then wonder why the fish aren't interested in our fly. Today I share a half-dozenish thoughts on wading. Some have to do wit...

Last week I did my darndest to debunk three big lies about fly fishing that keep people away from this wonderful pursuit. Today I'm coming at it from another angle. In this episode, I'm addressing three misconceptions about fly fishing that get people into the sport. Thankfully each of these three items have good news/bad news components. So I'll start with the bad and then cycle over to the good....

You've probably heard them yourself. There are some myths about fly fishing and fly fishing culture that keep people away from either giving it a try or sticking with it after a little bit of frustration. I'm here to tell you that three of the most common reasons people steer away from fly fishing are just not true. Today I address this triad of lies. If you're considering fly fishing, hopefully t...

Today's feedback is pretty interesting.  The second segment is about tying flies and and approaching trout in a way that will yield many more fish. But the first and the third? Those are all about the fly fishing community. But that whose conversation is a major part of Casting Across: the quarry and the culture of fly fishing. As always, I am thankful for every read, listen, and watch you give me...

This is not a podcast about using AI to find fish. Nor is this a podcast about building a social media presence. I like to think of these four fundamental pieces of advice as the 21st century version of what was commonly practiced by anglers only a few generations ago. With the overwhelming quantity of information we have in our hands, sometimes it is hard to wade through that which is quality or...

Whether I'm in the market for new gear or not, I like to keep my finger on the pulse of what is new and noteworthy in fly fishing. For a few years The Fly Fishing Show has held the Consumers Choice Awards. While not exhaustive, it does feature that which is often new and that which is somewhat noteworthy. And   that alone warrants a few minutes of my time. And I'd wager, based upon your interest i...

Long live fly fishing elitism. In a different sort of podcast episode, today I talk about why the stereotype of the old, stuffy, tweed-jacketed fly fishing elitist isn't really valid anymore. In his place a new figure has emerged to stand as arbiter of what is "authentic" fly fishing. And while I'm always interested in your feedback, I'm particularly interested in your thoughts on this topic. Afte...

Opening Day. For generations, this was a high holiday among anglers. With the success of resource management programs and special regulations, year-round fishing is available for most of us. Still, there are some reasons to circle a particular date on the calendar. In this Cast1 episode, I walk through some of the reasons why opening day should still be held in high regard. I also list a few thing...

Recently I hit the "50" mark on my fly fishing book review series on YouTube. I've filmed myself doing "show and tell" with over 60 books, and it has been a lot of fun. Today on the podcast, I talk about some thoughts (five, to be precise) I have on reading fly fishing books. There is a whole lot more that I could share, but this is a nice little synopsis of some questions I've fielded and some ob...

I love questions. And you should too. Never feel dumb for asking a good question. That said, I'm also happy if I can give you some information on the front end so that you can ask an even better and more applicable question.  Since a good chunk of the fly fishing questions I field pertain to fly rods, I've put together a whole page on Casting Across dealing with the most frequently asked questions...

With over 1,600 pieces of content at the time of this episode's recording, navigating the Casting Across website might be a little daunting. But the depth and breadth of what is available is worth clicking through. Today's podcast is meant to help you in that endeavor. Knowing that there isn't a perfect overlap of podcast listeners and website readers, I introduce the content on the site. Then, I...

Like many a dace that have taken aa dry fly, only to get hook-set into the streamside vegetation - I bit off more than I could chew last week on the podcast. When I thought about talking predatory fish, I figured I could shoehorn carp into the discussion. They aren't predators in the same way musky and big largemouth are. However, the rods and rivers overlap. Regardless, this is an episode where I...

In fly fishing, "predators" is a bit of an arbitrary designation. Why? Well, bluegill are predators. Brook trout are predators. Tiger sharks are predators. What we often mean is  the larger, piscivorous (fish eating)  freshwater species in North America. Today I'm talking about some of the considerations one might make when thinking about gear for larger bass and toothy fish. As you can imagine, t...

It is that time again. You ask, I answer. I like these episodes so much, that I do one every few months. Today I interact with questions regarding: Fly line choices Fly rod action Fly fishing footwear And I transcend my normal 3 topic boundary by addressing two logistical/technical items. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This may very well be the longest episode of the podcast yet. And it could have been longer if I mentioned every interesting conversation, unique piece of gear, or novel observation from my four days at The Fly Fishing Show. In this quick look back at my weekends in Marlborough, MA, and Edison, NJ, I talk about presentations, products, and people. And at the end of the day, it is the people that m...

Two whole podcast episodes devoted to how fly fishers can be lazy? Oh yes. And I could do a handful more just on those issues I see in myself. Recently I defined laziness as choosing to not do what you know you should do. If the goal is catching fish, why would you only try 95%? or 50% Certainly, you shouldn't be bothered by being skunked if that is the case. Today I highlight three more things an...

We don't talk enough about how much of a problem laziness is. That goes for people and society as a whole. But, of course, today I'm talking about how laziness is not the friend of the fly fisher. If you're being lazy, it means you know better. It means you can do what you should do but you choose not to do that. Why? It is easier not to. In this episode I walk through three issues where you might...

Today's episode is a snippet from one of the presentations that I give at The Fly Fishing Show. It is about a third shorter and you don't get the benefit of PowerPoint slides, but the content promised to be quite helpful for the small stream angler. Why? If you primarily fish small streams, there might be some trepidation over heading out to the larger rivers. Sprawling waterways can be intimidati...