Among the many charms of autumn is the advent of steelhead runs in many rivers. Where I live, on the central California coast, most streams aren’t yet connected to the ocean—until the rainy season begins in earnest, the sandbars that have set up over the summer between their mouths and the salt remain intact. That … Read more
Dark-water denizens
New license plate means happy trout in South Carolina
Nov. 12, 2019, will go down as a historic day for coldwater conservation in South Carolina. After a monumental effort by the Mountain Bridge, Saluda River and Chattooga River Chapters, a brand-new South Carolina Trout Unlimited license plate was unveiled. Designed by homegrown artist, Jay Talbot of Columbia, S.C., the tag features a striking native … Read more
Making your own hackle-folding tool
Tying in hackle that faces rearward can be a bit tricky at times, particularly if you’re using small hackle and small hooks. But, for some patterns—many small soft-hackle recipes come to mind immediately—this is a necessary step in tying the fly. Above, Tim Flagler shares a great tip for crafting a tool that will do … Read more
Fishing for recovery and love
I’m certain there’s nothing glamorous nor fun about breaking your knee. Yes, your knee. In college, I shattered my knee (tibial plateau) while skiing in Canada. After two major surgeries, I was on the slow road to recovery, which meant getting super buff crutching across campus (and dealing with thick, nasty callouses on my palms), … Read more
We fish here so you can fish there
“We fish here so you can fish there.” So read the note that I sent to all of TU’s staff on Christmas Eve several years ago. The note included two photographs. One showed my colleague, Keith Curley, standing on a shopping cart and casting into a tributary of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.; another … Read more
Steelhead days
Among the many charms of autumn is the advent of steelhead runs in many rivers. Where I live, on the central California coast, most streams aren’t yet connected to the ocean—until the rainy season begins in earnest, the sandbars that have set up over the summer between their mouths and the salt remain intact. That … Read more
Hank Patterson’s Fish-cation from Hell
“Whoa, whoa, whoa … Joel? Let’s not waste any blood on a nymph.” Yeah, it’s a bit late for us to post the trailer for a Halloween fright-fest film—even if it’s a trailer to a film that doesn’t really exist. But Hank Patterson’s newest fly-fishing spoof (with the egregious support from Orvis) that draws on … Read more
Adventure among Patagonia’s estancias
It was quite the juxtaposition, honestly. Not exactly what I had in mind for my first fishing trip to Argentina, but then, the whole experience had been somewhat surprising. There I was, casually sitting in the back seat of a Toyota Hilux next to a waifish equestrian from Pennsylvania, a tumbler of iced Irish whiskey … Read more
Shenk’s Minnow
As baitfish imitations go, Shenk’s Minnow might be the most fun to tie. While other patterns, like Norm Zeigler’s Schminnow, might actually be a little easier to craft, no other simple baitfish patterns calls for baby-blanket yarn in order to put it together. Above, Tim Flagler ties the Shenk’s Minnow with his own variations (including … Read more