News On The Fly
The Fly Fishers' Hot Music List
Posted on December 06 2004
Before the inevitable devolution there were some interesting choices for best unrecognized music on the FlyFisherman bulletin board: Radiohead – Kid A Flaming Lips – the Soft Bulletin Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots The Flaming Lips – … more
Wetsuit Trout
Posted on December 04 2004
“I’m beginning to feel like a trout myself, suspended in 30 feet of water at the bottom of Firehole River, as I watch cutthroat dart to the surface, hit mayflies and sink back with a silvery flip of their bodies … more
The Skittal or Skettel Fly
Posted on December 02 2004
Been a bit of buzz among permit anglers lately over the Skittal fly, a pattern developed by guide Will Casella at El Pescador’s Ambergris Caye lodge in Belize. The fly is fished with a continuous strip — a technique that … more
Chile's Futaleufu River Valley
Posted on December 01 2004
There’s only one way into this remote fisherman’s paradise in central Chile: a bumpy dirt road completed in 1983. “When I stepped outside the first morning, I was stunned by the looming snowcapped mountains and rock spires hanging above the … more
How to Buy a Fly Rod Company
Posted on November 30 2004
This article by Dimitra Kessenides in Inc. magazine describes the due diligence required when considering the purchase of a small business, and also mentions the story behind Lon Deckard’s purchase of rod maker Thomas & Thomas in 1991. “Looking back, … more
Coxon Aerial Reel Fetches £6,600
Posted on November 30 2004
A pre-World War I reel — a Roller Back Coxon Aerial made by John Forrest of London — was purchased in Britain for £6,600 at a November auction, apparently setting a record for antique reel prices. On FishingMagic.com.
Hunting and Fishing: The Only True Sports
Posted on November 30 2004
“As an urban intellectual, I was used to sneering at ‘the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable’, even if I recognised that this was the weakest of Oscar Wilde’s quips.” Roger Scruton, a leading British philosopher, suggests that hunting … more
Foreign Fishing Guides: Covert Fishing Ops in New Zealand?
Posted on November 30 2004
According to Thomas White, a Reefton, New Zealand guide, New Zealand rivers are getting pounded by foreign outfitters posing as recreational fishermen. “And they’re not paying anything at all. They’ll buy a New Zealand fishing licence, I hope, but nothing … more
Trout Pout
Posted on November 29 2004
Bob Saile describes the disease and the cure in this piece about fly fishing for mountain whitefish. “Whitefish are the ugly ducklings of Western fishing, except they never turn into piscatorial swans. Ray Bergman, a famous fishing writer in the … more
New Book: "Fly-Fishing for Coastal Cutthroat Trout"
Posted on November 28 2004
Les Johnson’s new book on fly fishing the U.S.’s northwest coastline is out and looks to be a good one. Fly-Fishing for Cutthroat Trout: Fly, Techniques, Conservation (Frank Amato Publications, 144 pages) is about the cutthroat that inhabit streams and … more
River Test a Product of "Restoration"
Posted on November 28 2004
An article by Tom Hundley in the Chicago Tribune mentions something interesting about the hallowed River Test, where Isaac Walton once fished: that it wasn’t truly a river until the various feeder streams were restructured by local farmers, 100 years … more
Idaho's Winter Fly Fishing
Posted on November 27 2004
I think the first time that I realized fly fishing for trout could be excellent even in the cold of winter was watching fish rise all around us as we sat in a freezing duck blind on the Bighorn River … more
Pennsylvania's Exclusive Spring Ridge Club
Posted on November 26 2004
$75,000 will get you membership in what may be the elite fly fishing club in the U.S., or at least the club most suited for the eastern elite. Situated on the confluence of Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River … more
The European "Sea Trout"
Posted on November 25 2004
“Anglers in Great Britain, Norway and other European countries look forward to fall runs of what they call sea trout, a large form of brown trout that spends its growing years in the ocean. Sea trout are to stream-resident browns … more
Reading the Water in Print Again
Posted on November 24 2004
David Churbuck reviews the classic book by Robert Post profiling the anglers who lent striper fishing of the New England its fame and fascination. “Reading the Water was reissued after a long disappearance, revived thanks to the efforts of fans … more
Fly Fishing for Black Drum
Posted on November 23 2004
Had my first experience with tailing black drum Sunday. Mighty interesting, to say the least. Here’s an article that Chico Fernandez wrote for Florida Sportsman some time back that gives an excellent introduction to patterns and techniques for these fish, … more
Sons Teaching Fathers
Posted on November 21 2004
“If I wanted to continue fishing with my son, I had to learn how to fly-fish.” That’s what Biogen vice president Burt A. Adelman determined after he bought his 16-year-old son a fly rod for his birthday. Then he found … more
