Meet Matt Mendes, a Native American fly fishing guide located on the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. Matt is a passionate fly fishing guide, spey caster, hunter, father, husband, and conservationist. His heritage on the Warm Spring Reservation, allows his guide service to operate on a private section of the Deschutes River where he targets the native redband rainbow trout and summer steelhead. We were lucky enough to spend a day earlier this year with Matt on his home water. Check out the full interview below!
Flylords: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your guide service?Â
Matt: I’m a steelhead and trout guide on the Warmsprings Indian Reservation in Oregon. Our company Spin The Handle provides a unique fly fishing experience on the Deschutes River on over 20 miles of pristine tribal land. I have been around folks in the fly fishing industry most of my life and have always wanted to be a two handed casting instructor and steelhead guide from a young age.
Flylords: What was your journey to becoming a guide?Â
Matt: I started Guiding in 2005 as a Sophomore in Highschool with my grandfather Al Bagleys company River Bend Guide Service. He was the first Native American fly fishing guide in Oregon & we worked together for 11 years before I started Spin The Handle in 2016. We have been guiding private water along the Deschutes river since 1996.
Flylords: What is so special about guiding on the Warm Springs Reservation?Â
Matt: Being an enrolled tribal member with the Confederates Tribes of Warmsprings means the world to me. I am proud to be a member and to be able to enjoy this incredible place I call home. I want to do my part as a Native American by being a steward of the land and resource by not only being responsible and respectful but to influence younger tribal youth to love and appreciate what we have here. I hope to share with people the beauty of being outdoors and how important it is to respect Mother Earth. We truly are blessed to live in such an amazing place that brings joy to folks from all over the globe each year.
Flylords: What conservation issues are you passionate about? Are there any organizations you see making a difference in your fishery?Â
Matt: What’s most important to me as a guide and conservationist is protecting our wild summer steelhead that return to the Deschutes River each year. I have led several riparian projects and efforts over the last few years including designating wild fish sanctuaries, litter removal, and tree plantings to keep our river cooler. Native Fish Society has played a huge part in our efforts over the years and I have been the river steward for Warm Springs for 5 years now. Thank you Tom Derry!
Flylords: Tell us about your rig?
Matt: The rig I guide out of is a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel. The truck is tuned with Ezlynk and has a SB intake. I have a full Thruen lift and Suspension with King Shocks and components. I am running 37.5 Toyo MTs on 18s.
The Truck Bed is Decked out with a full DECKED Drawer System and DECKED Tool box with the ladder. My vehicle is everything to our operation.
Flylords: The roads are pretty gnarly on some parts of the river road, how important is your truck for your guide service?
There are not many places you can reach without 4-wheel drive, especially on our clay roads. I like to think it’s more like a jet sled running up and down the river chasing steelhead, our 4×4 program is next level.
Flylords: Why did you choose the DECKED System for your truck?
Matt: I chose the DECKED system to stay more organized to store all of our necessary spey/flyfishing/hunting equipment neatly and still have the use of a truck bed. The toolbox upgrade has plenty of room for my chainsaws chains and heavy tools. The ladder feature makes it really nice for reaching in and grabbing what you need without any trouble.
Flylords: What is one random item that you will always have in your truck on a guide day (not fishing related)?
Matt: I use the DECKED Piecekeeper inserts on one side of my drawer system and I keep my Shotguns and ARs ready for chukar and Bull Elk hunts. Lots of ammo of course…
Flylords: What is next for Matt?Â
Matt: I have plans of purchasing a piece of property along the river and starting a spey fishing lodge in the near future.
Thank you to Matt for having us out for an incredible time! If you are looking to get your own rig dialed in and organized like Matt make sure to check out the DECKED systems for yourself HERE.
One of our favorite films from the 2022 Fly Fishing Film Tour is now available to stream in full on the Simms Fishing Youtube Channel. So if you’re looking for a flick to throw on while you whip up flies for your next flats trip, this film is the ticket!
We are proud to introduce, KGB Productions’, Three Sheets — a film that takes you on a 21-day adventure with four friends as they sail, explore, and fish the endless atolls and flats of Belize.
The definition of modern-day adventure doesn’t solely depend on location. When you enter a fishery that takes you outside of your comfort zone with the goal of figuring it out for yourself, adventure lies around every corner.
