News On The Fly
Miramichi Atlantic Salmon Numbers Up
Posted on November 02 2006
The number of Atlantic salmon in the Miramichi this summer was up 60% from the 2001 low, according to this article by Fred LeBrun in the Albany, New York, Times-Union. “The good news, prompting cautious optimism, is since 2001 salmon … more
New Products: Pre-Tied Dropper Rigs
Posted on November 01 2006
Taking some of the guesswork out of fishing a dry-fly and dropper combination, Reel Combo Systems offers several combinations of pre-tied dual-fly rigs — not a bad idea for those new to this effective technique or just trying to save … more
Alaska's Prince of Wales Island
Posted on November 01 2006
“Five days on northern Prince of Wales had us catching pinks and brilliantly colored Dolly Varden, a sea-run version of brook trout. The best fly turned out to be no fly at all, but rather a plastic, pale-orange bead pegged … more
Where to Launch Your Yak
Posted on October 31 2006
“Chokoloskee Island is smack-dab in the middle of a kayak fisherman’s nirvana — the western edge of Everglades National Park. Look on a map and you will see literally 10,000 islands surrounded by mangroves, mudflats, oyster bars, sandy beaches, and … more
Long-Time Miami Fishing Writer Jim Hardie Dies
Posted on October 31 2006
From reeling in what were probably Biscayne Bay’s first fly-caught bonefish and tarpon to a landing a 690-pound giant bluefin tuna at Canada’s Prince Edward Island in 1970, Jim Hardie lived the life he wrote about. And if you lived … more
Hard-Body Flies More Likely to be Rejected?
Posted on October 31 2006
Moc Morgan raises an interesting question for fly tiers: Do fish spit out flies with wire or hard fiber bodies faster than they do soft flies? Morgan, who brings the belief from watching trout spit out matchsticks as a boy, … more
CONSERVATION GROUPS LAUNCH VOTER EDUCATION DRIVE IN THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN
Posted on October 30 2006
— Thousands of New Voters Urged To Vote on November 7
To Help End Years of Devastating Flood Damage —
New York, New York — The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) and the Friends of the Upper Delaware River Basin (FUDR) kicked-off a voter education drive last week. The first-ever voter drive urges citizens to learn about candidates’ plans to address flooding issues in the Delaware River Basin and elect to state and federal office on November 7 the candidates who are best qualified to address this important issue.
New on MidCurrent: Fly Fishing the Southern Appalachians
Posted on October 30 2006
The closest many of us have ever come to trout fishing in the “deep south” was watching Burt Reynolds break his coccyx and develop hillbilly paranoia while canoeing down James Dickey’s fictional Cahulawassee River. But accidental visitors are more likely … more
Flip and Rip
Posted on October 30 2006
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is considering various proposals to change the rule which prohibits the snagging of sockeye salmon in any part of the body other than the mouth. Some say snagging is snagging. Others, like emergency … more
George Black: Patagonian Rivers At Risk
Posted on October 29 2006
Author George Black (Casting a Spell, The Trout Pool Paradox), writes about the dangers that the Chilean obsession with growth present to the nation’s rivers. His commentary is wrapped around a profile of Doug Tompkins, who walked away from his … more
Fishing Flies: The Wonderful Wee Wet
Posted on October 28 2006
Tongariro River Hydro Pool angler Harvey Clark slams the rainbows with a “wee wet,” which can best be described as any dry pattern tied with softer, shorter wings so that it can be fished wet. “I set up a light … more
Montana Fisheries Dodge I-154 Bullet
Posted on October 28 2006
Greedy out-of-state developers were given their walking papers by the Montana state Supreme Court this week when judges ruled that they used fraudulent methods to try and force through an initiative that would have given property owners the power to … more
Ranch Dressing
Posted on October 27 2006
Anyone would be hard pressed to come up with the difference between “amenity ranchers” and part-time ranchers, both of which a new study includes in the non-traditional owner category, but there’s little question that the growth of non-ranching buyers of … more
Simms Shares Concern About Aquatic Hitchhikers
Posted on October 27 2006
Simms joined other fly-fishing industry representatives and conservation groups at a recent workshop held by U.S. Fish and Wildlife to address concerns about aquatic nuisance species (ANS) in the Greater Yellowstone Area. It’s all part of an effort to raise public awareness of about the issue, which according to a recent press release may cost more than $100 billion per year. For more information about aquatic nuisance species issues, visit www.ProtectYourWaters.net.
Read the extended entry for the full press release.
