While you’re not likely to ever need to know how to clean or eat a fish made entirely out of LEGOs, but that being said, this video is simply satisfying to watch. Youtuber “I Like Home” made this calming stop motion short film showing how to clean a chinook salmon at home, and it’s quite the treat to watch. Check it out!
Fishing Tips: Wading for Bonefish
When the weather gets cold, many anglers start dreaming of days spent wading for bonefish on the flats. This video from The New Fly Fisher will help you get prepared for whenever that dream eventually turns into reality.
Costa Behind the Guides: Hilary Hutcheson
Meet Hilary Hutcheson, a fly fishing guide based in Columbia Falls, Montana. Hilary guides the summer months on the Flathead River, owns Lary’s Fly & Supply, and commits herself whole-heartedly to climate action. The Flylords team was lucky enough to spend a day on the water with Hilary. It was inspiring to see her guiding, fishing, and sharing her knowledge of the river and passion for the environment.
We are excited to add Hilary to our ongoing blog series “Behind the Guides†presented by Costa Sunglasses.
Flylords: What is your favorite part about being a guide?
Hilary: I love witnessing people discover something exciting in the wild. I love being with them as they react to the adrenaline part of fly fishing. It’s the stoke for me. As a team on dynamic water, my anglers and I are always finding something that gets our hearts pumping. It’s the best when they uncover something new and rad in themselves when they accomplish something they didn’t expect. It’s fulfilling to me when they’re clearly moved by what we’re privileged to experience in this insanely cool place and honor it through protection.
Flylords: Any tips for aspiring fly fishing guides?
Hilary: Most aspiring guides have already been told that it’s not enough to be a good fisherman; that they have to read water, be a patient teacher, and genuinely enjoy being with people. But, beyond that, I would suggest that new guides put themselves in the client seat first by buying a few guided trips at full retail and really paying attention to what goes into the operation. Talk to the guide about what she likes and dislikes about her job, what she is trying to do differently, what challenges she sees ahead for the industry, and why she shows up every day. Look into the business details of guiding. Like, taxes, insurance, specific licenses and permits, boat and gear maintenance, reservations software, accounting, industry competition, and longevity based on resource quality.
Flylords: Favorite fly for freshwater fly fishing?
Hilary: Here on the Flathead we fish a lot of fun attractor patterns. I tie one that I call the Whitewater Skrull. Skrulls are the extraterrestrial shapeshifters in Marvel Comics. My Whitewater Skrull pattern is kind of a variant of the Turk’s Tarantula but with a foam-based body and a longer, crystal flash tail. It’s a shapeshifter because it becomes a different fly throughout changing water scenarios. So, it can be super buggy as an adult stonefly, then looks sexy in the swing like a drowned hopper, and then becomes a minnow on the retrieve. It’s awesome in high and fast water since it doesn’t need a consistent drag-free drift. Here’s a video on how to tie it:
Flylords: You are vocal about your passion for climate action, what sparked this passion?
Hilary: I wouldn’t say I’m passionate about climate action, but I’m passionate about humans. And humans are in trouble. My activism was sparked by witnessing first-hand how global warming is negatively impacting the oceans and rivers I love to fish, and that led me to learn more about how the poorest communities are suffering the most from climate change caused by the richest countries. I really do not enjoy putting on a suit and going to Washington, DC when I could be fishing instead, and I don’t love constantly auditing my habits or spending time talking about the large corporations that are responsible for the majority of human-caused climate change. But I do it, not because I’m passionate about activism, but because as a guide I’m in a unique position to testify on the many changes I witness on the water, and to amplify the voices and actions of affected stakeholders. Truthfully, it’s not losing recreational fishing habitat that keeps me up at night, it’s the realization that people with the smallest footprint are taking the brunt of the irreversible harm caused by the largest polluters.
Flylords: As a fly fishing guide, what do you see your role in slowing human-induced warming from greenhouse gasses?
