SPRING 2020 | VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2

Built for freedom.

Designed for responsibility.

Our new Swiftcurrent Expedition Waders are the result of relentless innovation, meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to save our home planet.

They’re lighter, stronger and designed to move better in and out of the water, and they’re built with 100% recycled face fabric.

Just another day in paradise. Mikey Wier navigates a NorCal nirvana in search of a few rainbows. Jeremiah Watt © 2020 Patagonia, Inc.

FOCUS I’m dreaming of high summer and wet-wading the rivers and streams of glacial tributaries, where I can leave civilization behind.

© Photo Dana Harrison

Publishing Team Chris Bird Jennifer Bird Editorial Team Derek Bird Gary Bird Jim McLennan John Van Vleet Group Art Direction Terry Paulhus Circulation Consultant Scott Bullock Office Administrator Kim Carruthers Department Editors Derek Bird Brian Chan Dana Harrison Jim McLennan Derek Olthuis Jeff Wagner Contributors David Danforth George Daniel Jeremy Davies Christian Graham Dana Lattery The Bug Parade Tim Myers Ryan Sparks Jake Vanderweyden

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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 Fusion Ltd. Printed in Canada. © Photo Dana Harrison

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

CONTENTS 14

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SLOW GRINDING STREAMERS George Daniel There’s a saying regarding nymph fishing: The difference between catching a fish and not catching a fish is often one split shot. I look at streamer fishing the same way. Adaptability is the driving force separating good anglers from great ones. I don’t believe in secret flies, leader formulas, or rigs. Instead, great anglers hone their skills to perfect all the little nuances that eventually add up to a big difference at the end of the day.

GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE Tim Myers Nova Scotia is home to the Minas Basin and the world’s highest tides. They surge with such force and volume that tidal bores travel up many rivers and temporarily reverse the direction these rivers flow. Many of these streams have large spawning runs of striped bass. The Stewiacke River is one of them.

RUNOFF’S DIRTY SECRET Ryan Sparks Spring runoff spooks many anglers off the rivers. As snowmelt trickles and eventually pours into mountain streams, rivers swell and become muddy. Many anglers hate it because it limits where they can fish. It makes their usual spots inaccessible or just plain impossible to fish effectively and many people stop fishing altogether. In fact, runoff can provide some of the best fishing of the year because it concentrates fish in predictable places and fishing pressure drops to zero. By knowing where to look and how to fish in these conditions, you can catch trout while other anglers wait for the rivers to clear.

FLIES FOR EURO-NYMPHING Jeremy Davies I’ve always been fascinated by the fervour with which people attack Europeanstyle nymphing. When they get into fishing this way they often don’t want to do anything else. I’m the first to admit that I’m not very skilled or experienced at European-style nymphing, but I am fascinated by the techniques, the flies and the people who are obsessed with it. I tie ten or twelve different flies, for this style of nymphing and these are the ones that have become my favourites.

INSIDE 12 42 46 48 50

Stream Lines Long Lines Profiles Wandering Currents Stillwater Secrets

54 60 64 66

On the Vise Editor’s Choice Awards End of the Line Water Marks

© Photo Tim Myers | © On the Cover Dana Lattery flyfusionmag.com

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STREAMLINES

Derek Bird I’m always willing to share a few fly-fishing secrets. My favorite fly, for example, is the one the trout are taking. My favourite season is the one when trout are biting.

My favourite stream is the one where the trout are plentiful and the anglers are few. © Illustration David Danforth relogear.com

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Steelheading with Musk, Atwood, and Berry

I

went steelheading the other day. I’d like to tell you it was fantastic, but there was nothing significant to report. I woke up early on a day where I could have slept in. I made two stops on the way out of town, one to pick up breakfast and the other to grab coffee. Then I drove through torrential rain, darkness, and fog for nearly two hours.

I swung flies all day and caught nothing.

The trip wasn’t a total loss. The solitude and the repetitive motion of the steelheader’s dance reminded me that, in the words of the old country singer David Ball, “I’ve got a thinking problem.” The remoteness of the rivers and the inclement weather brought to mind the little things I often take for granted.

Before I left the house, I already knew the rivers were nearly blown because of how much rain had fallen the week prior. I kept an eye on the forecast, but I was too excited to explore the rivers to call off the trip or to adjust my plans. I’d been spying on them on Google Earth a few weeks prior and already knew which runs I needed to fish and how much ground I had to cover to get to them. So a right hook from a Southeaster wasn’t about to put me on the canvas.

Trekking through the old growth and the ferns and wiping rainfall from my face, the moment was as close as I’ll likely ever get to an old-fashioned personversus-nature conflict, where all I had to rely on was… my satellite locator if I got into trouble, my layers of protective outerwear shielding me from the elements, the studs in my boots allowing me to safely negotiate the slippery terrain, and my canister of bear spray if Mother

Nature chose to toss in one more undesirable variable.

Google Earth, satellite locators, relatively accurate weather forecasts, and multiple fly rods that each cost close to a year’s worth of mortgage payments on the first house my dad bought in Vancouver in the ‘70s—It’s a little like the old adage: a person never really appreciates breathing until the airway becomes obstructed.

Confession time. With all of the foreknowledge and safety nets provided to me by technological advancements, it’s easy for me to not even notice them. When I have access to all our pastime affords, it’s not long before I shed my fascination, which then gives way to reveal its ugly cousin, expectation. In an era where I’m consistently surrounded by special, I find it increasingly difficult to recognize a truly special moment.

I fully understand the paradox here. Because by all appearances, it would seem that culturally we have never been more aware of special moments. Just spend time perusing social media. But the images on social media potentially have less to do with understanding the gravity of a moment and more to do with an innate desire to understand the gravity of ourselves. Again, I understand I’m dealing in generalizations, but maybe we upload our special moments only partly because they’re special, and partly because we’re sending them up like bat signals hoping that someone will see it and come to our rescue… rescue from what most of us aren’t really sure…maybe the mundane of what’s perceived as the day to day.

We broadcast our signs to let others know that we are significant. But the more paths I’ve ambled down and the more casts I’ve taken the more I understand that those who

have a grounded understanding of their significance are often not the ones who consistently try to impress upon others their importance.

The poem “This is a Photograph of Me” by the iconic Canadian writer Margaret Atwood explores this concept.

The setting is pastoral in the sense the speaker describes rolling green hills and a little cabin near the shores of a secluded lake. But the poem takes a dark twist when the speaker explains that the photo of the idyllic setting was taken the day after she drowned in the lake, and if “you look long enough…you will be able to see” her. She alludes to the question of her significance when she says, “I’m in the lake, in the center…just under the surface.”

Then she makes a sobering observation.

She’s not sure how large or small she is because of the “effect of water / on light is a distortion.” In the same way I suspect regardless of the interactions a person receives with their photos that the potential exists to be uncertain because of the distance between the event itself and person on the other end clicking ‘like’.

So why is it so difficult for me to appreciate the moment in the moment? I suspect because it’s part of my inherited human condition—I’ll call it EMS (Elon Musk Syndrome), where it’s tough to understand the greatness of a moment because we’re naturally inclined to look at others’ truly great moments thus downplaying our own. But I think I’m getting to an age where I’m finally starting to recognize that a moment like my tempestuous fishless steelheading day is a truly great moment even though I didn’t pull out the camera to take pictures because my hands were too cold and the rain was too persistent.

It was special in the sense I’m finally starting to understand myself in the moment I’m in. And at my core I’m still only a skinny kid from the Kootenays who’s got a love for fly fishing embedded deep within my DNA to the point where I can smile knowing that a fishless day is equally as beneficial as a day where the trout are plentiful.

The days where the weather and the fish don’t agree with me I’m reminded of my role, which is to take part in the landscape and not to rise above it. It’s here in the torrential downpours on the thousandth fishless swing when my mind wanders and invites me to entertain difficult questions, the ones that make me realize I’ve been living portions of life based on fictitious assumptions rather than tested reality. Why do I assume more is better? When will I learn that traveling away from an issue will only delay the attention it requires? When will I finally understand that steelhead fishing provides me with way too much time to think?

Author Wendell Berry might approve of my pensive steelheading days. He identified with the notion that “true solitude” is found in nature, and this is where “One’s inner voices become audible.” In one of his poems he remarked if we become incapable of thought then “mere power and mere greed / will think for us.” Then in the next stanza he transforms from poet to sage when he forecasts our culture’s present emotional climate. Berry states that if we are unable to deny ourselves anything “then all that we have / will be taken from us.”

Is it too much of a stretch to consider steelheading during a nasty storm an act of self denial?

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Slow Grinding Streamers George Daniel

A George Daniel George Daniel’s true passion is fly-fishing education. George is an author, a clinician presenter, and currently is the lead instructor for The Pennsylvania State University Angling program. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two children, and Boykin spaniel. © Photo page 14 Christian Graham @grahamcreative © Photo page 19 George Daniel

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

daptability is the driving force separating good anglers from great ones. As my mentor Joe Humphreys continues to drill into me, “If you don’t adapt to the conditions, you’re dead on the water.” Joe stresses the importance of creating a system for any fly-fishing approach: a Plan A, B, C and so on. In other words, use a backup plan when your current one fails to produce. Stream conditions and fish behaviour are constantly changing, so your streamer playbook needs to adjust. Changing fly pattern and fly colour are options, but my first choices are changing the depth of the presentation and considering how fast or slow to move the fly. When conditions get tough I tend to “slow grind” my streamers, with and without a jigging action.

There’s a saying regarding nymph fishing: The difference between catching a fish and not catching a fish is often one split shot. I look at streamer fishing the same way. The correct presentation depth is essential. There are times when trout feed aggressively and move great distances to chase down food, but those periods are few and far between. Most of the time fish hold and feed in a specific area or at a certain depth in the water column.