New Books: Under Cottonwoods
Posted on November 20 2004
“She had a spinning rod and a jar full of nightcrawlers with her, Walter said. He told her he was a flyfisherman and he could teach her how to do it so she wouldn’t use worms. She shook her head … more
Mud Snails Dominant in Yellowstone Park
Posted on November 19 2004
New Zealand mud snails have apparently established themselves as permanent residents of Yellowstone Park. In some locations, like Polecat Creek, they comprise 93 percent of the invertebrate biomass. Scientists think that the Park’s geothermally heated rivers are most likely to … more
Bonefish: Destination Andros
Posted on November 19 2004
FlyFishingConnection.com recently added an angler’s summary for Andros Island, Bahamas bonefishing. “Some well known and famous ‘big fish’ areas are Moxey Creek, Land of the Giants, Big Wood Cay, the west side, Joulter Cays, and numerous other areas too many … more
Fly Fishing with Jack Nicklaus
Posted on November 18 2004
Here’s a great piece in Golf Digest by Jack Nicklaus, who describes himself as a low-handicapper when it comes to fly fishing. But the blood on his face — the result of burying a double-barbed “Munro Killer” in his forehead … more
Fly Fishing Puget Sound's Shorelines
Posted on November 18 2004
“You won’t have to worry about the other guy while fly-fishing spots along the approximately 2,000 miles of shoreline on Washington’s inland marine waters. You won’t find drift hogs elbowing in and casting in front of you. No boats will … more
Fly Fishing Books: Trout Hunter Review
Posted on November 17 2004
WaywardFlyFishing.com‘s Toney Sisk reviews Rene Harrop’s Trout Hunter: The Way of An Angler and says that “Harrop’s writing sneaks up on you. Some authors will bore you with long stories of a fishing adventure, leaving you wondering when the point … more
Fly Fishing Books and "Bare-Naked Fishing Porn"
Posted on November 16 2004
Sheryl van der Leun writes on Newsday.com how “pornification” has become a commonplace marketing ploy. “‘Porn for fly-fishers,’ quips the table of contents in the July 2004 issue of Men’s Journal, the magazine that carries the slogan ‘Live the Interesting … more
Raw and Nasty: Perfect Climes for Steelhead
Posted on November 16 2004
“Steve and I work upstream and I start seeing fish everywhere. HUGE fish, easily 2 feet long, resting in clear, shallow water. And, unlike many streams, they don’t spook. It’s a treat just to see these creatures, but I want … more
'Trout Slayer" Beer: I Wonder If It's Something in the Water
Posted on November 14 2004
Boutique beer brewers in Montana (we’re not in Montana right now, so we can call them that) try to come up with off-the-wall and slightly wry monikers to sell their inventory. We’re familiar with Moose Drool, but ‘Trout Slayer’ is … more
Fly Fishing Chinook Salmon in Illinois
Posted on November 14 2004
As world-traveled angler Robert Tomes comments in this piece about Chinook salmon fishing in the St. Joseph River not far from Chicago, “It is one of those fall days, I wish I was out fishing. And I am.” Dale Bowman … more
Fishing Flies: Au Sable Wulff Invention
Posted on November 14 2004
Francis Betters’s Au Sable Wulff was an attempt to combined the best qualities of the Adams pattern and the Wulff, another classic fly invented by Lee Wulff. But “The Au Sable Wulff isn’t his only famous pattern. In 1949, while … more
Florida Keys Guiding: Dream Job?
Posted on November 13 2004
Here’s an enjoyable piece on the myths and realities of the “dream job,” which Men’s Journal’s Eric Messinger says applies to guiding in the Florida Keys. But it’s not all ecstasy, according to veteran guide Tim Hoover. “‘I’m poling 1,500 … more
Leg-Pullers and Stumpknockers
Posted on November 13 2004
Steve Kantner gives the lowdown on bluegills and shellcrackers and just about everything related to fly fishing for bream in Florida Sportsman. He also offers a list of 12 Florida hotspots for panfish. “Bream bugging is generally best in low … more
Fishing Flies: Tying the Pheasant Tail Nymph
Posted on November 12 2004
Nick Simonson suggests this time-honored technique for learning to tie flies well in the Valley City (North Dakota) Times-Record. Perhaps encouraged by the weather — it’s 17 degrees where he lives today — he notes that fly tying’s also a … more
The Florida Tarpon Trail
Posted on November 10 2004
Alex Suescun writes a long and quite comprehensive piece that looks at all the different locations and situations available for anglers fly fishing for tarpon in Florida. “The sun’s fiery circumference was spreading over the horizon as I eased into … more
Landlocked Salmon on a 2-Weight
Posted on November 09 2004
Fish a river for 43 years and you may just learn that conventional wisdom is not so wise after all. John Corrigan writes about catching landlocked salmon out of New Hampshire’s Merrymeeting River on gray hare’s ears and a 2-weight. … more
Books for Kids: Funerals and Fly Fishing
Posted on November 07 2004
