Faith

"Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe."-Voltaire

At some point in the last hour of the trip that feeling settled over me; I’m not going to catch a fish today.
 It wasn’t like there were any major catastrophes that day. It was cold, but it had been cold for a week. So I couldn’t blame it on any pre or post frontal activity. The sun was shining, the water temperature had warmed a few degrees since I had been there, but I knew in my heart of hearts that it wasn’t going to happen. On this trip.

It happens to all of us. Goose egg. Skunked. Wearing the collar. Regardless of what you call it, how you deal with that day can determine the fate of future days more than you know.  I’m not a psychologist, nor a motivational guru. But I’m gonna tell you how I deal with it; Faith.

Faith

 Every cast I make, every fly or lure change, I know that’s gonna be the one. From the time I send my offering into the depths, until the time it reaches my rod tip when I start again, I know there’s a fish lurking.
Toward the end of every bad day I find myself fighting fish in my mind. How I'm gonna set the hook, what side of the boat I’m gonna land the fish on, any potential snags between me and my imaginary quarry.  I go so far as to imagine the length and take a mental picture of the fish, playing over in my head how I’m going to describe the battle to my friends.  I see myself sending the picture to my group of fishing buddies with the caption "Last cast of the day". It’s so real to me that I can almost smell the piscine musk lingering on my fingers.

Faith.

I remember one dry spell four or five years ago, spanning five or six trips. I managed to hook and lose one fish on all of those trips combined. But I bet I landed that fish 40 times in my mind.

Faith.

To be a great, hell even a good, angler, you have to have that faith. You have to know, all the way to your core, it’s just one trip. One trip out of hundreds or even thousands you’ll take in your life.

One day does not determine a lifetime.

I tell myself that everyone has to pay the fish gods. The river giveth and the river taketh away.  I’m banking karma for the next one.

Faith.

It’s what keeps us going forward. It’s what brings us back. It's the unseen force that moves through all of us as anglers, and keeps the doubt monster at bay.

Besides, that’s why they call it fishing and not catching…

See you out there.

A Smallmouth Fishermen's Primer To Missouri

“Where did you catch that fish?”
It’s a question we get a lot here at OSA and honestly it might be the most common question in the greater fishing community behind “What did they eat?”. Luckily for us, Missouri is blessed with an almost unfathomable amount of amazing water that is teeming with aquatic diversity waiting for those who wish to catch it. Because I don’t assume you clicked this link looking for my favorite Longear spot (which is a REALLY good one by the way) we are going to keep this limited to rivers that are excellent smallmouth fisheries. Consider this your introduction to smallmouth bass rivers of Missouri.

Northeast Missouri:

Salt River, Monroe and Ralls County- We start our journey in what is arguably the most difficult region that holds them to consistently find and catch smallmouth. Not because they are rare, in fact it is entirely possible to have days that rival the best Ozarks streams in both numbers and quality of fish if you can manage to hit a good stretch on the right day, but because good public access are a rarity and no outfitters service the Salt River anywhere along its length. Salt River is split into two separate entities by Mark Twain Lake with the Forks above providing consistent and scenic wading and float fishing (albeit generally smaller fish) and the lower Salt providing bank and float fishing opportunities for larger fish with a less consistently floatable river due to fluctuations in river level from the reregulation dam. While landowners have generally been amicable to me when putting in or taking out at bridges on the lower river, common sense goes a long way in not getting every bridge posted. Don’t be a jerk. If you are a purist who requires a spring fed and clear river for a day of fly fishing, this river isn’t for you. But if you can see the beauty in a river who has been altered over and again by dams and farmers but still produces some stretches of wild river and fish, put Salt River on your list.

Where to Access: Union Covered Bridge and Cedar Bluff Accesses will get you on the Elk Fork of the Salt. Bluff View and Indian Camp access on the lower river both allow for bank fishing and have the only two public boat ramps on the lower Salt River.

Nearby Outfitters: Hahahahaha. Naw man. Just...naw.

