-
Challenge your fishing by targeting wily brown trout
A swimming trout can’t hear cursing. If that were possible, one species would probably have heard more than any other. One that intrigues us. Inspires us. Frustrates us. Thrills us. It’s the brown trout. Is there another species that evokes so much passion among so many? Sure, there are maniacs who stand waist-deep in frigid,…
-
Ahhh… the cat days of summer
When sultry summer weather starts pushing some of our favorite trout waters beyond temperatures at which it’s ethical to fish for our beloved salmonids, many of us move on to other targets. Chasing smallmouth bass with streamers is fun and great practice for trout fishing. Or cast surface poppers for fun topwater hits from bass…
-
Summer fun: Bass and sunfish on poppers
Overhanging branches and a swirling wind made this a tough cast. It came together, the moderate action 3-weight Sage fly rod loading nicely, as always, and the meaty fly landing with a splat deep in the shady pocket. Next came the slurp, then the fight, then the fish to hand — another stout bluegill that just couldn’t resist the…
-
Stream champion: Bernard “Bud” Nagelvoort
It was a sultry day in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, the combination of heat and humidity creating a heat index that’s uncomfortable at best, dangerous at worst. Sitting in his comfortably air-conditioned home near the Shenandoah River, Bernard “Bud” Nagelvoort was glad he already got his workout in. “I already got my run in,” he said…
-
Why anglers love brook trout, and how to catch them
For a fish that rarely tops a foot in length, the brook trout inspires out-sized passion and awe. In fact, these colorful gems are so revered that they are the state fish in nine Eastern states. What’s so special about brook trout? Well, that gorgeous coloration is one thing. An argument can be made — and has been made often — that only trout native to the eastern…
-
A 133-mile river cleanup? That’s the longtime goal for “Sweep the South Branch”
Stream cleanups are a great way for Trout Unlimited to engage with communities. Every year TU members and supporters connect on hundreds of rivers for events that make streams healthier and prettier. Most of the events last a few hours and produce plenty of trash, from tires to plastic grocery bags to those ubiquitous single-use plastic drink bottles. When TU staffer Jeff Kresch…
-
Piecing together diverse funding sources to address a culvert ‘monstrosity’
There are several sound approaches to replacing a poorly functioning, undersized, fish-blocking culvert. The first step is to remove the old structure. Sometimes nature gives TU and others who frequently tackle that kind of work a headstart, with flood waters blowing out roads and starting the demolition process. When high flows damaged one bad culvert road crossing on Crossett Creek in…
Author
Mark Taylor
A native of rural southern Oregon, Mark Taylor has lived in Virginia since serving a stint as a ship-based naval officer in Norfolk. He joined…