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That monkey.

Are a pair of shorts exciting enough to warrant a review? Probably not. There's not much to a pair of shorts (literally, not figuratively), so how much can there be to say about them? Not a lot. Still, when a piece of gear or apparel makes an impression, that impression is worth passing along. Any piece of gear that performs up to or above expectations, no matter how simple, makes for a better day on the water (or elsewhere). And, after all, money well spent is money well spent.

Howler Brother's Horizon Hybrid shorts are one of those pieces of gear. A few pairs arrived earlier this year, part of planning for some winter trips to warm, salty destinations. And, in the half a year that has passed, they've spent very little time in the drawer. Instead, they've seen consistent duty on the flats, wading the stream, swimming in the surf, on my mountain bike and other less exciting places like the gym and garden.

A small native brook trout from a pond in Maine's interior, submitted to the TroutBlitz project.

There is a seemingly countless number of fishermen that somewhat religiously photograph the fish they catch. Or at least the good ones. Ultimately, these photos get shared on social media, sent from person to person by text message, circulated via email or simply end up clogging up hard drive space somewhere. A new initiative from Trout Unlimited, which they are calling 'TroutBlitz', seeks to put all these angler photos to good use by using them to help map native and wild trout populations across the United States.

How it all works is very straightforward. Using the TroutBlitz interface, anglers simply upload images of fish they've caught, identify the speices as best they are able and enter information about where the photo was taken (coordinates, water body, etc). Images and the information shared with them will be instantly compiled into a massive database for later use in countless research efforts.

According to Trout Unlimited senior scientist, Jack Williams, the images and information shared by anglers has "virtually endless" applications and will complement many existing efforts already underway by the group.

Alaskan fly fishing guide Mark Heironymous. Not going hungry. (photo: Chad Shmukler)

A buddy of mine went fishing with an angler of local repute. Having not fished the particular stream before, he was looking for guidance. His companion pointed to the rocks and runs where fish he virtually knew by name were lurking. They caught fish in the right places. They caught fish on the right flies.

The observation my buddy later made was that this guy wasn't so much a fine angler as an he was an expert on this particular fishery. He presumed that if this expert was taken to a new place he might not possess the skills to quickly identify the holding water and fly selection that would make for such a successful day. And while it seemed to me a bit of a leap to assume the expert would struggle elsewhere, it got me thinking.

There are several streams that I know very well. Often my success on them isn't due to my knowledge of fishing technique, but rather from knowing where to fish. A sizable rainbow trout came to hand the other night because I deduced, through limited observation and lots of experience, where to put my Parachute Adams in a particular pool for the given water level. While I didn't expect the rainbow, I did have a fairly high expectation of hooking something. It's a reliably fishy spot.

Enough to satisfy the Stage Three fly fisherman? Don't bet on it. (photo: Chad Shmukler)

I don’t remember when I first heard the phrase, but for a while now experienced fly fishers have been regaling new anglers with tales of “The Five Stages of Fly Fishing.” These are the levels we all go through at one point or another in our fly fishing careers; at least if we stick around long enough to move up the ladder.

Photo: Austin Green

More and more anglers now see carp as a noble, worthy and challenging target. In Don't Try to Trout Fish for Carp, we highlighted the important differences between fly fishing for trout and fly fishing for carp, which serve as a useful tool for making the leap from chasing trout to chasing carp. But, there's a lot more to know. Whether or not you're new to fly fishing for carp, the additional tips that follow will help up your chances for success when targeting carp with the fly.

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