2006 Alaska King Salmon Fishing Report

2006 Alaska King Salmon Fishing Report:

"Great News for Alaska King Salmon fishermen. The Nushagak river is one of the most famous salmon fisheries in the world, yet many sportsmen have yet to hear about it. Known for the largest King Salmon runs anywhere in the world, anglers are discovering that a trip to this angler's paradise means angling opportunities that go far beyond an angler's expectations. The Nushagak is a salmon fishery beyond belief, with 90,000 to 150,000 king salmon from 15 to 50 pounds returning each year. It is not uncommon to hook over 40 king salmon in a day. In 2006, according to the Alaska Fish & Game forecast, the Nushagak river is expecting the best fishing year in over a decade."

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If you haven't planned your Alaska Fishing Vacation yet, you might want to consider the Nushagak...Sounds like some prime fishin' for kings!

-Mike

Fly Fishing the Arkansas River

Fly Fishing the Arkansas River: "One of the finest attributes of the Arkansas is its accessibility. Roughly 60 % has public access and most of it is well marked along major highways."

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I've heard this is one of the finer rivers to fly-fish on. The author of this article has fished the river for over 30 years. He seems well versed on Arkansas hatches as well as how to get started fly fishing.

Enjoy,

Michael

ISLAMORADA INVITATIONAL FLYROD SAILFISH CHAMPIONSHIP

"A reel bait and switch"

Catching an elusive Atlantic sailfish at the Islamorada Invitational might seem a quixotic quest, but with a bit of luck and a lot of trickery, hauling one in can be done."

Click on the link in the title to read all about it...

-Michael

This Fish Tale Is Caught On Tape!

"Man In Kayak Catches Sailfish"

Earlier this month off the coast of Guatemala, Jeff Morrow wrestled with a sailfish in an inflatable kayak, and his amazing feat was caught on tape. Morrow recounts the tale with Julie Chen."

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It seems CBS News published the ultimate fish story :)

They even have video footage of this to watch on their site...

Check it out :)

Click Here

Tired of Crowds? Fly Fish Coastal New Orleans

"Fly Rod and Reel magazine is reporting that despite the economic and evironmental disaster that rolled onshore with Hurricane Katrina, the fishing for redfish is spectacular once again. ''As for the fishing, it has been incredible,' Shane [Mayfield] told us in a recent e-mail. I've attached a few pictures of some of the fish Bryan and I caught during our scouting mission today (below). The two fish he is holding are both over 25 pounds and were taken on crab patterns in two feet of water.'' On Flyrodreel.com."

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To read the entire article...Click Here!

Great to hear that Louisiana fishing is getting better...That area sure did get hard after the Hurricanes of 2005.

Special thanks to the folks at MidCurrent.com. Check out more of their articles at:

http://www.midcurrent.com/news/


-Michael

How Far Are You Really Casting?

Don Oliver/Fishing The Four Corners
Jan 19, 2006, 06:00 am

After a day on the river fly fishing, is your arm and shoulder tired and sore? If it is, is it from fighting fish all day? Could it be from netting that 100th 5-pound trout on the San Juan River? As much as 'we who fly fish' want non-fly fishers to believe our sore arms and shoulders are from catching and landing fish, the truth is, our soreness comes from casting.

As I was applying heat to my sore shoulder and arm, as I didn't want to waste the ice for my after-fishing scotch on something as trivial as sore body parts, I began to wonder, 'Just how much line do fly fishermen cast in a day?' To calculate this number, I came up with two ways to arrive at what is now something very important to know."

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Great article about fly casting! Click on the title of this post to view the entire article as posted in the Farmington, New Mexico Daily Times!

Don Oliver is a licensed fly fishing guide in the Four Corners. Reach him at www.donoliverfishingguide.com or 800 634-4811.

-Michael

PS: Thanks also goes out to The MidCurrent Fly Fishing News as I first came across this article at their site: http://www.midcurrent.com/news/

"Fishing Fantasies Take Flight At Remote Alaska Lodge..."

Rebecca Risch,
Denver Post Staff Writer

PORT ALSWORTH, Alaska - Pristine wilderness, majestic scenery and abundant wildlife are part of every Alaska vacation. But Alaska has another legendary attraction - fishing. During a family trip last August, we experienced the best of both.

Our destination was Alaska's Wilderness Lodge, 145 air miles southwest of Anchorage, near the tiny town of Port Alsworth, population 80. Located on Lake Clark, a national park and preserve, the small lodge caters to those who seek the finest fishing in the world - and can afford to spare no expense."

