David Meador has been fly fishing since 1978, getting started back in his home state of Virginia. But like most die-hard trout bums, he could not resist the pull of the West and the lure of the fly-fishing life. As a guide at PRO Outfitters in Helena, Montana, he gets to fish some of the most fabled rivers of Big Sky Country: the Missouri, the Blackfoot, and the Smith.

The yellow-bellied marmot: fly fishing’s next frontier? photo via Wikipedia

One of my favorite Paul Schullery articles about fly-fishing history is about anglers catching things other than fish. The most common “collateral catches” are, of course, bats and birds, and Izaak Walton described how Italian anglers used to catch martins and swallows for meat. But Schullery’s column goes on to describe a hilarious story in which Rudyard Kipling accidentally hooked a cow.

Back in February, we featured a Blue-winged Olive Thorax pattern from Connecticut-based guide Rich Strolis, and here’s a great emerger pattern to go with it. Blue-winged olives are among the most important insects in early spring out West, often hatching on overcast days or even during snow squalls. In the video, Rich says the fly is so effective he’s even a little hesitant to share his recipe, but I guess he can’t help himself…which helps us.

Finding new waters to fish is a lifelong quest for most fly fishermen, who dream of secluded, “secret” spots where they can escape the crowds and find eager, unpressured trout. One way to strike out on your own is by “bluelining,” or poring over maps to find small streams off the beaten path. On Midcurrent.com, my friend Brandt Oswald–a Livingston, Montana-based guide…

Last week, the folks at the Orvis store at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL had a surprise visitor when former President Clinton stopped in for some shopping.