Articles

Little lives of the creek

A system in concert

by Johnny Carrol Sain - Tuesday, Nov 3rd, 2015

Photo: Johnny Carrol Sain

My first memories of a creek trace back to Hacker Creek. As water runs its course, Hacker transforms it from the spirited rapids of the Ozark Mountains to the somber brown might of the Arkansas River. Topography is the deciding influence for any creek’s personality, and Hacker reflects the gentler rolling hills and long stretches of flatland through which it meanders with longer pools, subdued riffles and nary a waterfall of any size. Its water looks like weak tea — clear as air at it’s thinnest points, tannin stained by sycamore and oak leaves at it’s thickest.

Common sense for steelhead, right now

It's time for anglers to step up

by Jonathan Stumpf - Friday, Oct 30th, 2015

A stout buck from the Olympic Peninsula (photo: Reid Curry).

Wild steelhead are more than our passion. They are our soul and our inspiration. Powered by persistence and resolve, steelhead undertake an unimaginably arduous migration to sustain life. Littered with roadblocks and seemingly impassable barriers, it is an upstream journey that demands unrelenting perseverance. It is also a pilgrimage that requires difficult changes as steelhead undergo a physiological metamorphosis as they transition between the salt and freshwater.

Small stream fly fishing

Tips for achieving satisfaction on small creeks and streams

by Constantin Huet - Thursday, Oct 29th, 2015

Sunrise on the Little Pigeon River in Great Smoky Mountain National Park (photo: Brian Furderer).

I began fly fishing at around eight years old and very soon became addicted to the sport. I practiced as often as possible and was taught by arguably one of the best fishermen to have ever waded a stream; Kim Tribe. Kim’s home waters were in Brecon, Wales — a region known for its lakes and long river systems. Because I was so small at eight years old, he handed me a ‘mini’ 6”, 2-3 weight Greys Missionary, a rod that has since become a collection piece. Because I was unable to wade in the fast flowing Welsh rivers, I began my fly fishing journey mainly on creeks and small streams.

Let's boot Utah from The Union

But we're keeping what's ours

by Ty Hansen - Tuesday, Oct 27th, 2015

A scene from Utah's Uintas (photo: Allison Niccum).

The American public—every person born in or naturalized to this country—owns 57.4 percent of the state of Utah.

It’s some prime real estate, too. From the High Uintas to the Canyonlands, to the Grand Staircase and the iconic desert arches, Utah is perhaps America’s most striking landscape. For sportsmen, it’s also one of the most diverse. From the striped bass and panfish in Lake Powell on its southern fringes, to the trophy trout that haunt the lakes on Boulder Mountain, to the trout water on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah truly is an angler’s paradise.

Tenkara flies

Aren't just for tenkara anglers

by Tom Sadler - Monday, Oct 26th, 2015

Tenkara kebari (photo: Tenkara USA).

Most anglers have likely noticed the proliferation of tenkara rods which has given anglers a variety to choose from and has driven innovation and design in the marketplace. Not far behind is the variety and innovation in lines used when fishing a tenkara rod. All of this is good in my book, as one of the best things about fly-fishing, especially with new tools and styles like tenkara, is the opportunity to tweak, adapt, mess with and play with different ways to fish.