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This article courtesy of: DenverPost.com

To read the entire newspaper article, go to the Denver Post's Website by clicking on the Title of this post.

-Michael

"Required Reading for Fly-Fishers..."

"Fishing: Required Reading for Fly-Fishers
- Bill Thompson

Ever since Izaak Walton penned 'The Complete Angler', writers have been churning out books about fishing. It has been said that fly fishing is the second most written about sport in the world, second only to baseball. There must be thousands of books devoted to the catching of fish with a rod and reel. Yale University has probably the largest collection in the world. Our own state university must be a close second with its collection. And, like a lot of other anglers, I have amassed quite a large collection of my own.

In a sport that is as complex as fly fishing, it is understandable that one might want an instruction manual or two. The problem is how to choose from all those titles that line the shelves of book stores and better fly shops. To that end I have taken the weighty task upon myself to compile a list of volumes that every right-thinking fly man or woman must have in their library."

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To read the rest of this article scoot on over to: The Conway Daily Sun

You definitely want the whole list don't you?

-Michael

PS: Thanks to the FlyFishing.JazWire.com Blog for posting this article.

Do You Have Anglers Attention?

Angler's Attention
Author: Cameron Larsen

There is something that I have called 'angler's attention'. It is developed after you have been fishing, and in this article we will be concerning ourselves with fly fishing, for years and years. You can usually tell those that have it and those that don't. Quickly rigging up your fly rod, and racing to a likely fishing spot, solely concerned about yourself and your gear, are telltale signs of someone not possessing angler's attention.

I spent many years, especially when I didn't have much time to fish, ignoring angler's attention. If I could steal away even an hour or two, racing down to the river I would go. In a virtual panic, scouring out my favorite fishing spots, then cursing to myself, when they were taken. Frantically I would find a spot to fish, splash out there, and heave out my line. Fishing, at last, my heart would race, I would set the hook on any minute bump, and then have to untangle my line from a tree lurking behind me. Never paying attention to the fly I was using, there wasn't time to change it, wheter my tippet was proper, what was happening on the water, nothing of the sort. Just get me to the water, and let me wet my line. "

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To read the rest of this article scoot on over to a fellow bloggers post on this article...Hot Fishing Topics

You definitely want to read the rest of this story...

-Michael

PS: Thanks to BridgeMaster at the "Hot Fishing Topics" blog for posting this article.

"Set Sights For Sails"

FloridaSportsman.com gives us insight on fly fishing for Atlantic Sailfish. Catching an Atlantic Sailfish on the fly is considered much harder than hooking its left coast cousin:

Fly fishing for Florida sailfish is an oddity, but it delivers for the dedicated.

- By Pat Ford

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When a sharp color change sets up off Key West, it's possible to sight-cast to sailfish.

If you want to catch a sailfish on a fly, it's easy. Hop on a jet and head to the Pacific side of Central America, and book a competent crew out of Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica or Mexico. Can it really be that easy? Yes it is, now that fly fishing is no longer an oddity in those parts.
Want to raise the bar and do that deal close to home? Well, you can, though taking an Atlantic sailfish on fly off Florida is still considered an extraordinary feat, for a number of reasons.
Atlantic sails are smaller, but infinitely smarter. They can be teased up with a hookless bait, but usually only stay on the scene long enough to make one pass at the fly. In other words, everything has to go perfectly. Pacifics, on the other hand, will sit behind the boat and chew on a rubber squid forever. "

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Wow...Setting the hook on one of those sails must be a blast! Are here people only think of fly-fishing as something people do to catch smaller fish like trout and bass! Geesh :)

Be sure to click on the link at the top of this article to read the full story.

Thanks to Murdock at: http://flyfishmagazine.blogspot.com/2006/01/atlantic-sail-on-fly-in-florida.html for enlightening me about this article.

-Michael

Fly Tying - The Basics...

Hi again,

Feast or Famine here tonight...

Okay, this post will show you the basics of fly-tying...I promise that as time goes on you'll see much more than this...This is only a sample of what I could provide. It's getting pretty late (yes I was up most of the night) so I wanted to make sure I posted about Fly Tying before I went to sleep. I promised some of my friends they'd find an article here on Fly Tying, so here it is...

Until I post again,

Michael :)

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Fly tying
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Fly Tying is the art and science of creating fly lures used in fly fishing. There are many types of patterns, some imitate aquatic insects while others are not meant to represent any particular creature. However, each may be used to catch a wide variety of fish.

