Word on the street is fly fishing’s got a bit of a split personality right now. On one hand, the core crew’s still out there every weekend, rain or shine, like they always have been. Angling Trade’s been watching the buying trends and says the pandemic newbies have mostly thinned out, but the real anglers, the ones who live for the drift and the rise, they’re still tying on flies and hitting the water. And get this – they think 2026 might be the year things really heat up again, like a slow roll into a hot hatch. They’re even talking about buying “futures” on the fly scene, whatever that means, but it sounds like they see opportunity where the water is still cold and clear.Meanwhile, up in Olympic National Park, things are getting a little more serious. Starting June 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, the park’s gone full barbless single hook, artificial lure only for steelhead. That’s not just a small tweak – that’s a whole new game for anyone swinging for wild steelhead in those rivers. The idea is to protect the wild fish, and it’s already changing how people fish there. If you’re planning a trip to the Olympics, you better have your barbless singles ready and leave the bait and trebles at home.And out on the East Coast, the regs are shifting too. NOAA Fisheries says the federal summer flounder rules have been waived for 2025, so now it’s all about what the state says where you land. That means you’ve gotta pay extra close attention to local rules if you’re chasing fluke on the fly from New Jersey down through the Mid Atlantic. One state might be open, the next might be shut, and the last thing you want is to get nailed for a fish that’s legal in the water but not in the boat.Back in the fly shop world, folks are noticing something else – people are still traveling, but it’s getting pickier. The big exotic trips are still happening, but a lot of anglers are loading up the racks and heading regionally instead. And while there’s been some cool new gear the last couple years, the buzz around high end rods and reels has cooled off a bit. The real action seems to be in the small stuff – the flies, the tippets, the little details that make a difference when the fish are being picky. Shops that are teaching the DIY crowd how to fish better, how to read the water and tie their own patterns, those are the ones staying busy.So whether you’re chasing trout in the Rockies, steelhead in the Pacific Northwest, or fluke on the flats, there’s a lot changing under the surface. The water still matters most, and that’s where the real stories are happening.Thanks for tuning in. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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