News On The Fly

The late Russell Blessing with his most famous creation, the Woolly Bugger.
Photo courtesy of Fly Rod & Reel

If you've ever wondered about the origins of the world's most popular fly, Fly Rod & Reel has a great interview with Fred Blessing, son of the late Russell Blessing, the man who first tied a. . .

The post Classic Pattern: Birth of the Woolly Bugger appeared first on Orvis News.

This woman doesn't hesitate to make her choice.

It's a tough question for some: If you had to choose between your dog and your significant other, which one would get kicked to the curb? According to a recent poll, 38% of respondents picked. . .

The post Do Some People Really Love Their Dogs More Than Their Partners? appeared first on Orvis News.

Welcome to our latest edition of the Orvis News Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival, featuring the best videos from around the world. This week, you've got a crop of 15 cool productions to choose. . .

The post Friday Fly-Fishing Film Festival 08.28.15 appeared first on Orvis News.

Jericho's owner says he's never had a negative reaction to the breed.
Photo via huffingtonpost.com

It's no secret that Pit Bulls engender a lot of controversy because of their perceived aggressiveness. Many communities around the country have used breed-specific legislation. . .

The post Jericho the Pit-Bull Service Dog Breaks Stereotypes appeared first on Orvis News.

This video is a good example of what you might see during a typical day of Mearns' quail hunting. Filmed in Arizona by Dave Brown and Jared Nelson of Dave Brown Outfitters, the video. . .

The post Video: Mearns’ Quail in Arizona appeared first on Orvis News.

Written by: Kaitlin Groundwater, Madison Valley Ranch

Guest Linda is all smiles as she shows off an epic Madison River rainbow.
Photos courtesy Madison Valley Ranch

It was ladies’ week here at Madison Valley Ranch! The lodge hosted an all-women’s fly fishing trip from August 21 -25. In addition to guided fly-fishing on the Madison River, participants enjoyed. . .

The post Photos: Ladies’ Week on the Madison River appeared first on Orvis News.

Sometimes life can make it hard to get out on the water. In this honest short film, Dustin Miller talks about the balance of making time for family and fish.

The 2015 SHIFT Festival will be held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from October 7-10, 2015. Registration for the festival, which explores the intersection of conservation and outdoor recreation, is now open.

Read more in the press release below.

Welcome to another edition of our trivia challenge, where we test your knowledge of all things fly fishing and where you might learn a thing or two about this sport we love. This week, we've. . .

The post Take an All-New Phil Monahan Fly-Fishing Trivia Challenge 08.27.15 appeared first on Orvis News.

From Gogal Publishing:

Gogal Publishing Company releases its first two editions of Stream Map USA for iPhone and iPad. Each app is a complete GPS map and navigation tool for anglers, paddlers, hunters, hikers, and just about anyone who plays in the outdoors.

Stream Map USA features a searchable river, lake and stream map displayed over GPS-enabled roadmaps, satellite images, and topographic maps. The “Northeast Edition” covers all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while the “West Coast Edition” maps California, Oregon, and Washington.

Traditional maps have always treated rivers and streams as simple blue lines. This has made it difficult to quickly identify streams and almost impossible to follow a stream’s flow without careful study of the map labels. Stream Map USA takes a novel approach. Each river, lake and stream is mapped as a unique color. This allows users to quickly differentiate any water from its tributaries and follow any river or stream’s course from headwaters to mouth. When wading, hiking, or paddling, this color treatment easily identifies the direction one needs to travel to remain on the desired stream.

Stream Maps USA features a built-in search function, allowing users to easily find even the most obscure stream by simply entering its name. Color coded result pins then drop on the map, identifying any water that matches their search. The search page allows users to specify any combination of rivers, lakes and streams, and can be set to search the entire region or narrow a search to a specific state or even a specific county.

When planning to travel on the water, knowing current water conditions is a key safety feature, so Stream Map USA includes map markers that identify the location of active stream gages and gives users instant access to current water conditions directly from the US Geologic Survey.

In the field, cellular service is always a concern, so many features in Stream Map USA are designed to operate without cellular service. The map features a

By Kelly Diehl, DVM, MS
Science Writer, Morris Animal Foundation

Some good buddies hang out together
Photo by Morris Animal Foundation

Tune in to your favorite television news or pick up a newspaper, and chances are you’ll find articles related to stem cells. Stem cells were first identified nearly 40 years ago, but in the last two decades scientists have begun to discover how to harness the power of these unique cells to treat disease, particularly in the fields of orthopedics and organ regeneration....

The post Stem Cell Research Offers Promise for Treatments in Dogs appeared first on Orvis News.

