Flyfisher Magazine Spring-Summer 2020

A L L F I S H • A L L WAT E RS

flyfishersinternational.org Spring/Summer 2020 | $5.95

COLLABORATING ON CONSERVATION PROTECTING FLORIDA’S PERMIT, ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, ADVOCATING FOR DAM REMOVAL & ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS

BRONZE CASTING CHALLENGE TIPS FOR TAKING THE TEST OR HOSTING YOUR OWN COMMUNITY EVENT

LOOP SHAPE

SIX SIMPLE STEPS FOR SELF-DIAGNOSING YOUR CAST

SPRING FLIES

10 PATTERNS FOR YOUR SPRING FISHING ARSENAL

2

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

WHAT’S YOUR

LEGACY? THE F F I

Fly Fishers International is proud to announce the LEE & JOAN WULFF LEGACY CIRCLE, a giving program to support fly fishing education and conservation through estate plans, trusts, and bequests.

Fly Fishers International is the only organization dedicated to fostering the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters through conservation, education, and community.

We’re honored to name the Legacy Circle after Lee and Joan Wulff, whose contributions to Fly Fishers International’s founding, mission, and programs have been monumental.

If you have questions or if FFI is already in your estate plans, please call FFI President and CEO, Patrick Berry who can help you with this compelling new program.

ESTABLISH YOUR LEGACY TODAY ///

flyfishersinternational.org

406.222.9369



3

On the cover: Bryan Gregson Photography Contents: Jessica Haydahl Richardson

IN THIS ISSUE 6 President’s Message Ensuring the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters.

8 Conservation The power of partnerships.

12 Skills Casting Challenge Tips to take the challenge or host your own.

20 All Fish, All Waters Angler Profile Connections with our community.

24 Let Keys Permit Spawn in Peace Speak up for Western Dry Rocks spawning season.

27 Get Started on Smallmouth Observations for the warm water newbie.

34 Casting For Recovery Healing experiences for women with breast cancer.

36 Casting Self-diagnosing your cast.

40 Catch the Drift More distance and control on the cast.

42 Fly Tying Spring saltwater favorites.

48 FFI Forum News, Events, and Happenings.

54 Full Circle Enjoy the ride, wherever it may lead 5

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A

fter paging through this issue of Fly Fisher, you might notice an emphasis on conservation matters. To be clear, this doesn’t signify any shift from our notable history as the premier organization focused on fly-fishing education, or our efforts to build a stronger community of fly fishers. It just happens to be timely.

On page 53, you’ll find an overview of a new Sustainability Initiative by Mustad and Sons, a hook manufacturer with which most of you are likely familiar. In our view, Mustad has developed a strong and meaningful vision for sustainability across all sectors of their manufacturing and business practice that is well worth supporting.

Featured on the cover, and also found on page 24, is a conservation piece by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT). Most recently, Fly Fishers International (FFI) was one of many BTT partners providing written comments to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service calling for protection of spawning grounds for permit in the Florida Keys.

Other efforts have been aimed at conserving bonefish habitat in the US and internationally.

Importantly, BTT is one of many conservation partners with FFI, a growing realm of conservation activism for FFI by which various coalitions of conservation organizations leverage their collective membership for more effective advocacy. This month’s conservation

column by FFI’s Conservation Committee Chair Dave Peterson on page 8 highlights the tremendous growth and value in our conservation partnerships.

Another reason to focus on conservation in this issue: Because you care.

From the earliest days of Fly Fishers International, dating back to 1965 (formerly FFF), founding luminaries such as Bill Nelson, Lee Wulff, Skip Hosfield, and Marty Seldon sought to leverage the flyfishing community as effective

“Conservation has been a founding principle of FFI and is a high priority for our members, clubs and councils.” advocates for conservation. FFI built on that history, allocating more than $300,000 for conservation programs from 1976 to 1986. From there, FFI expanded conservation efforts to include native fish conservation, invasive species, conservation education, water quality and habitat, and even conservation scholarships.

By 2008, FFF developed a Conservation Strategic Plan that consolidated the organization’s many small conservation programs into a single focused initiative.

That work continues today. Still, it has become clear that we need to do a better job of communicating, highlighting, and expanding our

conservation efforts. How many of you know that FFI engaged in over 50 conservation actions last year? Or distributed $15,000 in conservation grants and $4,000 in scholarship funding for two women fisheries graduate students who will be the next fisheries leaders? Or supported advocacy efforts stretching from Bristol Bay in Alaska to the Boundary Waters in the Upper Midwest and the Everglades in Florida? We know you care about these issues, and FFI needs to ensure we collectively celebrate this meaningful value of being an FFI member.

So, beyond this issue of Fly Fisher, we are in the process of exploring new communication strategies for our conservation work. For the last few months, FFI’s Twitter feed, which is updated weekly and sometimes even daily, has been dedicated solely to conservation. (I admit that I wasn’t a Twitter user but created an account just to follow the FFI Twitter feed.)

You’ll also find regular updates on the FFI homepage with headlines about critical conservation efforts important to fly fishers everywhere.

And we’ll keep you updated on high profile conservation campaigns moving forward.

Conservation has been a founding principle of FFI. Our membership surveys make it clear that conservation is a high priority for our members, clubs, and councils. We endeavor to enhance this important work, and make sure we share in this notable focus of our organization.

Patrick Berry Patrick H. Berry is FFI President and CEO. Berry brings over 27 years of experience within the environmental conservation field, having come to FFI from the Vermont Community Foundation where he served as vice president of philanthropy. A former commissioner of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, Berry is recognized as a visionary conservationist and is widely respected by his peers.

6

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Board of Directors Tom Logan Chairman of the Board Patrick Berry (Non-Voting) President and CEO Tilda Evans Secretary Expo Committee Chair Awards & Nominating Committee Chair Jim Maus Treasurer Finance Committee Chair Jim Schramm (Non-Voting) Legal Counsel Dutch Baughman Executive Committee Education Committee Chair Keith Groty Executive Committee Senior Advisor Dave Peterson Executive Committee Conservation Committee Chair Burr Tupper Executive Committee Community Development Committee Chair Kuni Masuda International Programs Chair Tim Papich Communications & Marketing Chair Board Members Marnee Banks TRCP Liaison Bruce Brown Dave Boyer Glenn Erikson Carole Katz PHWFF Liaison Geoff Mullins Dennis O’Brien Jen Ripple Richard Ross David Paul Williams

Fly Fishers International 5237 US Highway 89 South, Suite 11 Livingston, MT 59047-9176 (406) 222-9369 flyfishersinternational.org President and CEO Lee & Joan Wulff Legacy Circle Patrick Berry | pberry@flyfishersinternational.org

Operations Manager Conservation/Education Coordinator & Webmaster Rhonda Sellers | operations@flyfishersinternational.org

Membership Coordinator Kat Mulqueen | membership@flyfishersinternational.org

Clubs & Councils Coordinator & Fly Tying Group Jessica Atherton | clubs@flyfishersinternational.org

Casting Coordinator & Merchandise Nikki Loy | casting@flyfishersinternational.org

Donor Administrator Presidents Club, 1000 Stewards Lindsey Webster | donations@flyfishersinternational.org

Bookkeeper Sharon Cebulla | bookkeeper@flyfishersinternational.org

Museum Information (406) 222-9369 | museum@flyfishersinternational.org Flyfisher is the official publication of Fly Fishers International, published two times a year and distributed by mail and online free to members. Send membership inquiries, fees and change of address notices to the FFI Headquarters at the address listed above. Flyfisher is produced for FFI by Bird Marketing Group Inc. Editorial & Advertising Inquiries: Editorial queries are welcome and should be sent to Bird Marketing Group Inc at the address listed above attention to the Editor. Email queries can also be emailed to editor@flyfishersinternational.org.

Visit flyfishersinternational. org for the full writer and photographer guidelines. Advertising inquiries can be directed to jbird@birdmarketinggroup.com. Visit flyfishersinternational.org for Ad rates and spec guidelines.

Reprints & Permissions: All facts, opinions and statements appearing within this publication are those of the writers and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, or endorsements. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2020 Fly Fishers International.

Letters to the Editor: Send your comments about any aspect of Flyfisher to the Editor at editor@flyfishersinternational.org. We will endeavor to reply to each letter. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Letters published in Flyfisher become the property of Fly Fishers International.

FlyFisher FlyFisher is published for FFI by Bird Marketing Group Inc. PO Box 227A Eastport, ID 83826 Executive Publisher Jennifer Bird jbird@birdmarketinggroup.com Copy Editor John Van Vleet Group Art Direction Terry Paulhus Office Administrator Kim Carruthers Department Contributors Conservation Dave Peterson Casting Jeff Wagner Fly Tying Jerry Coviello Feature Contributors Bonefish Tarpon Trust Bryan Gregson Photography Jessica Haydahl Richardson Dana Harrison Bryan Huskey Jeff Mickiewicz Jen Ripple Mark Sedotti Dianne Tidy

Shauna Williams

7

Photos Cameron Luck

CONSERVATION

8

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

The Power of Partnerships

A

Dave Peterson

dizzying array of conservation issues confront fly fishers today. They include: protecting clean water; addressing climate change and its impact on fisheries; protecting and preserving saltwater fisheries; stopping damaging mines; ensuring public access to lands and waters; advocating for dam removal; and preserving laws and regulations that protect water and habitat, among many others.

With so many conservation issues before us, how does Fly Fishers International, an organization with finite resources, make a significant difference? How should Fly Fishers International make sure its voice is heard among the multitude of competing voices?

FFI is responding by creating strong conservation partnerships with other organizations with similar goals and values. Collaboration and partnerships in conservation are certainly not new. In fact, such partnerships can be traced to the beginnings of America’s conservation movement.

At the turn of the century, when Theodore Roosevelt was creating our national parks and setting aside large swaths of public lands, his thinking was shaped by two conservation pioneers with differing but complementary approaches about the use of public lands and waters.

John Muir, often considered the “father” of our national park system favored a “preservationist” view, advocating that public lands remain untouched for all to enjoy. His views helped establish our first national parks and the vast system of parks to follow.

In contrast, Gifford Pinchot, appointed by Roosevelt to head up the predecessor to United States Forest Service, advocated for a “conservationist” perspective based upon sustainable use of public lands.

By some accounts, Muir and Pinchot were competitive rivals.

In fact, while they held different visions for the preservation of public lands and sometimes disagreed (bitterly on occasion), they communicated frequently and actively collaborated to create

Dave Peterson Fly Fishers International Conservation Chair

The Power of Partnerships

9

Photo Bryan Gregson the incredible body of public lands that we all enjoy today.Fly Fishers International has embraced these foundational ideas by creating diverse conservation partnerships that increase our reach in the conservation world.

Through these partnerships FFI’s conservation relevance grows and our influence is magnified.

Conservation Advocacy Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership One of FFI’s most important partnerships is with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP). TRCP counts more than 60 organizations in its membership.

TRCP’s core issues are habitat and clean water, access to public lands, and supporting the outdoor recreation economy. It has a staff of conservation experts who evaluate and formulate policy positions and employs legislative experts who maintain strong relationships with members of Congress. Finally, TRCP utilizes a

10

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

sophisticated messaging strategy that enables it to reach out to hundreds of thousands of sportswomen and sportsmen across the country. This partnership enables FFI to maximize its voice on policy and legislative issues with many other respected conservation groups. FFI often signs on to letters to lawmakers and regulatory agencies with our TRCP partners. We have spoken out on climate change, preservation of public access, stopping the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, halting the roll back of the Clean Water Act, and many others.

Most recently, FFI participated in the Climate Change Summit sponsored by TRCP and helped draft a conservation action plan to guide legislative and policy efforts for the foreseeable future. Our ties with TRCP are strong.

Patrick Berry, FFI President and CEO, is a member of the TRCP Policy Council and TRCP Director of Communications Marneé Banks is a valued member of the FFI Board of Directors.

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust FFI’s partnership with the Bonefish

and Tarpon Trust (BTT) is an excellent example of our efforts to protect saltwater species and their habitats.

BTT’s mission is “to conserve and restore bonefish, tarpon, and permit fisheries and habitats through research, stewardship, education, and advocacy.” FFI has supported the work of the Bonefish and Tarpon trust by calling for regulation changes in Florida to protect spawning habitat for permit, urging lawmakers to take action on Everglades water quality, and protecting bonefish habitat in Belize.

Our partnership with the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust is an example of FFI’s commitment to “all fish in all waters”.

Water Protection Network FFI is a member of the Water Protection Network (WPN). WPN has a 250-member national network of conservation groups and focuses on ecologically and economically sound policies on water. They support sustainable methods for protecting rivers, coasts, and wetland habitats.

