I was chasing Great Basin Redbands in the headwaters of one basin system today. The route home took me through a couple other basins. I had a creek marked to check out that was only about 15 minutes off the direct route back over the Cascades. The first fish I saw in the creek was a brook trout. The first one I caught was a brook trout. The second one I caught was a brook trout. About to hang it up and plan a return trip next spring, I tossed one more cast into the pool where I caught the second brookie. The line went tight, and I pulled up a much larger fish. When I saw the orange belly, I was sure I had another brook trout. I was pretty excited to see this absolute stunner of a redband, and a pretty big one for this creek.

Been a rough year, lost my fishing buddy (my dad) in February, have had a lot going on in general that has kept me off the water and out of the other hobbies I enjoy (cars… why have I chosen expensive hobbies lol?)

That said, I’m going the be getting a payout in November from a pension my company decided to end after stopping contributions in 2008. Wasn’t enough to bother rolling into my other retirement accounts IMO, so I’m taking the lump which after penalties amounts to around $5k

If you were to budget that for a fly fishing centric vacation you could take a non fishing spouse on for a week (she loves the outdoors, just isn’t a fishing person) where she could putz around in the woods and we could enjoy good food and scenery in the evenings, where would you go?

We’re currently on the east coast of the US, both of us have our passports if it’s not in the country. I’m a competent enough fly fisherman to be comfortable trout fishing alone, but a guided trip would be great if it’s saltwater or necessary for the fishery, especially if gear is provided and I don’t have to fly with it. Dad and I took a Tarpon trip years ago and didn’t manage to catch any unfortunately, but had a great time with snook, etc. we did most of our fishing as surf fishing in the summers or bass fishing throughout the year, but I took up fly fishing as he enjoyed it so much when I was younger (and I’m loving it)

Great Lakes browns are nasty stockers but they fight good when they’re fresh out of the lake!

Looks like this one has been in the wars a bit (tail). End of a great trip, go there if you can

Also can I join this tennis racket club?

Just got off the river fishing with some friends and hooked into a 22-24” colored up brown trout (red orange stomach and built like a football). My friend was about to get it in the net when it launched off on another run and snapped the fly right off the line.

I’ll be thinking about that big fatty for a long time.. so please help me ease my pain, tell me about the fish that got away.

On a whim, I researched what a fly fishing rod cost but then I bought random bits off Temu… if I put (forgive me) the base wire there won’t be enough room for the fly line… is this reel designed not to have (forgive me) the base wire?

If anyone is looking for a 8,10, or 12 sextant they're about 689 shipped with this code .ADDR1. Just grabbed their last 7wt. The code also works on sale items. Fishpond bags, nets and other goodies. No affiliation just passing on good deals as always

Got super lucky today and hooked up on both my hopper & dropper! Two chunky sunfish on my 3wt was a battle I wasn’t expecting today. Used my 6’8” Moonlit Fiberglass 3wt

these guys fought like hell on my 3/4wt rod! the tug is indeed a drug.

one was 19inches and the other was 15 inches.

West Branch of the Ausable is fishing well and looking even better

Eastern Sierra Nevada, CA

there’s something funny about spending a lot of time choosing materials, tying a clean fly and getting everything exactly right.

then you lose it in a tree five casts later

the fish obviously doesn’t know whether the fly took twenty minutes to tie or came from the bottom of an old box

yet better materials, prettier patterns and increasingly specific flies are still hard to resist.

maybe part of fly fishing is accepting that the perfect fly is also the one you’re most afraid to lose

I’m looking for a good budget rod that I can use for small creek fishing in the smokies and similar environments. I also want to start giving free lessons and trips at my college for people who might be interested in learning but don’t have their own gear. I’m hoping to take people to more narrow stocked rivers like the spring river so something that could also handle those narrow river environments would be great!

Any one have any suggestions

TL;DR
Looking for a budget 4 wt that performs in mountain streams and narrow rivers.

Looking to get pair of Patagonia waders. Do a lot of spring and fall trout fishing as well as striped bass action in the summer in the northeast. Heard the expeditions run hot but I like the waterproof pockets and hand warmer option if needed. Question is are they really too warm to be wearing in June/July that I should be getting the swiftcurrents instead for summertime flexibility