Fly Fishing Secrets

Is is time to switch torubber-soled wading boots?

2009-08-19T01:56:00.000-07:00

Interesting article...Never thought how my wading boots could transfer organisms from one river to another...

http://www.idahostatesman.com/outdoors/story/837705.html

Which boots do you prefer?

I use the rubber ones myself...just because I was able to pick them up cheaper...

Cheaper isn't always better though :)

-Michael

Fly fisherman accidentally reels in great white shark

2009-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Check this out...This is crazy...A Great White on a Fly Rod

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1105056

Testing Fly Reels With A Four-Wheeler

2009-04-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

Testing Fly Reels With A Four-Wheeler

This is some crazy stuff!

Anyone have any other crazy ideas on how to test a fishing reel's drag
system?

Love to hear your stories...

-Duke

Iraq Vets Fly-Fishing Back to Health...

2008-08-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

Flyfishing for Vets...This is a great program...

I'm always in support of helping our veterans...

David Erickson photos / Whitefish Pilot -- Iraq War
veterans Capt. David Folkerts, far left, and Staff Sgt.
Brian Mancini, far right, share a laugh with Project
Healing Waters founder Ed Nicholson on Friday.

Project Healing Waters helps disabled veterans recover from emotional and physical wounds

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

It's not easy to think about a horrifying and bloody war in a foreign desert when you're standing waist-deep in a clear-blue Montana trout stream, with a fish on the line and a cool breeze rustling the leaves. For a group of Iraq veterans visiting Whitefish last week, that's exactly the point.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is a non-profit based near Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled military personnel through fly-fishing and fly-tying education and outings.

Last week, eight Iraq War vets took part in an all-expenses-paid trip to Whitefish to take part in the International Conclave hosted by the Federation of Fly Fishers.

"The goal is to give these guys hope, give them a hobby and help them enjoy life again," explained fly-casting instructor Jim Valle, an attorney from New Jersey. "It's extremely relaxing and therapeutic. A lot of people say fly-fishing is sort of a Zen experience. I know it kept me alive. I would come home from working on murder cases, in a bad mood, and my wife would tell me to go out to the yard and fly-cast. It worked."

Staff Sgt. Brian Mancini is currently a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. While on patrol in Iraq in 2007, he came about as close to death as any living person can get. The huge scars on his face and head allude to the story of the day his life changed forever.

"We were on patrol on July 23 last year, we were in a hellacious firefight, and we got hit with an E.F.P.," he recounted while taking a break at Whitefish High School last Friday. "I lost my right eye, all the teeth on my right side, and my whole forehead is titanium. My whole face is rebuilt. I had extensive tongue damage, and received third-degree burns. I lost consciousness about five minutes after I got hurt, and I had extensive brain-tissue damage."

An E.F.P. (explosively-formed projectile) is a directional explosive designed to destroy armored vehicles, so one can imagine the amount of damage it can inflict on a human being.

Mancini, who served as his patrol's medic, said the young medic he was training that day ended up performing first-aid on him.

"He saved my life," Mancini said. "It was ironic that the student saved the teacher."

Mancini spent the next three weeks in a coma and was in a semi-conscious state after that.

"I woke up with my whole family around me," he said.

After being flown from Iraq to Bethesda, Md., he was sent to Walter Reed to begin extensive rehabilitation. About three months ago, one of his friends introduced him to Ed Nicholson, president and founder of Project Healing Waters.

"I had done some rod-fishing, so I thought I'd give it a shot," Mancini said. "It's an awesome program. The doctors and nurses can prescribe all the medication they want, but getting out in nature is healing in itself."

Mancini said he participated in several outings with the program, and he was hooked right away.

"It gets you away from the day-to-day grind of occupational therapy," he said. "The pain doesn't go away, but it's not as prevalent when you're out fishing. It's a combination of beautiful landscapes and being out in the wilderness, the water and being around great people."

The people involved with Project Healing Waters are a big reason why the program is so great, according to Mancini.

"There are so many amazing people who are willing to give their time," he said. "All these guys that came on this trip have significant injuries, and this program helps show that it's a positive life we're in, and fly-fishing allows us to make a connection. That's the biggest thing, showing you that you can do things again, despite the injuries that may have occurred. Life's not over -- it's just about finding those small pleasures again."

Retired Army Capt. David Folkerts, now the program manager for the organization, was one of the first veterans to take part in the program. Folkerts was injured during a route clearance mission as a platoon leader and medic in Taji, just northwest of Baghdad, in April 2005. An improvised explosive device, or I.E.D., exploded and sent shrapnel through his left side.

"It blew me up 20 feet in the air and severed several arteries in my arm," he recounted. "My buddies put a tourniquet on and flew me to Baghdad. They told me when I woke up, 'You're probably going to lose your arm.' But they were able to take a vein from my leg and saved my arm. It was pretty amazing."

Folkerts spent eight weeks as an inpatient at Walter Reed. He spent the next three years as an outpatient recovering from physical and emotional scars of the war.

"I definitely suffered from P.T.S.D. (post-traumatic stress disorder)," he said. "It lasted about a year."

Folkerts found out about Project Healing Waters while he was recovering in Walter Reed and started attending some of the outings.

"I fell in love with it," he said. "The program did a lot for me. Fly-fishing was an incredible outlet. It's pretty depressing in the hospital, and trout don't live in ugly places. The peace and serenity you get from being out in nature is amazing. Also, the difficulty of fly-fishing gives you a sense of accomplishment."

Nicholson started the organization four years ago after retiring from 30 years in the Navy.

"I was at Walter Reed for a non-combat-related injury, and I saw guys hobbling around," he explained. "I just went up to them and said, 'Hey, do you want to go out fishing?' One thing led to another, and the next thing you know, we had a nonprofit."

Project Healing Waters relies on donations and corporate sponsorship to pay for the fly-fishing outings.

"It grows every year," Nicholson said. "We're franchising our program at veterans hospitals and bases across the country. More and more veterans are getting the benefit of our services."

The program is open to disabled veterans from any war and is currently helping a mix of mostly Vietnam, Gulf War and Iraq War veterans. The organization has more than 30 programs in hospitals around the country.

Nicholson is a firm believer in the therapeutic benefits of fly-fishing.

"It is an extremely enjoyable sport for anybody," he said. "For someone who has lost some mobility, it builds confidence in your ability to adapt to everyday activities, especially as far as your hands go. The emotional state of mind is improved, and it provides a mental and physical boost for these veterans just when they need it. It helps people who never thought they would enjoy it."

For Mancini, fly-fishing has helped him validate a very simple yet important point.

"You don't have to stop enjoying life just because you got hurt," he said.

Interest in hunting, fishing dropping...

2008-03-29T21:57:00.001-07:00

By DAVE GRAM, Associated Press Writer
Sat Mar 29, 1:39 PM ET

STOWE, Vt. - Bob Shannon is an avid hunter, a fishing guide and owns a tackle shop, but he sometimes struggles to get his own son out into Vermont's woods and fields.

"He'll be sitting there with the video games," Shannon said of 9-year-old Alexander. "I finally had to lay down the law last summer: 'If it's a nice day, you're outside.'"

Shannon's challenge reflects a larger problem plaguing many state governments: Revenue from hunting and fishing license sales is plunging because of waning interest in the outdoors.

"We're losing our rural culture," said Steve Wright, a regional representative for the National Wildlife Federation. "There are so many distractions, and we're not recruiting young people into hunting and fishing."

Sales of Vermont hunting and fishing licenses have dropped more than 20 percent over the last 20 years, leaving the Fish and Wildlife Department pleading with lawmakers for extra funding.

Other states report similar drop-offs:

_Arkansas hunting license sales dropped from about 345,000 in 1999 to about 319,000 in 2003.

_Pennsylvania sold about 946,000 hunting licenses in 2006, down from just over a million in 1999, and a peak of 1.3 million in 1981.

_Oregon had 100,000 fewer licensed anglers last year than in 1987, and 70,000 fewer licensed hunters.

_West Virginia sold 154,763 resident hunting permits in 2006, a 17 percent decrease from 1997.

The trend means trouble for some fish and wildlife agencies, which use license revenue to finance preservation programs for endangered species like peregrine falcons, bald eagles and loons. Game wardens also help with law enforcement, joining searches for lost hikers and skiers.

In the search for new sources of revenue to support fish and wildlife programs, Vermont lawmakers are weighing legislation that would dedicate part of the state's sales tax revenues to the Fish and Wildlife Department.

"The issue here is that most of our fish and wildlife agencies were set up to fund conservation, based predominantly or entirely on one set of users" — hunters and anglers who pay license fees, according to Dave Chadwick, senior program associate with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Washington.

"They're shouldering the whole burden for a benefit and an amenity that we all enjoy," Chadwick said.

Other fundraising strategies range from sales taxes on outdoor sporting goods, as in Texas, to Florida's surcharges on speeding tickets, said Douglas Shinkle, a policy associate at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Some states are trying to boost efforts to recruit new people — especially young people — into hunting and fishing.

A West Virginia legislator has proposed offering hunters' training courses in public schools, allowing seventh- through ninth-graders to opt for instruction in topics ranging from survival skills to gun safety.

Arkansas has used some of its dedicated sales tax revenue to recruit new hunters. However, the state's hunter education program graduated 11,891 people under 30 years old last year, down from 16,596 in 1998.

Vermont sponsors youth hunting weekends, typically three a year. Oregon has started youth mentoring programs that match kids up with experienced hunters. Minnesota has two staff members reaching out to the state's burgeoning Southeast Asian population, said Jay Johnson of the state Department of Natural Resources' hunter recruitment and retention program.

Wright said it might be an uphill battle because of everything from video games to the growth in structured activities like team sports and music lessons.

But Shannon said he has met with some success. After he laid down the law with Alexander last summer, the boy went out fishing almost every morning, he said.

Bob Shannon holds a stuffed wild salmon in his Fly Rod Shop ...

2008-03-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I read this!

Get your kids off their fat asses and make them go outside...

What is this country coming to?

Bob Shannon holds a stuffed wild salmon in his Fly Rod Shop ... - Yahoo! News Photos: "Sat Mar 29, 12:32 PM ET Bob Shannon holds a stuffed wild salmon in his Fly Rod Shop in Stowe, Vt., Wednesday, March 26. Shannon says he struggles to get his 9-year-old son, pictured on a poster in the background, to leave his video games and get out into the woods and rivers to hunt and fish in Vermont. State fish and wildlife officials say there has been a decline in sales of fishing and hunting licenses, whose fees help protect wildlife.(AP Photo/Alden Pellett)"

Women and Fishing

2008-03-20T17:33:00.001-07:00

Women and Fishing

More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesn't require exceptional strength, stamina or height. Quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience…skills many women already possess. So why don't more women fish?

Successful fishing requires knowledge of various types of fishing gear, tackle, and an understanding of the quarry. Fish have a variety of feeding habits, behavioral patterns, etc. and these characteristics influence how to go about fishing for them.

Traditionally, men learned how to fish when they were boys from fathers and grandfathers. Even if this training was lacking, it's no big deal for a guy to hang out with other guys who enjoy fishing and learn the ropes from them.

For a woman, though, the process is apt to be somewhat more difficult. Some girls are fortunate enough though to have their father teach them how to fish. Often times this happens when there are just girls in the family.

Women like these learn how to bait their own hook, remove fish from the line, and even clean the fish once caught. Some people would call these women “tom boys”…Whether they are or they aren’t…One thing for sure is that they know how to fish!

For women who weren't brought up fishing as I was, all is certainly not lost. Although learning from a boyfriend or spouse is not out of the question, a significant other may not be the best place to get your first fishing pointers.

Your honey may not have the patience that you will need to learn proper fishing techniques and he may be a bit condescending as well…not exactly conducive to an enjoyable learning experience.

Try instead local women's fishing clubs. Check online for groups in your area that are specifically organized by and for women. Many groups are primarily centered on fly-fishing but not all are.

Also see if your community college or local university offers any fishing courses. Often fishing classes are offered in the adult education, physical education or recreation departments.

Of course, you can also start at your local library, checking out books on fishing and learning a few basic techniques that way.

Your local fishing outfitter or marina may have more information as well and would also be a good place for information and to network with other fishing women.

Another option is to go online and search for websites catering to women and the outdoors.

Other groups, both national and state, promote fishing for women. There are seminars, fishing adventures and special fishing events scheduled year-round in many areas of the country which are organized especially for women anglers.

Fishing is also a great hobby for women because it doesn’t cost a lot of money to get started. Compared to other hobbies, the start-up costs for a good spin or bait-casting set up aren’t all that expensive. For $200 you can buy a great beginner rod and reel. As a side-note, fly-fishing equipment is generally a little bit more money but still very reasonable.

Some women don’t fish because they think they need a boat…Boy, they couldn’t be more wrong. You don’t need a boat to go fishing. Many great fishing spots can be reached without a boat. All you have to do is ask around and look at a few maps to determine which places can be reach by car or trail.

So women if you’re looking for an enjoyable and challenging hobby why not take up fishing? Learning how to fish can take a little bit of work but it’s a lot like riding a bicycle. Once you learn how to fish, it’ll become a part of you. In fact, you may even become addicted!

The waters are calling…Go show those boys what you can do!

The ABCs of Fishing Rods

2008-03-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

The ABCs of Fishing Rods

See yourself standing on the bank of a swiftly moving stream in the shade of a gnarled willow, your fishing rod bent beneath the weight of an unusually large catch…

Whether or not you land that fish depends on the decisions you made at the shop -- primarily the type of rod you bought!

Your rod is the most important tool you will use while fishing and you can chose from a wide range of types, styles and lengths.

A fishing rod is a shaft of graphite, fiberglass, steel, wood or bamboo used to catch fish.

The fishing line is connected to your reel and threaded through the eyes of the rod out through the tip. Different rods will have different types of tips depending on what type of rod it is. Some tips are made for casting and others are made for trolling.

The base of the rod is where the fishing reel is mounted. Different rods are for different reels. Some are for fly fishing, some for spin-fishing, and even some for bait-casting or trolling.

Fishing rods vary in length from 4 feet (for children) to 16 feet; with the average being around 6 feet long. You pick your rod length based on the type of fishing you’ll be doing. Often you’ll find stout shorter rods for trolling and the very long rods for casting.

Here’s some advice for selecting your rod based on where you’re going to be fishing…

If your fishing hole is located next to trees with overhead branches, you'll need a short, flexible rod. This will allow you to cast easier. You want a flexible rod so that it can bend without snapping in half.

The flexibility of a rod is determined by the diameter. Light rods are thin and flexible, while stronger rods are thicker and more rigid.

For open terrain, flexible, thin rods that are 10 to 12 feet long are good, unless it's too windy. If it happens to be windy that day, you may find that a little short rod will make it easier to cast.

Some people also choose their rods based on the type of water they are fishing…

Fresh Water Or Salt Water?

Freshwater fishing occurs in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, while saltwater fishing is done in oceans, bays and along the coast. Choose a rod appropriate to the environment of where you'll be fishing.

You should also give consideration to the species of fish you are going after.

Short, strong rods are best for landing big game fish. Stronger and thicker rods should be used for large aggressive fish. Generally a smaller lighter rod should be used for smaller fish.

Some people enjoy fishing with a slightly smaller and lighter rod than you actually need because it’s more of a challenge. Just be careful you don’t break your rod and lose your fish!

Some people select their rods based on the material of the rod.

Common types of fishing rods include bamboo, fiberglass and graphite.

Bamboo rods can vary from a basic inexpensive pole with a line attached to a very expensive, handcrafted rod that is used for fly-fishing. Bamboo rods run from $5 up to hundreds of dollars for handcrafted fly fishing rods. If you are not planning to do fly-fishing, fiberglass or graphite rods are best.

Fiberglass rods are good for beginners and kids and they're reasonably priced. They come in many lengths, flexibility characteristics, and require very little maintenance.

Many experienced anglers prefer graphite rods, because they are very lightweight and extremely strong.

Lastly, you should select a rod based on how well it fits you.

Your goal should be to find a rod that fits your arm and is comfortable. If you have trouble finding one that fits you best, ask someone with experience to go along or just ask the staff at a fishing store.

I hope you put these tips to use when selecting your first or next rod.

Tight Lines!

Fly Fishing Secrets is Back in Publication!

2008-02-26T23:59:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll,

It's been a while since I've posted here and for that I'd like to apologize.

I will be posting a lot more regular now that I have the time to devote to this.

If you haven't done so already please get on my blog post announcement list.

You can do this one of two ways...

1. Fill out the form on the right and enter your name and email address.

2. Go to: http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com and enter your name and email.

No matter which way you join, be sure to verify your subscription.

After you fill out the form you'll be sent a verification link to your email.

Be sure to click on it!

Thanks and God Bless,

Michael

Global Warming Effects Fishing and Hunting in US

2006-07-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the news today is an article about how Global Warming is going to effect 12 National Parks in the US.

This will have a ripple-effect down to those of us who hunt and fish.

Thought maybe you might want to be aware of it.

-Michael

Global warming puts 12 US parks at risk: report - Yahoo! News:

By Deborah Zabarenko
1 hour, 29 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global warming puts 12 of the most famous U.S. national parks at risk, environmentalists said on Tuesday, conjuring up visions of Glacier National Park without glaciers and Yellowstone Park without grizzly bears.

All 12 parks are located in the American West, where temperatures have risen twice as fast as in the rest of the United States over the last 50 years, said Theo Spencer of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

'Rising temperatures, drought, wildfires and diminished snowfalls endanger wildlife and threaten hiking, fishing and other recreational activities' in the parks, Spencer said in a telephone news conference. 'Imagine Glacier Park without glaciers or Yellowstone without any grizzly bears.'"

Best Fly Fishing In Years In Idaho...

2006-07-22T16:37:00.002-07:00

"The South Fork is one of the best dry fly rivers in the country."

Sounds like Idaho is the place to be this summer...

Check out this article by Jill Margetts of South Fork Outfitters.

-Michael

PS: They even made the local news...You can view the clip below...

===================================

Who doesn't like the nice surprise of suddenly snagging a big fish on the hook and the suspense of reeling it in?

In Wild Files Local News 8's Jill Margetts takes us on a fly fishing adventure with South Fork Outfitters.

They say because of all the water we have this year the fishing is amazing.

Some say this year is the best fishing Idaho has had in ten years because of our full lakes and rivers.

"We've had great water conditions...who would have thought fish like
water," said Shaun Lawson, Manager of South Fork Outfitters.

They sure do love the water, especially cool water, thanks to our high water levels.

"When the lakes get drawn down the water temperatures get elevated it
stresses the fish they don't feed as well the hatches."

So now there's more fish, here's my first catch of the day, thanks to my fly.

"What we're trying to do when we're out there fly fishing is we're trying to imitate an insect that's drifting along with the current."

So Shaun and I waded out with these may fly and golden stone flies.

The golden stone is one of the most popular flies and our guide says we might catch something with it.

"Big dry fly. Easy to see. Tied with foam, they float good. It's nice to fish and fly that's an inch long. " "Here's a real golden stone compared to our fake fly, pretty good match. It is a good match, that's one of our most popular flies."

But the fish weren't biting the golden stone, instead we were reeling in the fish with may flies and nymphs.

"The hatch is just getting started, so we had some success kind of going just under the surface today."

I didn't have much success staying on my feet, but I did catch five fish. Everything from the Yellowstone cutthroats, rainbows and hybrids, to a Rocky Mountain white fish.

"The South Fork is one of the best dry fly rivers in the country."

If you want to try and catch a few fish and float down the South Fork for a day like Jill, you can South Fork Outfitters at 1-800-483-2110.

technorati tags:fly+fishing, fishing, flyfishing, idaho, south+fork, dry+fly, idaho+fishing, fishing+guides, outfitters, flies, nymphs

Fly-fishing clinic supports breast cancer survivors...

2006-07-22T16:20:00.002-07:00

Interested in supporting breast cancer? Read this article about the Casting For Recovery clinic. Casting for Cancer supports programs in 23 states and Canada. I found their own website at: http://www.castingforrecovery.org/

God Bless,

Michael

=====================================

Fly-fishing clinic supports cancer survivors
Let’s Go Fishin’, a fly-fishing clinic to benefit breast cancer survivors, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 26 on the Arkansas River in Swissvale.
The clinic supports Casting for Recovery, a national non-profit support and education program.
Sponsored by Angler’s Junction, the clinic will teach women about the art of fly-fishing using its five professional guides instructing about entomology, knot tying, casting and reading the river.

