The flats of Belize are calling and we must go!! You “Better Belize it,†we’ve teamed up with some awesome brands to offer a once-in-a-lifetime prize package. One lucky winner will take home the Flats Getaway Giveaway “Grand Prize Package” worth over $14,000.00 in gear and an all-inclusive fly fishing package at Blue Horizon Belize.
Flylords: What does your year look like between the two sports?
Jake: There is zero time between the two. Once late November comes around, I grab my skis and boots a whole lot more than my waders, but I still manage to get on the water a couple of times throughout the winter. In the summer, I try to be able to ski a couple of days at Mt. Hood, while the rest of my days are spent showing people around lakes and rivers, guiding them into beautiful trout. I try to tie more flys in the winter to prepare for my summer and to get in physical shape in the summer to prepare for my winter.
Fishing Photos from Adam Clark and Skiing Photos from Brendan Ladd.
Starting from her home mountains in the Adirondacks near Lake Placid, New York, Rachel Finn embarked on a journey that spanned from the Adirondacks to the deep fjords of Patagonia. Her pursuit was fueled by a shared passion for exploration and fly fishing, honoring the memory of her late husband, Jeff Kirschman. Supported by Spring Creek Lodge, Itati Lodge, and the Set Fly Fishing crew, Rachel undertook a unique adventure through Argentina. Explore the insights shared by cinematographer Max Erickson and producer Jared Zissu about the film in the following statements.
“When we were brainstorming the concept for the film we wanted to accomplish two things. Develop her backstory, and showcase her exuberance. We needed to show Rachel in her space, then let her loose somewhere where her personality could shine. She’s been to Argentina with the Set Fly Fishing crew and it was a natural fit to bring her back.”
“We shot over 20 terabytes during the roughly 3 weeks of principal photography. That mapped out to upwards of 40hrs of footage. Post editing was a heavy lift on this film (shoutout to our editor Jeb Burroughs) and we spent two months straight cutting and recutting the film.”
“Our favorite scene in the film is the buildup to Rachel’s big dorado. From dawn to dusk showing tired hands and hours of casting, built with the song “deep river†behind it. Catching a large dorado was a spiritual and meaningful experience. We didn’t want to make this sequence feel ‘cool’ or ‘epic’ because that’s not what you feel when you’re hunting for these fish. It’s meditative and quiet, a moment where you’re tuned to the present,” said cinematographer Max Erickson and producer Jared Zissu.
The film gained recognition in four distinct film festivals and tours. Its debut took place at the 5Point Adventure Film Festival, a key event in Carbondale, Colorado, with Rachel in attendance. Following numerous screenings across the United States, “After You’ve Gone” premiered at each Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) event. In October, the film earned accolades by winning both the “Best Story of 2023” and “Best Movie of the Year” categories at the Drake Magazine’s awards ceremony during the AFFTA Confluence Trade show in Salt Lake City. The film also took home the “Jury Award: Best Adventure Short” in the Bentonville Film Festival. Flylords, filled with gratitude, graciously accepted both awards. Subsequently, the film was chosen to premiere on the Banff Mountain Film Festival tour, reaching around 80 live events across Canada. Heartfelt congratulations were extended to every filmmaker who contributed their artistic endeavors to this remarkable showcase of fly fishing passion.
Special appreciation goes to star Rachel Finn for her exceptional talent and storytelling, Jeb Burroughs for his creative prowess during the editing process, the Set Fly Fishing crew, Spring Creek Lodge, Itati Lodge, Costa Sunglasses, the American Museum of Fly Fishing, as well as support from Patagonia, Fulling Mill, Scott Fly Rods, and Fly Water Travel.Â
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Charlie Craven with Charlie’s Fly Box ties a midge dry fly that every winter angler should have in their box, Griffith’s Gnat.
Difficulty: Easy
When temperatures drop and fish become lethargic, nymphs will often produce at a more consistent rate than their dry and streamer counterparts. There is no doubt that this can become monotonous and for the sake of your own mental health, can be smart to change it up. Eventually, the trout will look up during the winter to feed on adult midges and this opportunity presents some very exciting technical winter dry fly fishing. Griffith’s Gnat is a small midge dry imitation that winter anglers have relied on for years and should certainly be in your box this season.
Tying this fly is relatively easy and attainable by anyone on the vise with a little practice. The body itself is created by wrapping peacock eyes and hackle onto the hook shank, which is a great technique to learn for novice tyers. Sizes between 18-22 will be the most practical for this pattern, as midges at any stage of life are very small. Make sure you tie a batch of Griffith’s Gnats in several different sizes, as winter trout are notoriously picky both on top and subsurface.
Whether in Montana or Massachusetts, midges will be on every trout’s menu this season. Coming prepared to the water with a nymph and dry setup may be wise, as rerigging with cold hands can be time-consuming and frustrating for some. If you have the ability to safely get on the water this winter, I highly recommend it, as it offers some technical yet satisfying situations. Tying a batch of Griffith’s Gnats is a great way to pass the time on frigid days and will surely prepare you for a spontaneous midge hatch on the water soon.
Now you know how to tie Griffth’s Gnat!
Video and ingredients courtesy of the Charlie’s Fly Box.
If your still confused on why and how to use tipper, check out this video from Montana Angler Fly Fishing covering the basics.
In this Week’s Video of the Week, we catch up with Pete Kaple and Zach Landry in their latest short video targeting redfish off the Texas Coast. Zach and Pete are the original duo of The Skiff Wanderer and have had some epic trips together. The old crew is back together and getting after it on foot today on the Texas Flats. We run the Sabine Skiff Versatile to one of my favorite wading spots, jump out of the skiff, and start chasing down some redfish.
Pete started The Skiff Wanderer in the hopes of passing on his love for the ocean, sharing what he learned on the water, and encouraging others to get outside. “It’s allowed me to go on some great adventures and meet some amazing people. This whole project is about learning and growing. Not only for the viewers and followers but for myself as well.”
Check out these epic articles as well!
Video of the Week: The Skiff Wanderer Rough Log Ep. 26 with Alex Blackwell
Video of The Week: A Wandering Short Story with the Skiff Wanderer
On November 17th, a California utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., announced its plans to remove two dams on the Eel River, by filing an initial draft license surrender application (the 94-page document can be accessed through this link). For simplicity, PG&E started the drawn out process of decommissioning and deconstructing its Potter Valley project–the two 100 years old dams on the Eel. “The draft plan calls for removing Scott and Cape Horn Dams, two of Northern California’s most harmful fish passage barriers, and restoring the Eel River to a free-flowing state,†said Curtis Knight, Executive Director of California Trout. If everything goes to schedule, advocates of free-flowing rivers and healthy, wild fisheries can expect removal to begin in 2028.
“Dam removal will make the Eel the longest free-flowing river in California and will open up hundreds of miles of prime habitat unavailable to native salmon and steelhead for over 100 years,” Trout Unlimited California Director Brian Johnson said in a news release. “This is the most important thing we can do for our salmon and steelhead on the Eel River, and these fisheries cannot afford to wait.”
Restoring the Eel River will give Northern California’s salmon and steelhead runs, which have declined to fractions of historic abundance, a chance and return this resource back to Tribes and communities dependent on free flowing rivers and abundant, wild fisheries. “The Round Valley Indian Tribes have relied on the Eel River and its fishery since time immemorial. Today marks a historic first step in restoring this important cultural and natural resource to health,†said Lewis “Bill” Whipple, President of the Round Valley Indian Tribes Tribal Council. By the time the Eel dams come down, so too will the four on the Klamath River, marking an incredible opportunity for river reconnection and recovering sustainable populations of migratory species throughout the US West Coast.
Cover picture from Cal Trout.
