Tips

skunked...

and out of beer...

Welcome to my fly fishing blog! I invite you to follow along as I share my thoughts on all fly fishing related "stuff". I'll be sharing fishing stories, tips, gear reviews, pointers, trip summaries, reports and more. Tales of defeat, triumphs, mishaps, more defeats, and lessons learned await.

Brian Lansing

Feb 3
4 min

Mild Winter – Central NY Fly Fishing

Winter fly fishing in CNY and current conditions. What's new and what's ahead? First post in a few months.

Brian Lansing

Apr 1, 2022
5 min

new season, opening day, and what's new

It's a new season. Quick post about what's new and what I've been up to getting ready to start the season. More posts coming soon!

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Brian Lansing

Feb 15, 2022
5 min

Winter Fly Fishing Expectations

Fly fishing and finding trout willing to participate in the winter months isn't an easy task. Trout finding the net are hard earned rewards.

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Brian Lansing

Apr 2, 2021
5 min

Fly Fishing Season Preparations

I check leaders frequently and change them often. Losing fish because of something I overlooked, or ignored, is not acceptable.

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Brian Lansing

Mar 23, 2021
3 min

Ice Out - Come On Spring!

After a fun, albeit short, ice fishing season and packing the gear away, my attention is back to fly fishing the streams. The ice is out.

Brian Lansing

Jan 29, 2021
5 min

Confidence Flies

If there’s no confidence in the fly tied to the end of the tippet, putting trout in the net is going to be a challenging endeavor.

Brian Lansing

Dec 30, 2020
5 min

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year!

I'll start off by wishing everyone Merry Christmas (I know I'm 5 days late) and a happy New Year.

Late Fall Fly Fishing In Central New York

Brian Lansing

Dec 1, 2020
3 min

Late Fall Fly Fishing In Central New York

"... wool socks, cozy waders, a warm jacket and hat, fleece pants, handwarmers, hot streamside coffee, and setting the hook on a feisty..."

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fly rod review: the Thomas & Thomas Contact 10'8" 3wt

Brian Lansing

Oct 26, 2020
7 min

fly rod review: the Thomas & Thomas Contact 10'8" 3wt

It's better late than never, right? This is my review of the Thomas & Thomas Contact 10'8" 3wt fly rod.

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Rod Review: Thomas & Thomas Zone 10' 4wt

Brian Lansing

Aug 11, 2020
6 min

Rod Review: Thomas & Thomas Zone 10' 4wt

I’ve been using this rod on my own a fair amount and it’s been a workhorse for me guiding the streams and rivers for trout.

Brian Lansing

Aug 3, 2020
5 min

west branch tidbits and snapped tippets

We had fun, caught fish, broke some fish off, threw a few fits, didn’t lose too many flies or break any rods, didn’t run out of water...

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Brian Lansing

May 1, 2020
7 min

fly tying how to - jigged buggers

A quick fly tying "how to" on how I tie my jigged bugger patterns. It is a quick tie and this little bug is a staple in my boxes.

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fly tying - color, size, and material matter

Brian Lansing

Apr 22, 2020
5 min

fly tying - color, size, and material matter

Each fly is designed to do different things and for different conditions. Each has a purpose.

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Brian Lansing

Apr 2, 2020
4 min

‘Rona

...or question what exactly you’re trying to accomplish tying a school of 137 matching baitfish, or why you’re tying a 10 inch fly that...

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Brian Lansing

Jan 10, 2020
3 min

fish with a buddy

If nothing else, you can learn what not to do from a buddy who gets skunked or spends a lot of time with flies in the sticks...

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Brian Lansing

Dec 16, 2019
5 min

low and slow

Fly fishing in winter means cold water temperatures, lethargic fish, deep holds, deep drifts, long drifts, and careful attention to...

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Brian Lansing

Nov 8, 2019
3 min

non-committal

After you’re done beating yourself up and telling yourself “I’m the worst fly fisherman in the galaxy and brown trout must hate me”, enjoy..

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Brian Lansing

Oct 31, 2019
4 min

my favorite fly – the Kinky Muddler

My favorite fly and the fly that I use most often, at least for non-trout and salmon species, is the Kinky Muddler or a slight variation.

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to find fish, find the birds… and make quality casts

Brian Lansing

Oct 23, 2019
4 min

to find fish, find the birds… and make quality casts

To find feeding fish, find feeding birds. Feeding birds means bait. Though it could also mean humans throwing stale bread in the water...

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rain, increased flows, and flingin' streamers

Brian Lansing

Oct 3, 2019
3 min

rain, increased flows, and flingin' streamers

Act quickly because the window of opportunity is small. Brown trout love these small windows and you should too.

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