Fly shops are popping up across the nation as the sport of fly fishing continues to grow annually. 2020 brought a new outlook on the sport. The global pandemic forced us outside leading to the influx of new anglers hitting the rivers. As we all know, fly fishing can be an expensive sport to get involved with, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy everything fly fishing has to offer on a budget. In this tips and tricks video of the week, Cheech from Fly Fish Food demonstrates how to create barred rubber legs for fly tying on a budget.
How to Create Barred Rubber Legs on a Budget
Head to your local fly shop and purchase a package of Spanflex in your desired color.
Pull out 5 to 6 fibers from the clump of Spanflex and lightly secure them in your fly tying vise.
Next, pull the Spanflex fibers tight with one hand and using a Sharpie of your choice, rub it on either side of the Spanflex in equal segments.
Using a different color Sharpie, mark the Spanflex between the first set of bars created.
Lastly, cut the Spanflex to the desired segments of your choice and there you go! Barred sexy-floss on a budget!
Adapting is the name of the game when you are on a budget. If you are new to fly fishing and fly tying, you will pick up on these hacks and eventually create your own that will prove successful. Try things out, learn from mistakes, and ultimately catch fish!
Check out Fly Fish Food for more fly fishing tips and tricks by clicking here.
So you bought a hackle cape or saddle to tie some of your favorite fly patterns. The only problem is, the hackle feathers on capes and saddles will vary in size to some degree. When tying, you’ll want to ensure that you are using appropriately sized hackle which will ultimately lead to well proportioned flies. Enter hackle gauges. Hackle gauges are tools designed specifically to measure the length of the hackle barbs to ensure you’re using the correct size hackle feather for the hook you’re tying on. Better proportioned flies will not only look better neatly arranged in a fly box, but they’ll be sure to land more fish too.Â
How to Use a Hackle Gauge
Using a hackle gauge is incredibly simple. Most hackle gauges come with a hole in them to mount on a vise post, however some are designed to lay flat on a table. Simply select the hackle feather that you would like to measure and wrap it around the post on the hackle gauge causing the fibers on the feather to splay apart. The point where the hackle fibers end is where you should take your measurement. Check out the video below from tightlinevideo for more instructions on measuring hackle.Â
High quality hackle that’s destined for a well proportioned fly should be measured accurately. Whiting’s anodized aluminum hackle gauge can accurately measure premium hackle in sizes 8-28. The Whiting Hackle Gauge is more accurate than most other gauges on the market.Â
The oval post hole helps the gauge rest at an angle that’s easy to read.
This high quality gauge has an oval post hole that is designed to fit on most standard ¾†vise posts. The oval hole helps the gauge rest at an angle that’s easy to read and always at the ready. Lastly, the “Nail-Head†post helps prevent the hackle from slipping off of the gauge as you make your measurements.Â
Another, cheaper, option to consider would be the Griffin Hackle Gauge. This wooden gauge mounts to a tying vise post similarly to the offering from Whiting. This gauge only claims to be accurate for hackle sizes down to 16 due to the positioning of the post having a fair amount of tolerance. If you don’t regularly tie small flies, the Griffin Hackle Gauge will get the job done for you.Â
Measure Your Hackle
Hackle capes and saddles are some of the most expensive materials when it comes to fly tying so using them to their full potential is advisable. Hackle gauges help ensure you’re using hackle feathers of appropriate size for the application. The options from Whiting and Griffin are sure to help any fly tyer improve the quality of their flies and should be every tying kit.Â
Article by Evan Garda, he is on the Content Team here at Fly Lords. He can be found chasing trout throughout the west with his trusty fly rod. Check out his adventures at@evangarda.
I tend to be a creature of habit, often sticking to things that work- a reliable reel, a tried and true fly rod, even a lucky hat. Fly lines are the exception for me when it comes to fly fishing. Over the past few years I’ve fished quite a few of the premium 5wt fly line offerings on the market and am constantly let down in some regard, most frequently a lack of durability. I had heard of the durability that Airflo’s new lineup of PVC-free fly line’s have been touted for and was excited to get my hands on a few. Over the past couple of months I’ve been able to put a few of them through their paces.
