12 September 2020
04 September 2020
The importance of the delivery cast
The delivery cast is the cast that counts when fly fishing. All the (pretty) false casting won't mean a thing if the delivery cast fails. Accuracy and delicacy are two aspects that should go together. Sometimes it's a challenge when there's lots of wind (side wind or head wind), but also limited room behind us that prevents a good back cast. The only exception might be when you're casting a heavily weighted nymph(s) or a big wind resistant fly like a large streamer.
The delivery cast I often see is the line landing first followed by the leader and eventually the fly. On moving water this type of delivery has a huge disadvantage that the fly will instantly start dragging as the fly line is washed away by the current. Mending right away will ruin an already crappy drift...
The second disadvantage, which I wasn't aware of myself, is explained by Joe Rotter from Reds Fly Shop in this particular video. He explains (starting around 4:30) that the fish waiting for food will get distracted by the sound (and water disturbance) the the line makes when it lands and miss the presence of the fly (in this case a hopper) that will drift outside its view very soon. It's the fly we want the fish to focus on, not the fly line after all.
Another great tip Joe (starting around 2:15) gives in this video is how to twitch the hopper to get the fish's attention. When a grasshopper lands on the water, it makes a crawling movement trying to swim back to the shore. This crawling can be seen as circular waves. Learn to make this hopper crawl movement by using the tip of the rod.
Great tips Joe!
The delivery cast I often see is the line landing first followed by the leader and eventually the fly. On moving water this type of delivery has a huge disadvantage that the fly will instantly start dragging as the fly line is washed away by the current. Mending right away will ruin an already crappy drift...
The second disadvantage, which I wasn't aware of myself, is explained by Joe Rotter from Reds Fly Shop in this particular video. He explains (starting around 4:30) that the fish waiting for food will get distracted by the sound (and water disturbance) the the line makes when it lands and miss the presence of the fly (in this case a hopper) that will drift outside its view very soon. It's the fly we want the fish to focus on, not the fly line after all.
Another great tip Joe (starting around 2:15) gives in this video is how to twitch the hopper to get the fish's attention. When a grasshopper lands on the water, it makes a crawling movement trying to swim back to the shore. This crawling can be seen as circular waves. Learn to make this hopper crawl movement by using the tip of the rod.
Great tips Joe!
28 August 2020
Hopper time in Yellowstone country
We all know Craig Mathews. He is the co-founder of the renown fly shop, Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone. He's known for several books and DVDs about fishing in Yellowstone country and Madison river. He's also known for the Sparkle Dun, X-Caddis and several other flies we probably don't know it's his creation. Craig is also the co-founder of 1% for the Planet and a very active conservationist.
I met Craig at Blue Ribbon Flies in 1992 (I looked up in my journal and that day was July 31th). That summer day I bought the legendary Sage 490-4 LL after he let me cast it at a lawn (I think that stretch of lawn is gone long ago...) outside the shop.
After 26 years I stopped at the shop on my way to the Henry's Fork. Although he and his partner John Juracek sold the shop, he frequently helps out at the shop. Unfortunately Craig wasn't at the shop that day in August.
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak this year I cancelled all of my fishing plans. One of my favourite way to fish during the summer months is casting an Alien Bug against the banks of a river. I sent a few Alien Bugs to Craig a few weeks ago. Shipping to and from the USA has been very unreliable since the Covid-19 outbreak. I was hoping the flies arrived on time for the hopper season.
Fortunately they arrived on time. Craig wrote me earlier this week:
"I wanted you to know your Aliens worked yesterday on huge Yellowstone cutthroat trout to 24”. A friend and I fished them all afternoon. We took 20 plus big fish on them"
Thanks for the pictures Craig and congratulations (it's his birthday today)!
Update June 15, 2025:
I met Craig at Blue Ribbon Flies in 1992 (I looked up in my journal and that day was July 31th). That summer day I bought the legendary Sage 490-4 LL after he let me cast it at a lawn (I think that stretch of lawn is gone long ago...) outside the shop.After 26 years I stopped at the shop on my way to the Henry's Fork. Although he and his partner John Juracek sold the shop, he frequently helps out at the shop. Unfortunately Craig wasn't at the shop that day in August.