St. Louis Region:

Courtois Creek and the Huzzah River, Crawford County-Infamous among fishermen as party rivers that are to be avoided between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Courtois Creek and the Huzzah River are wonderful fishing rivers in their own right. Flanked by towering bluffs, Courtois Creek especially is a classic Ozarks stream, full of with deep submerged boulders and logs teeming with fish.

Fish during the work week if you can, or weekends when the threat of inclement weather keeps the “aluminum hatch” at bay but do not miss the opportunity to float or fish these rivers.

Where to Access: Huzzah Conservation Area offers walk in access to Courtois Creek with nearby accesses to the Huzzah and Meramec Rivers. It also offers free camping between September and May.

Nearby Outfitters: Ozark Outdoors, Huzzah Valley and Bass' River Resort  all provide shuttle service, lodging, and general goods stores nearby.

Big River, Washington and Jefferson Counties-
Depending on who you ask, Big River is either the best kept secret in Missouri smallmouth fishing or a river that a combination of word of mouth, residual effects of mining spills, and the dreaded spotted bass has on the ropes. The truth is probably somewhere in between and the fact remains that the upper/middle Big River and its tributaries are some of the most consistent smallmouth fishing in the state. One of the first Special Management areas for Smallmouth bass, the Big River consistently produces fish in the 16 to 18 inch range with plenty more under. It may not be as good as “the good old days” but the Big River is still one of the premiere rivers in the state for bass fishing.

Where to Access: Leadwood Access, St. Francois State Park, and Washington State Park all offer access with St Francois and Washington State Parks offering Camping.

Nearby Outfitters: Washington State Park offers a canoe rental service and lodging. 

Rolla Region:

Current River, Dent County- I can say without hesitation that the Current River is unequivocally my favorite river. You will notice I didn’t end that previous statement with “in the state”, and that was intentional. For as long as I can remember in my life I have loved the Current River above all other water. From its headwaters in Montauk State Park to below Cedar Grove it is a phenomenal trout river with a mix of stocked and wild rainbow trout and brown trout of all sizes (including some true drag destroyers). As the trout thin out, smallmouth bass become the apex predator of the river and they are thick throughout it's length. While you can wade the upper portions, from Baptist Camp access down it is decidedly a floating river. While you float be sure to stop and take a look at the many bluffs, caves, and springs that make this river one of the most unique and beautiful fishing experiences in the state.

Where to Access: For trout; access at Montauk State Park, Tan Vat, or Baptist Camp accesses. For bass; Cedar Grove, Akers Ferry, Pulltite Campground, and Two Rivers.

Nearby Outfitters: Akers Ferry Canoe Rental, Jadwin Canoe Rental, and Two Rivers Canoe Rental all offer shuttle, rental service and lodging. Reeds Cabins and J. Cook Fly Rods are the local fly shops that can outfit you best to fish the Current.

Big Piney River, Pulaski and Texas Counties:

The Big Piney is the largest tributary of the Gasconade River, which is a fine smallmouth river in its own right. In 2017 the Missouri Department of Conservation expanded the Black Bass Special Management Area on the Big Piney to include everything from Slabtown Access to the rivers convergence with the Gasconade , a stretch of over 40 miles. I tell you this so you realize I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there are a lot of fish here. While wading access can be tricky, it can be done by those willing to do the research, and a float on the Big Piney’s beauty is only matched by its productiveness. In a region full of amazing fishing the Big Piney should be close to the top of your list.

Where to Access: Boiling Springs, Slabtown and Ross Access all offer access to the river.

Nearby Outfitters: Wilderness Ridge, Rich’s Last Resort, and Boiling Springs  are all well suited for any Big Piney adventure you may desire.

For these next regions I needed a little help, to be honest there are still regions of this wonderful state I haven’t been able to explore. Since I still wanted a guide that could hopefully help someone get started smallmouth fishing or hopefully find a new place to fish in Missouri no matter where they were. To that end I reached out to my good friend and Ozarks Smallmouth Alliance founder Ryan Walker to show us around his backyard.

