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5 Rivers Rendezvous: Gunnison Colorado

Jared Zissu
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Last weekend over 100 students gathered in Gunnison Colorado for the 3rd annual 5 Rivers Rendezvous, sponsored by Costa Del Mar and Trout Unlimited. Students gathered on Friday night for an exclusive showing of the Flyfishing Film Tour, followed by some bonding time by the bonfire.

The 5 Rivers Program is run by Andrew Loffredo, and Franklin Tate, who have grown the organization from 35 college clubs to 90 clubs in under two years. The program encourages students to hit the water, clean up their local fisheries, and inspire new students to join this great sport.

The weekend includes environmental seminars, fly tying events, and a fishing scavenger hunt full of awesome prizes. Saturday morning was time to wader up and hit the water. Gunnison, Colorado is home to some of the best trout fishing in the US, so students were able to target trophy trout just minutes from the campsite. Students from 10 colleges mixed in together teaching each other new fishing tricks and helping net each other’s fish.

Saturday afternoon was time for the 5 Rivers scavenger hunt, where students would be rewarded for catching fish and picking up trash. After the scavenger hunt students convened on the Gunnison River, to learn about how to prevent stream erosion.

(Below) Students from Colorado State University admire the size of a rainbow trout from the Taylor River.

As the sun went down, the fishing rods were stowed and out came the vises. Saturday night was the big iron fly event, where students competed in fly tying competitions lead by Jay Johnson and the Pig Farm crew. One memorable event was students casting into mouse traps with hand-tied flies.

Overall the weekend was a huge success, and students left looking forward to next years event! If you have any interest in starting or joining a 5 Rivers club, please contact Andrew at aloffredo@tu.org

For more from the 5 Rivers, you can find them on Instagram @tucosta5rivers

The Land of Giants

Jared Zissu
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Wednesday 10:00 PM

Loaded up, fueled up, and ready to make the 7.5-hour trek from Salt Lake City to the Pyramid Lake reservation approximately 35 miles northeast of Reno, NV. Sleepless all-night commutes seem to have become the norm as of late.  The obsession to chase some of the baddest trout in the West surely leads to an amount of windshield time that raises questions about your sanity from your coworkers back home.

They just don’t get it. Sometimes the road trip leads to just as many memories as the destination.

This would be my fourth trip out to the so-called “Land of Giants”, and each time I find myself even more excited than the time before.  It makes you feel like a kid on Christmas Morning,  giddy with anticipation waiting to catch that first glimpse of this monstrosity of a lake.  Thoughts of holding the largest trout of my life make it difficult to get any rest on the drive out. You never forget fish like this one below from my first trip out to the Mid.

Thursday 5:00 AM

I’m not sure if it’s the exhaustion. Maybe it’s the excitement. Perhaps it’s the copious amount of caffeine that you and your buddies consumed across the great state of Nevada.  But whatever it is,  you get this strange feeling when you finally roll up to the lake’s edge. A mixed feeling of euphoria and curiosity. Curiosity as you gaze out and think about what may be lurking under those moonlit ripples. You become even more curious as you ponder what leviathan may have roamed these waters in the past. Time to rig up!

The first thing you notice is the numerous headlamps already beginning to line the shoreline. What is this madness? It’s a melting pot for trout – obsessed fishermen like myself, and in my opinion,  you’d be hard-pressed to find a better group of people anywhere.

Seriously, the people are awesome.  I usually spend the majority of my time back home trying to get away from other anglers and fish in total solitude.  It’s just different here.  Some of my best memories of this place are geeking out about fly fishing with total strangers.  I’ve met some great people that have become instant friends of mine.

Finally, time to fish…

It’s windy,  it’s cold,  and I’m thinking my sleeping bag might have been a better option.  The sun had just peaked over the mountain when I felt that first surge of power on the end of my custom Flut 8 weight and I was instantly ready to grind it out through the weather.  Ahh! It’s just a 21-incher! I always laugh a little and think of just how lucky I am to be in a place where an itty bitty 21-inch cutty is average.  Believe me,  it’s hard to imagine it but this trout is a nice bite-sized snack for many inhabitants here.

