The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 07.17.2026
Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope
My Fishy Friends,
Between the many hours of daylight and the daily rise and fall of temperatures, some of these summer days can feel like three in one. It’s very hard — for me, at least — to get up early and stay up late day after day, but when I can drag myself out of bed at 5:00 a.m., I’m always glad I did, and I’m always pleased with what I did with myself; at that hour, it’s typically fishing or writing. May we all have a few hours to ourselves, at least a few times a week.
Cheers,
Jesse
Banner photo: There were fish here, but not where I thought they’d be!
FFJ Interview
Over the past few months, Jason Rolfe, editor of The Flyfish Journal, and I had a fun back-and-forth over email, talking about my fly fishing and writing background, the making of my book, including artist Bre Drake’s work contained within, and plenty more. Jason (another JLR!) has been a friend, editor, collaborator, and supporter of mine in various ways for a while, and I’m grateful for another opportunity to chat with him about our shared passions. Check out our conversation at this link.
The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere Playlist, Vol. 5
Here’s the fifth installment of The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere Playlist, a baker’s dozen of tracks I’ve been listening to as of late that are in some way—specific, generally, or broadly—related to fly fishing, boating, water, nature, creativity, etc. Enjoy on your next angling road trip or perhaps while in preparation for the next one! And, here’s the running playlist on Spotify and on YouTube. Cheers!
Carrie’s Flies
Here’s a fun read: Lyle Gallery founder Lin Tyrpien’s personal discovery of Carrie Stevens’s flies. I appreciate the perspective because it reminds me of some of my first forays into fly shops and fly tying, as well as the exciting journey of digging into a specific fly pattern’s story and their inventor. Of course, much has been written about Stevens, but it’s always nice to be reminded. There are some great photos within this story as well. A tidbit that I wasn’t aware of: there’s an official Carrie Gertrude Stevens Day, celebrated on the middle of next month in Maine!
Freeflow’s River Camp
Having attended a couple online writing workshops with Freeflow Institute, I can vouch for the quality of their instruction, curriculum, and the warm community vibes. I can only imagine that their upcoming River Camp — a five-day, rowing and river camping course specifically for women — will be more of the same, and even better! I took a similar course through Northwest Rafting Co. years back, and it definitely provided a significant leap in my river-running abilities. I highly recommend either, or both!
AI & Our Rivers
The amount of chatter about artificial intelligence and data centers these days is staggering. But transparency and foresight are good — necessary — things, especially when it comes to development. Here’s an article from Fly Fisherman Magazine entitled “How A.I. Threatens Our Rivers". I found it to be informative and insightful, with the crux of the data center question being: “…their effect on water quality, and possible harm of freshwater fisheries, is not fully understood, even as their expansion continues at a blistering pace in the name of economic advantage and national security.” Related, if you’re looking for some good, anti-AI and anti-data center artwork and stickers, check out Oona Watkins’s new offerings.
From Trey Combs
Perhaps most known for his book Steelhead Fly Fishing and Flies, published in 1976, Trey Combs has over the years created a massive body of work that catalogues and documents steelheading culture in the Pacific Northwest. As of recently, Combs and his son started regularly updating a website with the simple intent of sharing the work. Check out Trey’s new website here — it’s filled with essays, fly patterns, biographies and profiles, images, and good ol’ fishin’ stories.
Half as Long
Two editors have said this to me in the past few months: “Half as long.” It made me chuckle both times because I knew they were right, and it’s the exact line used by Reverend Maclean in this brief, beloved scene from A River Runs ThroughIt. He’s referring to writing, of course — always a worthy, editorial challenge — but I think now that it may also apply to fly casting, in many instances.
Too Hot?
As summer temperatures start to rise, it’s worth remembering that there is such a thing as ‘too hot’ for trout. Here’s a link from Trout Unlimited on the temperature ranges that are safe or not. The takeaway: 68 degrees F is too hot!
Obsessive and Cute
I have only brought three flies, all stuck to the bill of my beat-up baseball cap. Nymphs? They're amusing to read about in Greek mythology, but not much for fishing. Matching the hatch is certainly obsessive and cute, yet finding your own style in life is far more interesting. I prefer a pork chop with a loving, barehanded rub of black pepper and olive oil seared in a cast-iron skillet, dropped on a trout's lips. Being an ever-subtle and peaceful soul, I have a mouse, a sculpin, and another mouse.
~ From Riverhorse Nakadate’s essay “Spring Creek Master” in his new book Water Lines
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