Fly-fishing clinic supports cancer survivors

technorati tags:fishing, fly+fishing, breast+cancer, cancer, fly+fishing+clinic, entomology, knot+tying, casting

Famous Catskills Fly Fishing Lodge Burns To The Ground!

2006-07-22T16:12:00.002-07:00

Wow! If the flooding up in the Catskills wasn't enough, now a famous Fly Fishing Lodge goes up in smoke. The Antrim Lodge was built back in 1890. Sounds like a fly fishermans mecca.

Anyone hear why the fire started?

-Michael

=====================================

Catskills fly fishing community dealt another blow...

Yet another disaster has struck in the breadbasket of American fly fishing. The Antrim Lodge in Roscoe was dealt its final death blow when a fire all but leveled the historic inn.
With clean-up still underway following the floods that rampaged the area recently, Monday morning saw yet another piece of history erased from the map. The Antrim — constructed in 1890 — was undergoing a long-overdue major rehabilitation and upgrade.
The inn had closed its doors in 1993, but in 2004 the owners started what was described as a major renovation, which would return the historic building to its former glory. Originally slated to be a two-year project, the latest schedule was for the re-opening to be sometime in 2007. As a result of Monday's fire the date will never come. The building is now damaged beyond repair.
Published reports say plumbers were working on the upper floors of the structure. The fire reportedly started on the fourth floor, completely consuming it and the roof.
The inn was the favorite meeting place for anglers who visited the area. The bar, located on the first floor, was called Keener's Hole — aptly named after the original owner, Frank Keener.
Fly fishers in particular in the early days of the sport seemed to establish favorite watering holes in close proximity to their favorite fishing holes. In the case of the Antrim Lodge, the Beaverkill, Willowemoc and the Delaware and other less famous trout streams were all within casting distance.
Another such place is Steinhoff's Sportsmen's Inn, located in Wilmington. Situated on the banks of the famous West Branch Ausable River, Steinhoff's is still operating today. Just don't expect to be rubbing elbows at the bar with the likes of Joe Brooks or Ray Bergman.
While the Antrim will always be remembered for its turn-of-the-century elegance, Steinhoff's has a more woodsy flavor, which serves as a constant reminder that you are in the high peaks region of the Adirondacks.

PoughkeepsieJournal.com - Catskills fly fishing community dealt another blow

technorati tags:flyfishing, fishing+lodge, catskills, adirondacks, fly+fishermen, fishing, fly+fishing

Catch and Eat Crayfish to help your trout fishing...

2006-07-22T16:03:00.002-07:00

Catch and Eat Crayfish to help your trout fishing...

Since I know fly fisherman are a group that like to look after their environment, I thought I'd post this interesting tip about crayfish.

Can anyone comment about how the crayfish affect our streams? I haven't had crayfish since I was a kid.

-Michael

PS: You can also find a bunch of Arizona Fly Fishing Tips in this weekly report about where to go fishing in Arizona.

===================================

Arizona weekly fishing report -- July 18
By Arizona Game and Fish
Rory’s Tip: This is a great time to hit the high country lakes for . . . bet you thought I was going to say trout; wrong. It’s a great time to take the youngsters and try for crayfish in our mountain lakes. Kids love catching crayfish. Kind of fun for us adults too.
Crayfish are simple. All you needs is a stick, some string, and some meat, such as bacon fat, hot dog or whatever. In fact, string soaked in bacon grease will do nicely. Bring a bucket to hold your crayfish. In fact, a good rule of thumb is one bucket for every two children.
Crayfish are also easy to fix. Bring the water to a rolling boil, take the water off the heat, put in the crayfish (leave them off the heat). When the crayfish turn bright red, they are done. If you want to get fancy, get a packet of crab boil to put in the boiling water. Then eat the crayfish tails, just like you would lobster tails. It’s easy, simple and fun camping fare.
By the way, crayfish are not native to Arizona. In fact, in the high country, crayfish can devastate our trout streams. So please, help the environment by catching and eating all the crayfish you can.

North Texas e-News

technorati tags:fishing, arizona+fishing, fly+fishing, crayfish, trout, camping, kids+activities, arizona, trout+fishing

Weighted flies, split shot cause controversy

2006-07-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Hey folks...Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. Things have been pretty busy here this summer so I haven't done the best job updating this blog.
I found this article today that I wanted to share...
Enjoy!
Michael
==============================
Weighted flies, split shot cause controversy
Ahhh Yes...The debate about whether using weighted flies is really fly fishing or not...Ken does a great job in this article explaining this fly fishing controversy.

"When trout and salmon have their chins glued to the bottom and don't look up to feed," I said while trying to keep a straight face, "You gotta' use a weighted fly or split shot on the leader and get down to 'em.
"On days when trout or salmon switch into this bottom-hugging mode, I told Heather, they refuse to rise to a well-presented fly, lure or bait near the surface. Without adding weight, an angler may have a long day with no action. During these times, she needs to sink the offering down to them. It's no more complicated than that simple rule, explaining why bait anglers with split shot often do well when the fly and hardware crowd goes fishless.
Click Here To Read The Rest...
Weighted flies, split shot cause controversy
technorati tags:fishing, flyfishing, fly+fishing, flies, weighted+flies

101 Fly Fishing Secrets Special 4th of July Weekend 2 For 1 Sale!

2006-07-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I hope you're able to get out fishing
this weekend.

If you're on my list, you'll have read
quite a few of my fly fishing tips so far.

If you've put them to use, I'd like to hear
about your results.

I'm curious...

How would you like to get access to all them?

Better yet...How would you like to listen to
them?

Well for the next 72 Hours Only, with your
order for my "101 Fly Fishing Secrets" ebook,
you'll also receive a free upgrade to the audio
version.

That's right, when you get the rest of these
insider secrets, you'll not only get the pdf
ebook, along with all 5 Bonuses (+ 4 Additional
Unannounced Bonuses), you'll also receive the
entire ebook for free on Audio MP3.

That's normally a $20 upgrade!

Go here to place your order now:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/order.html

Check out what one of my first customers had
to say about the book:

===================
Hi Michael,

Just wanted to drop you a note...LOVED your book!
I'm very jealous. As I went through it I kept saying to
myself "yeah....that's right on the money or wow!...I
never thought about that!...what a great idea".

This is a must read for all flyfishers. I have three daughters.
It's going into their vests for Christmas! Thanks for your
great contribution to the sport. You have a great talent
there. Thanks for sharing.

Bill Jones, LTCBaghdad School of Fly Fishing

===================

You too will be amazed at the rest of these tips.

Shave years off the learning curve and learn secrets
that you wish you had learned years before...

Go here now:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/order.html

Have a great Fourth!

Tight Lines,

Michael

P.S. If you need a refresher about all of the features
and benefits of my book, visit:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/index5.html

P.P.S. Remember...

This FREE Upgrade is only for the next 72 hours!

Claim your gifts here:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/order.html

Happy Father's Day 48 Hour Fly Fishing Gift Special!

2006-06-18T00:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day!

The following is a message I just mailed
out to my subscribers at SimpleFlyFishing.com

You may or may not be already on my list
to get free fly fishing tips delivered directly
to your email.

If you're not, I encourage you to join.

How?

It's simple...Just fill out the form on the right
of this page to join our newsletter...

or

visit our site:

http://www.simpleflyfishing.com/

===========================

Happy Father's Day!

Are ya able to get out fishin' this weekend?

Well, If you are, then I wish ya the best of
luck.

The Spring Chinook run here on the local
rivers where I live have been a bit slow but
the Summer Steelhead are starting to pick
up quite a bit.

The water levels have been pretty high since
we've been getting a ton of rain and cooler
temps, unlike the majority of the US.

I've been asked a few questions about the
101 Fly Fishing Tips ebook.

One is whether there are tips that would
help with casting...

The answer?

Absolutely!

We have a bunch of casting tips and even
a nice bonus report that's all about casting,
complete with diagrams and explanations
to help you become a better fly caster.

Since it's Father's Day and I like to do
special things for my subscribers, I wanted
to offer you an additional bonus that's good
only for the next 48 hours.

What is it?

Well, what I'm offering is a FREE Upgrade
for anyone that purchases the basic Ebook
version of 101 Fly Fishing Tips.

If you get the book in the next 48 hours,
you'll also receive the MP3 audio recordings
I made.

So, if you're busy like me and don't have a lot
of time to sit around and read, then you can
simply take these recordings, save them to a
disk or other portable device and listen wherever
you want.

I did this to make it as convenient as possible
for you.

Are you game?

To get your upgrade, just place your order
today at:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/order.html

Remember, this is only for the next 48 hours
in honor of all the fathers out there.

God Bless and Tight Lines!

Sincerely,

Michael
aka "The Duke"

PS: Did you forget what the ebook is all
about? Well, no problem...Just go here to
learn all about what's covered and how these
tips will help you become a better fisherman:
http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/index1.html

Free Fishing Weekend Report

2006-06-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

Free Fishing Weekend Report

Here in Washington State and in many parts of the country, last weekend was a free fishing weekend in that you didn’t need a license to go fishing. I wasn’t able to fish last weekend but I did go check out some of my favorite fishing holes.

Wow, the warm temps and all the snow melt sure does make for high water conditions. While out exploring on Sunday we went and looked at Sunset Falls on the Skykomish River. I’ve never seen so much water cascading down the falls.

We were up there for the afternoon to have a picnic and relax. There really wasn’t a decent place near the falls to relax (unless you wanted to yell over the roar of the cascading water…So, we continued up river until we got up near the town of Skykomish.

We found a nice spot in a National Forest Campground and sat down next to the river and ate our bbq’d chicken and homemade tater salad.

While we were eating this older man and his wife showed up from behind us and kinda startled us with the question, “having a picnic?” I turned around and said yeah…Then he said, “Well, we’re going to have to charge ya.” I said, “really?” He said, “Yep”.

He went on to explain that they had a day use area and that the charge was $6. $6 to sit for an hour and eat some chicken…You gotta be kidding me! So, I said okay and agreed to pay him on the way out of there since my wallet was up in the rig.

Just as we were finishing our meal, it started down pouring with a mountain thunderstorm. We decided to head back down river, closer to home and back into the sunshine. It was strange. We only drove 5 miles down the highway and it was blue sky’s and sunny and warm. We stopped at a local park and relaxed on the river sand bar cooling our feet off in the icy-cold water.

So, no fish this past weekend but still an enjoyable time on the river.

If you’ve been catching any fish lately, be sure to write me…I’d like to hear about it.

Tight Lines,

Michael
aka “The Duke”

======================

Join Our Mailing List at http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/ to receive Free Fly Fishing Tips and get our New eBook, "101 Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners."

Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Man's Sport...

2006-06-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Man's Sport"

Who ever said Fishing was just for men? In my opinion we need more women in the sport. This article is geared towards women who are interested in getting involved. If you're a man, why not forward this article along to your woman and encourage her to learn how to fish. When done correctly, sharing the experience of fishing with your sweetheart can be very rewarding both on a personal level and a relationship level.

Enjoy and Tight Lines,

Duke

=====================

"Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Man's Sport"

More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesn't require exceptional strength, stamina or height ? quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience, skills many women already possess. So why don't more women fish?

Successful fishing requires knowledge of various types of fishing gear, tackle, and an understanding of the quarry. Fish have a variety of feeding habits, behavioral patterns, etc. and these characteristics influence how to go about fishing for them.

Traditionally, men learned how to fish when they were boys from fathers and grandfathers. Even if this training was lacking, it's no big deal for a guy to hang out with other guys who enjoy fishing and learn the ropes from them.

For a woman, though, the process is apt to be somewhat more difficult. In my family of all girls, we learned the thrill of fishing as children from our father. Fortunately for us, our dad was an "equal-opportunity" fisherman...and he was a very patient man.

We learned to bait our own hooks, remove fish from the line, and clean the fish as well. We were rewarded with many an enjoyable Sunday on the lake competing for top family fishing honors of who caught the most and the biggest fish.

For women who weren't brought up fishing as I was, all is certainly not lost. Although learning from a boyfriend or spouse is not out of the question, a significant other may not be the best place to get your first fishing pointers.

Your honey may not have the patience that you will need to learn proper fishing technique and he may be a bit condescending as well?not exactly conducive to an enjoyable learning experience.

Try instead local women's fishing clubs. Check online for groups in your area that are specifically organized by and for women. Many groups are primarily centered on fly-fishing but not all are.

Also see if your community college or local university offers any fishing courses. Often fishing classes are offered in the adult education, physical education or recreation departments.

Of course, you can also start at your local library, checking out books on fishing and learning a few basic techniques that way.

Your local fishing outfitter or marina may have more information as well and would also be a good place for information and to network with other fishing women.

Another option is to go online and search for websites catering to women and the outdoors or, more specifically, women and fishing. One such website is www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.

Founded by Betty Bauman of Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 1997, LLGF "promotes networking among women anglers and emphasizes mentorship between novice and experienced members."

Other groups, both national and state, promote fishing for women. There are seminars, fishing adventures and special fishing events scheduled year-round in many areas of the country which are organized especially for women anglers.

Yet another reason fishing is a great hobby for women is because beginning your fishing experiences need not be prohibitively expensive. Especially when compared to other hobbies, start-up costs for spin or bait-casting fishing equipment are not tremendously high. Generally speaking, $200 or less can buy more than enough basic quality fishing gear for a beginner to get started. To start up a fly-fishing hobby will cost a bit more as the gear tends to be more expensive.

This, of course, doesn't include a boat! But, many fishing locations can be reached without a boat. Again, do your research to find areas accessible by car.

More women should consider fishing for an enjoyable and challenging hobby. Learning the basics of fishing is easy but perfecting those angling skills can take many hours of sometimes peaceful and sometimes extremely exciting time at the other end of a line.

======================

Join Our Mailing List at http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com to receive Free Fly Fishing Tips and get our New eBook, "101 Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners."

Fly Fishing On A Jetty Safety Tips!

2006-05-23T23:42:00.000-07:00

Here's some great tips for you saltwater fly fisherman out there....

Be Safe and Tight Lines,

-Michael
aka "The Duke"

=============================

SHORE CATCH ON THE FLY

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/19/06
BY JIM FREDACORRESPONDENT

Surf temperatures in the last week have been teetering in the upper 50-degree ranges, so it is time for striped bass to take a look at and hit a fly.

This makes jetties one location the fly fisher will want to be.

Jetties become a great equalizer, as these structures provide an avenue for the fly fisher to hook into fish that would ordinarily be unreachable from the beach. The extensive crevices, hiding places and myriad of marine life around these structures establish an ecosystem that is highly productive and makes these jetties an ideal place to shoot a line into the suds.

When planning to fly fish from any jetty, it is imperative that you put your personal safety as your No. 1 consideration. You must begin with the mindset that catching and landing a fish along the rocks is not as important as your life. Proper footwear and attire goes hand in hand with personal safety on a jetty. This would include a rain jacket, bibs, short boots, and korkers.

You should also familiarize yourself with the wave period and the location of sandbars around the jetty as these factors will impact both the number of waves striking a jetty and their heights.
Also look for any rogue wave formation that can lead to washovers.

Predetermining a landing location and the path you will take to move down or off the rocks if a big fish hits your fly is also a good idea.

Remember, it will be much more difficult to move from rock to rock when you are hooked up and a force is trying to pull you in the opposite direction.

Jetties can often become crowded very quickly, so fly fishers will have to be cognizant of their space so as not to place another angler in harm's way of a backcast. Be aware of the fact that a fly fisher can take up space that normally three good spin fishermen could occupy, particularly if you are fishing at the jetty's tip.

Travel light when fly fishing from any jetty as this will increase your mobility. A stripping basket is a must as this will prevent your line from dropping into the rocks below, but be sure to push it behind you when walking from rock to rock or when fighting a fish. This will give you a better field of view when you look to take your next step.

Your workhorse line on the rocks will be an intermediate sinking line. Because the intermediate line has a sink rate of one to two inches per second, it will present the least opportunity for getting hung up. However, if strong currents are present and the water is deeper than five feet, a 200- to 300-grain sinking line can also be used without snagging the rocks below.

Finally, always retrieve your fly by pulling it to the very edge of the rocks regardless of where you are positioned on the jetty. Bass and blues will attack a fly close to the rocks in a last desperate attempt to capture its prey as it appears pinned in with no escape.

Capt. Jim Freda is co-owner and operator of Shore Catch Guide Service, Manasquan.
Check out www.shorecatch.com for further information or e-mail jfreda@bytheshore.com.

Fly Rod Selection Tips...Important Questions To Ask Yourself Before Spending Any Money...

2006-05-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

Here's some great tips on Fly Rod Selection that are crucial for you to answer before going out and investing in a high dollar fly fishing rod.

I'd like to thank the Winston Rod Company for the use of this information.

Visit their site to below to finish reading their tips and all about the fly rods they manufacture.

Tight Lines,

Duke

RL Winston Rod Company Since 1929:

"WHAT TYPE OF ACTION DO YOU PREFER?

Slow, medium, medium-fast, fast, very fast. These are the actions of Winston fly rods. The action you are most comfortable with and your ability to make that action work for you are both important things to consider. Often, experienced anglers choose different actions for different situations. A medium-action for trout fishing, for example, and a fast-action for saltwater.

WHAT KIND OF CASTER ARE YOU?

Beginner and intermediate anglers can cast longer distances using a fast-action rod. More accompished anglers can cast just as far with medium-action rods, which also have the ability to make delicate and effective presentations at shorter distances.

DO YOU WADE OR FISH FROM A BOAT?

In terms of freshwater fishing, a fast-action rod is preferable if you're fishing from a drift boat. Quick and accurate casts, and lots of them, define this kind of fishing.

WHAT TYPE OF FLIES DO YOU USE MOST?

Medium and slower action rods will present dry flies lightly on the water. Faster action rods will cast larger flies and weighted patterns more easily.

WHERE DO YOU FISH?

A shorter length rod is better for small, brushy streams and overhanding trees. Medium length rods are more versatile, and preferred for larger water. Our longer length rods are specialized, with applications for float tubing, steelheading or casting for stripers from rocky shorelines where you need a high backseat.

IS IT WINDY WHERE YOU FISH?

High line speeds are needed to cast into the wind. These are most easily achieved with fast-action rods. However, very good casters can generate high line speeds with a medium-action rod.

HOW MANY RODS DO YOU NEED?

Most saltwater anglers own a variety of rods to handle a variety of lines and fish: an 8-wt for bonefi"

Fly Fishing Tip - Make Floating Line In A Pinch!

2006-05-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

I was browsing around one of my favorite fishing boards, GameFishin.com today and came across this great post by poster, "madcapmag".

If you're ever out and set up for fishing deep, then try this tip to get you on the surface in a pinch.

Enjoy,

Duke

Gamefishin.com Forum Home: Fly fishing....:

"Figured this might help some folks here...

Read about it somewhere and tried it, as well as JD telling me about it. When you need floating line, try just using mono but dressing it with line floatant. Easiest way is to peel of the amount you're gonna be casting or using, taking a cloth damp with the floatnat and reeling the line back in through the cloth.
Used it today whle trolling a wooly bugger. Trout were on top, so dressed the line, wooly bugger didn't sink as much and I got more strikes. It does need to be periodically redone.

Works for float fishing too, according to JD."

Where To Go Fly Fishing For Trout In Oregon...

2006-05-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing For Trout In Oregon...

Oregon Trout Fishing:

"Whether you're headed to the mountains for native cutthroats or driving to the lake to stack your stringer with plump rainbows, here are our recommendations for the year's best trout fishing. (April 2006)"

=================

We came across this great article by Gary Lewis that'll tell ya where to go for Oregon Trout this year.

To read the article just click on the link above.

Since most of these places are lakes, it's the perfect place to go fly fishing.

Growing up in SouthWestern Oregon, I know how well the trout fishing can be there. It's definitely a blast!

I just read about Diamond Lake resort and I guess the daily limit has been raised to 20 fish/day any size! How's that for some great fishing.

You can find out more about Diamond Lake resort by visiting their site at: http://www.diamondlake.net/

Enjoy the recommendations.

Tight Lines,

Duke
Fly Fishing Enthusiast

An Update On SimpleFlyFishing.com!

