News On The Fly
Fly Rods: Well-Rigged for the Yucatan
Posted on July 31 2006
Tackle junkies take heart: Joe Doggett advises a rod for every condition and species when destination fishing in the Yucatan. “It’s a rookie mistake to rely on one or even two. Three is the accepted minimum, and many veterans feel … more
Crafty Carp
Posted on July 30 2006
As Eric Sharp points out, carp are legendary for their hyper-sensitivity and caution, so anglers must follow strict rules when it comes to stalking them. “Let’s get something straight — we’re not fishing for bass, which are so aggressive they’ll … more
Craig, Montana: The Little Town That Could
Posted on July 30 2006
Visit Craig, Montana anytime in the summer and you’ll find yourself awash in fly fishing culture, if only because 90 percent of the visitors there are fly fishing the upper Missouri below Holter Dam, one of the most reliable fishing … more
Vandals Suspected of Diverting Water from Washington Hatchery
Posted on July 30 2006
“About 120,000 juvenile chinook were killed in the incident, and these fish are released as yearlings as part of the blackmouth fishery in Puget Sound.” Mark Yuasa in the Seattle Times.
New Fly Fishing Blogs: Trout Unlimited
Posted on July 29 2006
Traveling around the U.S. and testing the fishing in various critical habitats, Luca Adelfio has been blogging for TU since April. There’s some fine conservation writing here, and some surprisingly good tactical advice for fishing many of the more well-known … more
Plumbing the Depths
Posted on July 29 2006
Ken Allen recounts a lesson on how to prospect for deep trout from a canoe with sinking lines and long casts. “When casting, I like more fly line (and maybe backing) coiled on the floor or in a stripping basket … more
Partners in Slime
Posted on July 28 2006
“I’m north of Waldo Lake, driving my pickup on a road that’s like a giant, well-rutted rattlesnake. It’s just me, my Nissan and 100 trout.” Bob Welch delivers a great comic narrative on his adventures in stocking a high mountain … more
Lost Fish, Caught Memories
Posted on July 28 2006
There’s little doubt that as time passes, those fish that never quite made it to the the net or the hand are the ones most remembered. For me, there are too many to count, but one or two stand out. … more
2006 Del Brown Permit Tournament Results
Posted on July 26 2006
Weak tides and a lack of almost any wind made fishing frustrating for most of the participants in last week’s Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament in Key West, Florida. Angler Warren Hinrichs did catch 3 fish to take top honors, … more
"An Irrigation Ditch Runs Through It"
Posted on July 26 2006
Huey Lewis and other landowners want the Mitchell Slough near Victor, Montana, to be a ditch, not a stream. This despite the fact that it was once part of the nearby Bitterroot River and is apparently fed by underground springs. … more
Fly Fishing Trips: The "Anti-Hustle"
Posted on July 26 2006
“We were a happy group, strangers at first, friends within days. Arguments abounded under the palm-studded sunsets, but most debates concerned tackle and technique — no exchange to my knowledge dealt with global power or political preference, or right and … more
Labrador's Incredible Brook Trout
Posted on July 26 2006
“When explorer Jacques Cartier visited Labrador in 1534, he called it ‘the land God gave to Cain…fit only for wild beasts.’ While I doubt he was referring to the native brook trout that thrived in Labrador’s nearly countless lakes, he … more
"It's the Bobber"
Posted on July 25 2006
Children teach us that the most simple and abundant pleasures of fishing can come from reinventing a basic skill, like jigging. I’m reminded of this all the time when I hear someone’s story of a brand new fly or a … more
Portage Creek Disaster Weighs Heavily on Pennsylvanians
Posted on July 25 2006
As we reported on July 6, a Norfolk Southern train derailed near Gardeau, Pennysylvania and dumped 48,000 gallons of caustic soda into Portage Creek, causing a total loss of aquatic life in at least 10 miles of the stream. State … more
Capitol Fishing
Posted on July 24 2006
A landmark fishing store housed in the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Manhattan is moving to less pricey digs after 42 years of selling tackle to the notable and the notorious. “‘Sid Vicious used to come in here with Nancy Spungen,’ … more
Fishing Flies: Eyes on the Drys
Posted on July 23 2006
One of the best bits of advice given to me as I was learning to fly fish for trout came in the form of a question: “Why don’t you use a fly you can see?” Mind you, this was on … more
Now Just Wait a Darn Minute
Posted on July 23 2006
Nick Mills does some good-natured fuming about the newly arrived Orvis catalog, which advertises “the end of the season.” “End of season?? Wait a *#&$@% minute! Tempus fugit and all that, but end of season? Can’t be, I thought, and … more
Tom Bailey Profile
Posted on July 22 2006
