Home Blog Page 151

How to Tie: The Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph

Greg Stohrer
-
0
How to Tie: The Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph

In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Tightlinevideo gives us a great tutorial on how to tie the Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph.

Learn About This Fly:

Difficulty: Easy

The Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph is a variant on one of the top producing nymphs of all time. This fly imitates a wide variety of insects drifting in the current and is one that no fly box should be without. Typically tied from sizes 10 to 18, the Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph can be used as an anchor fly in various nymphing rigs or as a dropper in a dry dropper rig.

The classic pheasant tail nymph has seen an evolution parallel with that of fly tying itself. The implementation of a jig hook and slotted tungsten bead allow this fly to ride hook shank up, which presents many advantages while nymphing. As the fly bounces on the bottom, the hook shank makes contact rather than the hook point, both reducing snags and increasing the longevity of the hook’s sharpness.

Although these European style flies are typically associated with short line nymphing, their uses are not solely limited to this and should be seen as an opportunity for anglers to most efficiently get their flies into the strike zone. Sparse materials used in the Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph are vital to its effectiveness due to the quick sink rate, reducing the slack time between entry into the water and tension with your indictor or rod tip. The Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph is a confidence fly that no angler should be without on the water, especially in the spring and summer months.

Ingredients:

Now you know how to tie the Pheasant Tail Euro Nymph.

Video and ingredients courtesy of Tightlinevideo.

Video of the Week: Find Your Water: 24 Hours in L.A

Landen German
-
0
Video of the Week: Find Your Water: 24 Hours in L.A

In this Video of the Week, we take a look at Redington’s Find Your Water series where we catch up with Bobby Harrison, Matus Sobolic, Jeremi Hough, & Rich Baldonado in their episode 24 Hours in LA. From finesse fishing barefoot in the LA river surrounded by freeways to throwing poppers at Mako Sharks the boys cover quite the array of the fishing available in the greater LA area. A prime example of how Fly fishing adventures don’t have to take place in far-flung, never-been-fished, exotic locales. Sometimes a train ticket, a few crazy friends, and 24 hours are all you really need. So sit down and enjoy as the boys show Jeremi some crazy examples of the urban fishing available in Southern California.

Check out more of Redington’s Find your Water series here: Redington Experiences

Check out these other awesome articles as well.

Video of the Week: All Jokes Aside with Eeland Stribling

5 Reasons Why You Should Target Calico Bass

LA River Sewer Salmon: Vice Goes Fly Fishing For Carp

Costa Behind the Guides: Nick LaBadie

Patrick Perry
-
0
Costa Behind the Guides: Nick LaBadie

Meet Nick LaBadie, a captain based down in the Key West, Florida. Nick specializes in guiding fly fishing to flats species. The Flylords team was lucky enough to spend a day on the water with Nick. To say the least, we were truly impressed by his professionalism and all-around “fishiness” on the flats. He is a guide who puts his client first and embraces the conservation of the flats and fish that live there. We are excited to add Nick to our ongoing blog series “Behind the Guides” presented by Costa Sunglasses.

Flylords: Who is Captain Nick LaBadie?

Nick: My name is Nick LaBadie and I am a fishing guide here in Key West. I grew up in a small beach town on the west coast of Florida and moved to the Keys when I was 22 years old. It didn’t take much for me to become obsessed with this fishery. I spent every waking second trying to get a grasp on how the fish worked down here and it still keeps me up at night. 

My goal is to sight fish. Tailing fish, rolling tarpon, cruisers, wakers, laid up fish, we’ll take ‘em however we can get ‘em. Sometimes we have to get our hands dirty and blind cast but we do our best to hunt whenever possible.

I like to spend most of my time targeting the big three (tarpon, permit & bonefish). But we do not discriminate and have a great time targeting other species like barracuda, jacks, sharks, snapper & more. Options depend on the seasons & conditions. 

Flylords: What does your guiding season look like? Do you guide year-round for the same species?

Nick: Down here in Key West we are very fortunate to have a year round fishery. Again I try and target the big three whenever possible, but if the conditions won’t allow we will throw at other species. As the seasons change so does the way we like to fish.

The cooler months are great for our “rod benders” like jacks, barracudas, sharks, and whatever else might come our way. Big barracudas on the flats are the wintertime heroes. As it warms up we start getting our tarpon, bonefish, and permit on the flats and will fish for those all year until the first couple cold fronts roll through in late fall. 

Photo: Nick LaBadie

Flylords:  How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a full-time guide?

Nick: I didn’t even think that being a fishing guide was an option until I was about 20 years old. I got a deckhand job in Boca Grande during tarpon season and that really got me dreaming about becoming a fishing guide. 

Flylords: How long have you been living in the Keys?

Nick: I’ve been living in Key West & the Lower Keys for about 9 years. 

Flylords: What has it been like being a younger/newer guide in an ever so competitive guiding scene in the Florida Keys?

Nick: It has definitely been interesting as a younger/newer guide here in the Florida Keys. I just do my best to keep to myself and not get in anyone’s way. There are a lot of guides that have been fishing down here long before me and it is important that they get the respect they deserve. This fishery is so sensitive as it is and it really doesn’t need any added pressure. I get why the older guides don’t get too excited about new fishermen stomping around their office…

If I didn’t know how a spot or area worked I stayed the hell away until I figured it out. I made sure to pole into and out of spots from a long way out and just show as much care and respect as I could out there. I was fortunate to be brought up around some older guides that taught me the proper etiquette on the water. Without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. 

Flylords: How many guide days did you put on the water last year?

Nick: With COVID, it definitely was an interesting year. The Florida Keys were closed to all tourism for the months of April and May which really impacted everyone’s tarpon season dates. I still managed to run about 200 guided days last year. 

That being said I am on the water over 300 days a year. I love what I do and enjoy getting out there as much as I can.

Flylords: What is the most memorable fish story you can remember on your guide skiff? 

Nick: I’ve had a lot of memorable experiences on the skiff but one that sticks out would have to be the first time I had a chance to take Nathanial Linville fishing. He was the first person I guided to a permit on fly (we actually caught 2 that day) and it was surreal to watch him fish. It was an honor to have someone like him on the front of my skiff and it felt like my hard work was starting to pay off a little.

Nathanial with the first permit of the day.
Nathanial with the first permit of the day.

Flylords: If you had to choose one species of fish to catch for the rest of your life what would it be and why?

Nick: Now that is a tough one. I’ve thought about it a lot and if I had to pick one fish to target for the rest of my life it would probably be a permit. I’m really into the challenge and the hunt. I worry that I might get bored targeting fish that give it up too easily. As much as I do like catching fish, I like hunting them more.

Flylords: Choose one, a permit on the fly or a 180-pound tarpon on the fly? 

Nick: The only reason I am picking a 180lb tarpon on fly is that I personally have not caught one that big. Generally speaking, I’m not really into fighting big fish but I would suck it up for that one.

Photo: Nick LaBadie

Flylords: Favorite pair of Costas for a day on the water?

Nick: Right now I am really into the 580G Fantail frames paired with Copper Silver lenses. The frames fit well and the glass provides the right amount of glare reduction and contrast to find fish in every condition. 

Flylords: Who is your biggest role model down in the Keys?

Nick: I can’t say I have one specific role model in mind but more of an all-encompassing idea of who I respect and look up to out here. And that is the ones that do it right. The guides that find their own spots, fish their own way, and are always respectful on the water. The skiff I see on the horizon as I’m running home still poling into the 20mph wind. The angler willing to stand on the bow all day waiting on his couple of shots. The boaters that go out of their way to pick up a trash bag in the water. And the unsung heroes that sneak out in the dark and their trailer is still at the ramp when I get in. My hat’s off to the ones that fish hard and respect the fishery. 

Flylords: Do you do any tournament fly fishing in the Keys? What is that like?

Nick: Yes I have taken part in a handful of tournaments since I started guiding a couple of years ago. It is an incredible experience to even be able to fish alongside some of the guides and anglers in these fly tournaments. 

Fishing/guiding in these can be a lot of fun but they are definitely stressful. I really take them seriously and give them everything I have. For those couple of days, you are putting yourself up against some of the best people in the world at what they do. And of course, you want to do well. 

Flylords: Piece of gear you won’t leave the house without when your guiding? 

Nick: Wow, that is a tough one. There really is a lot of equipment that I feel is essential to a guided day on the water. Hat, sunglasses, sun buff, & sunscreen are the first to come to mind.

Flylords: What is one tip for an angler who is booked with you?

Nick: Practice or refresh your casting before you come down. Showing up without practicing your cast would be like stepping up to the plate in the World Series without any batting practice. Back cast, forward cast, direction change, all of it. And don’t be afraid to ask questions! I really love helping people become better anglers. 

Flylords: How can someone book a trip with you?

Nick: The best way would be via email or through my contact form on the website. I do my best to get back to everyone when I get off the water each day.

Thank you Nick for the time, be sure to check him out on Instagram at @captnicklabadie.

Costa Behind the Guides: David Mangum

Costa Behind the Guides: Alvin Dedeaux

Protect Our Winters & Patagonia Release “Drop” – FULL FILM

Dan Zazworsky
-
1
Protect Our Winters & Patagonia Release “Drop” – FULL FILM

From Protect Our Winters:

This new film from POW Alliance Member and fly-fishing guide Hilary Hutcheson follows a drop of water from its source high in the mountains of Montana to its final destination of the Pacific Ocean.  Throughout the film, we meet the people who live, work, and play on these rivers—people who work tirelessly to ensure that these waters, and all the life they support, are healthy. Through this dedication, hard work, and passion, Drop illustrates how the water connects us all.

Drop was produced by Hilary Hutcheson and directed by Liam Gallagher.

Continue

Anglers Driving Change: Rene Henery – Trout Unlimited

Wills Donaldson
-
0
Anglers Driving Change: Rene Henery – Trout Unlimited

In this series, Flylords had the chance to partner with BUFF to highlight some outstanding members of the fly-angling community who are taking action to drive change in their communities and the world. Through the lens of struggle, perseverance, and a passion for bettering the world; we aim to share the stories of these anglers and their corresponding organizations to inspire future generations.

From deep behind the battle lines of conservation Dr. Rene Henery invites us to consider what it is that divides us and how we can come together; Rene’s work to rediscover our “belonging” recasts both the challenge and the opportunity of conservation as primarily one of personal healing and reconciliation among people. Here, we had a chance to sit down with Rene to walk us through how, alongside Trout Unlimited, he aims to drive change.

rene

FL: Who is Rene Henery? What is your background (education, area grown up in)

Rene: I was born in San Francisco, the son of a Guyanese father of African, South American, European, and Chinese ancestry (that I know of), and an American mother of western and eastern European ancestry. For the last almost 20 years Mount Shasta, CA. has been my home.  My undergraduate education was in African American and Colonial literature and art.  My Ph.D. is in Eco-geography with a focus on the opportunities for salmon conservation in the mending of connections on the landscape and in ecosystems.

FL: What work do you do alongside TU?

My work with TU weaves together science, policy, relationship building, facilitation, equity and an orientation towards care to move from oppositional politics and transactional collaboration to belonging-oriented reconnection, healing, and tending of ourselves and the landscapes and life systems of which we are a part.  In that spirit, I work extensively in the Sierra Nevadas and Cascades on the restoration of mountain meadows and streams, in California’s Central Valley on the science and policy of river and floodplain reconnection, and in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary on the reconciliation and integration of environmental and human water use and management.

FL: As an angler, and more importantly a steward and active participant in outdoor endeavors; what first drew you to the outdoors? Where is your foundation rooted?

During the years of his life in which I knew him, my grandfather, a Unitarian Minister, and Nature writer always lived close to nature in remote places, splitting his time between the high desert of central Arizona and the Brooks Range in Alaska.  Spending time with him was one of the great pleasures of my childhood. My mother and father each, also, in their own ways, imbued a love and reverence for nature in me.  My mother first put a fishing pole in my hands; my grandfather taught me to fish.

FL: When did fly-fishing come into your life, and why was it important?

At age 11 a dear friend’s family who were affiliated with the Sierra Club began bringing me with them on their summer backpacking and fly-fishing trips in the high Sierra’s.  Wanting me to feel comfortable among the group, my father brought me down to the local fly shop and they outfitted me with a rod, reel, selection of tippet, and tiny box of hand tied flies. I caught my first fish on a fly that summer – a California Golden Trout in the upper reaches of King’s Canyon – on that little four-piece Sage backpacking rod. I still fish with it to this day.

FL: Tell us a little bit about your career before your current role. What caused you to pursue that career path? What caused you to leave?

Prior to graduate school I worked for Amazon.com in the early stages of its existence and the evolution of the internet. I landed there because working for a bookstore felt close to my roots in literature and, having been isolated in private academic spaces, I wanted to learn about the culture of commerce.  When I left Amazon, (which by that point had grown and changed in ways I never envisioned) I felt conflicted about the mechanism for consumption it was becoming and my role in its trajectory.  In response, I resolved to dedicate my life to service. I wrote an email (Subject: “My Tenebrous Future”) to all of the people close to me (family, friends, professors, mentors) and asked what they thought the biggest issues/ challenges on the planet were, what they would focus on to make change around them, and what I should read in order to get my head around those topics.

I received an amazing suite of responses from which I drew guidance and crafted a reading list. I spent a year and a half working through their thoughts and recommendations.  By the end I concluded that water is the most important thing for life on earth and that it is in need of greater protection and care; that in order to contribute to a system, to make change within a system, I need to be part of that system; that information and education are less corrupting pathways to change than money and power; and that in my home, the western pacific region of North America, the condition of Salmon is an expression of and perhaps the most effective indicator of the related conditions of water and people.

FL: How do you feel the activity of fly-fishing allows you to express yourself? What’s the draw to fly-fishing?

Fly fishing is part of my practice for nurturing and deepening my connection with the whole… my belonging orientation.

FL: What is it about steelhead fishing that drives you? What’s the appeal to YOU?

Steelhead are among the most potent animal archetypes in my personal cosmology.  They remind me that all parts shape the system just as the system is shaping the parts; they are fed by and feed the systems they occupy, they are both the building blocks (as ocean nitrogen-bearing vectors that make their way into the mountains and make them fertile) and the expressions (shaped over millions of years by the dynamism diversity of the landscapes they navigate) of the life systems to which they belong.

They also remind me that my experience of tension or conflict with different parts in the system does not mean I am not connected with those parts, that we don’t belong, or that we could survive without one another; the same river currents that thwart and challenges adult steelhead during their upstream migration bear their young to the ocean.

Steelhead are also my favorite pacific salmon to eat, and in eating them I am reminded that all of the vast land and water-based ecosystems around the globe they travel through and are nourished by are also nourishing me, are part of me.

FL: If you had to label it, what kind of change do you most commonly aim to drive? 

My work is the change that occurs at the individual level through healing, through the expansion of expression, through myself and other human beings being less constrained by our wounds and our fears, and realizing our most whole selves.  At the interpersonal level, it is the change of reconnection and reconciliation, of the repair and deepening of relationships, of cultivating love and trust, embracing difference, and recovering belonging. At the systemic level, it is the cultivation of resilience and coherence and the change expressed in a system whose parts and networks are healthy and functional.  It is not work that seeks a particular end but instead seeks to create space, capacity, presence and possibility, by catalyzing, nurturing, and embodying.

FL: What fuels your desire to create change?

Rene and Chuck admiring a beautiful specimen of a Steelhead.

It comes from a place of care.  I am a sensitive being. When I, or other living things, are in pain and suffering it affects me.  I recognize wounds and want to tend to them. It’s primarily (though not entirely) instinctual at this point in my life; the same instinct that would compel me to aid a child who has fallen and broken their arm compels me to tend to someone who has been wounded by the trauma of oppression, or someone who is experiencing isolation and disconnection from family, community, or nature. That same instinct also compels me to tend to those things most core to our capacity to heal and to be healthy.  Water is essential for life; it makes up most of our bodies; its condition affects all living things. By tending to water I seek to be of service to all life.

FL: What is an initiative you’ve taken, alongside TU, recently that you’re really proud of?