I believe fly colour does make a difference in some conditions (two examples are in low light or off-coloured water) but depth and speed are far more important. Do you hear live minnow anglers saying they need to change the colour of their minnow? No. Instead, they change the presentation angle or sometimes add a single split shot when tackling deeper and/or faster water. Adjusting to a fish’s feeding depth and activity is also essential for streamer success.

My time as a member of Fly Fishing Team USA taught me much about lake fishing. One of the principles is to hold your presentation at the fish’s level. The best lakeanglers carry a variety of sinking lines and use a systematic countdown before retrieving. They work all possible feeding depths before changing flies. Presentation trumps fly choice in most conditions.

I believe the same principles of depth-control and retrieve speed are just as critical with streamers, and for any species. The key is developing situational awareness of your environment. Is trout activity slow due to cold water temperatures? Are the fish holding far off the bank due

to fishing pressure? Or maybe it’s just one of those days when trout aren’t moving for anything and the fly needs to swim. Whatever the reason, it’s important to have a plan to counter those slow periods. There are countless ways to approach challenging streamer conditions, but these are the ones that have worked for me–not just trout but for musky, bass, walleye, and others.

Upstream Presentation With Floating Line Less active feeding periods require a slower and deeper presentation. Streamer fishing is normally associated with fast retrieves, but a fast-moving streamer only works when trout are on the hunt. One way to achieve depth and slow the speed of your presentation is by casting upstream and just occasionally twitching the streamer. Think like a nymph angler. Casting upstream, placing line, leader, and fly in the same current seam lets the streamer drop quicker in the water and allows it to drift with the current, decreasing tension on the line. Casting across or downand-across the current immediately places tension on the line, which is desirable in shallower water when you’re trying to keep the fly from snagging bottom, but is less effective when you need a lower position in deeper water.

Another consideration when streamer fishing with floating lines is the distance the line hand travels during the retrieve. Remember that under tension a heavilyweighted streamer rises upwards towards the floating line.

A short pull and long pause keeps the weighted streamer near bottom, while a longer and faster retrieve pulls the streamer far off the bottom. Short (4- to 6-inch) strips are key to maintaining a slow and deep streamer presentation when fishing upstream with a floating line.

Another variation is fishing a streamer under an indicator. The system I use is a variation of one that Yellowstone River guide Greg Bricker showed me years back. Basically, it’s a drop-shot (bottom-bouncing) rig with a buoyant streamer hanging on a 6- to 12-inch dropper above the shot. Greg uses a Bow River Bugger while I use a Shenk Sculpin or Galloup Zoo Cougar to imitate the sculpins in my watersheds. You need to adjust the airlock or balloon indicator to achieve correct depth. As the heavy shot rolls along the bottom, tension creates a shock

wave up the leader, and a nervous twitch to animate the unweighted streamer. The fly now appears to be a helpless forage item kicking and twitching as it drifts deep in the water column. A predatory trout doesn’t need to work to chase down this fly–it’s an easy decision.

This method works best in places where holding lies are known. Compared to covering a large area of water with an across-stream presentation, this approach keeps the fly in one current seam.

“This is “bobber fishing” The Yellowstone River is a yes, but it will outproduce massive body of water with the typical rip-and-strip many featureless sections, but years of experience approach when trout are have taught Greg where not willing to aggressively the prime holding spots chase down food - which is are. He puts his clients into countless large fish every a good part of the time.” year with this approach.

This is “bobber fishing”, yes, but it will outproduce the typical rip-and-strip approach when trout are not willing to aggressively chase down food–which is a good part of the time.

Have you ever seen an injured fish in the current? It doesn’t have the energy to swim away. Instead, it drifts with the current, kicking and twitching. Dead-drifting simulates this ultimate scenario–a dying fish helplessly struggling in the current–and rings the trout’s dinner bell.

I believe this is one of the best slow, grinding approaches to presenting streamers.

Vertical Jig With a Floating Line or Sink-Tip Jigging is moving the rod tip in an up-and-down motion to create a similar movement of the fly. It’s one way to create a “wounded” appearance with your presentation, but I also use it to reduce the amount of line lying on the surface.

Any line lying on or beneath the surface creates drag, causing the streamer to move faster and drift higher in the water column. A vertical jigging motion uses the forearm to lift the rod tip off the water’s surface and accelerate the tip vertically. This creates a jigging action but just as importantly lifts fly line off the water’s surface briefly

before placing it back down. This reduces tension on the line and creates a slower and deeper presentation that’s helpful when fishing deeper water. This simple move is the first adjustment I make when I need to change speed and depth, and it’s easier than changing lines or switching to a heavier streamer.

Seeing the strike rather than feeling the strike is an essential point with jigging streamers. John Horsey (one of the United Kingdom’s best stillwater anglers) stresses positioning the rod tip a few inches off the water and watching the loop of line at the tip during slow retrieves.

He says many anglers expect to feel the strike during active streamer and nymph retrieves, but points out that trout may softly inhale either type of fly. Waiting to feel the strike can result in missing these subtle takes. Watch the line at the rod tip and strike immediately if the line remains tight during a pause in the retrieve. You’ll be surprised how many additional fish you’ll pick up by looking for the take.

Jigging With a Euro Rig Streamer fishing with a European nymphing outfit?

Yes, and it’s deadly for the same reason spin-gear often outproduces fly gear while streamer fishing. First, the casting is like spin fishing. The weight of the lure (fly) pulls the thin line out through the rod. It’s more of a lob than a cast and allows for great distance with minimum effort. Second, line and leader is held off the water with a higher rod tip. This creates less surface drag and allows the streamer to quickly plummet to stream-bottom. The European nymphing leader’s thin diameter quickly slices through the water, decreasing surface drag and allowing a slow, deep retrieve.

I recall floating through heavy pocket-water sections of the Truckee River and the North Fork of the American River. Massive boulders create dead pockets where fish hold, but the swift currents around the boulders make it impossible to achieve depth with traditional sinking lines. The streamer would land in the pocket but the remaining sinking portion and running line would lay in the fast currents, causing immediate drag and ripping my streamer from the pocket. No matter the sink rate of the sinking line, drag occurs anytime the streamer lands

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in slow pockets while the remainder of the line is in faster currents. Such drag creates a quick escape scenario and is effective when trout are on the move. But the trout were not active this day and this forced me to switch to a slower, deeper presentation.

I changed to a European nymphing monorig with 25-pound OPST (Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics) running line as fly line, 15-pound sighter material, and a five-foot section of level 2X tippet. This setup, with a heavily weighted jig fly, was the difference maker. Casting the heavy jig into the deep pockets with most of the line and leader held off the water allowed the streamer to achieve deeper depths. The streamer remained in the pocket longer before drag set in. An occasional forearm lift and drop created a wounded baitfish scenario and kept the fly within the strike zone.

This switch resulted in several large trout. Again, depth and speed-control were essential factors when all other tactics failed.

A quick note about preferred hooks for this approach. Most streamer hooks on the market are made of heavier-gauge wire and require greater force to produce a secure hookup, especially with a rod-tip hook-setting motion. I prefer to use large competition hooks with thinner points. Although not as strong, the thinner and sharper competitionstyle hooks produce better hookups.

Pattern selection is a personal choice, but I recommend using materials that cut smoothly through the water column. Jigging produces short movements of the fly. Short movements create less tension during the retrieve and result in softer strikes. Water-phobic patterns (both natural and synthetic) create less friction during the retrieve, cut smoothly through the water column and provide greater sensitivity during the presentation.

Think about soft plastic imitations bass anglers slowly jig. Soft plastics glide through the water with little friction and provide greater sensitivity.

Using jig streamers with similar properties will increase your strike detection with a slow jigging

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

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presentation. I no longer use rabbit, squirrel, or wool on my jigging patterns because they make it feel like I’m dragging a wet sock through the water Lastly, my preferred jig patterns are smaller than many streamers. Long, articulated patterns swim and move better during active retrieves, but I want my jig nymphs to drop fast and drift with just occasional jigging movements.

Smaller and more compact streamers drop fast, allowing quick depth-control and greater sensitivity. Also, I often use European nymphing-style rods (3- and 4-weights), as smaller jig-streamers are easier to fish and cast with longer, softer-tipped rods. For my home waters I use size 8-to-12 tungsten bead-head streamers.

Reverse Jigging With Sinking Line The reason jigging heavily weighted nymphs with a floating or slow sinking fly line works is the large amount of separation between fly and line. When used with a floating line, a heavily weighted streamer sinks quickly to stream bottom, then the retrieve pulls the fly directly towards the higher-positioned fly line, then a short pause allows the fly to settle back towards stream bottom. Reverse jigging is just that– “This approach is simple. fishing a buoyant streamer with fast sinking Cast your streamer directly line. The key is pausing long enough to allow into the face of its potential the line to sink beneath the fly before beginning the retrieve. My earliest mistake fishing sinking predator. Sounds simple lines and buoyant streamers was beginning but you need to be the retrieve too soon, the moment the sinking line and fly hit the water. This moved the aggressive and have buoyant streamer laterally but never achieved pinpoint accuracy.” the awesome up-and-down or side-to-side movement that imitates an injured baitfish. I believe the best way to get the most movement from your streamer is to create a significant amount of separation between line and fly. A pause after the cast, and a pause between strips allows the line to belly beneath the fly.

The sunken belly pulls the streamer downwards during the short powerful strip, and the pause allows it to drift upwards while the line again forms a belly beneath the fly. Then the process is repeated: Cast, pause, strip, pause, strip, and so on. Be patient and let the line fish the streamer.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Pick a Fight With a Fish The thought here is not about depth and speed control. It’s about identifying ambush locations and bringing the fight to the fish. This approach is simple. Cast your streamer directly into the face of its potential predator. Sounds simple but you need to be aggressive and have pinpoint accuracy.

