Why Every Great Fly Fishing Trip Needs A Little Bluegrass

What happens when you bring music with you on the road.

Mandolins & dry flies - a match made in heaven. | photo by Jasper Taback

The more fishing trips you take, the better you get at it. We spend a lot of time focused on getting better at the fishing part, but I’m talking more about the trip part. 

What ends up making or breaking the trip often isn’t the fish brought to hand, but the time spent in between. Learning to enjoy the downtime is an art that takes practice, and it takes time to find out what works for you when you’re on the road. For me, it’s been exploring bluegrass music. 

How Fly Fishing Brought me to Bluegrass

I stumbled upon bluegrass music by accident – when the promise of wild trout brought me to mountain towns, and I found myself looking for ways to entertain myself off the water. 

So I’d stop into bars and breweries, and it seemed like every other one was hosting a bluegrass jam. The genre was born in the mountains, and the towns still carry it forward.

From a recent trip to Boone, NC - home of the legendary Doc & Merle Watson. | photo by Jasper Taback

Finding Bluegrass Jams on the Road

Now I go looking for jams. Sometimes I’ll find out about one online, but often it’s from the guide I’m fishing with. You’d be surprised how many serious fly anglers are also bluegrass pickers. 

It’s gotten to be such a big part of my trips that I've started bringing my own instrument with me.  

The mandolin that makes the trip with me. | photo by Jasper Taback

The Mandolin Is a Perfect Fit for Fly Fishing Road Trips

I play a Bourgeois mandolin, and it’s recently become my road trip companion of choice. I love the mandolin for many reasons, not least of which is that it fits in my truck a whole lot easier than my guitar would. 

Bringing an instrument that you care about on a fishing trip might feel like asking for trouble, but that’s a worry worth getting over. They’re meant to be played, and if you have one that’s built the right way, a splash of water won’t spell catastrophe.

Everything's better on a river - music included. | photo by Jasper Taback

Traveling With an Instrument That's Built to Last

Traveling with an instrument means accepting a certain amount of wear and tear. But I’ve found that my mandolin can bounce around a bit in the truck, go through some serious temperature changes, and come out of the case sounding as great as ever. 

That's what great craftsmanship will get you.

Getting to Know New Fly Fishing Spots - Beyond the Water 

I try to pack light for fishing trips, but the mandolin always makes the list. It's more than worth the space it takes up.

As much as I love to fish, you have to get off the water to really get to know a new place; I've found that music rounds out the experience in a way that fishing alone can't.

So if you come across a jam session next time you're on the road, I'd highly recommend checking it out.