2006-05-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hi ya'll,

Sorry haven't been posting on here much lately. I've been swamped with a number of different things so I haven't been able to dedicate the amount of time I'd like to this blog. Never fear though, I haven't abandoned you :)

I wanted to inform you that we've just completed some updates to our sister site, SimpleFlyFishing.com.

We've added a bunch of bonuses to the ebook and you can now even get an audio version.

Go here now to read all about it:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/index1.html

I'll be in touch again soon.

If you haven't done so already, join our mailing list and receive Free Fly Fishing Tips.

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com

Tight Lines,

Duke

"Fly Fishing Techniques For Lakes"

2006-04-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well, for many of us here in the US, Spring is finally starting to take it's hold.

Here in Western Washington the Spring Trout Opener for low-land lake fishing offically gets underway, tomorrow morning. The WDFW estimates over 300,000 anglers will be fishing this opening day.

Since it is the trout opener for lowland lakes I wanted to give you guys a few tips.

I found a great article that'll I wanted to share with ya. It's full of a lot of tips that'll help ya find and hook the fish this weekend, Spring and Summer. You can read the article below.

Another great read we recommend if you're wanting to learn more about fly fishing in lakes is one of the bonuses I am offerring for my 101 Fly Fishing Tips for Beginners Ebook.

The bonus is called simply, "The Pocket Guide To Fly Fishing The Lakes".

You can get this book as well as 8 other bonus items at the site:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com/index1.html

Have a great weekend and rip some lips!

Tight Lines,

Duke

================================

"Fly Fishing Techniques For Lakes"

By: Dale East

Lake fly fishing techniques are similar to those of any other types of water except you don't have to deal with currents. In lakes fish have to aggressively search for food and are more likely to be tempted by anything that looks edible than their fussier river cousins.

Often lake fish will gather in schools and cruise around looking for food, but often it is the small fish that rise to take surface insects while the bigger ones feed in deeper water.

Where the fish are:

Fish in lakes aren't much different than fish in rivers. Their concerns are still protection from predators and finding food. Lake fly fishing techniques involved finding the areas where both these concerns are met.

Remember that lake water is generally deeper than rivers water, so bottom structures may not be visible. Try fishing where a stream enters the lake. Insects are often carried into the lake here and the fish will be waiting for them.

Structure in lakes includes piers and boat ramps, weeded areas and deadfalls. Fish are likely to be hanging around man-made structures that have been sunken into the waters. Lake fish like to hang around drop off areas. Here they can munch on food that has fallen into the water and dart back into the depths when spooked. Warm water fish gather around natural springs and weeds also.

Dry flies and lake fishing :

Lake fly fishing techniques usually involved fishing deep. It takes energy for a fish to take insects from the surface and there has to be a darned good reason for a bigger fish to do so. A big hatch might entice a large fish from the depths to feed, but you are more likely to catch smaller fish when using dry flies on lakes.

Wet flies and lake fishing:

If a fish expends more energy than he receives in searching for food, he will not survive long. Lake fishing techniques include knowing how an aggressively feeding fish will behave. He will check out the feeding zones, feed, then return to safe water to rest until it is feeding time again. If you are looking for large lake fish, you need to get your hook down where they are holding.

The larger the fish, the more energy it takes for him to feed, therefore the offering needs to be worthwhile. A big juicy-looking streamer hanging right in front of his nose will often tempt a fish.

The advantage of fishing wets over dries in lakes is that you can vary the depth and the retrieve until you find the combination that the fish cannot resist. Keep a close eye on your line because often the take is subtle. Using a strike indicator is helpful here.

Often a sinking line or sink tip can give you a big advantage when fly fishing a lake. You have a much greater chance for success if you can get your fly to the fish.

About the author: Dale East is a long time outdoorsman and fly fisher and publisher of Fly Fishing Wyoming

A Couple Of Tips To Help With Fishing In The Wind...

2006-04-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

I came accross this article today and thought this would be a great article to share...The wind sure does like to kick up in the Spring time so these tips are timely!

Enjoy,

Duke
SimpleFlyFishing.com

==============================

A couple of tips to help with fishing in the wind

Tuesday, April 18, 2006
By DAVE BUCHANAN

The Daily Sentinel

Rarely can it be said that wind is an angler’s friend.

Perhaps it is so in the occasional cases where gusts of summer wind dump grasshoppers and other terrestrials into fish-holding waters, creating an unexpected “hatch” that excites fish into feeding.

Or the same gusts driving away the ravenous mosquitoes that we’re certain to find in excess this summer on Grand Mesa.

Or the times when downriver winds (does the wind really blow downriver when you’re at the oars?) ameliorate the rowing as the day grows short, the take-out still is miles away and energy is fading fast.

In most cases, however, the wind is not the angler’s ally.

Float-tubing on open water when the wind starts to howl can be exciting to the point of danger, and even mid-sized boats have had to turn back when whitecaps start surging across Lake Powell.

Fly anglers, perhaps of all anglers, have to learn to come to terms with the wind. Attempting to get a natural drift while a wind stiff enough to blow the spots off a Dalmation whips your flyline into knots somewhere above your head can make even the most ardent fly angler into a fan of lead sinkers and metal lures.

Take fishing in the wind as the seasonal challenge it presents, and there are a few techniques and tricks that can bring success no matter how hard the wind blows. Well, almost.

After polling some veteran guides around the West, here’s a short compendium, a primer for the primavera, you might say.

Forget the overhand, looping cast and got to a low-profile sidearm cast, keeping the line down and out of the big gusts. Learn how to do a roll cast.

Punch the rod a bit more. Fly casting has been likened to tossing a tomato empaled on a fork, starting slow, smooth acceleration to a quick speed up and sudden stop at the end. Make that speed up and stop more pronounced to tighten the loop (less wind resistance) even more.

Don’t worry about being mistaken for Brad Pitt, standing on a rock and making long casts.
“As long as you can get your fly in the water and catch fish, who cares what you look like?” queried Jesse Eckley of Western Anglers Fly Shop.

Fish streamers, weighted flies or add more weight to get your offering down. The wind blows, there’s no hatches in sight, but the fish have to eat. Weighted streamers and Woolly Buggers cast easier and get down faster.

Thin out that strike indicator or completely get rid of it. Whether it’s balsa, foam or yarn, a strike indicator catches the wind and as it moves it carries your fly with it.

Shorten the length of your line on the water. High-stick nymphing made popular two decades ago by Chuck Fothergill and others seems to have fallen out of favor, but recently the Europeans have been kicking some serious fly-rod butts at the World Championships by using shorter lines. Your fly gets down faster and you have more contact (i.e., feel) with what’s happening down where you can’t see.

Take advantage whenever possible of the wind. Change the direction you are casting, change sides of the river, even change locations, said Drew Reid of Roaring Fork Anglers in Glenwood Springs.

“Try to make the wind your friend,” Reid suggested, and he laughed only a little when he said it.

Dave Buchanan can be reached via e-mail at dbuch-anan@gjds.com.

Knowing This One Secret Will Put You On The Trout This Summer!

2006-04-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

An interesting article was posted on one of the Fly Fishing Forums that I frequent and I thought it would be great to let you guys know about it.

It has to do with how lake water mixes spreading oxygen around at various depths.

The article points out where lake trout like swim during the long days of summer. You may be surprised if you think they're on the bottom.

A question I posted on the forum has to do with this temp./density effect on depth and fish finders.

Do you think these temp differences would effect both of these tools?

I know that out in the ocean, temperature and density are major factors in Naval Anti-Submarine warfare tactics.

But we're talking fresh water here...So, what's your thoughts?

-Duke

Here's a link to the forum post...
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php?t=31447

Fly Fishing Success Relies On Stealth Tactics!

2006-04-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

We couldn't agree more Joe.

On some popular web forums the discussion has come up multiple times. People are so concerned about long-distance casting, it makes me wonder if many of them are even thinking about accuracy.

All of the experts would agree that Accuracy comes first and then Distance.

You can read fly fishing expert Lefty Kreh's take on the subject in my newly released eBook called 101 Fly Fishing Tips.

The website address is: http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com

The article we're linking to below, written by Joe, is very entertaining and worth your time to read.

Enjoy,

Duke

Chron.com Fly fishing hasn't always been such a walk in the park:

"A decent cast of 40 or 50 feet was a big deal. But one of the ageless truths of fly fishing is that, regardless of venue or species, a lot of fish can be caught within 40 feet of the rod tip. The keys for close-quarters success are a stealthy approach and an accurate presentation."

Trout Senses – Are Trout Color Blind?

2006-04-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

Trout Senses – Are Trout Color Blind?

Observant anglers can learn a great deal about how trout use their senses to find food and avoid predators. For example, it’s obvious that trout have excellent, because they are quickly “put down” by any sudden movement. Once spooked, they are nearly impossible to catch for a considerable time.

Savvy trout anglers understand the importance of keeping low to stay out of the trout’s “window” of vision. Because of the way light rays entering the water are bent, trout can see a much wider area above the surface than you would expect.

The trout’s keen vision is evident to any fly fisherman who has been frustrated because his fly was not the same size or color as that of the insect on which the trout were feeding.

A trout’s color-vision capability is also apparent to anglers who use “hardware.” There are times, for instance, when the fish ignore a plain silver spoon. But if you attach a small piece of fluorescent orange tape, they greedily attack it.

Anglers walking the bank of a trout stream know that a heavy footstep has pretty much the same effect on trout as a sudden movement. Trout detect the vibrations using their well-developed lateral-line sense, consisting of a network of sensitive nerve endings along their side.

The fact that trout have a good sense of smell is evident if you watch how they react to odor-producing bait such as fresh salmon eggs. The eggs emit a milky colored scent trail, which the trout quickly detect and follow to the source.

We hope this gives you a better understanding of trout senses and why color is important when fishing.

Thanks to the North American Fishing Club for the use of this article. You can find out more about the club and what it has to offer by visiting this link:

http://www.FishingClub.com/

Tight Lines,

Duke

Baghdad Fly Fishing School...From Novice To Graduate!

2006-04-06T00:43:00.000-07:00

Who would've thought that you could fish during a war?

Wow, times sure have changed!

It's great to see people, like crazygoof from the Outdoors Best Fly Fishing Forum and the rest of the staff at the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing, give of their time to teach our deployed Sailors and Soldiers how to fly fish.

In the midst of all that's going on over there in that part of the world, crazygoof managed to start up a fly fishing school in the middle of a warzone!

I say, that's something to blog about.

The link to his site where he's posted a lot of pictures and stories about the class are located at:

http://members.cox.net/flybox/BSFF.htm

Be sure to check out his site and send him an email thanking him for his service!

As a prior Naval Officer myself, I really appreciate it when I see people like the staff of the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing doing what they're doing.

BZ (Bravo Zulu = Great Job) to all of our service men and women currently deployed in harms way. Keep up the Great Work!

God Bless and Tight Lines,

- Michael
aka "The Duke"

Puget Sound Steelhead "Threatened"

2006-04-06T00:02:00.000-07:00

Quite the discussion about this topic on the local Washington State Fly Fishing message boards. What do you think? Should the Puget Sound Steelhead be listed as a threatened species?

There is a lot of finger pointing go on from all sides. Who's to blame? I don't know...I think we all should take responsibility for the situation and all of the groups involved should work together to form a solution for this awesome Northwest fishery.

-Duke
SimpleFlyFishing.com

==============================

"Puget Sound Steelhead 'Threatened"

SEATTLE - The federal government is proposing to list Puget Sound steelhead as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act. The move starts the clock on a 12-month process to determine whether a listing is warranted.

An "endangered" listing means the species is in danger of extinction. "Threatened" indicates the species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

"But by the same token, we think we can make some progress with the state on hatchery reform, and we will continue to look at causes for decline and signs of progress as we reach the anniversary of the proposal" on March 29, 2007.

NMFS reviewed the steelhead's status as recently as 1996, when it determined the population did not warrant a listing. But agency scientists said then they were concerned about the health of summer-run stocks — one of four annual runs — and the harmful effects of hatchery-raised steelhead on wild steelhead runs.

Since then, agency biologists have noted widespread declines in Puget Sound steelhead populations, despite reductions in the sport-fishing harvest of natural steelhead. Only hatchery-raised fish may be kept by anglers.

In September 2004, retired fish biologist Sam Wright of Olympia urged the government to list the fish, saying, "Nearly all the river systems have distinct downward trends in population abundance and are not even coming close to replacing themselves from generation to generation."

Wednesday's action comes in response to his petition.

Over the next 12 months, NMFS will work to determine the root causes of the declines, which likely include degraded habitat, blockages by dams and other man-made barriers, unfavorable ocean conditions and harmful hatchery practices.

Hatchery-raised steelhead compete with wild fish for food, weaken them genetically by interbreeding, and sometimes stay longer in streams than expected and eat the newly emerging natural fish, Wright said.

Like salmon, steelhead migrate to the ocean to grow up and return to fresh water to spawn. Unlike salmon, they can return more than once.

They're already listed as endangered in Washington's Upper Columbia River and in Southern California; and as threatened in most of the rest of California, in Oregon's Upper Willamette River, the Middle Columbia and Snake River Basin in Washington, and the Lower Columbia separating Washington and Oregon.

Article from the Associated Press. (Link MidCurrent.com.)"

Steelhead Myth Exposed!

2006-04-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

Steelhead Myth Exposed!

Do Steelhead Trout really take a fly or are they just "lined" by a fly fisherman's fly line?

Many of you may have heard of the Discover show, "MythBusters"...Well, today I'd like to share with you the truth.

This article written by a Michigan newspaper sports writer reveals the truth about catching Steelhead on a Fly.

So, in our opinion, while it does happen occasionally, for the most part fly fisherman do not "line" the fish, instead the fish is hooked with the fly.

So, this myth folks....Is BUSTED!

Enjoy the article,

-Duke

===============================

Fly fishing effective winter technique on Pere Marquette

Sunday, March 26, 2006
By Bob Gwizdz

BALDWIN -- There's a common perception among some anglers that fly fishermen don't ever really catch steelhead, that they simply "line" them -- as in snag them in the mouth -- by pulling their flies into the fish and setting the hook.

And while there is, no doubt, some of that going on, veteran fly fishermen will tell you they've seen steelies come after a fly, turn on it and lunge, as it drifted past.

That behavior may be more noticeable in the fall, when the fish are fresh in the river, still full of spit and vinegar and actively feeding. But steelhead will take a fly in the winter, too.

Case in point: I was fishing with Ed McCoy, who guides out of Pere Marquette River Lodge, the end of the first week of March as part of a two-boat trip, when the boatmen pulled off to the side of the river to cook lunch. I jumped out and began drifting a black stone fly nymph (No. 14) through a deep run under a strike indicator when I saw the cork go down. Seven or eight minutes later, I was posing for pictures with a shiny 9-pound-plus hen.

My fly was running five or six feet under the indicator, but the hole was several feet deeper than that. There's no way it would be possible to line that fish with that rig.

After lunch, I went right back to the hole and on the first drift, hooked a 13-inch brown trout.

The trout inspired me. I spent the next hour throwing a big black streamer on a sink-tip line with no success (I did move one very nice brown trout, however), then went back to the indicator rig.

"I think (indicator fishing) is one of the most deadly techniques for any of the cold-water species," said McCoy, who has a degree in wildlife and fisheries from Michigan State and has been guiding fly anglers on the PM for five years. "It allows you to make a realistic presentation.

"Your flies are going to remain vertical pretty much as long as you keep mending your line. With chuck-and-duck, your flies are describing an arc through the water, like a pendulum.

"With a bobber, your flies are presented properly the whole drift."

Anglers can easily see what McCoy means when fish are on gravel. Cast out your line; when you take up the slack, the flies begin moving back toward you as they tumble downstream.

I would have liked to see how the indicator rig worked with fish on shallow gravel, but although there were plenty of highly polished redds around, there weren't any fish on them. That's because the high sun chased them into the holes, McCoy said.

"Spawning is all based on water temperature," he said. "Anytime the water temperature hits 40 and stays there for a day or two, the fish will start moving. The magic number is 42. When it hits that, it's game on.

"When it's cold, it's not an all-day thing. It's low-light hours, mostly evenings. Or in high water, they'll move up during the day.

"But they'll stay there all day once the temperature gets right."

McCoy said he'd seen fish working gravel in January this year and in some years has seen hundreds on gravel in February.

"I don't know if they were depositing eggs, but that's been fairly normal since I've been guiding here," McCoy said.

We worked the deeper runs behind the polished gravel. McCoy caught a nice steelhead and a short-time later, I caught another brown, a 16-inch specimen on an tiny egg fly. And that, again, inspired me to pick up the streamer rod.

"Most people don't look at trout fishing until the trout opener," McCoy said, as he pointed out likely brown trout haunts. "They're missing the boat. There's great trout fishing before the opener.

"We've got flies hatching right now. There's no reason you can't catch them on a nymph or even an occasional dry fly. But you're going to catch your bigger fish on streamers."

McCoy switched me to a white circus peanut, a long, articulated fly with a little sparkle tied into it. Fish started coming from a distance to chase it.

I threw it up against a deadfall, stripped it quickly, and watched a trout dart out after it, but not buy it. Two casts later, I hooked and landed that fish.

And about 30 minutes later, I hit another fish in the 16-inch range, a brown trout I'd consider a great fish no matter when or where I caught it.

"You'll catch better numbers on nymphs and eggs on light leaders, but once a brown trout hits 12 to 14 inches, it becomes piscivorous," McCoy said. "They're big enough to attack and kill something and they're looking to get more bang for the buck, rather than picking up bugs and eggs."

Steelhead fishing should be at a peak right now and continue for several more weeks. To book McCoy, or another guide, call Pere Marquette River Lodge at (231) 745-3972.

SimpleFlyFishing.com Update!

2006-04-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let ya know that our websites are back online after the server upgrade. We apologize for the downtime and thank you for your patience.

Go to our site now and get signed up for our Free Newsletter where we give away "10 Top Tips For Becoming A Better Fisherman", as writen by Lefty Kreh.

Tight Lines,

Duke

We apologize...Our websites are down!

2006-04-04T00:39:00.000-07:00

If you were trying to go to our new site we just launched about Fly Fishing Tips, we apologize as our webhosting company had to complete an emergency hard-drive replacement on the server that houses the files for my websites. Thank God for Blogger and being able to run this blog without needing a webhost.

Our site, SimpleFlyFishing.com should be back online in the morning.

We're sorry for the delay.

Sincerely,

Michael

Why Don't More People Fly Fish?

2006-04-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Larry Myhre, editor of the Sioux City Journal seems to have a pretty good bead on this.

In summary...This is what he said...

Well, there are a number of reasons. For one thing, fly casting is not easy to learn. It takes a lot of practice to learn to cast well, but the good news is it is a lot like learning to ride a bike. Once you've got it, it doesn't go away. Then, there is the initial investment, the knowledge which must be gained, the probable lack of fishing partners, the fact it is difficult to fly fish on windy days, jet skis, waterskiers...I could go on, but you get the picture."...

...While the best way to get started is to be coached by a knowledgeable fly fisherman, few in our area will have that opportunity. There just aren't that many fly fishermen...

I agree with him. Now's a perfect time to get started.

He mentions many more great tips on getting started fly fishing.

His recent article can be found by clicking the link below.

Sioux City Journal: If you want to learn fly fishing, just start now

My NEW eBook would be a perfect resource to have if you're just starting out as well. It's called..."101 Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners."

If you join my list you can receive 10 of the tips for free.

Go here to join:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com

Discover 101 Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners!

2006-04-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quick message announcing the launch of my new website:

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com

I've made available a Special Report titled, "10 Top Secrets To Becoming a Better Fly Fisherman"!

These tips are from my studies of the legend, Lefty Kreh.

They are only a small part of my new ebook titled, "101 Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners!".

While the title may say it's for beginners, there's definitely something there for everyone.

Go to my site today and check it out.

http://www.SimpleFlyFishing.com

It's already daylight savings time here and it's 3:50 AM!!! I need to get some sleep before the birds start chirping :)

Just wanted to let you know that you can now access the site.

Tight Lines,

Michael
a.k.a. "The Duke"

U.S. Expands Bird Flu Testing

2006-03-31T12:12:00.000-08:00

We thought we'd bring you up to speed on the bird flu news as our hackle supplies will be a function of this deadly virus.

In other news, be looking for our new Fly Fishing ebook to hit the market here in the next day or so. We've put a lot of work into it and look forward to releasing it.

