Gone Thinking

On the river, critical thinking isn't just encouragedā€”it's demanded. The constant calculus of depth, drift, and presentation sharpens the mind like a whetstone. It's a cognitive workout disguised as leisure, where success is measured not just in fish caught but in problems solved. Maybe the true appeal of fly fishing isnā€™t the tug after a hook set but the tug of mental challenge before, a reminder that some pursuits still reward the patient thinker. And as we wade deeper into the stream, we may find we're not just fishing for trout, but for a keener, more observant version of ourselves.

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IN THE RIFFLES

Many anglers will drift their matched fly over a troutā€™s head only to watch the fish rise to the surface, ignore the fly, and then drop back to the bottom while throwing a finny middle finger. Many anglers donā€™t understand why this happens, especially when they know theyā€™ve identified the right species of insect. What they may not realize is that no matter how perfectly detailed their fly is, most trout will still ignore it if itā€™s not the right stage of an insect's life.


From emergers to duns to spinners, every mayfly on the water goes through its own life cycle with different trout concentrating on each stage of insect at different times. Luckily for us, though, trout feed on these insect stages in diverse but very recognizable ways known as rise formsā€¦


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