Fly Fishing The West

Fly Fishing Video in Oregon and Idaho

2008-11-02T18:58:00.000-08:00

Fly Fishing the West brings the best fly fishing videos out there to our site. This is great video on fly fishing Oregon and fly fishing Idaho.

Fly Fishing West Yellowstone Montana

2008-10-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing the West Information. If you are looking to take a trip fly fishing Yellowstone this year, I found this to be a great source of information to plan your trip.

Fly Fishing West Yellowstone Montana Click Here

Colorado: A Fly Fishing Paradise

2008-10-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Of all the options for fly fishing out west, many people find that Colorado has some of the best fly fishing in the country. Colorado has built such a strong reputation for fly fishing that it is generally the first state people think of. For anyone interested in fishing for the largest and best, Colorado is known for offering some of the finest places around.

One of the best places for Colorado fly fishing is a place called the Frying Pan River located not far from the beautify city of Aspen. In addition to being gorgeous, gaining access to the river is simple (and cheap!). Many people come from near and far to fish for cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout there. In fact, hatches are operated all year long, which means fishing enthusiasts can go fly fishing whenever they'd like.

Of course, there are many wonderful places to fly fish in Colorado. Another such location also near Aspen is known as the Roaring Fork. What makes this particular area so different is that the river offers calm, peaceful areas as well as large, heavier flowing waters. This river is known for having incredible wild trout. As with the “Pan,” year-round fishing is available. You will find mostly wild rainbow trout in the Fork with an occasional wild brook trout.

Travelers headed to Vail area should considering fly fishing the Colorado River, which flows through the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. What makes this river so amazing is its vast depth and breadth -- but also its gentle waters. All along the shoreline are cottonwood trees, which provide shade and great places for brown trout to hide. Because of this, trout in the Colorado River are in abundance.

Another great location is in southwest Colorado, in and around the Arkansas River. While fishing is great there all year, the mid-winter and spring months are the best. Every year around Mother’s Day, the caddis are known for hatching. This means that brown trout have plenty to eat, luring them from their hiding places.

The entire state of Colorado has many great fly fishing locations. The ones we mentioned are just some of our favorites. The bottom line is that Colorado fly fishing offers something very special, a beautiful place, gorgeous scenery, and amazing fish.

Take a Trip Fly Fishing the West with Dvorak Expeditions

2008-09-25T20:33:00.001-07:00

We don't do this often, but we thought we would give a shoutout to one of our favorite fly fishing vacation companies. If you like fly fishing the west and don't want to have to worry about planning out the details yourself, you might consider booking a trip with Dvorak Expeditions. Bill Dvorak offers trips on some of the wildest, most productive trout-infested rivers in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. Several of their rivers have been awarded gold medal status by Colorado's Division of Wildlife. Besides a practical guarantee of a more-than-you-could-ever-do-anything-with catch, Dvorak are fully catered with what we consider delicious traditional food, quality beverages, and all the necessary boating equipment. If this sounds interesting, give them a call at 1-800-824-3795.

Chanel Offers New Luxury Fly Fishing Rod

2008-09-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

We wrote earlier this month about how many fly fishing enthusiasts don't bat an eye at putting down a cool five grand for a first-rate pole... but what about almost $20,000? Chanel's latest foray into the luxury sporting goods arena is a fly fishing rod that runs £9,170 in the UK or about $18,000 in the US (and more if the economy keeps tanking and the dollar loses its value!).

What kind of person actually purchases one of these beauties? We're not really sure, but we'd sure like to know!

The rod certainly is nice... but worth $18,000? That's for you to decide. It boasts a set of meticulously tied, monochrome Chanel flies, complete with the famous "double C" logo on the gossamer wings. The rod is "presented" in a rather fetching, quilted black leather box.

We have to wonder: Is this a rod folks would take with them to go fly fishing in the west? Probably not. In fact, our prediction is that serious anglers wouldn't be caught dead with this luxury item, but one never knows -- and we couldn't resist writing about such an absurdity! Perhaps the thing will be reserved for the English royalty?

Montana High Lakes Fly Fishing

2008-09-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Fly fishing Montana has to be experianced. As you watch this video, you can smell the pine needles and the fresh mountain air. This is a beautiful video on fly fishing Montana high lakes. I hope when you watch this video, you plan a trip. Fly fishing Montana has been some of the greatest experiances I've ever had. If you love to fly fish, fly fishing in Montana should be at the top of your bucket list.

For Fly Fishermen, his crafted rods cast a spell

2008-09-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing news. A $4,950 fly fishing rod might sound expensive to some, but there are plenty of fly fishermen who will pay this whale of a price for one of Per Brandin's custom-made split-cane bamboo fly fishing rods. There are so many Brandin bamboo fly fishing rod fans, in fact, that there used to be a wait of seven to nine years - but now, this fishing rod craftsman has closed off the list and isn't taking any new orders.