Springfield Region:

James River-Christian and Stone Counties
Upper Pomme De Terre River-Polk County

James River; Winding 130 miles from its origin near Seymour, Missouri to Table Rock Lake, the James River is a popular destination for recreational floaters and anglers alike.

Teeming with Smallmouth Bass, the James also has a good population of Largemouth, Spots and Goggle Eye, it’s my go-to destination when I need a quick fix. Weekdays are the best bet between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but if you can get out at dawn, you can usually beat the crowds during floating season(at least for a little while).

Where to Access: Delaware Town and HootenTown Access are two of the more popular public access points. Both have nice ramps and lots of parking. No camping is allowed at either location, but you can camp at HootenTown Canoe And Campground year round.
**The river between Delaware Town and Hootentown is in an MDC Smallmouth Special Regulations area. Consult the Rules and know before you go.
*** Statewide length limit on Goggle eye has changed to a 7” minimum.

Outfitters: The aforementioned  HootenTown Canoe And Campground provides Canoe and Kayak Rental along with some shuttle services.

Ozarks Stream Guides provides a complete guide service and instruction, along with shuttle, and a limited number of Angling Kayaks for rent.

Upper Pomme De Terre River-Polk County Missouri; A tributary of the Osage River, the Pomme De Terre is divided into two sections, Upper and Lower. Upper is “above”  Pomme De Terre lake, and the Lower section eventually flows into Truman Lake. We are going to concentrate on the Upper Section.

This a do-it-yourself section of the river, with one MDC access that has a great ramp, and good parking. Another river with a healthy population of Smallmouth, this one does not get the pressure it’s larger, southern cousins get. Two really good floats on this one:

Where to Access; Sunset Park MDC Access has a good ramp and good parking. Paddle up stream if there is water and hit some of the water above the E 475 Road bridge.

Hwy 32 Bridge, east of Bolivar is an easement access with ok parking, but really good wade in possibilities. You can wade a mile or more downstream and if the waters right about the same up river. I prefer to go downstream, much more riffle/pool water.
Roberts Ford is a low water bridge with easement access and is a good wade-in spot. I tend to head downstream..

Southwest Missouri
Elk River; Starting in Pineville MO, every mile of the Elks 30 mile journey to Oklahoma is a treat for the eyes and soul. Home to a native population of Neosho Strain Smallmouth, the Elk also offers great largemouth fishing and some really good Goggle Eye opportunities on it’s upper reaches.

This is another river that gets heavy floating pressure in the summer months, so plan accordingly.

Where to Access; Pineville MDC Access

Located in the small village of Pineville Mo, this is the upper and beginning stretch of the Elk, where Big and Little Sugar Creeks join to form the river proper. Very scenic float. It’s about a 7 mile(ish) float to our next access:

Mt Shira MDC Access: Mt Shira offers easy access to the Elk, with a boat ramp and good parking. From here, the river flows into the town of Noel, and a small spillway dam forms Shadow Lake. Great fishing along this stretch, and easy access. Shira to the Town of Noel is a great half day float.

**Most of the Elk River is in an MDC Special Regulations Area, consult the rules and know before you go.

Outfitters:Little Sugar Farmhouse and Melissa Nichols Two Sons Floats and Camping Both provide lodging and shuttle services.

Big Sugar Creek: One of the founding tributaries of the Elk, Big Sugar provides some really good scenery and great fishing. Be wary in high water, it can be tricky…

Full of smallies and a decent LMB population, Big Sugar is gin clear in the summer and early fall. This one gets some pressure from recreational floaters in the summer, so plan accordingly.

Where to access: Cyclone Low Water Bridge
A great place to start. You’ll need a shuttle for this one as there is no parking along the road.  Lots of float trips start here, but you’ll need the right water conditions. Mid-Summer is usually too low for most folks…

Deep Ford MDC Access

Just shy of 6 miles downstream from Cyclone is MDC’s Deep Ford Access. Good, easy access and a great float coming from Cyclone or floating to Pineville.

Outfitters: Use Sugar Creek Kayak. Melissa can pick you up at your take out and take you back up to Cyclone to launch, or help you leave a rig at Pineville.