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak this year I cancelled all of my fishing plans. One of my favourite way to fish during the summer months is casting an Alien Bug against the banks of a river. I sent a few Alien Bugs to Craig a few weeks ago. Shipping to and from the USA has been very unreliable since the Covid-19 outbreak. I was hoping the flies arrived on time for the hopper season.
Fortunately they arrived on time. Craig wrote me earlier this week:
"I wanted you to know your Aliens worked yesterday on huge Yellowstone cutthroat trout to 24”. A friend and I fished them all afternoon. We took 20 plus big fish on them"
Thanks for the pictures Craig and congratulations (it's his birthday today)!
Update June 15, 2025:
06 August 2020
Fishing evening spinner falls
The Jensens (Dave and Amelia) are one of the very few people that consistently produce top quality video's about fly fishing for trout, on both Youtube, video-on-demand and DVD. Their video's are both very well filmed and entertaining, as well as contain very valuable tips on situations we as fly fishermen encounter. They just released a (long!) video on fishing evening spinner falls.
I haven't fished many evening spinner falls in my life. The few I have encountered were on the Bow river and Missouri. If you're not used to fishing after dusk, it's a pretty tough job (not used to following your fly in such low light situation and those pesky mosquitoes!).
Here in Europe I rarely fish till dusk because I want to have dinner after starting early in the morning 😀. Fishing till dark you'll need a head lamp to tie a fly in dusk or see my way back to the car in the dark. Especially the rivers I fish I have rocky bottoms so the risk of taking a tumble or a swim while crossing in the dark is too high.
Well anyway, this video by the Jensens is by far the best I've seen so far on this subject. I'm pretty sure they have had their bloopers during this project but they sure make it look easy!
04 July 2020
29 June 2020
Cuthroats and hoppers
Fishing for cutthroats on hoppers. One of my favourite way of fishing. Do you have your own nice memories of fishing for cutts with hoppers? Which pattern did you use?
Here's a great video of two guys catching some serious nice cutts on hoppers somewhere in Yellowstone country.
Here's a great video of two guys catching some serious nice cutts on hoppers somewhere in Yellowstone country.
22 June 2020
Building a bamboo fly rod by Garrison
A unique film of Everett Garrison (1973) about how he built his bamboo rod documented by Hoagy B. Carmichael. This is the only film in existence of one of fly fishing's classic rodmakers.
Hoagy Carmichael wrote the book 'A Masters's guide to building a bamboo fly rod' together with Garrison. This book opened up the knowledge of making a bamboo fly rod which was kept secret by rod makers until the book was published in 1977. Rod makers simply call this book 'The Bible'. Unfortunately Garrison never saw the book as he passed before the book was published...
Hoagy acquired Garrison's rod shop after Garrison's passing and in 2014 Hoagy donated the rod shop to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum. Here's a nice video of Hoagy explaining why he did that.
Hoagy Carmichael wrote the book 'A Masters's guide to building a bamboo fly rod' together with Garrison. This book opened up the knowledge of making a bamboo fly rod which was kept secret by rod makers until the book was published in 1977. Rod makers simply call this book 'The Bible'. Unfortunately Garrison never saw the book as he passed before the book was published...
Hoagy acquired Garrison's rod shop after Garrison's passing and in 2014 Hoagy donated the rod shop to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum. Here's a nice video of Hoagy explaining why he did that.
21 June 2020
13 June 2020
Podcast with Tom Whiting
A few interesting things I picked up from the podcast:
1) Henry Hoffman is still alive & kicking
2) Umpqua Feather Merchants currently has a Dutch owner
3) The CDL (coq de leon) capes have great larger size (up to size 4?) dry fly hackles
12 June 2020
Fishing for Tanago - Tradition and respect
Fishing for Tanago is a Japanese tradition fishing for very small bitterlings in tiny ditches with 'microscopic' small hooks. Everything is tiny here. From the gear, the fish and equipment needed to fish. As usual in Japan it's where respect is one of the main aspects, both to the fish as well as to fellow fishermen. Watch and get inspired.