Hilary: As a fly fishing guide, my role is to bring people closer to nature so they’ll be driven to fight for environmental justice–that being, a world in which all people enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process. There’s a privilege in the opportunity to take part in fighting for the systemic change that’s needed, so I’m grateful for the chance. This includes advancing nonpartisan policies that protect the environment. So, I try to be a trusted messenger who is keen on scientific resources and ready to answer questions and steer clients toward their own activism. I don’t get on a soapbox–I don’t have to because clients and other anglers are leading the conversation. They’re eager to do more and to hold big polluters accountable. I remind them, and myself, that as privileged anglers we travel in planes and drive trucks and we’re not perfect, but we can work toward progress. We worked hard to bring my fly shop, Lary’s Fly & Supply to carbon neutrality, and we’re interested in helping the industry consider its carbon footprint and hold big polluters accountable. All guides can speak to their elected leadership, and I’ve appreciated the good example, training and leadership in doing so from Protect Our Winters, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Captains for Clean Water and AFFTA. I’m grateful to brands like Costa that support these efforts and amplify climate action messages through media, like DROP which came out earlier this year. https://
Flylords: Tell me a bit about your involvement in climate action; how do you combine fly fishing and climate action?
Hilary: There are some aspects of climate change that fly fishermen zero in on better than others. For example, we see how climate change is altering runoff, reducing streamflow, aiding species hybridization, damaging spawning, increasing nutrient loads in rivers, and creating water temperatures that are fatal for fish. So, for me, it’s not possible to fly fish without addressing climate, and conversely, I’m not going to be able to understand climate impacts so directly if not for my intimacy with the river.
Flylords: How do you think other anglers can get involved in resource protection?
Hilary: More and more guides and anglers believe resource protection is as important to their fishing success as casting and fly selection. In the Northeast, they’re standing up at fisheries management meetings to talk about the importance of not overfishing the menhaden baitfish that support stripers. In Florida, they’re dialed and vocal on the science behind their fight to restore the River of Grass. In the Pacific Northwest, they’re putting trips on hold to take pressure off the suffering native steelhead populations. There are examples all over the country of the importance of involvement. And fly shops often become headquarters for conservation information and action opportunities. A fly shop is a great place to find resources for how to contact your elected leadership, how to connect with a conservation non-profit, or how to learn about a local environmental issue.
Flylords: What change would you like to see within the fly fishing industry to be more environmentally conscious?
Hilary: The fly fishing industry can be effective in promoting green banking, electric vehicles, updating the electric grid, sustainable agriculture and carbon neutrality within our own association. And I’d like to see us put more pressure as a group on the fossil fuel industry and large corporations that make up the majority of impact, rather than let the big polluters tell us that it’s our fault because we used a plastic straw or left our Christmas lights on too long. Also, fly fishing companies are always working with thin margins, so we recognize that environmental policy changes are also made at the margins. So, as part of the outdoor community, we can have a mega impact at those thin margins when we drive participation in influencing policy. Policy makers recognize the economic importance of the outdoor community, and we need to keep reminding them that we’re powerful and growing. A positive change that I’m seeing is that top brands in the industry are only signing ambassadors who are sincerely committed to resource protection.
Flylords: You grew up in the same area of Montana that you still guide in today. What inspired you to stick around?
Hilary: I love continuing to kick the dirt my parents chose for us. My parents set my siblings and me loose (with safety considerations, proper training, and gear) to explore Glacier country, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have been raised on public lands. I never get tired of it here, and I could never see it all even if I had many lifetimes. Being able to work on the river with my children on public lands is the greatest joy. And working together to do our part to leave it as we found it and have a ton of fun in between is what floats my boat.
Flylords: The Flathead River System is super unique at an ecological level– could you tell us a bit about its history and what makes it so unique?