With Belizean spear fisherman, Capt. Deadshot Danny at the helm, this ragtag crew sets sail for the adventure of a lifetime.
Like all great adventures, the unknown surprises and unforeseen obstacles make it a journey none of these men and women will soon forget. With new species on the board and good times under the belt, living aboard a boat has never felt more connected to the rhythm of the ocean than now.
For this installment of out Organization Spotlight series, we sat down with the American Fly Fishing Museum team. We learned about all the great ways this group of people work behind the scenes to memorialize all things fly fishing. Follow along to learn about what the museum has to offer, how you can access some of their online features, and how to support it!
Flylords: Fly fishing has a long and rich history and, as with many historical topics, it also has a museum! Can you tell us a little bit about how the American Museum of Fly Fishing started?Â
AMFF: Our story began in 1963 when Herman Kessler was conducting research for a Field & Stream story in the storage of the original Orvis store in Manchester, VT. He stumbled upon the fly panels created by Mary Orvis Marbury to represent her father’s company at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and in that moment the idea of a Museum was born.
AMFF was officially established in 1968 as a nonprofit educational institution, and over the years we have acquired one of the most significant angling collections in the world. Through strong and steadfast dedication, we have built a collection, a destination, and a community of passionate anglers who stand behind our mission to be the steward of fly-fishing history. We wouldn’t be here today without the commitment of those involved in promoting fly fishing and conservation, and are proud to do our part in preserving the artifacts, innovations, and stories of this great sport.
Flylords: What are some of the Museum’s main activities/functions?Â
AMFF: First and foremost, we’re a public resource and are here to serve our community. We aim to be a place of reflection and inspiration—a cultural institution that collects, preserves, exhibits, studies, and interprets the artifacts, art, and literature of the sport and, through a variety of outreach platforms, uses these resources to engage, educate, and benefit all.
In 1974 we published the premiere issue of our quarterly publication, The American Fly Fisher, and we still continue to feature articles by the most respected fly fishing historians in the world. Nick Lyons summed it up perfectly when he said it “plays an indispensable role in keeping the vanishing past vividly, momentously alive. It is our anchor and our heart, and our memory.†As the fly fishing and museum communities evolve, so do we. We’ve dove into some unconventional projects that are really broadening our exposure and bridging the gap between past and present.
Flylords:Â Care to highlight any exhibits?Â
AMFF: Exhibits! We have some really diverse displays on view right now: Reflections: The Angler and Nature in Art allows visitors to immerse themselves in a chronological journey of sporting art. Smoke Signals: Cigarette Cards from the 19th and 20th Centuries showcases 125 fly fishing and fly tying related tobacco cards and how this early form of direct-to-consumer advertising evolved. We also have a wall dedicated to the life and legacy of our founding trustee, Leigh Perkins which features some of the most innovative equipment from his tenure with Orvis. This spring we will be opening On Turbulence & Flow: The Fly Fishing Inspired Artwork of Val Kropiwnicki, and In Reel Time: Fly Reels Past and Present. We are currently curating and designing an exhibit on Joan and Lee Wulff. There is no shortage of material, so this exhibit will be packed with photos, videos, and artifacts. We’re still making regular trips to Joan’s house to explore new pieces and stories. At 95 years young, she is still quick-witted and one of my favorite storytellers. Tied Together: The Extraordinary Lives of Joan and Lee Wulff will open on August 13th.
Flylords: While I like to collect my old flies that have produced memorable fish, the AMFF showcases a bunch of different collections–probably a little more high-profile too! Can you tell us about some of your favorites?Â
AMFF: Keep up the good work and maybe one day we can add your flies to an exhibit here! We have an entire room dedicated to fly tying and iconic flies that can only really be appreciated here on site at the AMFF. A particular standout for me would be the Dame Juliana Berners Collection. Dame Juliana Berners, a fifteenth-century English nun, is often credited as the author of ‘A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle’. This treatise was published in 1496, and for many years it was thought to be the earliest written work of fly-fishing instruction. Rogan of Donegal tied these flies now housed in the AMFF based off the recipes in her book to commemorate 500 years of fly fishing. It’s a particularly cool way to interpret the fly tying literature of the past and bring it into the modern.Â
I also have to mention the Jack Gartside Collection – the guy was just such an unsung striper legend that should really get more worldwide acknowledgement.
