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Warmwater Species a Fun Substitute for Trout

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:30:20 +0000

Here in California down near the coast, we don't have a ton of water this year thanks to drought-like conditions.

The spring creeks are all but dried up.

Nearby river levels are so low it's doubtful the Department of Fish and Game will be stocking.

So I'll have to head a few hours east to the High Sierra if I expect to catch any trout this summer, which isn't a bad thing.

But if I wanted to catch something closer to home, warmwater species such as largemouth bass and black crappie make a good substitute if you know where to look. I'm also lucky to have a decent striped bass, and spotted and white bass fishery nearby, which makes for some fun on the fly rod.

As the Colorado Springs Gazette wrote recently, "The beauty of chasing bass, bluegills, crappie and carp is that they are all opportunistic and many times will eat the same things. Brown, olive or black wooly buggers, crawfish patterns and various colors of poppers will produce."

Oh will they ever.

Tying Another Knot on the Bighorn River

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:55:54 +0000

Now that's a catch.

Fly fishing writer and editor Geoff Mueller, who I've been fortunate enough to write for and have mentioned here on the blog previously, married one heck of a woman recently in Southern Montana.

One who is also all about fly fishing as the wedding weekend included a ceremony on the Bighorn, a fishing derby and casting lessons, as Field and Stream writes.

You can check out some of the images on Flickr. Congrats to the new first family of fly fishing!

If I had a Million Dollars ... Here's the Fishing Gear I'd Buy

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:45:21 +0000

Powerball reached $600 million over the weekend, which got me thinking, what outdoors gear would I buy if I won the lottery (which I didn't by the way, striking out once again)?

Well, I'd start off with a big RV, one I could trust, so that I could travel the country and fish all of the blue ribbon trout waters I've wanted to fish over the years.

And that RV would have to have a tow package, because I'd get myself a nice fresh/saltwater fishing boat, something with plenty of space to cast my new $1,000 Orvis Helio rod from.

After that, it would be about traveling and hooking up with best friends and the best guides in the country, to get on the biggest, baddest fish the U.S. has to offer.

I'd probably start in Big Sky Country, getting on some big browns and rainbow trout, before heading across the Midwest and down into the South to see what fun we could get into on the flats.

I haven't done much bonefishing, so that would be a real treat on my new boat.

Then we'd head back over to the Gulf Coast on into Mexico and Baja California, for some large gamefish, before returning back to California to go after that world record largemouth bass we've been talking about forever.

Seems like a good way to spend your days, and a small percentage of that massive jackpot you'd have on your hands.

If you won the lottery, where would your first fishing trip be? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Looking for Tips on Fly Fishing in New Orleans

Mon, 20 May 2013 02:49:58 +0000

I'm thinking about heading to the Big Easy this summer, to do some fly fishing in and around New Orleans as well as visit one of America's most beloved and grittiest cities.

It'll be interesting to see how New Orleans has bounced back from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 - the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Depending on who you talk to, the fishing can be up and down out there.

But it sounds like the redfish and black drum fishing hasn't taken a hit at all, and is as good as it's ever been (contrary to popular belief), so I look forward to proving all of the naysayers wrong.

Anyone have any insight into New Orleans fishing?

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment below or email me directly at flyfishingaboutguide.com with the lowdown and recommendation on guides and destinations.

Who dat?

What to Look for in a Fishing Kayak

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:47:01 +0000

My fishing buddy Aaron asked a great question the other day: "So what should I look for in a fishing kayak?"

Well, it's been few years since I bought my first fishing kayak, back when there weren't many models of kayaks made specifically for fishing.

And fishing kayaks have come a long way, so if you buy a "fishing kayak" today, it's bound to be better suited for the sport than anything I looked at some 7 or 8 years ago.

My first kayak was the Ocean Kayak Prowler 15, angler edition.

And that had just about everything I ever needed fishing wise:

It was stable, nearly 15 and half feet.
It's a sit on top, so it's easy to get off and on.
It has a front hatch along with plenty of deck storage.
It has tons of rear storage, and room for a milk crate to hold all of your fishing supplies.

Nowadays, however, fishing kayaks have evolved and are even more stable than my Prowler 15. Some come with rudders, others even come with a split rear to give you a stable platform to stand on, which is nice for fly fishing for bonefish.

But I'm not sure you need a Transformer-like kayak to get you on some fish.

Really, it comes down to getting a nice, stable, durable sit on top kayak that's going to allow you to cover lots of water, cast without falling over, and fight fish without much trouble once you finally do paddle yourself into the strike zone.

I've been fortunate enough to battle 5-plus foot leopard sharks on my kayak, and have had no problems in terms of stability or maneuverability.

And even when my kayak doesn't have the perfect accessory included, I really enjoy adding on to my kayak and tricking it out - just like most of us do with our boats.

That means everything from your seat, tackle bag, ice chest/crate, PFD, gloves and paddles can come after the fact, and be customized to fit your every need - because you're not always going to be fishing the same kind of water or going after the same kinds of fish, so odds are you're going to have to adapt no matter what kind of kayak you settle on.

