The France Fly is a pattern that I recently discovered and started fishing the spring season of 2024. I first came across this simple pattern in Josh Miller’s book Euro Nymphing: Tips, Tactics and Techniques. Rarely does a new nymph pattern outperform my favorite confidence flies such as Walt’s Worm, Hare and Copper, Eggstasy […]
Fishing and Tying the France Fly Read More »
At this juncture, the merits of Walt’s Worm are no longer classified information. As a matter of fact, knowledge of the effectiveness of this simple and humble fly pattern from Pennsylvania has extended far beyond my home state’s borders. A quick Google search to purchase this pattern online will bring the internet shopper to stores
Fishing and Tying the Walt’s Worm Euro Nymph Read More »
Euro nymphs are deadly patterns that can used with a standard Euronymphing rig or dead-drifted under an indicator. This article discusses various types of Euro nymphs and why they are so effective.
Euro Nymphs: What are They and Why are They So Effective? Read More »
The Baetis Emerger Cripple is a deadly pattern for fishing during any Baetis hatch, but especially during those when trout are keying on the emerger stage. Here’s how to tie it and tips for catching more trout with it.
How to Fish and Tie the Baeties Emerger Cripple Read More »
Not long ago, it dawned on me that I’d never caught a trout on a Royal Coachman, perhaps the most famous of all classic dry fly patterns. So I headed to a local Class A wild trout stream and purposed to change that. It was literally a downpour, but the trout were cooperative. Within a
Classic Dry Flies: The Royal Coachman Read More »
A new video on the Dark Skies YouTube channel shows us exploring a mountain stream for native brook trout using a Slate Drake pattern. Slate Drakes are unique in that they don’t hatch like typical mayflies. Instead of emerging from the water’s surface, they crawl up on to boulders and other structure in and
Watch: Slate Drakes on a Mountain Stream Read More »
One morning about 30 years ago, a workmate showed up with a smile the size of Broadway. I asked why he was as giddy as a teenage boy who just kissed the prettiest girl in high school. “I caught some steelhead in Twenty Mile last night,” he blurted. I was raised in Pennsylvania, just a
My Top 3 Flies for Steelhead Read More »
Bluegills and other panfish on a fly rod are fun for kids, but they’re fun for adults, too. The nice thing about these species is their simplicity. If they’re hungry, they eat, and they’re generally not as selective as trout. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be picky. In fact, they can be downright infuriating,
Favorite Panfish Flies Top to Bottom Read More »
The sunshine got the best of me and I had no choice but to leave work early and head down the First Fork Valley. I got suited up and made my first cast a little before one o’clock, noticing that a few Blue Quills were coming off. Not enough to get excited about, though,
Fishing First Fork Before, During, and After a Blue Quill Hatch Read More »
Winter fly fishing in Pennsylvania is all about simplicity. There’s no need to carry a wide range of flies to match a hatch – although we do have a couple of winter hatches, which I’ll discuss below. But this time of year, catching trout is more about using a handful of flies effectively than having
Top 10 Flies for Winter Fly Fishing in Pennsylvania Read More »