Unlimited Fly Fishing News and Articles...

[Woolly Bugger]

WRITING ON THE FLY

This past summer I had acquired a beautiful Orvis bamboo fly rod made by famed fly rod maker Wes Jordan. Most fly fishers recognize the Orvis name, purveyors of fine fly fishing equipment, however, not many would recognize the name Wes Jordan. Bamboo fly rods and their makers are a whole nother rabbit hole. At the time, I also picked up some flies and a book on Carrie Stevens, the famed fly tier from Upper Dam, Maine who is credited with designing the classic Black Ghost fly.

  The gentleman I purchased this from had a house on the Upper Dam and knew Carrie Stevens and thought that some of the flies might have been tied by Carrie. I was beyond excited at that possibility. It was shortly after this that I happened to go to an Antique Show at the Dover, NH Elks. Sitting by the door in his booth was my friend Glenn Grant. I have known Glenn for a number of years from this show and other shows in Maine.

https://indepthnh.org/2024/11/27/fly-fishing-royalty-glenn-the-maine-man-grant/

[Fishbug]

A good listen:

[Woolly Bugger]

[Woolly Bugger]

Lake Moomaw's trophy trout

Easing along slowly with the trolling motor, we could see trout swirling on the surface chasing baitfish. The only question was whether they were browns or the more common rainbows. We would soon find out it was a mixture of the two species.

My fishing partner's rod bowed deep and he quickly snatched it from the holder. Minutes later he deftly slipped the net under a 3-pound trout. It was a brown with beautiful, vivid colorings.

As he unhooked that fish, another rod began throbbing in its holder and I quickly grabbed it. This fish was even heavier and stripped line from the reel several times before I could work the 22-incher into the boat, a plump 5-pound brown trout.

https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/gerald-almy-lake-moomaw-s-trophy-trout/article_acfb8419-091c-5c8d-8a96-4808d3c86366.html


This makes me want to go trolling for trout!!! 

[Mudwall Gatewood 3.0]

Lake Moomaw's trophy trout

Easing along slowly with the trolling motor, we could see trout swirling on the surface chasing baitfish. The only question was whether they were browns or the more common rainbows. We would soon find out it was a mixture of the two species.

My fishing partner's rod bowed deep and he quickly snatched it from the holder. Minutes later he deftly slipped the net under a 3-pound trout. It was a brown with beautiful, vivid colorings.

As he unhooked that fish, another rod began throbbing in its holder and I quickly grabbed it. This fish was even heavier and stripped line from the reel several times before I could work the 22-incher into the boat, a plump 5-pound brown trout.

https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/gerald-almy-lake-moomaw-s-trophy-trout/article_acfb8419-091c-5c8d-8a96-4808d3c86366.html


This makes me want to go trolling for trout!!! 

I went trolling for trout in Lake Moomaw several years ago with a friend, who was meticulous in his quest for the rainbows and browns.  He kept detailed notes on temps, depths, locations, weather, time of day, lures, catches, etc.  He used 4-6 planer rigs at various depths with countless lures (spoons) at various trolling speeds.  He had the lake mapped very well and mostly trolled the old river channel. 

I must admit, it was a hoot and very relaxing.  I recall netting 2 very nice rainbows.

[Dougfish]

I started listening to podcasts during the pandemic. Woolly turned me on to the Millhouse podcast years ago, also.
I was catching up recently.
Kelly Galloup's fly tying videos make me crazy. I assumed his appearance on this would be similar.
Holy shit it's great. Give a listen.
If you don't pick up a dozen tips, listen again. And he slips in a joke about his videos!

[Woolly Bugger]

Lost & Found: Angler returns fly rod & reel he unearthed in the Boise River


Last week Derrick Hicks was fishing on the Boise River when he spotted some fly line floating mysteriously in the water. He started pulling on the line with the simple hope of cleaning up the river but when he got to the end of the line— he held a complete fly rod & reel in his hands.

View this post on Instagram

"Man someone had a bummer of a day. I wonder if I might be able to find them?" asked Derrick via an Instagram post. "Internet maybe you could do your thing and help me find the rightful owner."


https://www.kivitv.com/backroads/lost-found-angler-returns-fly-rod-reel-he-unearthed-in-the-boise-river

View this post on Instagram

[Woolly Bugger]

Art Flick, his life and his streamside guide

As books go, the "Streamside Guide" is a small volume, measuring a mere 4 inches by 6 inches with 114 pages, in the first edition.

Despite the size, it's the first book to comprehensively cover the main Catskill hatches, with detailed information about all the important species. It's such a good little book that when I was teaching fly fishing, regardless of where, it was the first reference that I mentioned during my lectures. I went so far as to recommend that every beginning fly fisher obtain a copy.

And because of its small size, it could be put in a Ziploc bag and stored inside the fishing vest. So it was always available in the field to help identify different species of aquatic insects for beginning anglers.


https://www.riverreporter.com/stories/art-flick-his-life-and-his-streamside-guide,186305

[Woolly Bugger]

'No One's Immune.' Tariffs Set to Wallop the U.S. Fishing Gear Industry
From high-end fly reels to Canadian nightcrawlers, experts say sweeping tariffs will likely disrupt every segment of the U.S. sportfishing industry

If you've been eyeing any fishing gear purchases for the upcoming season, you might as well pull the trigger now. Because U.S. anglers are set to start feeling the impact of the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs. Industry experts say that any way you look at it, the price of fishing gear will increase in 2025 as a result and, in some cases, it already has.