Jack Gartside chasing stripers in style
Flylords: In the world of fly fishing, there are so many amazing films featuring all the greats and the jaw-dropping places people love to fly fish. Tell us about the AMFF’s new screening room feature.Â
AMFF: The Screening Room was a long term labor of love. We had boxes and boxes of VHS and 16mm film lying around the attic here and decided it was our duty to digitize them before they were lost forever. The result is a screening room of epic proportions with over 200 original titles, showing everything from early Lefty Kreh casting instruction videos, to Jim Teeny and Lani Waller sight fishing for steelhead, Billy Pate chasing giant tarpon, early Walker’s Cay Chronicles episodes, original films from our friends at Scientific Anglers, and some 1950s gems you wouldn’t even believe. We keep adding to it as we continue to digitize further discoveries like a box of home videos from Joan Wulff. It’s amazing to see these fisheries that we all love today but as they were in ‘50s through the ‘90s, so I think there is also a great and perhaps deeper conservation element to it.
For now, we’ve kept access limited to AMFF members only as we hope to pay back some of the cost that went into this! Join now and you can access it immediately.Â
Flylords: We were so honored to work with y’all on Time, a film hoping to memorialize the life of Lefty Kreh. What were some of your favorite moments from the film or during production?
AMFF: This was such an incredible film and an absolute blast to spend all that time down in Florida with Flip Pallot, Bob Clouser, and Blane Chocklett and of course the Flylords team. I think we all knew pretty quickly that we were making something special. For me, once I got Flip to say a few words about AMFF and wear the AMFF logo hat, I was able to sit back a bit and really enjoy the experience which is something I’ll always be grateful for.
A lot of people probably don’t realize some pretty cool AMFF Easter eggs during the film, like the fact that Blane is tying his iconic gamechanger on Lefty’s old homemade vice that we brought down for production. Also, in the shot where Blane lifts a tilapia out of the water, the fly in its mouth is an original Lefty’s Deceiver tied by Lefty himself. Later, there’s an amazing shot of Blane casting his gamechanger so it’s all in line with the “passing the torch†message we were driving towards. These little touches made us all feel a little bit more connected to Lefty and reinforced the purpose behind the film during the shoot. I think that vibe really shines through in the final product.
Flylords:Â Any new projects in the works that we should keep an eye out for?Â
AMFF: The AMFF is making a big push into the film world. Most recently, we opened an amazing new exhibit at the Wonders of Wildlife in Missouri with an interactive film component (big shout out to The Drake’s Tom Bie and Simms’ Paul Nicoletti). We are so excited and honored to memorialize the film medium in fly fishing, which has no doubt had a massive impact on the development of the sport since the early days of ‘A River Runs Through It’ all the way up to today’s Instagram Reels. We’re also launching a new series with Meris McHaney called ‘Fishing the Collection’ where we take rods from our collection (we have over 1200) and put them into the hands of young anglers to test out on the water. The results are super visually captivating and reflect on how far we’ve come in the development of equipment while also honoring the beauty and style of the past.
In May, we are launching an exhibit here in Manchester with VK Steelworks, and then we’ve got a Joan & Lee Wulff exhibit called Tied Together: The Extraordinary Lives of Joan and Lee Wulff in tandem with our annual festival this August. The festival on August 13th will also have a film festival where we show the 20 most influential films in fly fishing, and there’s even the option for AMFF members to camp on the grounds here in Manchester. There’s so much going on here every day it’s hard to keep track of it all!
Flylords:Â How can anglers access some of these features or learn more about the American Museum of Fly Fishing?Â
AMFF: The absolute best way to do this is by becoming an AMFF member. Basic membership starts at $35 a year and helps us support and preserve the history of this great sport we all love. Plus there are some pretty sweet perks (like Screening Room access). If you join between now and June 30th, you’ll be entered to win a brand new Orvis H3! (Editor’s note: this is the best shot you’re going to get at winning a new H3!)
At a minimum, throw us a follow on Instagram @flyfishmuseum and get a daily dose of fly fishing history!