Once you pay thousands of dollars for a handcrafted tapered fly rod, though, the key question is: Do the fish really know the difference? "In a rational way, I'd have to say 'no', " says Brandin, who has a reputation as one of the industry's top makers of hollow-built fly rods, regarded by many fly fishermen as having exceptional casting ability. "And if fish could tell the difference, that would imply they knew they were being fished for, and then they wouldn't take your fly anyway."

In an age of high-tech graphite fly fishing rods, bamboo fly rods are a flashback to the World War II era, when almost all anglers carried these flexible wooden rods while plying sparkling rivers and brooks. Despite the growth of lightweight and durable synthetic rods, bamboo fly rods are undergoing a renaissance, with a loyal following of fishermen who swear by the craftsmanship and simple nostalgia of these painstakingly built rods. "I always fish with bamboo rods because it has a feel unlike any other material," says Brandin. "There's a connection with the rod, and it's a beautiful object as well."

It's a very long and involved process to make a bamboo rod. I only make 25 rods a year, and it takes in the neighborhood of 40 to 65 hours of actual bench time. I get the bamboo in raw form, split it down one side to prevent cracking, and then season it, letting it sit for as long as five years or more. I even have bamboo from the 1920s that I still use. Then I heat and dry the bamboo, split it into strips, scrape off the enamel-like coating, put it through a milling machine, and then use hand tools to cut the final taper in the strips to get a precisely mitered strip. It is accurate to less than one-thousandth of an inch. There are a bunch of other processes as well, since I also make my own reel seat hardware and ferrule plugs.

Orvis, Old Mill Team Up For Fly Fishing Course

2008-09-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Orvis and The Old Mill District are teaming up to create what they believe will be a first in the nation: an 18-station fly fishing casting course.

Set to open in mid-October, the proposed Orvis Old Mill Casting Park will challenge fly fishermen to accurately land a fly under various conditions, many modeled after local fishing areas, said Rob Tibbett, the Denver-based Western outdoor district manager for Orvis. It will begin and end with stations just outside the Orvis store in The Old Mill District and wind around both shores of the Deschutes River.

“Each station will be named after some local situation and have some unique challenge,” Tibbett said.

For example, the course’s Wickiup Station will reflect fly-fishing on Wickiup Reservoir, with multiple targets to simulate casting to multiple fish, Tibbett explained. Some stations will call for technical casts, such as roll casts or tension casts, and some stations will present obstacles, such as trees and rocks, to cast around. Accuracy and distance will be two measures for many of the stations.

Like golf, each station on the course will have a par score. Depending on the station, experts will be able to hit par in one to two casts, intermediates in three to four casts and beginners in five to six casts.

Scorecards will be distributed at the store, and those with the best scores will have their names affixed to a store plaque, Tibbett said.

The course will be free and open to the public. It is being developed in partnership with The Old Mill District. “Really, the whole fly-fishing business is abuzz about it because it could be the start of a whole new thing,” Tibbett said. “It’s been talked about, apart from grass-roots events where you throw a Hula-Hoop on the lawn, but it’s never been taken to this level. The Old Mill (District) really has gone out of its way to make this happen.”

The Old Mill District is providing access to the land the course will use, said Noelle Fredland, marketing manager for The Old Mill District. A tentative layout of the course will have users walking the shores of the Deschutes River between the Columbia Street and Colorado Avenue bridges.

Tibbett, who ranks Bend as one of the top 10 fly-fishing towns in the country, said customers will be able to use the course to try fly rods they’re interested in purchasing as well as bring their own equipment. Testing rods on water — the course will have two stations on the river as well as several stations on the Old Mill District ponds in the area — is much more appealing than in a parking lot, he said. The rest of the stations will be on land.

But the course’s main purpose is to drive interest in the sport, Tibbett said.

“We’re excited to be in this industry and to be a part of this lifestyle, and this is part of that,” Tibbett said. “It’s about educating people and getting them interested in the sport and keeping them interested.”

Tibbett said fly-fishing has grown in popularity over the years, especially with young people, and is no longer seen as a “gentleman’s sport.” He credits much of that growth to the recent development of fly-fishing films — what he calls “trout porn” — similar to ski movies that have brought new levels of excitement to downhill skiing.

Other fly-fishing professionals in the area had mixed reactions to the course.

In Bend, Fly and Field Outfitters co-owner Glenn Cook said the course will provide an excellent opportunity for his customers to try fly-fishing rods and practice their casting. Cook, whose recently built store on Century Drive includes a small casting pond, doesn’t see the course as a competitive threat.

“We’re looking forward to (it) because … anything we can do like that to stimulate interest, and to be able to have something to take somebody out and actually work with them, sounds like a great idea,” Cook said.

Yancy Lind, the president of the Central Oregon Flyfishers club, worries the course could put some smaller fly-fishing stores out of business. But Lind thinks the casting park is a “neat idea” that will help people find the right fly rod.

“I could be missing something here — the new sport of 18-hole fly-casting may be about to begin — but the point of casting is to catch a fish, not to cast for accuracy or to a target,” Lind said. “Certainly a lot of people put emphasis on accurate casting, but you’re not going to catch a fish on this course. But it would be excellent way to feel out a rod.”