Think about a fish that’s holding tight in cover and showing little interest in feeding. Maybe the fish is digesting a large sculpin breakfast. Maybe the fish is seeking deep cover due to angling pressure and has no interest in leaving its fortified position. Whatever the reason, the fish is deep in its trench and you need to anger it enough to pull it out. Presenting your streamer a foot or more away from this resting fish isn’t enough to initiate a response. Instead you need to “poke the bear” and place the fly right in the fish’s face to force it to make a make decision to flee or engage. This approach was stressed to me while fishing with Michigan guide Tommy Lynch. After accidentally hanging my first streamer in a tree a few hours into the trip, I became less aggressive with my casts, often putting the fly a foot or two away from potential targets. After five minutes of my lame casting efforts, Tommy stopped the boat (as he does when providing constructive feedback) and told me I needed to be more aggressive.

“You’re not going to pull trout from the wood if you don’t put the fly on the edge of the wood.” He was right, as the fish we took that day came directly from cover. You’ll hang up in trees more often with this approach, but don’t be afraid (as I was with Tommy) to put your streamer into tight places. The worst thing that can happen is someone sees you climbing a tree to retrieve your fly, and that’s not life threatening.

If you’re not occasionally sticking a streamer in the cover you’re not fishing aggressively enough.

I don’t believe in secret flies, leader formulas, or rigs.

Instead, great anglers hone their skills to perfect all the little nuances that eventually add up to a big difference at the end of the day. I’m not claiming to be an expert fly fisher, but I do fish with experts, and I’m sharing these lessons with you. A change in depth and speed can turn a slow day into a great one. Don’t blame the fly for lack of success. Instead, reevaluate your presentation and make the necessary adjustments. Arrick’s Fly Shop in West Yellowstone has a sticker that sums it up best: It’s Not the Fly. You Suck.

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Tim Myers is a Nova Scotiabased photographer and filmmaker who has been producing and creating outdoor content for over 15 years. Although Tim’s career has given him the opportunity to fish and shoot all over the world, his passion still lies at home chasing Nova Scotia’s provincial fish, the brook trout.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Getting Out of the House TIM MYERS

Springtime in Nova Scotia can be T-shirt time or a victory for the stubborn will of winter. Our fishing season ends in October and doesn’t open again until April, so by the time spring arrives we’re champing at the bit to get out of the house regardless of the weather.

Trout have always been at the top of my species list, and I’ll spend more time and energy to catch a trout than anything else. I’ve always been fascinated by a brook trout’s amazing range of colours and tones, and how individual trout from the same system can look completely different from one another; from dull brown and muted pink to full-on, plugged-in glowing colours, or the chrome blue of a fresh searun specimen.

This spring a friend and I set out to find some new fishing spots that were off the beaten path and less known, even if it meant some boot miles and bushwhacking.

We were eager to fish a hatch at the new spot and although our timing was right, a big storm the day before had flooded the river, pushing it into the woods. It was a struggle just wading through spots that were usually dry land.

Such high water can sometimes slow things down for trout fishing, but for other species it is essential.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Thus, Plan B Nova Scotia is home to the Minas Basin and the world’s highest tides. They surge with such force and volume that tidal bores travel up many rivers and temporarily reverse the direction these rivers flow. Many of these streams have large spawning runs of striped bass. The Stewiacke River is one of them.

My companion is a local guide and one of very few people running a boat in this river. It’s a bit of a sketchy undertaking and definitely not for the novice; we’re hand launching a boat down deep, muddy banks to fish a river that’s reversing its direction.

Even on a 10-weight rod a big striped bass can produce a bit of a rodeo, especially in a small boat. It’s not about fast runs with these fish–it’s more of a closeup fight–but what they lack in speed and distance they make up for with strength.

It’s especially cool to see mirror-bright fish come out of dark and muddy water.

Although I’ve only been doing this with a fly rod for a couple of years, it has quickly become one of my most anticipated spring trips, both as a fly fisher and photographer.

But I haven’t forgotten about brook trout…

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

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Runoff’s Dirty Secret Ryan Sparks

W Ryan Sparks Ryan Sparks writes and photographs the things he is passionate about: fishing, hunting, wild food, rivers, mountains, and dogs. Ryan works as an outdoor writer, photographer, and editor for a variety of publications including Strung Magazine, The Flyfish Journal, Gray’s Sporting Journal, MeatEater, and many others. After ten years between Montana, Ontario, Iowa, and Nebraska he now lives in Minnesota with his wife and their two pointers, Tippet and Hiccup. © All photos Ryan Sparks

hen we arrived at the boat ramp it was vacant except for a single truck parked in the far corner.

Both doors were open and the engine was running. We parked and began loading rods and gear into the boat when two fishermen walked up from the river and came over to talk.

“Have you seen the river yet?” one asked.

I told him we had floated it a few days earlier and had had a pretty good day nymphing with stonefly patterns.

“Well it’s chocolate milk right now,” the other said. “We aren’t going to waste our time fishing today.”

We wished each other good luck and went our separate ways. By the time we reached the takeout several hours later, we had hardly wasted our time. Despite the runoff conditions we had managed to catch dozens of fish, the largest of which–a 22-inch brown trout–would be the largest the three of us caught from that river all year.

Spring runoff spooks many anglers off the rivers. As snowmelt trickles and eventually pours into mountain streams, rivers swell and become muddy. Many anglers hate it because it limits where they can fish. It makes their usual spots inaccessible or just plain impossible to fish effectively and many people stop fishing altogether. But runoff does what plummeting winter temperatures do. It concentrates fish in small areas. In fact, runoff can provide some of the best fishing of the year because it concentrates fish in predictable places and fishing pressure drops to zero. By knowing where to look and how to fish in these conditions, you can catch trout while other anglers wait for the rivers to clear.

Finding Fish Some anglers mistakenly think trout stop feeding during runoff, but it’s not true. If fish don’t eat they starve to death. It’s that simple. There isn’t a single period during the year when trout won’t eat. During runoff you just need to know where to find them and how to get them to see your fly.

In my opinion there are two approaches to fishing runoff. One is to find concentrations of feeding fish.

Look for concentrations of feeding trout in side channels, large eddies, and big seams of soft water adjacent

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

to the fast-flowing main current. Another good place to fish is anywhere you find foam on the river. Once while floating Montana’s Smith River with a group of friends, we were struggling to catch fish because of extreme runoff conditions. It was especially frustrating, considering that over half the people on the trip were fishing guides. It took a couple of days, but we eventually realized the only feeding trout were rising to midges that collected in foam lines. Anytime we spotted a collection of foam we rowed to shore and anchored, then approached the fish on foot and caught a few before continuing downriver in search of more foam. That trip proved the truth in the tired old saying, “foam is home.”

The second approach, and my favourite of the two because it’s how I have caught many of my largest trout, is to find areas of holding water that fish are resting in.

This holding water isn’t necessarily used by actively feeding fish. They can be the same places where you find high concentrations of fish, but more often they are much smaller, even down to one-foot squares of water. Look for parallel colour changes in water close to shore. These occur where water-depths merge, or where two bottom-types meet. The small dead pockets along the shore adjacent to these transition areas are likely places for large trout. While the fish here might not be actively feeding, they’ll rarely turn down an easy meal if it’s presented correctly. Runoff can make a river seem intimidating and daunting, so break it into smaller, manageable sections and fish it methodically.

In high, muddy water a trout’s vision is limited and the key to fishing these conditions is getting your fly into a trout’s feeding zone and keeping it there for as long as possible.

One of the best times to fish any river is at the onset of runoff when the river has been slightly muddied and is starting to rise. When this occurs the soft insides of large, deep curves or bends are the most productive places to fish. These inside bends bring a plentitude of food due to the increased flow, but are still moderate and comfortable for trout to hold in. The stained water creates a sense of security from predators, and the proximity to fast water or an undercut bank provides safety. Areas like these are where I often find large trout during runoff.

Spring weather plays a multifaceted role in fly fishing. Warmer temperatures and more daylight might

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mean the onset of runoff, but it also stimulates fish and insect activity. When rivers warm to the right temperature stonefly nymphs start migrating towards the banks for their upcoming emergence. This, along with a trout’s increased metabolic rate from warmer temperatures can make fish aggressive and easy to catch.

When the current strengthens and visibility drops to less than 18 inches, trout begin to move towards the edges of the river. This happens for several reasons. For one, fish obviously want to escape the strong current, and the softest water is usually close to shore. Second, “Think of runoff as its own floodplains can become trout feeding grounds.

When the water rises, in certain areas it’s like unique ‘hatch.’ On certain opening the gate to a new pasture. Trout can graze in these areas away from the current much rivers runoff can deliver a larger food supply than the as they do in lakes. Lastly, trout move from deep to shallow water to take advantage of increased biggest hatch of the year.” light penetrating the surface. Simply put, when the water is dark and muddy, trout can see better in the shallows. In exceptionally high water I’ve found trout holding in water less than four inches deep. There are undoubtedly fish in deeper water too, but since you can’t reach them effectively it’s better to pretend they aren’t there.

Instead, target the fish you can reach.

High Water Tactics Dry flies, streamers, and nymphs can all be effective during runoff in the right scenario, but most of the time the best way to fish runoff is by nymphing. When snowmelt arrives, it pours silt and mud into rivers, raises the water levels, and often reshapes the riverbeds from the sheer power of the current. This process dislodges an enormous amount of biomass from the riverbed. It also washes terrestrial insects that can’t get to “higher ground” into the stream. We know that trout are attracted to biomass, but we often think of this phenomenon strictly in terms of hatches. Think of runoff as its own unique “hatch.” On certain rivers runoff can deliver a larger food supply than the biggest hatch of the year.

