Winter is nearing its end here in Montana, although begrudgingly. One day it’s sunny and nearly 70 degrees, and the next it’s 30 degrees with snow squalls. But spring inches its way closer every day, evidenced the trees beginning to sport their spring-green canopies. Stream conditions change quickly as well, vexing fly fishers eager to […]
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Tag: fishing strategy
How to Increase Your Catch-Rate of Trout!
Most discussions of how to increase your catch-rate of trout dwell on time-of-day, water temperatures, fishing techniques, or flies. Each of these is important, but two events bring on periods of aggressive feeding by trout. Timing your visit to a stream with one of these events is nearly guaranteed to increase your catch-rate. It is […]
The White-Winged Curse; Fishing the Trico Hatch
Since the advent of fly fishing, fly fishers have had their demons. The summer trico hatch is mine. Through the ages it has frustrated fly fishers sufficiently to earn the moniker “white-winged curse”! A few weeks ago, I ventured to a stretch of the Madison River, to once again take on the curse. I arrived […]
Fly Fishing the Subsurface, Suspension Nymphing
Virtually every fly fisher loves to fish a hatch. It’s hard to beat the pleasure of targeting a rising trout, selecting the right fly, presenting it well, and watching the trout rise and suck in your proffered fly. But most of the time, there is no hatch. Therefore, trout mostly fill their gullets with foods […]
Read Trout Streams Like an Expert, Even if You’re Not
When I take newcomer fly fishers to a stream, one of the first questions asked is where to cast the fly. Teaching newcomers to read trout streams is challenging. More experienced fly fishers are accustomed to breaking down the water into primary lies, feeding lies and holding lies. They look for riffles, runs, pools, tailouts, […]
“Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout”, a book review
Another of my favorite author’s is Charles E. Brooks. He hales from an earlier era, and wrote several books, two of which I have read. I particularly liked “Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout” (1976). It is illustrated by Dave Whitlock. Although concise, the author summarizes ten nymphing methods employed at that time. In addition, he […]
Fishing Streamers
As leaves begin to turn from green to crimson and gold, trout anglers begin to think of fishing streamers. While streamers can, and probably should, be fished throughout the year, few question their especial efficacy in the fall. This is particularly true in streams inhabited with fall spawners, that is, brown and brook trout. Exhausted […]
“Fly-Fishing Heresies”, a book review
I recently found another book written by one of my favorite fly- fishing authors, Leonard M. Wright, Jr. Its title is “Fly-Fishing Heresies“. Wright is the heretic in this work, tackling or challenging some of the many fly-fishing dogmas. Referencing a previous work, he begins by refuting the dogma that a dry fly must […]
Trico Spinner Falls- Breaking the Code
Summer is finally here! With it comes the eagerly anticipated summer hatches. On many streams, the early morning trico hatches and spinner falls offer the best chance to fish to rising trout. Background The trico hatch is a sight to behold. Clouds of insects fill the air. The trico hatch shown below was filmed by fishing buddy […]
Ten Trout Flies Never To Be Without
Like many fly fishers, perhaps most, in my early learning phase, I felt overwhelmed with all the fly patterns available. It seemed like each pattern had its place in a well-rounded armamentarium. As a result, I carried box upon box of flies, limited only by the number of pockets on my vest. But over time, […]
Reaching the Next Level of Fly Fishing for Trout
Fly fishing is becoming ever more popular. Most people try it once or twice, while a few make it an annual event for a week or two. Fewer still make it an avocation. But it is these few who can struggle for years at a beginner’s level, hoping to reach a higher level. This article […]
Fly Fishing Tough Conditions- Catching Trout Despite Th...