Paul Hansen, the owner of The Riffle Shop, thinks the course will be great for educating some fly fisherman, but he wonders how many serious fly fisherman will use it because fly-fishing is not a competitive sport.

“People that typically fly-fish like to get away from competition,” Hansen said.

Orvis, an outdoors retailer based in Vermont, last month opened its first Oregon store in The Old Mill District. The company is known for its fly-fishing gear as well as fly-fishing trips, classes and guiding services. It also sells sport and leisure clothing, gifts and pet accessories.

Fly Fishing News From Around the West

2008-08-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing news from Colorado

Following the Runoff That Might Never End, fly fishing is good and the living is easy on the rivers around Glenwood Springs — provided you can get a boat in the water.

By the time you read this, the larger problem related to drift boat launch access very likely will have been solved. But it's been a long, bumpy ride to the departure pad for a day of fly fishing and floating, one that has upset both public anglers and fly fishing guide service operators eager to finally wet a line.

Although an unsettling situation persists at the Grizzly Creek launch site on the Colorado River above Glenwood, the predicament that got everyone's leader in a knot exists at the Carbondale launch on the Roaring Fork, the most-used fly fishing launch site in the state. This is the jumping-off place to float the popular 11-mile stretch to Glenwood Springs, manageable at all water levels.

Meanwhile, generally good fly fishing success is the norm on the Roaring Fork, particularly in early morning and late afternoon. Severe rainstorms occasionally muddy the water downstream from Carbondale.

For the best fly fishing, Reid recommends streamers in the morning — either Autumn Splendors or "anything black." Hopper-dropper rigs using a red Copper John on bottom score other times of the day.

Fly Fishing Wyoming news.

Fishing pole guy gives out 200th. Ray Mullison has become something of a local legend in the fly fishing community. Since 1968, he has been refurbishing and handing out fly fishing poles to area young people. Every so often, he sets up shop in his driveway on Ram Avenue — by simply signing a notebook Mullison keeps on a card table, a child or youth can take home a good-as-new fly pole complete with reel and line.
On Saturday, he handed out his 200th set of gear. The recipient was Lacey Pflughoeft, a 15-year-old Fort Morgan girl. As a bonus, she received a creel, a net and a tackle box to mark the occasion of the 200th pole. “That basket never had a fish in it,” Mullison said of the creel, “so you got to make it dirty.” Mullison also handed out a few fly fishing tips to Pflughoeft, as he did to all who stopped by. One hopeful youngster checked out a special fly rod, but Mullison was not about to part with that. “This is the world’s finest,” he said of the rod, then proceeded to lay out several paper plates in his front yard. “The world champion fly fisherman is in business,” he declared as he coaxed the line into landing right on each plate.

“I’ve not spent hours, I’ve not spent days, I’ve spent weeks doing that,” declared the 85-year-old, long since retired from Western Sugar Co. His brother Don used to live in Wyoming (he now lives in Windsor) and taught him how to fly fish, Mullsion said. “The secret of fly fishing,” he said, “is reading the water, and always drop your fly in the bubbles.” Mullison also offered a tip about hooks, telling an observer he sharpens his own: “You’d be surprised how dull hooks are.”

When the observer mentioned he has a grandchild on the way, Mullison selected a pole and handed it to him, telling him he needs to have one ready for the impending arrival so he will get an early start fly fishing. He said he is a firm believer in hunting and fishing, that it gives young people something to do and keeps them out of trouble.

Fly fishing Michigan news. Retreats help cancer survivors heal.

On the surface -- let's say the surface of the rippling, gurgling waters of the Au Sable River -- there's nothing about cancer and fly fishing that go together.

And that's exactly the point.

Reeling and Healing Midwest summer fly fishing retreats in Grayling (www.reelingandhealing.org) are for women recovering from cancer, and who don't know a backcast from a forward cast, or a streamer (a lure that sinks and swims like a minnow) from a dry fly (one that mimics a hatched insect and sits on the water).

"I'm not someone who goes outside my box very well," explained Tanya Morrow, but on this July day she was standing in hip waders in the Au Sable River calmly and repetitively casting a line into a shallow stretch.

Tanya, 37, of Gaines, a juvenile probation officer who has battled breast cancer, said a coworker pushed her to try the fly fishing retreat.

"I've had a riot," said Tanya. "Aside from the whole relaxation piece of it, it's meeting all these women and hearing from somebody who's gone through what I did."

The Reeling and Healing annual summer retreats grew out of initial efforts underwritten by outdoor fly fishing outfitter Orvis. Now in its ninth year, Reeling and Healing Midwest is funded through donations and program fees.