Big brown trout like big flies, especially in the fall.
Photo by Eric Rickstad

When the nights start to cool and leaves start to change colors, the thoughts of brown trout turn to procreation. To build up energy for the spawning ritual and to put on weight before the lean. . .

The post Pro Tips: Tandem Streamer Rigs for Fall Trout appeared first on Orvis News.

The Gila trout is one of the toughest "life list" trout species to find.
Photo by Christ Hunt, Trout Unlimited

Although one does not usually associate trout with the Sonoran Desert environment of Arizona and New Mexico, the Gila trout—as well as its close relative, the Apache trout—has survived in. . .

The post Fish Facts: Gila Trout (<em>Oncorhynchus gilae gilae</em>) appeared first on Orvis News.

San Diego, California—Since they adopted their first senior dog, Ally and her family—who foster for Lionel’s Legacy in San Diego—have continued to look for older rescue dogs. The experience. . .

The post Unconditional Stories #7: It’s a Family Affair appeared first on Orvis News.

You ever find one of those spots where you know there's a fish there but you can't figure out how you'd land it if you did manage to hook one? Icelandic angler Snævarr Örn Georgsson has. . .

The post Video: Canyon Fishing for Brown Trout in Iceland appeared first on Orvis News.

From Umpqua:

On Tuesday, August 25th, the fly fishing world lost one of its key figures, and one of its most significant influencers over the past few decades. Bruce Olson passed away yesterday in his home in Superior Colorado at the age of 67.

Already an avid fly-fisherman, Olson joined Umpqua Feather Merchants in 1989 as the Inside Sales Rep, and over the next two plus decades held several positions at Umpqua including Customer Services Manager, Sales Manager and New Fly Manager. He played a key role in the development and evolution of Umpqua’s Royalty Signature Fly Designer Program, inevitably influencing innovative fly introductions into the main stream of fly-fishing. In working with hundreds of fly designers, and reviewing thousands of potential fly patterns, Olson applied his knowledge of fishing and fly design to shape trends, drive innovation, and inspire fly tyers to push the envelope in their craft.

“Bruce was as passionate about his job as any person I have ever met. He was honest, intense, funny, creative and brash all at the same time. I penned the name “Il Duce” (the dictator) to him and he loved it! You both loved him and wanted to strangle him at the same time. The end result was that he was always pushing the envelope to get the best out of his fly designers. Love him or hate him you always knew where you stood with Bruce. He wore his feelings right on his shirtsleeves and that is what I admired about him most. I already miss our after hours talks about flies and their attributes to particular fisheries.”
— Henry Cowen, Writer, Guide, Umpqua Signature Fly Designer

In addition to his tireless work with Umpqua’s Signature Designers and invaluable contributions to Umpqua’s sales and marketing efforts, Bruce was

From Frontiers:

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to inform you that on Thursday, August 20th following complications during heart surgery, we lost a one of fly fishing’s most influential women, Susie Fitzgerald, co-founder of Frontiers International Travel.

For the past 50 years, Susie has been instrumental in pioneering legendary fly fishing destinations like Christmas Island, Patagonia, Iceland, and the Ponoi River in Russia.

In the late 1960’s and 70’s there were literally no US travel companies arranging quality sporting tours in these locales. In fact, there were very few fishing lodges in general, and almost none of them were open to the public.

Susie and her husband Michael helped change all that.  Their mission was to visit every fishing lodge in the world, set standards for service

From Fishpond:

Fishpond, pioneer in designing fly fishing and outdoor adventure packs, vests, gear bags, luggage, accessories, and more is proud to announce its recently earned certification as a B Corporation. This prestigious designation is a voluntary effort requiring businesses meet high standards for social and environmental transparency, accountability and performance.

“Since fishpond’s inception, we have strived to be leaders in sustainable practices and creating a workplace in which our employees can thrive,” says fishpond founder and lead designer John Le Coq. “Becoming a certified B Corp tells our industry and our consumers that they are aiding a company that deeply cares about the environment and social responsibility on a large scale.”

All international certified B Corporations are legally required to consider the impacts of their decisions on employees, suppliers, communities, consumers and the environment. To earn certification, fishpond passed rigorous evaluations to ensure it will use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Along with 55 other B Corp certified companies in Colorado, fishpond will have access to a like-minded community of business owners to continually drive progress.

In its certification, fishpond earned high marks for:

Written by: Patrick B. Blackdale, Willowfly Anglers

Catching landlocked sockeyes on the Gunnison is a blast.
Photos courtesy Willowfly Anglers

It’s a wonderful time of year to be a fly fisher on the Upper Gunnison River. Kokanee salmon are making their way upstream to spawn, resulting in hard fights, big jumps, long runs, and sore. . .

