One of my favorite quotes came from English literary critic Cyril Connolly, who said: "Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice; journalism what will be grasped at once."
That thought has shaped a lot of my own writing (and reading) efforts. So it gives me great pleasure to know that one "See This, Do That" post on Fly Talk can sink in with such profound effect that it (literally) can make you a better angler within the few minutes it takes you to read it online. In all seriousness, however, I've fallen into a recent pattern of re-reading some of my favorite fly-fishing books. That's not to say that there aren't plenty of new works out there worth checking out. But I'm finding that some of the books that got me going in the first place are even more profound and interesting the second (or third... or fourth) time around, especially now that I have many more river miles under my belt.
While some of us have the luxury of being able to fish like we always do during this time of the year, most of our fisheries are shut down, frozen over, or simply too slow to make a day worth while.
My friends over at Fly Fishing Film Tour will kick off their season right here in Denver this Saturday. I do believe both shows tomorrow are sold out, but the show will head out on the road and run through May to a multitude of cities all over the country; big and small—almost 100 cities in all. So do yourself a favor, check the schedule, buy some tickets, and head on out for an evening of fish porn and tall tales on the big screen.
For starters, I have to admit that I'm stealing this idea from my friend Brennan Sang, who posed that question on Facebook a few days ago, prompting a string of responses I find very interesting.
I wanted to throw it out there for the Fly Talk nation, because fishing, to me, is as much about the people with whom you share the experience as it is about the fish themselves. It strikes me that so many people respond to this question by saying that they'd like to fish one more time with a family member or friend who has passed away. I feel the same way.
Folks, we have a winner! There were a number of hilarious entries to last week's caption contest, some of which I've posted below for everyone's enjoyment.
The winner is jvf, who wrote: "Caught a nice buzz, not a record, but nice one."
The fine gentlemen over at Gink and Gasoline brought up an interesting topic the other day in regards to using lights when fly fishing for trout at night. While many saltwater anglers have known about the benefits of lights for years—utilizing docks, jetties, highway overpasses, etc. to create fishing hotspots—trout anglers to my knowledge don't seem to use this tactic very often.
For those of you who live in the greater Denver area, if you're looking for something to do this weekend that's fishy, but not cold, consider swinging by the International Sportsmen's Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center. As has been the case for the past few years, I will be hosting the Fly Fishing Theater. Only this time, I am just back (late last night) from a wild adventure to Argentina, and I will have stories to share at the show before you start reading them here.
Finding a good fishing guide can be a daunting task sometimes, especially if you're going to an unfamiliar area.
Here is a website to check out if you're someone who travels to fish, made that a potential New Year's Resolution, or just weary of Google searches: The Fly Fishing Guide Directory.
Greetings from Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, where Tim Romano and I are enjoying a brilliant week of fly fishing for goliath sea-run brown trout from the legendary Kau Tapen Lodge. It's a surreal experience to be standing in the iron-gray currents of the Rio Grande, with the wind buffeting across the stark, austral landscape, casting two-handed rods as you're being watched by guanacos and condors. And the take by a fresh brown is sheer thunder.
Danielsson reels are about to make a big splash on the American fly-fishing scene. This brand is already wildly popular in Scandinavia, where 90 percent of professional guides use them. I believe they'll take off once more Americans who appreciate the combination of form and function become familiar with them.