Warmwater - Due West Anglers

Home Waters

These days I'm watching seasons unfold on an algae mat, a place with no glamorized re-telling, no shadow casting, no-one haunted by these waters

When fly fishing for muskie, northern pike, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, are larger flies better for catching big fish?

science

Big Flies For Big Fish... right?

Big flies equals big fish, at least that's what we're all told. Is it actually true?

Fly fishing for Bonefish, Carp, Bass, Permit, Pike, Tarpon, they are all surprisingly connected

warmwater

The Warmwater-Saltwater Connection

Can local warmwater fisheries help fortify the angling skills necessary for saltwater fly fishing?

best flies for carp, fly fishing for carp, fly patterns for carp

Members only

common carp

Carp Flies Don't Have To Be Dull

fly rod Featured

Which Fly Rod Is Best? That's Asking the Wrong Question

The dirty secret about a fly rod shootout: there is no best rod

Flies displayed include: chubby chernobyl, clouser minnow, barr's meat whistle, popper, crazy charlie, and turneffe crab

behind the scenes

Behind the Scenes

Unveiling the creative process from idea to ink for Due West Angler's distinctive articles on fly fishing + science + conservation

behavior

Wait... Carp Don't Have What Organ?!

These picky fish lack an internal organ commonly found in almost 3/4 of all fish, how is that possible?

skunked

The Skunk Set Me Free

Getting skunked, catching nothing, was never an acceptable outcome.... until I realized different

Releasing a pre-spawn Wyoming Brown Trout

Members only

big fish

5 Tips for Landing Those Big Fish

To be a true angler you need to experience the heartbreak of losing a big fish. Here's how to stack the odds in your favor so that doesn't happen...

fly rod

Instant Favorite: TFO Axiom II-X Fly Rod Review

This fly rod has become an instant favorite, reviewing the tfo axiom 2-x fly rod

Walking the banks, fly fishing for urban carp, Denver South Platte River

common carp

Carper's Almanac: We Studied Carp Behavior for Two Years

We chased urban carp around for two year at a set of fixed locations, checking in regularly, and logged details to each encounter, what did we learn?

Fly fishing for carp with Umpqua's Headstand fly pattern, Egan's Headstand, Denver South Platte

fly tying

Weird Flies that Work: Chartreuse Headstand

I have a slight obsession chartreuse fly patterns...

Bass vision, how do flies like bass poppers, Mr Wiggly, Slumpbusters, other assorted bass flies look?

Members only

largemouth bass

More Clues on Fish Vision (Bass Edition)

Can fish see color? Bass don't see our flies like you'd expect...

Fly fishing for urban carp, Denver South Platte River, targeting carp on the fly

Members only

common carp

5 Tips: So You Want to Catch a Carp

Coming from trout, it's kind of like brushing your teeth with your opposite hand

that compass is pointing the wrong direction...

exploring

Frontiers in Angling

Let's take a look at those new fisheries, and how anglers can uncover new and unexplored frontiers in angling

Fly fishing for largemouth bass with bass poppers and streamers

Members only

largemouth bass Featured

Understanding Warmwater Lakes

In warmwater fly fishing, especially bass fishing, we often just throw poppers and streamers with little emphasis on understanding the reasoning for these tactics

Members only

conservation Featured

The Warmwater-Coldwater Connection

Let's take a look at the surprising way that warmwater can support coldwater fisheries

Fly fishing for urban carp from the Denver Metro area, Denver South Platte River

common carp

Story From the Road: 4-Wheeled Oven

Fly fishing: Craving the flats, it was finally time to dig into the carp game again

Members only

conservation concept

Conservation Concept: Artificial Boundaries

Borders are everywhere. Not only natural but also artificial borders. The two don't always play nice...

grass carp

Story From The Road: Mudwrestling

Our fly fishing story of landing an unlikely fish, and navigating the 9-5 grind