The post Photos: The Joys of Multi-Species Days on the Gunnison appeared first on Orvis News.

From TRCP:

To address concerns over an unstable rainbow trout population in northwest Arizona’s Lees Ferry, a coalition of conservation and sportsmen’s groups and Marble Canyon fishing guides has submitted a list of recommendations to the federal and state agencies responsible for maintaining and improving the blue-ribbon fishery. The recommendations will be provided to the Bureau of Reclamation and National Park Service as they develop an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the adoption of a long-term experimental and management plan to determine Glen Canyon Dam operations and river restoration actions for next 15 to 20 years.

The coalition—which includes the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, the International Federation of Fly Fishers, Northern Arizona Fly Casters, Arizona Fly Casters, Desert Fly Casters, Anglers United, the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation, and Marble Canyon guides and businesses—delivered the report titled “Lees Ferry Recreational Trout Fishery Management Recommendations: The voice of Lees Ferry recreational anglers, guides, and businesses” at the meeting of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group in Tempe, Arizona, yesterday. This group advises the Secretary of the Interior on matters related to the operations of Glen Canyon Dam.

Currently, dam operations have

From BHA:

Sportsmen will be able to access a wealth of new hunting and fishing opportunities on national wildlife refuges across the country as a result of actions undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which today announced the finalization of a rule outlining the changes.

The new regulations, which expand hunting and angling on 21 national wildlife refuges in 15 states, were welcomed by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. BHA’s work includes increasing public access to places to hunt and fish, particularly on publicly owned lands.

“America’s great traditions of hunting, fishing and public lands would be in tatters if not for places like our national wildlife refuges – and the unwavering commitment of the Fish and Wildlife Service and its director, Dan Ashe, to advancing the public good,” said BHA President and CEO Land Tawney. “I’ve hunted waterfowl my entire life on refuges that have been funded almost exclusively by sportsmen’s dollars, and I, along with millions of other sportsmen, will continue to return to these places that provide the access and opportunity that are critical to our continued ability to go afield.”

Hunting and angling on national wildlife refuges play

From USAC:

After nearly 5 years, several rounds of oral arguments, and over 1000 pages of legal exchanges, the time has come for our trial on the Provo Case and challenge to the constitutionality of HB 141. Our counsel has done an exceptional and thorough job leading up to this moment, and we are grateful for their efforts.

Provo Case Update

Our Lawsuit on the Provo/Right-to-Use Case will be tried before Judge Derek Pullan of Utah’s 4th District Court, 125 N. 100 West, in Provo, on August 26-28 and September 2-3, 2015. Trial begins promptly at 9am on Wednesday. USAC members are invited to attend the trial, and to show Judge Pullan their support for stream access. If you plan on attending, please dress appropriately and adhere to proper courtroom decorum: a crowd is best seen but not heard. This is not a rally, it is not the time for banners or signs, but for bodies en masse to silently support stream access. The trial will focus on the fact that

Finn's ability to connect with people made him an obvious candidate.
Photo by Ed Felker

Here's a wonderful essay by artist Ed Felker about he realized that his dog Finn's incredible ability to express love and calm with strangers could be a sort of calling: . . .

The post How a Man Realized that Finn Needed to Be a Therapy Dog appeared first on Orvis News.

The fly fishing community has lost one of its key figures in the passing of Bruce Olson. He started with Umpqua Feather Merchants over two decades ago, and had many influences over the evolution of the industry and sport.

Read more in the press release below.

Bonefish are a huge tourism draw for The Bahamas, and some worry that the new rules will keep anglers away.
Photo by Sandy Hays

On MidCurrent today, my friend Beau Beasley published the second part of his "The Battle for Bonefish and the Future of the Bahamas" feature, and it's well worth your time to read both. . .

The post Get the Latest on the Brouhaha Over New Bahamas Bonefish Regulations appeared first on Orvis News.

These Good Samaritans couldn't leave the puppy to be drenched in the downpour.
Photo via facebook/Gala Bingo Dover

We post a lot about big issues and national stories, but sometimes the smallest act of kindness can have the most impact. On Monday, a couple was strolling down the street, when they came. . .

The post Photos: A Heartwarming Act of Kindness for a Dog Tied to a Post in the Rain appeared first on Orvis News.

Dave Jensen has always had a bit of a twisted sense of humor that sometimes comes through in his videos (remember this one?), and his latest features a Pointer Sisters soundtrack, which. . .

The post Video: “Slow Hand” Brown Trout in New Zealand appeared first on Orvis News.