Fly Fishing Montana - Glacier National Park

2008-08-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing the West, fishing and camping in Glacier National Park. Covering 1,584 square miles of majestic mountains and icy glaciers, the mountainous wonders of Glacier National Park are viewed by over two million visitors a year and only a few fly fishermen. Unlike Yellowstone National Park, which is a mecca for fly fishers from all around the country, Glacier National Park does not host legendary Montana trout fishing rivers and streams like the rivers draining out of Yellow-stone National Park. Float fishers, however, will be delighted with the stunning scenery and good fly fishing that the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River provides. These forks serve as the Park boundaries. Glacier does offer good fly fishing opportunities in over 50 lakes for those fishers who are willing to trek four to six miles or more into the interior lakes. Consider the added pleasure of fly fishing a bonus to a scenic hike into the wilder-ness. When fly fishing high mountain lakes, anglers should prepare themselves for the fickle variance of weather and finicky trout. As with most day-hike fishing trips, the fly fishing generally picks up towards evening when you are arriving back at your vehicle.
Since the late 1960s, Glacier National Park has not stocked trout, preferring to enhance and protect native species such as cutthroat, lake trout, bull trout and Arctic grayling. Thirty years later, Park anglers enjoy the fruits of a more natural ecology. With this opportunity comes the responsibility for preserving and maintaining these wild trout populations. Please consider adopting the practice of catch-and-release and using single, barbless hooks. A secondary incentive for this conservation practice is that you further protect yourself from curious bears and their incredible olfactory powers.
Most of the Park's smaller lakes are home to brook trout, cutthroat and bull trout. Cutthroat will generally cruise along the shoreline during the day, providing opportunities for the fly fisher. With the approach of dusk, however, the spin fisher will have the advantage by tossing a water-filled bubble far out into the lake and slowly reeling in a small nymph such as a Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear, a Zug Bug, a bead-head Prince or a drowned Elk Hair Caddis. Backpackers with belly boats and flippers will find greater opportunities for those trout cruising just out of range from the shore.
If you are new to fly fishing on a lake, I would suggest carrying an assortment of size 16 and 18 dry fly standards such as a yellow Humpy, Parachute Adams, Royal Wulffs, Renegades and Elk Hair Caddis. If you are fishing the outlet of a lake, be sure to have some ant and beetle patterns for late in the summer. Finally, be sure your fly box has a few Girdle Bugs and streamers. One of the best sources for fly fishing high-elevation mountain lakes is Gary LaFontaine's book, Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes. Glacier National Park provides excellent cutthroat fishing in the North Fork of the Flathead River and the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.
Be sure to read the fishing regulations carefully. Keep in mind that your best source of fishing information is often the Park rangers, as Glacier has no stocking pro-grams, and trout populations are adversely impacted by harsh winters. Additionally, trails are often closed due to bear activity or snow conditions. Many of the higher elevation lakes are not reached or fishable until early to mid-July. Be sure to bring bug spray, and for some lakes a mosquito net is essential early in the summer.

Catfish provide a new fly fishing challenge

2008-07-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

I took what I thought I knew about fly fishing and catfish and threw it out the window after a fishing trip Sunday on the Snake River.
Here's the conventional wisdom about catfish: They lurk in deep, muddy waters and prefer to feed at night. They like big, stinky bait, and they fight like a wet sock.
I changed my way of thinking after seeing one strike a fly and pull enough line from Dave Gourley's eight-weight fly rod and reel to reach the backing before breaking his leader. It was an impressive battle, and one of those moments where all you can do is shake your head and wonder what the heck is going on.
I've become a fan of unconventional fly fishing, which is a polite way of saying I fly fish for trash fish and other species that leave people asking "You caught that on a fly rod?"
Gourley is great at sight fishing for big fish. He recently returned from a tarpon trip, and a week in the Florida Keys just whetted his appetite for more.
Since Idaho is short of tarpon, we settled for fly fising for carp, a poor man's substitute. On a sunny, windless day, the Snake River can provide some great action if you can stand the heat. It broke 100 degrees on Sunday, but being on the water kept things a little cooler. Having dozens, if not hundreds, of big fish to fly fish to doesn't hurt, either. Sight fly fishing Idaho involved slowly drifting downstream until we spotted a school of carp, then casting to them.
It takes a combination of a stealthy approach, accurate casting, a natural presentation of the fly and a fair amount of luck to hook a carp. Even when you think your cast is perfect, the fish usually ignores your fly. But when a fish takes it, it's like getting hitched to the back of a dump truck. We hooked several, lost some and landed some, but we were rarely short of targets. The Snake is full of big carp, most in the 8- to 15-pound range, and many upwards of 20 pounds.
As we drifted downstream, I spotted some fish that looked different. They were in shallow riffles and appeared to be catfish. I had heard of people catching catfish on flies, so I knew it was possible, but I had never seen it firsthand.
What kind of flies? How do you present a fly to them? Gourley uses his own version of a leech pattern that seems to work for everything, so we gave it a try.
We watched our flies drift right in front of their whiskers, but the cats ignored them. Sometimes it would appear they moved toward the fly, but it was hard to tell. Sight fishing is often like seeing things through a shower door.
You use a combination of sight, feel and intuition. Whenever your fly gets near a fish, you have to be ready, but more often than not, it swings past untouched. Then you try again. After dozens of casts, I hooked and lost one. We kept casting, but some fish won't bite, and it seems there's nothing you can do to change their minds.
We drifted on and found a place where we spotted both catfish and carp. We anchored and started casting. Dave hooked a fish, and it obviously wasn't a carp. Carp make long, streaking runs, but this fish thrashed and rolled, and we could see a dark back with a pale belly. "It's a catfish," Gourley said. And apparently a big one by the way his eight-weight rod was doubled over. Gourley played a fierce game of tug o' war with the fish before leading it toward the net, and I scooped it up. The black leech pierced the corner of the catfish's raspy jaw. It clearly took the fly.
Gourley unhooked the cat, held it for a few photos and slipped it overboard. The fish swam off as if shot from a cannon. To prove it wasn't a fluke, he hooked a second one a few minutes later, but round two went to the catfish. It stripped all the fly line off Gourley's reel and had him well into the backing before disappearing into a moss bed. So long, trusty leech. He saw the fish take his fly, so he knew it was another catfish.
Catfish and carp may not have the romance of trout sipping dry flies off the surface, but what they lack in beauty, they make up for in brute strength.
And although most fly anglers won't trade their favorite trout stream for the mossy Snake River, it's still a fun place to spot and stalk fish.

