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The blog has begun as of today, May 17, 2025. Here’s what to expect within the parameters I’ve committed to so far. A weekly fishing report, as time permits, throughout the season. I’m not going to spot burn or, at times, name the water/s we are reporting on. Just basic intel on what’s working, techniques, trip reports, etc. This may be a stream-of-consciousness type of report, so you’ve been warned.

I’ll also highlight local businesses that we use and support. We hope that you will also. Making the table longer goes a long way in changing the gatekeeper attitudes that have been in play far too long in the outdoor industry.

Call to action links on a variety of issues will be addressed here at times. Using our social media platform seems to work better for that, but there may be times when the word needs to get out on all platforms.

Gear of the week reviews. The web doesn’t need any more gear reviews, that’s for sure, but what it desperately needs is recommendations from somebody who uses it for more than a week. I’m only giving you what my experience has been. In actuality, the best fly gear reviews I’ve ever read belong to Flylab, I highly encourage you to check them out. Full disclosure, I am affiliated with some manufacturers and will share intel with their products as well.

Now that you’ve read this far, here’s this week’s report. Medium to large rivers are steadily improving in terms of flow and clarity. Expect a rise in both next week, due to the long-term forecast. Nymphing (indicator and tightline ) has been productive with standard patterns (10-18) along with heavy Czech styles. The streamer game has drastically improved. There’s a lot of juvenile baitfish inventory currently. Double rigs with swimmy patterns are a great choice. Don’t be afraid to change color or retrieve style. Bugs are starting to ramp up. Spring Baetis, Hendricksons, and a few caddis every day. The best hatch in terms of a daily driver is the midge. Hanging a Zebra or a Miracle Midge pattern will pay dividends. This is the time of the season when you can waste time waiting to see a riser amidst a hatch. Keep the nymph or streamer rig going until the fish are eating adults for real. One rise every hour doesn’t mean it’s on. We have some openings next week if interested.

Gear of the week. Oros Strike Indicators. Easy to rig, light, and functional. Great selection of sizes and colors. Not every day has perfect sunny weather. We’ve been out lately in what could best be described as rather dismal conditions. The black in small through medium is money on low-light days. No need to use a Sharpie to color my bobbers anymore. It may not seem like a big deal, but until you lose the grab because you lost visual contact in the glare, you’ll understand. That loss is always the largest fish of the day or season, btw. I’d suggest the red and white also, to let everyone know not to take this game too seriously, or rig it up for that person who only nymphs as a last resort.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out.