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Fly tying: The Wood Special
In the Northeast, where fly fishing got it's American start on the brook trout waters of the Adirondacks, the Catskills and in the north woods of Maine, older, more traditional flies still find their way into fly boxes. And why not? They're beautiful creations that were meant to attract native brook trout in tumbling mountain…
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Voices from the River: Citizen scientists work to protect their home waters
Each week, dozens of volunteers head afield in the East as part of Trout Unlimited’s citizen science efforts. In the mid-Atlantic region much of the effort has been focused on TU’s shale gas and pipeline monitoring efforts. Jake Lemon, who heads that program, recently reached out to three dedicated volunteers to find out what drew…
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Fly tying: Cleaning a Dubbing Needle
For those of us who tie flies and work with various resins, from head cement to full-on UV materials, a dubbing needle is likely our tool of choice for applying the goo. For years, I used a square of craft foam to clean the needle after each use—I'd just poke the needle through the foam…
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New gear: Tom Morgan Rodsmiths gift creel
In the fly-fishing world, some "gear" items aren't terribly functional. But Tom Morgan Rodsmiths fly rods are that and more—they're made for you by craftspeople who have discussed the implement with you, and know exactly what you're looking for. Working with graphite, glass and bamboo, these artists craft exceptional fly rods of the highest quality,…
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Voices from the River: Pondering gratitude
We'll always have to fight for our public lands, but we should be grateful we have them in the first place. Photo by Chris Hunt. By Scott Willoughby It has been said that the hardest math to master is the ability to count our blessings. Funny enough, I’ve never been particularly good at math. That’s…
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TU VSP Partner Warriors and Quiet Waters Featured on CNN
Check out this great story about the Bozeman, MT based Warriors and Quiet Waters (WQW) therapeutic fly fishing program for post 9/11, combat injured Veterans. TU VSP Partner Warriors and Quiet Waters I helped organize the trip featured in this piece by CNN and served as one of the guide/instructors for the trip. I was…
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Fixing our forests for communities—and fish—that depend on them
Fire on the mountain, anall too familiar scene in the West. By Chris Wood California is in the midst of its most deadly and damaging fire. At least 50 people have died, 6,700 homes burned, and more than 250,000 people evacuated. In response, President Trump tweeted: The President’s response is troubling in a number of…