Well guys and gals, that’s about gonna wrap it up for our whirlwind tour of a few of your best opportunities to tangle with some smallies in Missouri.  Before we all head out, I do want to let you know that this is by no means a comprehensive list. There are close to 4000 miles spread between hundreds of creeks, streams, and rivers that are teeming with bass in this state. Hopefully the places we’ve shown you will give you a great introduction into what awaits you in so many of Missouri’s waters but soon enough you’ll want to open up a map, find a skinny blue line you’ve never been to and start your next adventure.

Until I see you again, whether that’s on this page or at Bronzefest (Hootentown Campground Sept 8-9, tickets on sale now!) be good to each other, tight lines, and Free. The. Fighter.

5 Tips You Probably Know But Constantly Forget

"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde

I fish...a decent amount. You would think this would make me a fairly passable fisherman. Sometimes the stars line up and I knock it out and I think “Damn, I’m actually pretty ok at this.”  Most days though, I am decidedly middling and I wade along having a decent grasp of what I need to do to catch some fish and stumble into a decent one. Even so, there are times on the water I forget something so maddeningly basic that I wonder if maybe bowling is more my speed. So here’s some of the silly things I screw up even though I know better. Laugh at me. Learn from my pain.

Sharp Hooks and Sure Knots-

You may find this hard to believe but occasionally I hook things that aren’t fish. Trees, rocks, my shoulder blade, a submerged stick that I fought like a fish for a full 30 seconds, and one time a park bench have all been on the receiving end of my hooksets. Almost all of these things are the fishing equivalent of taking your expensive chef’s knife and bashing it on the side of a cast iron skillet. It’ll sometimes still do the job afterwards but you probably need to change it up. The same goes for knots. After a few fish (or rocks) always take the time to check your hooks for sharpness and re-tie your knots. That or blow it off and figure it out when that 18” fish comes unbuttoned mid fight or swims away with your tippet.

Fish ALL The Water-

I see this one almost every time I’m out fishing. Some guys find a good hole and they may as well set up a tent for the afternoon as much as they move. Fish love deep holes and a lot of time you have a good shot of meeting the biggest fish in that stretch at a good one but I have never come across a hole so good that it necessitated staying for longer than 20 minutes. Cover ground. Fish the runs and riffles and any shallow areas adjacent to the pool. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being thorough but hit as much of the creek as you can and look for the most aggressive fish in the river. You’ll catch more, and larger fish if you do.

It’s Not The Size of the Fly; It’s How You Fish It-

“Big fish eat big food. I need to throw some meat.” I mumble to myself as I huck the biggest, nastiest streamer or deer hair bug in my box across the pool. We all love to picture a big bass lying in wait just hoping a giant bullfrog or small terrier will come and offer itself up as a meal but the truth is in most cases a large fish is just as likely to eat a much smaller frog (or dragonfly or whatever a size 8 popper is supposed to be.) Personally I feel like in a lot of situations a smaller meal that presents less of a challenge to capture and eat will probably be less of a commitment for the relative protein it offers. I love every fly Kelly Gallup has ever tied but especially in a small creek or river situation a Size 6 Sneaky Pete will do the job just as well.

Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast-

This one has two parts that are distinct but boil down to the same fundamental “problem”. There are very few things on this planet more exciting than sight fishing. It’s entirely too easy to spot a superb fish hanging out in range and completely lose your fundamentals and muff a cast or retrieve. The basic mechanics of the most common casts are fairly simple once you have a good understanding of them and it’s extremely important to always take a second and reset your mind before you take a shot at your fish.

On the same note slow wading is as important to fishing as anything else. Sometimes you see some cover just downstream and it’s like the rest of the water doesn’t exist. As you’re hurriedly working your way to the promised land you have probably spooked 5 fish that were holding in the great run you stomped through. Fly fishing is the slow sport. Take your time both in your casts and in your steps. It can be the difference between looking at the fish of a lifetime in your net and watching him disappear forever under the rock ledge you didn’t notice.

