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El Jefe v2 10 foot 6 inch 3-weight euro nymphing fly rod and reel combo on weathered wood

Euro Nymphing: A Complete Guide

Euro nymphing is a tight-line nymphing technique built on a single idea: stay in direct contact with your flies. No strike indicator, no slack, no guessing. You lead a pair of weighted nymphs throu...

Jul 4, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresAngler Doug holding a bonefish — the first fish of a DIY saltwater grand slam — on the flats of Ambergris Caye, Belize

Saltwater Grand Slam, DIY: A Bonefish, a Permit, and a Tarpon in Three Casts

Doug had never fished the flats. No guide, no problem — he landed a bonefish, permit, and tarpon on three back-to-back casts in Belize. Here's how.

Jul 3, 2026
BassAngler holding a smallmouth bass caught on a streamer fly, lake in Iowa

Fly Fishing for Bass from a Paddleboard on My Home Lake in Iowa

A quick evening adventure fly fishing for bass from a stand-up paddleboard on my home lake in Iowa — and a reminder that you don't have to travel far to find good water.

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresSummer Fly Fishing in Montana - Guest Blog by Jake Hensley

Summer Fly Fishing in Montana - Guest Blog by Jake Hensley

We are excited to provide you with a guest blog from our friend Jake Hensley, AKA @missoulaflyguy out of Missoula, Montana.  If you are heading to Western Montana, this is the guy to fish with!   B...

Jul 3, 2026

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Fly Fishing AdventuresSkwala on the Brain

Skwala on the Brain

But in recent days, the stoneflies have moved around, flipping rocks and searching a few banks have led to some promise for our anticipated spring skwala bite.

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresMinnesota Trout on the Fly During a January Business Trip

Minnesota Trout on the Fly During a January Business Trip

Pretty Brown posing on El Bolso.   My New Years resolution is to catch more fish on the fly. For me, its my Zen, and it’s one of my favorite ways to recharge my batteries. This week, I had several...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresEverything Will Move Forward

Everything Will Move Forward

  Everyone knows this is a very strange time in the history of our society.  I’ll get to the fly fishing application in a minute. Our family is just like most American families, sheltering in plac...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresQuarantine Carp on the Fly

Quarantine Carp on the Fly

  Sometimes you just need to get out there and toss a fly, I’m pretty sure everyone can relate to that feeling especially these days.  We had a very calm day here in central Iowa, and my family an...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresLate May Smallmouth on the Fly

Late May Smallmouth on the Fly

  Don‘t you just love it when you show up to your fishing location to find a couple of anglers on kayaks already there?  Well, this one had a funny ending.  They were super nice people, gave me a l...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresNorth Bear Creek, The Driftless Morning Fly Fishing Before Work

North Bear Creek, The Driftless Morning Fly Fishing Before Work

  Need to get away?  A friend of mine recently said to me that the best thing about fly fishing is that there are 4-5 things you always need to be thinking about while fly fishing to do it well.  ...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresNew Year Fly Fishing in Iowa's Driftless

New Year Fly Fishing in Iowa's Driftless

Brown Trout, Waterloo Creek   Maybe it’s just me, but there’s only one way to welcome in the new year, and it’s by getting out of the house and getting some much needed river therapy.  This year I...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresCutthroat Trout on the Streamer in Downtown Missoula, Montana

Cutthroat Trout on the Streamer in Downtown Missoula, Montana

Cutthroat Trout Caught by Jeff Ditsworth of Pescador on the Fly   It’s hard to beat walking up to any river in the world with a fly rod and flies you tied yourself.  Especially when you walk up to...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresSpring Iowa Smallmouth Bass on the Fly

Spring Iowa Smallmouth Bass on the Fly

Iowa Smallmouth Bass   Our window of time these days to get on the water can be so narrow, that no matter the weather, we are still going fishing.  There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad ...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresFlats Fishing in Key West, Florida

Flats Fishing in Key West, Florida

  El Jefe Salt Series   My wife Heather has been looking at a website a buddy of mine turned us onto called scottscheapflights.com.  He tells me he's able to book super cheap flights for his famil...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresFebruary White River Fly Fishing in Arkansas — Day 2

February White River Fly Fishing in Arkansas — Day 2

  22 Inch Brown on The White River, Arkansas   Maybe it‘s the fact that I’ve been coming down to fish The White River in February, but it seems like it always snows while I’m here.  My friends at ...

Jul 3, 2026
Fly Fishing AdventuresWisdom That Comes From the Best Sport on Earth

Wisdom That Comes From the Best Sport on Earth

  It's Called Fishing Not Catching:  This blog post is in partnership with our friends at Riversmith, a fly rod roof rack manufacturer based out of Boulder, CO.  Check them out! How many times hav...

Jul 3, 2026
gearAn angler carrying fly rods and a waterproof hip pack on the Missouri River

The Best Waterproof Fly Fishing Hip Pack: Why Submersible Beats Water-Resistant

A waterproof fly fishing hip pack keeps your gear bone-dry when you wade deep, fish from a boat, or get caught in the rain. Here's what actually makes a pack submersible — and why “water-resistant”...

Jul 3, 2026
El Jefe v2 8-weight fly rod

What Is an 8-Weight Fly Rod For? (Bass, Pike, Salt & More)

The 8-weight is the most versatile big-fish fly rod you can own — bass, pike, carp, steelhead, and the saltwater flats. Here's what it's for and when to reach for one.

Jun 23, 2026
Econ 101 fly rod and reel combo — a quality fly rod under $300

The Best Fly Rod Under $300 (Without the Beginner Compromises)

You don't need to spend $500+ for a rod that performs. Here's what actually matters in a fly rod under $300 — and why a direct-to-angler rod punches well above its price.

Jun 23, 2026
RiverVault waterproof fly fishing hip pack

Fly Fishing Hip Pack vs. Waist Pack: How to Choose the Right One

Hip pack, waist pack, or sling? Here's how to choose a fly fishing hip pack that actually lasts — what matters most, and why waterproofing is the one thing you can't skip.

Jun 23, 2026
Fly fishing a high mountain lake near Boulder, Colorado

The Best Fly Fishing Near Boulder, Colorado

From South Boulder Creek's cold tailwater to wild brookies in the high country, here's where to fly fish near Boulder, Colorado — the best creeks and lakes, when to go, and what to throw.

Jun 23, 2026
AdventuresTwo anglers supporting a bull trout low in the shallows of the Blackfoot, Montana

Fly Fishing the Blackfoot, Montana — An Unexpected Giant (Day 3)

The last day — Drew Baker on the camera, tough technical conditions, and an unforgettable surprise on the streamer. An epic close to three days in Montana with Jake.

Jun 17, 2026
AdventuresAngler holding a large brown trout from a drift boat on the Blackfoot, Montana

Streamer Fishing the Blackfoot, Montana — Big Browns (Day 2)

Day two on the Blackfoot with Jake — a 22-inch brown on the third cast, big browns on streamers all day, and Max on the dry-and-dropper through the prettiest canyon water there is.

Jun 15, 2026
AdventuresAngler holding a large rainbow trout on the Clark Fork River, Montana

Fly Fishing Montana With My Son — A Father's Day Float on the Clark Fork

Father's Day weekend on a quiet stretch of the Clark Fork with my son Max and Missoula Fly Guy Jake — about 35 fish, eight doubles, and a day neither of us will forget.

Jun 14, 2026