Initial Impressions
The Airflo Superflo Universal Taper was the first Superflo line I spooled up on my 4/5 Ross Reels Animas. This line is available in line weights 3 through 9 and I opted for the 5wt to pair with my 5wt Sage Foundation. This line comes with a muted green running line and tan shooting head, great for targeting weary fish.Â
One of the first things that I noticed when I pulled the line out of the packaging was how slick it felt. I’ve fished some smooth and textured lines as of late from Rio and Orvis and Scientific Anglers but found this one to be particularly slick. This feeling was later confirmed on the water as I could effortlessly shoot and mend my line as needed.Â
Taper Profile
Taper profile and head length are two of the most important characteristics to consider when selecting the best fly line for any given fishing scenario. The Airflo Superflo Universal Taper is designed to tackle any scenario that a trout angler may encounter as it’s name implies.
It has a relatively short front taper at 8’ long with a 39’ overall head length which makes it capable of turning over streamers while still maintaining the ability to delicately deliver a dry fly when called upon. In the 5wt model, I was able to easily cast a weighted, multi-fly nymph rig, long leadered dry flies and also weighted Polyleaders with streamers.Â
Performance
Once I had rigged my Sage, I was eager to hit the water and put the Airflo Superflo Universal Taper through some different scenarios. Starting my time nymphing, I immediately noticed how easy it was to pick up and mend this line. Due to the chemical composition of the fly line coating, Airflo has been able to reduce the line diameter which is intended to improve on the water performance, another advantage that I can confirm.Â
This is a smooth line that does not contain texturing like offerings from some other manufacturers but I didn’t see any decrease in the way the line shoots or the floating performance of the line. The line floated high as did the front taper that has a generous welded loop.Â
Which brings me to my next point, the welded loop found on Airflo lines is larger and more durable than others on the market. This made changing from fluorocarbon nymphing leaders to Polyleaders for streamers a breeze. Airflo has also seamlessly doubled the line back on itself to create an incredibly durable loop, a frequent point of failure on many Rio lines that I’ve fished. The true test of durability will continue as I fish this line however it is not showing any signs of use after being stepped on and fished thoroughly for a few months.
Airflo innovated the welded loop and has one of the best on the market.
Rather than using PVC in their fly line coatings, Airflo opts for a polyurethane coating that enables making smaller diameter fly lines that mend better and shoot farther. One of the biggest advantages from a durability standpoint is that Airflo lines aren’t susceptible to sunscreen, bug spray, and other every day products that can be harmful to traditional PVC fly lines. Maybe best of all, polyurethane is a fully recyclable material and it lasts longer than PVC so you can fish with a clear conscience.Â
Critiques
While I have generally enjoyed my time on the water with the Airflo Superflo Universal Taper fly line, there were certainly a few minor drawbacks. The first thing of note is that the Universal Taper seemed to be true to its line weight and casting a fast action rod, I might have preferred over-lining my rod with a 6wt line. That’s a personal preference but something worth noting.Â
One characteristic of some other fly lines on the market is a multi-colored shooting head that designates the midway point of the head for gauging casting distance. The Airflo Superflo Universal Taper has a uniform tan colored shooting head until the transition to green at the rear taper, so you don’t have that added distance gauge. Again, maybe more of a personal preference than an actual product shortcoming.Â
The last thing of note was some amount of line memory. Right out of the package, this line retained much of the coil but was able to be stretched out prior to spooling my reel. After fishing on a sub freezing degree day in Colorado, I did notice some line memory start to happen again as the line peeled off of my reel. This was pretty minor but one of the only real drawbacks to this line in my experience.
Making the Switch to PVC-Free Flylines
If you’re considering making the switch to a PVC-free fly line from Airflo, some other considerations for the trout angler are the Airflo Superflo Power Taper for large flies & Superflo Tactical Taper for ultra-delicate presentations. Priced at MSRP of $100 the Airflo Superflo Universal Taper is made to compete with the Rio Gold, SA Amplitude Trout, and other universal taper profiles. After a few months of fishing the Airflo Superflo Universal Taper, I’d be willing to pick up another one of these lines and will certainly be putting some other Airflo Superflo models to the test to find the most durable option for my rod and reel setup.Â
Be sure to check out Airflo on Instagram at @airflofishing.
