Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: The West’s Best Fly Fishing, DIY Trailer Bearing Grease, and FFS Myth Busted

From Colorado’s premier fly fishing destinations, to step-by-step instructions to grease your trailer bearings, to the unexpected victory of a young forward-facing sonar master winning a major no-FFS tournament, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: The West’s Best Fly Fishing, DIY Grease Your Trailer Bearings, and FFS Myth Busted | Jasper Taback

1.) The West’s Best Fly Fishing Isn’t in Montana Anymore

Fly fishing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River | photo by Jasper Taback

Colorado holds a special place in my heart – it’s where I learned to fly fish and really caught the bug, so I try to get back whenever I can.

Recently, the opportunity came up to spend a few days exploring trout water in a part of the state that was new to me, and I jumped.

The Gunnison Valley, tucked between the San Juan and West Elk Mountains on Colorado’s Western Slope, is best known for two destination mountain towns – Gunnison and Crested Butte. 

Both towns are great in their own right, but there’s a whole lot more to the valley worth experiencing…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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2.) How to Grease Boat Trailer Bearings: A Step-by-Step Guide for Smooth Towing

Learn how to grease and maintain your boat trailer bearings with this step-by-step guide. Enjoy your time on the lake instead of wasting your time on the shoulder of the highway. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

Boat trailer bearings failing on the highway can ruin a fishing trip. But they can also put you in a really unsafe situation. Maintaining them is quick, easy, and something every boat owner should learn to do.

The following steps apply to most standard unsealed bearing hubs which are common on lots of boat trailers, but there are some exceptions. Double check your owners manual to confirm which style of hubs are on your trailer…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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3.) Young Anglers Only Win Because of Forward-Facing Sonar: Myth Busted

The $500K Ultimate Angler Championship did not allow forward-facing sonar and 24-year-old FFS master Tucker Smith still dominated. Skill wins tournaments, not tech. | TheUltimateAngler.org

After a year of build-up, the Ultimate Angler Championship is done and appears to have been a genuine success. Big payouts, anglers from all tours, and a forward-facing sonar ban set the stage for one of the most anticipated bass tournaments in years.


I loved seeing anglers from all the various camps competing together. That in and of itself is a huge win and long overdue.

I loved the size of the grand prize. It’s about time professional bass tournaments started paying out like real professional sports. Congrats to the organization for figuring out how to make that happen.

However, there was one other thing that stood out when this event was first announced. This was going to be a “real” bass tournament competition with no forward-facing sonar allowed.

Finally we were going to see a return to what real fishing was like. Those kids and their “cheater box” video game fishing would be forced to use experience, instincts and raw senses to dissect the water…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.