Independent field notes
Trout of Office is a practical and lighthearted guide to recreational fly fishing. It covers casting techniques, fly selection, essential gear, reading the water, responsible fish handling, and the small lessons that make time on the water more rewarding.
Evan “Brookie” Hart“Brookie” is a dedicated recreational fly angler known for his patience, practical advice, and habit of lingering beside the water long after everyone else has packed up. He writes approachable guides about casting, flies, gear, reading currents, responsible fish handling, and the lessons learned when the trout refuse to cooperate.
I’ll show you how to choose fly combinations, shorten and stiffen the leader, set sensible spacing, and adjust your cast so a two-fly rig stays useful instead of becoming a wind-powered knot collection.
Read articleI’ll help you build a compact three-season trout fly box by grouping patterns around insects, water conditions, and dependable sizes. You’ll learn what to carry, what to leave behind, and how to avoid the common mistake of packing duplicates instead of useful coverage.
Read articleI’ll clarify how to build a simple streamer leader for bank fishing, including the trade-offs between turnover, casting space, abrasion resistance, and painless snag recovery.
Read articleI’ll help you build a compact tailwater fly box around insect groups, fishing depths, and presentation changes, so you can travel with useful options instead of a crowded collection of hopeful guesses.
Read articleA simple nymph rig should be easy to cast, inspect, and untangle when conditions change. I’ll walk you through manageable connection points, sensible spacing, and a quick safety check so you can spend less time wrestling leader and more time fishing it.
Read articleI’ll show you how to assemble a simple Euro-nymph leader from ordinary monofilament, sighter material, and a few useful connections, while clarifying where homemade rigs save money and where specialized systems still offer advantages.
Read articleI’ll clarify how to rig a visible dry fly with an emerger or small nymph when trout are rising beyond easy reach, including leader length, tippet choices, casting adjustments, and fixes for common tangles.
Read articleI’ll show you how to build a compact shallow-water nymph rig that avoids the common mistake of changing depth after every snag, with simple recovery steps for high or low drifts.
Read articleI’ll help you build a compact high-elevation lake fly box that covers the mistakes most often exposed by alpine weather, selective trout, and long walks from the trailhead. You’ll learn what to pack for stillwater nymphing, terrestrials, leeches, wind, and quick recovery when your first plan fails.
Read articleBank fishing rewards a gear system that keeps essentials accessible without turning every shoreline walk into a pack-out. I’ll show you how to balance tackle, clothing, food, and landing tools for safer, simpler days beside the water.
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