The Mekong River in Southeast Asia is home to its fair share of river monsters including its giant catfish that reportedly reach over 700 lbs and its equally massive freshwater stingrays. The latter is what is making waves around the globe, as a specimen landed by local anglers tipped the scales at over 660 lbs, making it the largest freshwater fish landed on record.
Photo: Sinsamout Ounboundisane
The fish was released after biologists took detailed measurements and tagged the fish so researchers can continue to monitor the fish. The researchers even gave the big girl a name, Boramy, meaning “full moon†in the local Khmer language.
Boramy was hooked by a local fisherman, who quickly called “Wonders of the Mekong”, a conservation project on the river after they realized the big specimen likely outweighed the fish that previously held the record, a fellow stingray that tipped scales at 645 lbs.
Check out this clip from everyone’s favorite fishing show, River Monsters, where the legend himself, Jeremy Wade lands one of the Mekong’s stingrays for himself!
“This summer will be my second season working for Picabo Angler, located right on world-renown Silver Creek. Also nicknamed, “the graduate school of fly fishing†on behalf of its spring creek approach with gin-clear water, and some very picky trout. With every other river in the area in full runoff, the Creek has been an awesome getaway for both fishing and filming. Just five minutes away from my trailer lies a solid brown trout taking some early season Pale Morning Duns. I watched him feed for about ten minutes and learned a lot in that time frame. A go-to pattern for a fish like this would be an extended body dun, size 16 with a TFP Cripple tagged off it with 5x tippet on both bugs. Stop by the shop, Picabo Angler, to make sure you have your 12-foot leader and proper PMD’s in your arsenal. I am looking forward to watching, filming, and hopefully catching some rising trout on Silver Creek this summer.” - Joseph Evans
In this interview, we spoke with Colin Arisman who told us about an amazing float-trip he took last summer. Colin spends most of his time these days on the ground in Alaska and is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and writer. Follow along to hear about an amazing fly-in float deep into the Bristol Bay watershed he did with some buddies last year. Also, learn how you can help protect this special place once and for all!
Flylords: Colin, first off, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Colin: Growing up in Vermont, all I knew about salmon was that they’d been wiped out in east coast rivers before I was born. I was intrigued by the legendary abundance, and that curiosity drew me north. My first float trip in Bristol Bay was a revelatory experience. As much as I enjoy fishing, the best part was just being around salmon and getting to watch hundreds of fish swim under our raft. I promised myself that I’d come back to Bristol Bay every summer. Now, I’m a filmmaker and photographer based in Alaska.
Flylords: Now let’s hear about this epic float trip you did last year. Where’d you go and what was the plan?
Colin: Bristol Bay is home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery, but it could also have the largest open pit mine in North America. The proposed Pebble Mine has been fought over for a decade with locals and fishery scientists squarely opposed. After hearing so much in the news, I wanted to see the headwaters where the mine could be located. The only issue is that Pebble is 20 miles as the crow flies from the nearest road.
My buddy, Oliver Sutro. unloads the raft and a week’s worth of gear.
After a few days calling around, I eventually found a pilot who was willing to drop us at a lake near the proposed mine. Two friends and I flew from Anchorage to the tiny village of Iliamna. From there we loaded a raft, fly fishing gear, and a week’s worth of food into a floatplane.
A Pebble Mine helicopter doing mineral exploration work.
Almost immediately after getting dropped, a helicopter working for the mining company zipped overhead. We hiked a few miles across wetlands to get a closer look at the camp owned by Northern Dynasty Minerals. After a day of getting buzzed by helis, we figured we’d seen enough. We inflated our raft and set off on a 60 mile float down the Koktuli River, one of the watersheds most at risk of contamination.
Flylords:Â How was the fishing? Any good stories you want to share?
Colin: You can’t go wrong on a flyout trip in Southwest Alaska. We have a tradition that everytime someone catches a fish, you have to give up your rod and row. Somedays it feels like you are playing musical chairs.
One of the numerous rodent eating rainbows of Bristol Bay
The Koktuli River is really narrow, early on in the trip. Coming around a corner, I caught sight of two small brown bears fishing in the river. The Koktuli was only about 30 feet wide and I didn’t like the idea of having to float between the bears and their buffet of salmon. We watched these 2 young siblings for about an hour as they charged again and again across the river for fish. Eventually, the bears climbed up onto the bank to rest and we floated by.
