The Bankside

Fish the Flymph: Wetflies, Soft Hackles, Wingless, or Whatever You Call Them

Whether anglers call them wetflies, flymphs, soft hackles, wingless, or something else, these patterns can all be used successfully to fool a feeding fish. Soft hackles can be one of the most effective tools for fly fishing any river. We all love the exciting visual of a fish eating a dry fly, but it is [...]

5 Keys to Walk-and-Wade Fishing Success

For the majority of anglers, walk-wade fishing is the main method of hitting the water. Whether we're hitting a small creek or a big river, getting our feet wet is a right of passage, and often our only choice. The thing is though, it's likely the best way to expand your fishing knowledge. So along [...]

Colorado’s State Fish Swims Back From Brink of Extinction

Some encouraging news for anglers in Colorado: populations of the state fish swim back from brink of extinction. From the article on CNN: The greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado’s state fish, was declared extinct over 50 years ago. But last week officials found the first confirmation that the trout are once again reproducing in the wild. [...]

5 Questions Every Angler Should Ask When on the Water

Once on the water and fishing, questions often emerge. We might question our fly choice, our tactics, and we may even ask if the fish are feeding at all. We want to be sure every angler asks these 5 questions when on the water. If anglers force themselves to get back to the basics, we [...]

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Fishing

Anglers are naturally inquisitive; especially fly anglers. So it is important ask yourself several questions before going fishing. The more we learn, the more we grow in the fishing world, and the more complex our questions become. For any age or experience level, there are a basic set of questions that anglers should ask themselves [...]

Fly Fishing After Dark: Big Fish Come Out at Night

We've seen the photos of Joe Humphreys holding monstrous trout at night. When fish grow large, they generally become nocturnal. So the key to targeting the biggest fish in your water is to hit them after the sun sets and the crowds are gone. Here are some tips for fly fishing after dark to target [...]

Trout and Water Temperature: To Fish or Not to Fish

IMPORTANT: Many rivers and streams across the country are experiencing temporary closures as a result of high temperatures. Please inquire locally at a fly shop or at your state's online regulation resource.  As hot summer conditions across the West become the norm, it is important to be aware of the effects of water temperature on [...]

Understanding streamflows and CFS charts: Go with the flow

10,000, 825, 250. Can you guess why these numbers matter? Understanding streamflows and CFS charts allow you to go with the flow and have an enjoyable fly fishing trip. Need a hint? These are streamflow volumes from CFS charts for three well-known trout streams across the country. CFS, aka Cubic Feet Per Second, is as [...]

Seven fly patterns for spring trout fishing

Fly selection for spring trout fishing is essential to angling success – without the correct fly you’re not imitating the available food source. In no particular order, here are six favorite patterns – well, technically seven due to a tie – for the next several weeks on any local trout water. Carry these fly patterns [...]

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