JOURNAL

I'M WRITING TO YOU FROM THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, WHERE THE RAIN IS FINALLY COMING DOWN AFTER ONE OF OUR LONGEST DRY SPELLS IN HISTORY. OUR CREEKS, RIVERS, AND RESERVOIRS HAVE BEEN RUNNING ON EMPTY, BUT I CAN'T HELP SMILE AS I WATCH THE WATER RISE. THOSE BROWN TROUT FINALLY HAVE THE FLOWS THEY NEED TO PUSH UPRIVER AND SPAWN BEFORE THE WINTER TEMPS SETTLE IN. SO WITH THAT LITTLE NOTE, LET'S GET INTO IT!

BEST STUFF FROM ACROSS THE INTERNET

IF YOU HAVEN'T DISCOVERED PEACHY YET, YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT. THIS SEASONED ANGLER HAS NEARLY MASTERED THE ART OF THE DRY-DROPPER RIG, SHARING HARD-EARNED KNOWLEDGE AND CLEVER SHORTCUTS THAT'LL LEVEL UP YOUR TECHNIQUE. TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO WATCH - YOUR NEXT DAY ON THE WATER WILL THANK YOU.

BEEN DEEP DIVING INTO THE FLY FISHING INTERNET'S HIDDEN CORNERS AGAIN AND STUMBLED ON A GEM - THIS VINTAGE ORVIS CAP WITH THE CLASSIC LEATHER STRAP. YEAH, THAT PRICE TAG MIGHT MAKE YOUR WALLET WEEP, BUT YOU'LL BE THE MOST STYLISH ANGLER OUT THERE, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN UNPLANNED SWIM. TAKE A PEEK HERE

JUST DISCOVERED A GREAT PIECE IN FLY FISH JOURNAL WITH A YETI VIDEO FEATURING KATE CRUMP'S 58° NORTH LODGE UP IN ALASKA'S BRISTOL BAY. THIS ONE'S WORTH YOUR TIME. I THOUGHT CASTING LINES WITH 500-POUND BLACK BEAR AS YOUR FISHING BUDDY WAS NERVE-WRECKING. THEN I SAW HOW CLOSE THE GRIZZLIES GET UP THERE! CHECK IT OUT

OUR FRIENDS AT VENTURES FLY CO. BREAKING DOWN MIDGE 101 AND HELPING YOU CRACK THE CODE ON MATCHING THE HATCH. SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE IN THE CATSKILLS, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH A GRIFFITH'S GNAT UP TOP AND A ZEBRA MIDGE RIDING JUST BELOW THE SURFACE. CHECK IT OUT HERE

A BIT OF RECOMMEND READING… FOR STARTERS, LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO PAY RESPECTS TO THE LEGEND, JOHN GIERARCH, WHO PASSED AWAY IN OCTOBER. GIERARCH WROTE THE FIRST BOOKS I EVER READ ON FLY FISHING. HIS STYLE OF WRITING WOULD PULL YOU IN, MAKING YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU WE’RE FISHING RIGHT BY HIS SIDE, SHARING PHILOSOPHICAL NUGGETS THAT WENT BEYOND TROUT. FROM THE COWBOY COFFEE, TO RIVER SIDE CIGARETTES, THE COMPULSIVE NEED TO BUY YET ANOTHER CANE ROD, TO THE ADVENTURES BIG AND SMALL WITH HIS BEST BUD AK. HIS BOOKS BELONG ON EVERY ANGLERS SHELF, HIGHLY RECOMMEND STARTING WITH TROUT BUM ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES. BUY IT HERE OR AT YOUR LOCAL BOOK SHOP

THE QUESTION

LAST WEEKS POLL RESPONSE:
“ARE $1,000 FLY RODS ACTUALLY WORTH IT?”
60% SAID NO WAY!

FISHY FACTS

BEFORE BAMBOO TOOK OVER THE SCENE, GREENHEART WOOD WAS THE KING OF FLY RODS IN THE 1800s. THIS TANK OF A TIMBER CAME STRAIGHT FROM THE JUNGLES OF SOUTH AMERICA, AND WHILE IT WAS TOUGH AS NAILS, IT WAS ABOUT AS DELICATE AS A SLEDGEHAMMER. THESE RODS WERE BUILT LIKE TELEPHONE POLES! CHECK OUT THIS BEAUTY - AN 18FT THREE-PIECE SALMON ROD THAT'LL MAKE YOUR MODERN SPEY SETUP FEEL LIKE A KIDS TOY. CHECK IT OUT HERE

CHUGABILITY REVIEW

DRINKS FOR WHEN YOU CATCH THE BIG FISH, OR DONT.

ROWAN'S CREEK BATCH 22-34 IS A SOLID BOURBON THAT OPENS UP WITH CARAMEL AND VANILLA ON THE NOSE. YOU GET SPICY RYE AND BUTTERSCOTCH WHEN YOU SIP IT, WITH A NICE TOASTED OAK FINISH THAT HANGS AROUND. GREAT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AND A PERFECT GO-TO FOR THE FISH FLASK. LEARN MORE HERE

SCIENCE ON THE FLY

THIS AMAZING ORGANIZATION IS PUTTING TOGETHER A GLOBAL TEAM OF ANGLERS AND SCIENTISTS TO TRACK THE HEALTH OF OUR RIVERS. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CATCHING FISH - IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN CATCH THEM TOO. WANT TO HELP? GRAB YOUR ROD AND JOIN THE TEAM AS A VOLUNTEER, OR SUPPORT THEIR RESEARCH TO KEEP OUR WATERS HEALTHY. CHECK IT OUT HERE

REACH OUT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT ELSE Y’ALL WANT TO SEE HERE.

AFTER ALL, THIS IS WRITTEN BY ANGLERS FOR ANGLERS.

TIGHT LINES,
MICHAEL KAUFFMAN 🎣