Author: pmonahan

2025 was the 15th year of publication for Hatch Magazine, and they're taking a look back at the stories that captivated readers the most during the past year: Typically, the most read stories are a healthy mix of gear-focused coverage, tips and how-to pieces, conservation journalism, and plain old fly fishing stories. This past year was no exception with...

Question: I’ve been wanting to get into steelhead and salmon fishing, but not sure about the right gear. What are the differences between Spey casting and Skagit casting, and what are the benefits of each? —Jenny K., Ashland, OR Answer: Some anglers talk about Spey and Skagit casting as if they’re competing schools of thought, but they’re actually...

The first thing he did was dive off the boat. This wasn’t your normal ungainly leap or clumsy misstep over the side, but a calculated and accurate aerial assault on a hooked smallmouth my brother Sam was bringing to the net. “Get Duke,” I said, lifting the netted bass into the boat and shaking my head. Sam put down his rod and looked down as the pup...

This week’s Tying Tuesday features four simple patterns for catching trout or bonefish this winter. We kick things off with a coll upside-down Baetis jig pattern from Travis at Bearded Trout's Flies. I'm not sure why he called it a "balanced" fly, since it's a basic jig nymph, but it will surely draw strikes from trout holding near the bottom. Next up is...

Back in November, we posted Kubie Brown's excellent article on how and why you should fish Intruder flies, and this is an excellent pattern that features all the characteristics that Kubie loves. A.J. Jorgensen of Fly Fish Food walks us through the steps to create the Dirty Bird, which is much easier to tie than it looks. And the result is elegant, offers...

There’s nothing a streamer angler likes better than stripping, jerking, and swinging a big bug through the current in hopes of a savage strike. It’s fast paced, it’s exciting, and it’s a great way to catch big, predatory trout—but not always. As much as you may like to see big trout chase down your flies and to feel aggressive, line ripping grabs...

Here's a cool video in which Richard Magill—from Golden Fly Shop in Golden, Colorado—takes us along on his day throwing streamers at the Dream Stream during a cold, December day. A short tailwater section of the South Platte River, the Dream Stream is a popular winter destination for Front Range anglers, and Richard shares his favorite streamer...

Winter fly fishing is a game of patience, precision, and—most importantly—having the right bugs in your box. In this video, Curtis from Fly Fish Food in Orem, Utah, is cracking open his "Cheat Code" Winter Fly Box to reveal the 10 specific patterns that have saved his season time and time again. When the water temps drop and the trout get lethargic, you...

A couple weeks ago, we posted a story about some conventional anglers in Maine who are suing to gain access to waters that have been off-limits to them. In an essay in The Piscataquis Observer, well-known Maine fly fisher Al Raychard argues that such regulations are valuable tools for protecting native fish, especially brook trout: One of [the Department of...

The Grundéns Boundary Zip GORE-TEX Waders have carried me through the past two seasons of guiding and personal fishing. They have handled cold mornings, bushwacking, and plenty of abuse comfortably and without any leaks. More importantly, they were my first zippered wader. After fishing zip-fronts, especially in winter, there is no going back. The Vector...