Back when Tom Bailey was divorced in 1991, it was rumored among the guides that the only thing he and his wife couldn’t agree on splitting was his week with a Key West tarpon guide. Perhaps that’s as good an … more
Split Shot: A Solemn Lesson
Posted on July 22 2006
“A fuzzy, black dry fly on a size 24 hook looked a little too big for a perfect imitation, but a large split shot on the tippet carried this offering to the bottom and turned my day around. The browns … more
Fly Reels: Ted Juracsik Video Interview
Posted on July 21 2006
Fish & Fly magazine has posted an excellent video interview with Tibor Reels founder and master craftsman Ted Juracsik on its new Web site. The video shows the making of a typical saltwater reel in detail — from cutting the …
"Baltic Beauties"
Posted on July 21 2006
“The sun poked out as we reached our destination. Kerteminde, a typical Danish fishing port, sits at the mouth of a shallow fjord on the island of Fyn, wedged between the mainland Jutland and the major island of Zealand. Fyn, … more
"Draining the Happiness Right Out of You"
Posted on July 20 2006
While fishing with MidCurrent reader Chris Miller in Biscayne Bay a few weeks ago, our guide, Bob Branham said many things that brought back memories. Among the stories about wealthy but penurious clients, Bob inserted a veteran guide’s truism: “There … more
National Geographic on the Great Smoky Mountains
Posted on July 19 2006
If you’ve been a lifetime reader — or anything close to it — of National Geographic, you know that the Great Smoky Mountains in the southeast U.S. are a favorite topic. They just added a convenient guide to the Park … more
Fly Fishing the Turks and Caicos Islands
Posted on July 19 2006
“In all directions around me I can see nothing but an endless world of blue and green — water, mangroves, sky. There are no other boats or people, nothing but the wind blowing notes through my rod guides. Standing on … more
OIF Says U.S. Fly Fishing Participation Declines 20 Percent
Posted on July 18 2006
It’s been a long time since the fly fishing industry has enjoyed an “upside surprise” in any participation research. Still, it’s worth digging into the most recent numbers a bit, if only because data can be skewed by weather events … more
Fire Destroys Historic Roscoe Lodge
Posted on July 18 2006
A landmark of Catskill fishing, the Antrim Inn was being renovated as a lodge and restaurant when it was ruined by fire yesterday morning. “For nearly three decades, beginning in the 1950s, the Antrim Lodge was as much a part … more
New West Interview With Jim Harrison
Posted on July 17 2006
One could describe poet and author Jim Harrison as a master of obsessive behavior, but the neo-Victorians among us are sure to misinterpret: Harrison has lifted his obsessions to a fine art and done as much to vindicate them as … more
Jose Wejebe's Kit Plane
Posted on July 17 2006
Looks like long-time light tackle guide and “Spanish Fly” host Jose Wejebe has a new fascination: kit planes. “‘A benefit to experimental aircraft is that you are able to install parts and systems that are sometimes better than those on … more
"And They're Just Perfect With Our Huffnagle Bags and Sandals…"
Posted on July 16 2006
Dan Blanton took a photo of fellow angler Mike Matica’s new earring while on his annual trip to Australia. Ray Sasser shows the image — poorly optimized, unfortunately — in his article in the Dallas News. “The fly guys could … more
Michigan's Isonychia Summer
Posted on July 16 2006
“Commonly referred to as the mahogany dun, this fly officially lives only in a half-dozen places. Yet from the heavily-fished waters of the Au Sable and Manistee to my favorite little secret stream in the western Upper Peninsula, I’ve found … more
Train That Poisoned Pennsylvania Streams Was Speeding
Posted on July 15 2006
Norfolk Southern could be fined $35,000 a day, starting with the day one of its trains dumped caustic lye into Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek, based on a finding that the train far exceeded the speed limit in that section of track. “Cole … more
The Sight-Casting Thing
Posted on July 15 2006
Lee Dunn and Gordon Churchill wander the spartina grass flats near Newport, North Carolina hunting up redfish and providing a classic vignette of how it should be done. “Churchill spotted another fish feeding next to a grassy hammock and again … more
A Lifestyle Recipe for Maine Rainbow Trout
Posted on July 15 2006
The Kennebec River’s rainbow trout are something of an anomaly in Maine, but they tug at the soul of a few dedicated anglers, including Jim Messer, who seems to have found a recipe for perfect fishing: live with your parents, … more
The Coral Booby and the Canadian National Championships
Posted on July 15 2006
Canadian National Flyfishing Championships competitor Mark Anderson writes about his somewhat accidental achievements and inevitable return to reality in the Ottawa Citizen. His storyline includes mention of the Coral Booby, which achieves secret killer fly status during the tourneys — … more
