13 fly fishing blogs & e-zines to get you through winter

This post has been on my mind for about 6 weeks. Waking up on Saturday with 4" of snow on my truck after being in sunny, 24°C weather in Louisiana finally cemented my resolve to write this.

If anyone detests the cold of winter like I do, you'll appreciate this...or you'll hate me for providing you with so many online distractions and/or getting you depressed because you can't go fly fishing in your particular region (like me).

Below is a list of blogs and ezines that you should definitely subscribe to in order to keep sane while it is colder than a witch's tit outdoors this winter. I'm not ranking them as they each provide something different from each other. They all provide subscription service through email and/or RSS. They are not spammy. Trust me. (Their twitter handles will be provided where possible. I'm all about the twitter...)

So grab a hot chocolate, put your feet up by the fire, and enjoy.

In no particular order:

1. The Trout Underground (@tcunderground)

Read it because:
Tom Chandler is the Bill Bryson of online fly fishing writing. He writes often, provides lots of links, and has a sarcastic wit that anyone who has ever read a Bryson book will appreciate. Tom is all about small-stream fly fishing & posts frequently on conservation issues, especially in his native Northern California.
My favourite post:
There's a lot to choose from, both short & long. I really enjoyed An Underground Quiz: What Kind of Fly Fisherman Are You? and think that's a good place for you to start.

2. Catch Magazine (Catch's blog here)

Read it because:
It has some of the best fly fishing photography & videography found anywhere. Catch is a free e-zine & comes out every 2 months. If you're really not into reading all that much, but like looking at pretty pictures, this one is definitely for you. Bonus: all the back issues are easily accessed from the current issue.
My favourite post:
From Issue #9 (January 2010), Angler's Element: Snow. Which is ironic, considering how much I hate winter.

3. Skate The Fly (@SkateTheFly)

Read it because:
Dylan Rose & cohost Dave McCoy are hilarious and true & total fish bums. I consider that a plus in my books. Their video podcasts involve drinkin' & cussin' & talkin' about fish. Also plusses in my books. Their blog has the occasional rant, pics, philosophical searches for meanings...ok, maybe not. But they're worth checking out.
My favourite post:
Skate the Fly TV, Episode 3, with Coach Duff of Hawaii Bonefishing. They include the following warning: This show contains more profanity than the last Quinton Tarantino movie. My suggestion to Dylan was to make Coach Duff a regular feature in a "what grinds my gears segment" of Skate The Fly TV.

4. Sleeping in the Dirt (SiD's blog here)

Read it because:
Lines like this: Dying one day at a time, in corp. America. Taking back life with every day spent on the water. The site is an account of my days spent living it, quite literally sleeping in the dirt. The guy behind SiD, Aaron Otto, is the guy I find myself totally cheering for in this whole fishing "biz." He publishes an e-zine with "no sponsors, no advertisements...no shit" and just gets out there and does it. Hard core.
My favourite post:
His very recent Year in Review (November 27 archive) on his blog is pretty epic. I loved SiD3: The Road Trip Edition. But everyone should check out the feature on Aaron & his gallery in Outdoor Life's Best Shooters profile.

5. Buster Wants To Fish

Read it because:
Like the fellas at Skate The Fly, these guys are hardcore fish addicts & pull no punches in their writing. The gang of Buster Wants To Fish posts some humorous stuff, including videos, tunes, links and the occasional deep thought.
My favourite post:
Their take on the purity of Tenkara fishing. I couldn't have written it better myself. Though I really wish I did.

6. Deneki Outdoors (@deneki)

Read it because:
They provide lots (and LOTS) of great tips for chasing salmon, trout, steelhead and bonefish. Awesome pics & gear reviews, too. I hesitated putting Deneki on the list, as they are primarily an outfitter, whereas the other blogs are more...independent...but these guys just put up so much awesome material, consistently! And really, if & when I get around to (winning the lottery and) booking a week to the Bahamas to chase bonefish, who do you think I'm going to contact? Probably the guys behind the blog that has taught me a lot about bonefishing.
My favourite post:
Lots of tips to choose from, but their 5 Ways to Blow a Shot at a Bonefish actually came in handy for me last week while I was sight-casting to redfish.