Trout are tactile eaters, especially during runoff. They mouth most anything that floats past them resembling food, inspecting it with their mouths, eating food items when they find them, and rejecting rocks and other debris.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

If you’ve ever seen videos of how quickly trout can take something into their mouths and expel it again, you know how amazingly fast they are at deciphering whether something is food or not. It’s also why we set the hook so often while nymphing, expecting to find a fish on the line, only to discover there’s nothing there. Knowing that trout feed by feel during runoff, realize that it’s much more important to find the right water than to fuss over fly selection.

A major mistake many anglers make while nymphing during runoff is thinking their flies need to bounce along the bottom. It’s better to keep your flies several inches off the bottom because trout tend to look up for food at all times of the year. It’s rare for a trout to tilt down to feed.

Trout hold on the bottom, looking up, so by keeping your fly off the bottom they’ll be able to see it silhouetted against the light sky.

Some fly fishers think you need to use enormously oversized flies in coloured water so fish can see them, but trout see much better than you think and eat small flies easily. Often while fishing a tandem rig with a larger stonefly pattern on the bottom and a small Baetis nymph on top, I catch more fish on the small fly. Just as they do the rest of the year, match-the-hatch tactics apply during runoff.

Suspension nymphing with an indicator is a favourite method of mine during runoff. I like to fish two lightly weighted flies 10- to 12-inches apart with a small split shot between them. This setup keeps the flies slightly off the bottom. The small split shot is enough to sink them, but isn’t so heavy that it anchors on the bottom. I position the indicator so the flies ride about five inches off the bottom. This setup is particularly effective when there is little-to-no current along the bank. One key to success in muddy runoff conditions is to fish slowly. The ability to hold the fly within the trout’s feeding zone for extended periods is critical. Having the patience to search likely spots with multiple casts pays off. Using an indicator allows me to fish slower water than I could with tightline nymphing methods.

You’ll lose more flies during runoff than at any other time of year. It’s hard to see snags in muddy water, and the higher water level covers heavily vegetated areas where snags are plentiful. So another reason to keep the

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flies off the bottom is to reduce the number of hang-ups.

I tie large numbers of the patterns I expect to use during the winter, thinking I’ll have enough to get me through an entire season. Alas, they’re inevitably gone by the time runoff subsides.

Fishing runoff is the opposite of probing low, clear water for trout. Stealth and long casts are unnecessary, so take advantage of the muddy water and get right on top of the fish you’re targeting. You should also consider fly size, colour, and weight during runoff. Many anglers think they need to use the heaviest flies in their box to get the fly down through fast current. However, if you’re fishing the right places you’ll likely find yourself fishing shallow water. For this reason, I like to use large, but lightly weighted flies such as San Juan Worms, and unweighted Pat’s Rubber Legs. Obviously, a dark fly bouncing along a dark bottom is difficult to see, but when you consider that trout spot flies by silhouetting them against the sky it’s easy to understand why dark patterns are more effective. Moreover, research has shown that trout are able to detect blue and purple hues at greater distances, depths, and under lower light conditions than other colours. For this reason, I use

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

patterns that mimic the naturals in the water, but with black, blue, and purple colour combinations.

Dead drifting or jigging a streamer is another great technique during runoff. Murky water conditions make trout less spooky and jig-style streamers that are weighted near the eye are excellent for larger fish. Because of the jig-type hooks, they’re less likely to snag, and at short distances are easy to control around structure. Fish these jigging streamers upstream with casts of less than 10 feet. After casting, control the fly near the banks and around cover. I also like to make the streamer land with a loud plop. The noise can get a trout’s attention in a turbulent environment.

Once while fishing with my father, he caught a 23-inch brown trout dead drifting a McCune’s Sculpin in water so shallow we could hear gravel and sand ticking against the bottom of the boat. A small, unweighted streamer like this is perfect during runoff because it’s easy for a trout to see, and looks like an easy meal.

Fish Safe One important consideration for fishing during runoff is to stay safe on the water. Drifting and wading both present their own safety considerations. Knowing when the river is too dangerous to float or when you shouldn’t try to wade to that good-looking spot are signs of a mature angler.

Studded wading boots give extra stability and a wading staff can be used for support, but also as a probe for feeling upcoming obstructions in the river. When fishing runoff, a good rule is that if you have to think about it, you probably shouldn’t do it. Stay safe and live to fish another day.

It doesn’t matter where you fish; high dirty water is the same everywhere. Fish are looking to get out of the strong current, find food, and avoid predators. High, offcoloured rivers can be intimidating, but once you know what to look for and how to approach them, it’s an exciting time of year. Knowing how to fish blown out rivers can also be a trip saver. Several times I’ve planned a fishing trip far in advance, only to find a swollen, dirty river when I arrived, but was still able to catch a few fish and salvage the trip. I hope when runoff arrives this year it gets you excited. Fish slowly, stick to the shallows, and you may become a fan of murky waters and runoff.

Flies for Euro Nymphing Jeremy Davies

Thunder Bug Hook: Jig hook, sizes 12-16 Bead: Gold or copper tungsten slotted bead Thread: Uni-Thread, black, 8/0 Body: Red holographic tinsel Thorax: Hare’s ear dubbing Tail: Pheasant tail Rib: Copper wire

I

’m the first to admit that I’m not very skilled or experienced at European-style nymphing, but I am fascinated by the techniques, the flies, and the people who are obsessed with it. I was first introduced to this type of fishing by an old fishing pal about ten years ago, when he showed me the art of Czech-nymphing. It was late May, warm and calm with caddis and mayflies hatching everywhere. I figured it would be an ideal day to catch some browns and brookies on small dries. To my frustration there were almost no fish rising Jeremy Davies My name is Jeremy and I saw very few fish flee as I walked upstream. Mike Davies and I have been used this dead period to try out a new technique with a 10 a commercial fly tier ½-foot rod that must have weighed at least eight ounces. for over 20 years in the Unlike standard nymphing with a strike indicator, he used Calgary area. Just recently a coloured section of monofilament as an indicator. The fly I discovered that I have a was extremely simple with a lot of weight at the front. I six-year-old son, of whom I temporarily have custody. needled him at first by saying the river is dead and “do I look forward to teaching you really think that is going to work?” Mike made a cast, him all about fly fishing reached his rod out and jigged the fly along the bottom. and fly tying and have him He repeated it a few times and on the third or fourth cast follow in my footsteps. connected with a 10- or 12-inch brown that leaped about a foot in the air. I said “Fluke! Beginner’s luck!” But he hooked © Photo page 36 and landed four more in the next 20 minutes. I consider The Bug Parade myself a competent angler, but I was getting schooled © Photo page 38 here. I think most of us can admit that it’s deflating when Dana Harrison someone who is less experienced lays a beating on you. I only took it that way for a short while before setting my ego aside and asking Mike how he was doing it.

His lesson was educational.

I’ve always been fascinated by the fervour with which people attack European-style nymphing. When they get into fishing this way they often don’t want to do anything else. An afternoon in early to mid-July of 2012 illustrates this level of obsession. It was one of those days you Hot Spot Pheasant Tail rarely see: warm, calm, overcast, with huge Hook: Jig hook, sizes 12-16 hatches of caddis and pale morning dun Bead: Gold or copper tungsten slotted bead mayflies. Fish were rising everywhere, to Thread: Uni-Thread, black, 8/0 the point that during peak periods it almost Body: Pheasant tail Thorax: Bright orange or pink dubbing looked like it was raining. I took advantage, Tail: Pheasant tail and hooked fish after fish on my reliable Rib: Copper wire PMD Thorax Caddis. This went on for

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

several hours with virtually no pauses. Mike, who was with me that day, decided to Czech-nymph anyway, to get a response from me, which he did: “Are you nuts?”

I didn’t understand how someone could fish a nymph when there was a once-in-a-lifetime dry-fly bonanza happening before his eyes. The trout and whitefish in the river were clearly looking up to feed and not hanging around the bottom, thus European or Czech-nymphing didn’t make a lot of sense to me. To my surprise Mike was hooking and landing fish, including a 22-inch bull trout. I may have caught more fish than he did on this crazy day, but he was committed to mastering his technique regardless of the circumstances and I respected him for that.

European-style nymphing essentially grew out of competition fly fishing in which anglers were not permitted to use “standard” indicators nor add weight to the leader.

There are several variations, including Czech nymphing, Polish nymphing, and French nymphing, which are similar. The top talents in competitive fly fishing knew that trout spend over 80 percent of their time feeding on small nymphs or other subaquatic food items on or near the stream bottom. To take advantage of this they use a single fly tied on a jig-hook, with a very heavy slotted bead. These hooks ride point-up, which keeps them from snagging on the bottom. Since the anglers are not allowed to use a conventional indicator, they must rely on a specialized leader

with a bright section of monofilament in the middle called a “sighter.”

The angler fishes with a high rod, and the bright colour of the monofilament is easily visible. When this sighter pauses or straightens out the angler sets the hook. Most Euro-nymphers use rods between ten and eleven-feet long.

This is to reach out and jig their fly off the bottom directly below the rod tip. It almost reminds me of jigging for walleye from a boat or through the ice. Euro-nymphing is more effective than standard indicator nymphing in the sheer efficiency of hooking fish that take the fly.