Tight Lines,

Duke

======================================

U.S. Expands Bird Flu Testing

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Bracing for the possibility that migrating birds could carry a deadly strain of avian flu to North America, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced recently that it plans to test approximately eight times as many wild birds this year as have been tested in the past decade.

Beginning in April, the USFWS says approximately 75,000 to 100,000 wild birds will be tested for the virus, an increase from the approximately 12,000 birds that have been tested for the virus since 1996.

The expanded testing program, which will focus in Alaska but also include birds in the Pacific islands and on the West Coast, reflects growing concern that the virus could arrive in North America as soon as this spring and be carried into the western continental United States by fall.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns says if test results show the virus exists in wild birds in North America, it would not signal the start of a human pandemic, because avian flu is still primarily a disease of birds.

At least 175 people have been infected, and 95 have died from the disease since December 2003, most after having close contact with infected chickens but not wild birds. Scientists say the virus hasn’t developed the ability to spread easily from person to person. If that happens, they say it could potentially ignite a pandemic.

Of the four major flyways in North America the Pacific flyway is of greatest interest now, says Frank Quimby of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“The Pacific flyway is the most likely route, because birds that winter in Asia migrate in spring to Alaska,” he said.

Scientists will test birds by first capturing them in nets and then taking swabs from the throat or cloaca (posterior opening). They’ll then send those samples to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Center in Madison, Wisconsin. If any birds test positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, confirmatory testing will be done at the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. USDA spokeswoman Angela Harless says as many as 18,000 samples a day can be tested. Tests will also be made on birds killed by hunters in Alaska this spring, and in Oregon, Washington and California during this fall’s waterfowl hunting season.

Sorry, no new post today...

2006-03-30T01:35:00.000-08:00

We're sorry that we haven't been consistent with posting everyday. Right now we are in the process of finishing up an ebook on 101 Fly Fishing Tips. We hope it will be completed by the end of the week.

We'll try to stop by in here a little more regular....Especially once this new ebook has been released.

Thanks for your patience,

Duke

Snag-Free Fly Casting on Small Streams

2006-03-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Hugh Koontz describes a variety of mountain-stream casting techniques that have served him well over the years, including the 'S' Curve, Puddle Cast, and Rock Cast: 'With I cast my line over the boulder, so it rests there with no movement, while the fine tippet and fly land in the pool. With the line resting on the rock, there is no drag for several seconds, or at least until it floats to the dropoff lip of the pool.' In the Shelby (North Carolina) Star."

Washington's Best Trout Fishing For 2006...

2006-03-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for where the hotspots are in Washington State, then check out the following article by Doug Rose in the March issue of the Washington/Oregon Game and Fish Magazine.

Washington Trout Fishing:

It's time to get out of your warm cabins and go wet a line!

-Duke

Lefty on Leaders: How To Choose Fly-Fishing Leaders and Tippets...

2006-03-27T23:40:00.000-08:00

Lefty on Leaders:

How To Choose Fly-Fishing Leaders and Tippets

by Lefty Kreh

Consider the importance of leaders in the sport of fly fishing. Even in the earliest days, fishermen knew that they couldn’t just attach a fly directly to the line and catch fish. Since then, we’ve learned through trial and error the importance of the proper selection of the leader to match the fly, fishing conditions and the species sought.

In order to better understand leaders and their importance to fly fishing, let’s begin with this "primer" — a short history and discussion on the evolution and selection of leaders.

Some of the earliest fly lines were made from the strands of hair in a horse’s tail. In an effort to make the presentation more realistic, the number of hairs was gradually diminished so that only two or three were used to attach the fly.

The first nearly transparent, supple leaders were developed in the early 1700’s, probably in England. They were often called "catgut leaders," but actually were made from strands of silkworm gut braided into a taper. Such leaders needed great care because they were brittle when dry and they required a thorough soaking before each use.

In the early 1940s, the invention of nylon revolutionized leaders. And since then, its characteristics have been vastly improved. Nylon can now be made with various properties, such as high knot strength, degrees of stretch or stiffness, and abrasion resistance. In order to gain one characteristic, however, another often has to be slightly sacrificed.

To better understand leaders used in fly fishing, it is important to understand the terms used:

LEADER TERMINOLOGY

Butt Section, heaviest portion of the leader, attached to the fly line end

Mid Section, part of the leader forward of the butt section

Tippet, thinnest or lightest line strength segment of a tapered leader

Bite or Shock Tippet, short, heavy section of a leader between the tippet and the fly. The material used can be large diameter monofilament or wire (braided or a single strand). A bite tippet is used where fish have sharp teeth or may abrade through a tippet during the battle.

X, designates the tippet’s strength. Since nylon can frequently be of slightly different strengths for the same diameter, X is a little nebulous; however, if you want to know the approximate strength of a tippet, subtract the X number from 9 to get the strength of the tippet. For example, a 5X leader subtracted from 9 means about 4 pounds test, and a 2X tippet subtracted from 9 means a tippet strength of approximately 7 pounds.

Diameter, for correct diameter of an X designation, use a micrometer to measure the section of leader and subtract the X from .011. For example, a 5X leader subtracted from .011 should measure approximately .006. A 3X leader subtracted from .011 means that a 3X leader should have an approximate diameter of .008.

FUNCTION OF LEADERS

There are a number of reasons for using a leader. First, it forms a nearly invisible connection between the fly line and the fly. Obviously, a fly tied directly to the line isn’t going to interest most fish. Second, a leader permits the fly to either have proper action or drift drag-free.

For fishing with a trout streamer, bonefish pattern or similar small fly, it’s not good to use a tippet too large in diameter because the thicker diameter monofilament will destroy any natural action of the fly. For situations where the angler wants to manipulate the fly or permit it to swim freely on water, the leader must be thin and supple enough to allow the fly to move easily.

Another very important reason for using a leader is to place the splashdown of the fly line far enough away to prevent alarming the fish. The leader falling to the water does little to frighten the fish, but a fly line coming to the surface can ruin the angler’s chances. That is why a trout fisherman on a calm spring creek or slick beaver pond must use a very long leader. When fishing for the same kind of trout in fast water, however, the turbulence of the stream means that a much shorter leader can be used.

And in those situations where the fish have an abrasive mouth or one filled with sharp teeth, a bite (also called "shock") leader has to be placed in front of the fly.

TYPES OF LEADERS

There are four basic types of leaders, with variations within each type:

Level leader: this is a leader made from a single strand of monofilament of the same diameter. It is often used when the angler must fish in vegetation where delicacy of presentation is not a factor and a knotted leader would snag the plants. For example, a level leader may be the choice when seeking largemouth bass in lakes where the surface is cluttered with lily pads and similar aquatic plants.

Conventional Tapered leader: this is a leader where the butt section is heavy and its diameter gradually diminishes as it reaches the tippet. It’s the standard leader used for almost all fly fishing, other than trout. Such leaders should turn the fly over, as well, at the end of the cast. Used in both fresh and salt water, this leader is used during the retrieve to manipulate the fly.

Tapered Dry Fly leader: this leader serves several important functions, so the requirements of its construction are more critical than any other type of leader. A dry fly must float freely on the surface, as a natural insect does when it falls to the water. If the dry fly leader is not correctly designed, it will cause the fly to be dragged unnaturally on the water, and the trout will refuse it. The tippet is extremely critical in obtaining the correct drift with the fly.

There are two basic types of tapered leaders. One is made of a continuous strand of monofilament that diminishes in size, such as trout, bass and bonefish leaders from 3M Scientific Anglers. The other’s diameter is knotted together to form a similar continuous tapered leader. Tapered leaders can be made from solid monofilament, or the rear portion can be a number of fine strands of braided monofilament.

Bite Tippet leader: fish that have mouths lined with sharp teeth or that are abrasive will soon wear through a delicate tippet. To prevent a cut-off or to keep the tippet from eroding, a heavier section of monofilament or wire (braided or single strand) is attached to the tippet and then connected to the fly. This is called a "bite tippet" or a "shock tippet". It is an absolute necessity with many species — such as tarpon and permit in saltwater situations, and muskie and northern pike in freshwater situations.

If the teeth are likely to cut through an even large diameter monofilament, wire is used. Solid wire has less diameter than braided wire for the same wire strength, but solid wire tends to kink when anglers battle the fish and the wires must be replaced since the kinked material spoils the action of the fly.

Braided wire is more flexible and is usually coated with a clear monofilament to make it easier for the angler to handle. When using nylon-coated braided wire, some of the nylon may shred and hang down from the wire. This requires repairing the wire or replacing it -- usually the latter.

Regardless of whether large diameter monofilament or wire is used, the rule is to use the shortest wire bite leader possible. Longer bite tippets are very difficult to turn over on the cast, and in clear water, the longer a wire leader, the more likely fish will see it and refuse the fly.

COLOR

Monofilament leaders come in a variety of colors. Over the years, most experienced fly fishermen have determined that either a clear or light olive-tinted leader is best for almost all fishing situations.

DEGREE OF STIFFNESS

Nylon can be manufactured in many degrees of stiffness. For years, it was maintained that leaders needed stiff nylon in the butt section and then a limper section forward of that. A fly line and leader deliver the fly to the target by unrolling. At the end of the forward cast, the line starts unrolling at the rod tip and continues to unroll until the leader straightens. The stiff nylon butt section actually defeats the unrolling process. Nearing the end of the cast, the energy is diminishing and the line is slowing. Since a stiff butt section actually doesn’t unroll as easily as a softer one, this often results in a spoiled cast.

There is also the problem of a butt section being too limp to carry enough energy forward through the leader to properly present the fly. The answer is to have a heavy butt section of nylon that is neither too stiff or limp. Many leaders today have a butt section that is too limp. A butt section with a heavy mass (a thick diameter) but one that is not too stiff or limp, is the answer.

HOW TO DECIDE WHAT LEADER TO USE

Different fishing situations demand different types of leaders, and selecting the correct one is vital to angling success. Generally, manufactured leaders are divided into categories: freshwater and saltwater. The major difference between the two is that the saltwater leaders tend to have a heavier butt section and taper to a stronger tippet.

Freshwater leaders can further be divided into two areas: trout or heavy freshwater use. Trout generally require the use of small flies, while bass, pike, panfish and other freshwater species will strike larger flies. This means that trout leaders have to make a very delicate presentation and permit the fly to drift drag-free most of the time. A heavy freshwater leader is used in a different manner for the above-mentioned gamefish. In those instances, fly fishermen present the fly and use the fly line and leader to manipulate the fly.

For most trout fishing, a 7 1/2- to 15-foot leader is ideal, providing that a proper cast is made. If the fly is a heavy one, such as a weighted streamer or large nymph, a 9-foot leader may be required. If the water is turbulent, such as in a riffle or if the surface is ruffled by wind or current, then a short 7 1/2-foot leader is required. If the water is slick calm, the splashdown of the fly line needs to be placed as far away from the fly as possible. The more wary the trout and the calmer the surface, the longer the leader required — as much as 15 feet. The smaller the flies used, the lighter the tippet required to permit the fly to drift in a natural manner.

GUIDELINES FOR TROUT FISHING LEADERS

When dry fly fishing with small flies on a calm lake or stream, you may need a 15-foot leader tapered to a 5, 6 or 7X.
On a windy day on the same lake or stream when the surface is rippled by the breeze, a shorter leader such as a 7 1/2-foot leader tapered to a 5, 6 or 7X may be needed.

When fishing the same size dry flies on a smaller mountain brook where the water is calm but the pools are short, choose a 9-foot leader tapered to a 5, 6 or 7X. This is probably the most popular of trout leaders.

When fishing emergers or nymphs when the surface is calm or the water is deep, you will need a 12-foot leader. When the surface is rippled or the water is rather shallow, a shorter 9-foot leader may be best.

When casting heavy streamers and nymphs, the longer leaders make turning over the cast properly a difficult chore. A 9-foot leader works much better.

When fishing for larger trout, use the strongest tippet that will permit you to drift or work the fly properly. In catch and release fishing, you’re defeating the purpose to hook a larger trout on a 7X tippet and fight the fish until it’s exhausted. You should try to land the fish as quickly as possible so it can be returned in good condition.

If you are casting where there are obstructions or cover that the trout will try to get during the battle, use a least a 4X or stronger tippet.

WHERE TO USE A HEAVY FRESHWATER LEADER

When fishing for largemouth or smallmouth bass in a lake or stream where the water is clear, you’ll are using flies with hooks ranging in size from 8 to 2/0. A leader with an 8- or 10-pound tippet is fine.
When fishing for bass in a lily-pad covered lake or one with logs and other obstructions, your situation demands a 8-foot leader with a tippet of 14-pound test to help stop the fish from reaching leader-breaking cover.

Fishing for steelhead or Atlantic salmon — a 10-foot leader tapered to 8, 10 or 12 pounds is perfect.

When throwing heavy streamers, or fishing water is slightly roiled or dirty — a 9-foot with a 12- or 14-pound tippet is fine.

WHERE TO USE A SALTWATER LEADER

For almost all saltwater fly fishing conditions, a 9-foot leader is okay. If the fly is rather small (dressed on hook sizes from 6 to 1/0), a tippet of 8- to 12-pound test is fine. When casting heavier flies or when the wind is blowing, the same 9-foot leader tapered in 12 or 16 pound test is the best selection.

On very calm days in the shallows when fishing for stripers in a quiet cover, or bonefish and redfish on the flats and cruising snook, a longer leader may be needed. This is when a 12-foot leader is best. For smaller flies, use a 8- to 12-pound test tippet. For larger flies, a 12- or 16-pound tippet is best.

TIPPETS

A leader can be used over and over. But if the tippet becomes abraded by the fish, it will need to be changed when it is used for tying additional flies. For that reason, it is best to buy spools of tippet material. Scientific Anglers offers high-quality spools of tippet material ranging in size from 7X to 20 pounds. Those designed for trout fishing are tinted a light olive color, while saltwater leader tippets are clear.

Now that you’ve learned how to properly select the leader to match the fly, and how to match it with the fishing conditions and the species sought, you’re ready to put your skills to the test. Class dismissed! See you on the water...

Fly Fishing Guide Speaks The Truth!

2006-03-21T00:31:00.000-08:00

Fly Fishing Guide Speaks The Truth!

Recently the Farmington Daily Times ran a story by Don Oliver, a licensed fly fishing guide in the Four Corners.

In this short story included below, you'll hear why it's all about fishing first.

Don reminds us to think back to when we first learned how to fish. Most of us weren't born with a fly rod in our hand.

We fished with a beginning spinning rod and reel often with nothing more than a hook baited with a live worm.

Even now when I fish with my spinning rod, I find that often trout just can't resist a wiggly worm :)

-Duke

====================

Fly Fishing Guide Speaks The Truth!

"If there were 10 commandments for fly fishing the first one would be 'Never use bait, alive or once alive.' The second one would be 'Only use of a fly rod is permitted.' Last month I broke both of these commandments, sinned, and it was fun.

My wife and I went with my fishing partner, Sam, and his wife to Rocky Point, Mexico for some much-needed sun, margaritas and relaxation. Needless to say, Sam and I took our fly rods. We fully expected to walk into the surf, cast our saltwater flies and become exhausted reeling in big fish. Our success at this was a big, fat zero. So, being guides, we did what all guides would do: We hired a guide for a day of fly fishing in the ocean.

We went to local dive shop that handles bookings for fishing guides, explained what we wanted, and were assured this was no problem. So, at the appointed day and hour, we arrived to be guided on a great day of fly fishing. The first indication this might not be the case was our guide spoke no English, had a boat with a sun cover over the entire boat, had heavy saltwater rods in the holders, and was loading frozen squid for bait. Not to be deterred, Sam and I did what any non-Spanish speaking American would do. We spoke louder and pantomimed what we wanted to do. The guide looked at us, nodded OK, and off we went.

To the guide's credit, he took us to where he thought we could successfully fly fish. We tried for about two hours with no luck. The guide, through pantomiming and talking louder, convinced us we needed to move to deeper water. We tried to fly fish in deeper water, and again it was not working. At this point, the guide started fishing with heavy saltwater gear. He took a short rod that a 200-pound marlin couldn't bend and attached to it was a reel capable of turning a tank. He tied on a weight heavy enough to take Sam to the bottom in two seconds and then put frozen squid on the hook for bait. We did learn frozen squid can serve a second purpose; the guide ate it for lunch. Yum, yum.

At this point, we begin to catch fish, and it was fun. Suddenly, I had an epiphany. I was reminded what fishing is all about, fly or otherwise. The main thing I need to remember is "enjoy the day." I am outside in God's beautiful creation; have fun with it. There is no better way to enjoy a day outside than fishing.

Next, I need not to be so didactic about only fly fishing. As I was cranking rock bass up to the boat, it dawned on me: I learned to fish with bobbers and live bait. I'll bet most of you also did. Think back to the times you sat on the bank of a stock tank, or in an old boat, catching warm water fish with bait you could eat. Those were great times.

Let's remember that while fly fishing is, in my opinion, the most fun way to fish, fishing is what we are really about. Let's go out and first enjoy the day, then enjoy it by fishing with whatever means we have on hand. I know I am going to try to remember this. I'll always try fly fishing to start with; it is my job. But, if sitting on the bank with a new or old fisherman while drowning worms is the best way to enjoy the day, then that's how I am doing it.

Sometimes a sin or two can be good for the soul.

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

==============

Fly Fishing Guide Speaks The Truth!

Fly Fishing Guru Clouser Shares Tips with Locals...

2006-03-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

Have You Clousered Your Rod Lately?

Haha...Not quite "Driven Your Ford Lately" now is it...

Fly Fishing legend Bob Clouser tells these folks how to get er' done while casting his heavy flies.

The link to the full article is below...

Enjoy,

Duke

====================

Fly fishing guru Clouser shares tips with locals:

Thursday, March 16, 2006

By GEORGE THWAITES
Times-News

"ABINGDON - Pennsylvanian Bob Clouser isn't merely one of the most famous fly fishermen in America. His name has become part of the fly fishing lexicon during his own lifetime.
The chief reason is Clouser's Deep Minnow, which is arguably the best-known weighted streamer pattern in the world today. While several popular fly patterns bear his name, this one is certain to endure. If one fly fisherman asks another what he is using and is told, 'a Clouser,' that's usually enough said.

In fact, the Clouser Minnow has become such a fly fishing standard that Clouser's name has evolved into lower-case fly fishing jargon due to anglers' love-hate relationship with his fly.

'It got to where guys would make bad casts and they'd hit the rod tip and break it off. So they'd send it back to the factory and the factory guy would ask, "How did you break that?' And they'd say, "I hit it with a Clouser Minnow,'' said the 67-year-old Clouser, who was at the Virginia Creeper Fly Shop in Abingdon this past Saturday.

'It happened so often, they started calling it clousering your fly rod. They'd say, "No. We ain't replacing that. You clousered the rod.''

Clouser spent a couple of hours outside Abingdon's Virginia Creeper Fly Shop this past Saturday teaching area anglers how to avoid clousering their rod tips, themselves or innocent bystanders.

Even moderately proficient fly casters can find themselve struggling when they tie on a Clouser Minnow for the first time. Most fly anglers learn to cast flies that are virtually weightless. When they throw a heavy Clouser using the same strokes and rhythms they learned to cast Size 18 Blue Winged Olives, the result can be hazardous at worst and frustrating at best.

"Let's say we had 100 anglers here today. Usually about 90 will come to me for help about this. They realize that this is something different, and they're sure I wouldn't cast it like they do, or I sure wouldn't fish it," said Clouser, who also spent some quality time indoors at the shop giving fly tying demonstrations.

The casting techniques he taught Saturday were developed by the reknowned Lefty Kreh, Clouser's long-time fishing buddy and "probably the best fly fishing caster in the world." Kreh, who figured out how to throw heavy flies as one of saltwater fly fishing's major pioneers, passed these techniques on to Clouser years before his most famous fly was invented.

Clouser showed area anglers a modified side-cast that, among other things, keeps the caster's head and body out of harm's way. Essential to success is learning to throw a smooth, oval cast that keeps the fly in constant motion with no sudden stops that might generate shock and rebound. The zinging projectile riding the the fly line is tamed by follow-through."

Fly Fishing Article - What Fly Fishing Is Really All About...

2006-03-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Mike does a great job of explaining in plain English how to go out and have fun fly fishing regardless of what you catch and who you're fishing with.