Hilary: The Flathead is in an area known as the Crown of the Continent ecosystem, which stands out globally as richly diverse biologically at all levels. It’s one of the planet’s few remaining intact ecosystems with ecological strengths like adequate area for wildlife to move freely between diverse habitats over a broad range of terrain; healthy watersheds and wild river floodplains that can handle extreme weather changes; and the large carnivores that have always been recorded there. It’s a zone that has not suffered a known animal extinction in the past 200 years. That stokes me out. And the Flathead is under the protection of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Fewer than 1/4 of ONE percent of our nation’s rivers have this federal protection, so for all three forks of the Flathead to enjoy it is a big deal. When people come here and see these rivers without injuries from extraction, they tend to see the value in offering Wild and Scenic protection to more wild rivers across the country.
Flylords: Switching gears a bit… What sunglasses are you wearing today and why do you like them?Â
Hilary: I’ve been loving the new Untangled Collection. I have the Pescador style with the side shield. But today I’m wearing the Waterwoman, which is a standby for me here on the Flathead because it fits snugly on my head so the frames aren’t bouncing around my face in whitewater.
Flylords: What is next for you?
Hilary: I just wrapped up the guide season and started work on a new film that I’m super excited about. It’s a historical, Japanese American cultural piece with fishing involved so I’m absorbed in the research right now–it’s super fun and kind of an emotional trip.
Big thanks to Hilary for all of her insight and an amazing day on the river. Thank you to Costa Sunglasses for featuring so many amazing guides in our Behind the Guides series! Photos and interview from Gloria Goñi, @lapescadora.
How to Tie: The EP Shrimp
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Olly Thompson with Aardvark McLeod Fly Fishing ties a shrimp pattern that saltwater flats anglers should never be without, the EP Shrimp.
Difficulty: Easy
With the new year arriving and frigid temperatures keeping many anglers indoors, this is a perfect time to dream of ocean flats fishing. A pattern that should be in every anglers flats box is the EP Shrimp. Whether in the Seychelles or cold water flats of New England, this fly will produce fish consistently. Shrimp are a flats food item that fish indulge themselves upon heavily, and their relatively simple profiles make them a quick tie for experienced tyers.
The invention of dubbing brushes, specifically EP brushes, have made tying these flies significantly easier. Offering different sizes and colors, you can effectively imitate your local shrimp species without trouble. This contributes to a consistent size of the body, which makes for stronger profile and imitation, which is always the goal on the flats. Selecting the properly weighted eyes for depth is also extremely important, and tying several EP Shrimps in various weights will avert this potential problem.
For your next trip to the tropics, or in your next outing in the saltwater, make sure you bring an arsenal of EP Shrimps. From triggerfish to striped bass, this fly gets it done with any and all flats species. Cold days spent on the vise is a perfect way to prepare for your next saltwater outing, and no trip should exclude the EP Shrimp. Enjoy your favorite drink and podcast, and tie up a batch of these flats killers for your first new years resolution.
Ingredients:
- Hook: Gamakatsu SL 11
- Eyes: Home made burnt Mono, nail varnish and UV glue
- Tail: Calf’s tail in tan and Krystal flash, black and hot orange. Two strands of each.
- Thread: Veevus GSP 100d
- Wing Material: Hareline Dubbin Scud Dub Shrimp Scud
- Body material: EP streamer brush, 0.5 inches.
- Legs: Chicone’s Barred Micro Crusher Legs Olive/ clear
- Lead Eyes: Hareline Dubbin Nickel Plated Lead Dumbbell Eyes Size small or extra small.
Now you know how to tie the EP Shrimp!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Aardvark McLeod Fly Fishing.
A Brown Trout of My Dreams
I have been traveling to the Rockies for many years on trips looking for big fish. I always do my planning ahead of each fishery I visit by checking reports and tying up everything I might need for that specific area.
This year, we decided to change it up and go to the San Juan River to check out new waters and I wasn’t expecting to be tangling with any really big fish. On a cold Saturday morning, I’d been catching several really nice rainbows including a beautiful 24″ bow.