07 June 2020
15 May 2020
A Humpy trade with Charlie Craven
Charlie Craven is one of the best fly tiers in the world. He also owns the fly shop called Charlie's Fly Box in Arvada, Colorado.A few weeks I asked Charlie to order a large piece of cow elk hair from Nature's Spirit. Cow elk has a finer structure (less coarse) than bull elk and it also has nice even tips which is needed for wings on a Humpy or elk hair caddis. Its structure is tougher than deer hair so it doesn't break as easily under tight thread wraps as deer hair. Yearling elk is also a good choice as it has short even tips and also less delicate than deer hair.
I have seen many humpies in my life. Charlie is in my opinion one of the very few tiers that ties a good looking Humpy. When he messaged me that the hair was in I quickly asked him to look for a Humpy in his fly box and toss one in with the hair before shipping. Here's the Humpy (with the straight eyed hook) I shipped to Charlie (of course I used Cow elk hair here).This is the best video of tying a Humpy by Charlie. The way Charlie ties here, wings first, was done by the late André Puyans. In this video he ties the wings first and uses the butt section of the hair for the hump. This is an easier way to tie a more consistent wing length than the traditional way. I'm so used to the traditional way I'll keep on tying that way. Especially pay attention on the proportions, which makes or breaks this fly.
Update May 28, 2020:
Charlie's Humpy (2) arrived today, together with the Cow elk hair and some nice stickers. Thanks Charlie!
25 April 2020
New Zealand - are we being deluded?...
A gorgeous country like this demands to be taken care of. I mean it doesn't look beautiful if you make a mess does it?...
Then this wake up call came... Read here that reality is very different.
23 February 2020
Inconsistency of casting instruction
Here's something I've wanted to write about for some time. The inconsistency of casting instruction and many (if any?) instructors don't know it's there... Recently I ran into this video that contains the footages I have been looking for. By the way, I love the setting in Patagonia and the instructor is great.
1) Instructor demonstrating the basic casting stroke
The instructor demonstrates how to make a nice tight loop cast (starting around 5:30). His casting stroke is smooth, compact (no 'large movements') & elegant. Look at his casting style: (almost) vertical casting stroke (aka San Fransisco's Golden Gate casting club style) using his shoulder and (mainly) lower arm, all moving in one plane. Similar to how you move your arms when you run. This casting movement (a '2D' movement') is quite easy to get it, especially for beginners.
2) Inconsistency of instruction
Later on, while helping a student he holds the student's hand and shows the casting movement (around 8:55). The instructor's casting movement is the same vertical casting style while the student is 'forced' into the side arm (like when you raise your arms after 'hands up!') casting stroke with his lower and upper arm to the side in a 90 degree position making casting movement very awkward. This position also puts lots of stress on the shoulder.
This side arm (using predominately your elbow) casting movement is a much more complex '3D' movement as it involves your elbow, upper arm and a bit of your shoulder joints (3 joints!) all moving in different directions. This is quite confusing for beginner. Try casting using this movement with your non casting arm and you know what I mean 😀.
I know it's not easy to stand next to each other and positioning both arms symmetrically. However if you want to teach the student the casting stroke you promote, the movement of the instructor needs to position the student in the casting 'path' you want to instruct, otherwise you're confusing the student (and the student is probably not even aware that he is confused!). This inconsistency will result in the student learning the 'wrong' casting stroke. See the student's casting style that he is trying to master around 8:40, look at the student in the pink sweater next to him too, same casting movement.
Ps.
Casting styles is a whole different subject on its own. Different casting styles can be used depending on the type of fishing (for instance with weighted flies), conditions (wind) and/or target (under a branch). One style isn't better than the other, just be aware that when teaching students one needs to be consistent and not mix casting styles in the instruction.
Here's an article about different casting styles.
1) Instructor demonstrating the basic casting stroke
The instructor demonstrates how to make a nice tight loop cast (starting around 5:30). His casting stroke is smooth, compact (no 'large movements') & elegant. Look at his casting style: (almost) vertical casting stroke (aka San Fransisco's Golden Gate casting club style) using his shoulder and (mainly) lower arm, all moving in one plane. Similar to how you move your arms when you run. This casting movement (a '2D' movement') is quite easy to get it, especially for beginners.