Admittedly, European nymphing is perhaps the most under-utilized technique in my fly-fishing arsenal and I tend to use Lemonhead Weevil it only on small streams. One reason is Hook: Jig hook, sizes 12-16 because the longest trout rod I own is nineBead: Gold or copper feet long. tungsten slotted bead My first time European nymphing Thread: Uni-Thread, black, 8/0 Body: Light peacock Arizona Dubbing was in 2009 in a popular spring creek Thorax: Natural peacock Arizona Dubbing near home in mid-June when every other Tail: Hen pheasant fibres stream was muddy from spring runoff. I Legs: Brown goose biots was hoping to see some rising browns or Rib: gold wire brookies, but there were few as it was a bright and fairly breezy day. I tried standard nymphing with a small, bright orange corky indicator and two tungsten nymphs below.

In about an hour this produced a 9-inch brookie. A bit frustrated, I thought I would mimic my friend Mike and try some Czechnymphing. I used the same type of leader with a bright green sighter and tied on size Jig Neo Twenty Incher 16 Hot Spot Pheasant Tail Nymph with a Hook: Jig hook, sizes 8 -12 Bead: Gold or black tungsten slotted bead slotted tungsten bead, tied on a jig-hook. I Thread: Uni-Thread, black, 8/0 found this tough at first as I didn’t have a Body: Natural peacock Arizona Dubbing take for almost 40 minutes and wondered Thorax: Golden olive Simi Seal if I was doing something wrong. Eventually Tail: Brown goose biots I stumbled onto an awesome run that Shellback/Wingcase: Thin Skin, appeared perfect for any type of nymphing, mottled oak Legs: Brown goose biots, female especially Euro-nymphing. On the second pheasant fibres, dark brown Uni Flexx drift my sighter straightened and 13-inch Rib: Hot yellow Wapsi Wire brown came to the surface. I spent another

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Jigly Leech Hook: Jig hook sizes 10-14 Bead: Gold or Copper Tungsten Slotted bead Thread: Uni-Thread black 8/0 Body: Simi-Seal Black or Olive Tail: Marabou

half hour on this run and landed four more browns and one fat little brookie. Nothing large or spectacular, but exciting enough to give me a bit of confidence. I continued to work upstream for the next couple of hours and landed two more browns, including a 15-inch whopper.

The flies for Czech- or European-style nymphing are quite basic and easy to tie.

Even a very novice tier can rattle off a dozen in less than an hour. The only downside is that the slotted tungsten beads and jig-style hooks are not always easy to find in fly shops. I tie 10 or 12 different flies for this style of nymphing and these are the ones that have become my favourites.

Jigly leech This is probably the European-style fly I use the most often, especially when the water is dirty after a bit of rain. Two of my most reliable small leech patterns in small

streams are the Simi Seal Leech and Woolly Bugger, as trout will often chase it down because it’s a large bite of food. However there are times when fish are more lethargic and sit on or near the bottom waiting for a meal to come to them. This is where the Euro-nymphing approach can be very effective, as you can bounce the fly along the bottom right in front of their noses. In early May 2018 I was fishing a small stream and as usual the water was cold and there was absolutely nothing hatching. I chucked a Simi Seal Leech into several pools and only saw one fish chase it. I then decided to Czech nymph a Jigly Leech right along the bottom, and I finally connected in the third pool that I came across. It was a lethargic 16-inch brown. I kept trekking my way upstream over the next couple of hours and caught two more browns in the 15- to 17-inch range and a 10-inch brookie.

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LONG LINES

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.

Switch It Up To Throw Junk

S

pring brings change. For the fly fisher none as apparent (and at times as daunting), as the change from winter–skinny water, light presentations, small flies–to spring runoff.

Runoff usually means big and roily water, large flies, and fish pushed against the banks.

For many fly fishers this also means some frustration.

Big, fast-moving rivers, large flies, and heavier rods are not things they’re used to. While the aggressive presentations and short casts might be a welcome change, you still have to deliver the fly to the target and fish it properly as soon as it hits the water.

The technique for this is critical, but the equipment is also important. And using the equipment properly can be the difference between success and getting hit in the back of the head with something that hurts.

Fly lines become a key factor for success. The heavier the line the more effective it is at counteracting not only the fly’s weight but also its wind resistance. A typical 5-weight fly line has a front taper five to seven-feet long. This taper allows the energy to dissipate over a longer period of time and delivers the fly with the least amount of energy so it lands on the water with minimal disturbance. A typical

5 Weight

Switch

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

streamer or nymph line has a significantly shorter front taper and possibly a shorter head, thus retaining more energy to help turn over larger or wind-resistant flies.

Often these lines are a half-weight heavy as well.

The leader is just as important, as it is an extension of the fly line. Many anglers use a leader too long, or a casting method that disconnects the angler from the fly, such as a standard overhead cast rather than a continuous-tension cast. As with the fly line, a leader that has a fast taper is best, because it retains energy to counteract the weight and resistance of the fly.

Given this, it’s logical that using a heavier line-weight is an advantage. And yet many anglers view going to a 6-, 7-, or 8-weight outfit as some kind of challenge to their fishing prowess, especially if they’re fishing for trout. I admit to having the same feeling. I want to use the same 5-weight rod and line I use with size 16 dry flies for “heavier” fishing, just to prove I can. But proving you can is not the same as being efficient and effective.

I was recently reminded of this while fishing the North Platte River in Wyoming. Casting a large doublestreamer rig 50 feet in 30-mph winds was a royal pain.

After swallowing my pride and losing a few fish, I was

determined to win. What better way to do that than by going big and heavy? Enter the switch rod, a viable and interesting alternative to a heavier single-handed rod. A switch rod is a shorter version of the two-handed Spey rods that have received so much fanfare lately. Their flex is more similar to single-handed rods than Spey rods. Typically under 8-weight and shorter than 12 feet, the name switch comes from the rods’ dual capability for casting overhead or Spey-style, and not simply because they can be used for both single and two-handed casting. They have a useful application and are especially well–suited to casting large nymph rigs and heavy streamers.

As such they require a whole different category of fly lines and line weights. For example, the standard 5-weight line weighs about 145 grains or 9 grams in the front 30 feet (4.8 grains per foot). By comparison, a 5-weight switch line weighs about 350 grains in the first 55 feet, or 6.4 grains per foot. This is a 33% increase in grains-per-inch, which makes its weight closer to an 8-weight in the front 30 feet. The head and belly sections are usually longer,

which allows the line to carry more energy, and cast and mend at distance. That wimpy single-handed fly rod is no match for an 11-foot, 6-inch, two-handed 5-weight switch rod. The switch rod is like 4-wheel drive for your fly rod. My preference in switch rods is for a 5- or 6-weight that’s a little shorter than a standard Spey rod. A shorter and lighter rod is simply easier to handle in a variety “Typically under 8-weight of conditions. and shorter than 12 feet, Casting a switch rod requires an the name switch comes adjustment. They’re not the easiest twohanded rods to cast or even the best to from the rods’ dual learn on. The biggest differences and also capability for casting the largest impediments for many singlehanded casters are also the most obvious: overhead or Spey-style, and rod length and casting with two hands. The not simply because they extra couple of feet means that with the can be used for both single same rotational movement at the butt–say 90 degrees–the tip of an 11-foot, 6-inch and two-handed casting.” switch rod moves an additional three and a

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10' 12' HEAD LENGTH 36'

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3'

5'

Switch

Switch

#7/8 ength: 100'

RUNNING LINE

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45'

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10'

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FRONT TAPER

16'

© Illustration RIO Products half feet! When you add the fact that most people tend to use an exaggerated casting stroke, the cast often ends up a failure. The longer the rod, the longer the tip travel and typically more flex. This creates a tendency to direct a loop down toward the ground. Remember that the advantage of a two-handed rod is–without stating too much of the obvious–using two hands. More energy can be created, but you need a shorter, more compact casting stroke to do it correctly.

For first-time two-handed casters the awkwardness of using both hands is real. The best description given to me was from Dec Hogan, who likened the bottom hand to the hauling hand. I love this simplification.

While not exactly the same as the double-haul move because the hands remain the same distance apart, it is effective in evoking a feel and correct timing. The bottom hand should be used as much as the top hand, at times even more.

We can divide casts with switch rods into Spey casts and traditional casts. Spey casts are defined as “change-of-direction casts that are energetic and have no backcast.” Notice that the definition did not mention a two-handed rod. Spey casts can just as easily be made with single-handed rods, but were originally made with very long (18-feet or longer) rods where there was no backcast space. With that said, Spey-

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

moves are not necessary for a switch rod. In fact, the easiest transition is to a standard overhead cast, roll cast, or lob cast. Then try a forward Spey (also known as a switch cast, but no connection to the rod of the same name), single Spey, and other casts. The transition to these Spey moves means creating the D- or V-loop to set up for the forward cast. Energy must remain in the line to develop the D- or V-shape and proper timing must be used to retain the energy while establishing an effective anchor point. We’ll leave a more detailed description of two-hand casting and the various casts to future articles.

The goal is to be more efficient. Remember that this started as a discussion of how to throw big and heavy rigs in adverse conditions. Showing up on the stream on a windy day with high water and big flies, expecting to master a two-handed rod is not advised. Best to practice in advance for a few hours with the same gear you’ll fish with. As I’ve described in previous columns, one of the best practice techniques is to reduce the power as you cast.

That is probably of even more benefit here.

Moving to a switch rod can have great advantages; it’s an easier transition than to full Spey and provides more versatility. Choose your equipment carefully and master the casting. Then use your normal fishing techniques while overcoming the wind and river conditions.

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PROFILES

Maxine McCormick Maxine McCormick Maxine grew up in San Francisco and now lives in Portland; she won the women’s World Casting Championship in 2016, at age 12. Since then she has continued her assault on competitive fly casting.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

John Van Vleet: A lot of people probably aren’t too familiar with fly-casting competitions, how they’re organized, and how people get into them. How did you get into it? I read that you were nine, is that correct?