Clothing for Outdoors Wannabees
Posted on October 27 2006
For a bit of insight about how outdoors clothing marketers conceptualize your buying habits, check out this article about how the hunting and fishing lifestyle sells “clothes with talking points” to non-outdoorsmen. L.L. Bean’s Teufel “says he always looks to … more
How I Gave Up Bug Latin and Became a Better Person
Posted on October 26 2006
“‘Those were Maccaffertiums over the riffles this evening,’ he lectured this would-be impressor as he pulled the specimens he’d collected out of that jar, ‘and you said you were using an Isonychia. No wonder you didn’t do well.'” John Street … more
Adding Insult to Fly Hook Injury
Posted on October 26 2006
After dispensing sage advice on hook removal techniques and barbless hooks, Casey Allen tells one of the funniest anecdotes I’ve ever read about hooking oneself — while suffering the after effects of a bar fight. “The doctor did not say … more
The Bobber Makes the Man
Posted on October 26 2006
“I didn’t like fly fishing then and I still don’t like it.” That’s what Carl Walters, inveterate bobber fisherman and teacher at both the University of Florida and at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, says about what led him to … more
Whitefish for Hire
Posted on October 26 2006
They don’t jump and they shake their heads like a freshwater jack, but for some folks they qualify as a memorable gamefish. “We wanted to catch enough fish to wake up sore-armed the next morning. In short, we needed whitefish. … more
Fly Fishing Products: OPI's ReVisor
Posted on October 25 2006
Tampa, Florida’s Obsessive Products Inc. has introduced a way of protecting the neck from sun without resorting to French Foreign Legion style neck drapes. The ReVisor is a modular brim that fits over a standard baseball cap and weighs only … more
Battenkill Stocking: Opposition Overwhelming
Posted on October 25 2006
Ken Cox, a biologist with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, noted that the public comment period for plans to stock the Batten Kill with rainbow trout, which ended Saturday, resulted in overwhelming opposition. “‘I have a binder of … more
The Truth Be Told
Posted on October 25 2006
This article about the rapid spread of carp in the U.S.’s Mississippi River basin is notable mostly for the truism stated in its first paragraphs: “‘I’ve never seen a (commercial) fisherman who can’t clear out a body of water,” said … more
Best Uses for Clean Water: Fishing and Beer
Posted on October 24 2006
If you plan on being anywhere near Brooklyn, New York this coming Thursday (October 26) you might want to check out the live music and barbeque offered at the Brooklyn Brewery by Trout Unlimited, Patagonia, Urban Angler and The Drake … more
Kayak Fishing and Rocket Science
Posted on October 24 2006
“The rod caught under the dock. I moved to the right, twisting a bit to reach the rod and free it. Dietrich continued to paddle when the tow line apparently jogged, overturning the kayak to the left, dumping me face … more
Closing Night
Posted on October 23 2006
John Corrigan closes the New England trout season by kayak fishing Profile Lake and testing his grandfather’s advice to always attend a play on closing night. “I suspected it was too cold for insect hatches, and the surface was so … more
Always Wear Eye Protection
Posted on October 23 2006
Eye protection is a must when fly fishing — even if you are not the one doing the casting — as angler Gary Hays will no doubt attest. Gary sports a booby fly in his right eyelid in this photo … more
Class War on the Batten Kill?
Posted on October 22 2006
Orvis, conservation groups and fly fishing purists are trying to discourage the state of Vermont from stocking the Batten Kill with sterile rainbow trout (see Public and Corporate Opinion Reverses Batten Kill Stocking Plans; note: the stocking plan hasn’t actually … more
Fly Fishing's Unmentionables
Posted on October 22 2006
In the U.K. Independent, Keith Elliott writes about the growing interest among fly fishers in once-outcast fish species: pike, catfish, bream, flounder… you name it. “Fly-fishing is changing. Once it was the domain of irascible old buffers in tweed suits … more
Winter Lake Erie Steelheaders On the Move
Posted on October 22 2006
Call it combat fishing, big fish hunting, or just the best it can get for steelheaders outside of the U.S. west coast, but fly fishing for Lake Erie tributary steelhead is drawing lots of anglers to Ohio, Pennsylvania and New … more
Fly Fishing Gear: Smith "Proof" Sunglasses
Posted on October 21 2006
Smith Optics just announced that their new Proof sunglasses are arriving in stores this month. According to the press release, “The Proof’s 8-base frames offer a distinctive ‘wrap-style’ lens curvature and a medium to large fit. Thanks to Smith Optics’ Tapered Lens Technology™ (TLT™), a precise thinning of the lens from the center to the edges, the Proof eliminates distortion commonly found in other sunglasses.”
Read the full press release in the extended entry.