For the last two years, I have been working with a (growing) group of other TU staff, board, and grassroots members on cultivating a more equitable and inclusive organizational culture within TU.  I believe the condition of my internal world (physical, mental, emotional) also defines the seeds I sew in the world around me.  Similarly, I see TU’s capacity to affect positive change in the world as an expression of our internal organizational condition. TU is an organization that is rooted in certain types of diversity, with a vast membership that falls equally on both “sides” of the political fence for example.  That inherent diversity and the inclination to work across differences towards a shared vision is one of the things that initially drew me to work with TU.  Supporting the organization continuing to diversify in other ways, to become more inclusive, and to heal and grow so that we might be of even greater service to the world around us has been one of the most compelling initiatives of my life to date.

FL: For someone who feels they’re falling out of touch with the environment, or just wants to do a better job in getting involved with conservation – what advice would you give them? 

For someone who is feeling out of touch with nature or “the environment” my counsel would be that they spend some time (as much time as possible really) in a lush forest, a wild river, a sun etched desert, a windswept mountain range… I find nature itself to be the best medicine for many things, and especially for disconnection.  I might also, humbly, offer the perspective that they (we all) are nature and so are never truly disconnected from it, it only feels that way at times.  So often, when I feel disconnected from nature, what I am really feeling is disconnection from myself, my needs, my sense of inherent self-worth, my self-love, my belonging…

FL: What’s next on the docket for you? Any exciting projects coming up?

I am part of a team-leading a new effort in CA in which NGOs and water users in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, many of whom have historically been on opposite sides of contentious political and legal battles are coming together, along with state and federal agencies and other stakeholders from across California’s Central Valley, to co-create a shared understanding of what Salmon recovery looks like, explore our own and each other’s values, and advance a suite of actions that recover salmon in an equitable way, honoring and balancing the range of values and interests in the state. The project is just in its infancy, but independent of where it ends, the feeling of working together and cultivating a non-transactional more equitable, and inclusive experience of collaboration has already been profound and inspiring.

We would like to greatly thank Dr. Henery for sharing his story and perspective with us. We would also like to thank Chuck Volckhausen of Wild Waters Fly Fishing, who played a large role in helping us capture Rene’s story.  For more information on getting involved with TU, and to learn more about Rene’s Story CLICK HERE.

Anglers Driving Change: Katie Cahn – Casting For Recovery

Trout Unlimited’s Service Partnership Welcomes Armed Service Members

California’s Drought Got So Bad, They Had to Truck Salmon to the Sea

Dan Zazworsky
-
0
California’s Drought Got So Bad, They Had to Truck Salmon to the Sea

During a normal spring, the Chinook salmon smolts raised at California’s Nimbus Fish Hatchery would be released into the nearby American River to make their way downstream to the Pacific Ocean. However, due to the severe drought the state is currently facing, the rivers downstream of the hatchery are far too warm to safely release the fish. This has prompted California’s Department of Fish & Game to take approximately 146 individual truckloads of smolts to the Pacific between mid-April to early June. The salmon will be trucked from the Feather River, Nimbus, Mokelumne, and Merced salmon hatcheries.

According to Jason Julienne, a salmon hatchery supervisor, “Trucking young salmon to downstream release sites has proven to be one of the best ways to increase survival to the ocean during dry conditions.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first time CA DFW as trucked salmon to the sea. In 2014, the state trucked more than 30 million salmon from hatcheries to the Pacific.

To learn more about this year’s salmon trucking, check out this press release from the California Dept. of Fish & Game!

Continue

Women on the Water: Katie Fiedler Anderson

Brooke Duncan
-
0
Women on the Water: Katie Fiedler Anderson

Many of us call the water home, Katie Fiedler Anderson is no different. Just after high school, she picked up a fly rod and has never looked back. Now, many years later, she is the proud owner of Anderson’s Fish Camp, a mother, and a wife. Her time in the industry has not been a walk in the park, so to speak; nevertheless, she is dedicated to sharing what she knows with all who are interested. Check out the full Women on the Water interview below!

Tell us a little bit about yourself, who are you both on and off of the water? 

I am an outdoors person, I love the outdoors, I have since high school. I grew up in Saint Louis so I didn’t have a lot of the same opportunities as people who grew up in the mountains; I think that I have a big appreciation for things like skiing culture and fishing culture as a result. I whitewater kayaked in high school through a local YMCA, and that’s how I got into fly fishing. Right out of high school I went and worked for a rafting company in Maine, and I found a fly rod in one of the cabins I was living in. I went to the gas station and bought some stuff. I had no idea what I was doing. I recruited some friends and I was like, “Let’s do this! Let’s go fishing!” That’s literally how I started fly fishing, it was a mess but it was super fun. I still remember the complete shock of the first fish we caught with that rod. I always loved spending time on the water, that’s where I am happy and comfortable. I am also a mom, that occupies a lot of my brain and my time. I want to give the gift of the love of the outdoors to my kid. As far as my personality…well, I would describe myself as easygoing, I like to have fun and joke around, and I am really playful. 

Katie Fielder Anderson
Never a dull moment. Photo credit: Katie Fielder Anderson

Who or what was your biggest influence when you were just starting to fly fish? 

In the winter, I was working at a Patagonia shop in Freeport, Maine, and there was a guy who worked there, Captain Eric Wallace, and he was super into fly fishing. One day, Captain Eric decided to teach us casting as a field day. I had always spin-fished growing up, I would call myself a reluctant fisher person because there were definitely many times my dad would drag me along and I would just kind of sit on the bank and complain about not catching. But I do enjoy those memories for sure. Eric was really the one that showed me fly fishing; I remember being at his house, I was house-sitting for him randomly, and he had all of this fly tying stuff. We (my friends and I) would be up there messing with his vice and looking at all of his flies. He gave me a hand-tied fly one time when we were at work. I was just so interested in every part of the sport. I really truly don’t think that he understands that he made such an impact on me just by just giving me these little teaching moments, I carry all of them with me. And then when I found that fly rod in the cabin, I was able to piece it all together, even though my rig and skill set was an absolute mess.

Photo credit: Cooper Anderson

Are there any specific fly fishing experiences or moments that have shaped you as an angler or as a person? 

There have definitely been some experiences that I have had as a guide…it is one thing to be fishing and to be focused on the fun and the comradery, working as a guide I really started to grow. It hasn’t been the easiest road for me; when I started guiding I had no idea that women “didn’t” guide and that women “didn’t” fish. It never crossed my mind that I was in any way a minority because I was coming from the rafting culture where there are plenty of females in every aspect of the sport. I really had no idea what I was getting into. A story that I like to tell is when it was my second or third year guiding, it was high water, all the rivers were blown out, and there was a group of guys from Texas. It was a three-pack, we were wade fishing, and I had a San Juan Worm tied on all of their rigs because that fly was crushing fish at that time. One of the guys looked at me, right when we got to the river, and he goes, “No offense to you, but I’m not fishing with a girl fly,” because the fly was pink. I just remember being so shocked that I froze because I was young and naive. So I ripped the fly off of his rig and I stuck it on his waders, and I was like, “When you decide you want to catch fish, tie that on.” I couldn’t believe it. He huffed away from me and walked to the other side of the river, his buddies were all “Oh sorry, he’s an asshole, whatever.”

I was scared that I was going to get fired for being sassy and for being like “figure your own stuff out”, but at the same time I was like my job is to help you catch fish, and you don’t want to use the flies that I am suggesting, so what am I going to do? I guided his buddies on the otherside of the river, and they started whaling on fish; I was like thank God, somebody was looking out for me that day. That really started to shape my response to stuff like that. It wasn’t going to be the first time that somebody made a comment about my gender and my position, but I am proud of myself for not letting it bring me down and for being able to stick up for myself. And when the guy on the other side of the river saw his buddies whaling on fish, I look over and saw him with his head down tying that fly on. He later looked up at me and he goes “Katie, I caught one on the girl fly!” So that whole trip did turn around, and it made me feel good to be able to change his mind. For what it’s worth, I am not changing the world, I am not saving lives in the hospital, but it did feel really good to change his mind. 

Nothing better than teaching others to do what you love. Photo credit: Katie Fielder Anderson

What was the inspiration behind Anderson’s Fish Camp? 

Well, in Colorado we guided as independent contractors. I was sitting in Islamorada, Florida, we lived down there for one summer in 2009, and we were traveling back so I had some time to think. I wanted to start sharing what I did on the river on a Facebook page because I thought that it was cool and fun, and I thought that it could help build a community feeling for clients. I called the Facebook page Anderson’s Fish Camp. When my husband (he is a guide too) and I married, we were looking at finances and decided that we need to also be paid at Anderson’s Fish Camp. Then, after taking graphic design classes, I built a website to try and generate my own client leads to get more work, which was AndersonsFishCamp.com. We were still contracting through a shop for permits, but that became our business organically out of a desire to get out on the water more and make a career out of fishing.

Photo credit: Katie Fielder Anderson

After I gave birth to my daughter, there was a lot of commotion in the shop about me guiding and what rank I deserved since I took time off of guiding while pregnant. Immediately after giving birth, I tore my ACL, which further exacerbated my need to be human. I was never able to get in writing (I did ask) that I was “allowed” to take maternity time, just verbal promises. So when I came back and had my position jeopardized repeatedly for no reasons related to skill, or client retention, or tenure, I knew it was time to move on. The transfer from girl guide to mom guide was hard and really made me feel insanely isolated. I spent 12 years, at that point, building myself as a guide, building my business, etc, only to have that work threatened when I decided to start a family. I watched my husband and other guys at the shop make that same choice, and it was just business as usual for them. We decided that we needed to take Anderson’s Fish Camp to the next level because I hit a wall as far as growth, bottom line. If I wanted opportunities, then I saw no other way than to create them myself, because moving to another shop would’ve only put me at the bottom of another roster which can take decades to climb to the top of. With a lot of support from our community of loyal clients and family and friends; my husband and I now run what is 100% our own guide business.

How does being a woman affect your interactions with others in the industry on a day-to-day basis? 

It is always going to be in the back of my mind that I am different in this industry, that I am not the norm, but I made my mind up a long time ago that if you like doing something enough, you are going to deal with all of the little things that come along with it. I have had restaurant jobs where the manager sucks, and what do I do? I quit because I don’t really like working in that place. I had fishing jobs where not everything is perfect, and what did I do? I worked there for twelve years. You are going to deal with the hardships if you are doing something that you truly enjoy. I just try to show up as someone who loves what I do and put the rest of it to the side. I show up ready to have a good day, ready to have fun, and ready to be my authentic self. I am at home on the water, so I am not going to pretend like I am anyone else. I try not to bring gender into it; I mean it is there, I am different than a guy, but it is not the first thing that crosses my mind. In the end, I’m thankful for my journey, because I wouldn’t be in my current position without my past experiences. I am just happy where I am at, and open to what the future might hold. 