Fly Fishing Oregon - Oregons' East Lake slam

2008-07-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Oregon high lake holds browns, rainbows, kokanee and Atlantic salmon. Fly Fishing the West news and information. We were just one fish away from achieving the Oregon East Lake slam, so Fred Foisset pointed his 20-foot sled-style boat toward the west shore.
To complete the slam, we needed to land an elusive Atlantic salmon, which are abundant on the west side of the Oregon lake. Between the two of us, we had already caught and released several brown trout, rainbow trout and kokanee.
Soon Foisset, of the Hook Fly Shop in Oregon's Sunriver, hooked into what we thought was an Atlantic, but when he brought it up to the boat, we realized it was a shiny, silver kokanee. So we finished the day one fish short of the slam, but we managed to land about a dozen other fish.
Oregon's East Lake, about 20 miles east of La Pine in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, is all about variety.
“Variety and numbers,” Foisset said of Oregons' East Lake. “It’s a perfect place for family-type outings. And it’s the red-hot time for fly fishing. The temperature’s right, and everything’s right.”
At 6,381 feet in elevation, East Lake is typically about 10 degrees cooler than La Pine or Sunriver in Oregon, which average a high of about 80 degrees in July, which makes it perfect conditions for fly fishing.
I was comfortable in a sweat shirt in mid-July as the wind blew and Foisset tied on his Fred’s Callibaetis nymph to our lines. We used 3-weight fly rods with 9 to 12 feet of 5x fluorocarbon leader, starting in water at a depth of about 30 feet and wind-drifting toward shore to about 10 feet.
Smoke settled into the caldera from a nearby fire as we fly fished near the east shore close to East Lake Resort.
We slowly stripped line to give the Callibaetis movement to draw the fish.
Foisset, who also runs Cascade Guides and Outfitters, hooked into a nice 15-inch rainbow.
The northwest wind was blowing all the bug life toward us, and soon Foisset had another rainbow in the boat, and then a kokanee.
“You really don’t need to get here that early,” Foisset said. “The water temperature will come up (later in the morning), and bugs will start moving.”
Before long, I caught on and landed a nice-looking 15-inch brown trout. Foisset knew it was a brown before it even broke the surface.
“Brown trout fight down,” he said. “Rainbow come to the surface.”
Oregons'East Lake regularly produces brown trout weighing more than 10 pounds, rainbows up to 18 inches in length, and kokanee up to 20 inches, according to Ted Wise, a Bend-based fisheries biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The record for the lake is a 22½-pound brown.
I fought another decent-sized brown into the boat and Foisset reeled in two more rainbows before we headed west for Atlantic salmon.
An osprey and an eagle fought for fishing position in the sky as the air cleared of smoke. The blue-green water on the west shore appeared almost tropical, and several other boats lingered near the “white slide,” a steep slope of white sand and rock on the shore. The setting was perfect for fly fishing.
This was where we made our bid for Atlantic salmon, which ODFW typically stocks into East Lake via eggs from Hosmer Lake, southwest of Bend. The Atlantic salmon stocked in Hosmer are hatched from eggs from Maine, according to Wise. The ODFW stocked East Lake with 9,000 Atlantic salmon this year, Wise said.
Invasive tui chub also live in the lake, and we reluctantly caught our fair share of those.
The extent of the chubs’ damage to the fishery is unclear. The ODFW provided chub controls as early as 1941 and into the 1980s on East Lake, according to Wise. But the controls were terminated due to environmental concerns. “We don’t have a real fine handle on the overall population (of chub in East Lake),” Wise said. “We know they’re abundant.”
The ODFW has an advisory of high mercury levels in East Lake. Anglers should avoid eating brown trout of 16 inches or longer from the lake, according to the 2008 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. We didn’t have to worry about that, though, because we released all our fish.
After we tried for an Atlantic salmon in vain, Foissett gunned the boat back to the Hot Springs boat ramp. We reflected on our memorable fly fishing Oregon outing, but there are many more to be had this summer at East Lake.
“It’ll be good all the way through September into early October,” Foisset said. “It’s good fly fishing into the early fall.”