I really liked his ideas about how to include your family members and friends...Even those family members and friends who say might not be too interested in fishing...

He tells a great story about his mom and how they shared some special times when she'd take him fly fishing and then go to the flea markets.

Check out his article to get some ideas for increasing your fun and skill as a fly fisherman.

Just click on the link below to go to his site to read it.

Enjoy,

Duke

==================

A Bunch of Ways to Increase Your Fun and Skills as Fly Fisher

by Mike Hogue

"Sometimes I wonder if I am any good at fly fishing. I toss my fly in the tree, pick up a snag and break off a particularly interesting fly. I've gotten skunked more times than I can count. I have also slipped on the rocks, broken a few rods and I still have that wonderful spot on my shin when I took a thumping from a hidden boulder the size of a car one night while fishing for browns on the White River. Oh lets not forget the 22 stitches and the scar on my hand from slipping in a gorge one night here on Six Mile Creek. These times often remind me of just how hard it is to learn how to fly fish or even how to get to the point where you don't feel like a complete idiot.

I think there are several things we can do make the sport a lot more enjoyable and just plain fun. The whole point of fly fishing is to relax, pack away some of your troubles for awhile and get lost in the moment. The rush of the water running through my legs, the crash of falls behind me or the shrill of an eagle crying more than makes up for those moments in which we loose our composure and a bit of self esteem."

The Rising Cost of Fly Tying...

2006-03-15T23:34:00.000-08:00

While doing some research about feathers I came across this article about fly tying.

Bud does a great job at covering most of the topics currently being talked about today.

Like, are synthetics appropriate substitutes?

In his article he talks about various materials, hooks, silks, threads and numerous other fly tying topics.

In this article about Fly Tying you'll find some helpful advice even if you're just starting out.

To read the full article, just click on the link below...I've included the first paragraph of the article below.

Enjoy,

Duke

Hatches Magazine - The Rising Cost of Fly Tying:

Rising Cost of Fly Tying

by Bud Guidry

"Fly tyers in general use an array of materials for this hobby we call fly-tying. One can go to the most extreme in material and on another level take the low road by using easily found, inexpensive materials to create beautiful flies. The cost of materials has risen in recent years to a point where we, as artists of this growing trendy hobby, have found that using substitutes can be just as rewarding to the fly dresser as using authentic materials. Patterns of by-gone days call for Indian Crow and Chatterer or Cotinga but, in today's market for fly-tying materials, these beautiful feathers are practically out of reach for most tyers. When Indian Crow reached $10.00 a feather, this price became absurd for most tyers in general. Two thousand to three thousand dollars for a complete Crow patch is a huge investment for anyone, and these materials are getting rarer by the day."

Fly Fishing Article From Gary Lewis...

2006-03-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

With spring just around the bend, I thought this would be a great article to post.

I like many of you I’d suppose have numerous magazines lying all around the house.

Well, as I was reading this article recently in an old Washington-Oregon Game & Fish, I thought about this blog and how I’d like to letcha all in on it.

Below you’ll find an article written by Gary Lewis and published by the Washington-Oregon Game & Fish magazine in their March of 2002 issue.

Yes, that’s from a few years ago but the information is just as valid in March of 2006 as it was back then.

I always enjoy this type of pool fishin’…Some of my fondest memories are as a kid fishing the headwaters of the Coquille River in Southern Oregon. We hike down to the river and then fish the length of the canyon. As an 8 year old, sometimes it was a struggle climbing over the big bolders but the rewards of catching nice bright rainbows made it always worth it!

Enjoy the article and let me know your comments.

-Duke

==========================

Two For Trout

by Gary Lewis

Flyfishermen can always find trout in the clear waters of Oregon’s Fall and Metolius rivers, and that’s where they’ll be going as spring loosens winter’s icy grip.

A stiff wind blew gray clouds across the somber sky, and snow crunched beneath our feet as we broke trail to the river. My destination was a downed tree protecting a little pool and the pod of trout that I hoped lay in its shadow.

Approaching from downstream, I crouched behind a tree and stripped line from my reel, preparing to send a heavy stonefly – my “weight” – and a Hare’s Ear – the dropper – on their way. Working the line through the guides, I sent the flies 20 feet to the head of a pool. The take was immediate.

I saw a flash of silver as the fish moved to the fly, and I lifted the rod, setting the hook into a fat rainbow. It jumped and then ran downstream to the next hole before giving up its fight. I moved back upstream and could see plenty of trout to catch in the little pool. It was a great day to be on the water.

When winter weather has the high lakes in it’s icy grip and western rivers ride high with run-off, two central Oregon streams promise clear water and steady temperatures to fly fishermen: the Fall and Metolius rivers.

These flows have a lot in common. They both are spring-born, welling from the earth amid pine forests to feed the mighty Deschutes. You can fish them at any time of year under regulations limiting anglers to using fly tackle only. Both rivers can provide you with memorable days on the water – and that’s where the similarities end.

FALL RIVER

The Fall River emerges full-flowing from a spring in a grove of lodgepole pines south and west of Sunriver in the Deschutes National Forest. Flowing eight miles east, it empties into the Deschutes between Sunriver and La Pine. The water flows clear and cold year round through calm, quiet bends bordered by tall grass and willows. Downstream, it runs to riffles, rapids and waterfalls.

Submerged logs and channels in the ridged river bottom give cover to trout, while shallow weedbeds in the calm water upstream provide insect habitat. Wild brook trout in Fall River seldom grow beyond 6 inches. Brown trout can be found in excess of 5 pounds, but average 8 to 16 inches. Hatchery rainbow trout averaging 8 to 12 inches make up the bulk of the Fall River fishery.

In the winter and early spring, mid-day is the best time to fish. According to Bob Gaviglio of Sunriver Fly Shop – (541) 593-8814 – winter trout keep banker’s hours. The best time to catch them is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Some of the biggest rainbows and browns are caught on small Baetis patterns. Many of these 6- to 8-pound fish come out of the hatchery area. (Be sure to fish in the river, not in the tanks.) Gaviglio advises fishing the slots in the rocky channel with a two-fly system.

This is clear water and requires light line. Cast a floating line with a nine-foot plus leader and 6X or 7X tippet. Use a heavy stonefly nymph with your primary pattern, a No. 18 Pheasant Tail, Brassie, or Hare’s Ear on a 15- to 20-inch trailing dropper.

Gaviglio also likes to use the Prince Nymph to imitate the abundant caddis larvae found in the gravel. “Caddis larvae aren’t doing much this time of year,” he says. “But they’re down there, and the trout are eating them.”

In cold weather, trout metabolisms have slowed down and usually a small fly must come within inches of the fish before it will put forth the effort to eat it. To read the bite and react quickly, a flyfisherman makes strike indicators and polarized glasses essential components of winter’s gear.

Midges and tiny mayflies make up the main hatches on the Fall River in late winter and early spring. These flies are best matched with Griffith’s Gnats and Blue-Winged Olives, sized No. 18 through No. 22.

Fishing with streamers is another winning technique on this river, but it requires a change in tackle. Switch to a sink-tip line and a 5- to 6-foot leader; then tie on a forage fish imitator such as the Zonker or Muddler Minnow. Cast across and throw an upstream mend in the line. Strip it hard when the fly reaches the terminus of its downward drift. Ten- to 15-inch rainbows and browns will chase your fly all the way across the river.

Good fishing can be had from the falls upstream to the headwaters. Sometimes pods of trout will move around in a given section of the stream.

Don’t string your rod until you’ve walked and watched the water for a few minutes. If the fish are there, you’ll be able to see them. According to Gaviglio, the trout move around dependent on water temperature. If your spot isn’t holding fish, move on until you find them.

Fall River is open all year above the falls. Access to the river is good in the area near the hatchery and upstream on the National Forest land. The river below the falls is closed until the spring opener.

METOLIUS

Like the Fall River, the Metolius arises full-flowing from a spring. It is not the easiest place to catch a fish, but the pursuit offers its own reward.

Towering ponderosa pines lean eastward toward the rising sun. Lightening-charred hulks stand rotting alongside their more fortunate brothers. Toppled timber stretches out into the water, providing cover for rainbow trout, browns, and Dolly Varden.

The upper river is calm and placid with grassy runs, gentle riffles, bend pools, and islands. Casting is easy and fish-holding water is abundant. The best access in this stretch is on the east bank from Allingham Bridge, down to Smiling River, Pine Rest and Gorge campgrounds. This is a river managed for wild trout. Native bull trout (Dolly Varden), rainbows, brookies, brown trout and whitefish can be caught in March.

From Canyon Creek down to Wizard Falls Hatchery, the river runs through a canyon, and the brush affords little room for a backcast. The river takes on a different attitude. Yet there are fish to be caught, and the water opens windows into their world.

Seams shift and play with the light. Where riffles and glare conceal the gravel bottom, suddenly the water flattens, smoothing for a moment to disclose the river’s secrets: trout with speckled backs and crimson sides.

As on Fall River, the best time to fish is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. According to Jeff Perin, owner of The Fly Fisher’s Place – (541) 549-3474 – there are five main hatches that occur from mid-February through March. Stock your fly box with Blue-Winged Olives, sized No. 18 - No. 22, cream-colored mayflies in No. 14 – 16, cream midges in No. 22 black stone-flies in sizes No. 14-18, and the Silver-Striped Sedge, also called a fall caddis. Go prepared with 12- to 15-foot 5X and 6X leaders.

Perin recommends fishing subsurface in late winter. Anglers on the Metolius are restricted from using additional weight on their line. So, carry weighted nymphs to explore deeper reaches of the river. Try a No. 10 Orange Caddis Pupa to imitate the fall caddis. Stonefly nymphs are effective this time of year. So are Green Drake nymphs. To match the Green Drake, tie on a No. 10 Big Bird, Dirty Bird or Cadillac.

Bigger flies can also be used in tandem with smaller nymphs to enable the angler to reach bottom-holding fish. Use a heavy stonefly nymph with your primary pattern, a No. 16- 18 Serendipity, No. 14-18 Pheasant Tail, Batman, green rock worms, or egg flies on a 15- to 20-inch trailing dropper.

Streamer fishing is popular for anglers targeting the big bull trout that inhabit the Metolius. These fish average 3 to 15 pounds. Zonkers, lead-eye rabbit hair streamers, and Bunny Leaches can be fished to imitate a forage fish or a piece of decaying kokanee carcass. Use a sink-tip line with a 5- to 6-foot leader to probe the bottom, beneath underwater ledges, submerged logs and heavy brush cover.

Fishing for dollies is best at the Dolly Hole, Canyon Creek and Allingham Bridge. Don’t be surprised if the big fish you hook is one of the big rainbows or browns that also frequent these holes.

The upper river, from the headwaters to Allingham Bridge, is closed in the winter to protect spawning fish. Forest Road 14 is plowed regularly in the winter to allow travel to Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. Angler access is good, even in the grip of a snowstorm.

All trout and char caught on the Metolius should be released unharmed. No fishing is allowed from a floating device.

Duke's Fly Fishing Secrets Book Review

2006-03-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Fly Fishing GuideBook

Reviewed by Michael Conquest (Duke)

The Fly Fishing GuideBook is a complete step-by-step training kit filled with the latest and proven fly fishing tips, fly fishing techniques and fly fishing secrets.

Not only fishermen will find this information interesting, but anyone who loves outdoor activities and especially, those keen in learning new survival techniques will most definitely get some use out of this ebook.

It's like having your own private fly fishing coach in your vest pocket! Learn the tips and techniques in this book and you'll soon be impressing your buddies with beautiful mounted trophies and tales of the fighting whoppers that didn't get away!

Whether you're a novice or veteran angler, you'll love what "The Fly Fishing Guidebook" will teach you about this addictive pastime.

My favorite chapter is the one on Fly Fishing Secrets and Techniques.

Here are some of the secrets it reveals:

* How to use the "60/20/20" principle to create leaders that mimic flies.
* The most crucial piece of equipment and how to select it.
* Why barbless hooks are sometimes the best option for big fish.
* The four basic types of rod and which ones are best for action, flexibility, strength and value.
* The most important feature of the fly reel and how to use it.
* One of the quickest and easiest ways to spot fish (it's not a fish finder!)
* How to land that monster fish when it strikes.
* The most common casting mistakes and how to avoid them.
* The best way for beginners to catch trout.
* Ways to repel bugs, stay warm, and be safe.
* The benefits of belts & organizers, chemicals & dressings, clippers & nippers.
* And much, much more!!

This book is a great resource for both the beginner and experienced alike!

The bonuses aren't too shabby either ;)

To get your personal copy CLICK HERE!

Tight Lines,

Duke
Fly Fishing Enthusiast

"Bird Flu Forces Fly Fishing Industry To Go Synthetic!"

2006-03-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, you know this never occurred to me but wow...This is definitely eye opening!

Just in the news today I was reading where the bird flu is expected to hit the US this summer.

Will this cause more and more of us to use synthetic vs. natural materials such as bird feathers?

I hope this doesn't impact us much more worse then it already has.

Do you think it will?

Read the full article below...

- Michael

++++++++++++++

Bird flu forces fly fishing industry to go synthetic:

- By Ed Stoddard

"JOHANNESBURG, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Bird feathers are to trout flies what leather is to Gucci.

But concerns about bird flu are forcing the makers of the artificial flies used by anglers to turn to synthetic fibres instead of traditional material such as pheasant or duck feathers -- sacrilege in the eyes of some purists."

Are Fly Fishermen Really Snobs?

2006-03-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

Well, it appears that some people may have that opinion. I never really thought of flyfishermen as snobs, but that's just me.

Read the full article and then be sure to post your comments here on the blog. I'd be curious to hear your opinions on this.

I liked how Bill tied it all together at the end of the article so be sure to read the whole thing. This article was posted a few days ago in a North Eastern US Newspaper.

Enjoy,

Michael

+++++++++++++

Are Fly Fisherman Really Snobs?:

- Bill Thompson

"It has become conventional wisdom that if one fly fishes, he or she must be some kind of snob. The mere mention of fly fishing conjures up the image of the portly fellow dressed in tweeds, standing in a stream waving an expensive bamboo stick in the air. The fly fisher would be the fellow at the cocktail party, still wearing his tweeds, recounting the details of his last fishing experience in great detail to a board acquaintance. "

"Good Advice on How To Select A Fly Rod"

2006-03-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

Here's some good advice from the Gamefishin Forum that I frequent on Fly Rod Selection.

Check this out for some advice on selecting a basic trout rod for fly fishing.

-Michael

"I'm thinking about delving into fly fishing and would like some info or suggestions as to weight of rod and size of reel, i will fish mainly trout, and some searuns,i don't want to spend a fortune, just a nice beginners setup to test the waters with."

To read the responses, click on the Title of this post.

Eagle vs. The Fisherman - True Story!

2006-03-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

I read this story over at a forum that I like to visit from time to time...I've left it unedited. It'll definitely make ya laugh :) What a great way to end Steelhead season on the Skykomish River in Washington State. At least the guy got his fish!

Enjoy,

Michael

"Spent A few hrs. right above Monroe with no luck, so I thought I mite give Reiter one last try. Walked in te see 3 guys wich 2 of had fish, little color to them but still in shape. So I fish A while and lost one, but the 2 guys on the other side hooked into A bright fish, landed it and while bonking it on the head and hanging it from A branch mister eagle had taken notice. So after 10 mins thay went down stream A bit taking his fish but leaving it on A rock about 15yrd. from him. I threw out A few times, and at the end of my drift I noticed Mister Eagle with his talons ready for the grab, he swooped down and grabed the fish, them flew to A tree to enjoy his fresh steelhead breakfest. I yeld acrost to warn him as I saw the eagle going in, but thay did not hear me. So after 5 mins. he walkes back up and notices his fish is gone, looks aroung so I point to the tree where Mister Eagle is enjoys todays catch. He walkes up there to reason with the bird but he was having none of it, so he flyes up stream and lands on A big bolder. As he lands he drops the fish on the rock and SLIP right down the the bank, as the fish hit the ground the fisherman put it in gear and darted up there after the fish. SO after the 40yrd dash, he spooks the Eagle away and gets his fish back, only missing a eye and a few hunks of meat. I dont know what would have been better, catching A late brat or seeing that unfold. It was A grate day on the river......."

Let's Be Safe Out There!

2006-03-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

Read these simple tips for safe, fun-filled fly fishing trip this winter...

A misstep in a summer stream can be a wet experience and possibly dangerous, but a fall in near-freezing water can be fatal even if you exit the stream quickly. Safe winter fishing is worth talking about.

I seriously recommend that anglers wading large rivers wear both a safety belt around their waist, to prvent freezing water from flooding into their waders in a fall, and a floatation-style fishing vest to keep them afloat in the event the lose footing and get carried into deeper water.

Carry a waterproof match cache so you can build a fire to warm up and dry out if you take a fall on a cold winter day. Be careful about using fire, of course, but it could save your life. Keep in mind that it's hard to light a fire when you are cold and wet, so don't wait until the shivers set in before you decide to light one. The sooner the better -- no fish is worth risking your life.

Float tube anglers wearing the right kind of waders and undergarments can brave incredibly low temperatures but still need to guard against hypothermia. Limit your time on the water, and always fish with a friend who can help if you get into trouble.

The same applies when fishing from a boat: The act of standing up to cast in a small boat can be life threatening. Wear a quality flotation vest and practice good safety habits. -- Richard Alden Bean

"Get Off The Couch This WInter and Catch More Trout"

2006-03-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Don't just sit around this winter...Instead use this opportunity to get out and fish while there's fewer people on the water!

Richard Alden Bean is a great outdoors writer and fly fisherman. I came accross this article in my local Game and Fish Magazine and thought I'd share it with ya'll.

Enjoy,

Michael

As winter trout fishing becomes more and more popular, flyfisherman are finding opportunities to catch fish in the coldest months of the year.

By Richard Alden Bean

Go look at the calendar if you must: It's late spring, early winter, depending on where you live, and things are really slow, especially if you're a flyfisherman.

Even your bait-fishing brethren are winding down on the winter trout fishing season, because in a few short weeks many of the lakes they've been fishing will be too warm to support trout, and by now bass anglers are flocking to low-elevation waters, looking for pre-spawn fish moving up from deep water.

As a fly-angler, you're looking forward to the warm days of spring to bring out the green in the hills and warm days that produce blizzards of hatching aquatic insects for trout to eat. But for many, late February and early March are a time for television reruns of outdoor TV shows interspersed with a bit of fly-tying and a fishing club meeting or two where they'll hear some guy talk about a place they won't be able to fish for weeks.

The weather outside is fitful. It may be blue skies and warming trends on Monday and cold, miserable rain on Wednesday or snow flurries on Friday. Many high-altitude lakes and streams are snowed in; some are frozen. Even worse, the low-elevation streams may already be seeing the first signs of the swell of spring run-off. It's enough to make a frustrated fly-angler want to take up bowling.

Hey, snap out of it! Winter can have some great fly-fishing.

We've all seen photos of an angler knee-deep in a stream with snowflakes whizzing by as he casts for trout. You can do that, too - but why would you?

We aren't talking about wading around in freezing streams in a blinding snowstorm. With just a bit of research, every angler with a particular interest, especially the trout enthusiast, can find great places to fish at any time of year.

First, let's take a look at the kind of fishing you will find. Compared to other regions in the country, we in the West are blessed with relatively mild winters. We get enough snow for skiing, and winter rain can be fierce, but there are winter days when air temperatures rise enough to require an angler to be in shirtsleeves by midmorning, and there are often hatches of caddis and mayflies in January.

Low-altitude waters, especially on the coastal side of the mountains, often have days that offer prime conditions well above freezing, if not quite spring-like, and conditions do nothing but improve with each passing week. So your first check should be in the regulations booklet: Check to find the waters you can legally fish now. There are some nearby, I promise!

Your next stop is at the local fly shop. Buy a handful of ties, tippets or whatever, and you'll find yourself the recipient of good hotspot information just for the asking. At this time of year you won't be fighting crowds."

To Read The Rest, Click Here:

Winter Trout Flies

"Basic Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing Outdoor Safety Tips"

2006-02-23T02:17:00.000-08:00

Review these basic tips before heading for the hills...

-Michael

=========================

Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing:

"Sky-High Packsack

The best way to pack for entry into the highest country is smart and light.

The most important item is a quality three-season tent with a full rain fly. Bring snow stakes for extreme elevations.

Your sleeping bag - down or synthetic - must carry a 20-degree rating and come with a ground pad.