Colin–“We waited an hour to float by while bears fished in the middle of the narrow river”
Flylords: This type of trip isn’t for everyone. It sounds so remote and has its fair share of risk involved. But for the adventure-minded crew, how accessible is planning and completing a float trip like this?
Colin: I’m hesitant to recommend a self-guided float like this in Bristol Bay. Between the bears, inclement weather, swiftwater, and remoteness – there is so much to learn and practice before a trip like this. A lot can go wrong and my early raft expeditions in Alaska included a few “near-missesâ€.
There are some really amazing fly-out, raft guides though. You’ll get the same quality of fishing, plenty of challenges like the cold, rain and bugs — plus someone else to worry about logistics. I’d recommend that folks check out Wild River Guides (www.wildriverfish.com) for raft based fly fishing trips in Bristol Bay.
Flylords:Â After developing an intimate appreciation for the Bristol Bay region, how did the news that this watershed is now on the verge of permanent protections make you feel?
Colin: This spring, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed protections that would prohibit the disposal of mining waste in several watersheds including the Koktuli River, which we got to float last year. I’m currently in Dillingham Alaska, working on a documentary film, and I got to attend the EPA hearing recently and listen to Bristol Bay residents’ testimony. It was powerful to hear how deeply local people care about protecting fish and the watershed.
A lot of people feel like this proposed action by the EPA could be the “nail in the coffinâ€. I encourage people to make your voice heard and submit a comment to the EPA before July 5th. The buffalo might be gone, but in Bristol Bay you can still come see 66 million sockeye swimming home. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to witness that.
A record 66 million sockeye salmon returned to Bristol Bay last year
Long-term, durable protections for Bristol Bay are now in our sights. The EPA is in the midst of a public comment period to officially reinstate Clean Water Act 404(c) protections for the Bristol Bay watershed, which would prohibit mining waste in the region for perpetuity. Colin’s trip gave us a glimpse into just how amazing and wild this part of the world is–and why it must remain that way. I know it may seem like the tenth time you’ve done this, but there’s a very high chance that this is the last time you are asked to advocate for long-term protections for Bristol Bay. So, let’s finish it once and for all: Tell the EPA and decision-makers you want Clean Water Act safeguards for Bristol Bay’s headwaters!
Colin, thanks for getting in touch and sharing your trip with us. Check out Colin’s work at www.colinarisman.com or on his Instagram @Colin_Arisman.
Hell’s Bay Boatworks and YETI have teamed up with Captains For Clean Water to create a unique custom skiff that one lucky person will win. And, whoever takes home the grand prize is certainly going to be turning heads at their local boat ramp and on the flats!
Hell’s Bay Boatworks and YETI have teamed up with Captains For Clean Water to create a unique custom skiff that one lucky person will win. To support their mission to restore and protect Florida’s water, Captains For Clean Water is raffling off a one-of-a-kind boat custom crafted by Hell’s Bay Boatworks in Titusville, Florida, and packed full of gear from YETI.
“Hell’s Bay Boatworks and YETI are brands that embody conservation commitment and leadership. They have invested their name and resources into securing clean water protections in Florida. We’re proud to partner with them on initiatives like this raffle that support our mission and bring more people into the clean water fight.”
— Capt. Chris Wittman, Director of Outreach & Engagement, Captains For Clean Water
The boat model is a 17-foot Hell’s Bay Eldora, a technical, lightweight “micro-skiff†stripped down to the essentials and engineered for poling the flats with stealth, outfitted with a Yamaha 25hp motor, custom SeaDek floor kit, Ram-Lin aluminum trailer, Raymarine Axiom 7 GPS, a Stiffy 22′ Guide Series Push Pole plus a boatload of YETI gear. As the first-ever YETI edition, the boat features unique touches such as a YETI Hondo Base Camp Chair and Tundra Cooler for cockpit comfort and a seat cushion made with proprietary waterproof YETI Panga material. Supporters can donate to Captains For Clean Water for a chance to win now through November 25th at cfcw.rallyup.com/2022hbraffle/. Every donation supports Captains’ mission to protect and restore Florida’s water resources for the enjoyment of all. A winner will be drawn at random on December 1st, 2022.
