The Backstage Pass

We recently got our hands on the new G. Loomis Asquith II 4 and 5-weight fly rods, and rather than simply stringing them up behind the shop and offering a quick first impression, we wanted to put them through a more structured evaluation. To do that, we compared the new Asquith II models...

With iconic bonefish destinations like the Bahamas, Belize, and Mexico accessible to many anglers in the States, it’s important to know what flies fish are taking and where. Selecting Flies for the Bahamas One of the biggest misconceptions about bonefish flies is that the exact pattern is always the most important factor. In...

While the salmonfly hatch often steals the spotlight, the golden stonefly hatch is arguably the more dependable, long-lasting, and productive hatch across much of the Rocky Mountain West. In Montana especially, golden stoneflies hatch more prolifically and steadily than their larger salmonfly cousins—often side-by-side early in the season before taking over as the...

When most anglers think about dry fly fishing, they picture trout rising to fully emerged adults—mayflies floating upright, caddis fluttering off the surface, or stoneflies skittering across a riffle. But before the classic “dry fly moment,” trout key in on another phase of the hatch—one that’s arguably more important, more consistent, and more...

Selecting the right hook for fly tying is a lot like choosing the right tool for the job. You wouldn’t grab a framing hammer to drive a finishing nail—or use a wrench when you need a screwdriver. In the same way, every fly pattern needs a hook that’s built for its specific purpose. ...

Euro nymphing—also known as tight-line or contact nymphing—is a modern fly-fishing technique that was born out of competitive angling in Europe and has now become one of the most effective ways to catch trout subsurface. Instead of casting traditional fly line and suspending nymphs under an indicator, euro nymphing relies on long, leader-driven...