Upper Wheeler Reservoir: Closed Washington State Fishery Re-Opens to Fly Fishers Only

Mon, 13 May 2013 02:19:38 +0000

Here's a nice twist for us die-hard fly fishers.

A water in Washington state that has been closed to public access will be re-opening soon as a fly fishing-only water.

That water, Upper Wheeler Reservoir outside of Wenatchee, Wash., will be opened to catch-and-release fly fishing from May 18-Spet. 14 for all species.

The water is owned and operated by the Wenatchee Heights Reclamation District, which worked with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WDFW and Wenatchee Valley Fly Fishers to grant public access under the new regulations.

The agreement also includes trout stockings and a land-use agreement by WDFW, as well as site maintenance by the WVFF, according to a WDFW press release.

This marks the 15^th fly fishing-only water in Washington state, and reminds us what working with local officials and waterway owners can accomplish if all parties involved can get on the same page and work together to find common ground.

It's a great model for some of the closed fisheries in my neck of the woods as well as yours.

Do you know of a lost fishery that could benefit from fly fishing-only regulations. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Is Fly Fishing a Sport?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:22:12 +0000

While reading a recent article in Field & Stream, I stumbled upon an interesting question on their blog: Is fly fishing a sport?

I spent a decade in the newspaper business covering major "ball" sports before going the web route full time, and you might be surprised at my response to that question.

No ... and yes.

It depends on who you're asking.

If you're asking Average Joe fly fisher, someone like, say myself, I'd say no.

"I'd always been first in line to criticize anyone who might describe fly fishing as a sport," Kirk Deeter notes on the F&S Fly Talk blog. "A pastime, maybe. A hobby, for sure. But I'm on record (somewhere) for suggesting that anything fat old people can do as they smoke a cigar or drink a can of beer shouldn't ever be considered a "sport."

But there are plenty of tournament professions and casting competitors at the regional/state/national/world level that would say yes to that question, and I tend to agree if you compete at a high level in a sporting activity it's more sport than hobby.

We've written about the world fly fishing championships as well as state competitions in the past, and I can tell you the best of the best in terms of fly fishing are extremely athletic and professional at their craft.

In Utah, for example, our friend and U.S. team member Lance Egan is a stud when it comes to competitive fly fishing.

He's competed in both the U.S. National Fly Fishing Championships and World Championships, both of which are grueling events that not only test your fly fishing prowess, but your stamina, mindset and are all-day, and, in some cases, week-long events that would make newbie anglers blush.

So to me, it comes down to competition.

Then again, when it comes to fly fishing, you're always competing - whether it be with yourself, the elements or the fish.

So I guess I'm not sure where I come out on that topic.

Is fly fishing a sport?

I'll let you decide on the subject for yourself, because, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

In the end, I hope you enjoy fly fishing, whether it be as a competitive sport, as a hobby, or, as in some cases, as a spectator sport.

In the meantime, want to learn more about this sport, errr, well, hobby?

Check out some of our introductory articles on:

Tenkara a Little Too Simple for This Angler

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:20:11 +0000

With how crazy my life is getting with three kids and work, and more work, I tend to follow the K.I.S.S. rule whenever possible. In other words, Keep It Simple Stupid.

But this whole Tenkara craze is probably a little too simple, at least in my eyes.

I'm interested in the idea of Tenkara -- which is a style of rod (without the reel) invented some 500-plus years ago by commercial anglers hunting trout in Japan -- but not interested in trying it other than maybe once, just because I love to hear my reel scream when I'm on a big fish.

But, you see, Tenkara doesn't use a reel, as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes in a recent column.

Tenkara doesn't use a fly line either, which, doesn't really sit well with this fly fisher.

Other than that, looks like fun.

What do you think? Share your comments below.

Minnesota Rivers Showing Little Evidence of Invasive Carp

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:43:23 +0000

Good news out of Minnesota.

Along with the general trout season getting underway on April 13, there's promising news on the invasive species front.

The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center at the University of Minnesota (MAISRC) and U.S. Geological Survey and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have concluded in a recent report that water samples from the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers has showed little evidence of bighead or silver carp.

While recent captures by commercial fisheries show these invasive fish are present in Minnesota, officials say their numbers are likely still relatively low.

"The differences between the 2011 and 2012 eDNA testing results may be partly attributable to the evolving technology," noted Peter Sorensen, MAISRC director, and leader of the research team. "As the bighead results show, this particular technique needs to be refined for detecting this species in open waters."

How to Cast a Large Fly

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:41:47 +0000

One challenge for anglers hunting for bigger trout, steelhead, bass or saltwater species, is casting a heavy fly that can make your fly line look more like a yo-yo.

In fact, I still don't have the technique perfected, and I've been fly fishing local lakes for bass for years.

Essentially, the key here is to avoid false casting, which is just going to make your line go haywire and scare the daylights out of any nearby fish - so the best approach is to swing your line over your shoulder in a nice tight line before your fly loses momentum.

Field and Stream has a nice breakdown of the maneuver in this month's issue, the graphics of which can also been seen on their website.

And when all else fails, just chuck and duck (my favorite casting motto next to grip it and strip it)!

Remember, it all comes down to practice, so the more you fish - or practice in the front yard - the better off you'll be in the field.