While FFI has supported WPN’s work over the years, we most recently signed on to a letter strenuously objecting to proposed rollbacks in the National Environment Protection Act. If enacted, these rollbacks will eliminate environmental protections that have been in place since 1969. FFI’s voice was greatly amplified by joining with 330 other groups opposing the proposed changes in NEPA. Pebble Mine and Save the Boundary Waters FFI has been active in the Save Bristol Bay Coalition which was created to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed from the dangers of the largest copper mine in the world. Bristol Bay is the

CONSERVATION

Club and Council Partnerships FFI’s fly-fishing clubs and regional Councils are a rich source of partnerships that are often unheralded but make a huge impact in local conservation projects. For example, the Inland Empire FlyFishing Club and Wild Steelhead Coalition were awarded a FFI conservation grant of $2,500 to help purchase 8 acres of land to retain public access on the Grande Ronde River, a renowned steelhead fishery.

This club has worked with many other groups to create a coalition that is combining dollars to complete the purchase, preserving this important stretch of river for the public in perpetuity.The Pere Marquette Watershed Council, an FFI affiliate club, the Great Lakes Council, and

FFI national partnered to provide conservation grants to protect the Pere Marquette River in northern Michigan. The Pere Marquette is a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream as well as a designated Wild and Scenic River known for its steelhead and brown trout fishery. This partnership, along with other groups like TU and the Conservation Resource Alliance, will restore the stream bank along an eroding railroad right-of-way. If the right-of-way is not repaired, there is a significant risk that passing freight trains carrying caustic chemicals could fall into the river, destroying 60 miles of prime cold water habitat.

Partnerships on Conservation-Minded Angling Practices FFI has also joined with others to strengthen our efforts to promote conservation-minded angling. As the first and foremost proponent of catch and release, FFI has always led the way in “taking care of the fish”.

FFI’s partnership with KeepEmWet© reinforces our education programs aimed to improve the survival of the fish we release. KeepEmWet’s core principles include minimizing the fish’s contact with air by keeping

them wet (preferably in the water), eliminating contact with dry surfaces including hands, and minimizing handling. FFI and KeepEmWet work in synergy to educate fly fishers in proper handling and release of fish.

Single Hooks (www.singlehooks. org) is an organization based in the United Kingdom that promotes sustainable fishing practices through fishing hook reforms.

FFI was particularly interested in Single Hook’s efforts encouraging the use of circle hooks in marine environments and the replacement of treble hooks with single hooks, each of which increase fish survival. The work of Single Hooks and its manufacturing partners certainly complements FFI mission to promote catch and release.

FFI’s footprint in conservation is growing through projects and advocacy at the local, regional and national level.

When you dig into that work, you will almost always find a collaborative partnership at the heart of the effort.

Through our alliances, Fly Fishers International is doing more than we can alone with greater impact in many more places. Combining our voice with that of other groups magnifies our influence exponentially. We are fervently committed to the power of partnerships.

Photo Dave Freeman

source of prolific salmon runs and is an invaluable Alaskan resource. FFI participates in the coalition through social media posts to our membership and sign on letters to lawmakers and the EPA.Similarly, FFI regularly joins in the work of the Campaign to Save The Boundary Waters through letters to Congress and regulators. The Campaign is “dedicated to creating a national movement to protect the clean water, clean air, and forest landscape of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its watershed from toxic pollution caused by mining copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide-bearing ore.” The BWCA encompasses 1.1 million acres of wilderness and is America’s most visited wilderness area. FFI is proud of our efforts to support this breathtaking wilderness area.

The Power of Partnerships

11

Photos Jessica Haydahl Richardson

12

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Skills Casting Challenge

T

Jen Ripple

he face of fly fishing has changed significantly since I stepped into a fly shop for the first time one fateful day in 2008. Armed with no more than childhood memories of cane poles, red-andwhite bobbers, and the smell of earthworms, I knew less than zilch about fly fishing. I had never heard of A River Runs Through It, and I thought fly tying was what my sister used to do with a piece of her hair and a common house fly. As I sat down at the table for my first ever flytying class, the shop dog laid at my feet. It was as if he could tell I was uncomfortable and was saying, “Chill out .

You’re home.”

And I was. But it would take me years before I felt comfortable in my own waders.

Over the next six months I immersed myself in all things fly. I binge watched A River Runs Through It until I could quote Norman Maclean in my sleep. I was the best flyshop patron ever. I carried a vise in the trunk of my car just in case. I missed meals, was late for work, and watched more videos than I care to admit because of my newfound pastime. I joined the local International Federation of Fly Fishers club because I wanted to learn even more. While I appreciated the speakers, it did not take me long to realize I was in unbidden territory. I knew very little lingo, had no idea what an emerger was, knew even less what a streamer imitated, and had never in my life made a tight loop. The meetings were daunting, stuffy, and unwelcoming. I would

have never considered casting a fly rod in front of anyone, let alone those who placed themselves on the pedestal of CCI. Fortunately for us all, the FFI has evolved over the past 15 years in more ways than just a name change. It works hard to challenge fly fishers globally to be better anglers while breaking down the elitism that has been slowly killing our sport. Today, the FFI is ushering in an era of inclusivity that is instrumental in catapulting fly fishing into the future through programs such as the Fly Casting Skills Challenge Program.

This program was specifically created as a fun way to improve an angler’s casting skills. There are three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The Bronze Challenge was designed with the experienced beginner in mind, while the Silver and Gold levels are aimed at intermediate and advanced fly fishers. When I first heard about the challenges, I couldn’t help but have an a-ha moment. Since fly fishing can still have the stigma of being hard and exclusive, what a great way to break down the intimidation and show it in a fun light—and not as the stuffy sport of yesteryear.

When my cohort in crime, Heather Hodson of United Women on the Fly, suggested the Bronze Challenge as part of the Rip & Hopper’s Adventure Redfish Roadie, I thought this was the perfect idea. Rip & Hopper’s Adventure was born out of a desire to bring fly fishing to the multitudes and grow our sport in a fun and collaborative way, while

Jen Ripple Jen is an FFI Board Member and Editor-in-Chief of DUN Magazine. A sounding board for women in this currently maledominated sport, Jen has created a home base for women worldwide to connect and engage in the art of fly fishing.

Skills Casting Challenge

13

educating already-anglers through cross-country road trips.

We immediately reached out to Patrick Berry, President of the FFI, and partnered with the FFI to host four challenges along our road trip: three in Florida and one in Louisiana.

But before we could do that, we had to pass the challenges ourselves so we could be evaluators.

I’m not going to lie. Given that I’ve been diligently working in fly fishing for some time now, I thought passing the three challenges (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) would be a piece of cake. Let me just say that these challenges may be for fun, but they are still challenges. And, if you are thinking what I was thinking, it’s time you have a good think again.

For me, the Bronze and Silver challenges were fun and only mildly challenging. I passed them easily. But the Gold, well that was another matter. As an angler who spends the vast majority of her time on saltwater flats, large lakes, and big rivers, and not on small trout streams, skills like the changeof-direction cast and the curve cast were not skills in my regular fishing arsenal. So, they were a bit of a challenge.

But, I’m happy to say that I am currently a Gold Casting Challenge pin holder and more importantly, Heather and I were both qualified as evaluators to hold the Bronze Casting Challenge.

With both of us big on breaking down barriers when we

14

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

teach our casting classes, it is our belief that fly fishing is fishing, and fishing is supposed to be fun. We incorporate our wacky personal styles into teaching as a way to calm nerves and promote a good teaching field. Since fly fishing is such an addictive sport, we figured the Bronze Casting Challenge was just the gateway drug we needed for our community events, and we were right.

After hosting the Bronze Challenge at four different community events last fall, I took away some tips that I hope will be helpful for those of you considering hosting the event or taking the challenge yourself.

The Do’s Set up the course correctly. Reading and re-reading the rules is uber important. Since we were hosting the Bronze Challenge and had two evaluators, we set up two of the exact same courses using orange cones in straight lines with cones at 20, 30, 40, 45, and 50 feet. It’s important to recognize that some skills require you to be within 2 feet of the cone, while others are 4 feet. Know the rules so you can pass and/or evaluate the challenge correctly. Since it’s also a challenge and not a test, there are attempts allotted. For instance, the Accuracy skill for the Bronze Challenge allows you to hit the target in three attempts or less. In addition, if

Let me just say that these challenges may be for fun, but they are still challenges.

Skills Casting Challenge

15

“I would challenge every club out there to host one in their area.”

key. At our first event, we put everyone in a big group and you’re evaluating with more than one evaluator, make sure wrongly assumed they were all there to participate in the that you both understand the rules correctly and have gone challenge. It didn’t take us long to realize that some people over the challenge together, so your testing is consistent. had come out just to meet us, some had come to have their Walk through the challenge for your participants. We first casting lesson, some were there to take the challenge, found it very helpful to perform the test at the beginning and some wanted to show us how great of the event for everyone to see. Not only they already were. By our second event, did this allow them to see that there are The purpose is to we learned to ask what their goals were times when it took us two times to hit engage and challenge first, and put them into the correct the target (and that it’s okay to miss the local fly fishers to up categories. This allowed us to use the first time and still pass), it also exhibited their casting game in short time we had with them efficiently to everyone exactly what was required of a fun and supportive and meet the needs of everyone who came them so there were less questions during manner. out to the event. the actual challenge. We did allow people Have fun. Listen, it’s important to to practice skills and ask questions for a time before we opened the challenge up remember that the Challenge programs are not the CCI certification classes. They are meant to evaluation. to engage with the local community of fly fishers and Know your audience. Every class makeup is different. challenge them to up their casting game in a fun and Knowing what your audience wants to get out of the class is

16

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Skills Casting Challenge

17

Photo Rip & Hopper’s Adventure

our events and this worked like a charm. Not only did we have extra hands on deck to help give beginning classes to those who wanted to try fly casting for the first time, it allowed fly fishers from the area, who were not already connected with a club, to meet fellow anglers and plug themselves in. As we all know, attrition is a huge problem in fly fishing these days, so getting them involved with the local community is a great way to keep the attrition numbers down.

The Don’ts Don’t judge unless you’re the evaluator. We did have a few CCIs at our events who wouldn’t participate in the challenge but did stand around making snide comments.

This doesn’t help anyone, and in fact actually deterred one woman who attended from taking her first casting lesson. While it may seem redundant, I cannot stress how detrimental this is to our sport. If you are at the point where you make a perfect cast every single time

Photo Rip & Hopper’s Adventure

supportive manner. While it’s important for the integrity of the challenge to perform the skills correctly in order to pass, let’s keep stodgy out of the casting challenge and away from the practice field. Standing with your arms folded judging everyone’s cast is no good for anyone, and definitely a downer for our sport.

Allow yourself enough time. Practicing for the challenge and actually performing the challenge takes time. We allotted ourselves two hours for the challenge and community casting events. At some of the events, this was enough time, but at our largest event this was not enough time to get through all the participants who wanted to take the challenge or have casting lessons. Err on the side of more time and promote your event to the community. You’ll be amazed how many come out.

Do involve people from your local club. If you’re thinking of hosting the Bronze Challenge in your community, having people from your club in attendance is important. We invited local FFI clubs to be present during

18

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

you pick up a fly rod, wow. Congratulations. You’re the only one. Please try and remember that the rest of us are still learning.

Don’t give advice unless you ask your student if they want it first. It would be wrong to assume that everyone there wants you to tell them what is wrong with their cast. A big part of being a successful teacher is knowing your student.

Asking “Can I give you a suggestion on your cast?” will go a long way in opening up communication and breaking down the barriers. And remember not to overwhelm your student by giving them three things to work on at one time. Go for the biggest issue and leave it at that.

Don’t take the rod out of someone’s hand or put your hand on theirs without asking permission. There are a lot of different learning styles. Some people are visual learners and will want you to see you demonstrate the skill so they can learn it but grabbing the rod out of someone’s hand or putting your hand on theirs without asking is just poor social practice. While you may be comfortable with

people touching you, not everyone is.

Don’t shy away from taking the challenge yourself or hosting the event. We had a great time hosting the Bronze Challenge, and I would challenge every club out there to host one in their area.