Maxine McCormick: Yeah. My dad brought me out to the casting ponds one day, and I just started trying to hit the target. Someone saw me and started helping me. They were friends with Chris Korich who is my coach now. I was introduced to him and he said I should try tournament casting because he thought I would be good at it and I liked it so much.

JVV: Was your dad into tournament casting at the time?

MM: He just used to go out to the casting ponds to practice for fishing trips. He didn’t compete.

JVV: How long did it take for you to realize that this was something you were interested in and something that you wanted to do?

MM: Pretty much from the start. I just had so much fun with it. I’d play little games to try and hit the target. It was just new and exciting. So, I kind of knew I wanted to do it.

I was really excited about going out and I asked my dad to go out a lot. And then also when I heard about Steve Rajeff, I remember I wanted to be as good as him. That was one of my first goals.

JVV: Do you remember your first competition?

MM: The first competition I ever went to was a small local competition at the Golden Gate Casting Ponds in San Francisco. I don’t really remember much about it, but there is a video of me and it’s just funny to watch me try to strip my lines and I would use my teeth to do it.

JVV: How did you do in those first nationals?

MM: I did pretty good for my age and how long I had been doing it. But not as good as now, obviously. But I did pretty good, I was happy.

JVV: How did you meet Chris Korich and how did you start working with him?

MM: I met Donna O’Sullivan who is a fly caster who goes to

Golden Gate a lot and competes with casting, and she is a good friend of Chris’s, so she introduced me to him because she knew that he’s a really good teacher and likes working with kids.

JVV: How long have you guys been working together now?

MM: Six or seven years.

JVV: Was it 2016 when you won the Women’s Division at the World Casting Championships in Estonia?

MM: Yes. JVV: Your first World Championship. What was going through your mind and how did you feel when you went there?

MM: At first I wasn’t too nervous until the day I was competing because we went to the capital of Estonia for a few days beforehand, so it wasn’t at the front of my mind until we got there. And yeah, I was just kind of surprised that I made it that far and I was really grateful to be there.

JVV: A lot of people probably don’t know how the competitions work. Can you run us through a typical scenario?

MM: It’s over a couple of days and there are different events. In the accuracy event there are four targets with four rings, and if you hit the centre ring you get five points, and then you lose points as you get farther away from the centre. For distance there are some double-hand events and some single-hand events, and they use different rods and equipment. But, yeah, you do six events in all.

JVV: Do you do the single-hand and the double-hand stuff, or what are the things that you typically focus on?

MM: I did four events last time. I did the accuracy, I did two-hand overhead–it’s overhead distance–and then I did a single-hand distance event where you use 5-weight lines, and then I did another single-hand distance event.

JVV: And how did you do in all of those in your first world championship?

MM: My first time, I got a gold in accuracy and a bronze in the two-hand overhead. And I wasn’t expecting to do good

in the distance my first year, because I hadn’t really focused on it as much as on the accuracy, so that one was a good surprise. And then in my second world championship, I got a gold in accuracy, I got a gold in two-hand overhead, and I got a silver in one of the single-hand distances.

JVV: So, you guys are now living in the Portland area, but you started down in San Francisco. How important do you think it was that you were able to go to the Golden Gate Casting Club and work there? Do you think you would have been able to get this good if you hadn’t lived there when you were younger?

MM: I definitely think the Golden Gate pond is one of the nicest ponds we’ve been to. The club has a lot of members.

There’s a lot of people that did help me when I was younger.

And I think that’s definitely why I got to where I am, because there were people that helped me and I had good facilities to practice at.

JVV: So, it’s been cool seeing you profiled in the New York Times, and you have your own Wikipedia page. You’re definitely out there making a name for yourself. But how

important is it to set an example for other kids that might be interested in casting or fishing, or even other women that are interested in fly fishing or casting?

MM: I think the fact that I did it and I’m still young kind of shows that it can be fun and you can do really well at a young age. And also, for women, it just shows that it doesn’t matter; if you’re a woman, you can be just as good as the men.

JVV: One last question. How good are you at fishing now that you’re one of the most accurate casters in the world-how much has that helped you?

MM: It’s definitely helped with my management, and I can cast to spots that not everybody can cast to, and I can put my fly where I want it, so that definitely helps. But I mean, you’ve still got to go out and fish a lot to be a good fly fisher, but it definitely helps a lot.

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WANDERING CURRENTS

Reconnecting

Derek Olthuis Derek loves researching and exploring new places to fish–the more remote the better. He is obsessed with sight fishing; to him there is nothing more enjoyable than stalking a fish and watching it eat a fly.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

S

pring is my favourite time of year. After waiting out the cold, every day on the water seems perfect, no matter the outcome. As winter winds down it’s hard to suppress the urge to get outside and cast a fly. By February any sunny day merits a drive to the river to see if the warmer weather has bugs hatching and fish rising.

One such day the itch became too strong, and knowing the weather wouldn’t hold much longer I threw the idea out to my wife of getting a babysitter and taking a drive.

We decided on a particular tailwater and headed out to make the most of the weather while it lasted.

As we parked I anxiously jumped out of the car and hurried to the water’s edge to look for bugs. Hopeful that midges would be hatching and fish would be eating on top, I scanned the surface. The snow-covered bank was melting in the sunlight, slowly dripping into the currents below and feeding the river. There were only a few tiny black midges lying on the snow. Fish were not yet rising. But the day was young.

We pulled on our waders and walked down river to a promising stretch. There were still no rising fish but—if nothing else—were outside and on the water. The river was low, the reservoirs were filling up for the summer heat.

The fish were gathered in the remaining pools. Winter had not yet truly given way to spring, the trees still stood naked from autumn’s annual disrobing. There was no sense of hurry, we took our time flipping over rocks and looking at bugs, discussing which flies were likely to produce.

Fishing was not fast, but the trout were feeding and willing to eat a well-presented nymph. There was a soothing feeling in the air as the sun cast shadows on the cold ground and warmed my face. This type of day reminds me of the real reasons we fish. Of course we want to catch fish but there’s something else deep within us that pulls us outside, away from the comforts of a modern world. There is a simple draw that begs us to spend time

standing knee-deep in water. Holding a fish and letting it slide through your fingers back into the icy water has a healing effect. It breaks down stress and helps us feel connected to something greater than ourselves.

Perhaps it’s due to the slower pace of fishing or an appreciation born from the cold of winter; either way we admired each fish a little longer than usual. The best part of the day was watching my wife progress as an angler. This is a relatively new pursuit for her; she is still learning the ropes but is eager to get out. Maybe it’s nothing more than an excuse for both of us to get out of the house and take a break from the fast pace of life.

Regardless of the why, we’ll take what we can get.

Watching her casts and drifts improve through the day had me thinking of places to visit this summer. Perhaps that didn’t matter right then, but I couldn’t help but think of locations suited for her. More days like this had to be made a priority.

It is always impressive to see how much impact a few fish and a beautiful backdrop can have on your week. The clichéd saying, “the worst day of fishing is better than the best day at work” might have more merit than we often care to acknowledge. There is real value in a day passed in the outdoors. Time outside repeatedly reminds us that there is more to life than the things that so often eat up our time. Winter has that effect.

It’s a fine reminder of how important this passion for fish really is. Spring might be so valued in part because it reconnects us to moving water, willing fish and a mother (nature) we don’t visit

flyfusionmag.com

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STILLWATER SECRETS

Brian Chan Often referred to as “Dr. Chironomid,” Brian has always viewed stillwater fly fishing through the lens of a biologist. Lakes and their inhabitants are always changing–no two days are ever the same–and that’s what Brian finds so fascinating about fly fishing in still water.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Accessorizing Your Fly Patterns

W

e all have go-to patterns that have proven themselves over multiple seasons of use but we also all have days when our most reliable flies don’t draw any interest. On those days there will be a lot of fly changes, and in the worstcase scenario there simply won’t be a pattern that produces beyond a fish or two. At times though, a very slight change in a pattern will flip the switch on those trout that have been ignoring previous offerings.

Slight or subtle changes like adding or omitting a bead, changing a bead’s colour or size, varying dubbing texture and mix, or simply downsizing a pattern can quickly change a tough day into a memorable one.

Perhaps the biggest game changer is the use of beads on imitations of chironomid pupa. Beads get these patterns down to depth more quickly, and reduce bounce when they’re fished under an indicator in choppy water. Beads can add some flash and, in the case of white beads, exaggerate the breathing filaments which can be so prominent in the larger species of chironomids.

Brass, tungsten, and glass beads are commonly used on chironomid pupae, with white, UV-white, black, gunmetal grey, copper, brown, gold, and silver being standard colours. Pupal patterns using less traditional bead-colours such as hot orange, chartreuse, pink, red, and rainbow can also be surprisingly successful.

While our goal is to tie as realistic a pupal pattern as possible, we still want our flies to stand out in the crowd. Visualize a group of trout lazily swimming through hundreds if not thousands of real pupae. Our patterns are up against a lot of competition.

There are also situations when a bead-head chironomid pupa is too bright or flashy and may be avoided by the fish.

This typically happens during emergences from very clear, shallow water. Often the emerging pupae are very small and have almost transparent breathing filaments. This is a time when bead-less patterns “Slight or subtle are much more effective. If you don’t have any, carry a black changes like adding waterproof felt pen in your gear or omitting a bead, bag so that brightly coloured or changing a bead’s colour white beads can be blacked out or size, varying dubbing to create a more subtle pattern.

