Leigh

On The Fly Reboot

June 15, 2026 by Leigh Leave a Comment

A number of years ago, I created and hosted a fly fishing show called On The Fly. Unlike programs that focus on catching fish, I interviewed people that were involved in various organizations which support fly fishing – The show looked more like Charlie Rose, less like Charlie Moore . . .

Most of the shows were shot in Carmel, NY and surrounding towns. Some of the episodes are still available on my FinFollower YouTube channel. Life happens, I took another job and it was no longer convenient to commute to Carmel. I ended the show.

Fast forward 10 years. After a monthly meeting for a fishing club here in Connecticut I noticed there was a public access station located in the building. I contacted the station manager, pitched On The Fly, and Voila! we’re back on the air.

My first episode is with Don LaChance, Program Lead for Veterans Healing on the Fly. Vets Healing on the Fly (VHF) is dedicated to assisting veterans and active-duty military personnel as they progress on their journey of healing. This is accomplished through fly fishing, fly tying, educational and outing related activities. All equipment and associated costs are provided at “no cost” to program participants.

Don is a terrific guest. He gave an overview of VHF, the organization history, and provided a deeper dive into the programs they offer to vets here in CT.

I have a few of these shows scheduled in the coming weeks and will post to this blog after they are uploaded to my FinFollower YouTube channel.

Click here to watch the show.

Hope you’re getting some time out on the water.

Enjoy!

Cumberland Valley Fly Fishing and Outdoor Festival, 2025

August 14, 2025 by Leigh 1 Comment

Nothing better than a fly fishing festival on a warm summer day. And it feels like an upgrade when you add in Troegs Brewery and lobster rolls from Cousins Maine Lobster.

This was my first trip to the Boiling Springs, PA event. Would definitely recommend it as a summer weekend destination.

I decided to sandwich the festival between a camping trip to Pine Grove Furnace State Park in PA and Shenandoah National Park in VA. I’ll include brief overviews of these in this post.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Dusted off the camping equipment for this trip. Took my smallest tent, best suited for me, the dog and not much else. Added in a camp stove, cooler and and a minimal amount of cooking gear for good measure. Just enough to meet my needs and fill a small SUV.

Left Friday for the four-hour trek to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The location is only 20 mins from the festival, and received good ratings from other visitors. The park did not disappoint. In addition to a museum and various historical artifacts, it has two lakes and small stream. It is easy to walk/hike/bike and also has a camp store.

The campground area is nice, with good separation between sites, which cater to both tents and RVs. The bath houses were clean and conveniently located. Note: Internet and cell tower access is almost nonexistent, which is a positive or a negative, depending on your point of view.

This trip also gave me an opportunity to refresh my camp stove skills.

Cumberland Valley Fly Fishing and Outdoor Festival

The festival is held at Allenberry Resort, a venue which hosts a number of different events throughout the year. Parking is plentiful, and golf cart shuttles to take you over the hill to the festival grounds. The Yellow Breeches Creek is only a few feet away. A perfect setting for just about any occasion.

The pics help tell the story: Brands, outfitters, food trucks, fly tying demos and solid presentations on a number of topics, ranging from PA smallmouth to saltwater excursions.

The weather cooperated. It was a warm sunny August day. There were plenty of interested anglers and their families in attendance, with local musicians on stage for most of the festival.

I met a number of attendees. Some from the area, and others like me, travelers to the festival. There was something for everyone.

Shenandoah National Park

On Sunday I packed up and headed to Shenandoah National Park. I’ve passed it several times, but never had the chance to stop and truly enjoy the winding Skyline Drive with its magnificent views. My daughter joined me for two days of exploring and catching up before heading back to school for the fall.

We stayed in the park at Skylands Resort. While the accommodations were closer to a log cabin than a 4-star hotel, the views of the valley were unparalleled. Skylands has a restaurant, tap room, and a number of activities in the area.

My daughter was interested in the horseback riding, so we signed up for an afternoon trip. And while I greatly enjoyed the hourlong tour through the forest (we saw deer and turkeys), I have to admit, it was more than enough time in the saddle. That became apparent when I dismounted.

As the Indigo Girls’ song says, “Summer’s beginning to give up its fight”. Acorns are dropping and leaves are starting to land on the lawn. Hope you get out to a festival, or for one of the last remaining warm evenings for solid dry fly action.

Enjoy!

Easing Into Analog

June 6, 2025 by Leigh 1 Comment

While my day job is entirely dependent on the Internet and digital channels, there is something deeply satisfying about unplugging from technology and focusing on the family, flies, fishing and fun.

Today there will be no worries about phone battery life, cell signal strength, or Wi-Fi passwords. We will communicate without text or emojis, using only our voices and hand signals. What a novel concept.

The pictures taken will not be enhanced using AI, then pushed to social media via mobile app. Instead we will rely on photos and our memories to describe the day’s events, the fish landed, and missed.

To further support this experience, I’m using a fiberglass rod and reel of similar vintage. Both predate the advent of the desktop computer, much less the digital frontier. Neither requires a password nor biometrics. Only knowledge, skill and patience.

It’s Memorial Day and I’m with my youngest daughter at a local pond, kayak fishing under what has turned out to be a perfect blue sky, with temps in the low 70s. She attends college in another state, but is home for a few days.

