Articles

Spawning trout 101

How to spot redds, spawning trout and char, and more

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, Feb 8th, 2021

Bull trout pair on a redd in Lolo National Forest in Montana. Note the clean gravel, which the fish have scrubbed of algae, a telltale sign of a spawning redd (photo: Aubree Benson / cc2.0).

There is an important distinction between fishing to spawning trout and char and fishing during the spawn. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the latter, but practicing the former might get you drawn and quartered in some parts of the country where casting over active redds means you might be pulling big fish away from a nest or a mate.

Pasture-raised trout

Bulletproof fishing on Patagonia's river of dreams

by Chad Shmukler - Monday, Feb 8th, 2021

Photo: Chad Shmukler

As it creeps up on 1am, we reluctantly drain beers and each say our goodbyes. Not just handshakes, but embraces, a common occurence on fishing trips where kinships among strangers form faster than they do in the regular world. But there’s a current of guilt running through the small group of us that are headed out early in the morning for a daylong pilgrimage to the Blanco River.

Avoiding crowds through better casting

Catching more, larger, and more larger fish aren't the only benefits of improved casting

by John Juracek - Monday, Feb 1st, 2021

Fishing the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park (photo: John Juracek).

Do better fly casters catch more fish? Among the anglers I talk to, the prevailing belief is yes, they do. Most anglers also accept that better casting leads to catching larger fish. And, by extension, that better casting results in more larger fish. As for me, I believe all of it. I’ve watched it happen over the years with casting students of mine. Better casters do catch more fish, larger fish, and more larger fish.

Two more 2021 Fly Fishing Show destinations cancelled

Pleasanton, CA and Lancaster, PA join the list of cancelled Fly Fishing Show destinations

by Hatch Magazine - Friday, Jan 29th, 2021

Show goers browse a booth at The Fly Fishing Show (photo: Chad Shmukler).

Back in November, The Fly Fishing Show announced that it was cancelling or rescheduling dates at most of its 2021 destinations due to complications arising from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including cancellations of dates in Edison, NJ and Marlborough, MA, two of the shows' most popular destinations. Unfortunately for show goers, today The Fly Fishing Show announced cancellations for two more popular show destinations.

Review: Muck Wetland Pro Snake boots

Fang proof and waterproof footwear from Muck

by Johnny Carrol Sain - Monday, Jan 25th, 2021

Photo: Johnny Carrol Sain

Rubber boots were a daily wear item back when I owned a farm and have been a vital piece of equipment for a lot of my hunting, fishing, and exploring. I’ve always looked for three standout qualities from them: durability, comfort, and 100-percent waterproofness. But living in the South, as I do, it would also be nice to have an extra feature built into your boots — snakebite protection.