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Your Guide To Fly-Fishing With Dad On Father's Day

Your dad likes to fly-fish, eh? So did mine. And so did his. (And so do I!) Father's Day makes for a great excuse to get dad out on the water. That the holiday is in the middle of June—arguably the best fishing month of the year—makes it all even better. Tarpon and bonefish are active in Florida. Largemouth bass are ready to crush a popping bug in the southeast. Striped bass are well into their annual migration in the northeast. Smallmouth bass and muskies have come out of hibernation in the Midwest. And trout fishing out west has begun to ramp up and gather steam. So, want to get dad out on the water? Below, a guide to fly-fishing with dad on Father's Day. Nearly every golfer I know spends some time on the range before they play a round. Fly anglers should do the same and practice casting before a trip, even if it means getting dad out there for twenty casts on the lawn in the evenings after work. Orvis has a good series on casting to help dad get primed up. We are blessed with a lot of good fly-fishing podcasts these days. A few suggestions to start with: Mill House, the Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast and Wet Fly Swing. Bonus one which touches on fly-fishing on occasion: Mountain & Prairie. And don't forget books! Thomas McGuane's The Longest Silence is, in my opinion, the best fly-fishing collection out there. For other suggestions, check out this lengthy thread on Reddit. Looking for some concierge-like help to plan your fishing with dad? Cache_Seven is a cool new company that will help you plan your next fishing trip all over the country (they also do skiing, climbing, surfing and other sports). The idea is that you log on, plug in what you want to do and where you want to do it, and a professional guide will help you get ready, with gear and tips and even guide you if so desired. That way, you'll be ready to go when you arrive for your trip. (Prices vary.) More of a DIY person? Might I suggest that you and dad check out some of the fishing on our vast—and priceless—public lands. Some of my favorite public land fishing includes the Cape Cod National Seashore for striped bass, Yellowstone National Park for trout, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for smallmouth bass. The reason to fish the water on the public lands now? Dads, by nature, like to hand things down to their children. One of those things that should be handed down, generation to generation, is our public lands. And these lands are currently under some serious pressure. I'd bet dad would like to join in the fight to keep our public lands in the hands of their owners—us. Trout Unlimited is leading the charge in this fight (check out this landing page) and, in celebration of Father's Day, the organization is giving out complimentary memberships. Good fly-fishing gear does not have to break the bank. I have two recommendations for rods, both priced well below the hot new models (which go for more than $1,000 these days), and a suggestion for a pack. I've long been a fan of G. Loomis fly rods. It's just a high-quality brand, from its trout rods all the way up to its tarpon ones. With the G. Loomis IMX-Pro V2 (from 4-to-8-weights), you get the quality of those hot-shot new rods for only about half the price ($595). IMX-Pro V2 G. Loomis I grew up fishing with an Orvis Superfine (1-to-5 weights, 7'6' to 7'11'). This new iteration of the classic is a reminder of how fun that was. Orvis remade the rod using some of the technology they feature in their (rightly) celebrated Helios rods. It's a great tool for small-stream trout and summer bluegills, at the very good price of $598. Orvis Superfine Orvis Dad is going to need something to hold his flies on the river. The Patagonia Stealth Switch Pack 3L ($59) is a perfect little pack for the days that call for a minimalist approach. It can be worn on your chest or your hip, and features a big zippered pocket for your fly box and smaller one for your leaders. And it has a cool magnet on the top to hold your fly when changing up your rig. Stealth Switch Pack 3L Patagonia Sometimes dad might need a little rum after a day on the water, either to mourn the big one that got away or to celebrate the big one that didn't. Goslings Spirited Seas Limited Edition Rum ($60 for 750 ml) comes with a cool twist: it finishes its aging process with a year at sea (for real), harking back to the very beginnings of the rum trade. You can drink it neat. Or you can check out these recipes if you prefer to mix it up. Goslings Spirited Seas Rum Goslings And for the after-fish grilling session, you can't beat Bear & Burton's W Sauce ($10), a Worcestershire that's made from a recipe that's a century old. Put it on a burger, a brisket or maybe some veggies. (I use it for making salad dressing.) The company is owned by two anglers—Bear Holeman (a guide) and Burton Young (an industry veteran). It's thicker than the Worcestershire you may be used to. It's also tastier. Bear & Burton's W Sauce Bear & Burton's