Other essentials include a space blanket, first-aid kit, knife, headlamp or lightweight flashlight (extra batteries), pack stove, layered clothing, waterproof clothing, stocking cap, extra food, toiletries, waterproofed matches and backup lighter.

For skilled cross-country navigation, it's important to have accurate maps, an altimeter and a compass. GPS units can be used to accurately pinpoint current locations and waypoints when landmarks aren't visible. Whichever system you use, you must be able to depend on it while navigating in a pea-soup fog. Practice will prepare you for times when it really matters. -- Kevin Miller"

"Fish Biologists Reveal The Best Lakes To Catch Trophy Mountain Lake Trout!"

2006-02-23T02:09:00.000-08:00

Want to learn which lakes to spend your time casting for the big one?

"Fish Biologists Reveal The Best Lakes To Catch Trophy Mountain Lake Trout!"

Discover the secrets to picking the best lakes for catching Monster Mountain Trout by reading the article below!

-Michael

=======================

Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing:

"HIGH-LAKE TROPHIES

Most high-elevation lakes in the West were fishless until pioneers, miners and loggers transported fry into them more than 100 years ago. These days scheduled stockings take place by state game departments in lakes where natural reproduction doesn't take place. The lakes vary in elevation from 2,500 feet to over 10,000 feet.

Trout species vary with those elevations. At the lowest, to mid-elevation alpine lakes, one might find eastern brook trout or a mix of brookies, rainbows and cutthroat trout. At mid- to high-elevation lakes different strains of cutts and 'bows are common. Golden trout are deposited mostly at the highest elevations.

You'll know you've discovered the mother lode of mountain trout when you begin gauging them with a scale instead of a ruler. I'll never forget my first trout taken from a mountain lake. It was 14 inches long and weighed no more than 2 pounds. I soaked my hind end in a snow bank all day for just one fish; but that stout little rainbow will always be a trophy in my mind.

For others, the bar is somewhat higher. As a general rule, rainbows, cutts and brook trout over 3 pounds and taken from a wild environment are adequate rewards. Goldens are typically smaller than that; a 3-pounder is a world-class fish. At around 20 inches, high-lake trout start putting on pounds instead of additional length. You can find torpedoes in that class that weigh anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds.

How can you find fish like that? Biologist Mike Haynie of the California Department of Fish and Game says the first step is finding a suitable body of water. "In a healthy lake, a fish in the wild could take two years to reach 12 inches," he said. "Things that affect the size of trout include water temperature, species, the amount of feed available, fishing pressure and the types of organisms in the water. A 16-inch fish from one of our mountain lakes is a nice fish. Contact your local fish and game region and ask for the names of lakes that produce these larger trout."

Jim Byrd, angler education coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, agrees with Haynie. "Each region has a number of field fish biologists assigned to different counties. That's the best source of information on what's producing well," he said. "Some lakes are planted for trophy potential, some are planted to maximize recreation."
Lakes must provide the right combination of features to be considered potential trophy producers. "You want adequate depth, so you won't get any winter kill or summer kill," Jim explains. "Summer kill results when all the inlets dry up, and the lake gets too low. Winter kill can occur when a shallow lake freezes."

Discover a lake with good cover, adequate water circulation and plentiful insect life, and the result could be an exceptional fishing opportunity with consistent numbers of heavy-grade mountain trout."

"Discover Proven Mountain Lakes Trout Fly-Fishing Flies!"

2006-02-23T01:55:00.000-08:00

Remember - To Catch The Bigger Trout...Think Protein!

Take a peak at the flies that Paul Kaminski uses to catch monster high-altitude lake trout!

-Michael

====================

Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing:

"FLY-FISHING ON HIGH

Some might consider Paul Kaminski a fly-fishing radical. Anyone who returns home from one of these trips with a collection of insect specimens to match at his tying bench could be accused of that.

'Forget those small little dry flies,' Paul says. 'They hit damsel nymphs like a ton of bricks. I think a lot of people use anything that looks buggy on the surface, but bigger fish are after protein.' Paul regularly catches fish in the 2- to 3-pound class on his hand ties fished on 4x and 5x tippets. 'You've got to be gentle. It can take you quite a few minutes to bring one close.'

Damselflies with four to five wraps of lead wire get Paul's offerings down, and a twitching motion seems to draw large fish. 'You have to play with different retrieves, and you really have to match what's out there,' he says. 'They get really finicky on size.'

Putting together a trip takes planning. Not only do these guys know their maps but they also spend hours mulling over potential trips. They all agree: The more grueling the journey, the better the fishing will be. 'The farther the better,' Newberry agrees. 'No trail? Even better! There will be much better potential for bigger fish.'"

Simple Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing Tips!

2006-02-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

Check out this simple fish-hooking setup...

It can't get much easier than this!

-Michael

Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing: "'My all-time favorite lure is my Shirley Special,' says Schillhammer. 'It was named after my mom. Let's say you lost your tackle box. You just take a bare No. 8 hook and tie on the entrails of trout. Then you tie on some grandfather's beard, you know, the yellow moss that grows on trees. Then you need a few wraps of red yarn off your shirt, or your underwear - wherever - and drag the whole thing along. They'll bite 'em!'"

"Exposed! - Tight-Lipped High Lake Trout Fishing Secrets..."

2006-02-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

Some of the best fishing I've ever done has been in the high-altitude alpine lakes of the Oregon and Washington Cascades and the remote lakes in the Olympic Mountains of Washington.

These trout strike hard, jump out of the water and taste oh so good when cooked over a campfire with a little butter, salt and pepper!

Enjoy the article...

-Michael

=================

Mountain Lakes Trout Fishing:

"If your quest for trophy trout waters yields only run-of-the-mill results, it might be time to look upward. Mountain lakes have long been treasured as quality fisheries by the few who visit them.

By Kevin Miller

You don't find much written about high-mountain trout fishing, mainly because high-lakers are a tight-lipped group of sportsmen. While ordinary fishing secrets leak out and soon become common knowledge, high-lakers take their silence to the grave.

It's always puzzled me how guys can trek for days into such high and wild country and come home with nary a story to tell. But deep down, we all know what's going on: These guys are loading up on trophy-size trout and keeping it to themselves!

Can you elbow in, and take part in some of the action? Yes, you can, and it's probably not as difficult as some insiders would have you think. Before you take a stab at it, however, ask yourself a few key questions: Are you willing to dish out the effort it takes to poke into rugged terrain at air-thin elevations? Can you ignore clouds of bugs and challenging weather conditions? Would you be able to dismiss sore muscles, three-day-old socks and snoring tent partners? If you've answered yes to these questions, you have the makings to become a high-laker trout bum."

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead - Part 3

2006-02-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

We've Saved The Best For Last!

Probably the best part of this entire article is all about Reading the Water and How To Present the Fly, Hook The Fish and Land Him On the Bank.

Don't try to horse these fish around like a trout or you'll lose it!

-Michael

===========================

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead:

"READING THE WATER & PRESENTATION

The next step is getting into the river and identifying places where steelhead are most likely to hold, more commonly referred to as 'reading the water.' The better you are at reading water, the more fish you will hook.

Tail-outs on the downstream end of pools are classic steelhead-holding areas and are easy to work on a wet fly swing. But pocket water, especially boulder-strewn riffles between rapids, is also often productive. So are the cushions of 'soft' water upstream and downstream of large boulders and snags, especially those shadowed by overhanging trees.

The goal in swinging a fly is to present it in front of the fish, preferably broadside to the current. To do this, you usually need to take up position upstream of the lie and cast at a downstream angle to the holding water. The angle of presentation will vary, but 45 degrees downstream of your position is a good place to begin.

Feed the sink-tip along with a few feet of running line through the guides and let it hang downstream. Determine the amount of line you want to shoot with your cast, and gather that much line in loose coils in your non-casting hand. Roll cast to bring the tip to the surface, lift it off the water, execute a conventional backcast and shoot the slack on your forward cast. (Flyfishers most familiar with floating lines often forget that sink-tips must be brought to the surface with a roll cast before they can be cast conventionally.)

The moment your line lands on the water, toss a large upstream mend. This creates slack that allows the fly to sink. Mend only once; it isn't easy to change the course of a sink-tip after it sinks.

Follow the line downstream with your rod held high until you feel the tug of the line, and then lower the rod. The leader and fly should now be deeply sunk and in line with the rod. Then slowly lead or swing the line through the holding water.
Sometimes it is effective to pause briefly to let the fly "hang" in the water above a promising slot or depression, and it is a good idea to let the fly swing around for a moment at the conclusion of the swing. Then strip the line back upstream and roll cast to bring it to the surface.

A steelhead may intercept your fly at any point during the swing, but most strikes occur near the end of the drift, as the fly rises and picks up speed. Steelhead often jump early in the battle, and when that happens you need to throw slack into the line by lowering the rod tip to prevent the fish from breaking the leader.

Once the steelhead begins to run or thrash, it is critical to get slack line back on the reel. Steelhead are much too strong to be stripped in as trout and bass often are, and flyfishers need the assistance of the reel's drag to wear the fish down. It is also important not to horse a steelhead on fly rod. The safest way to fight it is by letting the weight of the rod and line wear it down. It is important to maintain constant pressure, and it is also often necessary to move with the fish, especially if they make long runs upstream or downstream.

It may take a while for everything to come together for a novice winter steelhead flyfishermen. It took me most of two winters before I landed my first fish with a fly rod. Intrepid anglers will eventually hook and land their first winter steelhead. And if that's you, slow days and frustrations will be replaced by a glow displayed only by those who have accomplished one of fly-fishing's most celebrated achievements."

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead - Part 2

2006-02-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Great tactic here for getting your fly down to the bottom where these monsters are hiding!

Fly Selection: As always, in my belief...Simple is better...

-Michael

===============================

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead:

"SINK-TIPS & THE WET FLY SWING

On larger water, water that is too deep to wade and too far to cast across, the wet fly swing is the most effective method of presenting a fly to winter steelhead.

The tactic consists of casting the fly at an angle downstream and letting it swing across the face of the current. When fished in conjunction with upstream mends, sink-tip lines and heavy flies, the wet fly swing lets an angler get the fly quickly down to bottom-hugging winter fish and work it slowly across the steelhead's field of vision.

Although many specialists have embraced long, two-handed Spey rods in recent years, a 9- to 10-foot single-handed 8-weight remains the classic winter steelhead fly rod. With it, an angler can cast the heavy lines and flies employed in winter and mend line to control the drift of the fly.

Sink-tips for winter steelheaders come in two basic categories. The shorter, lighter tips are designated by numbers such as Type III or Type 5, and sink at roughly the number of inches per second of the number (i.e., a Type 5 would drop at a rate of five inches per second). Heavier, longer tips, such as the popular Teeny Lines and Rio's Dredgers, are indicated by their weight-per-foot in grains, such as 225 or 350. Type III through Type 6 lines are usually most suitable for waist-deep runs, pocket water and tail-outs, while anglers who fish heavy water and deep pools favor longer tips. Leaders are short for winter steelhead, typically between 3 and 6 feet, and they are usually around 12-pound-test, without taper.

Fewer fly patterns exist for winter steelheaders than, say, for trout, but there are enough of them to confuse a beginner. As with steelhead lines, however, the novice steelheader can simplify fly selection by separating them into broad categories: traditional patterns such as the Skykomish Sunrise, marabou spiders, rabbit strip leeches and egg patterns.

Traditional patterns are effective over a broad range of water conditions, and their compact design and heavy hooks allow them to sink quickly and remain upright in heavy water. But marabou spiders and rabbit strip leeches have overtaken traditional patterns because of durability and their motion in the water. They are also easy to tie with inexpensive materials. Egg patterns, such as Glo-Bugs, are effective in cold, clear water."

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead - Part 1

2006-02-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

Adopt Techniques Used By Guides and Veteran Anglers To Hook Monster Winter Steelhead!

This is Part 1 of the series on How To Catch Steelhead.

Follow these tips and you'll be well on your way to hooking into these monsters...

-Michael

===========================

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead:

"Fly patterns have been used to catch steelhead for as long as West Coast anglers have pursued them. Long before the days of monofilament line, graphite casting rods and spinning reels, California fly anglers took winter steelhead from the Eel and Russian rivers. Early winter steelhead fly fishers also took fish on Oregon's North Umpqua River and Washington's Kalama.
Syd Glasso, the legendary Olympic Peninsula flyfishermen who created the celebrated Spey flies that transformed winter steelhead fly design, regularly filled a punch card each winter before the end of February and used a fly rod to entice every one of his catches.

While experts such as Glasso made it look easy, enticing, playing and ultimately landing a winter steelhead on a fly rod is a major achievement that usually requires an incomparable commitment of time and effort. Fortunately, it is neither as impossible nor as daunting as some would portray such an endeavor.

One way to illustrate that fact is that guides put fly-fishing clients, who presumably possess widely varying levels of skill, onto winter fish on a regular basis. How? The guides put them into areas where there are fish, then provide the right tackle and teach their clients how to fish for winter steelhead.

While booking a trip with a winter steelhead fly-fishing guide is an excellent way to obtain an introduction to the sport, anglers who would rather fish independently can also increase their catch potential by adopting the techniques used by guides and veteran anglers.

Late winter and early spring is also when many wild winter steelhead return to the rivers, and their metabolisms are often stimulated by warming water temperatures."

"How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead..."

2006-02-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

These next 4 posts will be about How To Catch Steelhead on a Fly-Rod. Thanks to Game and Fish Magazine for the use of this and numerous other articles about Fly-Fishing...

Some really great info here...

-Michael

===========================

How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead:

"How to Catch Your First Fly-Rod Steelhead
Follow these tips and you'll fast be on your way to one of fishing's most exhilarating experiences!

By Doug Rose

Taking a steelhead on a fly rod is one of angling's most celebrated achievements, and especially so when targeting winter-run fish.

While summer-run fish in desert and southern rivers tend to respond eagerly to floating flies on dry lines, winter steelhead are more than likely hugging the bottoms of rivers and loathe to feed in high-flowing, cold waters. They've long been one of the most challenging of fly-fishing targets.

'You can't catch them on flies,' was a constant refrain when I began prowling winter rivers 20 years ago. Of course such a statement then was absent truth just as it would be today."

"When Big Bugs Hatch..."

2006-02-21T23:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a great article that tells you all about the Hex Hatch...Great info if you plan on tying on one of these flies to your line.

-Michael

======================

The Hex Is On:

"The largest of the mayflies, for all you Latin lovers, is the Hexagenia limbata, commonly referred to as the Hex. These giant yellow mayflies inhabit lakes and the slow, meandering sections of some rivers.

This is an extremely fickle hatch. Hexes are even more sensitive to weather than green drakes or stoneflies. I would advise against loading up the truck for your big Hex adventure until you've called a few fly shops or talked to other anglers about the condition of the hatch.

The nymph of the Hex spends daylight hours buried in mud. A couple of hours before dark they start to move about and feed. Fish a weighted nymph just off the bottom underneath a strike indicator. Using a jigging motion, lift the fly just off the bottom and then allow it to resettle in the silt.

Just before the sun kisses the horizon, adult mayflies begin hatching. Forget about light presentations on light tippets. A big, cumbersome Hex makes quite a commotion on the surface. Let the fly sit, and then twitch it periodically to imitate the struggling of the naturals. Since you're fishing at or near dark, there is no reason to fish a light tippet. Start with a 2X leader and work your way to smaller tippets if you get refusals.

Cripple patterns are extremely effective when imitating the Hex. The Quigley Cripple on a No. 8 hook is a good choice. For a standard adult pattern, the only one I have relied on is an extended-body Parachute on No. 6 and No. 8 hooks.

Most dry-fly action takes place at or after dark. Be sure to check local regulations before fishing at night. Always bring a headlamp and plenty of mosquito repellent when fishing a Hex hatch. -- Justin Karnopp "

"Learn How To Catch Big Finicky Trout With The Big Bugs!"

2006-02-21T23:22:00.000-08:00

Learn these guide tips from Justin about how to fish for trout in the late spring and early summer. Often it's more than just the fly...It's how you present it!

I've heard this over and over again and I fully believe it to be the case.

Enjoy the article...

-Michael

=======================

When Big Bugs Hatch:

Late spring/early summer marks the annual hatches of big stoneflies and mayflies, and the annual migration of anglers who come to cast meaty flies to meaty trout.

- Justin Karnopp

If his first drift was perfect, the fish would probably take. But if he short-lined the drift, the fish would refuse and not come back. It would take significant slack to get a good drift, and then he would have to remove that slack quickly when the fish took, but not too quickly, because of the way that trout generally take stoneflies. Then he would have to pull the fish hard to the left to keep it from wrapping around the snag just off the bank. "Go ahead and make your cast," I said.

Understandably, the guy gave me a quizzical look and asked, "Aren't there some easier fish to catch around here?"

"Nope. These fish have seen a lot of flies the past two weeks. They're still taking stones, but you have to be able to put them into the little crannies that they have retreated to," I replied.

"I thought that trout were supposed to be easy to catch during the salmonfly hatch," he said. I've heard the same comment dozens of times over the years, and you probably have too.

When summer spurs the hatches of big bugs such as the salmonfly, golden stone, and green drake mayfly, anglers flock to Western streams to get in on the action. The big attraction of these hatches is three-fold: One, it is just plain fun to see fish come up and take big dry flies; two, this is the best time on many rivers to hook the biggest fish that elude anglers the rest of the year; and three, the aforementioned angler's perception seems to be a widely held belief.

Many anglers think that if they show up during these hatches they are sure to leave a good chunk of the trout population with sore lips. This isn't always the case.

First of all, these hatches are weather-dependent. Stoneflies like warm, sunny days, and drakes like overcast and a little rain. I've been blessed with days when I've had both, and a smorgasbord of big bugs drove trout into an all-out feeding frenzy. However, this is not the norm, and weather is not something that is within our control. Due to the popularity of these hatches, trout are under intense fishing pressure and become skittish. Anglers who come prepared with some fundamental presentation skills, the right gear, and realistic expectations can enjoy these fantastic hatches to their fullest.

"The emergence of the big stonefly species and the big mayflies is no secret to the legion of fly anglers who have these events marked on their calendars annually. The trout catch on quickly, and those anglers armed with the right patterns and techniques will come home with big-fish stories."

"Expert Tips Revealed For Catching Speckled Trout on the Fly..."

2006-02-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this article about catching Specks on the fly. Sounds like a hoot!

What do you think? Is Fly-Fishing the best method for hooking into these fish?

-Michael

==========================

Specks on the Fly:
By Carl Warmouth

Often anglers are surprised to learn that there are times when a fly rod is the best instrument for fooling speckled trout. Listen as the author reveals some of these situations.

The guide eased the skiff quietly toward the dock as I stood, fly in hand, ready to cast. The halogen lights on the dock lit up elongated circles in the black water and surrounding night air.

'This dock doesn't hold a lot of fish,' he said, 'but the ones that are here are big. You'll probably only get one or two shots at them before they spook. If you don't hook up now, we'll come back later.'

My eyes worked hard to focus on the fading area between the brightest water and the dark, looking for a target to cast to. The guide's prediction was right on, as it had been for the previous 10 or so docks we had fished that night. Three nice fish, about 24 inches long, lay like logs in the water, just waiting for something to eat. The tide was falling hard, sucking water out of the bay like a giant, draining bathtub. I made a cast upstream of the dock, just beyond the range of the lights, and allowed the shrimp-imitating fly to drift well into the light. I gave the fly one strip and the line went tight. A nice fish, about No. 50 for that night, charged under the dock, then back out. The trout next headed up the current, then down, then made a blazing run into the deeper water of the bay. A few minutes later I was releasing the best fish of the night alongside the boat.

Few people would dispute that speckled trout, or specks as they are often called, are among the most sought-after of all Gulf Coast game fish. However, the number of anglers that pursue them with fly-casting gear, although growing, is small when compared to other angling methods. I suspect the reason for this is that some people are intimidated by the whole concept of saltwater fly- fishing, and others are just skeptical that it can be as productive as the methods they are familiar with.

This is a shame, because speckled trout make for fantastic fly-fishing. Their tendency to frequent shallow water, wide range of habitat, abundant numbers and willingness to hit a fly make them perfect candidates for anyone with an interest in fly-fishing - novice and expert alike."

"Top 10 Indispensable Go-To Trout Flies Revealed!"

