Silver Creek makes me feel as though nothing else matters when I am fishing on the Nature Conservancy property. Nothing else matters except catching those big, fat, and very smart fish. During the past seven years, I have spent every spare moment possible at Silver Creek. My wife will attest to this. Along the way, I have learned a great deal through trial and error, talking to others, and reading about this beautiful place.
By Al “Doc” Mehl
All things considered, when it comes to casting a fly, my school chum Chuck Monninger was the best I’ve ever known. Even though it’s been 50 years, I still remember one Chuck Monninger cast like it was yesterday. On East Elk Creek in western Colorado, Chuck was demonstrating fly casting to our mutual friend (and then-novice fly angler) Bear Miller.
A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World is more than a fly-fishing book.
From crystal-clear trout streams to sunlit saltwater flats, untamed jungles and rushing mountain rivers, this beautifully crafted volume by acclaimed author Kirk Deeter and Matthew Supinski explores the cultures, cuisines, geography and history that make fly fishing such a rich and meaningful pursuit.
Featuring a foreword by Tom Rosenbauer, the book blends storytelling, destination and culinary exploration into a global celebration of the angling life.
As a proud media partner, Fly Fusion is excited to share the stoke as the official sizzle reel for the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) has just been released, offering a first look at one of the most anticipated fly-fishing film events on the planet.
The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), a curated collection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent fly-fishing filmmakers from around the globe, is honored to announce RA Beattie, founder of Beattie Outdoor Productions and co-founder of Off the Grid Studios, as the winner of Audience Choice Award — Best Film in the 2025 IF4 for his groundbreaking film “The Silent Spotter”. This year’s top honor was determined entirely by audience votes from viewers around the world, underscoring the film’s powerful connection with the global fly-fishing community.
In today’s world, the news is often hard to look at. But every so often, a story comes along that feels like sunlight breaking through the clouds. The Silent Spotter, a new film making waves on the outdoor film festival circuit, is one of those.
The Silent Spotter, a new film making waves on the outdoor film festival circuit, tells one of those stories.
Tommy Batun, a young deaf fly-fishing guide from southern Mexico, has spent his life on the flats chasing permit—one of the most notoriously difficult fish in the world to catch. Working alongside his father Alejandro, Tommy has turned what some might see as a limitation into a superpower: his uncanny ability to spot fish where others can’t.
In this Fly Fusion Magazine podcast, Jim McLennan and Derek Bird continue their discussion about streamer fishing. This is part two of a two part podcast (click here if you missed part one) and in today’s instalment they talk about cutting down on leader length, how to adjust the casting stroke for heavy flies, and Jim’s aversion to rabbit strip streamers.
In this Fly Fusion Magazine podcast, Jim McLennan and Derek Bird talk about a variety of streamer techniques. This is part one of a two part podcast and in today’s instalment they cover fishing streamers from a drift boat, swinging streamers and dead drifting streamers. Visit us again tomorrow for part two when Jim and Derek finish up their conversation by discussing how to adjust the casting stroke for heavy flies and Jim’s aversion to rabbit strip streamers.
Evan is an elderly gentleman I’ve run into at least five times in the last three years. He walks the paths near where I fish for steelhead and cutthroat through the late winter months. I actually don’t know his name, though we’ve spent enough time talking now where I feel like I should know his name, so it’s going to be awkward when we finally get around to formal introductions. Though realistically, I’m really not sure he recognizes me from our previous conversations. Regardless, he looks like he could be an Evan. He’s relatively short with glasses (and without I assume) and looks like a kinder, happier, wispy haired version of the actor Ed Harris.
Sometimes the best way to say something difficult is just to say it. So here it goes. Fly fishing sucks.
It’s actually really hard. The visuals presented in fly-fishing films and Instagram photos are quite misleading. Sure it looks inviting, but there’s so much you don’t see…like how many mosquitoes and black flies the angler had to swat away while holding that prize trout at just the right angle, which is only slightly out of the water (like only one third of the fish). And you also have to position it at the perfect angle, with one hand holding the fish’s tail just slightly outstretched and the other arm, bending only slightly at the elbow, holding the fish’s body nearly fully extended. There’s a reason it’s called “angling.” It’s so complicated. And if you have really large hands and are naturally “big boned” then you need to really question whether or not you want to take up fly fishing at all. Trout appear smaller when held by large people, which will not make for enticing social media images.