7. This Is Fly (@thisisfly)

Read it because:
It's pretty damn cool. And it's free. This is an e-zine where art, music & fly fishing come together. Published every 2 months, This Is Fly introduces the reader to fisheries & locations that are sometimes outside the typical angler's realm of thought. They also have a daily blog with some cool links, music, videos & other content. Bonus: can't stay online? You can download a PDF of the magazine to take with you, say...on a plane ride, for instance...
My favourite post:
A few come to mind, like finding out my redfish guide in Louisiana was featured in Issue 25...after I had already booked him. And the tarpon article (Tapam) in the current issue is super-cool, too. The article on bonefishing in Los Roque (Issue 23) ranks up there, too. Notice the tropical themes; they'll either get you through winter or cause you to shoot yourself.

8. The Fiberglass Manifesto (@fbrglssmnfsto)

Read it because:
The voice behind TFM, Cameron Mortensen, sent me a t-shirt from a free, random draw! That's enough reason right there! Or you might just enjoy lots of great & informative posts, gear reviews, pics...and chances to win stuff! Cameron is one of the most prolific fly fishing bloggers going, and is also on the William Joseph prostaff and the brains behind fishykid, which promotes getting kids (& parents) out fishing & learning about the environment.
My favourite post:
Any post that gets me a free t-shirt. Ok, I kid. Cameron's tales of fishing in Montana in October are a great place for you to start. (PS-it's not always about fiberglass rods, either.)

9. Bonefish on the Brain (@bjornorama)

Read it because:
Bjorn Stromsness' Bonefish on the Brain is just pure fun. The excitement he gets just writing about bones is infectious. Pics, videos, do-it-yourself tips & gear reviews are the norm.
My favourite post:
Bjorn has lots of great posts & he typically keeps them short (much like I planned to do). His who & why is a good read.

10. The Outdooress (@outdooress)

Read it because:
Rebecca Garlock has bad-ass river cred and is a great writer. She's also co-founder of the Outdoor Blogger Network, which 411#3 is a member of (I managed to write this blurb without mentioning she's pretty hot, too).
My favourite post:
Her quasi-rant on Idaho's governor potentially dismantling the state's parks & recreation department and her post on OBN re: writing an 'About' page are both good starting points.

11. Flatswalker

Read it because:
Great writing. Some of Davin Ebanks' writing is damn near classic literature. Posts are predominantly about fly fishing the flats around his home of Grand Cayman for bones, tarpon & permit. His writings definitely don't do anything to subdue my desires to pack it in & head down south for the winter.
My favourite post:
A post that really resounded with the minimalist in me is Midweek Sermon: Less is More. Of course, I'm a hypocrite regarding that topic, because I will definitely be putting my redfish hero shot up on 411#3. But I justify it by it being my first & only hero shot...so far...if it gets emailed to me.

12. Angler's Tonic

Read it because:
Greg Thomas' blog is a full-service rest stop on the road to procrastination. He's got just about everything covered on his blog: gear, travel, music, food, drinks; you name it. And you can't go wrong with any blog that discusses the virtues of The Tragically Hip...an American that digs the Hip (almost) gives me hope for our neighbours to the south...ok, I kid. You guys are alright. Seriously.
My favourite post:
It isn't totally about fly fishing, but I really liked Greg's post on the Screaming Trees (one of my faves from the grunge period).

13. Idylwilde

Read it because:
The guys at Idylwilde seem to be on a life-long journey. To a frat house. Though it's not all fun & games  over there. They tie flies and then they have to do extensive product testing on said flies. It's a heavy process. Especially the product testing. Product testing in Oregon. Washington. BC. Alaska. Northern California. Other places...bastards.
My favourite post:
I dunno...they're all good. Here, read about their annual steelhead hajj. Where they go away to "work" in BC for a while (seriously, I can't complain too much about my life and I'm not too jealous about the guys at Idylwilde. Well, maybe a little bit).


Well, that's it, folks. I hope you enjoyed the post & also enjoy reading the writers on the list.

Stay warm!

PS- you can also subscribe to 411#3. I can keep you warm at night, too. Subscription details are on the sidebar to the right, near the top.