By Kirk Deeter

I've been fortunate enough to have fished with many professional athletes in recent years. You'd be surprised by how many actually gravitate to fly fishing as a release from the rigors of playing sports under bright lights for a living.

I'll be honest though—some are way better than others when they put on waders, and I think that has to do with the dynamics of their professions. Golfers, for example, are usually really good fly anglers. After all, one could argue that fly fishing and golf are kindred pastimes, both born in Scotland centuries ago. It's all about planning the next move, and adapting to the current situation. The way the wheels spin in golfers' and anglers' minds are very similar, so it's not surprising to know that Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Nick Price, and Davis Love III (among many others) are all avid anglers.

By Kirk Deeter

When it comes to attaching my fly line to a leader, I like the streamlined profile of the nail knot. I've been a nail knot guy for years. I think it helps the line and leader run through the guides with less resistance. This is particularly important during the end stages of landing fish, when you crank some leader past the tip.

I also trust the strength of nail knots more than I do loops. Over the years, I've had 10 loops break to every one nail knot that's failed. So now, when I buy a packet of pre-looped leaders (or a loop end fly line), I often cut off the loops and use a nail knot tool to tie the leader on.

By Kirk Deeter

I will never forget my first trip, years ago, to Montana's Bighorn River. Until then, most of my fly-fishing experiences had been focused on smaller rivers and streams in Michigan and Pennsylvania. I'd been told by friends and family members who had fished the Bighorn that making the trek to this fairly isolated spot (far from the more "tourist-friendly" locales like Bozeman or Missoula) was worth the effort.  In my first few minutes of fishing the Bighorn, wading among hordes of eager trout, and learning about the area's huge volume of insects first hand, I knew they were right.  Fishing here can, at times, be a jaw-dropping experience.

By Kirk Deeter

I often get asked the following hypothetical question: "If you had one day to fish anywhere in the world, where would it be?"

My answer is always the same: Alaska.

Granted, I still have much that I want to explore. And I have been fortunate enough to experience and write about some amazing places, from the virgin jungles of Guyana and Bolivia, to the austral settings in Tierra del Fuego, to the tradition-laden rivers of Ireland, to the sun-drenched flats in the Bahamas and Central America. But Alaska remains my top choice, and here are my 10 reasons why: