The SB Beadhead Nymph, short for Simpson-Billmyer, is the best generic nymph pattern that I have yet fished. I have developed it over several years in collaboration with Jake Billmyer, manager of the Orvis Fly Shop in Charlottesville, Va. Typical of all the flies that I continue to tie and fish, it is easy to […]
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Tag: trout tactics
Fly Fishing the Bob Marshall Wilderness
I just returned from a week fly fishing in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, a long sought adventure. “The Bob”, as it is affectionately known by Montanans, is located in NW Montana. It straddles the continental divide for 60 miles, encompassing over one million acres, and is accessible only by foot or horseback. The nearest airports […]
Fly Fishing Montana’s Spring Shoulder
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 […]
Use Stream Flow Data to Find Feeding Trout
The weather in Virginia had been horrible. Snow, snow, snow, and cold, cold, cold! Then came the sudden change of warm weather, with snow melt, and increased stream flow. But in Virginia, that doesn’t always mean high, muddy water. Rather, snow melt often leads to a modest rise in the stream flow, with continued clarity, […]
Virtues of a Ten Foot Fly Rod
Several years ago, I bought my first ten foot rod. I soon discovered that there are many virtues of a ten foot fly rod. In my opinion, anything that the industry-standard nine foot rod can do, the ten foot rod does better. Sometimes it is difficult to weave it through thick streamside brush, but it […]
Fly Fishing for Brown Trout in Nelson NZ
I just returned from a trip, fly fishing for brown trout in Nelson NZ. Roughly twelve years ago, I visited the Taupo Region of the North Island, and fished several tributaries to lake Taupo. The fishery there was dominated by rainbow trout. This time, I wanted to fish the Nelson Region of the South Island, […]
Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect
I think that Leonard Wright Jr. is one of the twentieth century’s most overlooked fly fishing authors. Well known to his contemporaries, his works have been “lost” over time. I found his first book, “Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect” (1972), in a used bookstore in Ennis, Montana. It had a musty, old-library odor […]
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, Soft Hackles
It has been said by many, that effective subsurface fly patterns have two necessary attributes. They must look a little like many bugs, and they must behave like a living bug. This perfectly describes the attributes of the wet fly patterns generically referred to as “soft hackles”. Despite this, when fishing the subsurface, anglers far […]
Fly Fishing the Subsurface, Tightline Nymphing
Last month, in “Fly Fishing the Subsurface, Suspension Nymphing“, I began a series of blogs reviewing techniques used to fly fish the subsurface for trout. This blog, “Fly Fishing the Subsurface, Tightline Nymphing”, continues the series. I prefer to use the inclusive term, “tightline nymphing”. It lumps Euro, Czech, Polish, Spanish, French, Hewitt, Brooks, and […]
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 […]
“Tactical Fly Fishing”- a Book Review
“Tactical Fly Fishing”, by Devin Olsen, is the latest book by a member of the Fly Fishing Team USA. Like previous team members’ books, it details the various methods of Euro Nymphing, or tight-line nymphing. However, this is still a valuable addition to the current fly fishing literature. The real strength of Olsen’s work lies […]
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 […]
“Trout”, a book review
Ernest Schwiebert is probably my favorite fly fishing author. He began fly fishing at the age of eight. During his lifetime, he fished with most all the famous Catskill fly fishermen. They regarded him as a pre-eminent colleague at an early age. He authored five books on fly fishing, three of which I have read. […]
Fly Line Basics
Many, if not most, fly fishers believe that a good cast is most dependent upon the fly rod and the caster. However, I would posit that the fly line contributes as much to the end result as the rod. In addition, once the cast is completed, the choice of line impacts the presentation and effectiveness […]
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 […]
Book Review: “The Fly”
Anyone interested in the history of fly fishing should give “The Fly”, by Dr. Andrew Herd, a read. He covers 2,000 years of fly fishing history. His writing style is engaging, with wit and bits of humor. Unlike most such books, he includes non-fishing information. This helps one appreciate fly fishing’s place during different time-periods […]
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 […]
Fly Fishing Spring Creeks
When I began fly fishing for trout, I was fortunate to be living in Virginia. The Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia boast over 2,000 miles of native brook trout water. Such small mountain streams offer the ideal venue for learning how to fly fish for trout. They require stealth, accurate casting, and good presentation. In […]
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 […]
Quigley Cripple- Shuck or No Shuck
Flytier Bob Quigley has created a number of original flies. His best known, the Quigley Cripple, has long been a go-to fly for me. Many times in the midst of a hatch, trailing it behind a dun pattern has turned refusals into strikes, and saved the day. However, when I examine it, except for the […]
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 […]