The rest of the day was pretty steady with fish regularly coming to the net.  We gave them a steady diet of chironomids, buggers, and beetles. Although,  it didn’t seem to matter what fly you had on as long as you presented it at the correct depth.

The highlight of the day for me came about an hour before sunset when this absolute slob hit my fly about 10 feet out!

 Didn’t even feel the need to fish after releasing this stud. Just sat and admired the sunset.

Finally, time to get some sleep.  But not before stopping in for a quick bite at Crosby’s. I never can just quickly stop in there without walking around and imagining myself catching every single fish they have to hang on the walls.  I always admire how unique the colors and patterns are and how each one looks different than the last.

Friday 4:30 AM

Time to get back at it.  It’s so hard to get out of the nice warm bag, but ya gotta do it! We met an awesome group of seriously fishy people and posted up next to them for the majority of our trip. They had something figured for sure. I had never seen so many big fish in one place! I think between our group and our new friends we met on the water, there were eleven  30+ inch trout caught during the trip.  It was incredible! We were just as excited to see what was at the end of the line of those around us as we were with our own trophies.

A seriously great day

Amanda making us jealous with this trip maker.

 Witnessed one of the more intense battles I’d seen when Alex brought this one in.

The hot streak continued through Saturday and Sunday morning before it was time to head home.  The only downside to Pyramid is the feeling of depression that comes over you when you realize it’s time to get back to real life.

Another adventure in the books and it’s time to start planning the next one. I broke the 30″ mark twice and witnessed many more. The fish are amazing, the scenery is spectacular, but the good company is what really sticks with you. This place really is better with friends and you always end up leaving with more than you came with.

Dyson is a 25-year-old troutbum born and raised in the great state of Utah. Fueled by the outdoors and jalapeño potato chips, his desire to chase trout in beautiful places takes him on some of the most spectacular adventures. Sleepless nights and empty bank accounts are worth the memories we make in this great sport! Find more content from Dyson on Instagram @dysonmorgan

120 Days: A Masterpiece

Jared Zissu
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120 Days: A Masterpiece

Spending 3 months traveling the country with the Fly Fishing Film Tour means you get to watch the featured films quite a bit. 45 times to be exact. Most of them get old after about the 10th time watching… But a few actually get better.

120 Days by Felt Soul Media and Yeti was one of those films and is simply put - a masterpiece. Ben, Travis, and the felt soul crew are on another level when it comes to putting together fishing films. The creativity behind the interviews, music, and camera work is superb, not to mention the bold move of making the whole film black and white.

Fun fact: This was the first time a tarpon jump was filmed in 1000 frames per second. Goes to show how camera technology has changed over the last decade.

Continue

Gran Canaria, A Carp Mecca

Jared Zissu
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Located off of the Northwest corner of Africa you can find Gran Canaria, an island in the Canary Island Chain well known for its Duty-Free shopping. But what you didn’t know is this island is also a fishing paradise. Javier Toledo writes in: “We enjoy a perfect climate, for year-round fishing, and carp happens to be our favorite to target.You can also target bass, tilapia and perch all on a fly rod.”

See more of the islands fish inhabitants on Instagram @toledomartel

Central American Jungle Trout

Jared Zissu
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When anglers think of Costa Rica, the last thing on their mind is bringing along a 7ft, 3wt buggy whip. Now I’ll be honest with ya, I am pretty stoked this whole jungle trout fishery has flown under the radar for so long.

When I first came to Costa Rica I thought about the typical saltwater species everyone comes here for, roosterfish, tarpon, and big jacks! Not to mention the world class bill fishing that is found on the Pacific coast. However, despite all the gnarly saltwater action, something about trout has always had my attention.

Before I came down to CR I had done very little research on the freshwater fishery. I had dug up some stories about a funky fish called a Machaca and knew darn well there was rainbow bass. But what really caught my eye were the rumors of trout in the high mountain jungle.

As it turns out, decades ago many high elevation areas were stocked with rainbow trout. Since then they have spread all over the high moutain peaks. The cool jungle creeks and rivers are perfect habitat for these adaptable fish. Unfortunately for the traveling angler, most of the fisheries are extremely hard to get to. More often than not, road systems are on the primitive side at best. Honestly, this is most likely what has kept these places hidden for so long.

For the last 6 months or so I have been searching out these wild fish. With the help of google earth, some friends, and some good old ‘boots on the ground’ style exploration, I have found some of the most unique and amazing trout steams I have ever fished.

https://vimeo.com/201473900

These small secluded creeks are overgrown with jungle vegetation, large fallen timber, and vines, vines, and more vines. Despite the extremely tight fishing conditions, the hungry rainbows make the journey worthwhile! I can honestly say that some of the places I have found have never been fished by another human with a fly rod. To me, in a world saturated with dudes with fly gear, that is something that is beyond priceless.

Capt. Jesse Males, is a fly fishing, snook snatching, kayak paddling, tarpon slaying, mountain hiking, manatee swimming fool from Central Florida. Over the years fly fishing has had a huge impact on his life and particularly on how I view the world we spend our time in. To check out more of Jesse’s work please visit him at backwaterflyfishing.com and follow him on Instagram @backwaterflyfishing

The catch of a lifetime!

Jared Zissu
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I’m standing knee-deep in a quiet river in Middle-of-Nowhere, Colorado. I shout to get my girlfriend’s attention and wave her over my way. She takes a few steps in my direction then stops and begins casting. I yell and wave again with a bit more urgency. I really wish she’d hurry up. It was a long drive to get here and I can hardly believe I made it without ruining the surprise. She finally arrives and is a bit vexed with my impatience. I ask Claudia to stand a few yards in front of where I have the tripod set up. Nervously, I press the shutter on my camera and start the longest 10-second timer in the history of the world.

This story began a couple of years ago. I was dating a pretty girl and things started to get a little serious. Serious enough that I found myself spending more time in the city than on the water. It was at this point, for somewhat selfish reasons, that I decided it was time to get a fly rod in her hand. Deep down, I hoped that she’d love it but I knew that at the very worst, at least we’d get to spend some time standing in a river.

The first couple of days were full of all the requisite tangles, snags and other rookie mishaps you could imagine. Although she was having a tough time with some parts of it, I noticed an intensity in her eyes as she watched her fly drift by a feeding trout with no response. I recognized this look because I get it, too, every time I’m dealing with a stubborn fish. I knew at this point she was hooked.

As those first few trips slowly grew into the next two seasons, we spent lots of time on the river together. We untangled knots together, we climbed trees to free snagged flies together, and slowly but surely, we started to catch a lot of fish—together. Before I knew it, she was the one finding new places to go fishing, she was the one who wanted to stay on the water long after the sun had set, and much to my ego’s chagrin, she was the one who routinely caught all the big fish.

I start counting down from ten in my head so I don’t mistime the shot. My heart feels like it’s lodged somewhere in the middle of my throat and I’m physically shaking with anticipation. I shuffle around the tripod and take a few steps toward Claudia, trying hard not to fall into the river. The out-of-body experience I’d always heard about is beginning. As though I’m a passerby, I watch as my hand reaches into my pocket and pulls out a little blue box. I drop to my knee and the camera flashes as I ask a question that will begin the first chapter of the rest of our lives. She says yes, we pop a couple of mini bottles of Korbel and sit on the bank together and watch as the water flows by.

After a few minutes of enjoying the moment, she breaks the silence: “Oh, I think I see one over there,” she says, holding a hand above her eyes to block the sun. Using her rod, she points out a dark shadow hovering in an eddy near the far bank.

“This one’s all yours,” I say, still sitting on a streamside rock. I look on as my new fiancé catches a two-foot rainbow with the poise of an old pro. I smile and take another drink of warm champagne.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Mark Rauschenberger honed his writing skills at The Ohio State University while simultaneously honing his fly fishing skills chasing smallmouth on the Scioto River. He moved west nearly a decade ago and now works as a contributing writer to a number of fly fishing and ski publications. When he’s not hunched over his laptop with a cup of espresso, you’ll likely find Mark with his fiancé, Claudia, exploring new water throughout Colorado and Wyoming on their never-ending pursuit of the next greatest destination.

New Species Caught on Remote Lake in Botswana

Jared Zissu
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People are calling it the “Leopard Pike”
Anglers from around the world are in shock after a Finnish angler landed this leopard Pike in a remote lake in Botswana last night.

Known to feed on small children and spin fisherman, the Leopard Pike puts up a fight like no other species. The ideal setup for this fish is going to be a 2 weight rod with a 400-grain sinking line. This species will also only take size 22 dry flies.

Good luck, and send us an email if you would like a book your next trip for this awesome new species!

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Happy April Fools!

 

Big Trout, Small Water, Southern Hospitality

Jared Zissu
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Out West this, out West that; but out West isn’t the only place to put BIG fish in the bottom of your net. Being a college student breaks seem to be few and far between, especially when all you are capable of thinking about is putting a fly in front of a fish’s face. That leaves lots of time to tie, write, and plan trips to different places that trout call home. Rivers that aren’t finicky in early Spring are almost impossible to find around my usual stomping grounds. When I sat down to explore my springtime options I decided that tailwaters, 6x, and size 24 bugs were just not on the menu this March. A buddy and I had the bright idea of heading East when trying to solve our “problem” of where to toss a fly. Something we had never experienced before, and frankly knew close to nothing about. I was quickly drawn to the Northern tip of Georgia, more specifically Blue Ridge and the mountains that surround it. After all, they say it’s the trout capital of the South. Will Taylor and Justin Pickett, with Fly Shop Co. were the fishiest guys I could find East of the Mississippi. Countless emails, phone calls, and texts during the winter set our plan in stone. I started tying obsessively; which is always a tell-tale sign I’m itching to get on the water. We were stoked to see what these new mountains and water had to offer.

March rolled around quicker than we expected, as we had been distracted by midterms and homework. I threw a few pieces of clothing in a bag, packed up way more fishing gear than I needed, and somehow fit my whole tying bench in a few small bags (just in case, I told myself). A long drive through unfamiliar country awaited us, but we were eager to see what all the fuss was about regarding these Georgia toads we had only seen pictures of. Hopping on the road the first morning we realized we hadn’t made any sleeping arrangements except “oh yeah no worries, we’ll find somewhere to put up a tent”, which is exactly what we did. Honestly, we didn’t sleep much that first night. I’m still not sure if it was the 18-degree weather or the idea that I had the chance to see a 25-inch fish holding in two feet of water in a creek no wider than the truck we were in. After some pondering, I came to the conclusion that it was a lot of both. Little did I know what those Georgia mountains had in store for us.

Will and I had become fast friends over the phone, but meeting him in person was when I realized I was going to learn from him, fishing and photography wise. Not to mention getting a glimpse, and hopefully a chance at, the stud trout he built his business on. It didn’t take long for us to put the rods to work, first on a few trees and bushes. The casting is a bit like threading tippet through a hook with no eye. The first fish to hand was a healthy rainbow, probably an 18-inch fish. Now, on any other day or trip I would’ve had the camera out for that fish, but this place was just a little different. Blue Ridge was quickly satisfying the hopes we had for the trip. The 3x tippet and size 8 bugs were just what I had in mind. With the mountains standing tall over us, creek through our legs, and our bugs finding fish I realized we were in a Mecca of Southern trout. Over the course of the next few hours, we stuck some absolute giants…

There’s a bunch of dudes in the industry that can talk the talk but have some trouble walking the walk. Justin Pickett is not one of those guys, very far from it actually. Plain and simple, the man can fish. Picking his brain and following him up a North Georgia creek was a learning experience as much as it was a fishing experience. We talked funky flies, casting techniques, writing, fish behavior, and so much more. Every once in awhile we would get interrupted by a subtle strike or an aggressive streamer eater. We took on that day with a hunting mindset. Gin clear water, overhangs, and underwater structure made the fish easy to spot. Getting them to eat was the catch. Working away at a single fish like that can provide a huge reward, but more often than not it’s a slap in the face to remind you why you keep coming back. A few fooled fish, and big fish at that, made for a day that had us stoked all the into our Waffle House feast that night.

Our exploratory trip in search Southeastern trout was a major success. There’s so much water in the general area to satisfy whatever type of fishing interests you, or that you’re used to. We hiked some blue lines where bow and arrow casts were the plan of action, bombed streamers on the Toccoa, and found some hidden small water hogs with Will and Justin. If you’re looking to change up your scenery and have a chance at a stud, put some serious thought into a heading up to Georgia. Give Fly Shop Co. a shout with any questions, or for a guided trip.

