MidCurrent Staff

Question: I recently retired to a house near a trout lake that I have fished during the summer for years. Now that I am here in the fall, how can I continue to catch fish until it gets too cold? —Mark, Cavendish, VT (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: As water temperatures fall in late autumn, trout undergo noticeable changes in behavior. In the early...

Question: I know that my dry flies and nymphs are supposed to "dead drift," but I'm struggling to make that happen. It seems like my fly is always dragging. Can you help? —Nick, Lander, WY (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Most novice anglers think that the only hard part of fly fishing is learning how to cast: once you've figured out the old “1...

The Longest Silence gathers 33 essays that chart Thomas McGuane’s lifelong obsession with fishing, moving from boyhood trout streams in Michigan to steelhead rivers of the Pacific Northwest, tarpon flats in Florida, and salmon waters of Iceland. McGuane writes not as a guide or instructor but as a master storyteller, blending memoir, travelogue, and...

Question: I've heard a lot about the October caddis hatch, but never fished it. What's the story? —Joe C, Little Rock, AR (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: You may have never fished the October caddis hatch because it doesn't occur in your part of the country, but fall is a great time to travel to the Northwest. The October caddis (genus Dicosmoecus...

Question: I’ve read that trout will hold on the upstream side of a rock, but how can I get a good drift there? —Jeff, Arvada, CO (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: When a river current flows into a boulder, it creates a “pillow” of calm water on the upstream side of the rock—a small hydraulic cushion where trout often hold for shelter and easy...

Question: My wife doesn’t fish, but we’ve been talking about taking a trip together. I’d love to spend a week at a saltwater lodge chasing bonefish, but I don’t want her to feel stranded while I’m on the water. Are there usually enough options for non-anglers, or is this kind of trip better left as a solo adventure?—Mark H., Richmond, VA Answer...

There’s nothing quite like chasing tarpon through mangrove channels or casting to trevally on a coral flat. But the flip side of paradise is moisture—relentless, clinging, salt-soaked humidity that turns good gear into mildewed junk if you don’t stay ahead of it. And it’s not just the tropics. Coastal rivers in Patagonia, jungle camps in Guyana...

Question: One issue I continue to run into is my split shot will either run down my line and settle on top of my nymph, or the split shot will sever my line when I use a small knot to stop it from sliding down. —Christina M., Colorado Springs, CO (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Attaching split shot to thin leader (such as 4X–6X) requires care. The...

You’ve locked in the flights, tied your last bug, and started dreaming of bonefish or browns. But before you can set foot on the flats or step into the drift, your paperwork needs to be just as dialed as your gear. These aren’t glamour items—but they can make or break the trip. Check your passport now (not later)Six months. That’s the golden...

  Question: I know that before a hatch, I should fish nymphs and then emergers. But what do I do after the hatch ends and fish aren't rising anymore? Do I just go home? —Evan P., Easton, PA (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: When an insect hatch tapers off, trout behavior often shifts noticeably. During a hatch, many trout stack up in feeding lanes...