2006-02-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Stick to these Top 10 Flies and you'll be sure to catch most of the hungry trout out there...

-Michael

==============================

10 Indispensable Trout Flies:
By Doug Rose

These time-tested patterns will put you into fish more often than not — and save you valuable time from searching for that just-so-perfect fly.

A lot of flyfishers fall deeply under the thrall of trout flies. They like to fish them. They like to tie them. They like to accumulate the materials, be they natural or synthetic, employed in fly recipes. These anglers' fly boxes are stuffed with patterns that imitate virtually every insect, forage fish and terrestrial that trout prey upon in rivers or lakes. For these anglers, it isn't enough to carry a mere grasshopper pattern - they carry a Dave's Hopper and a Joe's Hopper and a Chernobyl Hopper.

"Fortunately, anglers don't have to confine their fly selection to two flies. But most flyfishers will probably take nearly as many trout with far fewer patterns than they usually carry. In fact, you might actually catch more fish. As a part-time fly-fishing guide, I have observed that most anglers spend far too much time pondering fly selection and far too little time considering how to present the fly to the fish. Most trout fishermen would, similarly, profit greatly by spending more time practicing casting and less time at the tying bench.
If you ask 10 veteran flyfishers to list their indispensable trout patterns, of course, you won't get two lists that are the same. But the dry flies, nymphs, wet flies and streamers listed below would earn a slot in most expert trout angler's fly boxes. For beginners, this list is also an excellent foundation upon which to build a fly collection."

"Exposed - Fly-Fishing Patterns For Nailing Bluegill"

2006-02-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a good article for all you Bluegill and Crappie fishermen out there...

Just goes to show not all fly-fishing is for trout.

Anyone ever eat BlueGill or Crappie? Decent Meat? I'd imagine they are mostly bone.

-Michael

================================
Game & Fish Bluegills Fishing:

"I cleared about 30 feet of line off the reel, made a simple double haul and laid the popper gently on the water's surface, about 10 feet off the bank. I didn't even have time to twitch the fly before a fat, hand-sized 'gill sucked the fly under."

....

The main thing you want to remember, when going after panfish like bluegills, is to keep your tippet as light as possible. A 4 weight is fine, though a 2 weight is likely better. That's especially important if you'll be using slow-sinking flies like an ant or worm. The thin diameter line will sink faster. Also, the lightweight tippet won't kill the action of a popper or slider.

Catching assorted panfish, specifically bluegills, on lightweight fly rods is a hoot. I've been using a 2-weight, 7 1/2-foot fly rod for years. The next best thing is to go with a 1 weight. Catching panfish is all about having fun. The super lightweight rods allow even the smallest panfish to show its muscle. A 4-weight rod is about as heavy as you want to go. Otherwise, you'll overpower the fish and cut down on the action.

The patterns discussed here will work throughout the summer months from top to bottom. Get three or four of each of the flies mentioned and you'll be set for some classic panfish angling.

Leaky Waders Can Be Fished In Another Day...Just Watch Out For Those Blackberry Bushes!

2006-02-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

How many of us just go out and buy new waders or accept having leaks vs. just fixing them?

Read the article below and learn how to easily repair pin-hole leaks in your waders....

-Michael

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise9.htm:

"As I was looking over the damaged waders I was explaining to my customer how to properly find pinhole leaks and the proper method for fixing them. The first step is to spray the areas that you are feeling the leaks with regular rubbing alcohol. Within seconds you will notice little black dots appearing on the material. These are the areas that you will need to work with. Since alcohol dries rather quickly, you may need to spray more that once to find remaining holes. Once you have found the culprit holes, you will need to have some form of sealant handy. My preferred sealant is Aquaseal. This is available by itself or with Cotol. Cotol is a drying agent that will increase drying time. "

Remember The Golden Rule When Fishing...

2006-02-18T01:26:00.000-08:00

Amen Brother!

Treat Others Like You Want To Be Treated!

The guide that wrote this short article on River Etiquette is dead nuts on in my book.

Most of these rules are common sense for the courteous fisherman, however not all are that smart.

Maybe the Fish and Wildlife services can post these rules in their rule books. Might be a great way to get these rules out to the masses. Especially the newbie fisherman that may be totally clueless as to the law of the land...or...ummm...water :)

-Michael

=========================

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise8.htm:

"The subject of river etiquette is a touchy one. While one angler might think an action is all right, another angler could be extremely offended. The following will demonstrate some common points in the world of fishing and etiquette, dealing with both bank anglers and boaters. ...

...*For the most part, the enjoyment of fly-fishing isn't so much catching fish, it's the experience of being in the water, enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of the river, trying to trick Mother Nature. The one thing that can ruin all of that is an ignorant angler, invading upon the area and disrupting the peacefulness of the moment that the other angler is experiencing. If we all follow these general rules, and treat others as we'd like to be treated, then our fishing days will all be great, regardless of how many we catch."

Great Jaw-Bending Set-Up For Western Steelhead!

2006-02-18T01:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise7.htm:

"As I waded out to the upper end of the first run I was very careful not to make too much commotion. It was 8:30 am, the sky was gray, and the air was magically motionless. I never make my first cast to the prime water, experience has taught me to work my way slowly across to the other side."

====================

Great Tip and Awesome Story about Fly-Fishing in November on the Trinity River of California for Steelhead. Sounds like Sandy was in them thick! Way to Go!

-Michael

The 3 Key Knots to Fly Fishing Success!

2006-02-18T01:02:00.000-08:00

Don't lose gear or worse yet, lose a fish!

Check out this page for the 3 most basics knots you'll need to master when fly-fishing.

-Michael

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise6.htm:

"One of the most critical areas of knowledge leading to confidence on the stream is knowing that your Knots are tied correctly. While there are entire books written about knots and how to tie them, for most freshwater situations you really only need to master the following three:

� PERFECTION LOOP
� SURGEON'S
� IMPROVED CLINCH

While many others would also include the reel backing knot and nail knot, it is not included because they are usually done at the shop where you bought your line or when they load it on your reel. Instructions for these two knots are included in the package with your new line. The knots included here are the ones that you will be using ninety nine percent of the time on the stream.

Let's start learning them in the order we would use them while preparing for a day on the stream. To connect the leader to the butt section of the fly lines, use the perfection loop. "

"A Secret for Hard Fished Waters"

2006-02-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise5.htm:

"With todays burgeoning ranks of new fly fishermen, the amount of pressure on well-known, quality trout water has increased, in some cases significantly. This means fish are seeing more flies. Often, the same patterns over and over. This can lead to a 'negative conditioning response,' or a situation where the fish start to ignore, or shy away from flies they see too much of, or have been hooked on too many times. These trout get the deserved reputation as being 'tough', or highly selective. A prime example of this would be the fish in and around Hat Creek Powerhouse II. It's not unusual to see 8 or 10 anglers fish for hours for only 4 to 5 fish. That's tough! "

=========================

Sounds like some of the places up here in Washington. Almost all of the waters up here are crowded that way. Up here we call it "combat fishing".

Me personally, I like to have some peace and solitude when fishing. Often I'll try out other areas of the same body of water just to get away from the crowds.

I'd be curious to hear how things are in other areas besides Washington and California. Is this sort of thing happen elsewhere as well?

-Michael

P.S. Great advice in this article BTW.

The Perfect Last Day - What It Takes To Catch A Steelhead...

2006-02-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Wanna know what it takes to catch a steelhead? Well, read this awesome story about one being caught on the Trinity River. Those fish are smarter than most fisherman. Just hooking into one is only half of the battle...Keeping one hooked is another story!

==========================

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise4.htm:

"This opposite shoreline, at one point, had caught my attention. The overhanging brush and irregular shoreline created one of those perfect lies. My mind imagined a good fish resting just off the bottom. I placed myself directly across from that spot. As I cast the golden stone I could tell that it was going to fall on the water far enough upstream to allow my fly to drift on the bottom, right by the fish's nose. Maintaining that all- important contact with the fly, the line drifted until it was slightly downstream from me. At this point in the drift, a take would normally be a slight hesitation in the speed of the line. To my surprise and pleasure, the rod lunged downward and the line started racing downstream. It had been a long time since I had experinced a strike that forceful directly in front of me. All I had to do was raise my rod tip and I instantly knew I was into a mature Trinity River steelhead. If I let this fish have her way, within seconds she would have found refuge in the tangles of a downed tree. I leaned on my rod at a downstream angle with as much pressure as the tippet would allow. Luck was on my side; I was able to turn her head. With a boil on the surface this bullet turned toward the center of the stream. As experienced steelheaders know many fish are lost in this initial run. I was spared that fate. "

Wow, I Didn't Know They Made Jacket's Like These...

2006-02-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise3.htm:

"As I pulled my arm out, I did not feel cold, nor did I feel wet. I squeezed the water from my sleeve (arm down of course) and did not feel the cool water on my skin. Wow! It's not 'water proof' I thought. I took a few steps back to my spot and continued to fish. I was very comfortable and happy. Happy that I had purchased what was and still is 'the greatest jacket in the world.' "

==========================

Anyone ever used one of these Simms Windstopper Water Resistent Jackets before? They sound great...Hard to believe the guy reached into the water and his arm didn't get cold....Is this another fish story?

-Michael

Revealed! Trout Season Opener Pro Tactics!

2006-02-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise2.htm:

"Well, its that time of year again. We're fortunate to live in a part of the world that boasts some great year-round angling, but there is something about the mountain stream opener that always jacks my anticipation level into high gear. Beautiful native trout, hungry and naive after a long winter without any angler pressure-sign me up!"

=====================

If you've been hibernating all winter, this is a great time of year to go fishing!

This article emphasizes the waters of Northern California, but the tactics revealed here apply to all trout fishing.

Enjoy,

Michael

Don't Always Listen To The Guy On The Bank!

2006-02-17T17:07:00.000-08:00

Don't Always Listen To The Well Meaning People On The Bank!

You know the kind...The friendly guy that's just full of advice.

These folks decided to drift the river anyway and had a great time and caught a ton of fish to boot.

As always though, remember that anytime you step foot in the river, you're taking a risk.

-Michael

===============================

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise1.htm:

"What a great day to be on the river! When we got down to the access, there was a nice man who began telling us about his friends attempting the same float, but never made it. He made a few other remarks to try and persuade us into not attempting our journey. We chose to ignore his advice, as my PAC 800 had already proven it could handle tougher waters than these.

The rest of the day consisted of catching fish, shooting rapids, getting a tan, and having a great time.

The three of us used three different methods to catch fish. I chose to high stick the faster water with a double nymph rig. A size 12 Hare's Ear with an olive Bird's Nest (#14) did the trick. My friend Mike chose to use an indicator with a Bird's Nest (#12) and an olive Poopah (#14). Our other friend, Mike, used a dry with a nymph dropper. All three of us caught a ton of fish through the entire float. It was amazing to see how many fish were in the tailouts. These fish would stare up at us as we floated by, at least the ones that we didn't catch. "

Don't Scare the Fish!

2006-02-17T17:01:00.000-08:00

This is a great article that tells you the best way to not scare the fish that you're trying to catch!

It's amazing that some people spend all this time rigging up their gear and then due to the way the fly moves through the water, the fish are actually repelled by it!

They even include a nice diagram for the best way to rig your indicator.

Definitely learn something here folks...

-Michael

==============================

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/vise.htm:

"'Lower Sacramento Indicator Set-Up'

The following information and image are those of the proper indicator set-up for the Lower Sacramento River. The most difficult part of fishing the lower Sacramento is getting set-up with the correct gear. This river is stuffed with football shaped Rainbow Trout that have a wonderful food source. The only way to peak the interest of these fish is to make your fly seem as real as possible. Many of us think that our fly is doing exactly what its supposed to when it is underwater, but that isn't always the case. Much of the time the fly is either pushing or pulling the line through the water, causing the fly to look out of place. This, in turn, causes the fish to spook or move away from the feeding zone.

**ALERT !!!! -- NEW ZEALAND MUD SNAILS have been confirmed in California rivers!

2006-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.theflyshop.com/report.taf:

"**ALERT !!!! -- NEW ZEALAND MUD SNAILS have been confirmed in California rivers. The snails are very tiny and highly reproductive. The problem is created by their high numbers--billions of them--soon they cover every stone, log or other object in the water. In the process they will consume all the algae that other, more desirable trout stream invertebrates need to survive, including mayflies, stone flies and caddis flies which are vital parts of the food chain. A collapse of the food chain may result in a collapse of the fishery, plus the birds and otters that depend on the fish for food.

Be sure to wash/bleach your wading boots and gear before heading out to another river. Actually, someone just finished a study and here's what they found. Mix equal parts Formula 409 Disinfectant and water then soak gear for 5 minutes. If this method is not possible, spray gear with the same mixture from a squirt bottle and keep wet for 5 minutes. This has shown to kill 100% of the mudnsnails with minimal damage to gear. Pay particular attention to the inside of boots, under laces and inside tongue gussets! Let's help to stop the infestation whenever and wherever we can!! Educate yourself and take responsibility, assume there are snails everywhere. The future of our waters are in YOUR hands! Do something about it! "

===================

Wow, this can't be good...If you fish these waters, please do your part.

-Michael

"The Fly Shop" - A One Stop Shop For Northern California Fly Fishing...

2006-02-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for info about Fly Fishing the waters of Northern California, this is a great place to spend a little time.

Their website features stream reports, info about their guide service and fly fishing camps, their own product line of flies, info on the best places to fish in Northern California and much much more.

Before heading out on the Trout, Salmon, Steelhead trip, take a look at their site and if you're in need of a guide service, why not give them a shot?

With the info they provide on their site, I'm sure they give you a straight deal and make sure you got into the fish!

Tight Lines,

Michael

Ever Fished The Hat Creek Riffle?

2006-02-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/hatcreek.htm:

Fly Fishing on Hat Creek

The section on Hat Creek from Powerhouse #2 down to Lake Britton provides an array of quintessential fly fishing water; it is where the serious fly fishermen spend their time. This section of river is 3.2 miles long, all of which is designated as Wild Trout water with Trophy Trout restrictions.

The Wild Trout section begins at Powerhouse #2, where the creek cascades down a long riffle before tapering off into the deep weedy water below. This riffle is probably one of the most popular - and productive - portions of water in the entire state. Every day of the season there are likely to be several anglers working the riffle. Despite this constant pressure, the riffle fishes well throughout the seasons, with dry fly hatches occurring almost every day and great nymph fishing when the fish aren't rising. "

===================

Sounds like this body of water could be quite the challenge. If you're confident in your abilities why not give it shot?

A bad day fishin is still better than a good day doing something else :)

-Michael

Yuba River - Dry Fly Fishing At It's Finest!

2006-02-11T20:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/yuba.htm:

"In addition to the fantastic dry fly fishing, the Yuba is famed for its strong, hard-fighting fish. Many of these wild rainbows exhibit frequent reel-burning runs and red-sided aerial displays. Each and every one of these fish, especially when taken on a dry fly, will erase all memories of 'the one that got away.' "

=================

Sounds like a fish story.

Nah, just kiddin'...Often rivers like this that don't get a lot of fishing pressure have some of the hardest hitting fish. At least that's been my experience. What's yours?

-Michael

Is This The Finest Wild Trout River in California?

2006-02-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

ttp://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/pit.htm:

Some people seem to think so...

Just don't fall in the Pit :)

"There is some truth to these statements. The Pit tumbles down a steep, rugged canyon marked by a seemingly endless array of slick boulders. The hiking can be arduous, and the wading can be tricky.

But for those adventurous anglers willing to work a little, the rewards of fishing the Pit River are well worth it. The tough reputation of the river keeps many anglers away, making the Pit a great place to get away from it all. Each and every pocket of water on the river holds fish, and amazingly large fish at that.
These wild, football-shaped rainbows are the definition of strong-willed and hard-fighting. Many anglers, after finally summoning up the courage to test the Pit's tumultuous waters, have remarked that it is arguably 'the finest wild trout river in California.' Indeed, the strength and power of these scrappy rainbows will astonish any angler who challenge and conquer the Pit.

It is a pocket-water fisherman's dream-stream, flowing through a scenic canyon that is littered with boulders of all shape and size. These boulders, and the oxygen-rich waters flowing around them, provide the perfect sanctuary for dozens of species of aquatic insects. This massive food source enables the feisty rainbows to grow big, fast, and strong. "

This sounds a lot like the fishin' I used to do as a kid down on the Upper Coquille River in Southern Oregon. This type of fishin' was a blast. If you couldn't bring home trout for dinner after a day's fishing on this type of river, then you must not have gotten your line wet!

One thing we as fisherman must always keep in mind is safety. Be careful when walking across those mossy slippery rocks...I've busted my ass quite a few times and it ain't no fun.

Kinda puts a damper on the day and you'll be feeling it for a few days later :)

Have fun,

Michael

Test Your Skills on the Gin-Clear Fall River!

2006-02-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/fall.htm:

"Limited public access is only one of the many reasons that Fall River is so popular with spring creek fishermen. The valley that the river winds through is spectacular, with the visages of both Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen watching over the region. Wildlife abounds, with ducks, geese, otter, muskrat, eagles, osprey, herons, and deer (to name a few) all making their appearances from time to time along the entire length of the river. It can be difficult sometimes to concentrate on the fishing with all of the shows Mother Nature puts on around you.

The wild trout in the river, however, are certainly the biggest draw of all. The fishing is technical and demanding because of the gin-clear water, but with a competent guide these incredible fish become accessible to anglers of all skill-levels. We are often asked about the best time to fish Fall River and the answer is simple and usually the same: "Whenever you can get there!" The fish and wildlife are ever-present, and the insect hatches reliable. Anglers can expect thick numbers of PMD spinners starting in May, Tricos and Caddis all summer long, the famous Hexagenia in June and July, and great Baetis hatches throughout the late summer and fall."

=====================

Wow, this place sounds like a challenge. I like the fact that it doesn't get a lot of pressure, like much of the rivers up here near the Puget Sound of Washington.

Sounds like the best way to tackle this river would be to get ahold of a guide and let them show you the way to get er' done!

-Michael

Massive, Powerful Fish Shatter Rods on the Trinity River!

2006-02-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/trinity.htm:

All of these fish are full of fight; hook into one and you'll be the one that's really hooked! They are the true acrobats of the freshwater world, frequently jumping and thrashing about on the surface of the water in between reel-blazing runs and powerful rod-throbbing head shakes.

Traditionally, steelhead have been known as 'the fish of a thousand casts.' Indeed, in most watersheds that hold these sea-going rainbows, hooking a couple of fish in a week of hard fishing (often in inclement weather) is considered a good week. We're fortunate, however, to have the Trinity River, where our guides average 4-8 hookups a day and double-digit days even occur from time to time. This is some of the most consistent steelhead fishing anywhere. "

===================

As a Salmon, Trout and Steelhead fisherman myself I could only imagine what it's like catching one of these monsters on fly gear.

I've never broke a rod before but I'm curious to hear if you have.

There must be some monsters in the Trinity!

-Michael

Don't Lose Your Focus On The McCloud River!

2006-02-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/mccloud.htm:

"The river itself is unlike any other, cascading through boulder-strewn pocket water into emerald pools. All of this cool, aerated water creates perfect conditions for stoneflies, and the McCloud has lots of giant Salmonflies and Golden Stoneflies. When these big bugs are hatching, it's feast time for the trout!

There are also lots of caddisflies in the river, including the massive October Caddis, as well as multitudes of mayflies. The incredible insect life on the McCloud are another of the things that make it such a marvelous fishery, with various dry flies rising consistently throughout the season and productive nymph fishing in all of the many pockets and pools. "

======================

Sound like a place to take the family on a camping trip...

Mmmm...I can taste it right now...Fried Trout with butter, salt and pepper!

Anyone hungry?

-Michael

New to Fly Fishing? Here's a Great Place to Learn...

2006-02-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/uppermccloud.htm:

Upper McCloud River

The Upper McCloud River, near the base of Mt. Shasta, provides Northern California anglers with crystal clear, ice cold water everyday of the season. A perfect place for beginning anglers, or younger anglers. The Upper McCloud can, at times, be absolutely loaded with aggressive rainbows, browns, and even the occasional brookie. Dry flies often work well all day long, and a small mayfly or stone nymph dropped under that dry fly will almost ensure success when placed in the right spot. A perfect stream for that lightweight 2 or 3 weight rod. The mix of hatchery and wild fish, averaging 8-12', can provide plenty of action. They're not giants, but they sure can be fun and plentiful. A fish over 14' should be considered a real trophy here. The wading is of moderate difficulty and the access is easy and plentiful along Hwy 89, and also near Fowler's Camp. After June 1 it's a great place to wet-wade and beat the summer heat. This is a great classroom for younger anglers just getting started in the sport. Call for information or available guide dates."

