Founding Editor Derek Bird opens this issue with a look at A River Runs Through It, setting the stage for fly-fishing journeys across Iceland, Utah, and Mexico. Meet Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute guide whose passion and innovative floating crab pattern are redefining the flats. Ross Purnell honors Barry and Cathy Beck in The Genesis of a Film, while Giant Trevally brings adrenaline-filled action from the Seychelles. Slow things down with bug-filled lake mornings, and end on a reflective note with Jim McLennan’s Not Lonely, Just Alone — a meditation on the quiet joy of fishing solo.
Fly Fusion
An Irish Mob Boss and a Presbyterian Minister Walk Into a River
Vivid Dreams • Wild trout in a wild land
What Remains • Chasing native trout through forgotten canyons
The Silent Spotter • Tommy Batun’s story of innovation, resilience and family
The Genesis of a Film • Stepping back into the water
In the Clouds • An alpine adventure
Giant Trevally • Adventure in the Seychelles
Cracking the Code • Early season trout
Not Lonely, Just Alone • Legends of a trout town