The Christmas Story (as told by a VA fly fisherman)

And it came to PASS that Caesar Augustus made a decree OVERALL the LANDS that every person must be registered. Whether one had to travel ONEMILE, TWOMILEs, or one hundred miles, they had to return to their hometown. This was BIG news to everyone in the Roman Empire. In Nazareth there lived a young Jewish couple named Mary and Joseph. They were betrothed to be married when an angel appeared to Mary and said that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would give birth to a child (even though she had never been with a man), and she was to name him Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins. Joseph trusted that this was God’s hand at work and decided to stay with Mary.

How El Niño Might Affect Trout Fishing in the Mid-Atlantic

It’s December and dry flies are still catching trout; I even saw a few hoppers out the other day. This fall has been very out of the ordinary. In fact, according to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the month of October was the world’s warmest ever recorded for that month, and it was the warmest October in America since 1963. I’m not sure how other states have fared this past month, but it has been a strangely warm November as well. This fall/winter is drastically different from the one we had last year, and there’s a good explanation for it. No, this article is not about global warming or conspiracy theories, it’s meant to describe another weather phenomenon that might have a significant affect on fly fishing this winter… El Niño.

A Different Kind of Strike Indicator

Let’s be honest, a strike indicator is a fancy fly fisherman’s term for a bobber. Depending on who you are (and also where you fish), you either avoid using strike indicators like the plague, saying there’s no reason a fly fisherman should ever use a bobber, or you admit they’re a necessary tool for nymphing and shamelessly use them. Either way, strike indicators are bobbers, there’s no getting around that. You either leave your pride at the door and use them (justifying to yourself that it’s worth it because you’re catching more fish), or you high stick nymph as best as you can without an indicator, inevitably missing a lot of strikes. Fortunately, I’ve found a way to leave your bobbers in your tackle box while still catching just as many fish (if not more).

Finest Flies of ’14

Throughout these frigid winter days I’ve spent much more time sitting at home tying flies next to our new puppy than I have out on the water. Of course I sometimes wish that every day of the year was 60 degrees and mostly cloudy, but I know that it’s not possible. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1).” I’ll fish some limestone streams and tailwaters throughout the winter, but these short days give me more time to reflect on the year, and to look forward to the hatches and trout that the new year will bring. My previous post, “Farewell Virginia,” encompassed the best streams I’ve fished throughout the year, so I decided to now write an article covering the flies that I had the most success with this year. 2014 was my first year of fly fishing, and I totaled 642 trout brought to hand using 30 different flies, all of which I tied myself. Here are some of my favorites:

The Brook Trout Spawn Controversy: Does Fishing Have a Negative Effect?

“To fish or not to fish?” Ask any angler this question and you’ll often hear the sarcastic remark, “What a stupid question.” The fishing culture is constantly quoting mantras such as, “The best time to fish is anytime you can,” and “A day on the water is always better than a day at the office.” These clichés encourage anglers to fish any time and any season with no reluctance. However, with the leaves turning their beautiful colors and the brook trout spawn already upon us, is it actually a wise decision to go fishing?

A beautiful fall brook trout.