Photo credit: Katie Fielder Anderson

In what ways do you see sexism within the fly fishing industry? 

It is so obvious that it is there, I have had all of these experiences. I think that there are big strides being made, I mean I opened up The Drake the other day and the first two or three pages were really well-thought-out ads with women. There has been a lot of growth and I have been able to see that; when I first started fishing I could only find men’s waders, and now I have a few different options, I don’t have as many as men do, but it’s starting to tip a little bit. It’s still a little shocking to some people that a woman can crush fish. I think that sentiment alone sums up sexism in this sport. A woman can thread a line through a rod, tie knots, pick out flies, and trick a fish. It seems silly when you break it down. Nonetheless, there is still a shock factor with a woman crushing this sport and the only way I see to make it less shocking is for women to keep crushing it. 

What, as an industry and as individuals, can we do to be more inclusive (ie. gender, age, size, etc.)?

To be more inclusive we need to admit that fly fishing is a sport that can meet people where they are at. Can you be a different size and fly fish? Absolutely. My three-year-old, can she fly fish? I am going to say yes. Is it me holding the rod as she nets the fish or some version of that? For sure. She is not doing a false cast and setting the hook and doing it all, but if you ask her, “Do you fly fish?” she will enthusiastically say “I do”. There is no reason we can’t give that to her. The fish don’t see any of the differences that we carry. It is a sport that can be tailored to meet anyone; we have taken people in wheelchairs fishing, my husband is 80% deaf and he fishes just fine, I manage PTSD and can absolutely get it done; you can have so many things that you carry, and fly fishing sees none of them. Opportunities to get on the water, to have conversations about flies or fishing, to just be treated like the fish would treat you; these simple opportunities are gifts worth giving! 

Like mother like daughter. Photo credit: Cooper Anderson

What advice would you give a woman or young girl who is starting to fly fish?

I would say have fun and make it your own. You don’t need to do everything. One of my favorite quotes, and it’s probably awful, is, “You can’t be good at everything”. You have permission to be confident and not know it all. You don’t have to tie flies to be a fly fisherman, you don’t have to have a double haul, you don’t have to have all the latest women’s specific gear, you don’t need any of it to be a fly fisher. The other thing is to keep trying to find people who get it too, and leave the rest behind. My best days on the water have been because I am with people who get it too. Fly fishing is a riot. 

Thank you to Katie Fiedler Anderson, if you want to book a trip with Katie check her out at Anderson’s Fish Camp.

Women on the Water: Corinne Doctor

Women on the Water: Rachel Leinweber

 

Women on the Water: Serene Cusack

Announcing the Lid Rig “Snip Different” Summer Giveaway!

Wills Donaldson
-
0
Announcing the Lid Rig “Snip Different” Summer Giveaway!

Summer is officially here! That means getting out on the water, enjoying some cold frothy beverages, and playing with all the new toys you collected over the colder months. We are excited as you, and that’s why we partnered with our small business partner: Lid Rig, to launch an epic giveaway!

The Grand Prize winner will go home with the following:

  1. 1 Lid Rig Prize Bundle including a Magentic Nipper System, a Custom Flylords Magnetic Decal, and some sweet Lid Rig Merch. 

  2. A YETI Roadie 24 Cooler in the brand new King Crab Orange color

  3. A Premium Sea Run fly fishing travel Case

  4. An officially licensed Flylords Grateful Dead Skull and Roses BUFF’

Here’s how to enter:

Just go to our Instagram Post HERE and tag two of your fishiest friends. Then, just make sure you’re following @LidRig, @Searuncases, and @flylords. That’s it!

A Winner will be announced next Friday, June 25th

Now go and get your name in the hat, because this deal is too sweet to miss out on!

Gear Review: Lid Rig Magnetic Nipper System

Small Business Spotlight: Lid Rig

 

Foam Fly Fun – Tips for Fly Fishing the Salmon Fly Hatch

Patrick Perry
-
1
Foam Fly Fun – Tips for Fly Fishing the Salmon Fly Hatch

I grabbed the Chubby Chernobyl by the bend of the hook pulling it back behind my ear. The rod flexed as I took aim towards the riffle upstream, “3, 2, 1 launching!” “Whiz,” the fly zipped by my ear and smacked on the water. The Chubby was riding high rocking through the current like a small sailboat in rough seas. I anxiously waited for a redband rainbow trout to show itself. But, nothing, not even a looker.

I picked up, stripped in some line, and focused my efforts on getting the fly to land under the tree branches upstream. As I pinched the slackline with my finger and grabbed the chubby, my rod began shaking back and forth from the tension.

 I steadied my rod tip, aiming towards the imaginary dinner plate-sized target below the trees. “Launching,” the fly zipped by my head somehow missing my ear. It landed upright in the target zone. 

The fly began to float through the trees and then into the open water until “Schlop,” an aggressive redband rainbow slurped down to what it thought was a downed salmon fly. The fly stuck into the outer edge of the mouth of the fish as it began to peel out some line on its first run. I quickly took control and steered the rainbow to the bank. I had 2X tippet on and knew if this fish gets in the open water, it’s not only the fish that I’m then fighting but the current.  