“Conservation is at the heart of everything we do. Hell’s Bay Boatworks has committed from day one to fight alongside Captains For Clean Water in the pursuit of the restoration of the Everglades. By donating the Eldora as this year’s raffle skiff, we are investing in the protection of Florida’s waters now and for future generations.”
— Chris & Wendi Peterson, Owners, Hell’s Bay Boatworks
Outdoor Brands Leading Clean Water Advocacy
Hell’s Bay Boatworks owners, Chris and Wendi Peterson have placed conservation as one of the core values at Hell’s Bay, supporting organizations like Captains For Clean Water that in turn support the environments and ecosystems vital to our passions. The Petersons, their talented team at Hell’s Bay headquarters, and their families are actively involved in clean water advocacy, often providing boats for ecosystem tours with key decision-makers and meeting with policymakers in Tallahassee and Washington DC.
Most recently, Hell’s Bay and YETI worked closely with Captains For Clean Water during opposition campaigns to combat the proposed bad water policy, Senate Bill 2508. These efforts resulted in a historic victory when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the bill on June 8th.
“This is about more than a boat. Throughout the outdoor industry, there is a movement surging to spearhead conservation efforts and defend our natural resources against industrial corruption and political horse-trading. When brands, sportsmen and women, fishing guides, and captains all stand together — we will win. Just like we did this year with the veto of Senate Bill 2508, the bad water bill that threatened all the progress made on Everglades restoration and water quality. This raffle is an open invitation to join the fight.”
— Capt. Daniel Andrews, Executive Director, Captains For Clean Water
Captains For Clean Water is a Florida-based 501(c)3 grassroots nonprofit on a mission to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems for the use and enjoyment of all. Founded by fishing guides, Captains has united the outdoor industry, the business community, and concerned citizens at the frontlines of the fight for clean water — the lifeblood of Florida’s economy and $85.9 billion tourism industry.
If I look at my fishing philosophy and mentality, I realize how mere and insignificant I consider the size of the catch. What I would like to be more recognized by sport fishermen is that the most important thing is not the final result but the process to get there, which means many things, learning about the breath of water, learning how an ecosystem works, learning how to fish, and why not explore new waters and keep on learning new things by observing.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
These days, fly fishing is over-saturated with any kind of content, but always about the same destinations, the same catches, and the same kind of things. I think the fault is the “pros,†who are not putting any effort into finding and showing something new. The whole market of sportfishing travel lies down in its comfort zone and rarely do we see something new. I believe this homologation will damage our sport soon because anglers will research the result and the social media photo, then the experience itself.
The catch is just the tip of the iceberg, to make it short, but there is tons of other stuff!
The History
I discovered Socotra back in 2010 when I was a kid, and nobody had fished there before. Since then, I’ve been in total love with this island, and this island represents a big slice of my life. What I found in 2010 on my first approach was just the best GT fishing in the world, which is still going on, but I didn’t have enough knowledge about fly fishing and not enough time to find out what I found later.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
After my first four years there hosting, popping, and jigging groups and exploring new ground, the war in Yemen started in 2015, and I had to leave the island. During the following years, I had the chance to develop Sudan for Fly Fishing and explore Eritrea and Djibouti, so when Socotra opened again in 2019, I finally had the know-how to explore it on the fly.
In 2020, the year of Covid, I took a few good clients on an exploratory mission, and they had a good result. The most abundant fish were Parrotfish, but sea conditions were a bit rough, and I was busy guiding my Popping guys so that I couldn’t see the fishery with my eyes to any judgment. Then, Covid came, and everything shut down again. Till now…
Today
Having made tons of explorations before, I developed a certain pre-trip feeling, the feeling I had about this expedition was an extraordinary one. For this particular occasion, I invited a very good friend of mine. Without any doubt the best Fly Fisherman I know, moreover being a super tough guy that can walk 20 km a day with 0.75 lt of water and two boiled eggs as I can. Useless to say, we both were insanely excited about the trip, but what we found exceeded our expectations by far.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
First of all, the fishing here is not the classic Flat Fishing. Still, it’s coastal fishing, where the coast is not a uniform system that varies from the white sandy beach to shallow water rocky bay, and on top, it’s very tidal, which means every spot can be extremely good or extremely bad at a different time of the day, not the best when you explore on foot a new ground. You have zero data to work with, so our only option was to walk a lot and look very carefully.
