A Fishable Feast

A Fishable Feast

I just got the green light to let the Flylab faithful in on a little secret: I recently finished producing a book with Matt Supinski, and Tom Rosenbauer wrote the forward. At 384 pages long, it’s stuffed with great photos by my Flylab and Angling Trade partner Tim Romano, as well as other luminaries in the fly-fishing world, like Terry Gunn, Rodrigo Salles and others.

A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World is coming out next spring, published by Rizzoli in New York. (Pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million.)

It’s a foodie book as well as a fishing adventure book, with many recipes that reflect 20 of the best fishing (and eating) destinations on the planet, from Alaska to Italy, Baja to English and French chalk streams, New Zealand to the Catskills, and much more.

Talk about a labor of love! The book combines two of the things I enjoy most–fishing and eating!

I’m encouraged to talk about it now, because some of the major booksellers already have it listed and are taking preorders. So, someone who might be surfing around to find some of the other books I’ve written, like The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing (with Charlie Meyers), The Little Black Book of Fly Fishing (with Chris Hunt), and Castwork or Tideline (with my Flylab partner Andrew Steketee), might just chance upon this other thing and wonder what the heck is going on. Well, that’s the deal.

I have a great partner in Supinski, who’s not only a guide and author, but he spent a “real-life” career in the food and restaurant business, earning accolades like Michelin stars in the process.

What I like most is that the book isn’t just about fishing or recipes–it’s about adventure, and culture, and geography and history. It’s an homage to places the adventurous angler may have been, but it’s also meant to be an inspiration for those who are only a few steps down the miles-long trail of fly fishing. It’s the book that’s been kicking around in my head for the past several years or more, and I’m very proud (and grateful for the team at Rizzoli) that it turned out better than I imagined it might.

The book’s title isn’t exactly a coincidence.

A Fishable Feast plays right off of A Moveable Feast by the great Ernest Hemingway–perhaps the first of the great modern-era storytellers who had a penchant for fly fishing.

He wrote: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”

I certainly consider myself very lucky to have experienced some of the greatest fly-fishing destinations around the world while writing stories for Field & Stream, Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, The Drake, Garden & Gun, SaltWater Sportsman, the Flyfish Journal, MidCurrent, Tail, TROUT magazine and others. And indeed, all those adventures have stuck with me. But oddly enough, what I remember as much or more as the fish battles fought and lost or won, were the flavors that emanated from those places, as well as the people with whom I was fortunate enough to share the adventures. I know Matt feels the same way.

And if you’re not an epicurean expert, not to worry. We focused on “gourmet comfort food” that anyone, anywhere can cook up in their own kitchen to share the flavors of fly fishing with friends and family whenever they want.

So, there it is. I spilled the beans. Hang in there, we’ll have more to say in coming months for sure.

For the record, I see this as less of an endpoint, and more of a starter to get me going on more fishing and food adventures, including many that we didn’t squeeze into this book.

For starters, I’m thinking pretty hard about getting back on the “Hemingway/Moveable Feast trail” and either re-visiting, or exploring for the first time, destinations like Paris, Cuba, northern Michigan, Spain, Bimini, Key West, Idaho–to do some fishing, eating and drinking, and diving into some long required writing.

Anyone want to come along?

(Feel free to hit me with a comment in the thread, or an email).

Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. – Kirk Deeter

In Defense of Dry Flies

“Does running a thousand boats down the Madison River each year create impact? Does running a pink, plastic bobber over 500 fish per day create impact?

Anyone ignoring or feigning ignorance to these sorts of inquiries in this day and age of ever increasing fishing pressure not only is a poor steward for the resource, but an unserious student of the angling craft.

Does anyone in their right mind think the camo-cladded guides on New Zealand’s South Island are stalking and targeting 10-pound browns with obnoxious pink bobbers?

I would argue that any angler operating with so little tactical fishing awareness, will find it nearly impossible to find consistent, long-term success as our fisheries continue to evolve in increasingly complex ways…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Product Buzz

We review the Crazy Creek Canoe Chair IV. “Although marketed as a canoe seat, the Crazy Creek Canoe Chair IV has proven to be an excellent addition to my rowing dory. I was initially unsure how well it would adapt outside of its intended use, but after several outings I’m thoroughly impressed.” From Oars to Outboard: A Guide to Motorizing Your Drift Boat. “For many drift boat owners, adding an outboard motor can enhance versatility, allowing for easier downstream navigation in windy conditions, pushing through that ‘froggy’ flatwater or enabling efficient and effective lake fishing.” Winston AIR 2 5-piece fly rods are coming out for travelers. The rod line-up provides three 9-foot rods in a 4-weight, 5-weight and 6-weight. “The new AIR 2 5-piece rods bring our award-winning material platform into a travel-ready trout rod.” From Field Mag: 16 Outdoor Brands With Repair, Resell & Upcycled Gear Programs. “These major gear makers are using closed-loop cycles to keep equipment and apparel in use and out of landfills…” From Big Sky Anglers: Trout Spey Lines Explained–Skagit, Scandi, Hybrids. “The two most common line types for Trout Spey with either Double-Handed or Single-Handed rods are 1) a Skagit line, which is best for presenting larger flies like streamers on faster sinking tips, and 2) a Scandi line, which is best for presenting smaller and lighter flies on lighter sinking and floating leaders.” Nautilus Reels announces the launch of the new GTR 8/9 fly reel, the latest addition to the cutting-edge GT series (built for powerful fish). The all new Ross Machinist Edition Reel. The product run is a “limited-edition reel designed as a tribute to the skilled hands and processes behind every Ross Reel.” Find one today. It’s that time of year when every fly-fishing brand is putting gear on sale: Simms fall stuff, Madison River Fishing Company has piles of gear on sale + the Airflo fly line sale, Epic Fly Rods have great Fly Rod & Reel Combos with awesome savings, BOTE SUP deals, Grundens End of Summer Sale, 3Bird Summer Sale, Stio Warehouse Sale.