The fish was a beautiful 14-inch redband rainbow, a native fish to the Deschutes River. It’s belly chock-full of what I thought to be salmon flies. It was mid-May on the Deschutes River in Eastern Oregon, 80 degrees, and the fish were actively eating salmon fly dries on the surface. I knew I got lucky and it’s not so often you can hit the Salmon Fly hatch just right. But when you do it’s a day you will always remember. 

Tips for Fly Fishing the Salmon Fly Hatch

The salmon fly hatch takes the cake for getting the most hype out of all the other hatches across the Western United States. The salmon fly or Pteronarcys Californica is one of the largest aquatic insects that trout feed on, if not the largest. This can mean two things for anglers, hungry happy fish and large flies. Sounds like fun right?

While this all sounds very enticing, the salmon hatch can be quite complicated to hit right. The banks, willows, and trees can be lined with crawling salmon flies but the fish aren’t always interested in the salmon fly patterns you are fishing.

It leaves you scratching your head wondering if you have the wrong fly or are fishing the wrong water. What is the secret to cracking the code to having some success during the salmon fly hatch?

Tip 1: Understand the Salmon Fly Life Cycle and Identify and Observe What the Bugs are Doing.

Like other aquatic stoneflies, salmon flies have a simple three-stage lifecycle, egg, nymph, and then adult. The nymphs live in the river for typically three years until they begin their transition to an adult. When the nymphs are ready, they crawl to the rocks along the banks. This is where they begin to molt into adult winged insects.

Almost immediately after the bugs have molted into adults they look to mate. The larger females find areas along the bank to sit and wait, while the males scurry around looking for a female. After mating, the females pump an egg sack out of their abdomen. When air temperatures are right the females will fly above the water and drop the eggs into the water.

For anglers, this can mean a lot of things, the most important factor being that the salmon fly is a large meal for a trout. There is only so much food that a trout will need to survive. So with that in mind, fishing the salmon fly hatch can be spotty, one day you could find success and the next day the bite might be off.

Typically the start of the hatch can be very good especially subsurface when the nymphs are beginning to move to the banks and crawl up the rocks. And as soon as the bugs become adults, the trout will get really happy. The bugs will be covering the bank and the opportunistic trout will be awaiting a clumsy salmon fly.

Once the salmon flies have been evident for a little while, the trout slow down on feeding, they are full. This can be when the hatch can completely turn off and be frustrating for anglers as there are literally salmon flies all over the banks but no trout feeding on them.

It’s not really until the bugs begin their mating rituals that the hatch turns back on. After mating the females will deposit their eggs onto the water. The females are extremely clumsy flying with large egg sacks, often falling into the water. This means an easy meal for a hungry trout. This stage of the hatch can be the most exciting. Focus your efforts farther off the bank as the fish know that these bugs are now not just falling in the river from the bank but falling in from the egg depositing.

Tip 2: Monitor the Weather.

Like all other aquatic insect hatches, water temperature is what triggers this hatch. Typically the magic number for salmon flies is around a water temperature of 54-55 degrees.

After the hatch has started it is important to look at the weather reports. These weather patterns impact how the salmon flies act. The salmon flies are happy when the weather is warmer and humid. When it gets cold the salmon flies will sit in the grass and not move around. The bugs also don’t like high winds, they will just stay put and wait for calm, warm, balmy days. These are the days you should target as an angler.

Tip 3: Do Some “Jungle Fishing” or “Billygoating”.

Trout are opportunistic creatures, they know when the salmon fly hatch happens and will head to the banks and shallows in hopes of a large meal. The term “Jungle Fish” came from (I think) the fishing reports on the Deschutes Angler website years ago. The Deschutes River has steep banks with large overhanging trees and good holding water below the trees. Making a perfect place for a trout to post up and snack on salmon flies that may have fallen out of the trees or brush. As an angler, you have to crawl into the trees and try to somehow cast your fly to the open water below the brush. When you can get that fly into the strike zone it’s almost a “gimme” as fish will stack up in these areas.

I use the term “Billygoat Fishing” referring to the hard-to-access banks and water that may have large overgrowth. Same idea as “Jungle Fishing,” fishing water that you may not throw a mayfly dry to. Think outside the box, fish where you think salmon flies might fall into the river or where someone else hasn’t cast a fly too. Whether that means getting a drift for a split second, that is all it can take to get an eat.

Tip 4: Get Creative with Casting.

As mentioned above some “Jungle Fishing” or “Billygoating” may be necessary to find some topwater eats. With this in mind, your normal cast backcast will probably be out of the question. Utilize other more advanced casts like the Bow and Arrow Cast or the Steeple Cast.

Utilize other advanced casting and mending techniques like the stack mend which is a great method to get a fly presentation in far to reach area that usually involves some fast water currents. Having a quiver of different casting techniques dialed will aid in a successful day on the water. And remember to use strong tippet, ditch the 5X, 2X or 3X will be the ticket.

Tip 6: Do some “Combat Fishing,” Stay Stealthy!

Most of the fish this time of year are concentrated in the shallows. With this in mind, your approach to the river will be a little different than normal. Before walking down to the riverbank, take a second to analyze where you are fishing and if you think there are any areas that the fish may be tight on the bank.

Get down on your knees or army crawl in order to get a stealthy presentation. Use bushes and trees as cover to stay hidden on the bank. Think of it as combat fishing!

Tip 6: Slap that Fly!

This technique goes for any stonefly or hopper fly imitation. Try to slap that fly on the water’s surface. This action can often trigger a trout to eat. Larger insects are known for their poor flying capabilities that will often cost them their life due to an unexpected crash on the water.

