The Mayfly Project began with one angler’s struggles with anxiety. Jess Westbrook has been fly fishing since he was 6 years old, but it wasn’t until 2014 that he discovered the healing power of fishing. Jess and Laura Westbrook started The Mayfly Project to take a local group of children fly fishing. He reached […]
The Mayfly Project Read More »
The world of a fly fisher revolves around mayflies. Visit some streams during certain times of year, such as late May when the Green Drake hatch typically appears, and conversations among anglers likely revolve around when these flies will appear, if they’ll appear, have they appeared, or is the best yet to come. There’s just
Mayfly Life Cycle: From Nymph to Dun to Spinner Read More »
Scroll through many fly fishing forums on social media and you’ll soon see someone who has posted a trout photo and asked if it was a wild or stocked brown. If you want a good laugh, read the responses. Many times, the answers will be split 50/50, which leads me to believe that most people
Wild Brown or Stocked? Know the Difference Read More »
I followed Route 453 South from Tyrone, glancing down at the Little Juniata River flowing low and clear in the early morning light. For years, I’ve been threatening to fish it, and this was finally the day – or so I thought. But after making a few turns and heading into Spruce Creek the
Wire to Wire on Spruce Creek Read More »
There’s a ritual to arriving at camp. I unlock the door and step inside where it’s nice and cool and the air has that familiar, camp smell. Turn on the electric, fire up the wall heater, and bring in whatever I need from the truck. And then it’s time for the best part, the
Home Waters: First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek Read More »
Drag kills. Drag can ruin a perfectly fine presentation and mean the difference between a catch and a refusal. The worst part of it is that sometimes you don’t even realize it’s happening. We’ve all been there. We know what’s hatching, we know what the trout are keying on, and we even have the
Dry Fly Fishing Tips: 3 Considerations for Drag-Free Drifts Read More »
Clouds of Grannoms filled the morning air. They came out of the water in waves, one huge flurry after another. There were so many Grannoms that they bounced off of my face, got caught in my net, and a few even flew into my short sleeves and crawled around inside my shirt. Yes, there
The April Caddis: Fishing and Tying Grannoms Read More »
I wish I had discovered the effectiveness of tiny flies when I was younger and had younger eyes instead of only within the past five years. A few months ago, my optometrist prescribed “mildly” progressive lenses, and I asked if that was really necessary because, in my opinion, I could see just fine. He looked
Small but Mighty: Fishing the Zebra Midge Read More »
There are so many variations of Woolly Buggers available today that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. As new materials are developed and made available to fly tyers, I have no doubt that list will continue to grow. But regardless of what new buggers might be the latest rage, one that will always be
In the Fly Box: Hot Head Woolly Buggers Read More »
With only half a day to fish last week, I opted for home waters. I was due to pick my two kids up at daycare that afternoon, so I didn’t want to wander too far in my travels and waste most of my day on the road rather than on the water. Considering the
Low Water Tactics: Fishing the Buffalo Creek DHALO Read More »