5 Tips for Buying Your First Fly Rod
As you gear up to begin fly fishing, choosing your first fly rod can seem like a daunting task. With so many models, weights, action, and...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jan 24
- 7 min
Do UV Flies Catch More Trout?
The old joke is that lures are meant to catch fishermen, not fish. Flashy, bright colors and intricate, realistic designs cause us to...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jan 2
- 6 min
Fish this Spot #2: Junction Pools
Junction pools are formed wherever two bodies of moving water converge, such as the famous “Junction Pool” where the Beaverkill and...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jan 1
- 5 min
How to Choose a Fly Reel
A fly reel serves basic functions. It holds the fly line and backing as well as offers a rudimentary drag system for playing larger fish....
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Ralph Scherder
- Sep 18, 2022
- 5 min
Back to Basics: Indicator Nymphing
The fishing was slow and trout were skittish. I’d caught two rainbows but missed a handful of others, mainly because the bite was so...
3,515 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Sep 18, 2022
- 3 min
Streamers for Fall Trout
Streamers imitate baitfish, crayfish, leeches, sculpin, and other aquatic insects that fish feed on year round. And it could be argued...
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Ralph Scherder
- Aug 11, 2022
- 6 min
Fish this Spot #1: Small Stream Pools
Most anglers can identify the prime holding water along any stretch of stream. Small streams are particularly easy to read since you can...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jul 7, 2022
- 3 min
Bluegills on the Fly
Think of fly fishing and most anglers envision casting to rising trout or drifting egg patterns to finicky Steelhead. While I enjoy those...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 23, 2022
- 5 min
Getting Skunked with Dignity: Early Summer Midges
A handful of palomino trout circled the pool in front of me. They went round and round, all five of them, searching their watery confines...
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Ralph Scherder
- Feb 8, 2022
- 5 min
Choosing and Using the Right Fly
The right fly can produce a banner day. The wrong fly can leave you fishless and frustrated. A few years ago, I was having a rough outing...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 22, 2021
- 6 min
Hoppers and Droppers, Oh My!
Hopper fishing defies the most basic rules of fly casting. No need for those elegant, wistful casts, and nobody cares about the perfect,...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 17, 2021
- 6 min
Bass on the Fly: A Popper Primer
Bass thrive almost everywhere in the United States. Here in Pennsylvania, we’re fortunate to have generous populations of both largemouth...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 4, 2021
- 6 min
Is there Really "One Dry Fly Floatant to Rule Them All"?
Earlier this spring, I purchased several brands of fly floatant to use in an experiment to see which ones worked best is specific...
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Ralph Scherder
- May 10, 2021
- 5 min
How to Fish Emergers and Cripple Flies
Emergers and cripple flies are terms used to describe several types of fly patterns that aren’t meant to ride hide on the water’s surface...
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Ralph Scherder
- Apr 17, 2021
- 7 min
3 Considerations for Drag-Free Drifts
Drag kills. Drag can ruin a perfectly fine presentation and mean the difference between a catch and a refusal. The worst part of it is...
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Ralph Scherder
- Apr 9, 2021
- 5 min
The April Caddis: Fishing and Tying Grannoms
Clouds of Grannoms filled the morning air. They came out of the water in waves, one huge flurry after another. There were so many...
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Ralph Scherder
- Apr 5, 2021
- 4 min
Small but Mighty: Fishing the Zebra Midge
I wish I had discovered the effectiveness of tiny flies when I was younger and had younger eyes instead of only within the past five...
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Ralph Scherder
- Apr 2, 2021
- 4 min
In the Fly Box: Hot Head Wooly Buggers
There are so many variations of Wooly Buggers available today that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. As new materials are developed and...
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Ralph Scherder
- Mar 25, 2021
- 7 min
Low Water Tactics: Fishing the Buffalo Creek DHALO
With only half a day to fish last week, I opted for home waters. I was due to pick my two kids up at daycare that afternoon, so I didn’t...
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Ralph Scherder
- Feb 24, 2021
- 8 min
Masking Hatches and Selective Trout
Masking hatches are “usually” a large fly that’s emerging about the same time as a smaller fly. The smaller fly is usually less obvious,...
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