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Fly tying: A Kinder, Gentler Mop fly
A crane fly larvae. Confession: I've never fished a "mop" fly, but I've seen Tim Flagler's gawdy versions before and honestly couldn't figure out a practical use for such horrific creations. Until now. As Tim demonstrates in this week's video, the Kinder, Gentler Mop is a ringer for a crane fly larvae, a common bug…
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Video spotlight: Pushing the limits
I first learned about Mongolian taimen some 20 years ago, and have always been intrigued with the idea of casting to them, mostly because the flies they hit resemble large prairie dogs. I might be exaggerating a bit, but not much, honestly. I stumbled across the film below, and I'm all jazzed again to find…
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Short casts: Chum fry in Puget Sound, angler science, Upslope IPA
It's a hot time to be fly fishing the river mouths and estuaries of Puget Sound. The annual run of chum salmon fry from rivers and streams down to the salt water is under way, and waiting for them at river mouths and in estuaries will be a host of predators, including sea-run cutthroat trout.…
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Video spotlight: Women in Fly Fishing—Reflect
It's International Women's Day and, thanks to Todd Moen, we're celebrating with the video below that exemplifies what fly fishing is all about. It's non-denominational, non-discriminatory and wonderfully gender neutral. Women have been among the best fly fishers in the world for generartions, and I'm privileged to get to fish with a few at a…
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Voices from the River: Blame Sam
By Eric Booton I don’t consider myself a big drinker. There are few nights that I will have more than a beer o r two. But there is one thing I truly enjoy about my days on the water. And that is indulging myself in a nice, refreshing gulp after that rush of the first…
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Short casts: World-record bass, salmon across the pond, eating wild steelhead?
World-record spotted bass. Photo courtesy Everyday Adventures. If you want to catch the world's largest spotted bass, there's a reservoir in California you need to put on you list. The last two world-record bucketmouths came from New Bullards Bar Reservoir, with the last likely record weighing a whopping 11 pounds, 4 ounces. It broke the…
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Video spotlight: Small Creeks Flyout
Brian Kraft is an important parter in Trout Unlimited's work to protect Alaska's Bristol Bay watershed from the proposed Pebble Mine and what would be the largest open-pit mining operation on the planet. He's the proprietor at Alaska's Sportsman's Lodge, and if you think the mine isn't personal to him, or the staff of guides…
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