MidCurrent Staff

Question: I own a Martin Mohawk 22 automatic fly reel. Did Martin produce many of these models, and does anyone else collect them? Always curious about the history behind vintage tackle. Answer: You're definitely not alone in owning a Martin Mohawk 22, but you're part of a rather exclusive club. These automatic fly reels have become something of a quiet...

Question: Been fly fishing spring creeks for years, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about light tippet. While part of me wants to keep chasing that perfect technical presentation, I’m wondering if I’m being selfish. Are we putting too much stress on the fish? Answer: There's something deeply satisfying about fooling a selective trout with 6X or 7X...

Question: I keep losing nice fish because I can't decide whether I should get them on the reel or just strip them in by hand. One morning last week I bungled a solid rainbow, and that left me in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Are there any rules of thumb for making this decision? Answer: We've all been initiated into this club: Your dry drifts...

Question: I was reading through a recent MidCurrent newsletter and noticed the "Hippie Stomper" pattern being featured. It got me thinking about other fly names that seem needlessly crude or carry negative social connotations. Isn't it time our sport moved past these kinds of names? I can't imagine they help make fly fishing more welcoming to newcomers...

Question: I picked up Euro-nymphing last fall and now I'm catching way more fish than I ever did. Don't get me wrong—it's fun, but it feels almost too effective to be real fly fishing. Like using a cheat code or something. Am I the only one feeling like this? Answer: If you've hung around enough fly shops lately, you've probably heard the grumbling. Some...

Question: Last week during a solid BWO hatch, I was going nuts switching between different shades and sizes while the guy next to me was crushing it with a basic Parachute Adams. Made me wonder if I've been overthinking this whole match-the-hatch thing. How much does exact matching really matter versus just getting a good drift with a reasonable pattern...

Question: Some of us don't think you answered the question. So barbed or barbless—which hook style is better for the fish and the fly fishing experience? ~ MidCurrent subscribers responding to last week’s column Answer: It depends. We heard the request for solid science. We read opinions of both the enlightened and the utilitarian fly angler. We found...

Question: I've gone to mostly barbless flies and my lost-fish rate has rocketed because of it. Now I'm hearing that barbless hooks don't make much difference for fish survival. I want to do the right thing, but I also want to bring fish to the net. Are barbless hooks truly better for the fish? Answer: We totally get the conundrum. For years now, fly fishers...

Question: Who invented the Woolly Bugger? What is it supposed to be? ~ Charles B. Answer: Before we get to who invented it, let's clarify that the Woolly Bugger is more than just a fly—it's a freakin' legend. Purported to have caught more species of fish than any other fly in the world, it's likely to have caught the most numbers of fish of all kinds as...

Question: What does it mean when someone says a fly rod is sensitive or has a sensitive tip? Why is this important? Answer: At its core, a sensitive fly rod is one that excels at transmitting the subtle vibrations and movements from the water through the rod and into the angler's hands. This seemingly simple characteristic is, in fact, a complex interplay...