Article by Evan Garda, he is on the Content Team here at Fly Lords. He can be found chasing trout throughout the west with his trusty fly rod. Check out his adventures at@evangarda.
This week Simms dropped their newest wader and gear line: the Flyweight collection. The product line is built for those who want to do more and go further than the conventional angler in an effort to find undiscovered water. You can read more about the release below.
Last fall, we were lucky enough to tag along with some of our friends at Simms and get a look at the new gear in the field. Inbetween traversing scree slopes and maneuvering in between glacial boulders, we managed to grab a few shots of the gear in action.
Straight from the Simms factory floor in Bozeman, Montana; the new waders and packs acted as the perfect complement to a day spent trekking throughout the canyons, plains, and mountainous landscapes of Montana. With consideration to a growing sport and more pressure on the water than ever, this gear definitely stood up to the task of really helping anglers to optimize their rigs in the effort of efficiently traveling further for fish.
The Flyweight collection is now available for purchase on the Simms website HERE. Also, be sure to stay posted for more Flyweight gear news and content.
Fish for Change runs international fly fishing programs for high school and college students in Honduras, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Colorado. Their mission is to use fly-fishing as a platform to make the world a better place by uniting a diverse group of students in wild fisheries where they engage in a variety of initiatives. They recently came out with their first print publication the Fish for Change Journal. We caught up with Heather Harkavy (Director of Operations of Fish For Change) and Genevieve Chiu-Schaepe (Editor of the Journal) from F4C to discuss the new print magazine.
“The Fish for Change Journal has been a long time coming. A huge focus of our programs is on student writing and photography. This sparked the concept for a paperback collection of these empowering stories of student’s experiences during Fish for Change programs. In the Fish for Change Journal, you’ll uncover heart-warming stories. I hope it will leave each of you feeling inspired. Genevieve started as a camper during our 2019 Girls Week in Guanaja, Honduras. Later on, she became my intern, roommate, best friend, and biggest inspiration.” Heather Harkavy, Director of Operations of Fish For Change.
Heather: Geniii, what was your first impression taking on this project?Â
Genevieve: This whole project began on a dusty car ride to Denver in August 2019. As we bumped along I-70 I remember you telling me with such zeal (so much so that your hands were probably not even on the steering wheel at this point) how much you believed in your student’s stories. Stories from kids who had never left the country before. Stories from kids who had been chasing Honduran permit from age 14. Stories from kids of connection, education, conservation, and exploration–Fish for Change’s centermost tenets. I believed in these stories because you believed in these stories and then, ultimately, you put all of your trust in me to curate them for the world to see. Â
Heather: Can you describe the mission of this publication and where these stories came from?
