The Presidents of the United States of America
Hey, I’m from Seattle and southeast Alaska. It’s in my bones. Grew up there. Thought about being a serial killer and then opted to be a fly fisher. But I understand why grunge took root in Seattle—that gray-sky angst had to be released somehow or we would have been a city full of Ted Bundy’s and Green River killers. Continue reading
Hemingway did it better
Alright, I made it one year with Angler’s Tonic without mentioning Hemingway or bringing him into the drink equation But, hey, summer is almost gone. And it’s hot today. I feel like a cool, sweet drink, which is rare. Bring on the mojito, one of Hemingway’s favorites.
This thing is supposed to be made with Continue reading
Pack your small fly box and slay
Two days ago I was driving from Montana’s Bitterroot Valley to the Madison Valley and along the way I passed the upper Big Hole River near Wisdom. That’s one of the coldest areas in the state and frequently finds itself listed on the national news for the top low temperature in the country. Continue reading
The overlooked option on Lake Washington
If you’re in the Seattle area visiting, or if you live in Seattle and have a few hours to burn, you might want to grab a two, three or four-weight and head to Lake Washington where you never know what you might catch. Continue reading
First Cast
F+G ninjas, absinthe dreams, and our man Letherman stomping around southeast Alaska
by Troy Letherman
The milk-run from Anchorage, a rental car of marginal utility, the year’s first Rainier in cold packs behind the seat.
Wrong turns down dirt roads that feature more puddles than gravel, six shades of brown in every direction, the occasional skunk cabbage and an abrupt license-check from two Forest Service employees creeping around the woods like a couple of ninjas. Continue reading
Peter Crow’s Go-To Steelhead DryNatural inclination these days is to go with a variety of sink-tips to get your metalhead. I did that last year on Idaho’s Clearwater River and hooked four fish from one pool and then thought, I wonder if they would have taken a dry? Are you kidding me? Hell yes, they would have eaten a dry.
I say that because I was on the Dean River in July and I almost passed up the opportunity to throw a skater but I finally tied it on and promptly missed two fish. Ok, so maybe I wouldn’t have raised those fish on the Clearwater but I have this feeling they would have eaten on the top. When I hit the Clearwater in September and October I’m going to throw a skater, probably Peter Crow’s Drag ‘n Fly, and see what Continue reading
Dan Curtis’ Elk Hair October Caddis
Ok, I’m all fired up because it’s late August and there’s already fresh snow on the mountains and the weather forecasters are calling for frost. All I can think about are fall hatches and that includes the October caddis. You’ll find that bug on lots of Rocky Mountain streams from now into November with a major presence happening in Continue reading
Serving great eats, true-angler style
Every once in a while I feel like a really, really lucky guy. And that was the case in July when I went to the Dean River in British Columbia. But prior to the trip I was already feeling lucky. Why? For one, because I actually made a flight from Bozeman to Seattle after breaking down on my way to the airport. And second, because Andrew Bennett, owner of Deneki Outdoors, hosted me and the other guys Continue reading
A solution to taking down thy rods
There’s nothing as maddening as having to break down your rods and rest them on the dashboard or behind the front seat or, worse, loose in the back of a pickup with Labrador retrievers, while traveling to the next prime fishing spot.
This is especially a pisser when you are road fishing, Continue reading