How To
You only need one fly box
In Praise of C&F Design, the ultimate fly organization system
How To
How To
How to buy a used fly rod: Six steps to get started
Secondhand is all the rage. And buying a used fly rod can be a great way to get into a better fly rod, faster. But there are plenty of caveats. Here are our tips, some sources, and a checklist to follow.
How To
Trout ain't tarpon
Sure, the silver kings might not even be on the same angling planet as rainbows, but here are ten tarpon tips, tricks, and concepts from legend Andy Mill that can be applied to any fishing situation.
Meditations
Hold on loosely
Trying to not try so hard.
Weekly Update
Harness your inner salmon goddess
Miss Norway, it me. Tying night success, updates from the alchemist's cave, and ten(-ish) fishy links to start your week with trout in the tabs.
How To
Arcane specs: Fly fishing tackle measurements make no sense
Decoding the antiquated systems we inhabit in fly fishing, and measuring things, so it all matches up real nice.
How To
Net benefit
It’s time to stop thinking about nets as a tool for playing offense. Nets protect fish, and ultimately protect your ego.
How To
Tie your own flies: Six tips to start fly tying from Craig Mathews
Blue Ribbon Flies co-founder and co-author of Pheasant Tail Simplicity offers six tips for beginning fly tiers to get the ball rolling behind the vise.
Weekly Update
Fall is for Pheasant Tail
We're going all-in on Patagonia's latest book, with a virtual book club meeting, fly-tying events in Portland, and a special surprise.
Swinging wet flies and soft hackles
Try out one of the most straightforward presentation styles, for both trout and steelhead
Weekly Update
Free-floating through fall
Fly tying meetups, welcoming a new Intro alum group, and more
Weekly Update
Big swell off Point No Point
Routines, purposelessness, wrist action, and our Member Drive fish reveal
How To
Making your first fly rod casts: It's not all in the wrist
Whether you're an absolute beginner or recovering gear angler, wrist control is critical to learning to load and cast a fly rod properly.
Weekly Update
Go beyond the bobber
Challenging yourself to become a better angler, a book club rundown, and upcoming events.
Weekly Update
Do you want the wire worm?
Knowing what you like, and sticking with it.
How To
Back to school: Six tips to get started fly fishing from George Daniel
One of the greatest educators in the angling world offers a roadmap to building your skills in the sport.
Weekly Update
Seeing salmon, seeing snakes, and tying simple flies
Facial recognition, but for fish, our first buzzworm of the year, and a new PCC fly-tying class for Fall Term
How To
How to make your kids hate fishing
Re-writing the old tired playbook of fishing as achievement and productive time in favor of something more curious and explorational.
Conversations
CFSQ&A: What I Wish I'd Known Before My First Guided Float in Montana
Impressions, insights, and lessons-learned when an Intro to Fly Fishing alum takes her first guided float trip in Montana.
Weekly Update
Pain, pressure, and one hard pull: Hook removal done right
If you stick yourself rather than a fish, know how to get it out.
How To
Tap into the Wisdom of the Guides
Gleaning advice for taking your first guided fly-fishing trip from legendary fly-fishing guides and a tome that's stood the test of time.
How To
30 micro-lessons for the fly-curious to learn to fish
We're off and running on a marathon of Bluesky posting to kick off this year's trout season. Try one every day, and in a month you'll be an angler!
Weekly Update
Rigged for spring
it's the May edition of Leaders, our links roundup, featuring a bevy of great PNW events, primers on fish handling, and an intro to Trout Spey.
How To
One of the best ways to improve your fly fishing: Download our free fishing log template
All the theory, workflows, and downloadable tools you need to build one of the most important habits of a fly angler.
How To
Hands off, or hands-free?
Yet sometimes you have to get a little dirt on your hands.
Dispatches
This season's most essential piece of fly-fishing gear
The dirt-cheap wonder-tool any angler can use to become legendary.
Weekly Update
Vivid indicators of life
Wading for caddis, fishing nymphs with suspenders
How To
Leaky waders and slinky links
Here's another thing to do this winter: Fix your waders. And, while you're at it, get stoked with a visit to one of the fly-fishing film fests, and generally click your heart out with some buttery links.
CFS News
Watersheds and watching flies
Zoom out to conserve, zoom in to observe, zoom over to the Grand Fir tonight to have a drink and a bite.
Weekly Update
Finding your fly lab
Another critical element in establishing your home waters: having a place to test things out. Plus a new book from Robin Wall Kimmerer and the many (gnarly) faces of lamprey.
How To
Avoid this one mistake when buying your first fly rod
How's that for a clickbait title? CFS' first-fly-rod buyers' guide, Winter classes open now, and a push against crude fly names.
Weekly Update
Some lines on knots
When it comes to fly-fishing knot tying skill, it's truly a tale of the haves and the have-knots. OK, ok. I promise not to get things too twisted up here, pun-wise at least.
How To
Invest in your angling, and your community: Join a fly fishing club
There's a great new documentary out about the wonderful benefits of joining a club. Guess what? Joining a fly-fishing club is even better, and will make you a better angler.
Weekly Update
Hot weather and trout fishing
A few top tips—and one essential piece of gear—can help keep fish safe when the temps get high.
Weekly Update
How to not look like an idiot when you first start learning to fly fish
Three ways to conquer the self-consciousness that comes with beginning fly fishing and start building your fly fishing practice
Meditations
The Five Permissions: How to be a great fishing friend
Take me fishing. A simple request, a schmaltzy commercial, a pivotal role. Here are five permissions you can give yourself and your fishing friend to create space for connection.