Articles

Fly fishing with a worm

Other anglers may snub their nose. Let 'em.
Photo: Earl Harper

Bliss Perry was a pioneer in American literature. He taught at Williams College, Princeton, and Harvard and edited the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, among others. But I wouldn't know anything about Professor Perry if he hadn't written a book called Fishing with a Worm.

His short book—published in 1916—begins with an indictment of the fishing gene:

A defective logic is the born fisherman's portion. He is a pattern of inconsistency. He does the things which he ought not to do, and he leaves undone the things which other people think he ought to do.

Review: Simms Pursuit Shoe

One of the most versatile wet wading shoes available
Photo: Darcy Bacha.

Flats fishing is an active pursuit, and the terrain isn’t always as friendly as we wish it was. And when you’re wading, it’s all about stealth and balance. Keeping your feet safe and comfortable over a weeklong trip where you’ll wade across everything from eelgrass to jagged Caribbean limestone is every bit as important as the rod you cast and the fly you choose to put in front of bonefish and permit.

An ode to the panga

The humble panga is one of the most versatile and ubiquitous boats of all time
Photo: Earl Harper.

On our second day fishing out of the east end of Roatan, our guide, Michael Boden, pointed the nose of his plus-sized panga into the west wind and toward the open ocean. As the sun made its morning appearance over the Caribbean, Earl and I could see what awaited us. Moments later, as Michael guided the boat out of the protected waters of the bight and into the waves, we were in it. The first giant roller looked like it was 20 feet over our heads, and I’m not ashamed to admit that, even this close to the shallows, a spear of terror shot through my heart.

Review: Skwala Backeddy Wader

The best Skwala waders yet?
Photo: Skwala Fishing

I’ve made no bones about my feelings for Skwala Fishing. I think they make fantastic gear, and I believe they’re pushing the innovation envelope in the right directions, especially for waders. The Skwala Backeddy waders are the third wader from the Bozeman-based brand, and this one was purpose-built to be a go-everywhere, do-everything wader. The Carbon waders are a minimalist, ultralight option, and the RS waders are the company’s bomber offering.

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