Over the course of the Redfish Roadie, we saw hundreds of people at our events, gave a lot of casting lessons, and evaluated a lot of participants, many of whom proudly passed. It is my belief that whether you’re a CCI, an MCI, or just the average fly fisher, working your way through the skills as outlined in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Casting Challenges is a worthwhile endeavor. I know I learned a lot both in practicing for the challenges and in hosting the Bronze Casting Challenge. It was fun to offer fly fishers an interesting and inclusive alternative to enhance their flyfishing skillset. One of my biggest takeaways? I am now much more proficient at the curve cast and the changeof-direction cast, and a better angler than I was before the challenge. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Skills Casting Challenge

19

ALL FISH, ALL WATERS ANGLER PROFILE

All Photos Jessica Haydahl Richardson

PEG MISKIN

20

Years I’ve been fly fishing: 23 Job title: Casting for Recovery/Cast One for Hope Event Manager Home water: Bitterroot River, Montana Best hatch hands-down: Salmonfly on the Bitterroot River Target species: Cutthroat, but love catching buttery browns too What’s in my travel mug: Water… just water Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: Stop to observe what’s going on before you start fishing.

Check for bugs. Fish can be two feet in front of you; they aren’t always on the other side of the river!

Go-to fish story: Catching permit

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

is the adrenaline rush, but my go-to story involves a fish on my home waters. When I first moved to Montana 7 years ago, I was fishing solo up the West Fork. After enticing a small cutthroat to my dry I was stripping it in to release. Suddenly, a shadow appeared out of nowhere and following “my” fish. I realized it was a bull trout, but remained unsure what to do as it was my first encounter. I kept my fish on, turning in circles while the bull chased it. As it started to take my fish, I lifted it out of the water and removed the hook. The cutthroat swam away after a quick release with encouragement from me to “get away.” But the bull stayed, hanging around me. It then came right at me slamming into my legs several times! Whether it was testing to see if I was edible or just angry it clearly was after me. Did I run out of the river? You bet I did! #1 on my bucket list: Being close to 70, my bucket list has changed from when I was 30! Some of that list has been ticked off: New Zealand, Christmas Island, trips to Ascension Bay, Mexico catching permit. Given our current situation, number one on my bucket list is to be able to be out with friends I love, fly fishing, laughing and sharing a beautiful day on the water with all of this behind us.

Advice for the industry: Thanks for all the majority of you do to promote fly fishing, being conservationists, and supporting important causes.

The 50/50 campaign is fine, but for me personally is not the catalyst that gets me out. I’m not thinking about men compared to women on the water. It’s about being in nature and being thankful. Promote that.

WHITNEY GOULD

Years I’ve been fly fishing: I started at the age of 11 Job title: Fly Fishing Guide/Licensed United States Coastguard Captain Home water: Missouri River, Montana Best hatch hands-down: The Blue Charm hatch; but if forced to pick an insect I would choose PMDs. Target species: Trout and steelhead What’s in my travel mug: Coffee with almond milk Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: Trust your knowledge/ instincts, and go fishing.

Go-to fish story: My first click-andpawl reel was a Hardy 3 5/8’ Model Perfect. Upon receipt, I immediately took it fishing. My husband asked if I knew the Perfect’s secret handshake.

After what I suspect was a blank

JEN RIPPLE

Years I’ve been fly fishing: 13 years Job title: Editor-in-Chief, DUN Magazine Home water: Kentucky Lake in Dover, Tennessee Best hatch hands-down: Willow fly hatch on Kentucky Lake Target species: Anything but trout (I’m a self-proclaimed anti-trouter) What’s in my travel mug: I carry a stickered-up Yeti with coffee in the morning and a special flask with single-malt scotch for the afternoon Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: You don’t have to be a great angler (or a great caster) to catch fish and enjoy the sport.

Go-to fish story: I was fishing off a live-aboard in Cuba with the amazing people at TFO, and happened to be sharing the boat with Rick Pope one day. It was my turn on the front of the flats boat when I see four really

big fish swimming toward us. The guide starts yelling “tarpon, tarpon!”

I’m looking and see the big fish but those are the strangest tarpon I’ve ever seen. So I cast right in front of them, and one immediately follows and eats. It turned out to be a giant jack. It ran for a long while before it even realized it was hooked, but once it did, it was game on. I remember Rick looking back at the guide and asking if he was going to chase after it. The guide’s reply was, “No, she can fight it from here.” Rick told him that action would be reflected in his tip! With Rick’s guidance I landed the fish, and we promptly headed back to the live aboard. For the next couple of nights we ate that jack any way possible. The joke on the boat was, “What would we have eaten had you not caught that jack?”

Great times. #1 on my bucket list: Yellow

permit in Oman with Clare Carter of Arabian Fly Fishing, hands down.

Advice for the industry: I’m going to pass along the best advice I ever received. It was right before I came out with my first (digital) magazine.

A friend who is a world-renowned photographer and fly angler told me, “Jen, there are going to be all kinds of people who say good things, and bad things, about what you’re about to do. Just remember, it doesn’t matter what they’re saying, as long as they’re saying something. Then you know you’re making an impact.”

I think about that all the time.

In today’s world of couch warriors who think nothing of trying to belittle and put down everyone for anything, I think it’s good advice to remember it doesn’t matter what they’re saying. Be true to yourself, and the way people respond in not your responsibility.

stare, he explained that all clickand-pawl reels have their individual handshakes. It wasn’t until I hooked a particularly active steelhead that I realized what I was in for. Dry practice runs may work in theory, but after hooking that fish it was obvious that these reels require more handson than the disc drive reels that I was accustomed to. I set the hook, the fish took off and my knuckles got bruised. Somewhere in between fits of uncontrollable laughter and landing the fish, I was introduced to my reel’s handshake. #1 on my bucket list: Tarpon.

However, if steelhead are the fish of a 1,000 casts, tarpon are the fish of $1,000.

Advice for the industry: None, really. I like to go fishing.

All Fish, All Waters Angler Profile

21

JESSICA HAYDAHL RICHARDSON

Years I’ve been fly fishing: I moved to Montana five years ago and started fly fishing around then. I had been conventional tackle fishing since a very early age with my father back in Canada.

Job title: Professional photographer, I specialize in the commercial side of the sports fishing industry. Also, I am a regular contributor to conventional tackle magazines and fly-fishing magazines.

Home water: Bitterroot River, Montana Best hatch hands-down: Skwala hatch on the Bitterroot. You fish big skwala files and the fish are generally super hungry after a long winter.

Target species: Anything that will bite! I am not ashamed to tie on a worm and an indicator to catch my fish.

What’s in my travel mug: Haha! My little secret.

Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: Try and enjoy yourself.

I am a very competitive person. I am not that competitive with other people, it’s more I am competitive

with myself. When I am not casting great or messing up my hook sets, I tend to get super frustrated. So I need to remember to breathe and relax, that it’s just fishing in the end!

Go-to fish story: Any time I have fished with my dad has always been memorable. I made a short film talking about my first fishing memory. My father (aka the Captain), is an incredible man and even though he can’t get out to go and fish with me anymore, I am always transported back to the first memory I have.

Fishing with my father at the age of three in Norway. Ice fishing to be exact. It was freezing cold and we didn’t catch any fish species, but for some reason, that moment has always really stuck with me #1 on my bucket list: I would love to go back to Norway to fish. My father is Norwegian and throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to travel back and forth to see my family there.

I haven’t been back since I picked up fly fishing, so it’s on my list for sure.

Advice for the industry: I try and lead by example and I hope to encourage more women to start photographing and creating content

HEATHER HODSON

Years I’ve been fly fishing: 14 years Job title: Real Job: critical care RN. Fake Job: Founder of and instructor for United Women on the Fly. Home water: Eastern Washington.

Best hatch hands-down: Flavilinea (Flav).

Target species: Native westslope cutthroat.

What’s in my travel mug: Black coffee or whiskey on the rocks.

Best fishing advice I’ve ever

22

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

in the fishing industry. I feel that if we create the content, then we can be in control of how we are perceived or visually represented in the industry.

received: Don’t practice your cast when fishing, practice casting before you go.

Go-to fish story: It took me an entire year to catch my first on the fly. I immersed myself in everything fly fishing, and I love gaining new knowledge. I’m a mega nerd! #1 on my bucket list: Catching anything and everything on poppers.

Advice for the industry: Don’t assume. Find out who an angler is before you make an opinion of them.

ALL FISH, ALL WATERS ANGLER PROFILE

JENNY WEST

Years I’ve been fly fishing: I have been fishing since I was a spry little girl at the age of 9 or 10.

Job title: Outfitter/Owner Go West Outfitters www.fishgowest.com Home water: Bitterroot River, Montana Best hatch hands-down: The Bitterroot River has so many incredible hatches…that’s what makes this river fun and unique. Skwala, salmonfly, hecuba, spruce moth, and mahogany dun hatches top my list!

Target species: Trout What’s in my travel mug: In the summer, I’m a big Lacroix fan. (I call it LaCrack!) Nothing beats a cold, bubbly beverage on a hot summer day. In the fall and spring, I switch gears to

KYNSLEE SCOTT

Years I’ve been fly fishing: I am a sixth-generation Montanan and I got my fly-fishing start on my home waters of the Missouri River. My guide career took off when I moved to Missoula to attend the University of

a thermos of Bengal Spice tea with a little cream. It just warms my heart on the those cold brisk days on the river.

Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: No mend, no fish!

Go-to fish story: I have a fishing bag full of stories to tell, growing up fishing with my dad as a young girl. Back in the day, we would rotate fishing and rowing and we’d have an egg timer on the boat. When the buzzer went off, it was time to pull over the raft and rotate…no questions asked! Before shuttles became a business, my dad would hitchhike back to the truck after we were done floating the river.

I spent countless hours waiting for him under bridges and fishing access sites. I’d fish and wait in the

stillness which seemed to take an eternity back then! #1 on my bucket list: Trip of a lifetime would be to explore Iceland and Kamchatka, Russia.

Advice for the industry: Instill conservation values to preserve our rivers for future generations to come.

Montana, where I studied hard-based sciences and conservation.

Job title: These days, I share my time between trout guiding in Montana and steelhead guiding in Washington State. I am a proud G. Loomis Elite Ambassador and honored to be OPST’s Women’s Ambassador.

Best hatch hands-down: I love small, technical dry-fly fishing so it would be a toss up between tricos and PMDs in late summer. There is nothing better than a pod of sipping trout.

Target species: For the past eight years, my favorite fish to chase is steelhead with a two-handed rod in the Pacific Northwest.

What’s in my travel mug: Depending on the time of day and for those that know me… either coffee or wine. I like my coffee black and my wine of the red variety.

Best fishing advice I’ve ever received: Always work to diversify

your fishing, whether that be how you are fishing or the places you are practicing. The more experiences you can collect, the more knowledge you will acquire.

Go-to fish story: The memory of my father landing a record Pacific blue marlin. Only nine at the time, the experience had a lasting and influential impact on me. #1 on my bucket list: Mongolia or Russia for taimen. Why? Their genetics are so special and, by connecting with something like that, inherently invests you in the protection of that species. I think that would be a oncein-a-lifetime, profound experience to have.

Advice for the industry: Let’s consider shifting the focus away from gender, although an equally important effort, and continue cultivating a leadership group of qualified professionals to help move the industry forward.

All Fish, All Waters Angler Profile

23

Let Keys Permit Spawn in Peace

C

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Staff

atching a permit on the fly is arguably the most challenging and rewarding endeavor in fly fishing. Though these fish are found throughout the Caribbean, the Florida Keys is the epicenter for catching trophy permit. With 33 of the 36 fly-caught world records occurring in Florida Keys waters, the Florida Keys permit fishery is truly special and iconic.

Yet these prized fish are not currently protected to the degree that they deserve, and as a result the population of permit in the Florida Keys has declined over the past couple of decades.

Florida’s natural resource managers have addressed the potential for permit over-harvest. In 2011, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) successfully advocated for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish the Special Permit Zone (SPZ), which encompasses Florida Keys waters. FWC closed the harvest of permit in the SPZ during the spawning season, April through July. While this was certainly a major step in the right direction, spawning permit are still under great threat at Western Dry Rocks, a reef system located within the SPZ, near Key West.

24

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Although we fish for permit on the flats, permit don’t spawn on the flats. They migrate to reefs in deeper water to spawn. Western Dry Rocks is one such spawning location. BTT researchers believe that Western Dry Rocks is an especially important spawning location because of the ocean currents that carry the larvae after the adults spawn.

At Western Dry Rocks, irregular ocean currents exist called the Pourtales Gyre. This gyre keeps larvae out of the Gulf Stream and instead circulates them back into the Keys. So the permit that spawn at Western Dry Rocks have a better chance of their larvae staying in the Keys, and the resulting juveniles growing up in the Keys, compared to if they spawn in places like Marathon or Key Largo where the currents aren’t as favorable.

Data from BTT’s permit tagging program show that Western Dry Rocks is the most important permit spawning site for flats permit in the Lower Keys. The majority of tagged permit that live on the flats migrate to Western Dry Rocks, more than any of the other spawning aggregation sites BTT and colleagues monitor. Permit travel up to 50 miles to reach this location, but unfortunately many do not return to the flats.

at Western Dry Rocks during permit spawning season (April through July).