How hard is it to find literature for kids that involves fly fishing and teaches some life lessons? Pretty darned hard. A new book by Mary Bartek, Funerals and Fly Fishing, promises to do just that. According to the editorial … more
Winter Rules for Alaska's Steelhead Anglers
Posted on November 07 2004
Amongst the slush ice and frozen guides, Tony Lewis finds reason to chase steelhead on Alaska’s Deep Creek and suggests the foods of choice for late-season fishing, just before the rivers freeze for good. “Steelhead can be fooled with all … more
Texas Redfish: "Blue-Collar Bones"
Posted on November 06 2004
E. Donnall Thomas talks about the joys of fly fishing for redfish on the southeast coast of Texas. “I love the excitement of flats fishing, but a week at a premier destination for bonefish, tarpon, or permit can put a … more
1,200 Fish Removed and Returned to Arizona's Fossil Creek
Posted on November 06 2004
In an effort to reconstruct one of Arizona’s few riparian habitats, state wildlife officials are sidelining the native fish of Fossil Creek while they poison the non-natives. All this is possible because of the decommissioning of an out-of-date power plant. … more
The Fonz Talks Fly Fishing
Posted on November 06 2004
What happens to sitcom stars when they emerge from Rerun Hell? They go fly fishing. Henry Winkler talks about fly fishing in the Big Sky state as part of his role in Sunday night’s episode of “King of the Hill” … more
Trinity River Steelhead: "Like a Barrel in a Jaws Movie"
Posted on November 05 2004
If steelhead fishing were this easy everywhere, it would ruin the carefully preserved image of steelheaders as maniacs. Tom Stienstra describes the great fishing happening now on northern California’s Trinity river. “The Trinity River canyon has turned into the steelhead … more
"John's Story"
Posted on November 04 2004
There aren’t many secrets between a fly fishing guide and his angler — at least no more than between a husband and wife. Read “John’s Story” on MidCurrent.
Menhaden Matter
Posted on November 03 2004
Gene Mueller writes about the importance of menhaden to Chesapeake Bay gamefish populations and the huge impact of their removal by netters. “As you might know, the Chesapeake’s menhaden are netted into oblivion by the netters, all in the name … more
Transarboreal
Posted on November 01 2004
Bless the British for mastering the art of finding unique foibles among the lifestyles of the famous. In the London Times Online, Brian Clarke uncovers the strange angling habits of author, biographer and historian Thomas Birch (1705-66), who liked to … more
New Books: Tying Classic Freshwater Streamers
Posted on October 31 2004
The Countryman Press has just released a new book by David Klausmeyer — the editor of Fly Tyer Magazine — called Tying Classic Freshwater Streamers: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide (hardcover, 136 pages). The Lexington Herald-Leader describes the book’s contents: “Learn … more
Angry Humpies
Posted on October 30 2004
Chris Hunt breaks an eight-weight in a fight with a pink salmon and takes the opportunity to describe all the great fall fishing that can be had on Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island. “After a short walk among towering fir … more
Fly Fishing for Montana's Spawning Lake Trout
Posted on October 29 2004
Bob Krumm describes fishing deep for large lake trout as one of the great opportunities presented by cooler weather. “During the fall spawning season, lake trout move onto the submerged gravel bars that are from 3 to 15 feet deep. … more
Chico Fernandez Talks Bonefish
Posted on October 28 2004
There has been plenty written over the years about gearing up for, finding, and casting to bonefish. One thing that is almost impossible to learn without on the water experience with bonefish behavior is what to do after the fly … more
Thomas Ames's Hatch Guide for New England Streams
Posted on October 28 2004
Hatch Guide for New England Streams gets the nod from Bill Connors, who compares it to the Art Flick classic Art Flick’s New Streamside Guide, which first established the role of an angler’s vade mecum. In the Poughkeepsie (New York) … more
Betsy Gaines Quammen and the Mongolian Taimen
Posted on October 24 2004
Back in August we reported that Betsy Gaines Quammen, the wife of nature writer David Quammen, was raising money to repair a buddhist monestary in Mongolia. This article by Mary Pickens in the Billings Gazette traces a broader connection to … more
Wire Leaders: Chico Fernandez Gets "All Wired Up"
Posted on October 23 2004
In this new primer on using wire on MidCurrent, Chico reports in his usual comprehensive way on the why’s and how-to’s of building shock tippets from single-strand wire. Essential reading if you’re pursuing barracuda, mackerel, sharks and other toothy critters. … more
Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard Talks Environment, Business and Politics
Posted on October 23 2004
Environmental news magazine The Grist interviews Yvon Chouinard, who is predictably opinionated and usually right, in our opinion, though we wonder about the direct connection with Jesus. “I find that people concerned about the environment tend to be a lot … more