I’ve heard it countless times while fishing in Austria and other parts of Europe: “Rainbows are just stocked fish. Give me a grayling any day.” It always makes me pause. As an American who grew up catching beautiful, hard-fighting rainbow trout, I find the strong preference for Grayling fascinating — especially since rainbows often fight … Continue reading Rainbows versus Grayling
There’s a special kind of intimacy that comes with fishing small streams. The water is clear enough to see every rock and trout, the casts are short and precise, and the whole experience feels more like a conversation with the river than a battle against it. Over the years, some of my most valuable lessons … Continue reading Small Streams, Big Lessons: What Tight-Line Fishing Teaches You
I still remember the first time I sat down at the vise with a cheap starter kit and a handful of materials from my dad's tying collection; and way too much ambition. I had visions of intricate salmon flies and perfectly proportioned dries, but what I actually produced looked more like something the cat dragged … Continue reading 5 Things to Know When Starting Out Fly Tying
