A fly fishing outing, right here in town
Try not to snag on a submerged Biketown bike
Current Flowers of State:
We came, we saw, we cast: Marc Fryt, author of The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing joined us in Portland last weekend to scout likely spots for urban angling in and around downtown Portland.
It was almost like a walking book talk: Marc went into even more depth than he could in the book, taking us on a tour of his fly boxes, his rigs, how he moves around, the desk research he does before fishing a spot, and then the conditions he looks for when he's on the water.
We saw some evidence of fish, but more visual confirmation of the evolution of micromobility, with a Biketown bike and scooter spied in the depths of the Willamette. But across all the spots we checked out and sent a few exploratory flies swimming through, the group had what it needed to make a plan to return and fish again, or visit similar water.
Thanks everyone for coming out to try this fun new format, and Marc and Lindsey for traveling down from Spokane. I get the sense this won't be our last author-based fishalong!
You can get more Marc from his website, The Triple Haul, or on Instagram, and buy The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing wherever books are sold.
🎥 Watch this: Film pick of the week
Our old buddy Sled's on the move again, and so is Schultz Outfitters: The venerable SE Michigan warmwater experts are moving out of Ypsilanti and the banks of the Huron to an upgraded shop.
In this edition, when he's not sighting and feeding carp, Sled is waxing philosophical on change, and staying grounded. A wonderful sentiment worth quoting at length:
All the chaos and clutter of the world around me, all the separation people have...I think people could find a lot of salvation in wild places.
We're in the middle of town here, this isn't necessarily a very wild place. But when you get into the deep cracks and crevices of this river and the ecosystem around it, there's as much nature here as there is anywhere deep in the forest. You just have to be willing to look for it, and enjoy it.
That's my goal, my life mission, from here until the day I chew dirt. Is to continue to look, find, and savor all the small little details...the things that make the day and the journey worth what it is. I've found so much of who I am inside of these current seams.
Nymphing won't get you the Perfect Eat
On Euro nymphing, the perfect eat, and committing to ‘DFO’.
Leaders ➰
Fishy links to start your week. Got one to share? Hit reply and send it over! 🪝
Happenstance is a strong posture 🧘♀️ (12 min read)
I really enjoy reading Geoff Mueller's writing. Here he profiles RIO Ambassador and striper fiend Abbie Schuster, outfitter/guide and owner of Martha's Vineyard fly shop Kismet. (farbank.com)
Don't wrist it, Jake! 🏓 (2 min watch)
How not to do it, from a mid-river interview between pundit Jake Tapper and California Governor and could-be presidential candidate Gavin Newsom, just two pals who are out fishing. Obviously the staging here has them in the middle of the river, where the fish are. And Tapper's cast is alllllll wrist. But maybe a hot take here: Newsom's cast isn't terrible! I'd put him below Jimmy Carter, but above Herbert Hoover on the Presidential Casting Continuum. (CNN on Instagram)
A few for your campsite list ⛺ (5 min read)
Though frequently referred to as "the Steens", it's really one mountain, Steens Mountain, in eastern Oregon. The Oregon Natural Desert Association published a camping guide to the region, which includes the spectacular Donner und Blitzen River. (onda.org)
Feast your eyes on spawning salmon 👯 (2 min read)
If you're in Alaska, British Columbia, Northern California, or Oregon, chances are salmon are starting to move up to their spring spawning grounds somewhere near you. Find a place to go see the final act of the greatest show on earth. (wildsalmoncenter.org)
Virtual fences: what's not to love? 🐮 (17 min read)
There's no question: Cattle pose the greatest peril to western habitats. They overgraze, degrading soil and leaving it vulnerable to invasives. They foul streams and rivers and degrade their banks. And fencing entraps migrating wildlife. Virtual fences, created by networked shock collars, promise a solution. Read about how one fly shop owner in New Mexico is partnering with ranchers to create (republic.land)
Our favorite animal angler is this avian 🕊️ (8 min read)
Sure it was Fat Bear Week (congrats Backpack) but did you know the Bird Photo of the Year winners were announced? (birdpoty.com)
Patagucci giveaway goes ham 💸 (4 min read)
11.2 million conservation voters sat out the last election. Patagonia's campaign to incentivize new voter registration and planning with merchandise credit has already run through the $11.2 million it allocated in just over a week. (patagonia.com)
One way to protect a watershed from logging: Buy it 🌲 (3 min read)
Over 7,500 grassroots activists shook the couch cushions, hit GoFundMe, appealed to the Big P (see above) and bought out a landowner to protect timberland in the Elwha River watershed. Like the great Montell Jordan sang: "This is how we do it." (washingtonstandard.com)
Sing a song of canyons 🌄 (jam out)
What if you could "play" the groove of a canyon's profile like the groove of a vinyl record? Canyon Groove lets you find out. (cumberlandcoast.com)
We've raised over $10,000 for the Deschutes River Alliance and sent ribbon maps to supporters in over 14 states! Have you got yours yet?
That's it that's all! Current Flow State is a weekly newsletter from me, Nick Parish. You can also find CFS on Bluesky 🦋, Instagram 📸, YouTube 🎥, or the Fishcord 💬
If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend. We all need more fishing buddies. 💌
Read our editorial policy or browse the newsletter archives.
CFS members support and sustain the site, and our community. Learn more about membership benefits. If you're getting value from this work, consider becoming a member and helping support our efforts.