Change It Up-

Fishermen are one of two things for sure, liars or superstitious. I know this is true because anyone who tells you they aren’t superstitious is most definitely a liar. No one among us doesn’t have a favorite pattern they turn to when the going gets tough, or a standard starting fly that is usually the first one tied on. Maybe it’s the hot fly this season or an old stand by that (almost) never lets you down. As it happens sometimes we have a tendency to over rely on our go to’s even with evidence staring us in the face that we need to make a switch. Have bass rising up and investigating your poppers or following your streamers but not committing? Change. It. Up! Maybe a size down will work. Or a change from black to chartreuse. Whatever it is the fish is talking to you and she’s telling you that you’re almost there. Figure out that last step and close the deal.

That’s that guys and gals. Hopefully you got a little refresher on some stuff that may have slipped your minds or if nothing else you got a chuckle about how often I screw up fishing. Either way until we meet again on this page (or at Bronzefest, September 8-9th at Hootentown Campground. Tickets on sale now!) Tight lines, be chill to each other and Free. The. Fighter.

OH. Don't trout set on bass. Strip set. Strip set. Strip set.

Common Sense Catch and Release

"Take care of the fish, and the fishing will take care of itself." ~Art Neumann

The first few weeks of spring are the most magical time of year for anglers. As the days get longer and the mercury slowly makes its climb back in to an acceptable range, our minds are more often wandering to our favorite fishing holes. Even writing this I can picture my favorite stretch of creek, the trees that hang over the holes are budding and soon the schools of chubs will be tailed by the shadow of the predators we seek. As more and more of us make the first trips back out into the water, and with Tournament of Bronze just around the river bend, I thought this might be the best time to give a refresher on proper catch and release techniques to help ensure that the fighters we love are properly freed. 

Keep em Wet: This one is deceptively simple. Fish live in water so they tend to do better when they stay there. The more we minimize a fish's time out of water during unhooking and for the pictures that always follow a great catch, the better our populations will do both in numbers and size. Most fish are absolutely reliant on their protective slime coating. Consider it their immune system, helping to protect them from infection and parasites. The more this coating dries out or is rubbed off during landing the higher the chances that fish will die a slow death days later. Wetting your hands before handling fish, not beaching fish or placing them on the ground, and not grabbing them with gloves/towels/ or any other cloth is a super simple way to help ensure these fish will still be swimming the next time you visit your favorite hole.

Support Our Fish: A good old fashioned “Bass Thumb” is about the best indicator that someone has had a pretty damn good day. While bass are much tougher than trout, (by the way please don’t lip trout, it is almost always a dead fish) it is still quite possible to break a fishes jaw when lipped incorrectly. Always try to support the fishes body horizontally with a hand under the tail or body and and try to avoid wrenching the lip while unhooking fish. You should always be mindful of the locations of a trouts vital organs. Beware the infamous "Death Grip". A rubber bag net is your new best friend.

Better for Fish and the Backs of Heads: I avoided barbless hooks for years in fear they would negatively affect my hook up rate. I was terrified I would hook up with the fish of a lifetime and not having a barb would be the reason that fish came unbuttoned. That all changed one day when I was casting a Clouser Minnow in my neighborhood pond on a very windy day and an errant cast sent my fly directly into my shoulder blade. Luckily the fly had stopped just past the barb and it only took me about 10 minutes to extricate myself from a fairly painful situation but it could have been worse. Since that day I’ve either bought barbless flies or always take the 30 seconds to pinch my barbs. Since then I’ve discovered that barbless flies not only make it unequivocally easier to unhook fish I’ve landed but actually give me better hookups and have made me better at fighting fish. A hook without a barb penetrates a fishes mouth like butter and in my opinion I get better hookups with less effort.  Not having a barb to use as a crutch forced me to always be vigilant of my line tension and how I was playing fish. Plus, when you spend as much time as I do in no name, headwater creeks, a barbless fly can be the difference between spending a few seconds unhooking the 84th green sunfish of the day and spending the entire afternoon cursing at fish because HOW DID YOU GET THAT FLY SO DEEP IN YOUR TINY FACE?!