Dry-fly action heating up on Colorado Aspen Rivers

2008-07-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing the West News. Basalt River Colorado anglers who revel in dry-fly action will find it heating up on area rivers, according to local flyfishing guides.
“It’s the best time of year right now,” said Dave Johnson, owner of Crystal Fly Shop in Carbondale. “For dry-fly fishermen, it’s lighting up, especially in the evenings.”
Johnson reported a “massive” rusty spinner fall on the gold medal fly fishing river called th Fryingpan Wednesday evening, and said green drakes and caddis are hatching on Colorados' Roaring Fork River above West Bank and inching toward Basalt during the midday.
Look for yellow sallies and PMDs on the Fork, as well, he said.
The Colorado River is still running high and cold, but the river is clear, according to Drew Reid at flyfishing haven Roaring Fork Anglers in Glenwood Springs. The evening fishing is great, but any time after noon is good, he said, suggesting caddies dry flies and nymph patterns in sizes 14 and 16, and yellow sallies.
The upper Roaring Fork, in the Woody Creek and Snowmass Canyon stretches below Aspen, is producing good dry-fly fishing caddis action that is about to get great, predicted Chris Lemons at Aspen Flyfishing. The water is still high, but clear, and trout are pushed up close to the bank in many spots, he said.
Lemons reported action from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again in the evening. “I think the evening dry-fly fishing is about to take off,” he said.
On the Fryingpan River above Basalt, the dry-fly action — particularly caddies flies and PMDs — is hot from about 4 p.m. until dark, according to Art Rowell at Frying Pan Anglers in Basalt. Green drakes are beginning to come off but the huge hatch has not yet materialized, he said.
For daytime fishing, drake emergers and nymphs are a good bet, Rowell said.
For PMD patterns, try a Barr’s emerger, A.K. Best melon quill and a red-quill parachute in sizes 16 and 18, he advised.

Boris' Big Adventure: Fly-fishing on Oregons' Deschutes River

2008-07-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Lower Deschutes River is world-renowned by anglers for its fly-fishing. Rainbow trout and steelhead populate the river north of Warm Springs.
Paul Hanson of The Riffle Fly Shop is my guide for this big adventure. Having never fly-fished before, I first learn the basics on the river bank.
"In order to catch a fish, your fly needs to have a natural drift. If it starts to turn, the fish will realize it is not a real fly," Hanson said as he demonstrates the proper technique.
The angler's arsenal of flies is detailed and diverse. Choosing the right fly is the first critical choice in landing a rainbow.
"We have to look at water to see what type of fly the fishy are biting at," Hanson said.
From there, we imitate nature by selecting a tasty decoy. Now to the tricky part. Casting the fly is combination of basic physics and art.
Quick flips of the rod are required to send the fly into the current in a natural motion. Throughout the trip, I celebrated a decent cast, even if no fish took the bait.
We traveled the river in a drift boat from the Warm Springs boat launch to Trout Creek downstream.
Along the way, Hanson would scout the shoreline for hot fishing spots. Trees, logs and eddies were prime feeding spots where the trout were clearly visible in the clear water of the Deschutes.
At last we found the perfect spot, where the fish were literally jumping out of the water to eat on a hot summer afternoon.
It didn't take long to finally hook a rainbow trout. The first catch of the day turned out to be a great-looking fish that we set back into the current after its unexpected cameo on camera.
The Riffle Fly Shop is a full fly-fishing outfitter that provides fly-fishing tours in Central Oregon.

Largest Fly Fishing Educational Experience Lands in Whitefish, Montana

2008-07-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

Fly fishers from across the United States and world are uniting July 22-26 for the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) 43rd annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave in Whitefish, Montana, the premier event dedicated to the art and sport of fly fishing.

The event features more than 75 workshops and clinics on casting, fly
tying, on-water fishing techniques and other topics taught by well-known
instructors such as Bruce Richards, Diana Rudolph, Gene Kaczmarek and Bob
Jacklin. Conclave workshops appeal to a broad range of interests and skill
levels. The fly fishing show features the latest in gear, outfitters,
conservation information and other topics.

"Conclave is a must-attend event for anyone interested in fly fishing,"
said R.P. "Pete" Van Gytenbeek, CEO of FFF. "Conclave is the largest venue in
the world where this many instructors come share their expertise and
knowledge. No matter the skill or interest, we have something for everyone."

Other Conclave special event highlights:
-- Casting Rendezvous -- free casting clinics for all attendees
-- Casting competitions -- 5-weight casting and Danish Casting Games
-- Women's program -- two-day program tailored for women fly fishers
-- Youth Camp -- two-day program for youth age 8-17
-- Friday night live auction benefiting FFF

-- Whitefish Night Out -- gallery tours; showing of the fly fishing movie
"Equilibrium."