With feathers, fur, hooks, and thread many tiers create very realistic imitations of aquatic insects. There are many different parts of fly tying that make it a very challenging and rewarding hobby. To create flies a tyer needs to be familiar with tools, materials, and the numerous creatures that inhabit the stream.

Materials

In fly tying materials can be almost anything. According to Skip Morris a material is basically anything that is placed on a fly. There are no limitations to the materials that a tier can use. Many tiers use whatever they find necessesary to complete a fly. A few more common materials are threads, hooks, fur, yarns, chenille, flosses, synthetic materials, tinsels, and cements. Other less common materials may come from household items such as paintbrush bristles or beads.

Hooks

Hooks are very important in fly tying. There are many different sizes, shapes, and weights of hooks. Each hook has special characteristics that accommodate many patterns. Skip Morris writes that in selecting a hook tiers must consider the size, length, and wire.

Tools

Because flies are typically very small certain tools are needed for such intricate work. According to Skip Morris there are several tools essential in creation of flies. He lists essential tools as being: a vice, hackle pliers, hackle gauges, bobbins, lights, hair stackers, and scissors. Other optional tools are pliers, toothpicks, bodkins, dubbing twisters, blenders, floss bobbins, whip finishers, wing burners, and bobbin threaders. By using these tools tiers can create flies smaller than size of an average human finger nail.

Flies

Since the existence of fly tying many different patterns have been created. The Professional Fly Tying manual classifies flies into five main groups. Flies are usually classified as being wet, dry, streamer, or nymph.

Wet Flies

Wet flies are flies that do not float above the surface of the water. Instead they float just below the surface. They usually imitate insects that have drowned. Sometimes they are created to represent insects hatched under the water that are working their way to the surface.

Dry Flies

Dry flies float half submerged on the surface of the water. They imitate insects that have fallen into the water. Some imitate winged nymphs emerging from the water with their egg sacks still attached. These types of flies are typically classifed as dun.

Nymphs

The term nymph can have many meanings to fly fishers. To some it is an insect in its immature form. To others it is an insect that lives underwater. These flys are completely suberged in the water. Some are even weighted to keep them submerged.

Streamers

A streamer fly is a fly that is typically longer than the others. It can represent multiple creatures. Many are tied to represent bait fish. Some are very beautiful such as salmon or steelhead streamers. Many of these are never fished and are considered art.

Others

Bass Bugs and other bass flies are often made of cork or deer hair, float on the surface and are designed to imitate frogs, mice, or injured baitfish. Salt water "flies" are often created to imitate small crabs.

Common Patterns

There are many fly patterns in the world but some of the more classic and common patterns are listed below.
The Adams
The Hendrickson
Royal Coachman
The Blue Dun
The Cahill
The Stone
Mickey Finn
Black Ghost
Muddler Minnow

Sources

Morris, Skip.Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple. Portland, OR: Frank Amato Publications. 1992
Spittler, Marvin Peter, ed. Professional Fly Tying Manual. Waseca, Minn: Brown Publishing Company. 1941
Bates, Joseph D., Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books. 1966

Tips on Choosing A Fly Reel...

Here's some great tips that I thought could come in handy before spending your hard-earned money...

Let me know how you liked them.

-Michael

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The definition of a fly reel has changed a great deal in the lastcouple of decades. Once thought of as simply ” a place to holdyour line” the fly reel has evolved into a highly specializedpiece of gear. With phrases such as “startup inertia”, “largearbor”, and “heat dissipative disc drag”, the beginner can oftenbe led to believe that they need to be an expert in Newtonianphysics to make an informed purchase. I’ll try to simplify thingsa bit. Fly reel does do more than just hold line. A poor qualityfly reel is a wonderful way to lose large fish, especially whenfishing on light leaders and tippets. Additionally, selecting thewrong fly reel for a particular fly rod can throw off the entirebalance of the outfit. So, let's get started learning about theworld of fly reels.

Selecting the Right Fly Reel

When looking around for the right fly reel, a person new to theworld of fly fishing will get a big surprise. There's seeminglyjust as many fly reels in the world today as there are spinfishing reels. So let's break things down a bit and try to sortout the different types of fly reels on the market and what youshould look for when shopping for one.

