Here in Vermont, we’re suffering through one of the wettest Aprils in memory. Combined with the huge snowpack we had, all this rain has pushed the rivers up into the trees. As I drive along the Battenkill every morning on my way to work, thinking about how I’m going to approach the river once it becomes even marginally fishable, I picture big, ugly, commotion-creating streamers. Anglers in the Midwest and in parts of the Rockies are facing similar conditions, trying to deal with too much water.

The Madison River, The Henry’s Fork, The Firehole River: blue ribbon trout waters of legendary stature that are on every fly fisher’s “bucket list.” For years, local guides have been taking folks to these incredible rivers to partake of the gifts these waters offer up every season. However, there are numerous other options available to anglers who travel to Yellowstone Country. So let’s talk about a couple of these.

Another new online magazine has hit the digital newsstand. Southern Culture on the Fly aims to be all things to anglers south of the Mason-Dixon and east of the Mississippi. The first taste of what’s to come is a “half issue” that starts off with a taxonomy of American fly-fishing cultures, from the tweed-clad Yankees to the “stoner” steelheaders to the checked-tablecloth-obsessed Rocky Mountain trout bums. But fear not, Southern anglers don’t get off the hook in this rant. There’s some good stuff inside, so check it out.