Fly Fishing

This weekend Coach B packed me and my son Reed into his Subaru and headed to the fly fishing show in Marlborough, MA. The air was electric. It felt like three kids going to a candy store without parental supervision, but with adult money. Yes, it was pretty magical. Fly fishing shows have something for everyone who wants to fish and some interesting things for those who … [Read more...] about Fly fishing and candy shows

Idaho Falls, ID – After a break of 3 years, on the 27thth The annual Eastern Idaho Fishing and Fly Fishing Expo will return to Idaho Falls March 24-25, 2023 at the new Mountain America Center campus in Idaho Falls. The event is organized and hosted by the Snake River Cutthroats, Idaho Falls Chapter for Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International. The Expo is Cutthroats' only … [Read more...] about 27th Annual Eastern Idaho Fly Fishing Expo at the Mountain America Center this March

I once had an old friend, not so recently deceased, who had a thirst for whiskey, a passion for the best bamboo rods, fly fishing and, not least, women. I'm not sure in the exact order, but they were all topics of discussion on river trips or over a glass of wine and a bowl of pasta. Although he was not a well-known writer of fishing tales and other works - which could have … [Read more...] about Women, fly fishing and fine rod rods

STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICKThe Hemingway Chapter of Trout Unlimited will present the new Big Wood Project at its annual International Fly Fishing Film Festival this week.The Film Festival will be held on Friday, January 20th at The Argyros in Ketchum. Doors open at 5.30pm and films start at 6.45pmThe evening will include fly fishing movies, raffles, silent auction items. … [Read more...] about Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing Film Festival to offer children’s raffle and more

In our exclusive Adventures with Alan series, we'll travel week by week through southern Colorado to show you thrills and chills, hidden gems and familiar sights.For this adventure, we're channeling our inner Brad Pitt from the 90s movie classic, A River Runs Through it.But instead of Montana, our sights are on the South Platte River in scenic Eleven Mile Canyon.It's fly … [Read more...] about Adventures with Alan tackles fly fishing for the first time

By definition, a fly is natural materials, i.e. hair and feathers, tied to a hook. If you adhere to this definition, then a large percentage of the fly patterns sold in stores today are not really flies. As soon as you add synthetic flash, lead eyes, foam or faux fur to a tie, is it really a fly? The old standards would say no, of course. But as materials advanced and … [Read more...] about Lures vs. Flies: Are lures OK to use in fly fishing?

"Up moved the long green shadow, deliberately and gracefully, and the Jassid [fishing fly] disappeared in an eddy that barely disturbed the surface," he wrote. "I quickly raised my rod, hoping not to break the 5X tippet [line] against its moving weight."But then, he wrote, the fish fought back. "His broad red side glistened in the glow of the setting sun. Down the river he … [Read more...] about The fly fishing mentor demolished the notion of a sport only for the rich

While a retired U.S. Navy captain was undergoing cancer treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2005, all he wanted to do was go fishing. So on weekends, Captain Ed Nicholson would grab his rod and waders and go fly fishing. He then began inviting other veterans from the hospital to join him.From this effort was born Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, … [Read more...] about Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing mission to help veterans through fishing

Jason Harmon wouldn't fish for trout with a 10-foot pole. He prefers a 20-footer.Harmon, a fly-fishing guide on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam, casts a different drummer when he looks for rainbow or brown trout in his home waters, where he lives in Buffalo City, south of Mountain Home.Fly rods up to 22 feet long are an important component of spy casting. The technique … [Read more...] about The fly fishing technique started in Scotland comes to White River

I woke up earlier than necessary so I could watch the sunrise on the beach while setting up two fly rods: an 8 and a 12. It's one thing when you have an entire stretch of trout to yourself. Having dibs on a strip of ocean is another thing entirely. There was no one but me to watch the sun rise above the palm trees and transform the surface of the quiet planes into a mood … [Read more...] about Fly fishing for “Baby” Tarpon in Holbox Mexico

Kayak fly fishing in a mangrove tunnel on Sanibel Island.Michael Salomone/Courtesy photo When people make mental associations with kayaking, whitewater enthusiasts are the first to pop into most minds. Fishing from a kayak has challenges that are easy to overcome given the bountiful benefits…with intrinsic rewards to boot. The fisherman with a fly rod sticking out … [Read more...] about Salomone: Kayak fly fishing is a whole new game

While a retired U.S. Navy captain was undergoing cancer treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2005, all he wanted to do was go fishing. So on weekends, Captain Ed Nicholson would grab his rod and waders and go fly fishing. He then began inviting other veterans from the hospital to join him.From this effort was born Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, … [Read more...] about Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing mission to help veterans through fishing

For many people, the art of fly fishing is the convention of nature and tranquility. It's what gets most people into fly fishing. We long for rocks, trees, water and solitude. We often equate the activity of waving a long stick in the air with standing still or walking along a wild and isolated stream. However, due to the annoying circumstances of life (like a job), many of … [Read more...] about Art of fly fishing in Urban Areas

While Angus Drummond was busy backing his drift boat down the ramp and into the Lower Colorado River, I walked a short distance along the bank to where a fisherman was busy landing a fish. "That's a very nice brown trout," he exclaimed as he carefully removed his bait from the trout's mouth and released the fish. When I witnessed the return of the trout to the river, … [Read more...] about Fly Fishing for Brown Trout on the Lower Colorado River

Rain, snow and freezing temperatures are on their way to Central Oregon, but that doesn't mean it's time to put away your fishing gear. Fall is a great time to wet a line in the High Desert, as there are plenty of river and lake opportunities for fall and winter anglers. Here are some options for fishing in Central Oregon this time of year. Deschutes River upstream from … [Read more...] about Fly Fishing Opportunities in Central Oregon: Where to Go in the fall