Held at the Whitefish High School, day passes are available at
registration for $5 that covers entry to the fly fishing show, Casting
Rendezvous and other free demonstrations. Fees vary for workshops, and
participants must be a member of FFF. People may join during registration.
Pre-registration online closes June 27, but registration is on-site during the
event.

About The Federation of Fly Fishers

The Federation of Fly Fishers is a 43-year old international non-profit
organization dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through
conservation, restoration and education. The goal is to support fisheries
conservation and educational programs for all fish and all waters. Based in
Livingston, Montana, the FFF and its councils is the only organized advocate
for fly fishers on a national and regional level. For further information,
visit http://www.fedflyfishers.org.

Fly Fishing on the Gunnison River, Colorado

2008-07-10T13:27:00.001-07:00

more about "Fly Fishing on the Gunnison River, Co...", posted with vodpod

Fly Fishing and Romance..a good read

2008-07-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Romance and Fly-fishing

Fly-fishing combines the joy of being outside with the gracefulness of casting a line so light that it takes multiple flicks of the wrist to keep it aloft until that moment when you let it lay out so softly that it mimics the wind and the ripples on the water. The fly at the end of the line floats on the river that carries it downstream. If you look carefully, you may see the trout turning sideways to sip in the lure. You may have time to flick the line and snatch the fly away if you want another fish. If not, you may feel a tug, the electric pulse of a fish on the end of the line.

“Time is a River” (Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, 2008, $16.50) is a novel about fly-fishing women.

It is also a journey of recovery and discovery that leads from Charleston, S.C., to the mountain streams of North Carolina.

The story follows Mia Landan, who is in her 30s and a survivor of breast cancer and a radical mastectomy. Depressed, she lets her sister talk her into going to a fly-fishing camp with other breast-cancer survivors. The camp, called Casting for Recovery, is led by a feisty redhead named Belle Carson. The story begins as Mia returns home from the camp to discover her husband is cheating with another woman. Terribly hurt, Mia drives away and finds herself back at the fishing camp just in time to catch Belle as she is about to go home.

When Belle learns Mia’s story, she offers Mia an old rustic cabin that Belle inherited from her grandmother. They drive to the cabin together, but Belle won’t say much about her grandmother. It is such a sore point that she makes Mia promise not to ask anyone in the town about her grandmother.

Mia senses a presence in the cabin and as she explores, she finds a diary that belonged to Belle’s grandmother, Kate Watkins. Mia is intrigued with the diary. Now the real story begins.

The diary is extraordinary—full of beautiful wildlife drawings, brave honesty and precocious insights for a girl born in 1900. Mia soon learns that Kate Watkins was once well known as the area’s finest fly-fisher and guide. She also discovers, however, that Kate had been accused of murder and adultery.

The rest of the novel follows Mia in her search for the truth. Along the way, she makes friends with the townsfolk who help her research.

She also meets Stuart McDougal, a fly-fisherman and guide who helps Mia become more at ease with fishing and with herself. The friendship grows into romance as the summer progresses.

Mary Alice Monroe’s novel is full of fly-fishing, as well as personal growth. The feelings of being on the river and in the woods are progressively elaborated as the character develops fishing skills and becomes attuned to her surroundings. To quote Belle’s advice to Mia: “Fighting demons is all fine and good. But sometimes you just have to have a good time ... And remember. Trout live in beautiful places.”

As Mia’s character faces the challenges of her new situation, she and the story become a little deeper and more satisfying.

The novel is part mystery and part romance, and the conclusion ties up all loose ends, perhaps a tad too neatly. These elements make this book a satisfying summer read for those who like romantic novels. If you want a hard-edged drama, look elsewhere, but for a good-natured story of personal growth, mystery, romance and fly-fishing, this is the ticket.

Fly Fishing Videos - Lesson on Stream Fishing

2008-06-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

Great Fly Fishing Video on fishing streams upstream

Girls gone Fly Fishing.....

2008-06-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing the West day off. Ok guys, show this video to your wife. Tell her this is why you want her to go with you when you fish. Because of all of the hot available single women on the river, you think she should keep an eye on you.

Fly Fishing History Timeline

2008-06-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Fly fishing history – Or Some of It – Make Your Own

1496 - "The Treatyse of Fysshyng Wyth an Angle," is written by Dame Juliana Berner.

It is the first description of fish being taken on a fly.

1651 - An English blacksmith develops metal fish hooks.

1653 - "The Complete Angle" - the most famous fishing book of all time - is written by Sir Izzak Walton.

1846 - First split bamboo rod is made.

1868 - The Leonard Co. builds the first balanced fly road and fly line.

1884 - Brown Trout are introduced to American waters.

1892 - The first American book on flies is written by Mary Orvis Marbury.

1920 - The American Fly Fishing style was born and developed at the Catskill School in New York.

1932 - The fishing vest is invented by Lee Wulf.

1959 - Trout Unlimited is founded.

1965 - The Federation of Fly Fishers is born.