The Drag System on a Fly Reel

There are two different types of drag systems on a fly reel thattrout fishermen need concern themselves with. The drag of a flyreel is what provides the tension on the line. In other words, itis what regulates how easy or difficult it is for a fish to stripline off the fly reel. If all you ever catch are tiny trout orsmall pan fish, the type of drag on a fly reel is immaterial asit is unlikely a fish will ever pull out line from the fly reel.On the other hand, if you get a good-sized trout or bass on yourline, the story changes completely. Once a big fish startspulling out line from your fly reel, the fly reel suddenlybecomes the most important piece of equipment that you have.

The Fishing Equipment You Definitely Need

Okay, this isn't specific to Fly Fishing, however it still applies and is some great advice...

-Michael

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The Fishing Equipment You Definitely Need
By Mike Singh


So, you are done packing all the fishing gear for the trip? Are you sure? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced angler, there are some items that should be on your list. Here are the bare essentials:

- The rod - Of course you need a fishing rod. But, what type of rod will you take? When choosing one, here is some advice. Don’t head to the discount department store to purchase yours. Instead, go for a middle of the line priced rod that is comfortable, the right length and serves your purpose. If you plan to fly fish, get the right rod.

- The reel - Yes, you need the right reel to match. Can you buy them together? Sure. If you are saltwater fishing, you need a protected reel that will not become ruined by the water. Again, as a beginner, middle of the road quality is needed.

- The lure - These should be geared towards the type of fish you are expecting to catch. Live bait is a great choice if you don’t mind getting it. The best way to know which lures to use, though, in the artificial options is to ask those at the local fish shop what they have had luck with. Depending on the type of fish and the area in which they live, these individuals can help you determine what to purchase.

- The line - You have to have quality line. Nothing is worse than catching a fish and then snapping the line because it couldn’t hold the weight. But, that doesn’t imply that you have to go with the most expensive one. Look for the right weight of line for your approximate weight of fish.

- The cooler – The first hour won’t be that bad. But if you are going to stay out for several hours you will definitely need this one. Have the cooler ready with your choice of beverages.


Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.1-stop-fishing.com/ On his website, he provides articles about alaska guided fishing trips and rainbow trout fishing canada.

The Origin Of Fly Fishing!

Okay, not knowing really where or how to begin this blog I decided we'd go waaaaaaayyyy back :) I wonder how many fly fishermen even know this story...Probably not too many!

I hope you enjoy,

Michael

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Fishing. Take a rod and a line and throw it in some water. Splash it around a bit and wait until something tugs. If only it were that easy. The truth is, fishing as a sport is not as easy as most people think and is a lot more complicated than just throwing your line is some water. For starters there are several types of fishing depending on what kind of fish you want to catch.

In this article we're going to focus on fly fishing and it's origin.

Fly fishing goes all the way back to around 200 AD. The first reference to it was written by Aelian who was born around 170 AD. Early in his life he knew nothing of the sea. In his early writing "On The Nature Of Animals" he writes about a certain way of catching fish supposedly invented by the Macedonians. A particular fish that runs through the Astraeus River in Macedonia happens to feed on flies that are peculiar to that region. These flies are not found anywhere else. The natives of the land called this species of fly Hippouros. These flies seek their food over the river and are never very far away from the fish in the river below. Because of this it is relatively easy for the fish to jump out of the water, catching the flies in their mouths and eating them.

It is from seeing this that the Macedonian's got the idea to use these flies to catch the fish. However, because it is unclean for their people to touch this species of fly they had to develop a way to catch the fish without actually handling the flies. So what they did was fasten red wool around a hook. They then fixed onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles. The rod they used was six feet long and the line was also the same length. They then threw the line in the direction of the flies. The fish seeing this line which is disguised to look like the fly think they are going to have a nice meal and instead are caught by the fisherman's trap. Fly fishing was developed.

It should be pointed out that according to accounts of what the fly looked like and what the actual "bait" looked like it would seem that the Macedonians didn't try to imitate the fly exactly, as the fly color was yellow and the bait color was red. Some speculation is that the fly changed color when near water but this was never proven.

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For those interested, the story above was taken from Radcliffe's "Fishing From The Earliest Times," which was published in 1921. This version of the story is the one most often printed with no credit given to the original author. Radcliffe himself states that he adapted this translation from "Lambert's Angling Literature in England" first published in 1881. Prior to this there was a Latin translation, which was printed in 1558. This printing however wasn't discovered until 1834.

Fly Fishing - Answer to an Angler's Prayer

Hi Ya'll,

I came accross this article that I thought you'd like...Man, I need to find a woman like that. Joanne is awesome! I thought what a great way to get this blog going by posting a little humor. I too know what it's like to slip and fall on the rocks next to the rivers and streams up here in Washington. One time I fell and was still sore for about 2 weeks!