Using topwater poppers, she gets several strikes and I bring a few sunfish and bass to hand. The time together far outweighs the fish caught. I’m happy to see her take an interest in paddling and fishing. Chances for us to connect are few and far between, but richly cherished.

Technology only came into play is when I sat down, collected my notes and wrote this post.

Hope your spring (and soon summer) are bringing ample opportunities to unplug and go fishing.

Enjoy!

Five Weight Road Trip, Part Three: Ameripolitan Music Awards

February 25, 2024 by Leigh Leave a Comment

Warning: Before reading any further, this is not a story on flyfishing. However, it does round out my trip to Texas. If you’re not a fan of traditional country, nor have interest in becoming one, this is probably not your cup of tea, or Lone Star beer, as it may be.

For the past couple of years I’ve been following Dale Watson, a recording artist out of Texas. He and his band, the Lonestars play what most would describe as traditional country. His songs are accessible, and the pedal steel player is one of the best I’ve seen.

In addition to leading a popular touring band, for the past ten years he has produced and emceed the Ameripolitan Music Awards. The show recognizes country artists in the genres of western swing, outlaw, honky tonk, and rockabilly.

This year’s awards show was held in the Moody Theater, part of the Austin City Limits complex. Parking near the venue is relatively convenient, and there are plenty of places to drink & dine if you want something before the event. The theater is spacious and the seats comfortable, much needed for a 3-hour show.

If you are unfamiliar with the awards, it draws a cross-section of Texans from diverse backgrounds. Many artists and fans arrive in colorful and era-specific attire. I expected the Stetsons and cowboy boots, but was surprised to see the sequin dresses and blazers adorned with various patterns, ranging from wagon wheels to exotic birds. In some cases, the musicians looked like country bands from the 50’s and 60’s, the kind you see on album covers, country fair posters, or old TV shows.

I was on the main floor, center section about eight rows back, a great seat for the show. What I didn’t realize was that the entire section to my left, and some of the rows in front of me, were filled with nominees. As award winners were called, many were sitting near me. It was great to see musicians, largely in their late 20’s and early 30’s, excited to accept an award and keep traditional country alive.

In between awards, various artists performed. It was a night of great music. Highlights included the 2024 Master Award given to Ray Benson, who has led Asleep At The Wheel for over 40 years, and Junior Brown, who effortlessly transitions between the dual necks on his guitar/pedal steel while singing. Here are samples of Asleep At The Wheel, Junior Brown and Dale Watson.

If you have a chance to support these artists through attending live shows or buying their music, please do. This is a part of Texas culture we don’t want to lose.

As I sit in the San Antonio airport, finishing the third and final post of this installment of Five Weight Roadtrip, I realize how good of a trip it has been. The weather cooperated (mostly), I explored new water, caught my first Guadalupe bass, and heard some great Texas music. Not a bad way to spend a long weekend.

Hope you get out this year, hit the open road, and find new adventures and places to fish. Enjoy!

Five Weight Road Trip, Part Two: Guadalupe River TU’s Troutfest

February 23, 2024 by Leigh Leave a Comment

I was listening to the Gourds cover of Snoop Dogg’s Gin & Juice as I wrote this post.

Unfortunately Friday’s weather did not follow into Saturday. The day was cold, blustery, and overcast. I drove up the road that runs along the Guadalupe until I came to the Lazy L campground, site of GRTU’s Troutfest. Pulled in the gravel lot and was directed by volunteers where to park.

Cutting across the field towards the event tents, I saw many of the vendors with outdoor booths struggling to keep it all on the ground. The wind was howling and extra hands and weight were needed to hold everything in place. It didn’t help that temps were in the 40’s, even lower with wind chill.

Despite the weather, the event was outstanding. The speaker lineup, which ranged from local guides to nationally known flyfishing personalities, kept attendees in the presenter hall for most of the day.

The fly tyers booth was relatively small compared to other shows, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in quality. The tyers covered, trout, bass, saltwater, panfish and other species. They were very open to questions and happy to share knowledge and tips.

The main exhibition hall carried the usual suspects of brands, outfitters and organizations. The longest line was to buy GRTU swag, which speaks to the strength of the organization and the event.

Outside, the midway was filled with vendors showcasing products ranging from camping gear and rafts to home furnishings and distilled spirits. A few broke out portable firepits to help deal with the cold.

Before leaving Connecticut, I bought a ticket to the sold-out 2024 Fly Fishing Film Festival, aka IF4. As in past years, it was a series of short films, covering bonefish, the amazon (river not the company), western waters, and even a story about a car with flyfishing history. GRTU provided dinner and drinks, a nice touch and helped round out the night. And, as an added surprise, my ticket was the first called in the pre-show raffle. Won a nice pair of Smith Optics sunglasses. Not bad.

I returned briefly for the Sunday session. The weather was better and crowds thinner. I mainly came back to see a panel talk by George Daniel, Pat Dorsey and Landon Mayer. If you don’t know these names, click the links. They are all flyfishing experts, with differing perspectives on how to get fish to hand.

Growing up, I visited Texas frequently on family vacations. Big Red was a staple on those trips. Nice to see it’s still around.

This event was well organized and worth the visit, despite the weather. While Texas may not be your first thought when it comes to trout, put this one on your list. You won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!