Streamer patters that offer a lot of pulsing, lifelike motion in the water are all the rage. This cool baitfish from the mind of Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions adds a jigging action to create. . .

The post Video: How to Tie the Dumb Bunny Streamer appeared first on Orvis News.

The latest issue of This Is Fly offers another great selection of writing and photography that will take your around the world, from Jako Lucas's cool feature on fishing the Seychelles, to a piece. . .

The post Check Out the New Issue of <em>This Is Fly</em> appeared first on Orvis News.

Pedey is a three-year-old rescue dog. We think he is a Poodle-Cairn Terrier mix.
Photo by Phil Monahan

Today is the 11th annual National Dog Day, founded by animal advocate Colleen Paige back in 2004. The stated goal of the celebration is: "to help galvanize the public to recognize the. . .

The post Happy National Dog Day. Show Us Your Dog! appeared first on Orvis News.

Pepper being charming
Photo by Catahoula Rescue of New England

Pepper is a little Blue Heeler who was lucky enough to be saved by the kindness of the Catahoula Rescue of New England with some help from an Orvis Customer Matching Grant to the Petfinder Foundation.

It was the night before Pepper was to be put down at a rural shelter in Louisiana when the good folks at Catahoula learned of his plight....

The post Petfinder: Some Dogs Just Need a Job appeared first on Orvis News.

Abby and Matt feel blessed to have Humphrey.
Photo by Elisha Minnette Photography, via abc7.com

When Matt Kay and Abby Lee went to pick up their new puppy, Humphrey, they were joined by photographer Elisha Minette. On their way home, they came up with a fun idea: Why not do. . .

The post Photos: The Sweetest Puppy Shoot appeared first on Orvis News.

One of the common reasons cited for the large number of dogs turned over to shelters each year is cost. Caring for a dog is certainly not free, and this article from Forbes by Caroline Thompson. . .

The post How Much It Actually Costs to Own a Dog appeared first on Orvis News.

By Kirk Deeter

I spent the past few weeks on vacation in Italy, where I noticed that the best butcher shops in Tuscany proudly hang the hammy hindquarters of pigs in their windows.  But the really good butcher shops make sure that the long tail is still attached to the pig’s posterior.

What this detail tells the shopper, I learned, is that those were “free range,” acorn eating, and presumably much happier hogs.  That’s important, because any good Tuscan butcher will tell you that happy, free-roaming hogs make better tasting prosciutto.

On the other hand, pigs raised in overcrowded commercial production pens are apparently disposed to chewing off each others’ tails.  No tail on the ham indicates a pressured, pissed-off pig, whose destiny is to become nothing greater than processed lunchmeat.

All of this, naturally, got me thinking about the fly-fishing industry.

No, I’m not going to call anyone a pig, but we do seem to be chewing off each others’ tails. A couple months ago, as the issue of Far Bank selling direct came to the fore, the number one type of feedback I got from dealers was that they

Scott Willoughby waits for ducks in Eastern Colorado

Here’s a real benchmark that should strike the fly-fishing industry like a punch in the gut. The Denver Post, which has championed the outdoors ideal like no other paper in the country, with the likes of Bob Saile, Charlie Meyers, and others leading the way… The Denver Post, which serves the most “outdoorsy” consumer market in the United States, if not the entire world…

Has decided to can its outdoors column.

Outdoors editor Scott Willoughby got the news a few weeks ago (as he and his wife are expecting their second child in a month or so).

Not only is this a sad decision by the Post, it’s also a bit of a shameful reflection on our industry, and the times. We could have done more to respect and support a standard like this, other than sending press releases. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to

WordPress 4.3 was released last week. There are a few new features worth exploring. WordPress has released two major updates this year alone. Which is awesome for heavy WP users. It means the platform will continue to stay relevant despite a ton of competition these days.

This is a major update and will need to be initiated manually. Always make sure you have a solid backup in place before beginning any updates. Backups have saved my bacon more than once!!

Let’s see what’s new:

Because rod manufacturers insist on selling a lifetime rod warranty to customers whether they want it or not, and because some retailers have issues with rod warranties as well, we think it only fair to do an analysis of what people actually get with warranties.

We’ve found 10 broken rods (tip breaks) from each of 10 major rod brands.  We’re having 10 “undercover anglers” ship them in for repair, following the instructions from each company’s respective website.  The manufacturers won’t know these rods from any others they get returned.  We will have them sent them on the same day.

And then we’re going to find out:

1)    How long it takes to get the rod back.
2)    How much it really costs.
3)    How the consumer rates the customer service (any hassles?).
4)    If the rod performs