News On The Fly

Written by: Carolyn Long

Guide Matthew Long with daughters Catherine (age 7, L) and Elizabeth (age 4, R) on Armstrong Spring Creek, in Paradise Valley.
All photos by Carolyn Long

The post Pictures of the Day: A Guide Guiding His Girls appeared first on Orvis News.

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You know you're doing something right when people send you unsolicited videos like this one. Dave Jensen, of Fly Fish Alberta, sent me a link to this video this morning, along with a note:

Just a shout-out to Orvis about the Superfine Touch rods – loved ‘em right out of the box. A.J...

The post Video: Casting Hoppers to Big Browns with a Superfine Touch appeared first on Orvis News.

A Fish Story

The yell from behind me was some combination of surprise, excitement, and “what the $&@# just happened?” I turned to see one of my two clients for the day, a twenty-something named Marko, hooked into a nice fish–the type of fish that we spent an extra 45 minutes in the car to find. The fly rod was doubled over, the reel was singing a frantic tune, and the look on his face reflected what I had heard in the yell.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have been surprised by the size of the fish thrashing at the other end of his line, seeing as how I had spent several parts of the morning’s drive telling of 16+ inch fish that we had seen on this small trickle of a mountain creek. But on the other hand, perhaps you can’t fully believe a fish story until the water explodes where your previously dead-drifting fly used to be, and you are suddenly attached to a ticked off rainbow whose ancestors most likely left this very river on a thousand mile journey into the ocean, returning wearing the badge of “steelhead”. Perhaps you can’t fully believe a fish story until you are smack dab in the middle of writing a similar one.

And so Marko was launched into a fish story of his own. But as the initial seconds of surprise and excitement still hung in the air like the mist formed when a warm Summer morning’s air meets the cold mountain water, suddenly the fish shouldered its way into the faster current and Marko’s expression changed. It changed because of a sobering realization forming in his brain: the rod that connected himself to this particular specimen had only moments before made a 10 inch fish feel like a real heavyweight…and this particular specimen could probably eat that 10 inch fish.

In that moment, and in that realization, life was breathed into the fish story. Marko’s knees suddenly didn’t feel so steady, his palms began sweating, his heart began racing. The fight was on. The fish story was unfolding, and the main question left to be answered was would the story end with this likely descendent of an anadromous fish hardwired to fight for survival landed in a net, or slowly swimming away after breaking Marko’s line–and his heart.

I stopped and watched for a few seconds with a smile on my face. Then I grabbed my net and head down-river to get a front row seat for the fight. Win or lose, I knew my job as a guide was being accomplished in that moment: I had presented an opportunity for a story to unfold, and then given them the space to write it for themselves.

original content and photo Three Weight

Could your dog toys be leaching harmful chemicals?
photo via foxnews.com

As the father of two small kids, I've heard plenty about the dangers of chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) found in plastics, and that's why we have an array of metal water bottles at home...

The post Classic Post: Dog Toys May Contain Dangerous Chemicals appeared first on Orvis News.

"There is a very guilty Lab in this picture. Can you find her?
Photo by James Hathaway

The post Classic Photo: Uh oh – can you spot Addie? appeared first on Orvis News.

The post Classic Post: Videos – Our First-Ever Puppy Film Festival! appeared first on Orvis News.

After a hiatus for family vacation, a trade show, a tarpon trip, and just plain sloth and procrastination, we finally have a new podcast and it’s a long one, well over an hour...

The post Podcast: Five Reasons for Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone appeared first on Orvis News.

Brewers and anglers both share a need for water. This short film from Marquette County Visitors Bureau features the people, beers, and famous waters of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

I met author and blogger Matt Grobert at The Fly-Fishing Show in Somerset, New Jersey, a couple years ago. He seems like a nice enough, regular guy, but you. . .

The post Video: How to Tie the Cloud Emerger appeared first on Orvis News.

Foam poppers are easy to tie and offer exciting action on the water.

During the dog days of late summer, many trout rivers are running low and warm (although this year's runoff has Western trout streams in perfect shape), so fly fishermen often turn to warmwater species...

The post Video: How to Tie a Simple Foam Bass Popper appeared first on Orvis News.

Written by: Bryan Eldredge

Guide Bryan Eldredge with his improvised hot-dog-fork
Photo courtesy Bryan Eldredge

My teenage daughter’s text message said, “You’re stupid for running out of gas!”

The post Classic Fish Story: The Hot Dog Trout appeared first on Orvis News.

It's time for some down-home fly fishing in the Florida Everglades, featuring redfish, snook, and tarpon. Dan Diez filmed himself chasing these species from his Hobie kayak, and. . .

The post Video: Dan Decibel Chases Redfish, Snook, and Tarpon appeared first on Orvis News.

After a hiatus for family vacation, a trade show, a tarpon trip, and just plain sloth and procrastination, we finally have a new podcast and it’s a long one, well over an hour.  In the podcast we talk about keeping hold of big brown trout, big browns chasing hooked fish, rusty hooks, broken hooks, and dubbing problems.  Quite an eclectic mix.  The main part of the podcast is “Five Reasons for Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone” and I think you’ll be surprised at some of the benefits of trying new places and new techniques.  There is a bonus feature of Big Pete Kutzer explain Tom’s big casting mistakes on long casts with big rod—hopefully pointing out my problems will help you as well.

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That's right, we're giving away another Helios 2 fly rod. Click "Read More" to enter.

The post Win the Helios 2 of Your Choice in Our Latest Sweepstakes! appeared first on Orvis News.

CONTEST RULES Entries by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations, logins or any other methods, including, but not limited to, commercial contest/sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering services, will void that entrant’s Entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Final eligibility for the award of any prize is subject to eligibility verification as set forth below. … Continue reading "The ‘Orvis Helios 2’ Sweepstakes, Official Rules"

The post The ‘Orvis Helios 2’ Sweepstakes, Official Rules appeared first on Orvis News.

