Spencer Durrant

It's just starting to feel like spring here in Wyoming. If you're not digging out from record snowfall, you're still trying to thaw from extended periods of -30 weather in the Cowboy State and many other places in the West, for that matter. But that hasn't stopped me from getting all sorts of excited for the warmer days of fishing. I'm busy filling boxes...

There's something to be said for a solid rod-and-reel combo, especially these days when rods retail for over $1,000, and reels aren't far behind. But for whatever reason, the rod-reel-line combo kits have always garnered a distinctly sub-par attitude from a lot of anglers, especially the gear junkies. It probably has something to do with the truly awful $3...

As an avid angler, I know how lucky I am to live out West. I live where most folks plan their summer vacations, in a place that's prettier than any Instagram post can adequately convey. The fishing here in my part of Wyoming is outstanding, especially for trout, and I'm within a day's drive of most of Montana's and Idaho's best trout water, too. Other than...

The rain was coming down by the bucket and I huddled under a pine tree, praying that I wouldn't get too wet. My proprietary waterproof system had utterly failed, and I wasn't too surprised. An old ski parka layered on top of a fleece vest wasn't exactly the bastion of water-repellence technology I hoped it would be. As a result of being wet and cold, I was...

I've always been fond of winter fishing. It's peaceful in a way no other season can be, and it's certainly less crowded. The trick to truly enjoying this fishing, though, is learning how to stay warm. Not even big fish are exciting enough to ward off hypothermia, as I found out this January here in Wyoming. Over the years I've developed a system I really...

I've had the chance to talk with a lot of beginning anglers over the past year, and one question I keep hearing is how to pick the right fly box. This isn't a topic I've ever given much thought, but I decided it'd make a good post in our series here at MidCurrent where I go over how to pick gear that's best for you and your fishing situation. As that...

Back when I started fly fishing, someone told me I needed a nice pair of polarized sunglasses. At the time, I could barely afford gas in my truck. I wrote off polarized sunglasses as just another piece of overpriced gear that I didn't really need to be a good angler. Fast forward to today, and I can't leave the house without a pair of sunglasses. They've...

My dad and grandfather both tied flies, and I grew up surrounded by tinsel, feathers, hooks, and thread that I was under strict orders to never touch. I remember sitting for hours watching my dad tie streamers and dry flies (he never tied nymphs because he didn't fish nymphs), entranced by the whole process. I begged and begged to learn, but it wasn't until...

While fly rods and reels tend to get all the attention when a new model is announced, we tend to overlook what I think is arguably more important—fly line. The right fly line can coax the best performance possible from a fly rod. Other than your casting skills, fly line is the biggest variable in fly rod performance. Just like fly rods, fly lines are...

Sling packs are pretty popular among anglers and for good reason. They offer a ton of storage room that's easily accessed without taking off the whole pack. For those who are loathe to leave tackle back at the truck, slings can be the way to go. Slings also tend to distribute the load more evenly than a vest or backpack, and they're fairly light, too. All...