Ugh. The wind. The bane of every fly caster. Well, not ever caster, obviously. But those of us who don’t often deal with the wind on a regular basis (read: those of us who might get to the bonefish flats but once every couple of years, for instance) can find the...
The venerable Pheasant Tail nymph is a fly box staple, and there’s a reason for that. It works. And it’s not the most onerous fly to tie, either, as demonstrated below by Matt Callies of Loon Outdoors, who cranks one out in just a few minutes. Matt Callies...
By Lily Bosworth As I waltzed into my summer internship in May of 2018, I quickly realized I had a much different background in water than the two people I would be working closely with all summer — Paul Burnett, the Utah Water and Habitat Program lead for Trout...
U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson addresses the crowd at an Andrus Center conference in Boise. Photo by Chris Wood. This week in Boise, the Andrus Center for Public Policy is presenting an important conference: “Energy, Salmon, Agriculture, and Community: Can We Come...
I first met Bob Jacklin as a new arrival to the Yellowstone region some 20 years ago—he was tying flies at the Eastern Idaho Fly Tying Expo here in Idaho Falls, and I immediately did my best to soak as much of his fly fishing wisdom as I could. From his shop just...
Call me Kristoff, like the animated ice harvester of Arendelle best known for “riding across the fjord like a valiant, pungent reindeer king” to save the blustery day in the famous final scene of the fictitious film, “Frozen.” The real-world...
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It was humid and drizzly—the warmest day of the year so far, but nothing could contain the excitement of these kids. “Are you excited to go fishing,” I asked a young boy named, Derrick. His smile was all the answer needed. More than 40 inner city kids met...
The Yellowstone River flows through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park. If you live near Yellowstone National Park and want to learn more about the park’s fishing opportunities, and its ongoing efforts to restore native trout and...
TU’s Corey Fisher with a beast from one of Oregon’s fabled steelhead waters, the Umpqua. His casting rod sat in its holder mounted to the side of the boat. At the end of 35 feet of 12-pound monofilament, his metallic pink Mag-Lip plug wiggled back and...
Crocodiles, cobras and the drug cartel are not common visitors to fishing camps — unless you are Thad Robison and other members of the “Fish or Die” team. Chris Owens, Brian Jill, Jay Johnson and Robison have explored the planet looking for unique fish, remote country...
One of the biggest challenges Trout Unlimited and other sportsmen’s groups face today is keeping alive the American sporting heritage and becoming relevant to more diverse demographics. TU is taking on this challenge in part by engaging young people from all walks of...
Classic rock and fly fishing don’t often seem to go together. Just hit any of the film festivals that are currently touring the country. The music embedded behind the cinematography rarely features Iron Maiden, Molly Hatchet, Van Halen … or AC/DC....
Homeward bound out of Phoenix, I couldn’t believe how much water was on the landscape. More exactly, how much water was in the landscape, for as we all know, water in its physical, palpable form is a rare sight among the rocks and draws of the Sonoran...
By Dean Finnerty My son really wanted this fish. He’d put in a lot of hours standing in the cold, winter flows of an Oregon coastal stream, plying its waters day after day, waiting for that tug. While he had caught steelhead before, when this tug finally came, on the...
Southwest Colorado hosts some of the best high-mountain trout fishing in the country. From pristine mountain streams and lakes that hold native cutthroats, to larger rivers like the Animas, Southwest Colorado fishing is worth fighting for. That is exactly the reason...
If you have any questions about Euro-nymphing, competitive angler Lance Egan likely has the answers. And if you’re just using your long Euro-nymphing rod for, well, Euro-nymphing, you might be just scratching the surface. Above, Lance uses a typical Euro-nymph...
I got a call from the RV repair shop this morning. My camper’s ready. Wheel bearings are packed and greased. Brakes are in good shape. Lights all work. It’s time. Well, it’s almost time. I’ve got a few things I need to do first, and it would be nice if spring actually...
I love the way Matt Callies from Loon ties flies. Check that. I love the way he converses when he ties flies. You can tell Callies is a fly fishing guide and not just a vise junkie. He fishes what he ties, and he’s pretty pragmatic about what comes from his vise...
By Dean Finnerty Editor’s note: Steelhead management requires balancing of competing consumer demands, statutory requirements, science and politics. Hatchery steelhead weaken wild stocks, but help keep our fishing heritage alive. Where habitat conditions are...
Euro-nymphing is all the rage these days, and that’s because it works. Drifting weighted nymphs through fishy runs using longer rods and the “high-stick” technique can be deadly for trout around the world, as competitive European fly fishers have...
Editor’s note: The following is excerpted from TU’s book, “Trout Tips,” available online for overnight delivery. The part of the world I fish most is full of small, clear and very tight spring creeks. To most, that means delicate presentations...
Jim looked at me in disbelief. “What?” I repeated my question, “Why is it important that we recover southwestern native trout?” “Let me tell you a story,” he said. Jim Brooks was the longtime lead of the Gila Trout recovery team. Gila trout are native to the...
More than 1 million acres of public lands in California would be better protected under a trio of bills introduced on April 10. Trout Unlimited has worked for years to better protect the habitat values and sporting opportunities found on some of these lands. The...
My TU coworker Mark Taylor has a great laugh. Kind of a mix between a giggle and guffaw. A guffawggle, if you will. I know this because I’ve seen Mark in any number of circumstances—mingling with conference attendees at a hospitality suite, surrounded by his...
By David Kinney TU volunteer leader Agust Gudmundsson came out for a public hearing this week to testify in support of New Jersey’s trout streams, as he has time and again over the years. This week, the cause was a bit closer to his heart than usual. The New Jersey...
A project to protect a genetically unique population of Colorado River cutthroat trout in Colorado is nearing completion. Abrams Creek, near the town of Gypsum, is the only native trout population in the Eagle River watershed. The cutthroat in Abrams Creek have been...
Casey working a hickory shad “Would you pick Larry Bird or Magic? Who is better Michael or LeBron? Would you take Russell Westbrook or Steph Curry?” For two hours, every few minutes, the questions came. Casey is 13, and a big kid. He hit a dinger in each of his last...
Winter steelhead season is winding down, if not over in some rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Time for anglers to regroup and prepare for summer runs. First, a bit of cautious optimism. More steelhead are predicted to return to the Columbia River basin this year than...
Last week, Tightline Productions’ Tim Flagler taught us the CDC (cul-de-canard) basics—we know that the feathers come ducks or geese, near their preening glands. These feathers have lots of surface area, which helps them trap air and keeps the afloat quite well....
Montana. The center of the earth for fly fishing. And somewhere west of the center of Montana is Helena, home to Montana Fishing Outfitters and my friend Garrett Munson. Garrett is one of those people that you want on your team. He’ll never quit, and he’ll never let...
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