Gotta Go Fast: Speed is key in fishing. Whether is the speed of the water we are fishing or the speed of our retrieve it is always on our minds as we fish. One more place we should be thinking about speed is how we land fish. Fish played to exhaustion have a much lower survival rate due to lactic acid build up and stress than those that are played properly. Horse a fish as safely as you can without risking a break off and the fish will thank you for it. Sort of. They’re still fish.

Promote Conservation Correctly: If you have spent any amount of time on a Facebook fishing group you know exactly what I’m about to talk about. Someone posts a picture of a mishandled fish and the comments will almost inevitably turn into a dumpster fire. The angry catch and release guys fire the opening salvo of judgmental comments, the original poster just repeats that the fish swam away fine after some rough handling, the catch and eat guys start posting pictures of dead fish in retaliation, names are called, mothers are insulted and everyone walks away feeling superior while the moderators throw their phones at the wall and pour a drink. In reality, what happened in this situation is a great opportunity to educate a fellow angler was squandered. No one one ever learned anything by being dogpiled on the internet. Most people in that situation get much more defensive than if someone had come to them in a more positive tone. Talk to your fellow anglers as friends, we are all out here because we love to fish. You won’t be able to help everyone but you will sure educate a lot more if you follow the golden rule; Don’t be a jerk to strangers. 

A Quick Note on Eating Fish: I haven’t kept a fish in a few years now. It’s just not why I fish and truth be told, I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of fish. There are certain fish to me that shouldn’t be kept because of the value they bring and because it’s my own personal belief. Smallmouth bass are a slow growing, hard fighting, native fish. It takes over a decade for these fish to reach a "trophy" size. They embody the spirit of not only fly fishing but of the Ozarks perfectly to me. Wild trout are such a relatively rare jewel in this state and one strain in particular is virtually nowhere else in the country. Both of these fish are so much more valuable alive and to me are too precious to simply be stuck on a stringer to be eaten  But I was raised watching In-Fisherman. Doug Stange is (obviously) a much better angler than me and one of the things he preached is Selective Harvest. I ate a lot of fish growing up. I believe in my heart fishing and hunting is the most ethical means to procure meat for your table, and I believe that children should learn that for their dinner to be here something had to give it’s life. It’s an important lesson and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. They should just learn that lesson with a Walleye and not a Smallmouth.

Good catch and release grows just like every other skill in fishing. I have pictures that I couldn’t have been more proud of when I took them that I’m embarrassed to see now. Fish on the ground,covered in dirt, knowing that I had them out of water for too long because I didn’t know any better. I keep them around to remind myself that I’m better than I was then and I’ll be even better tomorrow. Proper fish handling and education is one of the easiest ways every angler can help their favorite rivers improve. We all want to see these waters stay as bountiful and beautiful as we can. So let’s do our part to make sure that happens.

Be good to each other. Tight Lines. Free. The. Fighter.

So You Wanna Buy a Fly Rod?

Congratulations! After much deliberation, or none, you’ve decided to buy your first fly rod. Pretty soon you’ll possess what is in my opinion, the finest tool to wade streams and pursue the fish who live there, including our beloved smallmouth bass. Fly rods are sized according to the weight of the line they cast best. While a 5 weight rod is the most common rod available and will allow you to fish for bass, trout, and panfish, my favorite rod is currently a 7 wt to fish for bass. There are a ton of great options in multiple materials and with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each material you will be able to find the rod that is perfect for you. So before we get to the fun part (the fishing), let's get a foundation to start your fly fishing journey off on the right foot.

No matter which rod you choose, good rivers and good friends are a key ingredient for a day out. 

Graphite: The newest and most popular fly rod material is graphite. Graphite is the premiere material in terms of performance when it comes to casting distance and accuracy. Graphite is a much lighter and stronger material than fiberglass and bamboo allowing rods to be longer and giving them the much needed ability to punch through the wind much more effectively. The action of graphite rods is in the tip giving them a much faster action and provides a fantastic sensitivity. For those that are looking to get started right away the Orvis Encounter ($159), Redington Crosswater ($111), and the Echo Base ($159) all offer combos that come ready to fish out of the box and are good first step on your road to fly fishing greatness.

