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The Art of Rod Crossman


“Trico Take”

Rod Crossman was raised in Upstate New York and now lives in Indiana. “He makes his living creating paintings, as a professor, an artist in residence at Indiana Wesleyan University. Other vocations have included life-guarding, sacking groceries, factory work, and graphic design”

“Careful”

Rod has two boys who share a common interest with him, an affinity for moving water. This thankfully brings them all together on occasion to go fly fishing. Rod has a keen eye for capturing wonderful moments when it comes to lighting, spacial relationships, and natures most awesome raw medium, water.

“Hemingway's Meadow”

Rod’s artwork has been published in some of the best sporting magazines, books and journals. His paintings have been shown world wide, including the Smithsonian, Chicago Art Institute, Woodson Art Museum, Ward Museum, and the High Museum. Rod has designed Trout, Turkey, Upland bird, and Duck stamps for several states with his design skills.

“Checking the Fly”

“Rod has a keen affinity for moments of what he calls wonder and awe. The magical state of being that leaves us vulnerable to the idea there is something more important in universe than ourselves”



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Slow Water Caddis Emerger

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CB's Japanese Beetles

 above photo: Provided by Debbi T. Walker an Ohio Photographer.  Debbi is a talented outdoor photographer who loves to take pictures of insects, animals, and landscapes and often shoots photography around the Mad River and Cedar Bog. In the heat of the summer many fish hunker down during the day and will pass up the occasional Caddis, midge, or ant floating overhead. Often fish conserve energy for a larger more nourishing food item. During the summer months fish want to conserve energy and exert themselves only for the most significant meal.    This is called the “Pounds Per Meat Law” again the least amount of energy is expelled for the most nourishment possible. This should be the mid-summer mantra for both fishers and fish!  Large ants are another food item that fish will come off of the bottom for during the midday sun and heat. Japanese Beetles are one of those items on the surface menu that will spark a fishes interest when nothing else seems to work. Rise

Spidey Senses~The Irresistible Arachnid

Fishing spider patterns is a favorite activity of mine in the late spring, summer and fall. Many of the spring creeks that I frequent have adjacent fields of corn, soy, feed grass, as well as tall overhead trees and brambles. Spiders are prolific here and as much as I hate them I do love fishing with them. I have tried many patterns over the years most of which were not my own. Most of them were either too clunky, too overdressed, or just downright stupid looking. If I were to cast a wad of sheet foam and rubber bands to a big Brown on most of my usual digs I would be typecasted by most of the coherent fish instantly. After years of hit and miss I settled on my own pattern that just seemed to meet my criteria as well as the Trouts. When your standing in a “hot river” in the middle of the day and you spot a massive brown that just will not budge for the most ingenious morsel you have in your box whip out a spider. Spiders are protein intensive, they are like baklava on a silver