The Parrotfish
It’s hard to explain how our fishing evolved daily and how we understood the place. It’s something that took us days, probably only to scratch the surface.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
On the first approach, we found tons of Parrotfish, big fish from 5 to 10 kg tailing in school, in the most variable environment, from the proper white sandy beach to rocky points with surfs.
We mainly focused on them in the first days, making many mistakes. We tried too hard on Parrotfish in dirty areas where we got constantly reefed. Still, on the other hand, we also landed some of them and found some spots where we saw Bohar Snapper and Green Jobfish from the beach, in tailing…
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
Bluefin Trevally has been a constant companion of our walking days but surprisingly very hard to catch. Typically, everywhere else in the world, Bluefin are pretty aggressive, and a good cast with a nine weight and small Gotcha or any small Shrimp pattern would do the job, but not here, which cost us some extra effort to figure out how to catch them, it can’t be easy!
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
Back to the main subject, the Parrotfish, as we started to stalk them, seemed pretty straightforward; however, the sea was a bit rough. The Parrotfish were pretty aggressive on a flexo crab well presented, but as the sea calmed down, they became harder and harder, always cacheable, but more and more moody. I think that a fish with mood and character is super interesting. The whole experience we had about chasing Parrotfish amazed me. The Parrotfish were happy and pretty dumb in the first days, but as the tide changed, they became way more complicated and moody, with some fish super spooky and others acting randomly. Some of them came to the beach after the fly, some had bitten the fly like a GT, while some followed many times like a Triggerfish, and some even came off and bit again. On top of that, as we started to target them only with flexo crab, we ended up casting everything to them, and we hooked them on any fly, including a small Gotcha, as long as it was well presented. Shortly, they acted excitingly and charmingly, and on top of that are just the most beautiful fish you can target on the fly!!
The Other Guys
We expected to meet some exciting sea inhabitants during our chasing of Parrotfish, but we found way more than what we expected.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
The first morning I had two shots at Green Jobfish in shallow water with a small crab and 20 lb leader, expecting these fish to be super aggressive. I presented the fly aggressively, and after following for a few meters, both fish refused the fly, to my immense surprise.
A couple of hours later, I shot a big Bohar Snapper on the beach, again with my nine-weight rod and a small crab imitation. The fish came to my fly and followed it, and after 5 meters of following, he refused.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
We understood something was wrong. It’s impossible to have multiple shots at these species and keep refusing a 0,33 mm leader and small fly, which means work on our approach and presentation. The day after we fished the same area, Johan caught some Parrot and lost some pretty big Yellow-spotted Trevally. I had shots at Sweetlips and another Bohar Snapper, which refused again, till, after many kilometers of walking, I saw a Snapper swimming at 2 meters from the beach. I just had time to jump down on my knees, not be spotted, put my fly in front of it and present it as if the fish was a spooky Bonefish. Finally, this fish took the fly. After an epic fight on a 0,33 mm leader, I managed to land this huge Bohar, one of the best catches of my life and I think a real trophy overall.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
My Friend Johan, who came to help me land the fish, was over the moon with me. After the ritual photo shooting, we started to walk the beach together till we saw something strange, a Triggerfish tailing on a rocky bottom, but a peculiar Triggerfish, very, very dark coloration. Johan, a Triggerfish specialist, started to cast it, and the fish reacted very slowly till he got stuck in the bottom with his fly. Then I lent him my fly rod to keep casting to the fish. The action went on for 15 minutes, with the fish coming to the fly several times and never taking it, Johan changed the fly three times till the Trigger finally accepted it, and the fight started. The fish was pulling harder than any Sudanese Trigger we had ever fought. I had to jump in the water because the fish was looking for holes and coral, and while I tried to save the line from rocks, I could see the fish was something different. It was the mythological creature we chased for years, the ultra-rare “Blue Trigger,†which generally live deep between 10 to 50 meters.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
As I grabbed the tail of the fish, I realized this was going to be the best fishing day of our life, the perfect combination of exploring new water, catching the world record Snapper on an eight weight rod, and the first Blue Trigger ever caught on the fly, something that is just impossible to top, something that will remain in our memory forever.