One of the key tenets and best parts of OSA is our commitment to working with and supporting local companies when we can and Woodard Rod Co. out of Arkadelphia, Arkansas makes a fantastic product. Already offering rods suited for trout and smallmouth fishing, they are currently rolling out the White River, an 8 weight rod that appears like it will be a great addition to any bass fishermen’s arsenal. Combining modern rod making techniques and a knowledge of the requirements for equipment on our local waters they are pushing out a product truly for the Ozarks. When I fish graphite rods, Woodard is the first place I look. Find out more for yourself at http://www.woodardrodco.com/.

The Diamond State 6 Weight is versatile enough to lay dries for trout and shift gears to deliver a streamer to a smallie in cover without a second thought.

Fiberglass: Truly gaining momentum in the fly fishing market in the early 60’s fiberglass fly rods were the first to truly open up the world of bass fishing on the fly. They are marginally heavier than their graphite cousins and simply do not offer the casting distance or ability to cut through the wind of the aforementioned material.  With that said, in my opinion there is no better material to learn to fly fish on. The slower casting stroke and ability to feel the rod load is invaluable to someone still mastering the mechanics of an overhand and roll cast. The slower action allows for a softer presentation. Once a fish is hooked the rod bends deep into the handle providing an additional layer of shock absorption between a fighting fish and your tippet. This deep bend is also why fiberglass fly rods provide some of the most exhilarating fights in fly fishing, every bump and run is transferred directly to the angler and the material truly allows fish to show off while the angler stays in control of the situation. If you want to learn to love fly fishing buy a fiberglass rod, find a creek of eager sunfish, and get to fishing. 

Fiberglass is considered by many to be an “outdated” material and as such you can find selections from modern makers and vintage rods from Ebay for very reasonable prices. Most fly fishermen wouldn’t expect to find a great fiberglass rod being mass produced by Cabelas but that is exactly what you will find in both the Cabelas Prime rods and the Cabelas CGR. They are not only quality rods but are frequently on sale for as low as $40. They have developed something of a cult following in the glass community with the guys who love them (myself included) being fervent loyalists and converting new and old fly fishermen to the fold all across the internet. A few more glass rods that punch well above their weight class are the Featherlite and Sweetheart rods from Eagle Claw. These distinctively yellow rods are bargain basement priced at around $35 and are not quite as supple as some expect from fiberglass rods but when matched with the proper line (often one or two weights up from what the manufacturer represents) they are proven fish catchers. 

Bass, glass, and topwater. The recipe for a good summer in the Ozarks.

Bamboo: I’ve never fished a bamboo rod. I would love to own one in the future but unless I have a rich uncle I don’t know about, the odds are I’m not going to be able to afford one on a line cook's salary. Most are beautiful offerings that give off an air of history and are often as much a work of art as they are a tool for catching fish. They require regular maintenance and are often heavier than their more modern counterparts. While to me, they perfectly capture the spirit of our sport, unless you are okay with learning on and probably breaking a rod that costs roughly the same as a 1998 Ford Taurus, I cannot recommend bamboo as your first rod. 

Line: Behind the rod itself, your line is going to be the most important purchase you make when building your first setup. While a cheaper line like the Cabelas Prestige Plus will get you started, lines from Scientific Anglers, Airflo, and Rio are well worth the investment. For your first rig I would recommend a Weight Forward Floating (WFF) line. This line set up will allow you to at least adequately cover most situations and WFF is the easiest fly line to cast on with in the beginning. As you learn more and begin building more specialized setups lines like a sink tip or full sinking line will suit you well for slinging big meaty streamers and bouncing crayfish patterns for smallies.  

Reels: Here’s the thing. Unless you are chasing some seriously powerful fish, I can’t think of very many instances in freshwater where a reel actually does much besides hold line and balance the rod. For bass and trout fishing I land way more fish stripping the line in than I do actually using the reel and drag. While to me, the sound of a classic click and pawl reel like the Pflueger Medalist screaming is the sound of fly fishing, you should really just get a reel that you can afford and you think looks cool. Cheeky, Ross, and Redington all make quality disc drag reels that can take a good beating while you get the hang of things. 

