Over thirty years ago I called Tom Morgan, at the time owner of RL Winston Rod Company and one of the most respected rod designers in all of fly-fishing. Having fished a Winston rod since the late 70’s, I had somewhat of a personal connection to this company. That rod, which I fondly refer to as ‘Billy”, was the first premium fly rod I owned. After all these years it’s still one of my favorite …

It’s been five years since the Sage Fly Rod company released a new high-end, fast action, multi-purposed fly rod. Designed in secret, no one except those close to the company were privy to the latest rod series that usurped the much beloved Sage X until a month ago. When the X was discontinued, rumors swirled that something new was coming, and that something was the R8 Core rod series.&nbs …

Fall is a special time to fish in the Intermountain west. The crowds of anglers are usually down, the fish are fat, the air is cool and crisp, and the fall foliage makes our mountains a beautiful place to spend the day in. The Fall season is also a time of reproduction, as our resident Brown Trout and Brook Trout begin their spawning ritual, and are focused on making the next generation of trout. …

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past several months, we should all be aware that the whole Western U.S. is in the middle of a terrible drought. Escaping to the water to cool off and find a couple of fish is a great way to get some much needed reprieve from the heat, but we anglers need to be aware of what the heat means for our fish and fisheries. Conservation organizations and …

While only part of a trout’s diet, mayflies tend to command the attention of large trout and fly anglers. Of all the mayfly species, Pale Morning Duns, commonly referred to as PMDs, are some of the most consistent and reliable aquatic insects that hatch throughout the summer season.  PMDs are synonymous with fly fishing in the west. They can be found emergi …

Before the eat, and before the reel-in, before the smile, and before the release, comes: the choice. The choice may have been decided the moment before, or days in advance-it may have been from experience, advice, trial and error, or luck. But this choice is paramount. This choice is looped at the end of some tippet and locked tight with a knot. What fly are you going to choose, and why? &nbs …