Canada, Indians Agree to 13,000-Acre Park
Posted on October 21 2006
On the heels of creating the massive Great Bear Rainforest preserve along the Pacific coast, Canada announced plans for a new 13,000 preserve in the Northwest Territories. Four times the size of Yellowstone Park in the U.S., the new park … more
Few Atlantic Salmon Caught in Maine's Month-Long Season
Posted on October 21 2006
Despite only one or two reports of fish being landed, proponents of Maine’s experimental Atlantic salmon season say the effort to get folks to pay attention to salmon fishing again has paid off. “‘Salmon fishing is about fishing; it’s not … more
Buffaloed: Fly Fishing for Permit
Posted on October 20 2006
Imagine, if you will, riding bareback across a sea of grass hunting for herds of migrating buffalo. The wind is light, the sun bright, your horse young and well-fed. You walk and canter hundreds of miles over three days, sometimes … more
Where the Staff Have No Names
Posted on October 20 2006
And we thought that the reason why fly shops shorten their hours and fewer reports appear in the fall is that fishing has slowed. No, it’s because the staff is finally getting their yah-yahs out — during the best fishing … more
Artist Duane Hada on Ozark Brown Trout
Posted on October 19 2006
Some pretty cool photos here of Duane Hada’s home waters amidst the artist talking about techniques he uses for approaching big, smart browns. “Presenting a fly in aquarium-clear, moving water to a constantly vigilant fish is no easy task. An … more
Author Carl Hiassen Wins All-Tackle Tournament With Fly Rod
Posted on October 19 2006
Carl Hiassen once again proved that flly rods — in the right hands — can be more effective than bait. Hiassen won the 40th annual Islamorada All-Tackle Bonefish Tournament in Islamorada this past week, fishing with guide Tim Klein. “Hiaasen, … more
Fishing Flies: The British Booby
Posted on October 18 2006
Moc Morgan describes the action that makes the Booby fly — adorned with large foam eyes — such an effective pattern on Welsh and English lakes and reservoirs. “When an angler casts a line that will sink very deep in … more
Fly Fishing Books: John Motoviloff Interview
Posted on October 18 2006
John Motoviloff, author of Fly Fisher’s Guide to Wisconsin, Driftless Stories, talks about wild foods, the Remington Arms cookbook, and shopping around his new novel about a lesbian boatbuilder with David Madaris on The Isthmus Daily.
Tongoriro River Cam
Posted on October 16 2006
Courtesy of the River Birches lodge on the Tongoriro River on New Zealand’s north island, their live river cam shows some mightly pleasant conditions on the Hydro pool for fishing for rainbow and brown trout: light southwest winds and 8.4 … more
California's Alameda Creek To Get Steelhead Money
Posted on October 16 2006
$240,000 is going toward more study of Alameda Creek’s water flow and fish habitat, in hope that one day the classic river may return to being prime breeding water for steelhead. “According to [Jeff] Miller, Alameda Creek, the largest tributary … more
More "Man Stuff"
Posted on October 16 2006
On the heels of “manspaces,” Judy Wiley writes in the Fort Worth, Texas Star-Telegram about “mancations:” opportunities for guys to get together with their buddies, drink and, often, go out and kill something. She includes kayak fishing in Aransas Pass. … more
How to Tip Fishing Guides and Lodges
Posted on October 16 2006
With the amount of traveling fly fishers do, it’s surprising that there aren’t well-publicized standards for tipping guides — something like the $1-to-$2 per bag “rule” for airport skycaps and hotel bellmen in the U.S. But just as guides and … more
Northwest U.S. Hatcheries: Due for Reform
Posted on October 16 2006
This Oregonian opinion piece about recent research into the breeding potential of hatchery raised salmon elucidates the issues and answers as well as any other article we’ve seen.”Hatchery fish are different. Captive-raised fish don’t have the instincts and other traits … more
Kamchatka Government Moves to Protect Watersheds
Posted on October 15 2006
Called by Andrei Klimenko, a director at the Wild Salmon Center, an unusual “precedent” in salmon protection, local Russian government is pushing for careful management of the watersheds that shelter all 6 native species of Pacific salmon on this eastern … more
Alabama's Sipsey Fork Tailwater
Posted on October 15 2006
Most anglers don’t associate Alabama with coldwater trout fishing, but indeed the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River provides interesting tailwater fishing below the 21,200-acre Lewis Smith Lake. “But Sipsey Fork is a somewhat dainty creek, with none of … more
The Guilty Pleasures of Fly Fishing for Carp
Posted on October 15 2006
“‘Oh yeah, there’s a lot more people getting into it–carp are hot,’ said Andy Kurkulis, owner of Chicago Fly Fishing Outfitters Ltd. ‘It’s kind of hard to say how many [fly fishermen] are doing it, because there is still a … more
Marking Your Territory
Posted on October 14 2006
Why is that when a wife decorates an entire house according to her liking it is called “nest-building,” but when a husband chooses the details of his domestic environment he is one step away from being labeled a hydrant-sniffer? Some … more
Fly Fishing People: Bobby Doerr
Posted on October 14 2006
Hall of Fame Red Sox second baseman Bobby Doerr manages, at age 88, to spend plenty of time doing what he loves most: fly fishing the Rogue River for salmon and steelhead. This piece by Jeff Barnard in Canada’s Metro … more
Fly Fishing Videos: "Chasing Silver" on DVD
Posted on October 13 2006
On the heels of their announcement that “Location X” is coming to TV (November 16 at 7 PM on Versus), Howard Films has released “Chasing Silver” on DVD. “Chasing Silver” video segments were serialized and shown on OLN (now Versus) …
NOAA To Fund Red Tide Study
Posted on October 13 2006
Good news for southwest Florida anglers: NOAA has agree to fund research into the problem of persistent red tides that have visited coastal fisheries in recent years. Apparently they think that nutrient runoff may play a big role and want … more