The Last Cast(s)

The last cast.

Anglers of all stripes are familiar with the phenomenon. It is the last attempt at a fish. It comes after “I should get going soon” and “just a few more.” It is the nail in the coffin before the streamside post mortem. It is the last cast.

But anglers are also well aware that the last cast has a few asterisks. There are a couple of completely reasonable caveats and exceptions for this self-imposed fishing rule. There is, in fact, an entire spectrum of meanings if you really want to plumb the depths of the semantic domain of last.

If I may, I will now present nine last casts. You may be familiar with one, you might be acquainted with all of them. If you have been fishing long enough, there is even a chance that you have employed the whole lineup within short order of one another. Regardless, it behooves you to know what lexical flexibility is at your disposal when you say “this is my last cast.”

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Podcast Ep. 414: 3 Ways to be a Patient Angler

Patience is a virtue. And while we should strive to be virtuous for many more important reasons, it pays off when trying to catch trout, too.

Today I work through three ways in which fishing smarter will almost always trump fishing harder. And, to be fair, there is nothing wrong with fishing intensely while fishing intelligently. But there is a priority.

And at the end of the day, there is something to be said for figuring out the problem presented in any particular fly fishing situation before you start casting. Patience is the key to see a little more and do a little more before you toss out your fly.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: On the Trout Stream with a Great Teacher

Some things never change. Trout eat royal coachman dries. Anglers will wiggle a new fly rod. A fish rising to a dry fly is thrilling.

And solid fly fishing instruction is timeless.

Joe Humphreys’ On the Trout Stream with Joe Humphreys is  a great example. Written in 1989, it addresses nymphing and fishing dries with a precision and sophistication that make it still relevant over 45 years later. Bursting at the seams with photography, Humphreys breaks down the intricate aspects of presentation in such a way that the reader gets all the component parts necessary.

Humphreys is still actively involved in fly fishing. But his voice will continue to speak to anglers through this book.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Rusty Flybox: Manchester

This week I’ll be spending a few days in southern Vermont. This region isn’t as well known as the more northernly section; the part with all the cheese, skiing, and Bernie Sanders. But there are plenty of reasons to poke around Manchester, Vermont.

Along with fly fishing itself, there are two significant fly fishing “attractions.” The American Museum of Fly Fishing and the Orvis flagship store (including their Rod Shop) sit a long cast’s length away from each other. This month, the  former is holding an open house and fundraiser in conjunction with the opening of a new exhibit.

All that to say, I’m looking forward to spending time in a beautiful and interesting part of New England. Below are three posts from the Casting Across archives that pertain to this region. I’m sharing an article, a podcast, and a video that each touch on some of what you will expect to find if you take a few days to fish and poke around Manchester.

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Podcast Ep. 413: Fly Fishing Changes For Fall

Flannels, pumpkin spice, and… slowly swung streamers?

Just like the changing colors of the leaves, there are some inevitable alterations we make every fall in our fly fishing. Dropping temperatures and shorter days cause cold-blooded creatures to act differently. If we want to see them in our nets, we need to respond accordingly.

Today I share three changes I make in my fly fishing as the season transitions from late summer to early fall. I touch on presentation, approach, and equipment modifications that have been helpful and productive over the years.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: 2027 Looks Good, Trout Unlimited

Our watches tell us the day and our phones keep all of our monthly obligations in order for us. So who needs a printed calendar for their wall any more?

Fly fishers. That’s who.

For decades, Trout Unlimited has published a calendar for their members and as part of their fall fundraising efforts. I still have over 25 years’ worth of them laying around my office. Some have been better than others, but they’ve all been fixtures in my life. This year features some excellent photography and is a perfect example of what a little bonus like this can and should be.

Watch what else I have to say about this year’s calendar, and find links  to where you can secure your own, below.

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Anyone Can Teach Fly Casting

picture from amff.org

In one way or another, I’ve been teaching fly casting for over 20 years. I’ve taught it on river with clients I’ve guided. I’ve taught it with classes of 20 students. I’ve taught it with friends and family. I’ve taught my own boys. I’ve personally taken classes, read books on the subject, and watched plenty of YouTube videos. With great confidence, I can say there are good ways and bad ways to teach fly casting.

But don’t let not being the best keep you from showing someone how to enjoy fly fishing.

With that in mind, I’ve put together the seven steps I use when I’m first introducing someone to fly casting. The goal here isn’t to produce a competition caster. It isn’t to provide an outline for a formally certified class, either. My intention is to equip you: the dad, the friend, the volunteer with  a few ideas and with some confidence as you put a rod in someone’s hand for the first time.

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Podcast Ep. 412: So You Have to Show Someone How to Cast

You might not fancy yourself a teacher. But if you’re going to be a “fly fishing guy” there is a good chance you’re going to need to pass along some essential knowledge to a friend, coworker, or brother-in-law. And casting is about as capital-E essential as there is in fly fishing.

Today I walk you through what I focus on in my first 45 minutes of any fly casting lesson. The basics are basic, but we all to often fly past them in order to get on the water or into a hula hoop. Hopefully my process will be helpful to you as you prepare to help someone else get out on the water with a fly rod in hand.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Fly Fishing Illustrated

There are few books out there that appeal to anglers of any age, at any skill level. But I’m confident that The Fly Fishing Book by Steven Weinberg happens to be one such book.

Between the endearing artwork and the humorous take on the pursuit we all love, this is a title that experts and those with only the slightest interest in fly fishing will enjoy. Beyond that, it truly gives the reader everything he needs to know to get out on the water and have success.

This is a book that anyone teaching fly fishing should own. This is a book that anyone who fly fishes and has kids should own. Honestly, this is a book that you should own.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Fly Fishing Small Streams… & You!

If I had more time, energy, and effort, I’m sure that I could make the thousands of posts on Casting Across more accessible and attractive. There are tweaks that I could make to the website and optimization tools I could utilize. But that is not how I want to fill my hours. All that said, there are a few things that I do want to make easy to find for those clicking around on the site or Googling away on the internet.

For over ten years, small stream fly fishing has been one of the primary aspects of fly fishing I’ve written about and one of the major reasons why people find their way to Casting Across. Recently I put together a page with some of the most read articles and watched videos that pertain to fly fishing on small streams. Instead of using the in-site search bar, links to all the best are all right there on one screen.

In the last few days I’ve expanded the Small Stream Fly Fishing page significantly. I’ve added some beginner materials, put up a few more podcast episodes, and rearranged things to make it a bit easier to navigate.

I do hope that this will be helpful to  beginners or to those who are trying to hone their skills on tiny spring creeks or on high-gradient streams up in the mountains. Check out the link below, and then don’t hesitate to let me know what other kind of small stream fly fishing content you’re looking for.

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