THIS IS WHY WE CAME HERE

Video by Jay D'Arpini

It's May. And if you haven't looked outside, the grass is green, leaves are forming, morels are popping, and the temps are ranging into the 70s and 80s. That means a couple things: the freestone rivers are starting to blow out from runoff, rendering themselves, in some cases, unfishable; and, across the West, smallmouth bass are moving into shallower water, making them prime targets with the fly rod.

There's not doubt that smallmouth fishing is mostly overlooked in the West, compared with the following that treasures Old Bronzebak in the East and Midwest . . . and that's probably a mistake. Western smallmouth fishing is about as good as it gets and the fish can grow to large sizes. In fact, four and five-pounders, depending on where you fish, are highly possible. We like those fish and you will too if you get into them.

With smallmouth on our minds, we reshare this Project In The Wild Video, upping the stoke and hoping this is your cue to dust off that six or seven-weight and roll with some Clousers.