Genevieve: The energy of a Fish for Change trip is nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. In my case, I was showing up to an island I had never even heard of before, with eleven other girls I had never met, all in the pursuit of elusive fish on pristine flats. After only one week, I left Guanaja with some of my best friends at my side–friends that still enrich my life to this very day. It’s a major understatement to say that the experience was magical, and I’m one of dozens of F4C alumni who feel similarly. This has always been the mission of the Fish for Change Journal: to honor and celebrate human connection and camaraderie, to reminisce on the wildest of fish tales, and to (as closely as possible) capture the essence of the Fish for Change experience. This inaugural issue of the F4C Journal proudly presents writing and imagery from students, trip leaders, and individuals who’ve played a formative role in the organization, the majority of them under the age of 23. Â
Heather: What about this publication stands out?Â
Genevieve: The articles in this magazine are so much more than about fly fishing. If anything, fly fishing is merely the glue of it all that comes second to stories on colonial history, generational privilege, personal reflection, entrepreneurship, natural disaster, and more. Don’t worry though, there’s also plenty of hype pieces and hero shots in there to satiate your saltwater stoke! This magazine is unlike any other magazine out there–in mission, content, and aesthetic–and I’m so proud to be able to produce this collection of stories from such a diverse group of people from as young as 15 and from as far as South Africa!Â
Heather: What do you think were the biggest hurdles in creating this publication?Â
Genevieve: Very early on in the process, we were advised against even trying to make a magazine at all, and we’re told things like “it’ll be too costly,†“it’ll require too much-skilled labor,†and “why don’t you just make a photo albumâ€. These were mildly disheartening because, quite frankly, neither of us knew what we were doing. I was fresh out of high school, had only briefly dabbled in graphic design before this point (having never used Adobe InDesign before), and was prompted to somehow pull together and edit a series of stories from what felt like thin air. The process took twice as long as I thought it would, we asked a lot of questions with answers we couldn’t find, and I spent quite a lot of time YouTubing tutorials on even the simplest things. Fifteen articles later and 86 pages deep, all I can say is that I’m glad I stuck to it (regardless of how much time and how many blood-boiling glitches it took).Â
Heather: What have you learned through this process? And do you have any advice for other people with similar interests and goals?Â
Genevieve: A lot of what I learned in this process is that there is no end-all “right†way to do things. Yes, there are more efficient or conventional ways of doing things, and you can learn from these ways, but it doesn’t mean it’s the only way to proceed in your creative pursuits, career path, and/or life in general. If you have a vision for something you want to create into being, it’s as simple as choosing to make it happen as your only choice. It might take years, you might redirect yourself to do something completely different, and the original idea might completely fail, but it’s the constant act of trying that’ll get you somewhere (maybe someplace even greater than you originally saw for yourself).Â
Heather: What do you hope readers take away from this?Â
Genevieve: Well first, it’s my greatest hope that people actually take the time to read all of the stories. They’re really worth it, and unlike any other published work out there! I hope readers leave looking inward to ask “in what ways can I positively enact change?â€, “what things bring me to life?â€, and “how can I foster deeper human connection in my day-to-day life?â€. These questions and more come up in every Fish for Change program, and I hope that in reading these stories readers will return to the water with a renewed sense of purpose and place.
You can watch Genevieve and Heather go live discussing the publication here. To purchase the journal follow this link.
Robbi Doctor had a great night on Wednesday (March 3rd) when his line came tight on a prehistoric-looking brown trout. The fish weighed in at 32.43 pounds and was confirmed by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks earlier today. Robbi’s fish broke the old state record which was previously held at 29 pounds and was caught out of Wade Lake in 1966.
In this week’s installment of Video of the Week, we take a look at IQALUK Hooke’s most recent short film to the Nunavik area to target arctic char. Deep in the arctic circle, the crew finds themselves at the mercy of the tide, polar bears, and the desolate yet rich landscape of Nunavik.
On this trip, the crew was on the search for an infamous 20lb plus artic char. In addition to searching for monster arctic char, Laurence Jean-Delisle was able to land her first of many arctic char. So sit back and enjoy the beautiful Ungava bay and some amazing arctic char.
Make sure to check out some other awesome videos by Hooke here: Hooke.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act. The bill, which passed 227-220 (8 Republicans joined the Democratic caucus), combines eight separate pieces of legislation to collectively protect millions of acres of public lands and over 1,000 river miles in Colorado, Arizona, California, and Washington. Recreationists, conservationists, and local stakeholders applauded the passage and hope to see a vote on the Senate floor. Opponents of the bill claimed it did not follow proper committee procedures and is just a federal land grab.
As the title suggests, the bill deals in large part with wilderness areas. The Wilderness Act of 1964 established the National Wilderness Preservation System to keep lands in their absolute natural state and “be devoted to the public purposes of recreation, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation and historic use.” This form of federal land protection can be controversial, because it generally limits industrial activities, but it is essential for preserving large tracts in natural states long into the future. Currently, the United States enjoys 111 million acres of wilderness areas from coast to coast. This package would designate nearly an additional 1.5 million acres as wilderness. The Wild and Scenic River System was enacted in 1968 and seeks to preserve certain rivers in their natural state for future generations. Currently, the system protects 13,413 miles of rivers from development and degradation.