To Support Healthy, Sustainable Fisheries, Simms Pledges 1% of All Ecommerce Sales.
Simms Fishing Products, manufacturer of waders, outerwear, footwear, and technical fishing apparel launches a platform to give back to multiple conservation groups supporting healthy and sustainable fisheries. The brand has initiated four give-back campaigns on their ecommerce site and are funding NGO partners via a 1% contribution of sales at no cost to the consumer.
Funding generated through this ecommerce platform are in addition to Simms’ ongoing support of key conservation initiatives such as Trout Unlimited’s Gallatin Home Rivers Initiative and Montana Freshwater Partner’s Give Back to the Yellowstone efforts among others.
As an industry leader, supporting healthy and sustainable fisheries has always been a key component of Simms’ mission. This new platform provides a mechanism for Simms to augment their long-standing commitment to protecting and preserving the natural resources the fishing community relies on for recreation, personal fulfillment, and emotional well-being.
“Simms has always been committed to protecting the future of fishing. In addition to advocacy and volunteerism, funding non-profit partners is a key aspect of that conservation approach.†said Strick Walker, Simms CMO. “Giving 1% of our ecommerce sales is a way for us to be transparent, to engage with consumers, and raise awareness for organizations we feel are making a positive impact.â€
At checkout on simmsfishing.com, consumers can choose to contribute 1% of their purchase to one of the four campaigns at no additional cost. Each campaign has an associated fundraising goal and, once achieved, the campaign will either start over or be replaced with a new campaign from another 501c non-profit organization selected by Simms. Non-profit organizations and campaigns will rotate throughout the year.
For the initial kickoff, Simms has selected the American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA), Captains for Clean Waters (CFCW), Trout Unlimited (TU), and the Coastal Cutthroat Coalition (CCC). See details regarding the four organizations and their respective campaigns below:
American Saltwater Guides Association / The Albie Project
Captains for Clean Waters / The Everglades Restoration Project
Coastal Cutthroat Coalition / Genetic Analysis
Trout Unlimited / Driftless Area Restoration Effort
To read more, be sure to check out the full release over at Angling Trade by clicking HERE.Â
Fly Fishing for musky might be one of the most challenging species to go after. However, when it pays off, and the odds are in your favor, the reward is high. “The time spent on the water with the people that matter most is what it’s all about….the fish truly is the bonus in this game†– Beau, Natives Fly Fishing
Reel of the Week from Natives Fly Fishing, be sure to check them out if you’re in West Virginia, or follow them on Instagram @natives_flyfishing.Â
Video of the Week: A Musky Fly Fishing Tournament with Opros & MuskyFool
When Abel allows its design engineers to delve into pet projects, fantastic products like this one emerge. Abel is no stranger to the fly-tying world; they have been crafting tying tools and accessories since the inception of their operations. In fact, in 1999, Steve Abel unveiled his Abel Vise design to the world. Although it was produced for a brief period in the mid-2000s, it has since become a sought-after collector’s item. This recent venture into the fly-tying domain pays homage to that vise, seamlessly blending its historical significance with Abel’s current spectrum of custom colors, fades, engravings, and unique artist finishes from renowned names like DeYoung, Larko, and Underwood.
Abel has been known for creating premium quality fly fishing reels and tools since the ‘80s. Today, we bring you the beautifully designed and machined Abel Vise Base. Just like our reels, this base is made to last, being machined from high-quality aluminum and finished with a Type II anodize.
There are 3 vise locations, giving you the freedom to position your vise how you like. 5 milled pockets hold hooks, beads, and other materials. For additional convenience, the large pocket has a concealed magnet to keep hooks from getting lost or moving around. Soft rubber feet keep this base stable and in place. Finally, the thumb screw is large and easy to use when securing your vise. With more accessories to come, the Abel Base is a must for any fly tyer.
This base will fit vises from most major vise companies utilizing a ⅜†shaft.
