All Posts By:

Jason Shemchuk
Wadeoutthere Philosophy

Why We Take Our Children Fly Fishing.

The boy knew nothing of cold mornings, or trout streams, or cattle behind the cabin in the woods.  He did not know of the work it took to keep the land, or the joy that came with the work.  He did not know that the children were gone and not coming back.  About the struggle beyond this trip to the river.  The boy did not know many things, but the man did, so he took him fishing. 
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On October 11, 2021 • By
8
Reattack

The Art of the Missed Hookset.

The art of the missed hookset is nuanced and complex. Like most artforms, grasping one aspect of the missed hook set does not translate into a full understanding and mastery of the overall process. It takes a greater level of skill to miss the hook set on a trout after years of experience, but truly great fly fishermen and women do not succumb to complacency in the other aspects of the sport they love, so it follows that the art of missing hook sets is no different.
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On May 28, 2021 • By
0
Tactics and Techniques

All the Trout are Bigger Across the River.

In my youth I fished a trout stream with reckless abandon. Wading fluidly with balance and precision. Leaping from boulder to boulder with confidence. Wading out, deep and often. When I spied a nice piece of water across the river, I went there, fished it, and moved on without thought to the why of it. Fishy water on the other side? Cross back, of course. Passing on a potential hook up for mere convenience seemed a waste. In my eyes, every spot, regardless of which side of the river it lay, held not only the possibility, but the probability that I might hook into a monster trout. I could persistently zig zag trout waters like this with a carefree foot and a smile on my face on every outing.
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On May 24, 2021 • By
0
Reattack

Don’t Fear the Skunk. Part 1 of 2. It Happens.

Getting skunked. It happens. But it’s not about catching fish, right? It’s about wading through a beautiful trout stream. The stillness of being alone with your own thoughts in nature. The rhythms of casting and mending line. Spending time with the people you care about. Are these not the special reasons we go fly fishing? Sure they are… but I still want to catch fish.
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On April 16, 2021 • By
0
Tactics and Techniques

A Simple Way to Extend Your Drift. Move.

When picky trout make extended drifts a requirement for hooking up, I look for every advantage I can to give the fish a good, long look at my fly. Almost more than anything else I have found that if I can present the fly in a natural way, my odds of hooking up increase. Working for longer drifts means lengthening that natural presentation as well. The basic pattern of presentation is familiar. Cast. Mend as required. Maybe feed some line at the end of the drift. All require skill gained through experience and possibly instruction. But there is another rudimentary tactic that can give us a little extra if we need it. A simple method that any fly fisher, regardless of skill level or experience, can use to extend their drift. Move.
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On April 12, 2021 • By
2
Tactics and Techniques

Techniques for Casting “With” the Wind.

Working with the wind is an attitude as much as a technique. For years, a windy day frustrated me, and that frustration carried over into the rest of my fishing and made for worse drifts, mends, and hook sets. In short, a windy day on the river tended to slowly burn my patience fuse and put me in a bad mood. Now I try to look at the wind for what it is – another problem to solve. And I work with the wind to keep me tied to the river and my environment.
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On April 2, 2021 • By
2

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