Fly-fishing News

Check out our new Flylab Substack and the cool content over there. The Mission Issue 53 is out. “Travelogues through time and space (Eastern Cape and Zambia), investigations into stuff as varied as comp fishing (why do people do it?) and why Hong Kong has redfish swimming in its waters, as well as plenty of people from rock stars (both musicians and geologists), guides and other beauts.” Luxury Fly Fishing Is A Thing in Big Sky, Montana (duh). “My personal favorite spot we fished is called Taylor Fork, a tributary of the Gallatin, where two streams merge into one in the shadow of a vast pine covered mountain range. Here, I lay on the rocks and let the sun warm my face. I felt small and insignificant, in that way that grants you freedom to be big. I think that’s why they call it Big Sky.” Miles Nolte on the Marathon Sprinters of the Atlantic. “Albies are what scientists refer to as a ‘data-poor species.’ Up until recently, just about everything we knew came from anglers, and if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that anglers can rarely agree about anything.” Reshaping the Arkansas River into a Colorado success after a century of abuse. “If humans ruined the natural Upper and Lower Ark in Colorado, they also believe they are the ones to bring it back. It’s the paradox of engineering nature to get back to nature…” BHA Calls For Reversal of Attack on Land and Water Conservation Fund. “For more than half a century, LWCF has conserved fish and wildlife habitat, safeguarded water resources and expanded public access for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. With the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, Congress permanently dedicated LWCF’s offshore energy revenues–not taxpayer dollars–to this purpose.” American Prairie is pleased to announce the “acquisition of the Anchor Ranch and two additional properties in Blaine County, Montana, marking a major milestone by growing the private and public land leases it manages to more than 600,000 acres.”

Recent Press

On In Defense of Dry Flies: “Great points. I agree it’s time to pivot our focus toward off-water education/mentorship and expand beyond guiding, which tends to lean quantity > quality.” – Ernie, Flylab Fan

More on In Defense of Dry Flies: “Wish I'd read this when I first started fly fishing. It really gets at the heart of what fly fishing is all about, connecting with nature, not catching a bunch of fish. It's infinitely more satisfying to stalk and catch one fish on a dry then twenty on a bobber setup.” – Gaelen, Flylab Fan

On How to Buy a Fly Rod: “Set your criteria before considering the brands. Good advice.” – Michael @ Southflyfisher, Flylab Fan

“How do you remove a hook from a trout? I use barbless gooks [sic], but I still can’t get the hooks out, makes me not want to fish.” – Steve, Flylab Fan

Steve, start with the ingenious Ketchum Release Tool; Keep Fish Wet also has some great fish release tips to read and try out. 

We’re always looking for Flylab feedback–send any comments, thoughts, suggestions, and we’d love to hear from you.

Casting Accuracy: Can Less Be More?

“Just as with a natural fly, an artificial drifting either in line with or extremely close to a fish is subject to being taken with no overt indications. How then to know when our fly is taken? Should we simply strike on speculation? Clearly that’s one way to find out, but it’s a tactic I don’t recommend, because if the fly wasn’t taken, the disturbance of the strike often spooks the fish…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Partner Spotlight

J. Stockard Fly Fishing

For over 20 years, J. Stockard Fly Fishing has been the go-to place for high-quality fly tying equipment, materials and supplies. Their collection includes over 15,000 materials, hooks, tools and more, including all the major brands. Located in Connecticut, J. Stockard serves tyers across the U.S., Canada, and the world. Despite being one of the largest retailers of fly tying materials and supplies, J. Stockard stays true to its roots as a family-run operation with a customer-first ethos: deep product knowledge, reliable service and an earnest respect for the craft of fly tying. @jsflyfishing

Flylab member discount: Weekly discounts on all fly-tying products.

If you’re a fly shop, outfitter, fishing lodge or outdoor brand and interested in becoming a new Flylab partner, learn more about our program here. Join the best partner network in fly fishing.

Wild fish. Wild Places. Emilie Björkman travels to Patagonia in search of legendary sea-run brown trout on the Rio Menendez, a tributary of the Rio Grande.