2) Inconsistency of instruction
Later on, while helping a student he holds the student's hand and shows the casting movement (around 8:55). The instructor's casting movement is the same vertical casting style while the student is 'forced' into the side arm (like when you raise your arms after 'hands up!') casting stroke with his lower and upper arm to the side in a 90 degree position making casting movement very awkward. This position also puts lots of stress on the shoulder.
This side arm (using predominately your elbow) casting movement is a much more complex '3D' movement as it involves your elbow, upper arm and a bit of your shoulder joints (3 joints!) all moving in different directions. This is quite confusing for beginner. Try casting using this movement with your non casting arm and you know what I mean 😀.
I know it's not easy to stand next to each other and positioning both arms symmetrically. However if you want to teach the student the casting stroke you promote, the movement of the instructor needs to position the student in the casting 'path' you want to instruct, otherwise you're confusing the student (and the student is probably not even aware that he is confused!). This inconsistency will result in the student learning the 'wrong' casting stroke. See the student's casting style that he is trying to master around 8:40, look at the student in the pink sweater next to him too, same casting movement.
Ps.
Casting styles is a whole different subject on its own. Different casting styles can be used depending on the type of fishing (for instance with weighted flies), conditions (wind) and/or target (under a branch). One style isn't better than the other, just be aware that when teaching students one needs to be consistent and not mix casting styles in the instruction.
Here's an article about different casting styles.
22 February 2020
17 February 2020
Chasing the Taper
The documentary Chasing the Taper (almost 1.30 hour long) is finally out on Vimeo as 'Video-on-demand'. I watched a part yesterday evening. I stopped after Per Brandin broke a new built rod in half because it did not have the action he liked... 😵
Love the pace of the documentary and in-depth of several of the highest regarded bamboo rod makers' thoughts about their passion. The DVD of this great documentary can also be be ordered here.
Update 22 Jan 2023:
The Q&A with Per Brandin is up!
Update 14 Jan 2023:
I watched this documentary again this evening. This documentary is like a time capsule. It is a must watch for anyone interested in the history of bamboo fly rod making!
I also watched it again because I wanted to see and hear again what Per Brandin said about his work as a bamboo rod maker. I recently got in touch with Per. More to come in the future about my contact with Per.
09 February 2020
Callibaetis Flymph
Love the speckled look of the Coq de Leon hen hackle!
A variation with a Dark barred ginger hen hackle
Dark barred ginger tail & Coq de Leon hackle
Here's a nice article about V.S. 'Pete' Hidy, together with James Leisenring two most influential fishermen on tying & fishing with the Flymph.
A variation with a Dark barred ginger hen hackle
Dark barred ginger tail & Coq de Leon hackle
Here's a nice article about V.S. 'Pete' Hidy, together with James Leisenring two most influential fishermen on tying & fishing with the Flymph.
07 February 2020
Firehole Number One
This was the last fly of yesterday evening.
Found this fly in Mike Valla's book 'Tying the Founding Flies'. What a neat looking Catskill dry fly!
Vintage Mustad 94842 size 12
Teal wings
Fox fur body
Hackle is mix of Hebert Miner Grizzly and Collins black cape
Veevus 16/0 grey thread
Found this fly in Mike Valla's book 'Tying the Founding Flies'. What a neat looking Catskill dry fly!
Vintage Mustad 94842 size 12
Teal wings
Fox fur body
Hackle is mix of Hebert Miner Grizzly and Collins black cape
Veevus 16/0 grey thread
06 February 2020
Quill Adams
Vintage Mustad 94842 size 12
Grizzly hackle tip wings
Stripped peacock quill body
Hackle is mix of Hebert Miner Cree and Collins brown cape
Veevus 16/0 grey thread
Update:
The Whitcraft, an Adams with a Macaw quill body developed by Don Martinez in the 1940's, was also called Quill Adams (Founding Flies by Mike Valla, page 258).
So guess that means this fly is merely a Quilled Adams 😁
Update:
The Whitcraft, an Adams with a Macaw quill body developed by Don Martinez in the 1940's, was also called Quill Adams (Founding Flies by Mike Valla, page 258).
So guess that means this fly is merely a Quilled Adams 😁
04 February 2020
02 February 2020
April Vokey shows how to tie a tube fly
April Vokey shows how to tie a tube fly. I really like the easy to understand steps April shows here.
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