JOURNAL

AFTER A BRIEF FISHING HIATUS DUE TO DROUGHT, I MADE MY WAY TO THE RIVER ONLY TO FIND IT BLOWN OUT WITH UNFISHABLE FLOWS. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A BUMMER, BUT GIVEN HOW LOW THE RIVERS HAVE BEEN, IT'S A WONDERFUL SIGHT TO SEE. WHILE THE WINTER FISHING SCRATCHES AN ITCH, I’M ALREADY DREAMING OF THE LONG DAYS, HUNGRY RISERS, AND THAT PERFECT CAST WITH HIGH-FLOATING PARACHUTE ADAMS. IN REALITY, I'LL LIKELY JUST TANGLE IN A BUSH OR SLAP MY LINE DOWN, SPOOKING THE FISH... BUT WHEN THE STARS ALIGN ON A PERFECT WARM EVENING, IT'S LIKE ALL IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD. IN THE MEANTIME, I'LL BE STRIPPING STREAMERS THROUGH FROZEN FINGERS TO RELUCTANT TROUT OR TIGHT-LINING NYMPHS AND HOPING TO CONNECT, WHILE REMINISCING OF HATCHES AND AIRBORNE TROUT.

BEST STUFF FROM ACROSS THE INTERNET

OUR FRIEND, THE HUGE FLY FISHERMAN GIVES US THE REVIEW RUNDOWN OF FLY LINES WHILE GRIPPING AND SIPPING HIS USUAL COLD BEER. THIS IS A QUICK AND DIRTY VIDEO WHERE HE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON WEIGHT-FORWARD TAPERS, TEXTURED VERSUS SMOOTH, BEST BRANDS, AND MORE.

THIS WEEK WE GOT A RETRO BUDWEISER X FLY FISHING CAP. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, AN ICE-COLD BUD IS ALWAYS GOOD — MAYBE NOT FOR BREAKFAST, BUT THIS IS A SAFE PLACE, AND I'M NOT HERE TO JUDGE YOU. AS ALWAYS, LIKE MOST THINGS IN FLY FISHING, THIS IS PRICEY, BUT IT SURE IS SWEET. TAKE A PEEK HERE

JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF BRITISH COLUMBIA'S LEGENDARY SKEENA RIVER, WHERE STEELHEADERS BRAVE THE ELEMENTS (AND PASS THE TIME) IN PURSUIT OF CHROME. THIS ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE WATERSHED—IT'S ONE OF THE LAST GREAT DAM-FREE SYSTEMS ON EARTH, WHERE WILD STEELHEAD STILL SURGE THROUGH PRISTINE WATERS AS THEY HAVE FOR MILLENNIA. IF YOU NEED A SHOT OF INSPIRATION OR ADRENALINE, THIS TEN-MINUTE FILM CAPTURES THE RAW BEAUTY AND CHALLENGE OF STEELHEAD FISHING IN ONE OF FLY FISHING'S MOST HALLOWED WATERS.

THE LATEST TROUT BITTEN PODCAST TAKES US ON A DEEP DIVE INTO THE FASCINATING WORLD OF TROUT SPECIES — BROWNS, RAINBOWS, BROOKIES, AND CUTTHROAT. THEY EXPLORE EVERYTHING FROM SUBTLE BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES TO PREFERRED FEEDING LANES AND HABITAT SELECTION. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO LEVEL UP YOUR TROUT GAME OR JUST GEEK OUT ON SOME FISH SCIENCE, THIS IS AN EPISODE YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS. GIVE A LISTEN.

IT'S WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT WE BID FAREWELL TO ED VAN PUT, A TRUE GIANT OF FLY FISHING LITERATURE WHO RECENTLY LEFT US. MORE THAN JUST AN AUTHOR, ED WAS A GUARDIAN OF THE CATSKILLS' RICH ANGLING HERITAGE AND A TIRELESS DEFENDER OF ITS WATERS. HIS BOOKS WEREN'T JUST ABOUT CATCHING FISH—THEY WERE MASTERFULLY RESEARCHED TIME MACHINES THAT TRANSPORTED US TO THE GOLDEN ERA OF AMERICAN FLY FISHING. WHETHER YOU'VE NEVER SET FOOT IN THE CATSKILLS OR CALL THEM HOME, ED'S STORYTELLING HAD A WAY OF PLACING YOU RIGHT THERE ON THE BANKS OF THE BEAVERKILL OR WILLOWEMOC. IF YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED HIS WORK, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GRAB ONE OF HIS BOOKS HERE — YOUR FLY FISHING SOUL WILL THANK YOU.

THE QUESTION

LAST WEEKS POLL RESPONSE:
“WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPECIES TO TARGET?”
85% SAID TROUT! SO, THAT ANSWERS WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON!

FISHY FACTS

THE ARCTIC GRAYLING, ONE OF THE COOLEST MEMBERS OF THE SALMONID FAMILY, HAS A WILD TRICK - IT CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL ITS BODY TEMPERATURE. WHILE OTHER FISH ARE AT THE MERCY OF FRIGID ARCTIC WATERS, THESE FELLAS CAN WARM THEIR BLOOD ABOVE THE SURROUNDING WATER TEMP TO SURVIVE WHERE MOST FISH TAP OUT.

CHUGABILITY REVIEW

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

THIS BEAST OF A SCOTCH FROM ARDBEG (PRONOUNCED OOG-A-DAL) EARNED ITS NAME FROM THE GAELIC FOR "DARK, MYSTERIOUS PLACE," AND IT DELIVERS. THE DISTILLERY PULLS WATER FROM A PEAT-RICH LOCH, THEN COMBINES WHISKY AGED IN BOURBON BARRELS WITH SPIRIT THAT'S BEEN SLEEPING IN SHERRY CASKS. THE RESULT? A POWERHOUSE THAT HITS YOU WITH DEEP SMOKE AND FOLLOWS WITH RICH, RAISIN-LIKE SWEETNESS— IT’S PERFECT FOR COLD DARK NIGHTS.

BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS

WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC WATERS AND WILD PLACES, THE FOLKS AT BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS ARE THE ONES IN THE TRENCHES, FIGHTING TO KEEP THESE TREASURES ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ANGLERS, NOT JUST THOSE WITH DEEP POCKETS. SUPPORT THEIR MISSION AND HELP ENSURE THE NEXT GENERATION CAN EXPERIENCE THE SAME WILD PLACES WE TREASURE TODAY. GET INVOLVED OR DONATE.

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 🎣