==================

If you're just getting into the sport, this might be a great river to check out. Sounds like some great trout fishin' in some awesome scenery there.

Click on the link to check out the pics...

-Michael

Hook Double Digit Steelhead in the Famous Feather River!

2006-02-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/feather.htm:

The Feather River

The Feather River near Oroville first gained national notoriety during the California gold rush, when thousands of prospectors from all over the world scurried to the Oroville area seeking riches and scouring the river for gold. Oroville was originally known as Ophir, the Egyptian word for gold, and was famed throughout the west as the rowdiest mining town in the state. The effects of the gold mining on the river and the area's still-rowdy reputation are ever-present today, yet a new valuable asset has been discovered in the Feather River: STEELHEAD!

Fly Fishing the Feather River

The construction of Oroville Dam the tallest earthen dam in the nation closed off much of the river's spawning and nursery grounds for its native anadromous salmon and steelhead. The Feather River Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery was opened in 1967, and today the returning runs of both species are back on the rise, boasting good numbers of returning fish, both hatchery and wild, spawning each year throughout the river system. "

==================

Fly Fish near the rowdiest mining town in the West!

Wow, this place has some history. Sounds like a good place to go on a vacation. Spend some time exploring the town the Ophir/Oroville and get into some nice Steelhead fishing in October and November.

What's the limit on Steelhead down there? Man, I couldn't imagine hooking into double-digit numbers of fresh steelhead. What a blast!

-Michael

Fly Fishing the Lower Sacramento River

2006-02-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/lowsac.htm:

"The Sacramento River was dammed just north of Redding in the early 40's. One result was the formation of Shasta Lake, which tamed the powerful flood waters that had threatened rural communities and farmlands throughout the Central Valley. The agriculture that has become a staple of California life was guaranteed consistent crops by the millions of acre-feet of cheap water utilized for irrigation, as well as enough hydro-electric power to supply tens of thousands of homes. The Sacramento River Delta, however, began a catastrophic decline, and one of the most formidable runs of Chinook Salmon in the world was decimated. "

====================

WOW, did you know that was how Shasta Lake was formed?

I sure didn't...Very interesting.

Did you know that at one time the town of Redding, CA. had a population larger than spawning runs that had once numbered in the millions?

Never fear though as according to this article the salmon are making a comeback!

-Michael

The Upper Sacramento River - One of the Best In The West!

2006-02-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventuresinflyfishing.com/uppersac.htm:

"Located within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, the Upper Sacramento River may be one of the best 'roadside' fisheries in the West. Just try to convince us here at The Fly Shop any different and you'll most likely be in for a longwinded conversation. Despite the nearly 40 miles of easily accessible water there are over 15 freeway exits and railroad tracks that parallel the length of the river the Upper Sac remains surprisingly lightly fished. In fact, anglers willing to hike even a mere 10 minutes along the railroad tracks from almost any access spot will find themselves fishing water that remains relatively untouched for most of the year.

The 'Upper Sac' is freestone fishing at its best. The river is made up of riffles, runs, pocket water, small holes, huge pools and undercuts, all of which provide anglers with opportunities to fish dry flies, a variety of nymphing techniques, or even streamers, all in a day's fishing. Rainbows are the predominate fish in these waters, and most are healthy, wild, and native to the river system. They are full of fight, and usually go straight up in the air when they feel the prick of a fly in their lip. "

================

Can't think of a better place to fish than this.

Easy Access, plenty of variety in fishing conditions, and little to know fishing pressure....WOW!

-Michael

What could be any better?

2006-02-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever fished the waters of Northern California?

Wow, after living up here in the Northwest, I could only
imagine what it's like to fish in the mild climate of CA.

The clear, cool refreshing waters sure do put out the fish.

The next series of post will be about some of the more
popular destinations in Northern California.

Enjoy :)

-Michael

Five Essentials to Casting

2006-02-07T00:54:00.000-08:00

As explained By Bill Spicer

FFF Master Certified Master Casting Instructor

As I was preparing for my Master Certification I studied the cast with Master Casting Instructor Chris Seipio. Through this study I have had to obtain reading material on this subject. One such book Chris recommended was The Essentials of Fly-Casting put out by the Federation of Fly Fishers. In this book there are five essentials all casters need to know if you wish to cast with any proficiency. These are fairly straightforward rules, and with a little explanation, they are easy to follow.

1) There must be a pause at the end of each stroke, which varies in duration with the amount of line beyond the rod tip.

This just means you must stop the rod and wait for the line to straighten out before you continue with the next casting movement. The longer the line the longer the wait.

2) Slack line should be kept to an absolute minimum.

This mostly applies to when you start the cast. Your hand must anchor the line before you start the cast. Try not to have any slack line when you pick up the rod to begin the cast. Slack line does not allow the rod to load (bend) when you begin.

3) In order to form the most efficient, least air resistant loops, and to direct the energy of a fly cast toward a specific target, the caster must move the rod tip in a straight line.

Think of painting the ceiling with your rod tip, remembering that the ceiling is flat and not domed. Or imagine a tight rope above you, trace the rope with the tip of the rod, this will help you keep a straight-line path with the rod tip.

4) The size of the casting stroke must vary with the length of line past the rod tip.

Simply put, short line short stroke, long line long stroke.
This is one of the major causes of a tailing loop. If you find that your loop is tailing and you think your stroke is O.K., try increasing the length of the stroke, this should stop the tail.

5) Power must be applied in the proper amount at the proper place in the stroke.

This is the other major cause of a tailing loop. Most novice casters apply the power too early in the stroke, thus causing a tailing loop. The power needs to be applied later in the stroke. I tell most of my students to speed up evenly to a sudden stop; this actually kills two birds with one stone. It gets the student to apply the power in the proper place, and it teaches the student to stop the rod properly.

These are the steps to get you started. You must practice though; a park is the best spot I have found, because there is no fish to distract me.

Do yourself a favor, and take a lesson or two. The cost is minimal compared to what you have spent on your graphite rod, disc drag reel, or neoprene waders, and it will make casting more enjoyable.

Good Luck!

Thanks to Bill and all of the others over at thenewflyfisher.com for the use of this great article.

Entomology - What Is It and Why It's Important...

2006-02-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful aspects about fly-fishing is that it encourages you to learn more about nature. Everything is interconnected and one of the strongest links between various parts of the eco-system comes through acquatic and terrestial insects. Understanding the fundamentals of entomology will help you to determine which important hatches exist on your favourite body of water, comprehend a specific insects behaviour so you can modify your techniques to match this behaviour, and how to recognize and identify which order a specific insect belongs to (ie. Mayfly versus caddisfly). The net result of this increased understanding will be a marked increase in your ability to catch fish (solve the stream side riddle of what the fish are currently eating) and also enhance your appreciation of the incredibe bio-diversity that surrounds you.

Acquatic and terrestial insects are of intrisic importantance to fish and the whole ecology of a watershed. The following links, in combination with good books and on-the-stream experience, will lead you to be a better fly fisher and naturalist :

British Columbia Entomology
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/index.phtml

Dragonfly & Damselfly (Order Odonata)
http://www.capecod.net:80/~bnikula/on4.htm

Odonate Links
http://140.232.1.5/~tartiss/odonate.html

Aquatic Ecology (has numerous links to good entomology websites)
http://www.nysfola.org/alinks

Recommended Books:

The Caddisfly Handbook - An Orvis Streamside Guide by Dick Pobst & Carl Richards (published by The Lyons Press)

Hatches II – A Complete Guide to the Hatches of North American Trout Streams by Al Caucci &

Bob Nastasi (published by The Lyons Press)

Matching the Hatch - by Ernest G. Schwiebert Jr (out of print but available in used book stores)
Art Flick’s Streamside Guide to Naturals & their Imitations – by Art Flick (published by The Lyons Press)

Caddisflies by Gary LaFontaine (published by The Lyons Press)

Balancing a Fly Rod

2006-02-07T00:41:00.000-08:00

To learn the basics doesn't it make sense to at least take a look at some of the info from back in the day? Afterall, the fundementals are the same today as they were 100 years ago.

Enjoy and be sure to leave your comments below if you liked this article.

-Michael

==================================

In 1889 R. C. Leonard, a tournament caster, stepped to the platform without a reel on his rod and simply coiled the line at his feet. With that abbreviated rig he proceeded to smash all existing distance records, including his own, by a wide margin. It was a shocking thing to competitors and spectators alike. It was a momentous discovery from which not only tournament casters but fishermen as well should have profited. That early-day pioneer discovered an extremely important principle in rod dynamics. It amounts to this: That the caster must move the useless weight below the hand as well as the useful weight above the hand; that the removal of dead weight below the hand helped to overcome inertia more quickly, increasing the tip speed, thus imparting a greater velocity to the projectile or fly line. It should have been a valuable lesson to everyone, but it wasn’t. It remained only among the tournament casters for many years.

If you examine the books and catalogs of those early days you will discover that manufacturers and fishermen-writers discussed very learnedly and extensively such things as "fulcrum point," "counterpoise," "balancing the fly rod," and "letting the rod do the work," none of which has any merit whatsoever. Not until very recently has there been an awareness of this valid principle. It is evidenced by the availability of numerous fine, very lightweight reels on the market today. In view of this trend I should not be discussing this subject at all, except for the fact that I am frequently surprised by the comments of writers and the recommendations of suppliers or manufacturers prescribing a specific size and weight of reel to balance a particular rod. There can be no such thing as balance in a fly rod. There can never be a fixed "fulcrum point." Every inch that the cast is lengthened or shortened changes the alleged balance and every unnecessary ounce in an unnecessarily heavy reel dampens and degrades the cast. If you wish to explore this a little further, you can try an experiment as I did some years ago. If you have or can borrow enough reels, let us say in two-ounce increments, all the way from the lightest, about two ounces, to something about eight or nine ounces, you will have enough to make the experiment. Use the same weight of line on the same rod for all trials. With the lightest reels the casts are sharply and cleanly delivered flat out with enough velocity to turn over the leaders. You also get a tighter front bow if you want it. As the reels get heavier there is a noticeable lagging in the forward loop until finally with the heaviest reel there is decided dropping of the loop, and probably a failure to turn over the leader properly. This effect is most pronounced on long casts. And consider how much worse it could be with those reels that were manufactured with a hollow arbor into which the purchaser was urged to pour lead pellets through a little trapdoor in order to correct the balance of his fly rod!

You can suit yourself about these matters but for me there is only one sound system and that is: Use the lightest possible reel of good quality and adequate capacity no matter how long or heavy the rod may be . . . .

---Vincent C. Marinaro, In the Ring of the Rise, Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, copyright 1976, pp. 30-41.

Fly Fishing Spring Creeks

2006-02-03T00:25:00.000-08:00

Perusing fly fishing articles is a great way to learn more about the passion of fly fishing. The library of fly fishing literature rivals other forms of fishing even though in sheer numbers fly fisherman are out numbered by almost all other forms of fishing. There are terms in fly fishing literature that are thrown out frequently without explanation or definition. One such subset of these terms is the classification of fly fishing rivers. One can read for years and hear about freestone rivers, tailwaters, and spring creeks, without elaboration of what these terms actually mean in general and to fly fishers in general. We will attempt here to explain these classifications a little bit. This first in a series of articles will go into the spring creek.

Spring Creeks are infamous in the United Kingdom, long credited as the ancient birthplace of fly fishing. Specifically, in the UK and the Midwest United States, are the limestone spring creeks. By definition spring creeks are fed obviously by springs. What this means for fly fishing is that the water temperature will most likely remain stable year around, ideally in the high forties to low fifties on the Fahrenheit scale. Stable temperatures allow for a healthy environment for aquatic insects to grow, which doesn't take a huge amount of mental power, to make the jump to the thought that this is also great for the growth of fish.

Not only do the water temperatures remain steady but the volume does as well. Unlike other rivers that depend upon snow melt, and/or dams, spring creeks water comes bubbling up from the surface, and is fed by springs and smaller spring creeks as it works itself downstream.

When one thinks of spring creeks, one thinks of, meandering hills, gentle slopes, meadows, and wide shallow valleys. Although spring creeks can occur in mountainous regions as well, carving out a niche that is usually reserved for freestone streams. They typically are at lower elevations.

The characteristics of spring creeks, leads to some special considerations when selecting your arsenal of fly fishing flies. The meandering of the typical spring creek, with all its stable features lends also to vegetation growth. Therefore insects that feed of vegetation are the rule here. Also the banks tend to be cut into the earth, perfect habitat for mud dwelling grubs, worms and nymphs like the hex. There also tend to be abundance of scuds, sow bugs, as well as midge patterns. Since the terrain is likely grassy, look for terrestrials like hoppers and crickets. And in the riverbank itself will be ants and beetles. Terrestrials make a good bet all summer long. A good selection for spring creeks will include, patterns imitating species above, as well as some small classic dry flies, like Adams, BWOs and PMDs.

Spring creeks are likely to be small and certain tactics need to be remembered. Everything is more likely to be noticed by your wary prey. Including your approach, your colors, your silhouette. It is best not to wade, it is best to approach from upriver, and you are likely only going to get a few casts, and then moving on is your best bet. With gentle gradient the spring creek will have many, many holding areas for trout. Using tippet down to 7x is common, as is long leaders. Perfect presentations are required, and it is a great time to practice your accuracy and line management. Bring your 4x or smaller for precise fly placement, mending if necessary must be done early in your drift and without ruckus.

Many think of the spring creek as the epitome of fly fishing. And with good reason. Their very nature, evokes relaxation, tranquillity, and all the things fly fishers love.

Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier and fly fishing guide. He now operates The Big Y Fly Company. Http://www.bigyflyco.com. He can be reached at info@bigyflyco.com.

Confidence in Fly Fishing

2006-02-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

For those of you who, like me, have memories of fishing that pre-date memories of school, think back to as many fishing partners and trips as you can. Even those people you only went fishing with once. Then try to recall times where the success or failure of a fly fisherman seemed to lie strictly on the fly fishermans confidence. If you think about it in these terms, I bet you can remember numerous times, when an anglers, confidence or lack thereof, either doomed them or buoyed then until they started catching fish.

At times the success of a confident fly fishing angler can be attributed to persistence. An angler, confident in their abilities is just going to fish longer when things dont start hopping right away. But other days when all things are equal, the fisherman with the most confidence often catches the most fish.

Three quick stories come to mind illustrate this. First off let me say there have been plenty of times when I have been on both sides of the confidence equation. A few years ago, I was steelheading with a couple of fly fishing buddies. Unlike me, though there guys werent purists. And we were using terminal gear. Although were just dead-drifting jigs, very similar to fly fishing, I felt about as coordinated as a monkey performing brain surgery. As the day wore on more and more steelies were caught. Huge steelies, the biggest I had ever seen! None by me. I could feel my confidence shrinking. And I mean my confidence in all kinds of things, like being able to read the river, being able to detect a strike. Things that had no connection to me using unfamiliar gear. The pressure inside my head built, until I HAD to catch a fish. I didnt catch one fish that day, although I finally had a strike, and set the hook so hard I jerked it right out of the fishs mouth. And I fished longer and harder than anyone else on the trip.

Another story is almost reverse. Here in Maupin, the Deschutes River fills with fly fisherman every May and early June for the Giant Salmonfly hatch. It is a carnival of fly fishing. One year I was drifting with a couple of accomplished anglers, who were nevertheless apprehensive about fishing such a well-known hatch, A hatch documented throughout fly fishing literature. With crowds of anglers as spectators to one another. Despite all the drift boats and bank anglers I know a spot or two constantly overlooked and are rarely fished. I set both guys up with the exact rigging I use. Put them in the best two spots and made lunch, while they flogged the water to no avail. Despite their long fishing experience they were unaccustomed to the big water and the feeling of being in a spotlight, and seemed to do every action with uncertainty. After lunch I nailed numerous trout with virtually no effort. Pointed out fish lying behind rocks and caught them. It was a display they still talk about some years later.

Another day I was fishing alone, in water I know like the palm of my hand. And was getting skunked. Fishing all my usual water, using all my usual techniques I couldnt even get a strike. Yet I knew I could and did catch fish in this spot, lots of fish. I kept at it, until I heard a fish jump behind me, in a riffle I hadnt fished in years. I turned around and cast right at the head of the riffle, and nailed what was to be the first of many beautiful trout I caught that day.

If I hadnt been confident in my abilities, and in the water holding fish, I would have stopped long before. That was an instance where confidence led to perseverance. But the other two days, it seemed to be confidence only, that led to more fish being landed. Maybe there was something subtle in the presentation of the confident angler, something that cant be taught. Like the way some quarterbacks always seem to win. Or maybe like in other endeavors confident people just seem to do better. At any rate the only way I know of to develop confidence is through repeated success. And in fishing the only way to catch fish is to do more fishing.

If you are thinking this is all a stretch, I bet you can come up with very similar stories that have happened to you. Especially if like me, you have been fishing since you had a Leave it to Beaver lunch box. Give yourself the possibility that confidence in your fishing ability does play a role, in your catch rate. And the end result will be you spend more time fishing. And if that is the end result of you reading this article, then it was time well spent. Now lets go out there and build up our fly fishing confidence!

Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier and fly fishing guide. He now operates The Big Y Fly Company. Http://www.bigyflyco.com. He can be reached at info@bigyflyco.com.

Fit The Fishing Rod To The Fishing Task

2006-02-03T00:13:00.000-08:00

See yourself standing on the bank of a swiftly moving stream in the shade of a gnarled willow, your fishing rod bent beneath the weight of an unusually large catch.

Whether or not you land that fish depends on the decisions you made at the shop -- primarily the type of rod.

The ABCs Of Fishing Rods

Your rod is the most important tool you will use while fishing, and you can chose from a wide range of types, styles and lengths.

A fishing rod is a shaft of graphite, fiberglass, steel, wood or bamboo used to catch fish (duh). Fishing filament (line), is threaded through the ferrules (eyes) along the rod. The ferrule at the tip directs the cast. 1 end of the line winds around a reel at the base of the pole. The other end of the line has a baited hook attached to it.

Fishing rods vary from 4 feet (for children) to 16 feet, with the average being 6 feet long. Rod length is chosen based on: the species of fish you target and the environment you will fish at.

Landscape

If your fishing hole is beside trees with overhead branches, you'll need a short, flexible rod. Flexibility -- the amount the rod can bend before breaking -- is determined by the diameter of the pole. Light rods are thin and flexible, while stronger rods are thicker and more rigid.

For open terrain, flexible, thin rods that are 10 to 12 feet long are good, unless it is too windy.

Fresh Water Or Salt Water?

Freshwater fishing occurs in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, while saltwater fishing is done in oceans and along the coast. Choose a rod appropriate to the environment.

Plan For Species Of Fish

Short, strong rods are best for landing game fish. Stronger and thicker rods should be used for large, aggressive fish. Such fish could break a lighter pole.

Select Rod By Material

Common types of fishing rods include bamboo, fiberglass and graphite.

Bamboo rods can be a basic, inexpensive pole with a line attached, to very expensive handcrafted rods that are used for fly-fishing. Bamboo rods run from $5 up to hundreds of dollars for handcrafted fly fishing rods. If you are not planning to do fly-fishing, fiberglass or graphite rods are best.

Fiberglass rods are good for beginners and kids and they're reasonably priced. They come in many lengths, flexibility characteristics, and require very little maintenance.

Many experienced anglers prefer graphite rods, because they are very lightweight and extremely strong.

A Fitting Rod

Your goal should be to find a rod that fits your arm and is comfortable. If you have trouble choosing, ask someone with experience to go along or just ask the staff at a fishing store. A few pointers will quickly get you on your way -- to a world of fun.

Visit Fishing to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Provided by ArticleFeeder.com

2006 Alaska King Salmon Fishing Report

2006-01-27T03:21:00.000-08:00

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."

==================================

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

2006-01-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

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."

===============================

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

2006-01-27T02:55:00.000-08:00

"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!

2006-01-27T02:44:00.000-08:00

"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."

===================================

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