The transformation of texture and mix, or chironomid pupae, caddis pupae, simply downsizing a and mayfly nymphs into the adult phase is aided by a buildup of gas pattern can quickly beneath the nymphal or pupal change a tough day into skin. This mirror-like or glistening a memorable one.” effect can be imitated by adding UV materials to the dubbing blend. Hareline Ice Dub and Montana Fly Company UV Frog’s Hair Dubbing are just a couple of examples of UV materials that, when added in small quantities to standard dubbing, provide an extra amount of flash that may help trigger strikes.

I’ve also found that a little UV flash added to scud patterns improves their effectiveness, especially in very shallow water.

Whether trout can see the difference in UV-enhanced materials is still debatable. Most current research indicates that juvenile salmonids have the ability to see in the UV

light spectrum but lose this trait after about two years of age. The bottom line is that flies tied with UV-enhanced materials work–maybe not all the time, but enough to make me a believer.

Some of the most exciting stillwater fishing occurs from spring through early summer.

This coincides with the majority of aquatic insect emergences that the trout target. Once these hatches begin tapering off, trout become more opportunistic feeders and this is when leeches become important. Leeches are long-lived and can attain lengths of over four inches when fully extended and swimming.

Walking the shallow edges of the lake and flipping over rocks and woody debris often reveals good numbers of leeches in the 2- to 3-inch range. This would suggest that we should use

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

bigger or longer leech patterns. But sizing up is not always more productive; trout definitely like smaller leeches. I see evidence of this often in throat samples of fish. The leeches are invariably less than an inch long. Tying small or micro leeches on scud hooks, 60-degree jig hooks, or curved nymph hooks in sizes 10 to 14 creates patterns with an overall length of less than one inch. Adding a brass or tungsten bead in copper, gold, maroon, or silver adds flash and additional movement to the fly, whether it’s suspended and drifted under an indicator or cast and retrieved on a full-sinking line. Attaching leeches to the tippet with a non-slip loop knot adds even more life-like movement to an already enticing meal.

Two of my staple leech colours are black and maroon.

I usually finish micro marabou leeches with a gold bead, and larger Simi-Seal leeches with a copper cone-head.

Over the past several years I’ve been tying the same patterns, but changing from gold to silver beads on the micro leeches and from copper to gold cone-heads on the larger leeches. It has been an eye-opener how much these patterns have been improved with just the change in bead colour. Sometimes change is good!

ON THE VICE

Spring Fever

Dana Harrison Dana feels that he is not just a fly fisher and tier, but a steward for the streams and lakes we enjoy. He is passionate for positive change in our industry, with a focus on preserving our environment for future generations.

W

hen most trout fly fishers think of spring, I believe they simply dream of ice melting away and wonder which chironomid pattern will work best on opening day. They have undoubtedly already dusted off their float tubes and thoroughly checked their waders for holes. I expect that most anglers have had their rods at the ready for at least the last few weeks; every fly line cleaned and every reel oiled to perfection in expectation. The long drought, also known as winter, is finally coming to an end and it is time to get back on the water.

Morrish Hopper Hook: Firehole 718 Thread: 70 denier, tan Body: 6mm of foam comprised of 3x 2mm of foam glued together and shaped with scissors Indicator: 2mm foam, orange Legs: Barred rubber legs

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Not for me, though. My mind is elsewhere.

I am already dreaming of summer, of wet wading the rivers and streams close to my home in Southeast British Columbia. Longing for my retreat to far away glacial tributaries, where I can leave civilization behind. It is then that you will find me sleeping under the stars, reliving the adventures that the day brought and thinking back on all the fish that I caught. I’ll be getting up early to start the trek to a spot I’ve been eyeing on Google Earth all winter long, wondering if it’s everything I thought it would be.

Chubby Chernobyl Hook: Firehole 718 Thread: 6/0, tan Tail: Krystal Flash, pearl Underbody: 2mm foam Body: Synthetic dubbing Overbody: 2mm foam, tan Legs: Sili rubber legs Wing: MFC Widows Web

I can envision it now. Hiding under a cut bank in the stream, a hungry trout lurks, waiting for my comically large fly.

I pick a spot to place my cast, knowing it will drift perfectly across the river. I keep my eye on the large fly, even after a long cast, it is still clear as day when it lands across the river. I watch the fly dance over the surface as it spirals and ebbs in the current. The summer brings with it water so crystal clear the fish can be seen rising from the bottom, eager to accept the offering. I steady myself to set the hook at just the right moment but not a second too soon. This is what I think about when springtime arrives. My heart can barely take it.

It could be argued that few flies suit summer better than big foam bugs.

And this category includes virtually

endless possibilities. Even when narrowed down to just the large dry fly variety, there are still quite a few.

Over the years, I have either tried or tied a large number of these flies, many of which are now widely available to anglers. Some I have had great success with and others just felt like a fad. Some were created with very specific imitations in mind, while others seemed like they would never have worked, yet somehow they did.

Following are a few of my favourite patterns along with, tying tips and a brief outline of why I think they will become go-to imitations for your summer fishing this year.

Chubby Chernobyl I’m not sure you’re allowed to write about foam flies without talking about the Chubby Chernobyl. It’s a pattern that simply catches fish and is also relatively quick and easy to tie. One of the features I like are the huge poly wings that make it easy to see, even when

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wade fishing. Depending on size, colour, and time of year, the Chubby can pass as a hopper, a salmon fly, a golden stone or even a large caddis. If your regulations allow, it’s the perfect fly for a hopper/dropper rig. When the sun is out and you are wet-wading, make sure you have a good selection of these in your box.

Morish Hopper I’m not sure if this is a classic foam fly yet, but I don’t think it will be long before it’s regarded that way. I will admit that I normally prefer my flies to be as buggy as the summer days are long, but this fly just works and for good reason. The profile on the Morrish Hopper is everything. When the fly is viewed from underneath the water’s surface it very closely represents the profile of an actual grasshopper. I like to get a little fancy with the bottom of the fly and add some spots and lines with a marker to break up the flat mono-colour of the foam, but that’s personal preference. The fly is not difficult, though it can be quite time-consuming, especially if

you’re gluing and shaping the foam by hand. River Road Creations has recently created a cutter set to vastly speed up the process if you plan to tie a lot of them.

Foam Back Beetle I can’t recall exactly where I saw this pattern, but when I did, I knew I had to tie it and try it on the water. It has since become one of my confidence patterns for westslope cutthroats. These fish seem to have a soft spot for a wellpresented beetle pattern. Many foam patterns use round rubber legs but for this one I prefer MFC Sexi-Floss, as it’s thinner and moves on the surface more easily. Much like the Chubby Chernobyl, this fly is easy to see no matter where you cast it due to the large poly wing.

Foam Back Beetle Hook: Firehole 718 Thread: 6/0, brown Body: Ice Dub, pheasant Overbody: 2mm foam, tan Underwing: Polar Flash, gold Middlewing: MFC Widows Web Overwing: Elk hair Legs: MFC Sexi-Floss Hackle: Dark barred ginger Thorax: Ice Dub, pheasant

FEATURED RECIPE

Amy’s Ant This is one of my preferred patterns and not just because it catches fish. I’m partial to tying flies that take a little bit of effort, and Amy’s Ant is not just some foam tied on a hook. It incorporates techniques from previous patterns, such as the Stimulator, Chernobyl Ant, and several other western flies. Amy’s pattern brings them all together in a fish-catching machine. It’s my understanding that Jack Dennis started trying this fly around the year 2000. Anyone fond of this fly will know it’s named after his daughter.

Recipe Hook: Firehole 839 Thread: Black 3/0 Monocord Underbody: 2mm foam, tan Overbody: 2mm foam, brown Legs: Round rubber legs Body: Krystal Chenille, olive Hackle: Brown rooster, trimmed short Underwing: Krystal Flash, pearl Overwing: Elk hair Thorax: Ice Dub, hare’s-ear brown

1

2

3

4

6

5

7

Tying Instructions 1.

2.

3.

4.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Prepare two strips of foam approximately 10-cm long and as wide as the hook-gap. Cut one to have a rounded end and the other to have a notch.

Secure your hook in the vise and attach thread. Tie in the foam with the rounded end at the rear of the hook, with about 5-to-6 mm hanging off the back.

Bind the foam to the hook all the way to the eye of the hook with tying thread and return the thread to the rear.

Place the second piece of foam with the notch in it on top of the first piece and bind it down where the first was attached.

5.

6.

7.

Secure the rubber legs on either side of the fly at the same tie-in point as the foam. Try to get the legs to sit directly between layers of the foam sandwich.

Keeping the top layer of foam and the rubber legs out of the way, tie in a brown hackle as close to the rear of the fly as possible. The fibres should be a little on the long side, as they will be trimmed later.

At the same tie-in point, tie in a length of olive Krystal chenille and wrap it forward to just over the halfway point on the hook shank. Tie off the chenille and trim away the excess.

8

11 13

9

12 14

10

8.

Wrap the hackle forward through the chenille. Make as many or as few wraps as you like. Tie it off where you tied off the chenille.

9. Trim the hackle so it’s just slightly longer than the chenille. Do this on all sides of the bug. Then pull the top layer of foam forward over the hackle and chenille. Secure the foam in place with your thread right in front of the chenille and bind it down right up to the eye. Return your thread to just in front of the chenille.

10. Tie 10-to-12 strands of pearl Krystal Flash just in front of the chenille on top of the second layer of foam.

Once secured in place, fold it back and tie in place so all the ends are facing backwards. The Krystal Flash should extend back past the bend of the hook and will be trimmed to the correct length later.

11. Cut a pencil-sized clump of elk hair from the hide, clean it and stack it in a hair stacker. Remove the hair and measure so the wing will be just shorter than the body. Secure the hair to the hook on top of the place

where the Krystal Flash was tied in. Continue to bind the elk hair in place by wrapping through the butts, gradually moving forward. Trim away all the excess material. Trim the Krystal flash to be slightly longer than the elk hair.

