Author: pmonahan

A full intermediate fly line is the most versatile tool you can have for streamer fishing in still water. It’s equally useful in moving water under the right conditions, but for crawling, stripping, twitching, or burning streamers across a lake, it can do it all. The Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Full Intermediate has been my preferred choice for this...

Last week, we posted about how conservation organizations are raising alarm about Senate Republicans on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee releasing a proposal to sell between 2 million and 3 million acres of public land. A summary and analysis of the the bill by The Wilderness Society includes a map of lands that could be on the auction block, and...

Question: What is the best PFD that doesn’t get in the way until you need it?  I use a chest pack and so far, I have not been able to find one that doesn’t become unwieldy. —Bill McDonough, via email Answer: Anglers know the value of preparation: Good drifts don’t just happen, and neither does safety. Bill's question caused us to dig into one of...

I haven’t been to the West Branch of the Delaware River since last fall. The No-Kill Section of the tailwater—populated by large and wily brown trout and located below a large dam in the mountains—is more than two hours north of where we live. I rarely make the drive until July, when Bonnie Brook is too low to fish. By then, sulfurs and blue-winged...

This week’s Tying Tuesday features three patterns that don't imitate a specific insect or baitfish, but which have a profile and action that trout will surely respond to. We kick things off with a great-looking terrestrial pattern from Steve Cullen, a guide in the English Midlands. Is it an ant or a beetle? Who cares because it's buggy, with a hint of...

Stream gage data is already registering temperatures and flows that normally don’t bedevil Montana’s rivers and tributaries until mid-July, prompting state fisheries managers to issue early warning signals on Wednesday that anglers should anticipate restrictions and closures this summer. “What that means to us as far as a prognosis is … if it’s...

Question: I just got my first fly rod, and I'm terrified I'm going to accidentally break it. What are the best ways to make sure I don't? —Tommy S., Minneapolis, MN (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Most fly rods come with some sort of warranty—although many introductory models don't—but breaking a rod can still ruin a fishing trip and leave you...

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. We hope you're having a wonderful day, which perhaps includes time on the water. Last month, we invited you to submit photos for our “Fly-Fishing Dads” Photo Contest, and we received some great entries.  Last Monday, we presented you with 10 finalists for the contest’s prizes. The voting was close, with...

When I worked the floor daily in the fly shop, customers would bring in all sorts of amazing vintage reels for servicing and spooling: Hardys, Ari ’t Harts, Seamasters, Charltons. I enjoyed every minute of the brief time I got to spend with them. The marquee reels of yesteryear are truly works of art, with hand machining, close attention to detail, and...

A gorgeous new series from Swedish angler and filmmaker Rolf Nylinder explores the meaning of the word "wild" when we're talking about rivers and landscapes. Very often, what looks like the natural order of things is actually the result of man's intervention—whether it's from altering the course of a stream or replacing a diverse forest with monoculture...