A no-fish closure at Western Dry Rocks is not only great for permit, but also protects six other gamefish that spawn en masse there. One species of note to fly fishers is mutton snapper. In Key West, fly fishing for trophy mutton snapper at one time was very productive.

Now, that fishery is just a story that old captains tell at the bars. At Western Dry Rocks during the mutton snapper spawn, there are usually 30-40 boats fishing and killing trophy breeder mutton snapper. This fleet of boats are killing breeder mutton snapper that could have been on the flats, or breeder fish that restocked the next generation of shallow-water mutton snapper.

Photo Jessica Haydahl Richardson

Even though there is a harvest ban for permit during their spawn, a catch-and-release live bait fishery for permit at places like Western Dry Rocks has become popular.

Permit are very wary on the flats, but at Western Dry Rocks, their guard is down. It is not uncommon for anglers fishing those spawning fish to hook 10 in a day. To put that number in perspective, the best flats guides in the Lower Keys only hook and catch about 30-to-40 fish per year. One boat fishing the permit at Western Dry Rocks in one day can catch the 25-33% of the fish that a flats guide needs for the rest of the year.

Permit are very resilient to being caught and released on the flats. At the spawning aggregations, it is a different story. Hungry sharks have learned that permit are easy

meals when they are hooked. At Western Dry Rocks, sharks wait for anglers to hook a permit, then quickly attack and kill the struggling fish. A recently completed BTT study showed that more than one third of hooked permit are lost to sharks at Western Dry Rocks. Despite the closed harvest season already in place, this high mortality rate makes the fishery unsustainable, even though it is catch and release.

BTT, along with the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA), is therefore advocating for FWC to establish a fishing closure

By establishing a spring-to-summer closure of the site, FWC will help ensure the future health of the recreational permit fishery and the mutton fishery, both offshore and on the flats. The protection of spawning fish is a must if we are to conserve the species for future generations of fly fishers. But our fish need your help—voice your support for a no-fishing closure at Western Dry Rocks during spawning season by visiting BTT.org and clicking on the Western Dry Rocks page.

Let Keys Permit Spawn in Peace

25

Get Started on Smallmouth

T

Bryan Huskey

he clapping of grasshopper wings was just beginning its rhythmic rattle as the morning rays of an August sun began to heat the canyon slope behind me. The bank I was casting to was lined with dense minty-green olive trees, many extending yards out into the water. Morning shade still draped over the east bank and extended midway into the river as I admired the circumstance.

“Man, this bank looks so juicy, why isn’t this fly getting hammered,” I mumbled out loud.

Cast, strip. Cast, strip. Repeat. A hint of frustration was beginning to develop as each presentation returned unscathed. The lack of action under what seemed to be ideal circumstances was carving a rut in my confidence.

I had been at it since before six that morning. Ahead, I noticed a crease in the current, indicating some sort of underwater structure was breaking the water’s sliding, molten-glass tempo.

“Okay, gotta be some bass holding in there...”

Wanting to get within casting range but not run directly over the feature, I twisted the handle on my electric motor and pointed the tiller as my 11-foot aluminum boat slid quietly across Idaho’s Snake River.

My fly chugged along cheerfully through a boil at the top end of the seam. Leaning forward and focusing all my attention on the fly, I was poised for action. Another cast.

Then another.

Maybe this fly is just too ridiculous, I pondered.

It was, after all, something I’d created in late winter’s desperation at the tying table. The monstrosity at the end of my line was little more than wine cork and a few pinches of bucktail. The large popper drifted past the end of the seam like a leaf in the lazy current. I analyzed its form and silhouette while admiring the way it slurped and pushed water when twitched.

It was sexy on the water. Still, I contemplated switching flies.

The shape materialized instantly as a dark form beneath the fly. The largest smallie I’d ever seen coasted up and plucked the fly from the surface, then with a push of its broad tail disappeared into the glare. My eyes must have been popping out of my head as I realized my fly was no longer visible either. A few strips later, my 7-weight became heavy—very heavy.

Then, just as oddly as it began its bend, the rod tip reversed its arc and tossed the cork popper back in my face.

I scolded myself with a number of obscenities. A group of cattle on the opposite bank raised their heads to see what the commotion was all about, then returned to grazing, unimpressed.

Bryan Huskey Bryan Huskey is a husband, father, and longtime trout bum in Boise, Idaho. Photography, filmmaking, and the SkyLines Adventure Podcast fill his time between diaper changes and the occasional cast. Warmwater fish are what’s new in his world.

Get Started on Smallmouth

27

Journey of Discovery Unlike many of the articles you may have read about fly fishing for bass, mine is from the perspective of a rookie.

With decades of trout and steelhead angling under my belt, the lure of bass fishing developed as a curiosity and alternative to ever more crowded trout waters—and let’s be honest, I may have a bit of an addiction to 50-fish days and quarry that pull harder than the burliest of trout could begin to dream. But I had so much to learn, and frankly, it’s the learning that I enjoy the most.

Whether it was an evolution of thinking, a conscience change in preferences, or a deliberate shift in priorities, I don’t know. But for the past year now, I’ve been consumed with learning about catching bass on the fly. And I’ve all but abandoned local trout. What could be more fun for the post-graduate trout angler than taking on another degree?

Not to say any angler can completely master their pursuit down to a science—far from it—but for those of us who view learning as victory, failure as a form of success, and humbling days getting skunked as fun, I propose that fly fishing for bass is a thrilling adventure. I’m ever grateful I’ve embarked on this journey of discovery.

For this warmwater newbie, a few repeating observations have stuck in my head that I try to keep in mind each time I hit the water:

Reading Water Matters If there is one trait I’ve developed as a trout and steelhead angler, it’s a keen sense of reading and recognizing what lies beneath the water’s surface. The ability to look at a piece of river and, with “X-ray knowledge,” detect what the approximate depth is, where there’s soft muddy bottom, and where the riverbed transitions from scoured bedrock

28

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

The lure of bass fishing developed as a curiosity and alternative to ever more crowded trout waters.

Get Started on Smallmouth

29

to gravel bar—even in dirty water—is priceless. It’s a great tool in the box of skills to help my odds of stumbling into fish I may otherwise miss.

swirling, dead, or even reversing in an eddy, that the bass are showing up for me. This may be due in part to the way prevailing winds blow upstream, but it’s a notable aberration in my notes thus far.

Rivers are Cool I absolutely prefer fishing rivers compared to still waters.

Rivers are just so interesting to explore—especially large rivers such as the Snake, with countless islands, back channels, and literally hundreds of miles of shoreline habitat. And as it turns out, smallies like rivers too. In fact, as the river flows, it seems to me they even prefer areas in or directly attached to current. This makes the fishing more interesting when involving the elements of fish holding in current.

Orientation of Structure Matters Bass seem to prefer the backside of shoreline structure or features—meaning when a log, rock, or mat of grass extends into the river, I’d be surprised when no strikes came in the seemingly perfect zone just feet or inches in front of the feature. That’s the “red zone” for trout that I’m accustomed to targeting. Yet, it’s after passing the feature and casting to the backside where current is

Cat Scratch Fever

The response is predictable when I tell folks I’ve also been spending a lot of my angling time targeting catfish.

“Wait, with a fly rod? You just fishing super heavy flies on a sink tip?

Or chucking a hot dog out there?!”

30

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Smallies Like a Good Tan It seems to me that my best days on the water have been when the sun is shining bright. It may still be early or late in the day, and at the moment fish may be lying in the shadows, but wherever the sun is positioned, my best days have been blue birds. Wind is another factor I watch the forecast for, as the bite does seem to be a little better when there is some chop on the water. Wind makes navigating the boat a challenge, though, and can certainly cut a day short with ease. So I avoid forecasts of white caps, if nothing else because it’s so problematic for small boats such as mine.

Get Way Up in There I think bass possess the ability to sit “parked” in any space of water they can fit into. They can park it like a moped, backed-in between dumpsters in an alley, and the closer you can land a fly to them, the more likely they’ll make the

What’s equally predictable is their response when I describe the method: Actually nothing like that. Floating line, standard leader, and minnow patterns are my go-to’s. I spot them in shallow tail outs and sight fish them. It’s more hipster than fly fishing for carp.

“No way are you serious??!” is the standard reply.

I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I go into how how challenging it is, and the reward of having it all come together and bringing a two-to-three foot fish to hand. It’s truly a thrill.

Now, full disclaimer here: this is a new pursuit for me, as I’m just over a year into this wacky endeavor. I’m a long way from claiming I know what I’m doing. But I have identified a few fundamentals, and refined a trick or two, to the point when I launch my tiny tin boat and reach for my 7-weight, I know I’m not completely wasting my day on the water.

The ideal scenario goes down something like this: I seek out areas in the river waist deep or so with a patchwork of aquatic grass and open

decision to eat it. The fish aren’t always hugging cover, but when they are I’ve found it pays to let that line shoot be a bit reckless, getting your fly into the nooks and crannies.

So, for the chance of a double hook-up or just to spot where more fish are living, it’s prime time to really watch for additional fish.

Tie With Cable

Set the Hook

There may be circumstances when bass are leader shy, but I’ve yet to encounter any. No matter the fly, I tie my flies to 10-pound tippet, at a minimum. Tossing casts into tules, under branches and the like, results in a lot of snags.

Nothing beats strait-pulling your snagged fly out of just about anything as opposed to breaking off, stopping the boat and missing precious time and casts in the process.

Oh yeah, back to the huge fish from the beginning of this story. I’ve learned the hard way that setting the hook seems to matter more with large fish. We’ve all seen the way those bass guys on TV chop wood on hook sets, and I’m still in the process of trying to train myself to do the same. I think I’ve lost a handful of big, mature bass now because once I’m tight I assume the fish is “on” and I’ve failed to really drive that hook home. When fishing a 6- or 7-weight rod and heavy tippet, you might as well make the most of it and have some fun out there. Hit ’em hard and put the wood to ’em.

I’m not wishing to convert every trout angler out there into a bass nut; the change of pace and aspects of warmwater fisheries are not for everyone. What my experience illustrates is a simple wandering of interests as we mature through life and fly fishing. Depending where one lives and the opportunities available, exiting from the mainstream and seeing where an open mind may lead to can reveal unrealized fun and discovery.

Get One Fish Hooked, Watch for More The time spent cranking a fish towards the boat is a great time to observe what your live decoy stirs up in the process. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been playing a bass and observed other fish come out for a look at what all the commotion is about. When there is another rod in the boat it’s a great time to get another fly out there, as many times bass will regurgitate stomach contents in an effort to cough out your fly. Other fish know this and may swoop in to benefit from the sloppy seconds.

gravel. Finding open gravel is really key, as it seems to actually attract the flathead catfish of the Snake River.

I try to drop anchor along the slower side of a gravel bar or tail out and position myself so glare is reduced and visibility is optimal. Next is something of a waiting game, but if I’ve been floating the area often, I can sometimes hone in on areas where I’ve seen the dark 20-to-40-inch monsters patrolling. The fish seem to roam a lot during the warmest hours of the day, and I’ll stand perched on the bow of my boat watching for shot opportunities.

It’s something akin to pass shooting doves, in the sense of waiting for the opportunities to come to you as opposed to jump shooting ducks.

Catfish are spooky, and will dart at the first good look at your boat or

line slapping the water, so stealth is the name of the game. What’s helpful is that the catfish will often work upstream with all their focus on the gravel bottom ahead of them—those are the fish I really hope to spot.

If I can get a cast far enough ahead of the fish, I’ll shake out line to sink my minnow pattern and get it on the bottom. The cats that eat the best are often in small groups that seem to meander and cover ground at a decent pace. Depending on how the situation develops, I may leave my fly and wait to see if the fish happen to slide in its direction. Or sometimes I’ll strip in as needed to get in position. Bottom line is simple: get the fly on the ground and when the catfish is within a few feet begin to move the fly, as if a minnow is fleeing danger.

It will be evident if the fish is interested or not. From my experience, about one in 10 catfish will take interest in this presentation. And, of those, a slimmer sample will go all the way. But you’ll know it when you see it—a huge dark fish turning on your fly and tipping down to eat it with confidence is a thrilling sight. Now, I don’t possess any saltwater angling chops, but I do employ the “strip-set/ just keep stripping” technique with respectable success of hookups.

Once hooked, it’s a rodeo of keeping the fish out of underwater cover. Catfish are very strong, and I typically have my 7-weight doubled over, working to wrangle one into my net. I’ve seen backing too, so be prepared for pulling anchor and going for a ride.

