Author: sdurrant

Where I grew up, we called them crawdads. I've heard them called crawfish, but most folks seem to settle on crayfish as the official term for these interesting freshwater lobsters. Regardless of what you call them, crayfish are an important part of the diet for many trout, especially those living in tailwaters. They're a high-protein food source, and some...

If you put a hole in your waders last season and haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, you might be able to get it professionally repaired. The folks at Patagonia's wader team are hitting the road this spring for their Wader Repair Tour, where they'll inspect, diagnose, and repair waders, for free. And they don't have to be Patagonia waders, either. Any...

Oliver White is a renowned fly fishing guide who's also made a name for himself traveling to far-flung locations in search of exotic fish. You might not know his name, but you've probably seen his face in more than a few fly fishing videos, like "A Thousand Casts" from Yeti. Ryan Chelius, over at Field & Stream, recently sat down with White for an...

This week's Tying Tuesday is a nymph-focused affair. While the first dry-fly hatches of the year aren't too far off, nymphing will still be the name of the game for the next few months. These patterns should do some work as the fish warm up and the bugs start moving again. Up first is the Idaho Stank Perdigon from Fly Fish Food. That's an interesting fly...

I grew up hauling my flies and tackle around in my dad's old fishing vest. Once I finally wore his vest out, I tried some sling and hip packs, but neither felt as convenient as the vest. I was content using a vest forever, and bought one of the old-style ones with solid panels, no mesh, and bulky zippers. Then I tried out the Orvis Chest Pack and changed my...

There was a point where I tied flies religiously. Four or five nights a week, week after week, year after year, I spun out enough flies to almost make the whole thing cost-effective. The problem was that after I filled my boxes with the go-to patterns, I'd browse YouTube and Instagram for new ideas. At one point, I think I had a dozen different types of...

In the most recent episode of the Orvis podcast, Tom Rosenbauer sat down with Mike Tayloe to talk about preparing for medical emergencies when out fly fishing. Tayloe is an EMT, fishing guide, and wilderness medicine trainer, so he has a wealth of experience to draw from. In addition to his experience, Tayloe also trained Orvis-endorsed guides and lodges...

Streamer fishing is something I enjoy immensely, but I'm also guilty of not getting as much out of it as I could. I find myself settling into predictable rhythms, retrieves, and going back to my tried-and-true patterns. So, when I read this recent piece from Dom Swentosky over at Troutbitten, I was reminded of how much I leave on the table while streamer...

The Big Hole River, in southwest Montana, has been at the forefront of conservation efforts for the past few years due to its rapidly-declining trout population. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MFWP), scientists from Montana State University, and concerned guides and outfitters have worked together to study the Big Hole and offer potential solutions for...

One of my least favorite things is getting into my truck while still wet from the river. Whether it's my waders or wet-wading pants, I know some "river gunk" ends up worked into the seat fabric, and it certainly doesn't help my truck smell nice. I've added seat covers to other trucks, but they were always the on-sale items at AutoZone or O'Reilly's. They...