By Kirk Deeter

I ran into my pal Steve Parrott, co-owner of the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado, the other day at the Bass Pro Shops Spring Fishing Classic. We struck up an interesting conversation about the use of "hot spots" or "trigger points" on fly patterns.

Basically, by adding fluorescent material accents in key places like the collar or tail of a beadhead nymph fly, you create these "hot spots" or "trigger points" that trout may indeed see better, and theoretically react to more favorably. These two photos show Steve's fly box in natural light, and then again in ultraviolet light, which simulates deeper water conditions. Those "hot spots" make you notice, don't they?

By Kirk Deeter

Yesterday, I spoke at a rally at the Colorado State Capitol. I was there with Trout Unlimited to make a public case to Governor John Hickenlooper that he pay attention to the Environmental Protection Agency, and not rubber stamp a plan to suck even more water out of the upper stretches of the Colorado River watershed. As it stands now, nearly two thirds of the historic flows from the Upper Colorado are already siphoned away. It's silty. It's weedy. There are fewer bugs and fewer fish. And still, they want more.

My analogy is this: Imagine we woke up tomorrow and learned that Pike's Peak were 90% comprised of high grade coal. We could build a power plant, and burn that coal, providing free power to the cities of Denver and Colorado Springs for 20 years. All we'd have to do is shave off two-thirds of Pike's Peak. Who's going to step up and say, "Let's start with a little bit off the top!"? Nobody. At least nobody with a brain, and/or the slightest bit of respect for natural history and the environment.

By Kirk Deeter

Jeff Wagner wears many hats. For his day job, he's part of the Cabela's team, integrally involved in boosting that company's fly fishing expertise and product offering. He's also a writer, and one of the best casting instructors (a Federation of Fly Fisher's Master) in the country.

If you ever have a chance to watch him talk about casting, it's pretty impressive, as he can carry on a conversation while maintaining flawless 60-foot loops. For now, I simply put Jeff "On the Spot" with some pointed questions about the fly cast.

FlyTalk: What is the number one mistake most anglers make regarding the fly cast?

Wagner: Not stopping the rod. Stopping the rod is what forms the loop. We think of the cast in terms of motion and fluidity, but it't really all about accelerating, then stopping the rod in the right positions, with the right tempo.

By Kirk Deeter

Warning: The Following Stunt Was Performed by a Trained Professional

It snowed about a foot where I live the other day. So naturally, I thought that was the signal for me to start packing for a bonefishing trip I'll be taking to Long Island in the Bahamas (in three weeks). Thing is, my wife and son will be staying home, as they both have to be in school then. I'll be writing a story. You know, working. So I went and dug out the cardboard box that said "Kirk Summer Clothes" from the storage room. That's almost as fun as opening birthday presents. Ah, to reunite with the long-lost flip-flops at last. And the shorts still fit!

Then the hard part started: I had to organize the fishing gear. Pack, pliers, lines, fly boxes, sunglasses, fishing shirts, pants, and my Chuck Taylor All-Stars (wading shoes). I think the best way to take inventory and make a packing plan is to spread everything out. Which I did. On our dining room table.