Here I am on working my way up a long slow run and I see this MASSIVE shadow. I had been fishing my 5 weight, 6x tippet with size 22 midges. I quickly change my rig over to 5x, a Sparkle SJJ, with a larger Phlamin Pheasant Tail dropper. 3-4 drifts later, we hook up and he rolls away from me – it’s huge and it’s gold! He hunkers down in the deep part of the run and there was no turning him at that point. 4-5 minutes later, he starts to get tired out and I begin slowly and carefully working him over to the soft water. Luckily there was a little chute coming in the side of this run so I was able to corral him where I was able to net him solo.
My little brother comes rushing up and low and behold, it’s the brown of my dreams – taped at 30″. And of course… He took the worm.
After all my years fly fishing, I’d started to think I’d never hit that magic 30″ number. Then bam, it happens on a weekend when I least expected it.
That’s the key to big fish. Get all that situational practice in, and never stop hunting. It will eventually pay off!
Article and photos from Brad Besset, @bradbesset.
Fishing Tips: Saltwater Fly Fishing
Check out this week’s Fishing Tips feature from the Huge Fly Fisherman. This video presents some great beginner tips for saltwater fly fishing. Check out the sparknotes below.
Casting
- You don’t have to cast that far, but you do have to practice.
- Sometimes you’ll have to cast far, but most casts are within 40 feet.
- Get your cast down to two or three false casts
- Get your double haul dialed in.
- Practice!
Sight-fishing
- Good pair of polarized sunglasses.
- If you’re having trouble sighting the fish, tell the guide or whoever you’re with.
Wading
- Shuffle your feet when walking so that you don’t step on a stingray.
Boating Etiquette
- Stand down the center of the boat so it does’t rock.
- Don’t slam the hatches.
- Clean your feet off before entering the boat.
- Practice responsible boating safety.
Guides
- Find a guide.
- Leave them a good tip.
- At new spots ask your guide about the likelihood of sharks and the depth
Sun Protection
- Long sleeves
- Hood
- Buff
- Sun screen (don’t forget the tops of your feet and the underside of your nose)
Weather and Clothing
- High quality rain gear.
- Spare change of cloths.
- Leave the loafers at home and buy some soft soled shoes.
Learn Some New Terminology
- “Nervous water”
- “Uplight/Downlight”
- “Up-sea / down-sea”
- “Tide / Current”
- “Headwake”
Rinse Your Gear
- Saltwater is corrosive, so your gear needs to be rinsed often.
Learn About Tides
- Spots change depending on the tide.
- Explore and figure out spots at different tides.
Relax and Stay Calm
- When you blow the shot, don’t beat yourself up.
- Analyze what happened and move forward.
Stay tuned for more installments of Fishing Tips!
Captains For Clean Water Releases 2021 Impact Report
It’s been a big year for clean water in Florida and for the future of discharges from Lake Okeechobee thanks to our friends at Captains for Clean Water. After Florida and the Army Corp of Engineers released their latest LOSOM plan, a palpable sigh of relief was felt as progress was made in favor of clean water in Florida flowing out of Lake Okeechobee. You can read more about their year and read their full impact report at the link below:
From Captains for Clean Water:
“This year, we witnessed an outcome for the future Lake Okeechobee operations plan (LOSOM) that puts us in a position to see REAL PROGRESS for our waters.
It was a moment three years in the making, but the positive result was anything but guaranteed. We rallied local businesses, other organizations, the outdoor industry, state officials, and of course, the people to ensure that the new plan would be good for our waters.
Our engaged community stepped up time and time again, and now we have a very promising tomorrow to celebrate.
Check out our full impact report to see how—with your support—we were able to move the needle in a major way over the past year.”
Read the Captains for Clean Water 2021 Impact Report, here!