Get Started on Smallmouth

31

fly fishing. Your support will enable Fly Fishers International to teach and foster our next generations of conservation stewards through our Learning Center and local volunteer efforts. It is our intent to ensure that robust populations of freshwater and saltwater fish continue to thrive and that all future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy a healthy natural world.

Donating is easy and we appreciate all levels of giving. One-time and recurring donations are welcome. Please consider FFI during your estate planning as well.

SWEEPSTAKES TICKET FFI has teamed with Hyde Boats to offer a Montana Skiff in a

sweepstakes drawing to be held April 30, 2018. Suggested donation is $25.00. See insert card for details.

IF YOU CAN’T BE FISHING

PURCHASE

JOIN US ONLINE

FFI sells merchandise at our online store and proceeds are used to support our LIVE ONLINE WEEKLY ZOOMS programs and operations. You’ll find shirts, hats and educational materials for sale. Buy that special gift for the fly fisher in your family. Holidays are just around the corner!

Even without the challenges of social distancing, it can be hard to get out fishing as much as you’d like. And yet, fly fishing is what makes many of us happiest. That’s why Fly Fishers International is now bringing the world of fly fishing to you (and your computer, tablet, or smartphone).

JOIN FFI ONLINE for weekly discussions and workshops with fly fishing pros and industry leaders who will share their thoughts and expertise on fly fishing, casting, tying, conservation, and more. Taking a break from fly fishing excursions doesn’t have to mean taking a break from the sport you love.

F I N D T H E SCHE DUL E HERE:

flyfishersinternational.org/FFI-Online

406.222.9369

5237 US Highway 89 South #11 / Livingston, MT 59047 / flyfishersinternational.org

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS FLY FISHERS INTERNATIONAL DONORS We are proud to recognize donors who have donated $500 or more. These funds help FFI continue our important work in conservation, education and as the voice of all fly fishers. These gifts may be dedicated by the donor to a cause they are passionate about.

Gift of 10,000+ Howe Foundation

Gift of $500+ YOT Full Circle Foundation

Gift of $1,000+ Anna Atkin Brad Eaton Robert Eck Estate of Barlett D Whelton Larry Gibbs Keith Groty Debra Hall John Herritt

Kirei USA Dean & Margaret Lewis Ohio Council - FFI Patagonia Dr. Sherman & Julie Shultz Bob Tabbert Michael Webb

Jean Black James P Bourgeois Ken Bowers Ralph K Heide John Knight Michael F. Gallavan Charitable

Gift Fund Paul Moseley Reed Family Foundation Western Rocky Mountain Council - FFI Robert Sales

PRESIDENT’S CLUB The Board of Directors established the FFI President’s Club to recognize and encourage major giving to the organization. The funds received will be used to support operations of the organization, thus providing for a stable, long-term cash flow and may not be further restricted or directed.

BRONZE $5,000+

PLATINUM $25,000+ Robert Long

Paul H Moseley

GOLD $15,000+ Keith Groty Jim & Dorothy Schramm

Edwin “Bill” Stroh

SILVER $10,000+ Richard Diamond Glenn Erikson Larry Gibbs Gary Grant Great Lakes Council - FFI

Sandra & Roger Miller Scientific Anglers Robert Shirley Richard Fredrick Trisman

David Boyer John Breslin Bruce & Leslie Brown Richard & Mary Brown Ron Cordes Lew & Tilda Evans Bud Frasca Philip Greenlee David James Tom & Debra Jindra Carl Johnson Herb Kettler Ron Knight

Dean & Margaret Lewis Tom & Patti Logan Douglas W Lovell Roger & Sandy Maler Jim Maus Sheryl Mustain Northern California Council - FFI Tom Sadler Fred Schmitz Michael Stewart Ron Winn Len & Dawn Zickler

FFI 1000 STEWARDS Alpine Fly Fishers Anna Atkin Dutch Baughman Paul Beckmann Robert Bencic Demetre Bove Hillary & Keith Burkhart Clark-Skamania Flyfishers Charles A Collins Gary Cooney-Mesker Thomas Cunningham Alan Davis Robert E Davis II

Jeffrey Dean Todd Desgrosseilliers David Drake Eastern Waters Council - FFI Tilda & Lew Evans Tom Gadacz Larry Gibbs Jack Gillis Will Godfrey Keith Groty Todd Heggestad Charles Higman Steve & Nancy Jensen

Carl & Maura Johnson Carole Katz Wayne Knight John Lewis Tom & Patti Logan Patty Lueken Mark Marmon Jim Maus Stewart Mitchell David Moore Overlake Fly Fishing Club John Page Andy Payne

Dave Peterson Dennis Precourt Richard Ross Steve Schalla Jim & Dorothy Schramm Molly Semenik Phil Shook The Forrest Family Charitable Fund Robert Tritsch Jonathan Walter Washington State Council - FFI Bruce Williams Michael Willis

COMMUNITY

Casting for Recovery & Support from FFI

C

asting for Recovery® (CFR) provides healing outdoor experiences for women with breast cancer, at no cost to the participants.

The nationwide retreats are open to women of any age and any stage of treatment and recovery. This unique program combines breast cancer education and peer support with fly fishing, enhancing the lives of women with breast cancer.

CFR programs are nature-based and take women with breast cancer out of a clinical setting. Most women that attend have never been to a support group.

The retreat provides the opportunity to find inspiration, learn something new, discover a renewed energy for life, and experience healing connections with other women and nature.

Casting for Recovery retreats are run by an army of over 1,800 volunteers across the country that dedicate their time and talent to making the program a success. CFR is a national nonprofit with programs that serve all 50 states. Breast cancer impacts all of us; women in the US face a 1-in-8 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Twohundred and fifty-thousand women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States alone. These women are our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives, partners, and friends.

34

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Shauna Williams & Dianne Tidy “Something magical happens at fishing day on a CFR retreat: women are paired with a river helper, their own one-on-one guide, and they get to spend the morning casting a fly rod. Our amazing volunteers provide a helping hand when needed, they listen, they laugh and hopefully, they net a few fish too. Most importantly they provide the opportunity for women to connect with nature and escape all that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis for a morning and that is powerful.” said Lise Lozelle, CFR Marketing Director.

FFI Casting Instructor Shauna Williams, MD, Supports CFR in Boise Shauna Williams has been involved with CFR since 2007. A gal from Washington State, Joanne Easton, was

moving to Idaho and had helped with the Washington CFR retreats. She wanted to start a CFR chapter in Idaho, and reached out to Williams, as Shauna is a co-owner of a fly shop (Idaho Angler in Boise), an FFI casting instructor (CI), and a surgeon who has operated on and has done research with breast cancer. Easton reached out to her and the other owner, Joy Knickrehm (also a CI), to help start the Idaho Chapter.

Williams currently serves as the Medical Facilitator of our Idaho chapter. She also helps with casting instruction, and guides on the final day when we take the participants fishing, in addition to her help with fund raising.

“After a retreat, I always feel that I’ve gained more than the breast

Chesapeake Council Supports CfR Dianne Tidy, an FFI CI from the Chesapeake Council, has taught fly casting and fly fishing at Casting for Recovery Retreats within the Mid-Atlantic region for more than 10 years. This region serves breast cancer survivors from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia by hosting two retreats each year. Each retreat typically has 14 attendees and are held in Virginia in the spring and Maryland in the fall.

“We teach and practice ‘catch and release,’ allowing us to hold one of nature’s wild creatures in our hands for a few brief moments before letting it go back to the wild. The clean water, beautiful scenery, and the sounds of the wild are comforting and help everyone relax and enjoy the nature displayed around us.” Tidy said.

During the course of a CFR weekend, fly-fishing instructors teach basic entomology, knot tying, fly casting and safety. We discuss water quality and its importance to our lives and our environment.

first trout or bass. Tired, but happy, we congregate one more time for graduation and a closing moment before everyone begins their long ride home.

Many of these women will join FFI and local fly-fishing clubs after the event. Some go on to fly fish with family members. Others may never have an opportunity to fish again. But all go home with smiles and new friends.

Our greatest contribution is making certain that the women who attend have a great weekend without the daily stress of illness. Over the weekend, each woman is allowed to forget her fears, make some new friends, and learn a new outdoor activity that aids in healing her mind.

Tidy says that volunteering for Casting for Recovery allows her to use the skills learned through FFI for a greater purpose. She follows in the footsteps of Carole Miller, an FFI CI from Virginia who was a CFR Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Instructor for many years and set the bar for future volunteer instructors.

To learn more about Casting for Recovery visit castingforrecovery.org.

Photos: Shauna Williams & Dianne Tidy

cancer participant. It is so exciting to see these women who have never held a fly rod before learn to cast, tie a fly, and catch their first fish. I also learn from their strength and courage as they tell personal stories about their cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery,” Williams said.

After arrival and introductions, instructors help the ladies try on their loaned waders and boots for the first time. This leads to much laughter and fun, since “Waders are not a fashion statement!” Our first casting class utilizes a fly swatter to teach hand positioning and the basic casting stroke. Attendees learn to “accelerate and stop the rod” by hitting an imaginary fly on the wall with the fly swatter. Laugh if you will, but it does work.

Next up is a first casting class outdoors, followed by a move inside to discuss fly-fishing equipment and teach basic knots. The gals need to know and understand their equipment so that they can fish safely. Knot tying helps them become more self-sufficient.

On to an introduction to entomology.

With hats on tight and bug nets in hand, the ladies root around in the river for a sampling of insect life. Then we sit down in the grass and identify some of the insects as food sources and an indicator of water quality.

After insects, the gals have free time where they can choose to tie flies or go pond fishing with a member of the fly-fishing instruction staff.

Finally, each lady is matched with her own fly-fishing guide for the day. These volunteers come from around the region to lend a hand for a very special group of ladies. During the course of the day you can hear the happy whoops and hollers as the gals connect with what may be their very

Casting For Recovery

35

CASTING

Self Diagnosing Jeff Wagner

S

ocrates is credited with the saying “the highest form of learning (understanding) is teaching.” This assumes there are various levels of learning, with rote memorization often considered to be the lowest form. Between rote memorization and teaching are various forms of learning that include application. It is this belief, and Socrates’ method of questioning, that developed what is termed the “Socratic method” of teaching. The

Socratic method is essentially posing questions that guide learning. The belief is that a question posed to a student creates critical thinking and inquiry that lead to hypothesis.

The hypothesis leads to conclusions and this process creates a long-term learning that is applicable rather than rote memorization of facts.

I think Socrates and his band of wise men could have been fly fishers. They would have enjoyed the contemplative nature of

the endeavor. They would have immersed themselves in the entomology, fish behavior and movement, and would have enjoyed debating what form of fly fishing was the most “pure.” But, more than that, I believe they would have been casters, for casting is the melding of the theory, the action, the physics, into an event that culminates, when successful, with a fish in hand and the inspiring connection with nature.

OBSERVATIONS ON LOOP SHAPE Narrow Loop

Tailing Loop

Rod tip moves in a mostly straight-line path.

Common Root Cause: Straight line path of rod tip

Rod tip moves in a dipped down (concave) path.

Common Root Cause: Not smoothly accelerating Common Faults: Too much power, poor timing of acceleration, waiting too long, not waiting long enough, stroke too narrow Common Fix: Smooth Acceleration with a defined period of rapid deceleration (stop) and a pause long enough for the loop to unroll There are useful applications of tailing loops and wide loops but let’s assume that we are focusing on substance and adhering to the rule: The fly line follows the path of the rod tip. We can compare

Wide (rounded) Loop Rod tip travels in an arcing or doming (convex) path.

Common Root Cause: Not properly loading the rod Common Faults: Too much wrist, waving the rod, not enough power, dropping the rod tip (front or back) Common Fix: Smooth acceleration with a defined period of rapid deceleration (stop) and a pause long enough for the loop to unroll

this to style, which is anything that does not affect the desired outcome of the cast (stance, grip, or arm position). This may seem a little obtuse, but let me illustrate.

Let’s assume that I want to make a 30-foot, straight-line cast. Making this cast requires a (mostly) straightline path of the rod tip. I can achieve this with a massive variety of stylistic modifications, including changes to stance, grip, arm position, etc. But what cannot change is the foundation, the substance, which is straight-line path of the rod tip. Rod-tip path changes can come through changes in acceleration, rod position and casting plane, and outside influences like ticking the water with the fly or leader.

Jeff Wagner When he’s not fishing or casting you’ll find Jeff hiking or biking the back country with his family. They also volunteer their time to conservation efforts with groups such as Fly Fishers International. Oh, and during business hours Jeff does business stuff.

36

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Self-Diagnosing

37

Their inquisitive nature would have made them experts of the cast, able to see their own cast with an eye that allowed for hypothesis on loop shape and fixing of faults. And this is my hope for all anglers, that they embrace casting not just as something learned from someone else, but something understood and applied to their own casting.

