Angler Tech Blog

Practical guides for fly anglers — reading water, picking flies, and timing trips. No fluff, no gear-affiliate filler.

• July 31, 2026 · 6 min read

  When Is Hopper Season? How to Fish Grasshopper Patterns From August to First Frost

  When hopper season starts, why wind and heat turn it on, and how to fish grasshopper patterns and hopper-dropper rigs through late summer.

• July 23, 2026 · 6 min read

  What Is a Tailwater? Why Dam-Fed Rivers Are Summer's Best Trout Fishing

  What a tailwater is, why rivers below dams stay cold all summer, and how to fish them: flows, flies, and the famous Western tailwaters worth the drive.

• July 20, 2026 · 6 min read

  When Is It Too Hot to Fish for Trout? The Temperature Cutoffs Every Angler Should Know

  The water temperature cutoffs for ethical trout fishing: when to fish early, when to stop, and how to find cold water in mid-summer.

• July 11, 2026 · 6 min read

  Chironomid Fishing for Trout: The Stillwater Tactic That Outfishes Everything Else

  How to fish chironomids for trout: rigs, depth, patterns, and timing. A plain-English guide to the most productive stillwater tactic there is.

• July 11, 2026 · 5 min read

  Balanced Leech Fishing: Why a Fly That Hangs Sideways Catches So Many Trout

  How to fish a balanced leech for trout: the rig, the wind-drift technique, best colors, and when it beats everything else in your box.

• July 9, 2026 · 7 min read

  Euro Nymphing: A Practical Guide to Tight-Line Fishing for Trout

  What Euro nymphing actually is, why it out-fishes an indicator rig in most conditions, and the leader, flies, and technique you need to start catching more trout tomorrow.

• May 12, 2025 · 6 min read

  The Best Fly Fishing App in 2025 (And Why Most Generic Fishing Apps Miss the Mark)

  A fly angler's honest look at what makes a fly fishing app actually useful — live USGS streamflow, water temperature, hatch timing, and fly recommendations — and why general fishing apps fall short for trout.

• April 22, 2025 · 6 min read

  How to Read USGS Streamflow for Fly Fishing (Without Overthinking It)

  A plain-English guide to CFS, gauge height, and water temperature — and the simple rules of thumb that turn raw USGS data into a fishable plan.

• May 6, 2025 · 5 min read

  Matching the Hatch When Nothing Is Hatching

  What to tie on during the long, fishless middle of the day — a practical fly selection framework based on water temp, season, and what trout default to when bugs aren't on the water.

• May 12, 2025 · 4 min read

  The Best Time of Day to Fly Fish, by Season

  When to be on the water — and when to take a long lunch — across spring, summer, fall, and winter. A simple seasonal clock for trout anglers.

• May 8, 2025 · 9 min read

  The Complete Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado: Rivers, Seasons, Hatches & License Info

  Everything you need to plan a Colorado fly fishing trip — top rivers, when to go, hatch calendar, gear, and how to get a Colorado fishing license.

• May 9, 2025 · 10 min read

  The Complete Fly Fishing Guide to Montana: Rivers, Seasons, Hatches & License Info

  A full Montana fly fishing guide — Madison, Yellowstone, Missouri, Bighorn, Big Hole, hatches, salmonfly timing, gear, and Montana license rules.

• May 10, 2025 · 9 min read

  The Complete Fly Fishing Guide to Wyoming: Rivers, Seasons, Hatches & License Info

  A full Wyoming fly fishing guide — North Platte, Green, Snake, Wind, Bighorns, hatches, season timing, gear, and Wyoming license rules.

• May 11, 2025 · 9 min read

  The Complete Fly Fishing Guide to Utah: Rivers, Seasons, Hatches & License Info

  A full Utah fly fishing guide — Green, Provo, Weber, Logan, Boulder Mountain, hatches, season timing, gear, and Utah license rules.

• May 12, 2025 · 7 min read

  The Best Flies for Trout: 12 Patterns That Catch Fish Anywhere in the U.S.

  A no-nonsense list of the 12 best flies for trout — proven dry flies, nymphs, and streamers that work on any river, with the sizes and colors that actually matter.

• May 12, 2025 · 8 min read

  The Best Fishing Apps in 2025 (Honest Roundup from a Fly Angler)

  An opinionated, no-affiliate roundup of the best fishing apps in 2025 — what each one is actually good at, what it's not, and which one to pick for your style of fishing.

• July 8, 2026 · 5 min read

  What Is a Good CFS for Fly Fishing?

  The short answer, the honest answer, and how to read streamflow on any river without guessing.

• July 9, 2026 · 4 min read

  How Water Temperature Affects Trout Feeding

  The exact water temperature ranges where trout feed, slow down, and stop eating — and how to use a thermometer to catch more fish.

• July 10, 2026 · 4 min read

  What Is a Solunar Calendar and Does It Work for Fishing?

  A no-nonsense explanation of solunar theory, when it actually predicts a better bite, and when it's noise.

• July 7, 2026 · 3 min read

  How to Check River Conditions Before You Drive

  The 90-second checklist that tells you whether a river is fishable, marginal, or a waste of gas — before you leave the truck.