Although I'm primarily known as a trout fisherman, any free time I have during the late fall is spent chasing muskies. For the past seven years I have spent almost every free hour chasing the "10,000 cast fish". I got the bug so bad I even bought a jet boat with musky fishing in mind. Like most muskie anglers, much of my time can be boiled down to fishless days and broken … [Read more...] about 4 top beginners tips for new muskie anglers

What makes trout fly fishing so special to me? It is the dynamic nature of weather, stream conditions and trout behavior. Almost nothing stays the same. As a result, the approach that worked today will not always work tomorrow. As anglers, we must adapt to these changes in order to be successful, even if it means using some of your least favorite tactics from time to … [Read more...] about Favorite dry dropper patterns for fly fishing in shallow water

When I was younger and drowning worms or throwing baits, the freshwater fishing season was usually from mid-April to mid-October. Some western states have an open season where you can fish year-round with a single barbless hook and using catch and release. In New Hampshire, the state has a few rivers open year-round with a catch-and-release provision. Fortunately, three … [Read more...] about Fly fishing Between New Hampshire Fishing Seasons

Fly fishing is a year-round activity. Even during the coldest months of the year you can find fish actively feeding, and you don't have to run to the water hours before sunrise to get the best action. Even so, too many anglers hang up their waders and store their rods when winter comes. They are getting lost. With less line in the water, winter fishing can mean more … [Read more...] about 5 great tailwater destinations for fly fishing during winters

Euronymph tactics have become popular among fly anglers for several reasons. The patterns are easy to tie, rigging and casting are simple, and most importantly, the flies get depth faster than any other nymphing tactic. When it comes to fishing below the surface, depth is paramount, and can often make the difference between a mediocre day on the water and a great one. My … [Read more...] about Euro streamers: buy, tie and fish ‘template bombs’

After Team USA won its first international fly fishing competition over the summer, a team win at the FIPS-Mouche Masters World Fly Fishing Championship (50+ division) in Madonna de Compiglio, Italy, it was safe to wonder if competitive fly fishing could really take off in the United States. But according to a prominent member of the U.S. International Fly Fishing Team, … [Read more...] about Very little support from the fly fishing industry for competitive fly fishing in the US

DOWNTOWN MANCHESTER — Do locals ever act like tourists at home? A tourist immerses himself in some of the best places in a place, eager to experience what it has to offer. Too often, locals—okay, I'll speak for myself—too often settle into a rut and skip the places tourists travel hours to find. I decided to be a tourist in the Northshire and see what I was missing. First … [Read more...] about The local becomes a tourist: a visit to the American Museum of Fly Fishing

Rain, snow and freezing temperatures are on their way to Central Oregon, but that doesn't mean it's time to put away your fishing gear. Fall is a great time to wet a line in the High Desert, as there are plenty of river and lake opportunities for fall and winter anglers. Here are some options for fishing in Central Oregon this time of year. Deschutes River upstream from … [Read more...] about Where to Go Fly Fishing in Oregon: Opportunities abound in the fall

The last hour of the last day. I edged out into the run and lengthened the line before flexing the long Spey rod. The line sliced out towards the deep, emerald-green slot gleaming under the low cliff, and I settled into the meditative rhythm of “cast and step”. As the huge fly started to wake back across the glassy green water, the wind dropped and, once again, everything fell … [Read more...] about A sneak peek at a chapter from Matt Harris’ new book, ‘The Fish of a Lifetime’

Fly fishing is a year-round activity. Even during the coldest months of the year you can find fish actively feeding, and you don't have to run to the water hours before sunrise to get the best action. Even so, too many anglers hang up their waders and store their rods when winter comes. They are getting lost. With less line in the water, winter fishing can mean more … [Read more...] about 5 great tailwaters to fly fish as temperatures drop

The look on my face must have been one of utter confusion as Hardy Ruf explained to me that I’d be standing thigh-deep in a high-country lake and, if the light was right, I’d be sight-casting to big lake trout not 20 feet from me. “You don’t believe me, do you?” Hardy asked. What was I to say? Lake trout, in the mind of a lifelong American angler, are deep-water char — … [Read more...] about Fly fishing the Yukon for lake trout, pike, grayling and more

It was a cold January afternoon. I stood in the garage, examining the tags on two sleeping bags. One sleeping bag was rated for zero degree weather, the other for twenty degrees. As I contemplated these options, my bare feet began to ache from the cold seeping into my toes. Hearing my phone ring on the kitchen table, I gratefully entered the house, my feet tingling as they … [Read more...] about The Guad: Fishing America’s Southernmost Trout Fishery

The healing properties of fly fishing have been well documented. In the United States there is a huge and lavishly funded program called the "Healing Waters Fly Fishing Project" that uses the calming, focused activity and gentle repetitive motion of fly casting to ease the physical and mental injuries suffered by wounded soldiers. The program has a significant presence in … [Read more...] about Soldiers come to Pelham for ‘fly fishing therapy’

Fall fly fishing is probably my favorite time to fish. The mornings are cold, but the days are soon warmed by the rising sun. Fishing is comfortable and sometimes successful. The highlight is the foliage that never ceases to disappoint. I've been waiting to hear from my sources about landlocked salmon coming up the rivers from Lake Winnipesaukee, but all is quiet. My son … [Read more...] about Fly Writing: New Hampshire Foliage and Fly Fishing

Dottie and I flew to Madrid, Spain this month to visit Catherine, our oldest granddaughter, who is finishing a college semester abroad at a university there before she returns to finish her freshman year at Claremont Mckenna College. To make it even more interesting, her other grandparents, Larry and Natalie Nonn of Pleasonton, will also be going. We're sure Catherine has … [Read more...] about Where you fish on the streets