Articles

Small stream fly fishing

Tips for achieving satisfaction on small creeks and streams
Sunrise on the Little Pigeon River in Great Smoky Mountain National Park (photo: Brian Furderer).

I began fly fishing at around eight years old and very soon became addicted to the sport. I practiced as often as possible and was taught by arguably one of the best fishermen to have ever waded a stream; Kim Tribe. Kim’s home waters were in Brecon, Wales — a region known for its lakes and long river systems. Because I was so small at eight years old, he handed me a ‘mini’ 6”, 2-3 weight Greys Missionary, a rod that has since become a collection piece. Because I was unable to wade in the fast flowing Welsh rivers, I began my fly fishing journey mainly on creeks and small streams.

Let's boot Utah from The Union

But we're keeping what's ours
A scene from Utah's Uintas (photo: Allison Niccum).

The American public—every person born in or naturalized to this country—owns 57.4 percent of the state of Utah.

It’s some prime real estate, too. From the High Uintas to the Canyonlands, to the Grand Staircase and the iconic desert arches, Utah is perhaps America’s most striking landscape. For sportsmen, it’s also one of the most diverse. From the striped bass and panfish in Lake Powell on its southern fringes, to the trophy trout that haunt the lakes on Boulder Mountain, to the trout water on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah truly is an angler’s paradise.

Tenkara flies

Aren't just for tenkara anglers
Tenkara kebari (photo: Tenkara USA).

Most anglers have likely noticed the proliferation of tenkara rods which has given anglers a variety to choose from and has driven innovation and design in the marketplace. Not far behind is the variety and innovation in lines used when fishing a tenkara rod. All of this is good in my book, as one of the best things about fly-fishing, especially with new tools and styles like tenkara, is the opportunity to tweak, adapt, mess with and play with different ways to fish.

Review: Patagonia 3-in-1 River Salt jacket

On the water with Patagonia's highly versatile wading jacket combo
The River Salt 3-in-1 on duty on a rainy morning on Patagonia's blustery Limay River.

Gear designed for the days at the extremes of weather are given more of an opportunity to show their mettle and prove their worth than gear designed for the in days in between. Let's face it, what you're wearing matters quite a bit less when you're standing on a stream bank, on a bluebird 65 degree with a day pleasant breeze blowing through your hair than it does when you're perched on the bow of a skiff, with the sun pounding down through humid air and the mercury flirting with triple digits or when you're wading through frigid waters, ice flows drifting by and sleet pounding your face.

Review: Simms G4Z Waders

Putting Simms' flagship waders to the test in Alaska's rainforest
Rock scrambling in the Simms G4Zs.

Editor's note: This review is for the 2015 version of Simms G4Z waders. If you're looking for a review of the 2024 G4Zs, head to Review: Simms G4Z Stockingfoot Waders (2024).

As we walked along the precarious, scree-strewn banks of Turn Creek, hoping against hope that we’d find the first of the creek’s pink salmon of the summer, I noticed a six-inch gash in my daughter’s waders, just below her hip on her backside.

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