Over time, not only have my own thoughts become more defined, I know the other Troutbitten guys think differently as well. So it’s time to revisit the hot button topic of spot burning. What’s the big deal? How does it hurt? When is it okay to name spots publicly? Is it alright if it’s part of a business? And are there different rules?
Basically, it’s a wide, wide world out there. And things change quickly, so it might be helpful to talk about spot burning again.
“Drought conditions. Pretty low. Lowest I’ve ever seen.” None of these expressions means much, and there’s a wide set of situations where casting a line into skinny water hurts nothing but an angler’s pride. Let’s get to that . . .
Strange how an ugly two-inch bug can spark so much reflection and really, so much appreciation for . . . life. This day, yesterday and tomorrow.
A top-tier river trout is a beast. The inherent nature of a river, with the endless obstacles, rocks, tree parts, current breaks, high gradient runs and undercut banks challenges the angler at every bend. So when you finally hook up with a Whiskey, a new game begins. It’s a match up between trout and fisherman. Who will win that fight?
Bringing a trout to the net requires a series of accurate calculations, thoughtful moves and a good dose of luck. But with a few guiding principles and a bit of experience, you can minimize the luck required and get a good handle on the outcome. One of the best of those principles, is to keep ’em down . . .
With a dry fly I’d rather face into the wind. With a tight line, I’d rather have the wind push from behind. There are several ways to beat the wind or manage it. But perhaps the most important thought, our primary consideration, is direction . . .
Crossover Technique is streamers on a tight line. It’s part streamer concept and part nymphing. There’s always a streamer on the point, and sometimes a nymph is added as a second fly.
The Crossover is all about taking a streamer to the fish. Instead of stripping our fly away from the trout, asking it to get up and chase, the Crossover style makes it easier for a lazy trout to say yes to the presentation.
Crossover techniques are subtle but attractive. We’re trying to inspire the trout to eat a bigger food form, while having precise control over exactly where the fly is and how it moves, all because we’re fishing it on a tight line, Mono Rig system.
Rich had cancer, and it was spreading fast. We both knew this was our last trip together and that a dear friendship was coming to a close.
We fished a long morning, and eventually, I worked upstream toward my friend. From thirty yards, I could see the exhaustion in his face. Rich stood where a long riffle dumped into his favorite glassy pool. He breathed a long breath and gazed at the cloudy sky. Reeling in his line and breaking down his rod, he looked at me, and we smiled. We each knew we were at the end of something . . .
Our first In Deep guest is my friend, John Shaner. With a career spanning five decades, Shaner has worked for influential companies like Hardy and Cortland, while connecting with seemingly every fishy angler in the industry. Shaner is widely regarded for his technical fly fishing skills and encyclopedic, historical knowledge of both traditional and modern tactics.
In this conversation, John Shaner and I go In Deep on dry fly leader design. John and I share a similar philosophy, with just a few individual twists on the overarching principles.
Sincere thanks to John Shaner, for a fantastic conversation.