This is possible for you with a basic understanding of casting loops, faults, and fixes. This is the highest form of fly-casting knowledge: the ability to apply what you know to improve your own casting.

The power of why is your first step, and loop shape is your diagnostic tool.

It tells you what you need to know.

The first question you must ask is,

38

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

“Why am I getting that loop shape?�

Remember that there are three basic loop shapes: narrow, wide and tailing.

Of course subtle differences apply to all of them but what is most important is knowing what causes them. At the heart of this is a simple rule: The fly line follows the path of the rod tip.

It is critical that substance and style are not drawn into a conversation unnecessarily when diagnosing casting faults, especially when casting with other people with different styles. Remember that a style that achieves the desired outcome is not wrong. However, it may be less efficient. For example it is possible to cast 25 feet of line using the wrist alone. Unless there is an error in the loop this method

of casting is not necessarily wrong.

However, it is terribly inefficient and I would likely work with the student to revise and find a long-term approach that reduces the probability of joint issues.

Additionally, it seems necessary to review the basic casting mechanics.

It is these mechanics that allow us to achieve a straight line path of the rod tip when performed correctly.

Now what do we do about this?

How can we use this to self diagnose?

Bruce Richards is an expert on fly casting, a Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor with Fly Fishers International, and was the fly-line designer for Scientific Anglers for 25 years. He also developed a simple method for diagnosis of casting

CASTING faults. It follows six simple steps that all follow the socratic questioning methodology: Cause 1. What is the fly line doing?

2. What is the rod tip doing?

3. What is the caster doing?

This analysis is based on loop shape, and connecting the loop shape to the caster’s movement and equipment.

What can be done to fix the issue?

Cure 4. What can the caster do to fix the loop?

5. How does that change the rod tip path?

6. How does that change the loop shape?

Let’s go through an application and

assume the caster (you) wants to make a 30 foot cast. You are casting wide (arcing) loops.

Cause 1. You notice that while making a 30-foot cast the loops are getting wide and arcing, and this is causing a pile at the end of the line and leader upon presentation.

2. You know that wide (arcing) loops are from an arcing or doming path of the rod tip.

3. You notice that during the cast your arm is accelerating but your wrist is loose and uncontrolled.

You assess that the wrist movement is causing a loss in acceleration which is causing the rod tip to deviate from the straight path, and move in an arc

BASIC CAST IN 3 STEPS 1. Acceleration Definition: A smooth increase in speed that results in a mostly straight path of the rod tip Function: Energy input to the rod and line 2. Stop Definition: A rapid deceleration that allows the fly line to overtake the rod tip Function: Transition of energy from the rod into the line that allows fly line to overtake the tip of the rod for loop formation 3. Pause Definition: a period of time that allows the loop to unroll (straighten) Function: Removes slack from the system

or dome shape.

Cure 4. Make the wrist more firm, limit its movement 5. The rod tip will now move more in a straight line 6. Loops will become narrower The process is logical but it does require a line of questioning. This may take several tries. This process is similar to the scientific method of observing, hypothesizing, theorizing and then adjusting and repeating the process.

Of course the process can be quick.

In practical application it might mean identifying a few variables you believe could be at fault and systematically trying something different with each until it improves. With each iteration you will learn more and get better at understanding your own mechanics. It may take only minutes to modify a few components of your cast. In the long run it will save joints, muscles, and frustration on the water.

This is a process that enables you, as the caster, to understand your own casting and make improvements on the stream in real time. You don’t need to be a casting expert or have a deep understanding of physics. Just don’t keep doing the same incorrect thing over and over. I can’t tell you how many times I have witnessed a caster struggling to cast into the wind because of tailing loops. They inevitably end up casting harder and harder and it gets worse and worse. Stop. Slow down. Think. Try something different. Try less power.

Try a longer casting stroke. Keep the basic mechanics in mind: substance, style and loop-shape. You have the tools to be the best caster, catching the most fish on the stream.

Self-Diagnosing

39

Catch the Drift

N

Mark Sedotti

o technique has improved my students’ casting more than what we call drifting. What kind of difference can drifting make? Believe it or not, drifting has cured most of the tailing loop problems people have come to me with.

Many casters can cast to a certain distance pretty well, say 60, 70, 80, or even 90 feet. But once they try to cast beyond that point, they continually throw a tailing loop. It’s as if there is a “casting wall” there.

The drift has cured every single caster who has come to me with this problem. I’ve had students literally jump into the air when this happened, they were so overjoyed.

Why does the drift work?

Starting the forward cast with the rod tip further back gives you more distance to load the rod, and this can add significant distance on your forward stroke. Essentially, the more the rod bends, the farther you can cast. Many fly anglers have a hard time loading the rod at all. Correct drifting allows them to fully load it, or load it pretty well, sometimes for the first time.

Getting the rod to bend or bend deeper gives you more control of your cast. This control will make (and keep) you unconsciously more relaxed during your cast and will help your cast beyond what you can imagine.

All drifting is, too, is letting the casting hand, forearm, and rod slip back some immediately after the rod tip stops on the final backcast, just before the presentation stroke forward.

This gives you more distance to load (bend) the rod. It’s easy to do, and, with a little practice, can be integrated seamlessly into your stroke.

Once you stop that rod tip on a backcast (or forecast) you have no influence on that fly line until it straightens out behind you. You can write your name in the air with your

rod tip and that line will keep going back as if you didn’t do anything—until the line straightens, that is. At that point, the line will follow the rod tip once again.

Yet, you can use this interval between the rod-tip stop and straightened line to your advantage. That’s when you apply the drift. All you have to do is this: relax that casting hand, wrist, and forearm immediately after you stop the rod. Your hand and wrist will naturally move backwards some, as will the forearm.

You can “help” this a little, too. As your hand moves downward with the broken (but still controlled) wrist, the rod will follow and move back and downward as well. This will be most obvious and pronounced at the rod tip, with the tip moving the most distance. Remember: this drifting movement is relaxed—and quick! At its end, you simply stop the rod tip smoothly.

Now, any rod tip drift, no matter if it’s just a few inches or a few feet, will give you significant distance to help you load the rod. This will, in turn, give you more distance and control on the cast.

The most critical part to remember is that you have to drift immediately after the rod tip stops. Don’t hesitate! If you do, then the line will have a greater chance of straightening before the drift is finished (or even before it starts if you’re that slow to the punch) and the cast will be ruined. So do the drift immediately, and after that, treat the rest of the cast exactly as you normally would. Besides the drift, everything else is the same—same timing, same movements. All you do is add that one small component.

Maybe you should make this small addition to your casting technique. A quantum leap in your casting might be just a drift away.

Mark Sedotti Mark Sedotti, from Long Island, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut, is renowned as both a distance caster and innovative fly tier. He was casting columnist for Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine. Reach him for private instruction, clinics, and presentations at msedotti@hotmail.com.

Catch the Drift

41

FLY TYING

Spring: A New Beginning Jerry Coviello

A

The Spoon and the Special Captain Hugh Smith, who guides in Navarre, Florida, and is the Fly Tying Group saltwater chairperson, likes to chase big bull redfish from Florida to the marshes of Louisiana. He has two secret flies he likes to use, and I am glad he decided to share them with me.

“The Waldner Spoon fly, some will say this is not a fly, but it has everything that makes an acceptable fly,” Smith said. “First it is easy to cast on fly rods. Next, it elicits a desirable reaction by certain fish. I have landed

everything from salmon to juvenile tarpon on this fly. It is tied by hand using tools, techniques, and materials that are in use by most fly tiers. Lastly, it is quite beautiful.”

Next on the Captain’s list, we go from complicated to simple with a fly called the Delacroix Special by Dr. Ryan Hawks. It features a tail of Krystal Flash, head of chartreuse Estaz, and dumbbell eyes, making this a quick-and-easy fly to tie. Delacroix is actually a good redfish location in Louisiana, and Smith told me he loves

Photo Dana Harrison

s winter releases its grip on us, spring will lead us to a renewal of life; the flowers are starting to bud and the trees and grass are turning green. Insects and birds are all around us.

In some areas, spring signals the beginning of the fishing season and we find ourselves anxiously looking forward to the first day of wetting a line and hopefully landing our first fish.

I asked three of my friends from the Fly Tying Group how they start their spring fly fishing.

Jerry Coviello Fly Fishers International Fly Tying Group Chairman. Jerry serves on the FFI Education Committee. He has been a Fly Tying Demonstrator at the FFI Fishing Fair, International Fly Tying Symposium, Edison Fly Fishing Show, and Wing Shooting Show. Additonally, he is a Fly Tying Instructor at Project Healing Waters in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and is member of the Dyna-King Vise and Solarez UV Resin Pro Teams.

42

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

Bling Midge Materials Hook: Straight-eye dry-fly hook, sizes 20-24 Thread: Color to match the fly Body: 8/0 thread Thorax: 8/0 thread Collar: 1 strand of Krystal Flash

Pink Tungsten Zebra Midge Materials: Hook: Curved pupa hook, size 22 Bead: Pink tungsten 1.5mm Thread: Black Ultra thread Ribbing: XS silver Ultra wire

Empty Marauder Materials Hook: Curved hopper hook, size 18 Bead: Bright orange tungsten Thread: Brown 70 Ultra thread Body: Brown 70 Ultra thread Ribbing: Dark green wire Thorax: Brown fine ostrich herl

Chubby Chernobyl Materials Hook: 3XL, size 8 Thread: Color to match the body Tail: Red Krystal Flash Under Body: Orange craft foam Body: Ice Dubbing, orange Overbody: Tan 2mm foam Legs: Round rubber legs Double Wing: Light grey Antron or Z-lon yarn

Spring: A New Beginning

43

Stimulator 2.0 Hook: 2XL nymph hook, #6 - 10 Tail: Olive/tan/brown marabou Body: Olive/tan/brown dubbing fur Overbody: 2mm foam (olive/tan/brown) Legs: Sili Legs, crawdad pumpkin

Delacroix Special Material: Hook: Owner Aki, sizes 2-3/0 Thread: Red Danville, flat waxed Tail : Multi-colored Krystal Flash Eyes: Medium-to-large barbells, yellow w/black iris Head: Chartreuse Estaz, medium/large

Waldner Spoon Materials Hook: Mustad S71SNP-DT, sizes 2 and 1/0 Weed Guard: Mason hard mono, 40-lb. single weedguard Frame: Copy wire Body Bubble: 5-min epoxy Body color: Glitter All three colors have a gold belly

Rubber-Legged Dragon Materials Hook: Size 10 2XL nymph hook, Mustad 9671 or similar Thread: 6/0 black Eyes: Bead chain Tail: Rabbit, black or olive Body: Chenille, black or olive Legs: Rubber, yellow Hackle: Grizzly, slightly oversized Head: Rabbit tail, dubbed with underfur removed

44

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

FLY TYING

Adams Materials: Hook: Dry-fly hook, sizes 10-20 Thread: Black 6/0 Wing: Grizzly hen hackle tips Tail: Brown and grizzly hackle fibers, mixed Body: Muskrat or grey fur dubbing Hackle: Brown and grizzly rooster

Blowtorch Nymph Materials: Hook: Daiichi 4647 jig hook, sizes 8-16 Thread: Fire orange 6/0 or 8/0 Bead: Copper-slotted bead to match the hook Weight: .015 lead-free wire (6 to 8 turns) behind the bead Tail: Fire orange Antron yarn not to extend past the bend of the hook Rib: Holographic small green tinsel Body: Peacock Ice Dubbing, you can use peacock Collar: Fire orange thread coated with either UV resin or head cement Hackle: Hen well-marked fibers

to catch 20-pound redfish using this fly out on the flats.

Midges, Marauders, and More Matt Trainor is a transplanted New Jersey angler who has fished the shores for stripers and blues and the mountain streams of New Jersey for trout. He now lives in Arizona with his wife and two daughters and is a registered guide for Sedona Fly Fishing Adventures. He fishes the spring creeks and tailwater streams and showed me a few of his favorite guide flies that he uses out on the river. I had to break out the microscope to see these flies.

Midge patterns such as the Bling Midge, Pink Tungsten Zebra Midge, and Empty Marauder, can all be dead

drifted with a strike indicator or tied as a dropper from one of his favorite dry flies; for these, he typically uses a Chubby Chernobyl or a fly he calls the Stimulator 2.0, which is simply a modified Stimulator.

Enter the Dragon My friend Kevin McGrath is a longtime FFI Fly Tying Group member and Casting Instructor, as well as a Field & Stream magazine hero of conservation and an IGFA World Record holder for Arctic grayling, all tackle. He resides in the north Georgia mountain town of Sautee Nacoochee, as well as Atlanta.

