Rusty Flybox: Run

I usually go for a few long runs every summer. In fact, my preparation and planning for these feats of endurance generally exceeds that of my fly fishing. This summer, I can say for certain, I’ve spent more time, energy, and effort so that I can dial in for a specific run. And that run is today (the day this post goes live).

With that in mind, I’m sharing three run-related posts from the archives. Don’t be mistaken: they’re all about fly fishing. And running is really only one example that I give of how moving well benefits your angling.

Interested? You should be. Being healthy and flexible is a wonderful thing for anyone… especially fly fishers. There is an article, a video, and a podcast below. Click on the links to get the full story for each.

read more

Podcast Ep. 406: [Cast1] 4 Ways to Get Flies Deep

We all know these simple facts: Fish eat bugs. Most of the bugs fish eat are underwater bugs.

Still, we struggle with getting imitations of said bugs in front of these fish. This is a recurring challenge when prospecting for trout and dialing in presenting the fly.

Thankfully, we have equipment that can help us overcome this small (but real) obstacle. Today I talk about four things you can do to get your fly deeper. I share the pros and cons of each. And, in a remarkable move from most “how to”  content, one of these things isn’t going to cost you a dime.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

read more

VIDEO: A Great Book on Flies (Whether You Tie or Not)

Imposters, by Skip Morris, is closest you may ever come to a collection of fly fishing stories where the flies are the main characters.

Now, those tying, choosing, and employing these flies are certainly part of the plot. The fish make appearances as well. But the real stars of Morris’ excellent writing are the flies. He explores the history of some of your favorite patterns. He pulls back the curtain to show you how his own creations evolved. He  beckons any and all readers to care about the feathers and fur wrapped around the hooks in their boxes.

Whether you tie flies or not, Imposters is a great read that belongs on your list.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

read more

My Crappie Obligation to You

We caught enough for my family to eat their fill of fish tacos. The tender crappie filets are complemented by a spicy sour cream, pickled onions, and cilantro. There were enough pieces left over to freeze for some chowder, too. But you can’t cook fish chowder in seasons where your windows are closed. You want to smell it while you’re eating it, not for the rest of the week. It would almost be worth it. Cooked only hours after swimming 15 feet down,  it is hard to  beat fresh fish.

It seems like there is at least one obligatory post like this on Casting Across every quarter or so. The sixth man of my fly fishing writing has a real affinity for using a spinning rod and eating fish. On one hand there is a polemical angle in these articles. Fishermen are fishermen (even if they’re women or children). We have much more in common when we’re casting something into water than we do with everyone else in the world. I suppose that those looking to harvest fish are a bit more consistent, as they don’t have to worry about the potential for harming fish. They’re going the whole way. Sometimes I go the whole way, too.

read more

Podcast Ep. 405: [Cast1] Adding Fly Fishing to Your “Normal” Fishing

It is important to remember that when you start fly fishing, you don’t have to bury your spinning or baitcasting rod six feet under. While the rods are emblematic of relatively diverging angling cultures, they are  simply tools. You can use both. But if you’ve been throwing lures for any length of time, there are some adjustments you’ll need to make when picking up a fly rod.

Today I briefly cover six things that are different enough between fly and conventional fishing  that they warrant an explanation. These are real world examples that come from years of teaching and my own personal observations.

Lastly, it is important to remember that fly fishing isn’t as complicated as some make it out to be. It is, after all, just fishing.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

read more

VIDEO: Fly Fishing Gear – When Big or Small is Just Right

There is something good about having one, do-it-all tool. There is something good about having exactly what you need for each and every situation you may find yourself in. You can go off the rails to either side, however. On one hand, you can limit yourself. On the other, conspicuous consumption fills up your closet but never your contentment.

Today, using two simple tools, I’m illustrating how there is a happy medium in fly fishing.

So this video is really a “two for the price of one” situation. You’re getting product reviews on two great pieces of gear. You’re also getting some food for thought on the paradigm that guides what you buy and what you take on the water.

Watch what else I have to say (and find out more about the tools) below:

read more

Pride in Cheap Fly Fishing Gear

I can’t recall for certain how many pairs of $5.99 sunglasses I owned in the first years of my fishing life. But I am confident that it was far, far less than would total the price of the fancy pairs I wear these days. And, I think it bears mentioning, these cheap sunglasses were name brand. They were “Bill Dance” sunglasses. Plastic-framed aviators with oversized polarized lenses. Lightweight, functional, and affordable. Ironically fashionable for a teenager in the 1990’s, too.

Somewhere along the line I upgraded. That is consumerism lingo for “spent a lot more money for something a little bit nicer.” And I own that. It is what it is. Or, more accurately, it is what I justify it to be. Philosophy aside, there are some other cheap fly fishing things I clung to for years.

read more

Podcast Ep. 404: When You Don’t Have The “Right” Gear

I do talk about fly fishing gear a lot on Casting Across. But there is something that will trump equipment nine out of ten times: skill.

Within reason, your proficiency with equipment will overcome not having that rod, fly, or gadget that is designed specifically for a particular task. This is a good thing. Because with little expense and without filling up another closet, you can keep doing more on the water.

But there are also times when you are on the water and you don’t have that one thing that would make fishing a little easier. There are still things you can do. Today, I talk about three of them.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

read more

VIDEO: The Definitive Word on a Premier River

On one hand, a fly fishing guidebook is a tool. The author gives you what you need to catch fish in a particular location.

But a good guidebook is much more. The writer shares his passion for a place he truly enjoys and in which he is personally invested. That excitement comes through in a way that adorns  your expectations for that next trip to the river.

In Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River, Steve Culton sufficiently provides the former and ably executes the latter. It is a readable resource. It is an engaging knowledge base. Tapping into his own expertise and that of other anglers, it is the definitive word on a premier New England fishery.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

read more

Fly Fishing Books, XIV

For over a year and a half, I’ve been putting reviews of fly fishing books on YouTube. It has been a lot of fun to talk about new titles and share some of my favorite books from the history of angling. This has been a great way to augment the dozens of articles posted about fly fishing books from the past decade on this site.

But not everyone who looks at Casting Across clicks over to YouTube.  So while some of the books I’m sharing below have been the subjects of full length videos, they are good enough to share again. I’ve enjoyed all four of these titles, and all of them are worth seeking out.

As I’ve done for all of the entries in my “Fly Fishing Books” series, I’ve spread the selections over three rough categories:

  • Guide (regional, site specific)
  • Technical (methods, locations, fly tying)
  • Literature (novels, biographies, history)

Check out one kind of each book, why I suggest it, and a bonus read below. And follow the links in the headings to get a copy for yourself.

read more