Techniques

George Daniel is known for his books about Euro-nymphing and streamer fishing, but he also loves to catch smallmouths. In this video, he shares his time-tested techniques for rigging, pattern selection, and presentation. Perhaps his most important point is that you shouldn’t overwork your flies on the water. A popper may beg to be popped, but George...

When it comes to fishing terrestrials, grasshoppers are the most popular kids in school. Anglers wait for months for these big bugs to appear and then fish hoppers with complete confidence throughout the entire summer. But if grasshopper patterns are the only terrestrials you’re fishing, you’re missing out on a lot of action. Both ants and beetles are...

Question: I am trying to learn the double haul and not having much success. Part of the problem is that I can’t seem to get the timing right. Any tips? via email (You can also use the Ask MidCurrent form.) Answer: There are plenty of great resources to help you learn the double haul, including Tom Rosenbauer’s article and Joan Wulff’s video right...

Question: I just got my first fly rod, and I'm terrified I'm going to accidentally break it. What are the best ways to make sure I don't? —Tommy S., Minneapolis, MN (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Most fly rods come with some sort of warranty—although many introductory models don't—but breaking a rod can still ruin a fishing trip and leave you...

Everyone likes to catch big trout. Whether you’re talking about a chunky, 10-inch brookie out of a tiny creek or a massive, 30-inch brown from a wide river, hooking and landing a trophy trout is the stuff that fly-fishing dreams are made of. Every time we grab our gear and head down to the water, we wonder if perhaps today is the day that we run into a...

Question: I live in Texas and fish mostly for bass, but when I’m fishing streamers for trout, I feel like I need a way to "trigger" strikes. Can you help? —Chad, TX (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: There are lots of different ways to strip streamers, and talking to a bunch of anglers about their favorite retrieves might yield a variety of different...

Excerpted from Dynamic Nymphing: Tactics, Techniques, and Flies from Around the World by George Daniel ( ‎ Stackpole Books, 2011). Anglers refer to different spots where fish hold as “lies.” Trout lies fall into three basic categories: feeding, sheltering, and prime lies. Feeding Lies Feeding lies are locations that offer foraging opportunities but...

Question: I have always used an improved clinch knot to tie on my fly, but I was recently told that sometimes the regular clinch is better. Is this true, and when should I not improve the knot? —Bob B., Portland, OR (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Every time you mention the clinch knot, people come out of the woodwork to tell you why the knot is...

Few things fire up Western trout—and anglers—like the arrival of the BIG bugs: salmonflies (Pteronarcys californica). The hatch is brief and fleeting, but when you hit it just right—before the fish have gorged themselves—it’s pure magic. According to some sources, a significant portion of a trout’s annual caloric intake comes from this hatch...

When I think about May in the mid-Atlantic, I see clouds of insects and happy trout plucking helpless insects off the surface on my local spring and limestone streams. Water conditions are often the best of the year. There’s enough turbidity to allow anglers to get within reasonable casting distance, and it creates a fuzzy window for the trout when...