“Backcountry Hunters & Anglers offers a big high five to our elected leaders in the House of Representatives,†BHA President and CEO Land Tawney said. “House decision makers appreciate the importance of these bills – and the critically valuable public lands and waters they can conserve – and prioritized their consideration in the opening days of the 117th Congress and the Biden administration.
“Now, on to the Senate!†concluded Tawney. “Together, when we use our voices – as sportsmen and women, as conservationists, and as citizens – we can secure the future of America’s public lands and waters and the opportunities, adventure and solace they provide us all.â€
Follow along for a state by state breakdown of the package.
Colorado
When it comes to outdoor recreation Colorado is king, and it has amazing impact on the state’s economy. Outdoor recreation had a $12.2 billion impact on Colorado’s economy and  employed 149,140 workers who earned $6.4 billion. Access to public lands and continued conservation work fuels Colorado, which is why the Colorado delegation has been so vocal and active on the issue. The CORE Act, a longtime Colorado priority, and the Colorado Wilderness Act are included in the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act.
The CORE Act, which translates to the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, would protect 400,000 acres of public lands, increase recreation opportunities, and establish 73,000 new acres of Wilderness. This piece of legislation has been around for a couple of years now, through the work of Senator Michael Bennet and Congressman Joe Neguse. As such, the bill has wide-ranging support and is household knowledge among Coloradans. Congressman Neguse, who championed the bill in the House, said, “The CORE Act was crafted by Coloradans over the last decade, and has support from local communities, conservationists, ranchers and anglers throughout our state…we look forward to getting it over the finish line this Congress.â€
Senator Bennet, who has worked on the CORE Act since the beginning, said: “Now that the House has done its job, Senator Hickenlooper and I won’t stop working until this bill passes the Senate and is signed into law.â€
Colorado also scored wilderness protections–a stronger form of federal protection–for more than 660,000 acres across 36 areas through Congresswoman Diana DeGette’s Colorado Wilderness Act. This bill has been reintroduced in Congress for nearly two decades and was drafted through public and stakeholder input.
Arizona
Arizona’s crown jewel, the Grand Canyon, would gain protections through the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act. The prospect of uranium mining near the Grand Canyon and the impacts to the region’s water have been hot topics as of late. This provision, sponsored by Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (AZ), would prohibit future mining on nearly one million acres of land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park. Both of Arizona’s Senators introduced similar legislation to protect this region from uranium mining.
The Colorado River cutting through the Grand Canyon, NPS/M.Quinn
Washington
Home to some of the most picturesque and wild rivers in the lower 48, Washington is a mecca for all types of river recreation. The Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act includes the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which would ensure Washington’s natural beauty is preserved for years to come. The package would designate 126,544 acres on the Olympic Peninsula as wilderness and another 5,346 as potential wilderness and add 460 miles of rivers to the Wild and Scenic River System, including 29 miles of the Elwha River. Congressmen Derek Kilmer (WA), who led this initiative, said: “I’m proud to see the House pass this practical, balanced strategy, that will protect the wildest and most pristine places on the Peninsula while ensuring we can keep and grow jobs in our natural resource industries and other sectors. I am grateful for the years-long collaboration to create a proposal that works for folks across the community – including Tribes, sportsmen, conservation groups, timber communities, business leaders, shellfish growers, and everyone in-between.â€
The Elwha is the model when it comes to river restoration, NPS
California
California was the first state to move on the 30 by 30 initiative, a concept to preserve 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 to preserve biodiversity and fight climate change. California made significant progress on that goal through this package. Nearly one million acres in California would be protected–through expanding wilderness areas, designating new ones, and other forms of protections. Additionally, the package would add 525.5 miles of Californian waterways to the National Wild and Scenic River System.
Many of the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act’s provisions have been passed in previous Congresses, but failed to make it to the finish line. The new political dynamic in Washington, DC certainly increases the odds of enacting these bills. However, 60 votes and bipartisanship still remain an uncertainty in the Senate. Hopefully, conservation can continue to be a way for politicians and the country to come together. In any event, we will be following this massive public lands package as it–hopefully–moves through Congress and to President Biden’s desk, who has indicated his support.
