Skwala Lounge
Oct 2, 2023
Don’t Tie Your Own Flies
Let's interrogate some of the common claims about the virtues of tying vs buying.
Jul 31, 2023
Carp Fly Fishing vs. Pop-Punk
You can’t buy a helicopter ride to a magical pond of big, dumb carp. If you’ve got a bicycle, some old Chuck Taylors, a 6-weight, and a fist full of flies, you can probably go carp fishing, but that doesn’t mean you can catch them. Have you got your local carp pond dialed?
Jul 10, 2023
Bone Tired and Unreasonably Happy: A love letter to Alaska
When I arrived in Alaska—oozing that brand new guide smell, dry bags overflowing with ignorance—I was unprepared for much of what I would soon encounter. I’d never driven a jet-boat before, hadn’t laid eyes on a live salmon or brown bear, thought a 20-inch trout was huge, and still thought the term “flossing” only applied to dental hygiene.
Jun 14, 2023
Salmonflies are Overrated
Just find the salmonflies, they say. You’ll be transported to piscatorial Valhalla where the trout are all giant and stupid and eat surface flies that even an octogenarian with severe cataracts can see. The thing is, they’re either lying or don’t actually know what they’re talking about.
Jun 5, 2023
The practical (and therapeutic) benefits of organizing your fly boxes
Well organized fly boxes make fishing easier, more efficient, and more effective. Disorganized boxes force you to waste valuable fishing time searching for flies.
May 8, 2023
The Best Fly Fishing (how-to) Books
A huge percentage of modern anglers seek knowledge about the sublime act of fooling a fish on a fly in the same place they turn for advice on clearing a clogged drain: YouTube, aka the media gutter. Before you assume we’re a bunch of snobs dumping on streaming videos and exalting snooty fishing words, look closely at this list of the Best Fly Fishing (how-to) Books ever.
Apr 21, 2023
Tarpon Are Even Cooler Than You Think
Bet you don't know as much about tarpon as you think you do. Sure, they're massive, hard-mouthed, voracious, frequent fliers that snap rods and wills—but they're also fascinating fish that have survived on this planet fifty times as long as humans. Learn a little bit more about silver kings.
Apr 10, 2023
If You Can Make Nachos, You Understand Layering
Do you like nachos? Of course, you do. Layering your clothes to fish in cold or wet weather is a lot like making nachos. If you can make nachos, you already know how to layer.
Mar 14, 2023
The Eight Best (Mostly Fly) Fishing Stories Ever Written
Imagine your perfect fishing cabin. Maybe yours is full-on chinked logs, but not mine. Mine’s got a tin roof, pine s...
Mar 2, 2023
The Worst Pants to Wear Under Waders
No matter how good your waders are, you’ll only be as comfortable as the pants...
Jan 26, 2023
Hell, You Could Wear Em’ to Dinner and Be Overdressed!
Sol Pants will not make you catch more or bigger fish. They won’t solve the hitch in your cast or the timing of your ...