I first met Kevin over 30 years ago, when he was a pilot for the Marines and living in my Pennsylvania town.

He has taken all the skills he learned in Pennsylvania down to Georgia and is now an exceptional tier and caster.

I asked Kevin for his favorite spring pattern and here is what he told me.

“The Rubber Legged Dragon (RLD) is a deadly fly,” he said. “Designed by fishing manager Carter Nelson for fishing bream and bass ponds at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, it imitates a food source to catch fish in warm and cold water as well as ponds, lakes, and streams. I’ve caught bream in numerous farm and neighborhood ponds; trout and bass in mountain rivers; and even Arctic grayling in Canada. Friends have used it successfully for carp and catfish.

“Originally tied in black or olive, the RLD can be dressed in a variety

Spring: A New Beginning

45

of colors. Black, olive or yellow mimic dragonfly and stonefly nymphs. Brown or orange can imitate small crayfish.

Yes, even chartreuse works. The RLD falls into a class of flies like the Woolly Bugger, Clouser, and Deceiver that are simply universal. With bead or dumbbell eyes tied Clouser-style, the hook rides point-up, reducing snags. I always carry a few in my fly box”.

Adams in April Although I have lived in southeast Pennsylvania now for the past 30 years, I originally came from New Jersey and had the opportunity to fish many of the legendary Catskill streams. Spring was always a large event. Opening day in New York was, and always is April 1, followed by New Jersey on the second Saturday of April. Last, was the third Saturday of April in Pennsylvania. Crowds would form at the pools of all the stocked trout streams.

One of my favorite memories was fly fishing behind the Darbee house on Willowemoc Creek. “April Greys” is a term I heard for many years for the early season flies I saw there.

My favorite fly pattern for those insects is the Adams. Using a size 16 Adams was the answer that day. I was catching trout while others kept asking me what I was using. I still use the Adams, especially during the month of April.

Try Something New I am always looking for something new to tie and try, so I started to receive jig hooks at the fly fishing shows to try out. Then I saw a pattern from Devin Olsen called the Blowtorch Nymph. Devin is a competition angler.

With the use of a slotted-tungsten

46

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

bead and a bend at the hook eye, the fly rides hook point up. Adding extra weight and the tungsten bead gets this fly down to where the fish are.

I like to use this especially in pocket water. I also use a strike indictor or a tie the Blowtorch off a large dry fly as a dropper.

No matter where you live, spring is a magical time to get out and enjoy the solitude and wonder of the outdoors, especially now as we need some kind of distraction from all the issues in today’s world. Just remember to say safe and healthy while out on the water.

Tying Steps for the Blow Torch Nymph Hook: Daiichi 4647 jig hook, sizes 8 - 16 Thread: Fire orange, 6/0 or 8/0 Bead: Copper slotted bead to match the hook Weight: .015 lead-free wire ( 6 to 8 turns) behind the bead Tail: Fire orange Antron yarn not to extend past the bend of the hook

Rib: Holographic small green tinsel Body: Peacock Ice Dubbing, you can use peacock Collar: Fire orange thread coated with either UV resin or head cement Hackle: Hen well marked fibers

1 Place your bead on the hook and secure in the vise.

FLY TYING

2

7

Take .015 lead-free wire and wrap five-to-eight turns around the shank of the hook. Slide the wraps tight against the bead.

Dub a tapered body right behind the bead.

8

3 Attach thread behind the bead.

Wrap to the bend of the hook.

Rib the body evenly in the opposite direction of the dubbing and secure behind the bead.

9

4

Take a well-marked hen neck feather and tie in behind the bead on both sides of the hook. The hackle fiber tips should point back towards the bend and should not exceed past the point of the hook.

Tie in a strand of orange Antron yarn for the tail.

5

Use either a real peacock herl as rope for the body or peacock ice dubbing to dub a tapered body.

Trim the Antron yarn and the yarn behind the bead. The tail should be in line with the bend of the hook.

Tie in the green holographic tinsel at the bend of the hook.

6

10 Build a hot-spot collar behind the bead.

11 Whip finish. Either coat the hot spot collar with head cement or UV resin.

Spring: A New Beginning

47

FFI FORUM Learning to Fly Fish in the Upper Midwest

College in Rochester, Minnesota.

In addition to meeting the venue requirements, this location was also within minutes of the Driftless Area, a geographical trout fishing mecca in southeast Minnesota.

With the venue for a fly-fishing school located, the next task was to create the classes for a successful flyfishing school. Here, the foundations of the Fly Fishers International served as an inspiration: conservation, fly casting, fly tying, and fly-fishing skills. We developed courses on reading the water, entomology, fly casting, tying flies, knot tying, and fly-fishing equipment. A cohort model was discussed in which the school participants would attend each class as a group. This proved to be an awesome idea, as the participants have tended to develop a sense of camaraderie during the fly-fishing school weekend. The connections that occur with fly fishing, after all, are also a fundamental aspect of the sport.

The first Upper Midwest Council flyfishing school was held in July of 2015.

There were nine people that signed up

In March of 2012, a core group of interested fly fishers gathered on a soccer field at the Blaine, Minnesota, Sports Center and formed the Upper Midwest Council. Education from the start has been an important aspiration of the Upper Midwest Council, from which the development of a fly-fishing school began.

The first factor was finding a venue for holding a fly-fishing school. There were several requirements for a flyfishing school, including adequate classroom space, a big-enough casting field, and a place to go indoors in the case of inclement weather. The search was on, and led to finding the Rochester Community and Technical

for Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday classes. The Sunday classes have been an on-the-water experience in which the casting, reading the water, flyfishing knots, and the flies they tied are put into action on blue-ribbon trout waters with experienced instructors.

With the 2016 school, and every year since, the fly-fishing school has also included a Certified Casting Instructor preparation course or Master Casting Instructor preparation course. In 2017, there was a CCI-prep course in Green Bay, Wisconsin, along with the school and CCI-prep course in Rochester. In 2018, the Green Bay event focused on Spey casting with Lake Michigan as the casting venue. To date there have been approximately 100 people over a five-year period who have participated in the Upper Midwest Council fly-fishing school. And about 15 instructors that have provided their expertise, knowledge, and passion of fly fishing.

June 12-14, 2020 will be the sixth year for the Upper Midwest Council fly-fishing school, with another CCIprep course. The venue is set again

ME WA

VT ND

MT

MI

MN

OR

WI

SD

ID WY CA

UT

CO

MI

IA

NE

NV

NY

IL

KY

MO

KS

MD WV

AZ

OK NM

AR MS LA

TX AK

HI

48

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

AL

VA NC

TN

RI

NJ

PA OH

IN

NH MA CT

SC GA FL

DE

Chesapeake (PA-WV-VA-MD-DE) Eastern Rocky Mtn (WY-CO-NM-AZ) Eastern Waters (NY-NJ) Florida Gulf Coast (LA-MS-AL) Great Lakes(MI-IN) Northern California (CA-NV-HI) North Eastern (VT-NH-ME-MA-RI-CT) Ohio

Oregon South Eastern (KY-TN-NC-SC-GA-AL) Southern (NE-IA-KS-MO-IL-OK-AR) Southwest (CA-NV) Texas Upper Midwest (MN-WI-IL) Washington (WA-AK) Western Rocky Mtn (UT-IDMT-ND-SD)

at the Rochester Community and Technical College, and the courses and instructors ready for another successful fly-fishing event.

Please note: Many events have been canceled due to concerns regarding COVID-19. Please check the FFI Events Calendar for further information.

Florida Council The Second Annual Outfitters Day recently took place at the worldclass Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. Situated on 500 acres of protected tropical landscape, including 11 stocked and managed lakes and ponds, the resort welcomed guests and visitors to participate in this complimentary event January 11, 2020.

The Outfitters Day is a casual event that features several fly casting, fishing, and product demonstrations, as well as a stellar lineup of exhibitors. Hotel chefs prepare an incredible lunch and then top long-distance fly casters from all corners of the state compete for the

Ritz-Carlton Top Gun trophy.

Instruction is hosted by RitzCarlton Director of Fly Fishing, Captain Mark Benson. Mark is a Fly Fishers International Certified Casting Instructor and recipient of the 2015 and 2016 President’s Pin. Mark introduces the fundamentals and principles of rod loading, line control, and tip path in an easyto-understand style. Intermediate instruction, offered to guests, focuses on double hauling, windyday techniques, fish-fighting

philosophies, and more, while advanced casters can learn to increase distance, and practice specialty casts as well as casting at moving targets.

The Top Gun Fly Casting Competition is billed as Florida’s top

tarpon distance casting competition.

Participants battled the intermittent wind to cast a minimum 100 feet utilizing a standardized 11-weight rod and line. The top six casters qualify to compete for the cup. The 2020 casters included host Mark Benson, as well as Dave Chouinard, Ted Haas, Greg Peterson, David Olson, and Cas Summers. Ultimately, the award went to Cas Summers with the winning distance of 111feet, 10-inches.

Fly Fishers International joined dozens of other manufacturers, outfitters, guides, and artists to provide attendees with a wellrounded opportunity to test equipment, build skills, ask questions, and better understand Florida fisheries. A big thank you to Florida Council President, Tom Gadacz, as well as Rick Warfel, Ron Bloomquist, and Stewart Michell for welcoming guests and sharing FFI programs and activities.

This event was top-notch in every way, from the setting and the host to the food and exhibitors, right down to

Council Presidents: Chesapeake Pete McCall pete.mc@verizon.net

Gulf Coast AJ Rosenbohm ajrosenbohm@gmail.com

Oregon Sherry Steele steelefly@msn.com

Texas Andy Payne president@texascouncilffi.com

Eastern Rocky Mountain Bruce Brown colo.bruce@gmail.com

North Eastern William Ciaurro william@flyspoke.com

Southeastern Vacant

Upper Midwest Ralph Johnson rjpar@aol.com

Eastern Waters Sam Decker samfishes@hvc.rr.com

Northern California Mark Rockwell mrockwell1945@gmail.com

Florida Tom Gadacz thomasgadacz@yahoo.com

Ohio Jeff McElravy jmcelravysr@hotmail.com

Southern Ron Knight ron79580@gmail.com Southwest Steve Schalla president@swcffi.org

Washington State Bill Wheeler wwheeler48@hotmail.com Western Rocky Mountain Dave Londeree dlonderee@roadrunner.com

Great Lakes Dennis O’Brien dennissueob@aol.com

FFI Forum

49

the to the event poster itself, which featured the work of Gordie Hinds.

Hinds is a Florida-based artist who has been described as “Hemingwayesque; a man with a large life who’s lived large.” His work is mostly commissioned, depicting the southern Florida lifestyle. This commemorative poster was available for purchase during the event and is undoubtedly gracing the walls of several passionate anglers’ homes today.

Great Lakes Council Helps Protect and Restore Pere Marquette River

With a threat of railroad cars toppling into the Pere Marquette River due to an eroding bank, the Pere Marquette Watershed Council is taking action to prevent what could be a catastrophic chemical disaster that could destroy 60 miles of prime trout habitat. Fly Fishers International and the Great Lake Council are providing grants to assist.

The Pere Marquette is a nationally known Wild and Scenic River in northern Michigan famous for its brown trout fishing and prolific steelhead and salmon runs. Just south of the city of Baldwin, Michigan, lies a stretch of river that is unique because an active railroad track runs parallel to the river. The track lays atop the original railroad bed constructed in 1874. The 25-foot embankment that

50

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

the railroad track sits on has been slowly eroding for over 20 years.

The Pere Marquette Watershed Council and Conservation Resource Alliance have spent over $25,000 to get preliminary engineering studies done. The partners in the project have agreed that the best option is to fill in the toe of the eroding bank with fill stone.

Fly Fishers International and its Great Lakes Council, along with other partners, are supporting the Watershed Council in their efforts to restore the embankment.

Construction won’t start right away as the project will need about $200,000 to begin. A number of additional partners, including PMTU, have already pledged funds.

Source: Article written by Shanna Avery, Lake County Star, lakecountystar.com.

Second Annual FFI Fly-Tying Challenge The Fly Tying Group of Fly Fishers International is proud to announce the second annual FFI Fly Tying Challenge. This great contest, of which Fly Tyer is a proud sponsor, is open to tiers of all skill levels. Here is your chance to win glory and a great trip to fish for trophy trout.

According to Jerry Coviello, chairperson of the Fly Tying Group, the Fly Tying Challenge features several categories of patterns: dry fly, wet fly, nymph/crustacean, and streamer. The winner of each category will receive a medal and certificate testifying to their fly tying talents, and second and third place winners will receive certificates.

All first-place flies will appear in a

future issue of this magazine.