1973 - Graphite fly rods are invented by The Fenwick Company

Deschutes Canyon Fly Shop Maupin Oregon

2008-06-01T02:28:00.000-07:00

Deschutes Canyon Fly Shop Maupin Oregon Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing the West information. Some of the best fly fishing in the world is on the Deschutes river in Eastern Oregon. The Salmon Fly hatch is second to none if you want to catch big cutthroat trout. Check out this web site if you want more information and want to book a trip.

Fly Fishing Oregon

2008-01-27T11:21:00.000-08:00

Cold weather fishing has its rewards

If your looking to do some fly fishing in Oregon, this information will be invaluable to you.

Fly Fishing. While larger rivers were productive over the past weekend, smaller streams such as the Necanicum and North Fork Nehalem have become too low and clear to fish well. The next round of rainfall will reverse this situation.
Sturgeon anglers in Tillamook Bay found a few keepers last Saturday and Sunday but the fish were so skinny that the majority were released in hope of hooking healthier specimens.
Wilson steelheaders experienced decent action over the past weekend as good numbers of fish passed through. Drift boat traffic was about as heavy as it gets on Saturday, a little lighter on Sunday. Although a good number of wild fish were collected to jump start the broodstock program, great numbers of hatchery fish were caught from Siskeyville to Sollie Smith Bridge. Robert Campbell of Oregon City landed a 20.5 pound hatchery steelhead sidedrifting on Sunday.
Action has cooled on the Wilson this week, but it should still be worth the trip.
The logjam on the Trask has broken up and a mix of mostly wild fish and an occasional hatchery stray were caught over the weekend.
Predictions for the Nestucca, at 5.5 mid-week, is for the level to be just over five feet by Saturday, There is no indication in hydrologic forecasts that rain this weekend will effect the river level. Steelheading was fair over the weekend with spinners and cured salmon eggs taking fish although the water is too low and clear currently for good results using spinners.
Siletz anglers have been scoring recently. With limited bank access here, boaters have a definite advantage. Watch out for predators intent on having your hooked steelhead for dinner as one ambitious seal has been spotted as high as Moonshine Park.
Seas were friendly out of Depoe Bay on Tuesday this week, allowing recreational watercraft to make a rare, safe foray offshore. Bottom fishing was good as is often the case at this time of year.
Boats also crossed the bar out of Newport, taking a few ling cod but crabbing was slow to fair offshore.
Crabbing has been very slow this week in Yaquina and Alsea bays.
Steelheaders on the Siuslaw encountered some jumbo steelhead over the past weekend. The river remains in shape this week and is producing well for steelhead from Whittaker to Linslaw.
South Umpqua anglers have been doing well with hatchery steelhead taken recently to the high teens. On the North Umpqua, anglers are reporting very good numbers of fish in the system. Don't bother catching the first light bite at this time of year; fishing doesn't turn on 'til mid-day when the weather is cold.
The Elk River delivered fresh, bright steelhead over the weekend to side-drifters. Yarn balls were effective but this system is in need of precipitation now.
Coquille steelheaders have encountered both native and hatchery fish over the past week, the combination of which has provided fair to good fishing with bait drawing more attention than lures or scented yarn. As with many south coast rivers, this one is getting a little skinny for best results, but rain this weekend should improve conditions.
The Rogue River water level and flow has been declining over the past week. Steelheading has been fair in the lower river although there have been brief periods which provided multiple hookups after which, action has fallen off. With the water temperature below 40 degrees, the Grants Pass stretch has yet to provide decent fishing for winter steelhead.
Seals have become a nuisance on the Chetco River as high as Loeb Park. Fortunately for anglers, steelheading has been good above this stretch for those downsizing offerings in the low, clear water. Steelhead are being taken throughout the system. Rain showers later this week will provide additional flow and a little color, both of which are needed here. With the water low and clear, concentrate on tail-outs and riffles on the Chetco.
Sturgeon fishing in the Portland to Longview stretch of the Columbia was been a futile effort over the past week.
Smelt have been a no-show so far this season on the Cowlitz. Anglers watch for telltale signs of birds working the schools as these prized baitfish enter, but predictions this year are not optimistic.
Sturgeon fishing has been fair to good for those willing to experiment with a variety of baits and try different locations and depths. The west bank just below St. Johns Bridge has produced a few keepers. Sturgeon may be kept on the lower Willamette on Thursdays through Sundays. Reports from the Cedar Creek area have been picking up. A few nice, bright fish have been taken recently.
Steelheading on the Clackamas has been slow to fair.
Sandy anglers have been taking winter steelhead daily with the season fully underway at this time of year. Side-drifters are taking fish with a variety of baits and lures and plunkers working the Sandy below the I-84 bridge have been catching fish as well.
The number of winter steelhead crossing at Willamette Falls has been low, resulting in fairly low numbers on the Santiam system. The recent dry weather and low freezing level has allowed the water flows to moderate, however, creating improved fishing conditions. The drift on the North Santiam from Shelburn's is risky with logs in the river, but boats should be fine launching at Green's Bridge or Stayton.
While the McKenzie is in excellent shape for winter fly fishing, the water is holding in the high 30s, requiring a natural, deep drift and repeated casts. Fly Fishing the West.