Blog

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr Walleye are posing a problem to salmon and steelhead through the Snake River Basin in Idaho. And according to a new press release from the Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG), fisheries managers are asking anglers to be more vigilant in catching and killing these fish. “For the past couple years, Idaho Fish and Game has asked – and continues to ask – anglers to harvest any walleye…

I’ve seen this question pop up a lot this year, and I commend Ross Purnell over at Fly Fisherman Magazine for bringing up at his publication. In a short post, Purnell talks about his experience fishing New Zealand’s South Island, and how he had to use 22-24 foot leaders to make a decent presentation to the island’s notoriously wary fish. In many cases, Purnell said he was only casting a few feet…

With fall just about over, and winter set to rule for the next few months, I reckoned it’d be a good time to look at some of my favorite cold-weather gear. This is the stuff I depend on to keep me warm and dry during the worst weather of the year here in the Rockies. I know some anglers don’t like to fish year-round, but I love the solitude and…

Mayfly Outdoors, the award-winning manufacturer of high-performance fly fishing products and parent company of Abel Reels, Ross Reels, and Airflo, is excited to announce that world-renowned fly fisher, guide, author, and conservationist April Vokey has joined the Mayfly family as a brand ambassador. Known for her work through Anchored Outdoors and years of guiding in some of the world’s most iconic fisheries, Vokey has become a respected authority in fly fishing, conservation, and education. Her…

This week’s Tying Tuesday is heavy on the subsurface flies, with a midge and streamer tutorial leading the way. You’ll get treated to a simple CDC emerger, as well. It’s time to start filling boxes for next spring, and these are all great flies to start with. Davie McPhail leads us off this week with a 3-in-1 video! You’ll get an up-close look at three winter nymph patterns he recommends…

Photo: Matt Keefe/Flickr The Podcast Roundup this week features an in-depth look at nymphing strategies, then moves onto some information about streamer fishing. You’ll finish up with a great chat with Tim Flagler, about fly tying and destination travel. There’s quite a bit in this week’s lineup, so get comfortable while you get to listening. As always, if you have a podcast you’d like to see featured here, please let…

Photo: Tom Hart/Flickr I’ve always found the world of two-handed rods, and steelhead fishing in general, fascinating. I’ve never done it, but I’ve dabbled in trout spey a bit here in the Rockies. What I’ve been able to do, however, is read up on and learn as much as I can (without actually doing it) about two-handed casting. This recent story in Fly Fisherman Magazine by John Larison caught my eye because…

Fly fishing author Bob Romano’s final installment in his Rangeley Lakes series, Return to Rangeley, is set for release on January 1st. The novel completes Romano’s literary exploration of Maine’s storied Rangeley Lakes region. To reserve an autographed copy, make your check payable to WEST RIVER MEDIA in the amount of $25.00 & send to: Andora and Romano, 15 Essex Road, Suite 406, Paramus, N.J. 07652. Please remember to include…

Costa Del Mar has launched their new 2024 fall lineup, which features 5 new frame options. Details and links to all the new options are below. FINLET Modern aesthetics meet essential functionality. A trusted performance tool for on the water, Costa’s latest performance frame Finlet is built for those in pursuit of the next world record fish. Named after the fins that inspired its sleek design, Finlet features an 8-base…

The Guide Relief Program (GRP), in  collaboration with Adipose Boatworks, Costa, and Flylords, has launched an initiative to provide critical support to guides in the Blue Ridge region affected by Hurricane Helene. Recognizing that guiding is more than just a profession but  a way of life, this campaign focuses on helping the guide communities in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.  The Blue Ridge Relief Giveaway addresses both the immediate financial…

Tying Tuesday is here, and we’re treated to some fantastic little patterns this week. We start out with a stonefly, get treated to a fun egg pattern, and end with a nice pheasant tail variation. Watching these videos this week really has me inspired to sit back down at the vise after far too long away. I know we started off with a stonefly pattern from Fly Fish Food last…

This week’s Podcast Roundup features a trout-heavy bunch of shows. We start off with a discussion on why we catch trout in fits and spurts throughout the river, then move on to the similarities and differences between American and European fly tying. Finally, we’ll end with a panel discussion about native fish. There’s a lot of information in here, so get comfortable. As always, if you have a podcast you’d…

Photo: Louis Cahill Louis Cahill has been a wonderful voice in the fly fishing community, almost since I realized there was such a thing online. I’ve loved his stories at Gink & Gasoline, and have shared them often here at MidCurrent. Unfortunately, Louis’s home was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, and he’s in need of some help. I encourage you to read through his story about the hurricane here, because…

In a recent episode of the Quick Strike podcast over at Outdoor Life, Joe Cermele sat down with Miles Nolte to talk about the “fall feedbag myth” they say permeates fly fishing. Now, Joe and Miles are two very accomplished anglers, and both know what they’re doing. According to them, the modern belief that fall is the best time to target big trout is just a myth. In fact, Miles…

For the past few years I’ve fished Scientific Anglers leaders and their Absolute Trout tippet. I’ve used them on fish everywhere from Wyoming to Alaska, and I haven’t had any bad experiences with the leader or tippet breaking when it shouldn’t. My best fishing buddy, Alex Stulce, has been using the tippet and leaders we sell at Ventures Fly Co. They’re significantly cheaper than anything you can buy from Scientific…

Photo: Mark Hereford, ODFW After the removal of the four dams on the Klamath River, anglers, scientists, and conservationists alike have been eager for an Elwha River-style story, where the fish just come rushing back with a vengeance. That big rush has yet to happen, but according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), at least one chinook salmon has been spotted in a Klamath River tributary this year….

Tying Tuesday starts off with a stonefly nymph, then we’ll get an interesting streamer, and finish up with a unique emerger pattern. This emerger, in particular, looks like it’ll be a lot of fun, even if its name is about impossible to pronounce. Our first tie this week is from Fly Fish Food. This smaller stonefly nymph is perfect for getting down quickly and lingering where stonefly nymphs love to…

A few weeks ago I reported on the fur ban that’s on ballots in Denver for this upcoming election. At the time there was a lot of hand-wringing over the ban’s implications for fly anglers, since fur and feathers are central to tying the flies we use for fishing. But it was unclear whether the ban would impact fly fishing, especially since Boulder, Colorado has had a similar ban in…

Fly anglers spend an inordinate amount of time drooling over rods, and I should know—I do more than enough drooling for all of us. One part of our kit that we regularly overlook, however, is the fly line. Fly fishing revolves around fly line. Without fly line, the fly cast is impossible, and the way we fish doesn’t exist. Yet so many anglers are willing to just buy whatever line…

News broke a while ago about bans on women joining fly fishing clubs over in England. One group, the Garrick Club, successfully made changes to allow women to join their ranks. Now, the 140-year-old Flyfishers’ Club will allow women to join, as well, according to The Guardian.  The Flyfishers’ Club counts the King of England as a member, and has a rich history. Surprisingly, it’s not the only club in England…