In addition to submitting flies to any of the four individual categories, you may tie a sample of each pattern and also send a “tie-breaker” fly of your choice to enter a fifth, overall winner category. The accomplished tier who is crowned the overall champion will enjoy an unforgettable trip provided

by John Burrell’s High Adventure Company to enjoy some of the finest trout fishing in the United States.

The overall winner and one guest will cast to trophy trout on a private section of the Soque River in Georgia’s beautiful Chattahoochee National Forest. Their time at High Adventure Company will feature three nights lodging, two days of guided fishing, and all meals. To learn more about High Adventure Company’s exclusive fishing and hunting trips, check out highadventurecompany.com.

Visit flyfishersinternational.org/ Tying/Fly-Tying-Challenge for full rules and entry guidelines.

FFI Expands International Presence, Appoints Ambassadors in Japan & Italy FFI recently developed the International Ambassadors Program, a new project to help FFI represent the sport and legacy of fly fishing across various countries and cultures. The duty of the International Ambassador is to work with FFI members and the broader international fly-fishing community in the development of FFI conservation and education programs that are consistent with the cultural values and fly-fishing traditions within their respective country.

Please join us in welcoming our first three International Ambassadors!

FFI FORUM Eriko Hondo Eriko Hondo is President and CEO of Mind Creators Japan Inc., a company she founded in November 2011.

Eriko first experienced fly fishing in Lake Biwa in 2015 when she moved to Kyoto, Japan, but had few opportunities to join any fly-fishing

communities there. In 2015, while on the set of a documentary movie in Wyoming, Eriko experienced a beautiful hatch renewing her interest in exploring the sport as well as associated conservation activities. She believes in learning about fly fishing, its philosophy, and its history, all of which are important to impart to the next generation.

Masao Sakaguchi Masao Sakaguchi has been an amateur fly fisher for 45 years. He has been a regular contributor to Japanese fishing magazines, primarily focusing mainly on match-the-hatch fly fishing on some specific streams on the island of Hokkaido, and the Nikko area, 125 miles north of Tokyo.

Masao has been a dedicated member of FFI and traveled to attend nearly every International Fly Fishing Expo between 1986 and 1995. His goal is to educate the next generation about sustainable fly fishing. As a part of his work, he would like to help many Japanese fly fishers join the FFI, to face the challenging issues and to enhance educational programs.

Pietro Brunelli Pietro Brunelli is a passionate fly fisherman with a Ph.D. in History. He is has been a fly-fishing author since 2008 for the Italian magazine La Pesca Mosca & Spinning. As an FFI-Certified Casting Instructor, he teaches fly casting in two Italian schools. He is on the pro staff for Sage Italy and

has also served in the role of flyfishing program manager for St. Croix distribution in Italy.

Pietro is a PB Fly Fishing & Outdoor shop owner, member of A.I.GU.P.P. and a mountain/outdoor guide registered in the AIGAE association for official guides.

Anyone interested in serving as an International Ambassador should contact Kuni Masuda, FFI’s International Programs Chair, at klmasuda@yahoo.com.

Chuck Easterling Memorial Chuck Easterling was a consummate gentleman; ever thoughtful and always polite. He will be remembered as a friend to all, an exceptional listener, and a valued teacher—a life

well-lived that inspired others. First and foremost however, Chuck was a man of God. Family members fondly remember that even when traveling to fish, Chuck never missed Mass.

Fishing was important, but came second to his relationship with God. Before becoming a member of the Casting Board of Governors, Chuck would travel annually to attend the Conclave. For many years, he would make the trip with his wife, Linda, then he migrated to making the trip each year with a son, the thought being that they too would be inspired to appreciate the sport and the love of nature.

Chuck and Bill Gamell founded the Casting Instruction Weekend Events, in which they brought in fellow MCI’s and Governors to teach and share their knowledge. For over a decade, he taught at these events, methodically ensuring students increased their casting distance.

Chuck always gave freely of his time and did so humbly for many years within the FFI organization.

FFI Forum

51

FFI FORUM He was a life member of Fly Fishers International, a Master Casting Instructor, Member of the Casting Board of Governors, Chair of the CI Exam and Ethics Committees as well as Chair of, and then later, Advisor to the Examiner Review Committee.

While he gave of his time without expectation of recognition, he was honored on two occasions by FFI. In 2014, Chuck received the Mel Krieger Casting Instructor Award in recognition of the significant contributions he made to the CICP by dedicating himself to fly-casting instruction and freely sharing his deep knowledge with others. Then again in 2015, he was awarded a Governor’s Pin in recognition of his contribution to the CICP and specifically his volunteer efforts in meticulously implementing the Examiner Development Pathway.

Chuck was unique and special. We will miss him greatly.

Dick Brown Memorial Richard “Dick” Brown was a child of the Great Depression. Following the separation of his parents, Dick was

raised by extended family in a humble environment in Minnesota. While making plans to work for a family member in Alaska, he was drafted by the US Army and ultimately stationed

52

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

in Korea for several years following the armistice signing in 1953. His military service was followed by a 32year career with IBM, which Dick often attributed to his ability to provide a security for his family he didn’t always have in childhood. In the mid-1980s Dick retired to the family cabin that he constructed in Kachina Village, located just south of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Dick was a true outdoorsman at heart. He shared this passion with his wife and children, camping, backpacking, and fishing often. Later in life, he would carry on this tradition, taking grandchildren on trips from Arizona to Alaska to Montana and teaching them to fish, kayak, canoe, and to enjoy being outdoors.

Dick, along with his wife of over 64 years, Mary, have been long-time Life Members and contributors to Fly Fishers International. He was a member and Conservation VP of the Northern Arizona Flyfishers FFI club in Flagstaff. He worked on the FFI Native Fish Policy and was instrumental in the reintroduction of Gila trout, native to the mountains of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. His efforts also included the restoration of Perkins Tank and JD Dam fisheries near Williams, Arizona, as well as other fisheries in and around Flagstaff, Sedona, and the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.

Dick received numerous awards, to include the FFI Conservation Award in 2003, Arizona Outdoors Hall of Fame 2006, the Arizona/New Mexico Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Conservationist of the Year in 1998, and the Third Annual Len Holt Conservation Award from the

Northern Arizona Flyfishers in 1995.

The latter award was very special, as Len Holt was one of his fishing buddies.

FFI Board Chair, Tom Logan remembers meeting Dick over two decades ago after being invited to join the Conservation Committee.

He acknowledges that he formed a fast appreciation for Dick, a man he refers to as a gentleman and who was dedicated to a sound conservation philosophy regarding the importance of conserving our natural resources.

Tom expressed, “You could not help but listen, learn and want to join him in the conservation work for FFI that has grown to a program of which we all can be proud of today. I often think of Dick as we take one more significant step for conservation of fishes, their habitats, and our natural landscapes and hope he is proud of what we’re doing.”

Another long-time friend and colleague, Rick Williams, recalls their work developing the Native Fish Policy in the mid-1990s. “Dick had a passion for conserving native trout in the Intermountain West. I very much enjoyed working with Dick and Richard Izmarian on the FFI Native Fish Policy, which ended up being a great and timely contribution and led directly into our subsequent Native Fish Conservation Area work.”

In the words of Former FFF Conservation Committee Chair, Verne Lehmberg: “The Conservation Committee and the entire FFI organization owe Dick Brown applause for his skill, dedication, and tenacity to get conservation work done. We are very proud of his accomplishments for conservation.”

Mustad Launches Hooked on Sustainable Fishing Conservation Initiative

I

Photo Jessica Haydahl Richardson

n an effort to substantially decrease the company’s environmental impact, Mustad has launched its Hooked on Sustainable Fishing conservation initiative.

The initiative, which aims to “achieve a sustainable future for all by 2030,” outlines the steps Mustad plans to take toward becoming a “net positive” company—meaning one that gives more than it takes from the natural environment, while at the same time enriching the lives of its employees.

According to a release outlining the initiative, “Adopting sustainable business strategies is central to our long-term success.”

In organizing and implementing the initiative, Mustad relied heavily on the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, which have been in place since 2015. Using a number of the UN’s goals as a baseline, Mustad created four sustainability principles through which it plans to conduct its business: 1. Minimizing the environmental footprint of our products and services 2. Protecting and enhancing aquatic ecosystems 3. Taking care of our people and providing meaningful employment 4. Advancing responsible business Each principle was built upon at least one of the UN’s goals, with the stated ambitions of positioning social and environmental sustainability at

the heart of product development and the core business model, being transparent in how the business is run responsibly, ensuring product traceability, becoming recognized as an attractive employer, engaging and working with wider society to protect and enhance all aquatic ecosystems, and taking the lead in the fishing gear sector as an innovative, responsible, and qualitydriven company.

Mustad has already begun taking some steps toward this sustainability goal.

In 2019, the company introduced packaging sourced from recycled materials and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as well as knife and tool packaging that is completely plastic-free. In addition, Mustad has turned to tungsten to replace lead in its new fishing weights, with 97 percent of the weights lead-free.

Moving forward, Mustad plans to release an online “Mustad Academy,” with advice for consumers on such topics as how to responsibly use Mustad products, how to practice catch and release, and more, with the ultimate goal of coordinating with consumers and conservation groups to help clean up and enhance aquatic ecosystems around the world.

FFI Forum

53

Full Circle

M

Jeff Mickiewicz

y first fly rod was a Christmas gift from my parents when I was in ninth grade. It was the typical entry-level rod with the matching click-and-pawl reel. However, the gift was anything but ordinary to me, and my experience in the fly-fishing world began almost immediately. I learned to cast that winter.

Although it lacked large numbers of trout, a little stream ran through our backyard back then. Each fall, a handful of beautiful brook trout would find their way up there from the main river. They were a refreshing sight, spawning on miniature redds, and it was something we kept a secret. Our stream was only a few feet wide, which made me a small-stream specialist from the very beginning.

Early on in my fishing career, I alternated between that first fly rod and a basic spinning rod; I probably spent more time casting black jitterbugs for largemouth than dry flies for trout. This lack of skill showed on the water.

An old college professor told me once that my casting was great, but that I “couldn’t read the water for a lick.”

A few years later, I made it out to Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop in West Yellowstone, Montana. There’s no better place to learn how to fish for trout.

Early on, one of my first realizations was understanding that the fish in the Madison River held right along the bank in May. My buddies would usually yell to me, that “they aren’t in the middle of the river yet, so stop fishing there!” I was like a sponge that summer.

My travels eventually led me to Alaska and the Goodnews River. I landed a job guiding on the Goodnews for a

couple of summers early on in my teaching career. What a beautiful river it is and we had it all to ourselves. This made me think of what Montana was like a few decades ago, back before fly fishing became so popular.

The clock continued to tick for me, however, and I eventually woke up with responsibilities. They consisted of a house, a black lab, a beautiful wife, two wonderful little girls, and the list seemed to go on and on. My summer job now consists of simply being a great dad.

Recently, the Farmington River presented me with an opportunity to reacquaint myself with a time when things were much simpler. All I needed was my fly rod and waders. The “Farmie,” as many people call it in the northeast, is a beautiful bottom-release tailwater with a healthy population of brookies that take me back in time to my parent’s little stream.

It’s funny how sometimes you find your way back to where you began. As I write this, it’s still early in the school year. Some days I enjoy the routine of my job and the students, and other days I dearly miss my own two children and our summer adventures.

It’ll be quite a while until the next time I see my mom or dad pull into the driveway to watch the girls as I rush to the river in order to catch the evening hatch—maybe even a stop into the local trout shop would be on the agenda.

I’m not casting in the freezing cold while standing in my parents’ backyard, but what I can do is close enough for me. The journey of life really is a full circle. A trip back to where you may have been and a time or two you may have even forgotten about.

Enjoy the ride, wherever it may lead you.

Jeff Mickiewicz Jeff Mickiewicz is a high school science teacher who was lucky enough to have had a handful of jobs in the fishing industry when younger. He now lives in Connecticut with his lovely wife and two daughters. Most of his time on the water now occurs either on the Farmington River, or out on the Long Island Sound in his old Mako.

54

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020

meet patty lueken, a 1000 steward “I became a member of 1000 Stewards to help support the legacy of fly fishing and all it has to offer. I particularly support FFI’s partnership with key conservation organizations to help projects and advocacy initiatives in a manner that leverages limited resources and maximizes the impact of my contribution. I like that concept.” help MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

flyfishersinternational.org/ffi1k

You have a unique opportunity to invest in the sport you love.

FLY FISHERS INTERNATIONAL’S

1000 Stewards program

asks dedicated fly anglers to donate $500 PER YEAR FOR 5 YEARS (a total of $2500.)

FFi1K

join the

stewards

56

FlyFisher Spring/Summer 2020