Overall
With the exception of this memorable moment, there have been tons of others. The fishing has been so insane that it is hard to pick something specific because everything has been a highlight. We hooked a 5 kg Green Jobfish tailing on the beach. We hooked into Parrotfish on the sandy beach, Permit, Bonefish, and Milkfish from the shore, which came off by the end of the fighting. We hooked four different species of Parrotfish, we hooked an Emperor of 5 kg always on the same tiny Shrimp pattern, Big Eye Trevally, Blue Barred Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Blue Triggers, Unicorn Fish, Three Spotted Pompano, Bohar Snapper, and Jobfish, and a rare style of Sweetlips, and Bonito, for a total of 22 significant species hooked. Still, it’s possible to reach over 25 species cause we saw GT, Titan Triggerfish, Bream, One Spot Snapper, and other species catchable on the fly.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
Another highlight has been a shot I had from the beach of a 10 kg Spanish Mackerel that only followed my fly. That could have been something very different…
We didn’t invest time fishing from the boat with a sinking line and big Clouser Minnows, which I did years ago with great results, so that’s the plan for the next trip.
The Philosophy
I have to admit, I am very proud. Catching trophy fish on an eight-weight fly rod is just the tip of the iceberg. It has been ten years of insanely hard work and exploration to get there, and that’s the remarkable thing, not the fishing result itself.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
This fishery is extraordinarily unique and special because all the fishing has to be done with an eight or nine-weight fly rod. The presentation has to be gentle and perfect every time, while everything has to be cut down to the simplest possible way to chase 25 different species, all on one rod, one reel, and one fly line. The flies become so crucial, approaching so many different environments and species with only one setup. The only variable thing is flies. You can’t use 40 different kinds of flies because there won’t be any time to change them between shots, so we found out that we could have done everything with three fly patterns, which makes everything intriguing at the highest possible level, 25 species on one rod, one leader and three flies.
Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg
Despite other fly fishing destinations being the best, in my opinion, there is nothing like walking on a remote and unknown beach where you can encounter more than 25 different species of sportfishing. You have to adapt your presentation to each of them. A real ultimate angler destination!
Nicola Vitali was born in Italy and has been fishing ever since he was four years old. Since his love for fishing started at a young age he’s traveled all over the world to fly fish exotic places. Vitali, a multi-language speaker is the founder of Wild Sea Expeditions where you can find him managing trips in Sudan and Socotra. Photos by Robert Pljuscec & Johan Persson Friberg.Â
A quick word to everyone that is here to fly fish in Montana:
“Historically the second week of June is arguably some of the best fishing of our season. As if life isn’t just quite hard enough these days with record high fuel prices, impending recessions and global unrest – we get dealt a late spring flood situation of epic proportions.Â
There are still a few rivers clear enough to throw a fly; however, you will have plenty of company. Expect it. Embrace it. Be patient with other anglers and guides. This includes the rookie guides as well as the seasoned veterans. We’re all there for the same reason – to have fun.Â
When we caught fish yesterday, there were 18 other anglers within sight. Everyone cheered. I was pleasantly surprised at the smiles and general attitudes of everyone I saw on the Beaverhead yesterday. I tip my hat to you all.Â
We are going to have several more days of more crowded than usual fishing. Let’s all keep the good attitudes and help one another out where we can. Things could be an awful lot worse than they actually are.Â
If you must fish a crowded tailwater, remember no to be a dick, to anyone. It’ll pay off – eventually.Â
Cheers to the hardworking guides in Southwest Montana. And to trout. They are survivors, much like us. Let’s all be thankful we can at least go to work today.”
Ever wonder what goes into each and every Abel and Ross Reel? Well, the Mayfly Outdoors team welcomed the Made In The USA team to take a tour of the Mayfly Factory in Montrose, CO, and discover what makes the reels special. Check it out!
“These two amazing fly fishing brands are owned by the same company that is producing some of the best fly fishing reels on the market – and all of it is made in the USA. Tony gives us an exclusive tour of their manufacturing floor to get a glimpse of their entire process and meet some amazing teammates.”