This reel has been dropped on rocks, tossed in mud, and just in general not treated very nicely. It's still kicking and that's a good reel.

While I can give you as much information as I have and the rods and companies that I believe in, the choice will ultimately come down to you. If I can get a little philosophical for a moment, a fly rod isn’t just a choice of the tool you will use to fish with. Your fly rod is an expression of how you choose to fish. The multitude of materials and styles of rod allow you to find a rod that is an extension of yourself, of how you want to fish and the experiences you want to have. If you have a fly shop near you go talk to them or email a company whose gear you are interested in. The great thing about this sport is if they are worth their salt they will be thrilled to help someone who wants to share in the things they love. Find some other articles like this one (that are written by much less handsome authors) and get a different opinion. Your first rod is your partner not only on the river, but on the journey that will eventually change how you look at not only fishing, but how you look at life. Your memories will be with this rod so take the time and make sure you pick the right partner. You’ll be glad you did. 

A fisherman's guide to enjoying fishing

“The craft of angling is the catching of fish, but the art of angling is receptiveness to those connections, the art of letting one thing lead to another until, if only locally and momentarily, you realized some small completeness.”

                                                             Ted Leeson’s The Habit of Rivers (1994)

I have a preconceived notion that anything I write for this blog or other outdoor publications should be a mix of two parts, Jim Harrison, one part of either Norman Maclean or Ernest Hemingway and a splash of Thoreau.  I should convey the near religious experience that allows men to transcend the self and experience nature a way only understood by light and wind. Yet, when I go fishing, I laugh with friends, relax in the scenery and partake in malted barley and hops. 

Whether wading up or down a small creek or kayaking from deep hole to deep hole on larger rivers, I enjoy my time outdoors, but I feel guilty for not having the forthright religious experience of my heroes. Instead, I am just some poor schlub swinging a stick and string trying to get a bronze to bite a few feathers while wearing a big hat and sunscreen. 

I am not watching a trout magically rise to sip a size 28 dry fly and run through pristine mountain streams, nor am I fly fishing in the mountain passes of Burguete, Spain in order to leave the stinkand stench of Paris and its false gods behind, nor have I rearranged my entire life to move to a small Montana town where I can spend my days a writer of words and fisher of browns. But, is what I do any less pleasurable? Is it any less important to me? Should I not be proud of the Ozark streams and strong Smallmouth they hold? 

I enjoy my outings as much or more than others. I am not so addicted that I have to catch fish to have a good day. Sometimes just staying on top of my kayak makes a day a success, on others it is only catching one fish more than anyone else, even if that is only one fish. On other days I simply float along, occasionally casting and feeling put-out when a fish interrupts my day by taking my hook. 

While this does not sound like something a seasoned fly fisherman would say, it is, at last, the truth. While several of my friends are there for the thrill of the catch, I seem to be out there simply be out there. Not to find something that is missing in my life, and not to recharge, but to find something worth wasting my life doing. After all, isn’t that the point of time? Some would argue time should be spent, but I think wasting it, like money, is much more fun.

If you are still reading this, then you can easily tell the difference in me and those fore-mentioned four. They made a career - no, a life, - of writing. And they did a damn fine job at it, while I sit attempting stream-of-conscience that appears more as poorly 

punctuated prose trying to pass as something more akin to poetry than bad writing. But, does that make their experiences any greater or mine any lesser than mine? Are we not all doing the same thing? Are we not all spending a large portion of our days and nights in the pursuit of catching fish on a fly rod?

While I do not believe in the New Year - New Me, I am resolved in looking beyond the romance of Thoreau and seeking life’s marrow; and, instead, look toward the final chapter of the book. Instead of searching for life, I intend to go meet life. My life. The life I enjoy of spending time with a few good friends, trying to trick a fish to bite a bit of feather I tied in my basement, and the partaking of malted barley and hops while taking comfort in the knowledge that great men will surely write and tell me what I missed.