"Tackle Boxes Never Go Out of Style"
Posted on July 14 2006
Maybe my Wranglers will finally get a pocket large enough to hold a fly box. The CEO of the world’s largest jeans maker — VF corporation — mentions Orvis as a possible acquisition target in Forbes this morning. “[Mackey] McDonald … more
Schwiebert's Massive Nymphs Update Set for Publication
Posted on July 13 2006
Son Erik Schwiebert and editor Scott Bowen have confirmed with MidCurrent that Ernest Schwiebert’s last book, a complete update and revision of his 1973 classic, Nymphs, will be published in two volumes by The Lyons Press in the spring and … more
Whirling Disease: Forgotten But Not Gone
Posted on July 13 2006
Here’s an update and thorough review of whirling disease, a problem that remains invisible to the average angler but which is not going away any time soon. “The worst fears about whirling disease did not come to pass, but whirling … more
Fly Fishing Reels: Abel's New Super 5 Narrow
Posted on July 12 2006
The new Super 5 Narrow (“S-5N”) is a large arbor, narrow spool, disc drag trout reel expressly designed for 5- and 6-weight flylines. “The American-made S-5N is machined from cold finished 6061-T aircraft quality aluminum. ‘Cold finished aluminum is significantly … more
Specimen Creek Focus of Park's Westslope Cutthroat Replacement
Posted on July 11 2006
The East fork of Yellowstone Park’s Specimen Creek will be blocked and poisoned three times over the next two years to help recovery of genetically pure Westslope trout. “Once the fish are killed and removed, park officials will replace them … more
Another Dam Bad Idea
Posted on July 11 2006
Oregon’s Elk Creek is the target of local commissioners who want to build a 186-foot-tall dam to provide irrigation water for farmers. This while Congress, after 20 years, is finally close to approving the $13 million required to remove the … more
Books: Tom McGuane Interview in New West
Posted on July 10 2006
Hal Herring interiewed Thomas McGuane for New West, which has, in our minds, become one of the most insightful online rags out there (it was started by Jonathan Weber, who founded the meteoric The Industry Standard which some may remember … more
Let Us Know When They Start Seeing Midges
Posted on July 10 2006
“‘They were dive-bombing in the root beer floats,’ said Gary Rudy, owner of Rudy’s Drive-In, whose family has been slinging burgers and soft drinks since 1966.” LaCrosse, Wisconsin residents who flipped on National Weather Service radar on June 30 saw … more
Otoliths Used to Source Yellowstone Lake Trout
Posted on July 10 2006
Biologists think they have discovered the source of the lake trout that have been decimating the cutthroat trout population in Yellowstone Lake. The evidence comes from matching otoliths with lake trout in nearby lakes, and it seems that “bucket biologists” … more
Life in the Floodplain
Posted on July 09 2006
Perhaps predictably, some non-fishing residents of Livingston Manor, New York, think that the best way to protect houses that have been built in the flood plain is to have the Army Corp of Engineers dredge the Willowemoc. The alarming thing … more
A Wheelbarrow Full of Records — and Moolah
Posted on July 09 2006
Gene Mueller describes the ingredients necessary to play in the game of saltwater fly rod record-chasing. “All you need is to practice fly-fishing, learn how to cast accurately, then hook a large number of fish to get a feel for … more
Fly Tying: Asproth's 747s
Posted on July 09 2006
“Asproth will tie them purposely with bent wings. He’ll bend a perfectly good hook and tie a Hex with one wing dragging so it looks injured. He’ll trim off some of its hackle so it lies on its side. He’ll … more
New Mexico Drought Threatens Rio Grande Cutthroat
Posted on July 08 2006
Only a series of pools created by the Forest Service in the Rio de las Vacas remain as sanctuary for the native Rio Grande Cutthroat trout there. Officials are scrambling for options. “Reduced water flows are in turn threatening dwindling … more
Renaissance of a Renaissance Man: Russell Chatham
Posted on July 07 2006
“‘You must understand that “Russell The Personality” is a wholly separate character from the life of Russell Chatham the painter, though at the same time they are inseparable,’ says William Randolph Hearst III, one of Chatham’s closest friends. ‘No matter … more
Train Derailment Causes Massive Fish Kill in Pennsyvlania's Portage Run
Posted on July 06 2006
It will take many years for the once-rich trout waters of Portage Run in north-central Pennsylvania to recover from Friday’s disastrous spill of sodium hydroxide. “Twenty-nine rail cars derailed in the accident, including three tank cars carrying sodium hydroxide that … more
Insect IDs: Where to Begin
Posted on July 06 2006
“You’ve tied on a dry fly that resembles these critters but aren’t getting any results. That’s because the activity you see associated with Mayfly hatches is often, not always, caused by fish feeding on nymphs. Remember: Prey that is still … more