"No one's immune here," VP of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association Mike Leonard tells Outdoor Life. "And it's not just our industry. I think pretty much everyone that imports anything or buys anything is confused right now."

Much of that confusion stems from President Trump's on-again-off-again approach to implementing tariffs, which are being levied on different countries for different reasons. On Thursday, the White House announced a second month-long pause of the 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods that were originally supposed to go into effect in February.

Leonard says it's the impending tariffs on our northern and southern neighbors, along with the ones already imposed on China, that are most concerning to the U.S. sportfishing gear industry. That's because the three nations manufacture and export a massive amount of gear to the United States every year.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/tariffs-affect-fishing-gear/

[Woolly Bugger]

Where have the brook trout gone?
From the East Branch of the Delaware River



It seems that every time I begin a column, I have to go way back in time for subject matter, and that's the case here. One day in my late teenage years, I was introduced by Ted Boeglin to the East Branch of the Delaware River below the Pepacton Reservoir.

Our trip to the East Branch was well before the adoption of the Water Releases Legislation, which was implemented in 1976. At the time, the summer conservation release for the East Branch from Pepacton Reservoir was 19 cubic feet per second (CFS), certainly a dismal amount of water.

Upon arrival, we found that the Pepacton was spilling a bit, supplemented by the flow from Downs Brook. There was enough water so the East Branch was fishable, though. We chose a section of river not far downstream from the reservoir, accessed from the Firemen's Field just outside of Downsville.

Even though there were some quill Gordons on the water when I arrived, there were no trout rising. Since there would be no dry fly fishing, I attached two number 12 nymphs to my tippet and began to drift the flies along the bottom, hoping for a strike. It didn't take long before the leader stopped; I raised the rod and was into a fish. After a short struggle, I landed and released a 10-inch brook trout

https://riverreporter.com/stories/where-have-the-brook-trout-gone,188759

[Woolly Bugger]

Tips for Fly Fishing the Surf
From the Oct. 2017 Issue of On The Water: Bob Popovics shares his gear and approach for fly fishing the beach.

On November 1, 2024, the fly fishing community lost one of the most renowned and respected fly tiers in the sport's history. Bob Popovics will be remembered fondly for his impact on fly fishing and, more specifically, fly fishing the surf for striped bass. His renowned patterns, such as the Beast Fleye, among many others, have influenced a new generation of fly tiers to carry on his legacy. He will forever be regarded as one of the greatest fly fishermen of all time, and as a family man who inspired so many. (This article was originally published in the October 2017 issue of On The Water Magazine) – Matt Haeffner



Many coastal fly-rodders consider surf fishing to be the ultimate challenge.  Pumping on a Guatemala sailfish, throwing a fly to a humongous tarpon, or wading a pretty grass flat for a bonefish are high on the totem pole, but they require a fat wallet and many hours of travel. Not surf fishing. We all live within a coffee-mug drive from some of the greatest fly-fishing to be found in the world, and the chance to catch one of the greatest gamefish, the striped bass.

One of the best at the game of surf fly-fishing is Bob Popovics. He's been at it since the late 1960s and lives only minutes from New Jersey's Island Beach State Park. Surrounded by good buddies and good surf-fishing opportunities so close to home, his experiences also include days spent at remarkable surf fly-fishing haunts in New England, Montauk, and the Outer Banks. Bob is known as much for his fly-tying and fishing skills as he is for his patience teaching everyone who will listen to his tips and strategies.

https://onthewater.com/tips-for-fly-fishing-the-surf

[Woolly Bugger]

Fly-Fishing Legend Lefty Kreh Gets His Due Onscreen
No one brought fly fishing to the world like Kreh. A new documentary honors the GOAT with never-before-seen interviews and a host of fishing's biggest names.



One evening in 1947, a young Bernard "Lefty" Kreh took notice of a ticket clerk at Frederick, Maryland's Tivoli Theatre. A Frederick native, Kreh had recently returned from the war in Europe, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Then, while on duty at nearby Fort Detrick, noted for its research into biological weapons, he was accidentally poisoned with anthrax. Kreh was lucky to be alive; he knew that. Perhaps that was on his mind as he left the theater and asked the ticket taker for her name and if she would allow him to walk her home later that night. Six months later, Kreh and Evelyn Mask married just as he was embarking on what would become an astonishing career as a celebrity angler, trick sharpshooter, television host, writer, and incomparable ambassador for fishing. Kreh likely taught more people to fly fish than anyone else in history.

On March 27, the forty-four-minute documentary Lefty: The Greatest of All Time will premiere in his beloved hometown, at that same theater where he met his wife, which now operates as the Weinberg Center for the Arts. Narrated by Flip Pallot, a close friend of Kreh's for more than fifty years, the film is anchored in never-before-seen interviews conducted by cinematographer Jay Nichols in the months before Kreh's passing in 2018. Directed and created by Nichols, of Headwater Media Group, and produced by Fly Fisherman magazine, the documentary also includes a host of insights from fishing royalty, from Ed Jaworowski to Johnny Morris to Blane Chocklett. Archival footage captures Kreh during his travels around the world.

https://gardenandgun.com/articles/fly-fishing-legend-lefty-kreh-gets-his-due-onscreen/