New World Record Carp Landed by Texas Fly Angler
Barry Osborn is no stranger to setting IFGA records, in fact, he holds over 100 world records and even more in his home state of Texas. His latest all-fly tackle record was this decent-sized “fan-tail” carp which measured 73 centimeters (28.74 inches) and was certified last week as a new International Game Fish Association world record.
“The IGFA recently separated their all-tackle length category into all-tackle rod and reel and all-tackle fly rod. I am trying to be the first angler to have the top rating in the all-tackle fly category. I may be the first angler to receive top recommendation for this world fishing category,†Osborn said.
Due to recent changes to IGFA’s catch and release category, Barry did not have to weigh the fish to qualify his catch as a new record.
You can learn more about the record-setting angler and his fish, here!
Collection of Fly Fishing Literature Dating Back to 1597 Donated to American Museum of Fly Fishing
Although fly fishing has been dated back thousands of years, finding original manuscripts specifically pertaining to the sport from the late 1500s is a sight to behold for fly fishing scholars and fanatics everywhere. Recently, the American Fly Fishing Museum received a collection of such manuscripts from Mr. Charles Thatcher featuring original manuscripts dating back to 1597 and some works that are truly one-of-a-kind. Check out the press release from AMFF about the donation below!
From the American Museum of Fly Fishing:
The American Museum of Fly fishing is pleased to announce that it has received a gift of the angling book collection of Charles Thacher. It is one of the finest and most complete private collections of antiquarian angling books in the U.S. With the addition of this collection, the Museum enhances its position as being America’s leading institution for the study of angling history and traditions.
Mr. Thacher’s collection of nearly 400 volumes was carefully curated, as he acquired primarily older books, published in the 1800s and earlier, and everything is in fine condition. The earliest volume was published in 1597, while 31 books were published in the 1600s, and another 51 in the 1700s. Some of these books were believed to be the only copies existing in private hands.
The AMFF’s mission includes being the steward of the history, traditions, and practices of the sport of fly fishing. The Thacher collection fits the mission perfectly, as it includes many books that will enhance our knowledge of the evolution of fly-fishing techniques and traditions, and offers angling researchers and writers a treasure trove of new materials to examine. For example, there are over a dozen books that display tied flies, including four published between 1814 and 1842 that have nearly 200 flies that are among the oldest that exists. Scholars and collectors interested in the advancement of rods, reels, and other equipment will find hundreds of illustrations and descriptions of what was in use from the earliest times. We are extremely thankful to Mr. Thacher for his extraordinary gift and look forward to sharing more details of the collection in the future with our members and the angling public.
In the meantime, please browse the complete list of titles, and let us know when you’re ready to schedule time in the Gardner L. Grant Library.
The Top Flylords Stories of 2021
As we round out the final hours of 2021, we’ve been looking back at another incredible year. We’ve seen continual growth in fly fishing as a whole, with even more anglers than last year picking up a fly rod and having a go at our favorite pastime. This year has also taken us around the globe to destinations like Russia’s Ponoi River in search of Atlantic salmon and sea-run brown trout. But, more than anything, we are grateful to all of our loyal readers for following along this year, we could not do this without you! We’d like to extend the deepest thanks to all who have contributed stories to the Mag, your adventures, tips and stories of legendary fish keep us inspired, and never fail to get us stoked to get on the water.
Most Popular Flylords Stories of 2021
Archeologists Discover Fishing Rods and Flies Dating Back 12,000 Years
Best Entry Level, Intermediate, and Advanced Euro Nymphing Rods
California Angler Lands and Releases Potential Record Rainbow Trout
Editor’s Picks
Trout Week 2021
Check out all our Trout Week 2021 articles, here!
Small Business Spotlights
Check out all our Small Business Spotlights, here!
2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour Behind the Lens Interviews
Read the interviews, here!
Thank you all for an incredible 2021, we can’t wait to show you what’s in store for 2022!
