Fly fishing is what Brad Pitt did in that movie back in the early 1990's, right?...

The reality of fly fishing is just a bit different than what that movie portrayed. What we will try to do today is give a basic overview of what fly fishing actually is. Not so much the mechanics of things like the cast or hook set, but rather the thought process behind what's happening and what we are trying to achieve out on the water. Let's call it a fly fishing theory class.

One of life's sweetest pleasures is besting a fish and then getting your picture taken for the ever classic "grip and grin" photo. For as much as the style of fish photography has come under fire recently it's a time tested way to show everyone your success as an angler. You catch a fish, grab it, pick it up, snap a few pics, let it go. It's just that simple. Yet mastering the art of holding a fish is only achieved through repeated practice, and it's a skill that few beginning anglers possess, much to their disappointment after viewing their pictures. 

A million things have to go correctly in order to catch a fish. The fly choice, the cast, the drift, the hook set, the fight, the net job, etc. Assuming for a moment that it's an angler's first catch, elation fills the air! Everything worked out how it's supposed to and now you have the opportunity to catch a fish and show the Instagram world how cool you are! The fish is barely in the net and you have already decided on the correct filter and accompanying hashtags. And then this is the type of picture you are left with...

Not too long ago my wife and I returned from our honeymoon in Alaska.  It's our goal to eventually hit every National Park in America, so "The Last Frontier" was high on our list of places to visit. We cruised through Glacier Bay and then explored Kenai Fjords before venturing into the Alaskan interior to gaze in wonder at Denali, North America's highest peak. Unfortunately, like 70% of guests, we didn't get to see the mountain, but we did learn about an initiative called the Denali Zero Landfill Project.