Happy Independence Day from Casting Across!

On today's episode, I'm sharing a tangentially-related collection of topics. While I do discuss giving trout some space in the hottest weather, the bulk of the podcast is about the great situation we find ourself in the United States. Things aren't perfect. They're far from it. But that is the human condition, after all. That said, our angling opportunities and access here are exceptional. We have that foundation to build on, so we shouldn't squander it by not engaging in free speech together.

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Thousands of aquarium aficionados concerned about the stress levels of their tropical fish can't be wrong. And from an anecdotal angling perspective, I agree with them.

You can gain insight into what a fish is going to do by watching it's body language.

While it isn't an empirical exercise, there are some tells in fish behavior that can clue you in as to when to keep going, change tactics, or just keep on moving. I cover a handful of observations in this episode. As usual, there are countless resources on this and hopefully these 20 minutes will pique your interest.

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I'm not being dramatic. Nor am I being flippant.

You can truly get yourself in some serious moral peril while fly fishing. Waist deep in moving water miles away from other people? Yes, it is fun. But yes, it is not without risks.

Today I cover four areas of danger worth thinking about as you head outside. They may be common sense or well known to you, but they also might not be. If that is the case for just one listener, it is worth it.

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We are back with another entry in the Cast1 series.

Today, the discussion is all about small stream fly fishing. For many, pulling up to a tiny cascading creek is the epitome of an angling adventure. But until you've had that experience, the idea of fishing in a veritable trickle might not only be intimidating; it might seem ridiculous.

While there is so much to share regarding this topic, this episode covers some of the most essential aspects of getting a lot out of little water.

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Allow me to modify a common saying among preachers. Every angler has three fishing trips: the one he plans, the one he goes on, and the one he wished he would have had.

Not super smooth, but you get the gist.

On a recent four day fishing trip, I thought about the preparations and plans that I had going into things. Some were much more helpful and practical than others. Four of those are the topic of the discussion on the podcast.

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10 episodes away from 300, and I couldn't have done it without you.

And when it comes to these regular "Accusations" podcasts, I literally couldn't do it without you. Because every 10 episodes, I interact with questions and comments from listeners and readers.

Emails have been coming in fast lately. It was hard to pick just three, so I went with a relatively mixed bag: gear questions, fly suggestions, and a deep trout conspiracy with Biblical ties.

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All you need to fish is one rod, one reel, one line, and one fly... but it is better to have a few dozen... boxes of them.

That said, it isn't the worst thing in the world to have some other gear that can serve a similar purpose. Along with performing in a slightly different manner, this gear can also be a solid backup for if/when something goes wrong on the water.

Today I'm sharing my approach to this whole matter. It isn't the most important thing in the world, but taking a minute to make some good decisions will save you some time any money.

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There is only so much fly fishing practice you can get on your front lawn. And while the surface tension of your pool might help with improving your cast, your children won't take kindly to being asked to pretend to be fish.

Thankfully there are rivers filled with fish. And some of these fish are much more likely to play ball than trout are.

I would go out of my way to catch panfish. But they can also be used to hone your skills. Today I'm sharing 3 ways I use bluegill, fallfish, and even bass to improve my trout fishing.

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I'm not talking about how you can throw buzz baits and frogs with your 5-weight. But I'm also drawing a distinction between dry flies and another way to chase trout. Think about fishing with mouse patterns, and you'll understand where I'm going.

While I do discuss mice, I cover three other active ways to fish for trout on top of the water. When the hatch isn't on, or the fish don't want your dead-drifted imitation, there are some fun ways to drum up strikes. And when they come, they're usually quite exciting.

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You need a fly rod to fly fish. Whether it is one hundred or one thousand dollars, you'd do well to have a good idea of which fly rod is best for you and your fishing.

The absolute best way to do this? Go to a fly shop and cast.

Before you take that step, it is good to have a bit of a foundation to work with. To that end, I've put together a new page on Casting Across entitled "Fly Rod FAQs." Today I'm talking a bit about the reason for the content, and then talking through three questions I've heard numerous times over my years selling rods, teaching casting, and writing about fly fishing gear.

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