Pop, went the surface of the pond, as if I smacked my lips loudly. Simultaneously, the leader on my flyline raced perpendicular to my position, slicing through the water like a barracuda. Instead the…
Being an avid fisherman in Wisconsin for the last 18-plus years I have heard many people gripe about the chaos of opening day. As sportsman and conservationists we are all a little inherently…
As your favorite rivers or streams start to clear after the spring runoff anglers have the chance to investigate what critters fish are going to be feeding on in the upcoming months. Sampling the…
Suckers are a freshwater species of fish that are normally found in rivers but also can be found in lakes. Suckers, by almost anybody's standards, won't be the most spectacular fish they have ever…
Contrary to popular belief, when a fly fisherman talks about a fish lie, he isn't about to break into a fish story. Instead, he's referring to places where fish position themselves in the water.
Fish…
Standing on the banks of the Brule River this weekend I noticed the first signs of life rising off the water. Stoneflies are the earliest significant hatches fly anglers will see every spring and one…
It happens every year: An angler wades one step too far; makes one little mistake; and suddenly he or she is in a position never bargained for. I think we've all been there once or twice.
Try…
The single most important aspect to fly fishing is the ability to accurately present flies to feeding fish in a matter of a few second's time without spooking fish from repeated false casting or…
I've fished for steelhead with everything from egg sacs to wobbling spoons, but there's no question taking these large migratory trout on flies is the most fulfilling method of all. I've caught them…
Most fly shops would have a hard time selling this fly to the right — one of several gold-ribbed hare's ear nymphs I just finished tying. It's scruffy and not very neat.
But the fact is it will catch…
Egg flies are an essential addition to every early-season fisherman's fly box. Having a few different types of egg patterns is a necessity as water conditions are always variable and fish seem to…
The first time I used wading boots with felt soles it was like having my feet glued to slimy rocks that previously were indeed a slippery slope. During the next 30-plus years — with the exception of…
