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 […]
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Tag: trout tactics
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 […]
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 […]
Extending the Drift for Better Presentation
Almost every fly fisher loves to fish dry flies when the opportunity presents itself. The game is of course to see a surface-feeding trout, and to present a fly as naturally as possible. This requires that the fly drift at the same speed as the water in which it sits. But often there are intervening […]
Fly Fishing Tactics – Fly Rod Length
Like so many things in life, the ideal fly rod length has evolved not in a straight line, but rather, in a full circle. Today, the standard, or most commonly manufactured trout rod, is nine feet in length. Most manufacturers offer shorter rods for fishing small streams, and a few are beginning to offer longer rods […]
Matching the Hatch and Other Fly Fishing Short Stories
I want to start the new year off with a bit of a twist. Instead of writing an advice column, I’m going to offer a few vignettes, spin some fly fishing short stories. They arise from quirky but true events that have happened over the years. Matching the Hatch “When you come first to the river in […]
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 […]