The winter issue of Trout Unlimited’s “Trout” magazine inspired me to want to return this spring to my fly fishing roots — swinging a type of wet flies known as “soft hackles.” Soft hackles are simple ...

Traditionally fished in the down-and-across presentation common to wet flies, the natural materials of a soft hackle fly impart dramatic and lifelike motion in river currents, resembling mayflies and ...

Fly fishing for trout can be one of the most rewarding and exciting outdoor pursuits there is. It can also be one of the most frustrating. I often hear people who don’t fly fish talk about how ...

Last week, I offered some suggestions on assembling a basic assortment of nymph patterns for early-season trout in our region. This week, I’ll present a similar discussion targeting dry-fly patterns.

A close second would be, “What (or how many) fly patterns do I need to have to be successful most of the time? Those are both valid queries, and ones which reflect the quintessence of fly-fishing. On ...