A diamond in the rough, that’s how a fellow fly fisherman described Deer Creek in Allegheny County. But diamond may be a bit too generous. It’s more like a cubic zirconia. It looks good and fishes well, but it’ll never make anyone’s list of top 10 fly fishing destinations. And that’s okay. Not every […]
Masking hatches are “usually” a large fly that’s emerging about the same time as a smaller fly. The smaller fly is usually less obvious, and in fact, you may not even see it hatching at all, yet the trout seem to prefer it over the larger fly for one reason or another. I place
Masking Hatches and Selective Trout Read More »
My first cast of 2021 landed in Letort Spring Run, and as soon as the fly hit the water, three small brown trout scattered in different directions. My fly floated down through the abandoned pool. I shrugged it off and moved upstream to a fresh pool where three much bigger browns were gathered. I
First Casts of A New Season Read More »
Forget Marcellus Shale, coal mining, or timbering – water is still our number one resource. And when it comes to trout streams, in particular, Pennsylvania is a gold mine. According to the brochure for the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail, of all 50 states, only Alaska has more miles of trout streams than we do.
Laurel Highlands Trout Trail Read More »
I can match almost any hatch, but the “no see ums” are the toughest of all. To me, the term “no see ums” describes any insects that are too small to see on the water without squinting until your eyes hurt. They can be midges, tiny terrestrials (such as ants), or any number of
4 Tips for Fishing with “No See Ums” Read More »
The first fly lines ever used were made of woven horsehair and, eventually, woven silk fibers. I imagine many a fly fisherman back then spending long winter evenings building lines by lamplight and the frustrations they must’ve felt if they messed up and had to start again. With technological advancements and improved techniques for
What Does Fly Line Weight Mean? Read More »
Every fly angler has a confidence fly in their box, one they turn to when nothing else is working, and one that usually produces during tough conditions. For me, that fly is the Frenchie. The Frenchie is a simple variation of the Pheasant Tail that includes a hot spot in place of a wing case
Make Mine A Frenchie Read More »
Fly tying is a craft, and like any craft, you don’t start out an expert. It takes plenty of trial and error to improve your skills. And while most of us may never earn the title Master Tyer, there are a few things you can do today to become more proficient. Here are six
6 Tips for Tying Better Flies Read More »
The arrival of my first fly tying kit opened up a world of possibilities for me. Not only did I get to feel the joy associated with catching trout on flies that I had tied, but it allowed me to experiment with new creations, make modifications to old patterns and make them my own.
Fly Tying: Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Started Read More »
Last week, I posed this question on the Dark Skies Fly Fishing Facebook page: If you were to give someone new to fly fishing one piece of advice to get them started, what would it be? And then, just to poke the bear a little bit and get a wide range of responses, I shared
5 Tips for New Fly Fishers Read More »
