Articles

Stillwater trout to beat the drought

A primer on getting started chasing trout in lakes and reservoirs

by Ben Kryzinski - Thursday, Jun 24th, 2021

Photo: Arian Stevens

If you’re like me and you’re watching in horror as trout streams across America take one body blow after another thanks to the ongoing heatwave (and in some parts of the country, record drought), you’re wondering if trout fishing will ever be the same. You may even be considering throwing in the towel for the foreseeable future. In some areas, where low water levels, record high temperatures and warming waters are proving perilous to coldwater fish, it may be a while before hitting the river with a clear conscience is even an option.

Ultralight rods—what are they good for?

1, 2 and even 0-weight rods have their place, but what is it?

by Spencer Durrant - Tuesday, Jun 22nd, 2021

Photo: Spencer Durrant

Fly fishing is full of specialized rods. This can result not only in confusion about when and where these rods are best utilized but in the perception of certain rods as odd or impractical. Just a handful of years ago, many anglers would have regarded an 11’-foot 3-weight Euro-nymphing rod as a peculiar implement. These days, the industry embraces these rods as precision instruments; as tactical gear for the discerning angler. Yet to many anglers, ultralight rods— 1, 2 or even 0-weight rods — seem suspect or even silly.

Extreme Texas weather event killed millions of prized game fish

February's deep freeze delivered a big blow to Laguna Madre's fisheries

by Chris Hunt - Thursday, Jun 17th, 2021

Photo: Texas Sea Grant / cc2.0

The independent utility grid in Texas wasn’t the only victim of this past February’s deep freeze that gripped the state. Unable to escape to Cancun like U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, about 4 million fish all along Texas’ coast perished in the unusually cold weather.

The Fly Fishing Show announces 2022 dates

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced 2021 cancellations, shows return in 2022

by Hatch Magazine - Tuesday, Jun 15th, 2021

Fly reels on display at The Fly Fishing Show (photo: Chad Shmukler).

After a pandemic-fueled series of iterative postponements and cancellations that eventually led to the cancellation of their entire 2021 schedule, The Fly Fishing Show has announced its 2022 dates, featuring a nearly fully restored schedule. The 2022 Fly Fishing Show will kick off January 21, 2022 in Marlborough, Massachusetts and conclude on March 6, 2022 in Lancaster Pennsylvania, making 4 other stops along the way.

When a dry-dropper rig should be your go-to nymphing tactic

The key to nymphing isn't always fishing deep

by George Daniel - Monday, Jun 14th, 2021

Photo: Chad Shmukler

Nymphing is one of the most productive fly fishing methods given that trout spend the majority of their time feeding below the surface. Often the question is “what nymphing tactic do I use?” There is no clear-cut answer to this question, simply because there are times when one nymphing tactic is better than others.