It seems as if this is an annual event. I make a routine plea to take the right, smart steps to ensure your safety while fishing in the remote places I know you go. In earlier posts, I commented on the loss of life resulting from people being unprepared to be stranded, broken down or injured while …
There was a big article recently in a major Fly Fishing magazine about Tenkara Rods. As a result, I have fielded some questions on it. Here is the review I published in 2010. Still true. Still love it. Get yours from Mossy Creek for the Spring brookie season in the Blue Ridge! When I heard …
The February Bassmaster magazine had a great article on the line selection – very educational. The author, Frank Sergeant, summed up the problem with his introductory line, “It used to be a simple question – Trilene or Stren?” To bottom line the discussion, there are four major types of line on the market today; monofilament, …
At the Richmond Fishing Expo, a reader slid up and dropped me a hint, “Check out Kent’s Stealth Bomber.” He then went on to expand on why with tales of massive fish hauled in with this interesting fly. A Google search on “Kent’s Stealth Bomber” pops up 233 hits – how to tie it, how …
Here’s a reminder. For most of us, the season is over except for those rare warm days where we just can’t resist getting out on the water. So, this is the perfect time to start cleaning your gear for next season. It’s always obnoxious to do it, but cleaning fly line is critical for a …
These things are actually pretty cool. Rather than describe them myself, check out the screenshot from the seller – River2SeaUSA (clilck here). I bought one… pricey at 12 bucks and it performed as described. I could twitch next to the shore and then crank it underwater… let it rise, crank again. Sadly, no happy ending. The …
I finally broke down and bought a rod rack. Over the last three or four years, I have probably broken two tips rattling around in the back of my pickup truck. In addition, when fishing from place to place, it’s a real hassle to reassemble the rod, attach the reel, and thread the line at …
Last season I discovered the “Shark Tooth Spool Management System” from Loon Outdoors. The system is an elastic band with a cutter attached that allows you to strip out tippet and then slice it off without having to grab a nipper, or, even worse, bite it. It comes in several sizes with the red (large) …
Quick Tenkara tip. For those of you who use Tenkara rods, you have already discovered how flexible they can be. Specifically, if you run into a tight spot, it’s easy to collapse a few sections to shorten the overall length of the rod. The problem is that you have to grip the rod at the …
I use my staff all the time and believe I am still alive as a result of some timely, deperate pokes at the streambed. Eventually, the tip comes off and I have to go out and spend another $30 on a new staff. Geez.. Lon solved the problem – just drill a hole through a …
Last year, I was “educated” on the advantage of a fishing bike when I visited the Cranberry River in West Virginia. On that trip, I ended up riding a used girl’s bike that I bought at a thrift store (and donated back when I was done). But, it was such a clear advantage to use a bike …
In an article published in October 2009, Ron Brooks stepped through the pros and cons of Braided line versus Monofilament. Ron bases his comparison on 4 physical characteristics — visibility, diameter, stretch and memory. Visibility Monofilament and its cousin, fluorocarbon, both become transparent underwater with fluorocarbon being the better choice when invisibility is important – …
After using a bike on my venture into the Cranberry River a few weeks ago, I realized I was missing a significant opportunity to leverage this simple machine. There are two key things you can do if you bring a bicycle with you when you fish: Use it to penetrate farther away the parking lot Use it …
I’ve discussed personal locator beacons (PLB) before and this is a very hard article to write. I bought the expensive one on the bottom right in 2007 as an insurance policy knowing that if I got in trouble in the woods, I could push a button and get the cavalry on the way. The lesson of the …
It’s cold!! Here’s a less expensive solution to keeping your hands warm than buying the expensive neoprene gloves like these (Men’s Curved Split Finger) that cost around $25 on Amazon. I went to Dick’s and picked up a pair of neoprene hunting gloves and slit the finger to allow me to poke my finger out to deal …
Against my better judgment, I saw a quick opportunity to go fishing in late December. The weather had warmed up and was pushing 50 degrees, so I figured it would not be tooooo miserable out there. Besides, even if I could just do a recon in anticipation of fairer weather, I would be a winner …
After watching Survivorman the other night and listening to the news about that Fossett guy who is currently missing, I came to the startling realization that I engage in high risk outdoors behavior. No, not that… nothing to do with meth or moonshine… fishing. At 55, I am still addicted and, thankfully, still in shape …
When I go fishing with other folks, I like to share the experience and swap tips on what to use, the fish being caught, when to eat lunch and when to link up at the car. In many places, the rush of running water drowns out conversation even when you are standing only 20 yards …
If you are even just thinking about going to the North Branch or the Yawk or even the Potomac up by Harper’s Ferry… or even Big Hunting Creek or the Pedlar, or Owens… or … well… I could just go on. I am amazed by those people whose sense of balance matches their leg strength …
Wear your gravel guards. I never really appreciated this item of equipment before I ran into trouble in the gravel strewn and soft sand riverbed of the Pataspco up off Marriottsville road. It was a hot summer day when I drove up there to check it out (I’ll post the trip report later), and I …
Those of you who have been following this blog know that the trigger that moved me to learn to fly fish was the terrible time I had on Town Creek last fall. Every leaf in Maryland was floating in the water and every cast with my spin gear snagged one or more leaves. My brother, on the …
At the Bass Pro Spring Classic, one of the things that Steve Chaconas discussed was using a red treble hook on the middle of your plugs – particularily a top water plug. This mimics a bit of bleeding and makes the plug appear more wounded and distressed. This last weekend, I took some time to …
In my discussion of the Patuxent River, I mentioned that there were pricker bushes all along the river. I likened the thorns to “shark’s teeth” and I must confess that I was being kind. Those prickers are like the nastiest barbed wire I ever ran into in 20 years in the Army. They are sharp, hardened …
I started fishing for trout when I was 7 years old and lived in Norway. So, that’s 48 years of trout fishing experience and I just learned a new fact. All nets are not created equal. The type of net I have used for years – an inexpensive nylon knotted net – is harmful to …
I’ll have to update this once I settle on a standard for fly fishing – but I’ve got to get smart there first…. Anyway, over the years I’ve bought a huge amount of gear. Reels would break, rods would break and I would get frustrated. My initial mistake was sucumbing to the hard-eyed stare of …
Over the years, my spinner formula has boiled down to a success pattern that relied on using either a gold or silver Panther-Martin lure. Usually, I would fish the gold and my son would fish the silver. The first of us to start getting results would determine what both of us would use for the …
How much stuff do you haul with you when you fish? Most trout folks wear a fishing vest that has a number of different pockets. I found that the vest approach does work for me as it does not provide the room I need to carry all the stuff required when you hike in. In …
People want to see pictures. In particular, when I go trout fishing, the Basswife wants to see where I have been and what I have caught. And, quite frankly, if I amaze the world and catch anything really good, I want to be able to brag a bit. With digital cameras being so small, it’s …
I’m probably not alone – I actually read some of the outrageous ads for new lures that you see in the back of magazines. For some reason, I was compelled to bite on the “bite lite”. All the gory detail was on their website. Here’s the hook – the bite lite lure contains a red LED …
What’s in the pack I haul around when I go trout-hiking? Most guys just put on their fly fishing jacket, pop a water in some pocket in the back, and head out. I’m not like that – I worry about stuff and want to be prepared. So, I took a tip from a hunting article …