American Fly Fishing Magazine

07/25/2025

Scott Revell says people in Washington’s Yakima Basin don’t measure time in years; they measure it in droughts. Revell, manager of the Roza Irrigation District in the central part of the state, pulls out statistics dating to 1941 that illustrate the up-and-down water supplies in the rich farming region, which is also home to the Yakima River, once considered one of Washington’s most productive destinations for salmon and steelhead.

By Scott Dailey Lead photo: Sockeye salmon in the Yakima watershed were nearly extirpated by the 1990s, but thanks to better water management and improved fish passage, these iconic fish are slowly making a comeback. T. QUINN PHOTO Scott Revell says people in Washington’s Yakima Basin don’t meas...

02/12/2025

The “Ponderings & Wanderings” department in American Fly Fishing encompasses a wide range of stories, from the humorous to the poignant. In our latest installment, from the January/February issue, artist and author Chris Smith muses on the inevitable evolution of family dynamics.

Editors note: The “Ponderings & Wanderings” department in American Fly Fishing encompasses a wide range of stories, from the humorous to the poignant. In our latest installment, from the January/February issue, artist and author Chris Smith muses on the inevitable evolution of family dynamics. A...

01/16/2025

Mary Dette told me recently, “We found some things in our basement, after the flood. They’re pretty caked in mud, but they will surely bring a smile.”

Mary Dette told me recently, “We found some things in our basement, after the flood. They’re pretty caked in mud, but they will surely bring a smile.” Nearby Willowemoc Creek had jumped its bank a couple of years prior, sending water rushing into Mary’s basement. Mary, now in her 80s and sti...

12/11/2024

We're offering AFF subscriptions and all products (books, calendars, and hats) for 20% off if you use the code Holidays20. Visit https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/598/sourcecode/Holidays20 to check it out!

11/20/2024

From now until Christmas Eve, save $5.00 on every regular and gift subscription to American Fly Fishing magazine. Visit https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/599/sourcecode/Holidays5 and use promo code Holidays5 to get started. We have some exciting content planned for 2025, so we hope you'll join us!

10/25/2024

Our 2025 fly fishing calendars are in stock and ready to ship! These beautiful wall calendars are available for $16.99 each. Visit https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/631 and snag yours before they sell out!

09/23/2024

If you have never seen our magazine, you can make a request online and we will send you a no-obligation issue. Visit https://americanflyfishing.com/no-obligation-issue-request/. Thanks a lot!

Request a No-Obligation Issue If you are not a subscriber request your no-obligation issue today! U.S. and Canada Requests: We’ll send you a printed copy of your chosen magazine(s), as well as a link to a digital sample issue in your confirmation email to view in any web browser. If you enjoy it, ...

08/22/2024

Hey folks, from one of our loyal advertisers, who had some last-minute cancellations!

06/27/2024

California golden trout have been transplanted across the American West, but the native range of these undeniably beautiful fish is limited to the headwaters of the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada in California.

By Greg Fitz/Trout Unlimited Josh Duplechian/Trout Unlimited Photos California golden trout have been transplanted across the American West, but the native range of these undeniably beautiful fish is limited to the headwaters of the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada in California. Treasured b...

05/16/2024

Yes, it only happens in the West. Nevertheless, the Salmonfly hatch amounts to an annual spring rite that beckons—no, demands—the attention of anglers from every corner of the continent. What is it that compels this kind of enthrallment? For one thing, it’s the Salmonfly’s bigger-than-other-bugs size—not just the individual insects but their collective emergence as well. On rivers like Montana’s Big Hole and Madison, and Oregon’s Deschutes, to name just some of the most famous few, the word "abundance" doesn’t do the hatch justice. "A plethora of protein on the wing" does.

There’s a reason some wags in the Rockies claim that the Salmonfly is Montana’s state bird. While guides and anglers contend the typical Salmonfly is 60 to 80 millimeters long, killjoy biologists put the true measure at 30 to 50 millimeters, with a wingspan of 50 to 84 millimeters. Equipped with disproportionate wings, fluttering so resolutely as to seem in slow motion, Salmonflies in flight resemble miniaturized helicopters throbbing through the haze...

For the full story about Salmonflies, which begin hatching this month in the West, see the May/June issue of American Fly Fishing!

05/08/2024

Does your mom, dad, or significant other love fly fishing? In honor of Mother's Day and Father's Day we're offering $5.00 any print, digital, or gift subscription if you use the code MomDad5. Visit https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/599 to check it out.

04/30/2024

Trout season opening up all over! Any opening day stories?