Yes, that's right - we decided to give away another $500 Orvis gift card to one random reader of the Orvis Dogs blog. The winner of our last giveaway was Nancy Ownes, of Edinburgh, Indiana and her adorable dog Stimpey. Click "Read More" to enter.

The post Sweepstakes III: Enter to Win a $500 Orvis Gift Card! appeared first on Orvis News.

CONTEST RULES ARE BELOW: Entries by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations, logins or any other methods, including, but not limited to, commercial contest/sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering services, will void that entrant’s Entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Final eligibility for the award of any prize is subject to eligibility verification as set … Continue reading "The ‘Orvis Dogs Gift Card’ Sweepstakes, Official Rules"

The post The ‘Orvis Dogs Gift Card’ Sweepstakes, Official Rules appeared first on Orvis News.

This short documentary narrated by Robert Redford tells the story of the hard work of returning historic flows to the Colorado River—and for the first time in 50 years, watching the river flow to its delta.

Carrie Stevens’s famed Gray Ghost, designed to fish below Upper Dam on Maine’s
Mooselookmeguntic Lake, is a great imitation of a stunned baitfish.
Photo via orvis.com

Fly fishers spend a lot of time trying to achieve the perfect presentation—the right dead drift or swing or retrieve. But there are times when an ugly presentation is actually more “natural” and. . .

The post Tuesday Tip #2: Streamers in the Dam Wash appeared first on Orvis News.

The proverbial dog days of summer are upon us—often a time when people think fishing is slow, with not many obvious insects for trout to eat. On the contrary, the dog days of summer aren’t. . .

The post Tuesday Tip #1: Doc’s Top 5 Terrestrial Flies appeared first on Orvis News.

The joy of reuniting with an old friend.
Photo by Scott Stedman

A budding young California photographer named Scott Stedman posted some great photos on Reddit today. According to Stedman’s introduction, he’s taking one self portrait with his. . .

The post Photo Essay: Reconnecting with an Old Friend appeared first on Orvis News.

We’ve all been there: you’re all dressed up for work or a special event, and your dog decides it’s the perfect time to shake itself dry. Splattered with water from head to toe, all you can do is laugh. But to a dog—as well as other. . .

The post Video: The Science of Why Your Dog Shakes Itself Dry appeared first on Orvis News.

Bamboo-rod builder Charlie Hisey shows off some strips of Tonkin cane, as well as some
impressive calluses, at the Orvis rod shop in Manchester, Vermont.
Photo by Tim Bronson

The post Picture of the Day: The Calluses of a Craftsman appeared first on Orvis News.

Wake me at dinnertime.
Photo by Daniel, Springfield

The post Orvis Dog of the Day: Ditto the Napper! appeared first on Orvis News.

This film short features footage of mid-summer dry fly fishing on the Missouri River in Craig, MT. Via Scumliner Media.

We know that Dave and Amelia Jensen produce fabulous photos and videos from their annual adventures, but this one just might take the cake for both its. . .

The post Video: A Double Rainbow in New Zealand appeared first on Orvis News.

A free app available for iPhone, iPad and Android from RIO Products enables anglers to choose the right fly line for just about any need. The RIO Fly Line Selector App is available to download from iTunes and Google Play.

Read more in the press release below.

Do you remember how excited you were as a child when you heard the siren’s song of the ice cream truck from a few streets away? That was your signal to run inside and beg mom or dad for enough money to get a Rocket Pop, a Drumstick, or. . .

The post Video: The Ice Cream Man Cometh! appeared first on Orvis News.

Mike Dawes with a taimen caught during an exploratory trip to Mongolia.
Photo via dawesflyfishing.com

Welcome to our first "Trout Bum of the Week" post, in which we'll highlight one of the guys living the good life...of a sort. Most of them are guides who have turned their passion into a. . .

The post Our Original Trout Bum of the Week: Mike Dawes appeared first on Orvis News.

The Metolius near Wizard Falls.
Photo via Wikipedia

Here's a great short video from Outside Bend Productions, shot on the Metolius River and featuring some fine rainbows and slab bull trout. The video is. . .

The post Video: The Green, Green Metolius appeared first on Orvis News.

Okay, okay, I won’t go in the mud anymore. Can I jump in the water now?
Photo by Hillary, Locust Valley

The post Orvis Dog of the Day: Pup in Boots! appeared first on Orvis News.

Faith overcame her disability, learning to walk on her hind legs, and she serves as an example
to children who are going through struggles of their own.
Photo via the Columbia Missourian

On Saturday, children at the University of Missouri Women's and Children's Hospital were treated to a visit from a dog whose story offers hope to all. Faith was born with a a deformed left leg and no right leg at. . .

The post Classic Story: Inspirational Two-Legged Dog Brings Hope to Children’s Hospital appeared first on Orvis News.

Written by: Zach Matthews

It's a long way from Montauk to Atlanta, but the striper fishing can be hot.
Photo by Zach Matthews, The Itinerant Angler

Atlanta is hot in midsummer, so striped bass seek thermal refuge in cool rivers. This 15-pounder probably lives most of its life in West Point Lake, 60 miles south of town, but it was. . .

The post Photo of the Day: Hotlanta Striper on the Fly appeared first on Orvis News.

Representatives from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership recently spoke before the Senate on behalf of outdoor industries and the importance of conservation for a healthy economy. “While recreational activities like hunting and fishing might appear to be expendable or mere pastimes,” says Western Lands Director Joel Webster, “they are vital everyday activities to those communities that rely on that business.”

Read more in the press release below.