To effectively slap the fly on the surface, end your stopping motion for your forward casting stroke to 3:00 or 4:00 o’clock. As well as add more force to the stopping motion. This will tighten the loop and push that fly forward with more power.

Tip 7: It’s not all about the Salmon Flies.

This might be the most important tip. Salmon flies may be present on the banks, fly around, or crawling the grass but, there also may be other insects that the trout are keying in on this time of year. This is really the start of the summer hatches so at times the complexity can be overwhelming. The biggest mix-up that can happen is that the fish may be keyed in on smaller stoneflies like the golden stones or yellow sallies. Or even the caddis may be starting to come off in numbers. And if it is cloudy out the green drakes may be on the menu.

With this in mind, be observant of what other bugs may be coming off. Try and catch that bug that may be whizzing by your face. Identify if it is a Yellow Sally, Green Drake, or any other bug for that matter. In addition, look closely at how the trout are rising. These rise forms can tip you off on what type of bugs they may be keyed in on.

All this may mean packing more boxes of flies to be sure your bases are covered. Or switching your fly if you not getting any takes. It’s not just the salmon flies that the trout will eat. Sometimes they are so full of them caddis might be what’s on the palate.

Recommended Gear for Fly Fishing the Salmon Fly Hatch:

Fly Rod:

The fly rod entirely depends on the river you are fishing. For the Deschutes, I prefer an 8’6 4 weight GLoomis NRX LP (NRX+ LP 486-4). The softer action rod is more fun to cast the dry flies with. The shorter length allows for more pinpoint accuracy when trying to get the fly into tight quarters. It also makes the bow and arrow cast much easier with the shorter rod. Your typical 4-6 weight trout fly rod will be well suited for this hatch.

Reel:

A trout reel with a sealed drag is nice as you don’t have to worry about rocks and grit getting inside your drag. The Ross Reels San Miguel or the Abel Vaya Reel are great options.

Fly Lines: 

Airflo Fishing came out with a new series of Trout Taper Fly Lines called the SuperFlo Series. These PVC Free fly lines, cast like a dream and mend with ease. The three tapers include a Power Taper, Universal Taper, and Tactical Taper. For fishing salmon flies I prefer the Power Taper as the shorter and fatter taper delivers the heavier bug effectively.

If you prefer a little more accuracy versus power, the Universal Taper is the ticket. It really pairs nicely with a softer action rod. Making casting these big bugs a load of fun.

Leader and Tippet: 

For leaders, I would recommend the Airflo Polyleader Plus Trout in the 6.5-foot floating size. These Polyleaders come with a tippet ring already added onto the end of the leader. So then all you do is put about 2 feet of monofilament tippet material onto the tippet ring, add a fly and you are set. I use 2X or 3X when I’m fishing salmon flies. This is extremely important as using 4X or 5X can make it very easy to break off your larger fly.

Recommend Flies:

Dry Flies:

  • Norm Wood Special #4-6
  • Chubby Chernobyl #2-6
  • Morningwood Special Salmon Fly #4-6
  • Rogue River Salmon Fly #4-6
  • Winged True Salmon Fly #4-6

Nymph Flies: 

  • Girdle Bug #4-8
  • Rogue River Stone #4-8
  • Kaufmann Stone #4-8

Fly fishing the salmon fly hatch can be some of the most rewarding fishing and at times frustrating fishing. You can do everything to line up perfect dates for a trip and the bugs or the fish just won’t cooperate. But, like someone once said if it was easy it would be no fun. Salmon flies will always keep the angler on their toes. Are you a fan of the salmon fly hatch?

Photos and story from a day out on the water with Matt Mendes, A fly fishing guide on Oregon’s Deschutes River. To book a trip with Matt check out his website here and be sure to follow him on Instagram at @deschutesnative. 

All photos by the talented Toby Nolan, for more of Toby’s work, check him out online here or on Instagram at @t.nolan.imagery. 

Article by Patrick Perry @patperry.

For more information on finding the right Airflo fly line, check out https://airflousa.com/ and be sure to follow them on Instagram at @airflofishing.

Joe Humphreys’ 5 Tips to Perfect Your Bow and Arrow Cast

Video: 100 Years – A Salmon Fly Story

Airflo Polyleaders: A Complete Guide

Video of the Week: Big Zander on the Fly with Vision Fly Fishing

Landen German
-
0
Video of the Week: Big Zander on the Fly with Vision Fly Fishing

In this Video of the Week, we catch up with Vision Fly Fishing in their newest “Another Hard Day at the Office” segment. Antti Guttom enlists the help of Antti Kalliosaari to target big Zander on the fly. A very non-traditional fish species on the fly for many reasons. Zander as it may look similar to Walleye is actually referred to as a European pike perch. While most Walleye anglers focus on depth and low light conditions, Zander Anglers have found that they like to target fish in shallow bays and are very aggressive. These habits were just waiting for a curious angler to get creative and start to figure them out, which is exactly what Antti Kalliosaari did. With the help of side-scanning and 3d imaging, the guys have figured out a way to play video games while fly fishing. So sit down, turn on the subtitles, and enjoy as the Antti’s target Zander on the fly using some rather unique tactics.

Check out the rest of Vision Fly Fishing films here! Vision Fly Fishing

As well as their website for some awesome unique gear! Visionflyfishing.com

Video of the Week: Vision Fly fishing and the February Red Stonefly Hatch

Video of the Week: All Jokes Aside with Eeland Stribling

How to Fly Fish for Walleye

1...150151152...360Page 151 of 360