Before I retired, I tried to fish two or three times a month. Working Monday through Friday and sharing a weekend on-call schedule, I couldn’t afford to wait for an ideal set of fishing conditions. When I had a week-end day free, I either went fishing and dealt with the conditions at hand, or I […]
Book Review: Nymph Masters
Trout spend the majority of their time feeding subsurface, specifically on nymphs. Thus serious trout fishermen strive to become better at nymph fishing. I previously regarded Charles Brooks’ “Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout” as the best summary available on the topic. But after reading Jason Randall’s most recent book, “Nymph Masters, Fly-Fishing Secrets From Expert […]
Imitationist vs. Impressionist- Design of Trout Flies
Does it really matter whether we fish for trout with artificial flies that are exact imitations or merely impressions of the natural fly? I confess at the outset that I am a died-in-the-wool impressionist when it comes to the design of trout flies. Part of the reason is that I am a lazy fly-tier. If […]
Fly Fishing Season Transitions- Strategies for Trout
Over the past several years, I have written separately about the four seasons of fly fishing for trout. Done in this manner, I think it’s difficult to convey the many changes that occur during the transition from one season to another. With this piece, I will focus on the transitions. It is during these periods […]
Book Review: Finding Trout in all Conditions
“Finding Trout in all Conditions” is a recent publication (2016) by Boots Allen. In it, he attempts to remove some of the mysticism from nature’s forces, their effects upon streams and fish, and trout in particular. His major source of information is the 1600 days he has spent fishing for trout. He kept detailed diaries […]
Euro Nymphing- an Old American Fly Fishing Technique
In the past few years, Euro nymphing, or tight-line nymphing, has become all the rage. It has been hailed as a new, and very effective way to fish for trout. But I beg to differ. Effective it is, new it is not! In the Beginning English angler, G.E.M. Skues, began the development of tight-line nymphing in […]
Book Review- “Lore of Trout Fishing”, by Art Lee
The warm weather and waters in Montana this summer have limited the trout-fishing opportunities recently. So I perused my library shelves, and plucked Art Lee’s “Lore of Trout Fishing” off the shelf. Art served as editor-at-large for “Fly Fisherman”, “The Atlantic Salmon Journal”, and “Wild Steelhead & Salmon”. He contributed to the fly fishing literature […]
Ten Tips To Catch More Trout and Have More Fun
Although I have previously written in more detail about many of the topics below, it seems that most fly fishers prefer their information drilled down to a short list of tips, not to exceed ten. Perhaps on another occasion I’ll explore the implications of that. But for now, I’ll venture into the genre of “ten […]
Fish Tandem Flies and Catch More Trout
Many’s the occasion that I have been asked how many flies I fish with at a time. In truth, I fish with as many as regulations allow, which in most instances is two. Why do I put up with the potential hassle of tangled flies and tippet? Because fishing tandem flies offers trout more choices. Sometimes I fish with […]
Fly Fishing Small Streams
Most trout anglers who take up fly fishing get their start by fly fishing small streams. What is it about small streams that attracts us? Is it their abundance? The sound of a mountain stream plunging over rocky falls into waiting pools? The gullibility of some of its finny inhabitants? Perhaps it’s the intimacy between the fly […]
Fly Fishing Fall- a Photo Essay
Fall is a special season for all, especially for fly fishers. The multi-colored riparian foliage is like a brilliant tapestry, strung along the streams’ edges. Its sheer beauty is sometimes distracting when fly fishing fall. But the trout, brook and brown, are in peak condition, ready to spawn, and fiercely defend their reds. Thus it is the […]
Fly Fishing Freestone Streams
Every fly fisher has favorites, whether it be a rod, a fly, a lucky shirt or hat, a certain stream, or a type of stream. Not the least of these for me is the type of stream. Days spent fly fishing freestone streams are sheer nirvana for me, and they continue to fill my memory […]
Fly Fishing Book Reviews
It’s wintertime, a historic blizzard blew through last week, and days fit for fly fishing seem few and far between. For me, it’s a time to read some new books, and to re-read some oldies. In this article, “Fly Fishing Book Reviews”, I will review several great books that I found this past year. Fishing […]
Fishing Wet Flies
This article begins my third year of writing articles regarding fly fishing for trout. To my surprise, I continue to find topics of interest. I think that this month’s article about fishing wet flies is an especially fitting topic at this juncture. The wet fly is the artificial fly that started our sport of fly […]
Reading the Water – Secondary Trout Lies
Earlier this year, in “Reading the Water – Prime Trout Lies“, I reviewed the habitat requirements for trout survival: cool and well oxygenated water, protection or cover from overhead predators, readily available food, and a break from the force of a stream’s current. When all these elements are present in one location, it is referred […]
Fly Fishing the Caddis Hatch
It was a late summer evening too many years ago, and I was standing knee deep in the Missouri River, several miles below Holter Dam. It was a windless night by Montana standards, the streamside grasses bending but gently. The sun was setting behind the Rocky Mountain Front, and caddisflies were everywhere. They were far […]
Professional’s Corner- Interviews with Fly Fishing guid
With this article, I would like to introduce a new type of article, interviews with professional fly fishing guides. I hope to offer a series of such articles. For this inaugural article, I had the pleasure of spending a morning talking with Tommie Lawhorne, professional guide and co-owner of The South River Fly Shop in […]
Summer Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout
Summer Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout I have previously written about fly fishing for trout in the fall, 10/14, winter, 1/14 and 1/15, and spring, 4/14. With this month’s article, “Summer Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout”, I will complete the cycle of seasons. Each of the seasons alter conditions in trout streams, especially freestone streams, which in […]
Presentation- Fly Fishing a Hatch
a Bit of History The first description of the concept of presentation appeared in 1676, in “The Universal Angler”, the only edition to combine Izaak Walton’s “The Complete Angler” with two additional works, written by Charles Cotton and Col. Robert Venables, respectively. It was Venables’ who penned the description of presentation, which is as applicable today as […]