Articles

The last moment of silence

A sneak peek at a chapter from Matt Harris' new book, 'The Fish of a Lifetime'

by Matt Harris - Tuesday, Nov 22nd, 2022

The Eg River in Mongolia (photo: Matt Harris / "The Fish of a Lifetime").

The last hour of the last day. I edged out into the run and lengthened the line before flexing the long Spey rod. The line sliced out towards the deep, emerald-green slot gleaming under the low cliff, and I settled into the meditative rhythm of “cast and step”. As the huge fly started to wake back across the glassy green water, the wind dropped and, once again, everything fell silent.

Learning to row, from the pros

Want to learn how to row? Go to the experts.

by Chad Shmukler - Friday, Nov 18th, 2022

Photo: Chad Shmukler

On the 24th of May in 1869, O.G. Howland set out with his brother Seneca on the Green River in Utah with eight other men, each a member of the historic Powell Geographic Expedition. Led by American naturalist John Wesley Powell, the expedition aimed to complete a cartographic and scientific exploration of the Green and Colorado Rivers, traveling into stretches of river and canyon that no white men—and in areas, even no Native Americans—had ever set eyes on.

Shallow water lakers

Fly fishing the Yukon for lake trout, pike, grayling and more

by Chris Hunt - Thursday, Nov 17th, 2022

A shallow-water Yukon lake trout (photo: Dalton Trail Lodge).

The look on my face must have been one of utter confusion as Hardy Ruf explained to me that I’d be standing thigh-deep in a high-country lake and, if the light was right, I’d be sight-casting to big lake trout not 20 feet from me.

Outdoor recreation economy breaks records in latest government data

The near trillion dollar industry provides 3 percent of all American employment, over 4.5 million jobs

by Hatch Magazine - Sunday, Nov 13th, 2022

Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in New Mexico (photo: BLM/Sherman Hogue / cc2.0).

If you spent any time during the past year or so on a river, hiking one of your favorite trails, seeking to reserve a backcountry campsite, or just trying to buy that new fly rod you’ve had your eye on — only to be greeted by a lineup of drift boats at the put-in, crowds, filled up reservation queues, and product shortages — you likely already guessed that 2021 was a year of firsts for the outdoor recreation industry. A new report released last week by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has confirmed as much, revealing record-breaking output for the outdoor recreation economy.

A dry-dropper nymphing approach for low water

Using an indicator fly rather than a bobber-style indicator or Euro-tactics can pay dividends when flows are low

by George Daniel - Monday, Nov 7th, 2022

Photo: George Daniel

What makes fly fishing for trout so special to me? It’s the dynamic nature of weather, stream conditions, and trout behavior. Almost nothing stays the same. As a result, the approach that worked today won’t always work tomorrow. As anglers, we need to adapt to these changes in order to achieve success, even if, from time to time, it means using some of your least favorite tactics.