12. Create a fair-sized dubbing noodle of Ice Dub on your thread and dub a bulbous head in the space between the eye of the hook and the elk hair. Return the thread to the back of the head. Now pull the top layer of foam back over the dubbing and secure it with a few wraps.

13. Secure rubber legs on either side of the fly in the same place you secured the foam. The front legs should point slightly downwards.

14. Cut the lower layer of foam to extend 5-to-6 mm past the eye of the hook, then round the edges as in step 1. Cut a notch in the upper layer of foam as in step 1. Whip-finish the fly over the spot where the rubber legs were tied in place. Finally, trim the rubber legs to your liking or leave them long.

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GEAR GUIDE

EDITORS CHOICE AWARDS

Best Transport System:

Yakima Double Haul

Rooftop rod carriers have become commonplace in many areas of the US. They’re an easy identifier for fly anglers no matter where you go. In recent months, a number of new rooftop rod carriers have come out and the Yakima Double Haul is the latest, and quite possibly the best. It’s a four-rod rooftop carrier that finally looks good on your vehicle. The Double Haul’s tough appearance comes from a solid black, full-welded construction with a molded black reel compartment. Unpacking the Double Haul, the first thing you will notice is the same quality you have come to expect from Yakima, with high-end components such as weather-resistant locks, full aluminum construction with stout connections between the tubes and the crossbar mounts. It can also be shortened to hold rods broken down into two sections of 5 feet or less. Assembly and installation

took about 30 minutes and was easily a one-person job.

The best surprise was on the inside. Each of the tubes is lined with a soft plastic tube to protect rods against blank rubbing. The reel compartment is lined in carpet and reels are cradled on their side, rather than hanging, which saves fly lines and protects those high-end reels.

A plus from this engineering choice is a reduction in road vibration that can eventually create wear spots on rod blanks. The system is also a breeze to take on and off, with large hand-tightened bolts clamping to a variety of sizes of roof racks, and a single lock to prevent theft.

At $699 the Double Haul is not the cheapest system, but when protecting up to four high-end fly-fishing outfits that could easily be worth over $5,000, it seems like a solid investment.

Best Saltwater Fly Reel:

Abel VAYA

Let’s get one thing clear from the outset: this isn’t a heavy-duty tarpon reel. Nor was it designed to be.

Abel’s new VAYA is, however, perfect for light saltwater work. Built with a time-tested, sealed carbon-andstainless stacked disc drag system, the VAYA’s name might mean “Go!” in Spanish, but it can, and will, stop everything from bonefish to redfish—and even the odd permit. The machining and millwork is top-notch, featuring different milled fly patterns on each successive size and a partially ported frame designed for added strength—and to show off Abel’s striking hand-anodized finishes. Available in three sizes (4/5, 6/7, and 8/9), the VAYA can pull double duty in fresh water as well, making it as versatile as it is attractive.

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Best Eyewear:

Smith Optics Caravan MAG The Fly Fusion staff knows a thing or two about eyewear, considering a good portion of us have eyeglasses on at all times. That means we must carry our sunglasses separately.

What makes the Caravan MAG so awesome is that, with its innovative and intuitive lens-changing system, Smith has eliminated the need for us to carry around multiple sets of sunglasses as well. First things first: the ChromaPop™ lenses included with the Caravan MAG (your choice of one is included, along with the low-light Ignitor) are first-class when it comes to polarized lenses; the optics are superb.

We’ve seen changeable lens sunglasses before; however, they’ve never looked, or functioned, this well. What makes the Caravan MAGs so great is that you’d never know the lenses swapped out so easily just by looking at them. It’s a practical solution to a problem only anglers can truly understand: changing light conditions. Never be caught squinting again.

Best Hooks:

Umpqua X-Series If we’re being honest, fly-fishing hooks are sort of like an anonymous cog in a well-oiled machine; they’re only noticed when they fail. That’s why it’s important to use quality hooks in your own tying, and Umpqua’s new X-Series is a great place to start. Developed with what they dub a BN5X—which stands for black nickel five times— finish for extreme corrosion resistance, the X-Series hooks also feature a high carbon content, which not only makes the points sharper, but makes the hooks stronger as well.

One feature we particularly like is the V-Lock Bend, which is a slight angle placed in the bend of the hook that, when combined with the Micro Barbs, results in less fish lost.

The X-Series is available in Saltwater and Trout offerings, including some of Umpqua’s most popular models over the years.

Best Freshwater Fly Reel:

Orvis Mirage LT

The Mirage series of reels from Orvis has seen several iterations over the years, with each one showing improvement over the last. Looking ahead, it’s going to be a tall task to top the Mirage LT. It’s a beautiful reel, from a pure eye candy perspective, and the precise machining makes it feel like a substantial fishing tool, despite its extremely lightweight design. The sealed disc drag system is ridiculously overkill for most freshwater fishing scenarios—and would perform just fine on saltwater flats—but if you’re fighting a trout and need the drag, it’s comforting to know that fish isn’t going anywhere. Designed and manufactured in the USA, the Mirage LT is available in four sizes, covering 1- through 9-weight lines.

flyfusionmag.com

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GEAR GUIDE

EDITORS CHOICE AWARDS Best Freshwater Fly Line:

Best Waders:

SA’s Amplitude series features nearly every technology the longstanding fly-line company has to offer: floating and shooting textures, the gamechanging AST Plus slickness additive, multiple colors, printed line IDs, welded loops, and more. From a durability and casting perspective, these lines are lasting longer, floating higher, and shooting farther than ever. Joining the Amplitude family this year is the Infinity taper, SA’s latest “go-to” do-it-all design. Built with a long enough front taper to present delicate dries, enough mass in the head to turn over nymph rigs and streamers, and an extended rear taper for smooth distance casting and mending ability, the Infinity almost casts itself. It’s a jack of all trades—and somehow masters them all. Available in weight-forward floating line weights 3 through 9.

Long gone are the days of being uncomfortable in a pair of waders. With all the advancements in design and materials over the last decade, high-end waders now feel more like a joy to wear and less like an unavoidable burden.

With Patagonia’s excellent Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-Fronts, not only will you stay comfortable and dry, you won’t need to get another pair of waders for quite some time. They took the “Expedition” moniker to heart and built a roughand-tumble set of waders designed for ruggedness and comfort. The brand-new suspension system converts from chest to waist-height easily, which is great for those warm afternoons, while the sealed, waterproof zipper provides freedom of movement when getting in or out of the waders. We immediately appreciated the thicker lower material, along with the removable foam kneepads and articulated leg design, as we’ve been known to go through some waders over the years. Available in a wide range of sizes.

Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity

Best Buy:

Blue Coolers 50L Ice Vault Cooler If there’s one thing we’ve seen an influx of the last several years across the outdoors industry, it’s heavily engineered, nearly indestructible coolers. What we haven’t seen is one as affordable as Blue Coolers’ 50L Ice Vault. With all the features and functions of the higher-priced models—rotomolded construction, lockable lids, non-slip feet, insulated walls, just to name a few—at a fraction of the price, Blue Coolers may just be on to something here. The performance alone makes this cooler worth hundreds more than its MSRP, and it’s refreshing to find a highend cooler that doesn’t cost as much as a car payment.

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The Soul of Fly Fishing

Patagonia Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-Front Waders

Best Presentation Fly Rod:

Sage Trout LL

The Sage Trout is a truly amazing rod. The Sage Trout LL has a deep, progressive, action that is perfect for presentation casts. It is quite possibly one of the smoothest rods ever produced. However, what really separates the Trout LL from other rods is the damping. Typically we find some tip bounce on softer rods but the Trout LL stops like it has been put into a vice. You combine this with the pleasing action and light weight in hand and for those that appreciate a rod that requires skill to cast rather than force this rod will please even the most ardent skeptics.

Best Buy Fly Rod:

Echo Trout

You do not need to spend a lot to get a rod that will perform and the Echo Trout is proof. While the cosmetics are no frills our testing team was truly impressed. The softer action has a great progressive bend with good damping but a pleasing feel. The rod is light in hand and unless you look at what you are casting you wont remember you spent a third of what it would cost to get a rod of similar performance.

Best Innovation:

Paxis Twin Lakes Backpack What’s the worst aspect of wearing a backpack while fishing? That one’s easy. Access to the contents. There’s a reason why vests and sling packs have been so popular.

Well, Paxis has something to say about that. While not designed exclusively for fly fishing, the Praxis Twin Lakes Backpack has something we’ve never seen before: a fliparound rear compartment that looks like something from an Inspector Gadget cartoon. Dubbed the “shuttle pod,” to access its contents, all you need to do is pull the release handle—though we prefer to call it a rip cord—and this rear compartment swings around your waist and appears, almost magically, right where you need it. It’s one of the more imaginative design elements we’ve seen in quite some time, and solves a problem on the water (or on the trail) that many anglers have encountered over the years. We’re looking forward to seeing what Praxis has in store next.

Best Watercraft:

Outcast Fish Cat Cruzer When you first see the Outcast Fish Cat Cruzer, it’s hard not to notice the major difference between it and other similar float tubes out there. Or should we say the two major differences? That’s right, the Fish Cat Cruzer is a float tube with oars. This is not a large float tube/pontoon boat hybrid, it’s a legitimate one-person float tube that will make stillwater angling that much more enjoyable—especially on those windy days when the launch is halfway across the lake and your legs are burning from kicking so hard. Trust us, we’ve been there. The Fish Cat line of float tubes has been around for a long time, and could be called the industry standard at this point. That standard has just been raised, and all it took was the addition of two oars.

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