Casting Across Fly Fishing

I don't make a lot of New Year's resolutions. Sure, I decide to do a lot of things... they just happen to be more spur of the moment than calendar-based.

I do like to think about my fly fishing on an annual basis. Perhaps it stems from buying licenses on January 1st for so many years. This year I offer up 3 resolutions for fly fishing. Maybe you'll want to take one of them for yourself. Maybe you'll simply copy the exercise. At a minimum, I hope you'll enjoy thinking about your fishing in the coming year.

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Merry Christmas from Casting Across!

Since this episode is being released on the night of Christmas Eve, I thought I'd go ahead and do something a little different.

Nostalgia and tradition is a big part of the holiday season. Stories of those who came before us and the way things used to be come part and parcel with this time of the year. So along with the normal segments on the podcast,  I'll read some selections from The American Angler's book (1864).

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Thanks for reading and listening. And an extra thanks for those who get in touch.

This week I push back on some people who pushed back on an article I wrote about topics of conversation while fly fishing. What is appropriate? Read, listen, and you decide. Also, I relive some more harrowing wildlife encounters. Lastly, I get my accusations going. I critique a seemingly nonsensical social media complaint that I see from time to time in fly fishing circles.

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The calendar should not and can not dictate your fly fishing.

Sure, the water might be frozen over. Maybe it is even illegal to fish in certain months where you live. There is a chance that you hate being cold.

Still, you can stay plugged in to fly fishing and everything that entails.

This week, I talk about three things you can do in the "off-season" to keep those fly fishing connections all winter long.

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Unless the circumstances are exceptional, the pivotal men and women of fly fishing history can't offer you hands-on, in the stream instruction.

Their mentoring must occur in the pages of a book or journal; their words and deeds informing and influencing through a necessary medium. Whether you have a “real life” mentor or not, these insights and experiences are priceless. Lasting the test of time, the best of the best understood how to combine the what and the how with the who and the why.

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It is no fun to be wet when you're not expecting to be wet. That means waders need to be functioning at 100%. If you're fishing in cold weather or cold water, 95% is no good.

In this episode I talk about end-of-season wader care. Included in that is inspecting, cleaning, and repair. I also share some of my preferred wader repair products and methods. Lastly, I do offer up some advice on buying waders. This is a relatively shallow dive into a deep topic, but it should be a helpful starting point.

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'Tis the week of Thanksgiving. Which means all of the food and fun of Christmas without the stressful shopping, wrapping paper, and cold(er) weather. And, if you play your cards right you might get to sneak a little bit of fishing in.

On this episode I delve into a few topics:

Why check out holiday fly fishing gift guides?

Do you need to break the bank on your next gear purchase?

How can I start a holiday angling tradition?

What is a good way to prospect for fish at the end of November?

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Who doesn't like to see some wildlife when they're out fly fishing? Majestic elk, brilliant songbirds, and delicate butterflies add a little something to your angling.

But there is a whole host of other critters that are less than pleasant to encounter. Some are downright awful.

In this episode of the podcast, I recount a few harrowing tales of my own. And while I strongly advocate a "live and let live policy," I also encourage some of these varmints to do their living somewhere else.

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In this episode I talk about a few tactics for finding fish in the colder months. The approaches aren't revolutionary, but for many of us any kind of change takes some significant effort. I mention locations, flies, and other gear that I use when I'm diagnosing a river when it is chilly out.

Also, I share how I handle iced-over guides and make a recommendation on a nymph rod that punches above it's price point.

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This podcast episode is really a 4-in-1. And you get to listen to it at your normal price - I guarantee it.

First: 5 years of Casting Across! I talk a little bit about why and how the website came to be.

Second: I explain why people are the greatest benefit I've received through my writing and speaking.

Third: Want a controversial take? Check out the piece I read.

Fourth: Vote! I don't know if you have heard, but there is an election coming up.

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