If you want to learn more about this package or maybe a specific provision, the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee has made a bunch of great resources on the package available.
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers has set up an easy-to-use form to encourage your senators to support the package–Click HERE!
The Vjosa, Europe’s largest wild river outside of Russia, faces its greatest danger yet, due to political uncertainty and opportunistic greed. Ahead of upcoming Albanian parliamentary elections, citizens, activists and conservationists are demanding political support for the establishment of Europe’s first wild river national park, thus protecting it forever.
As part of this action, today sees the launch of Vjosa Forever, a new documentary short film asking people everywhere to join the fight to preserve the future of the Vjosa.
Image By: Andrew Burr. Courtesy of Patagonia.
For more than 10 years, local activists, international groups, scientists and artists have fought against a ‘tsunami’ of planned hydropower projects in the Balkans. In September 2020, Albanian politicians publicly announced the establishment of a Vjosa wild river national park, which would protect the entire network of tributaries. However, since then, local citizens and activists have become increasingly alarmed that, behind closed doors, compromises are being made, and, in fact, the river is in imminent danger.
With national elections on 25 April 2021, Albanian and international nature conservation groups such as EcoAlbania, RiverWatch and EuroNatur are calling on the public and political leaders to enshrine the future of the Vjosa and make this wild river national park a major priority for any winning party. Recent research shows that 94 percent of Albanian people are in favor of establishing this wild river national park.
Image By: Andrew Burr. Courtesy of Patagonia.
If successful, this will be Europe’s first wild river national park and unparalleled in Europe in terms of ecological importance and scale. The designation would protect over 300km of rivers and streams, host to over 1,100 species, many of which are considered threatened.
The launch of Vjosa Forever follows the 2018 Blue Heart film and campaign which depicted the fight to protect the wild rivers of the Balkans – the ‘Blue Heart’ of Europe – from 3,400 proposed hydropower projects which would destroy the culture and ecology of this entire region. Within the Blue Heart, the Vjosa is the largest and most untamed river system.
Image By: Andrew Burr. Courtesy of Patagonia.
The six-minute film, created by Patagonia, asks concerned citizens everywhere to show their support for a Vjosa wild river national park and bring international attention to the environmental disaster that could ensue if it remains unprotected.
Ryan Gellert, CEO, Patagonia Works, says: “Grassroots activism, supported by legal action, have worked to get this historic decision on the table. Now is the time for Albanian politicians to step up. They will be doing something that’s never been done before and protecting this last, pristine river system, forever.â€
Image By: Andrew Burr. Courtesy of Patagonia.
Ulrich Eichelmann, CEO, Riverwatch, says: “The Vjosa miraculously survived the decades of destruction in Europe; it´s a gift to all of us. And it is, therefore, not only an Albanian responsibility to protect it, but also a European responsibility. This wild river national park would be an immense achievement for conservation efforts in Europe, and, at an EU level, it will make a real and significant contribution to the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the EU Green Deal.â€
Besjana Guri, Communication Officer, EcoAlbania says: “This is a moment for all Albanian citizens to feel real pride. Not only are we protecting our country, our culture and our future, but, in the Vjosa, we have something of precious beauty that is unparalleled in Europe.â€
Iceland is like going back in time. Back 100 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the plains, and humans were a distant thought.
We spent 10 days exploring the desolate landscapes of this prehistoric country, following a crazed Icelandic fisherman named Kristján. We butted heads, battled rainstorms, spent days without catching anything, and made some of the greatest memories yet.
We tried fermented shark, slept in wet sleeping bags, and hiked miles in search of giant trout. – Iceland is one of those places that still haunts our dreams. It’s a magical place, full of the kindest humans out there, otherworldly landscapes, and some of the best trout fishing in the world.
We are stoked to launch our second episode in the Far From Home Series! Thanks to Fishpartner for hosting us for this adventure.
Stay tuned as the rest of the Far From Home Series comes out! Subscribed to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Want to plan an adventure like this? Shoot us an email: travel@theflylords.com