Anyway, here it is...Enjoy!

-The Duke

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Fly Fishing - Answer to an Angler's Prayer
By Joanne Tynedale

The hike into Cedar Creek in the Oregon Coast Range is steep, dropping almost a thousand feet in 3 miles. I haven't always been willing to go to those great lengths to find a good spot for fishing, but I finally found the form of fishing that turned the attraction of the sport from a mystery to an obsession. Fly fishing.

Growing up in South Dakota, fishing in the sloughs for bullheads (little catfish) with my dad on an occasional Sunday was my first experience of fishing, and I was not impressed.

It seemed like we spent all our time sitting still and being quiet, two things that do not appeal to a child. I can see now why my dad, a farmer who worked long hours in summer, truly enjoyed sitting in a lawn chair at the water's edge, holding a rod in his hand and not doing much more than reeling in the line now and then. But to me it was dull with a capital "D."

Much later, in college, was my next exposure to a fishing technique. A buddy took me ice fishing. For entirely different reasons, I was once again not impressed.

On a bright winter day, there we were in a dark shack poised over a hole in the ice, waiting for a pike to swim into view. Once again holding very still and keeping quiet except for the hiss of the pop-top when one of us opened another can of beer.

The main difference between spear-fishing in an ice shack and bullhead fishing was that instead of being a sultry summer day, we were sitting motionless in zero degree weather, our feet resting on ice, our rear ends in frozen lawn chairs. One time in the ice shack was enough 'fun' for me.

I really didn't have much interest in fishing for a long time after that. Not until a career change took me from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest and I met the man who would later become my husband. He was perfect in every way... except for being an avid fisherman.

This guy, Greg, is so serious about fishing that he had one entire room of his house dedicated to housing his gear. His drift boat, rather than his car, occupied the one bay garage.

You know how it goes in the first part of a new romance; you're willing to do things you would normally never even consider. So, there I was, going fishing once again. We stood on the bank of a lovely little creek, and I held the expensive, ultra-light trout rod in my hand as I stepped onto a mossy rock, slick with moisture. I slipped, fell into the creek, and not only scared all the fish away, but broke the tip of the pole. This was not a good way to resume my fishing career.

Next try. Knowing I love the beach, Greg decided to take me fishing on the open ocean. He put the Evinrude outboard on the drift boat and we motored over the bar and out of the bay. The mixture of gas fumes and choppy water soon had me leaning sickly over the side of the boat. Not romantic at all.

Trolling for bass came next. Nice warm days on one of the Oregon Coast Rivers. We got in the drift boat, put out a line for bass, and floated downstream. I really liked being on the water in the sun.

Things had changed since being a kid. These days, I appreciated being able to sit in the sun doing nothing….. until the fish started biting. I didn't like being interrupted from sun-bathing and having to take them off the hook. Catching and then releasing a bunch of poor little bass didn't make sense to me. Why ruin both our days? So I was willing to be in the fishing boat, but not fishing. I thought it was a good compromise.

Greg is nothing if not persistent. He wanted me to be his fishing buddy as well as his wife, and I could see the value in the long run of sharing some hobbies, so I was game to give fishing one more try. That's when he introduced me to fly fishing. Bingo!

It's impossible to describe why I love it. I guess it has something to do with the rhythm and grace of it. The mesmerizing experience of standing in rushing water. And the power, the absolute thrill of feeling the fish strike.

Greg still has a room dedicated to fishing gear, but it's in a different house, and it's bigger now. We had to make room for my gear, too.

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Joanne Tynedale has made a study of topics related to fish and fishing. She is contributing writer of articles for Fishing Junky and Free Aquarium , two premier resources on-line for information about fish and fishing. For additional articles by Joanne, also visit Hunting Style

Well, It's been a few days...

I just got started with this blog and haven't had as much time to devote to it lately as I'd like so for that I'd like to make it up to ya and provide you..."Multiple Posting In One Day!" Aren't you happy? Haha...

The first article will be available on this page here in a few minutes.

In the meantime, if you haven't given me your "Biggest Question About Fly Fishing", then please go to the following page and do so immediately:

http://www.greatinfoabout.com/mac/Fly_Fishing_01.html

Thanks,
Michael

Welcome To Fly Fishing Secrets!

Hello World,

We hope to bring you the best news and information about the world of Fly Fishing. We would love to hear from you. Just press the comment button below and introduce yourselves.

- Michael aka The "Duke"