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Fly Fishing the Nation’s Capital
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably heard a phrase about the repercussions of teaching a man how to fish instead of giving him one… and we’re serious about calling them repercussions - the unintended consequences of learning how to fly fish.
Read MoreA micro Intruder fly mixed with a baitfish best describes this one. This is a go-to fly when swinging for fish who eat baitfish. For most of the Great Lakes steelhead, this is it! Utilizing a Waddington-style shank makes this fly light as it’s unweighted. Fished with a sink tip or sinking head it will have great movement in the water.
Read MoreIf you missed the Potomac Riverkeepers Network panel on the Brood X Cicada emergence, we compiled tips on location, gear set-up, and tactics for fly-fishing during the 2021 Brood X Cicada Emergence.
Read MoreAs anglers, sometimes we get caught in a rut. Same routine. Same place. Same runs. Maybe you’ve been there, and agree. The routine sometimes gets predictable. That happened to me this past spring. Restricted travel brought on 2 contributing factors to the routine – the first, limited exposure to people, the second, a constant goal to not experience people.
Read MoreFriday, June 12th District Angling will begin to reopen to the general public.
We are still asking folks to wear a mask for everyone's safety, and we will have hand sanitizer available everywhere in the shop for people to use.
Thank You.
Read MoreThe state of Maryland has decided to take steps towards the new normal and has relaxed some of the closures enacted to protect the public. See the list below from the press release by Maryland DNR website which can also be found HERE.
Read MoreLet's face it - you're trying to figure out what to do now just like the rest of us. You've binge watched shows about a tiger man, learned how to bake sourdough, and have a master's degree in homemade hand sanitizer. You're wondering where to fish, where to hike, if you'll bring a friend or if you'll run into other people, and how will you practice real social distancing when everyone else in the DC metro area is doing the same thing?
With Shenandoah National Park closed, Maryland catch & release streams being off limits, access along the Potomac limited, closed boat launches, and all of your favorite and familiar fishing locations being crowded out, what are your options?
We're here to help you find things you'll love to do when it feels like you've been home long enough to need some time off for good behavior.
As the news broke about the passing of Chuck Kraft, guide and fisherman, teacher and steward of the sport we love, and close friend to many of us in Virginia, we reached out to a former employee and photographer Wray Sinclair for his insight on a man who helped so many and asked for nothing in return.
Read MoreIn grand District Angling fashion we decided to get together and throw a little shindig to celebrate the festive holiday season. We were visited by Grizzly Claus and his helper elf, enjoyed hot cocoa and marshmallows, candy canes and delicious terrine and chocolate chip cookies baked on the Traeger by District Angling Eats food czar Bob Smith, all captured by our ambassador Lukas Draugelis.
If you didn’t make it, here’s what you missed!
Read MoreAs I understand it, this goes with the territory of owning/running am independent fly shop. You enjoy educating, outfitting, and sending out a lot of people, in every direction, to many super piscatorial locales. This is a chosen vocation with a lot of upside. The only downside I can tell, is that you don’t get a ton of water time yourself, at least in the short term. It’s a trade off, and an accepted part of the gig.
Read MoreFly fishing is a sport long dominated by men, both domestic and internationally. Advertisements traditionally target married white males, approximately 40 years old. Equipment has been designed for men by men, and fishing is routinely considered a manly blood sport. Fishing trips were for the boys, and when we were children, grandpa took us fishing, and brought the fish home for the women to cook. Yet despite the proliferation of these ideas, nothing could be further from the truth. Women have participated and added to the sport, and continue to do so daily.
Read MoreWhenever I close my eyes, I transport myself back to the scene of the crime.
White sand. Gin-clear water. Big, angry animals patrolling the surf zone.
You know, that place where everything started unravelling with a fly rod in hand. The place where you knew you’d be ruined from here on out and no drug would ever equal the high.
Covered in slime and sand, heart pumping, knees shaking, hands broken from a combo of too much fly line and salt….a shit-eating grin from ear to ear and a powerful creature swimming back to where it belongs.
Yeah, that one.
Read MoreFor nearly 20 years, my father and I have traveled to North Central PA for a fishing trip. This year, our plans were postponed. It’s a special place to us, and missing out on that late May trip was weighing a bit on me. The air is so crisp, the mountains are distinct, and in many places, the trout are native. The region as a whole, remains a very wild place, despite the encroachment of industry.
Read MoreIn a “normal” water year, things would be cranking along on the main stem of the Delaware, also known as “the big river”. It’s definitely not as predictable, as its West Branch, a fantastic tailwater, but it’s usually dependable for some bugs and fish faces. Not as much this year.
The flows haven’t been below 3000 cubic feet per second since July 2018. Wade opportunities have been difficult and limited. In a typical year, we go through the usual progression of bugs starting in mid-April.
Read More(Part 3 of a 4-part series) The stock is overfished, and overfishing is occurring… Here’s how the Commission is moving forward A week later and we’re still decompressing from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Striped Bass Board Meeting, as well as the American Saltwater Guides Association’s (ASGA’s) testimony before the US House Natural…
Read MoreIn Part 1 of this series, we looked at the history of striped bass management, what went wrong, how we ended up with an overfished stock, and the missed opportunities that could have prevented that from happening. In Part 2, we’ll look at the direction we believe managers should take moving forward, and what it…
Read MoreIf we are to successfully advocate for strong corrective action, an avoidance of further half-measures and/or other short-sighted decisions, and a repeat of past mistakes, it’s important to understand the background and management history that led up to where we are now. In other words, how we got here, more specifically why we got here, and how to avoid more mistakes moving forward.First though, let’s get some of the prevalent misconceptions out of the way.
Read MoreIt’s a rare treat in life to share great enthusiasm with your kid for many years, especially when you’ve inherited that interest, fishing in our case, from your own parent. So, re-creating a memorable fishing escapade from way back in your youth with your own spawn is an extraordinary kind of parenting and fishing fun.
Read MoreA couple years ago, my friend and I took a pretty cool extended fly fishing road trip. I bought a 1974 Ford Highboy, a 4 wheel camper top of similar vintage, and we spent the better part of July, trout routing our way home to the East Coast at 60 mph. That journey started in the Shasta Region of Northern California, where we picked up the rig. After royally upending the timeline of our host for this first leg, we spent the evening sipping whiskey in failing light, as wild rainbows happily fed on the surface. We missed fishing this river, and I’ve always wanted to get back.
Read MoreTHE CLEANUP DATE IS CONFIRMED and will take place on 1/26/2019.
It’s recommended that you dress for very cold weather. Due to the shutdown and season, facilities on site are very limited. Bottled water, snacks and a warming station will be provided.
Work Plan for Fletchers Cove Clean Up Day on Saturday January 26th
If you have selected a team assignment and arrival time you are good to go. If you have not selected a team/arrival time or you are a new volunteer sign up here.
Read MoreDistrict Angling 2105 North Pollard Street Arlington, VA 22207 (703) 268-7500 info@districtangling.com