For more of Maxwell’s adventures, check him out on Instagram! Special thanks to Garrison Kinsel and Will Taylor for the photography work!

Never Stop Exploring

Jared Zissu
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Exploring a new river for the first time brings out the best emotions that fly fishing has to offer. Hooking into fish you never thought could exist in that river takes those emotions to an all-time high.

Richie and I had spent the night before tying flies and watching the NCAA March Madness tournament at his cabin in Blue Ridge, GA. Our typical North Carolina fishing destinations would include very productive rivers such as the Nantahala, Tuckasegee or even the South Holston or Watauga Rivers if we make the extra hike into Tennessee. However, we had kept this small stream up near Asheville in the back of our minds and finally decided to pull the trigger.

At first light, we arrived at a lower section of the river and wadered up. The real test was to see if the stream held fish and, if so, could we get them to eat. The water was crystal clear and surroundings were remote, feeling more like New Zealand than North Carolina. We hiked through some pocket water, pulling out a few nice Browns and Rainbows until we decided to walk until we found what would turn out to be “the hole”. Richie had tied up a few dark quill-bodied nymphs that imitated the silhouette of a Caddis emerger and we Czech-nymphed them around a boulder that dropped off into a deep trough. Soon enough, Richie hooked and landed a nice rainbow. Then, I hooked (and quickly broke off) another nice Rainbow. Still in the good part of the hole, the next cast I stuck a nice Brown that had great colors and a tough fight. We netted, photographed and released. I was feeling a mile high until Richie traded places with me.

Only after a few casts did Richie hook into a fish that is directly comparable to “The Beast” from the movie Sandlot. Huge flashes of bright orange took us up and down the river, filling up our waders with water and putting on a circus show for the one man watching from down river. Landing this fish was an incredible moment to be a part of. To see it’s size compared to the size of water was incredible. We knew after that fish that our day on the river was over because nothing could surpass what had just happened. It would be offensive not to say that we were very, very lucky that day.”

Congrats on the monster brownie! For more of his work, check out Charles on Instagram here!

Jefferson Rod Company | The Value of Handcrafted Fly Rods

Jared Zissu
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I’ve working in the fishing industry on and off for the past six years. I’ve swung flies all over the west coast and I’ve fished to super picky fish all around Montana. The line between work and play is often quite vague. And so, when I think of fly fishing, I not only think of broad swing runs and classic dry fly flats, but I also think of numbers, marketing, and spreadsheets.

I met Keith Lyon last October on the banks of the Rogue River in Southern Oregon. He was just finishing up with a guide day and walked up to talk about the fishing – it had been pretty slow for both of us. And as we talked I noticed the logo on his hat, and these very distinct rods leaning against his drift boat. I knew then that I was talking to the owner of Jefferson Rod Company.

In the months since we have worked together a bit on a few photography and video projects. In all my dealings with Keith, it is apparent that he is working toward something he is really passionate about. He wants his rods to be a connection between his own story and that of the angler fishing them throughout the world. Even the name of his company, Jefferson Rods, is inspired by the place where they are created. In an industry dominated by marketing campaigns and technological advance, I find the return to the purer side of the sport refreshing.

That is not to say that these rods are not meant for performance because they certainly are. In all honesty, they strike the perfect balance between pleasing aesthetics and serious fishy performance. But this is not a rod review – I don’t want to talk specific models, lines, or loops. All I really have to say is that fly fishing is about connection. It’s about feeling connected to your environment and to the people you meet out there.

But for me, it’s also about feeling a connection to your gear. I want to know the guy who builds my rods; I want to feel the labor in the cork. When I’m really working the rod on a windy day or in a tight casting situation, I want the assurance that a keen angler built the tool in my hand. Not everyone can live in the Rogue Valley or the mythical State of Jefferson, but everyone can feel connected to their home water by fishing a handcrafted fly rod.

For more information, check out Jefferson Rod Company. Special thanks to Marcus Mattioli for the blog post and images!

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