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The folks over at Mainely Flies just dropped a new fly tying tutorial, which is our focus for today’s Tying Tuesday. And despite what the video thumbnail might show, this isn’t just a standard wooly bugger. No, the folks at Mainely dressed this up with a secret ingredient. The post Tying Tuesday: Secret Wooly Bugger appeared first on MidCurrent. Source: Fish2

Photo: Bonnie Moreland/Flickr Last week it was announced that the Biden administration has entered into an agreement with tribes and local governments to work on the Columbia River Basin. That agreement is meant to span the next decade, and includes initiatives around energy, recreation, agriculture, and transportation. This formal agreement, combined with other projects, will deliver $1 billion to the Columbia River Basin in the next decade, according to The…

Photo: Courtesy of Domenick Swentosky In this great story over on Troutbitten, Dom Swentosky talks about the concept of keeping things simple while fishing. I wholeheartedly agree that it’s nice to just keep things as simple as possible, but sometimes, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds a bit. Dom’s piece is a great reminder of how to stay grounded and focus on the basic things while you’re on the water….

The White House announced yesterday a plan to work with tribes and states in the Pacific Northwest to restore wild salmon throughout the Columbia River Basin. In addition to the work on salmon, the federal government will helps tribes and states with energy development and stability. You can read more about the plan here. The post White House Announces Plan to Restore Wild Salmon appeared first on MidCurrent. Source: Fish2

One of the trickiest things to master in fly angling, in my opinion, is properly fighting trout that get downstream from you. The added weight of the current can make for a different, challenging fight. I lost plenty of fish in my early fishing days because I didn’t know how to fight them if they got beneath me. Thankfully, we have this great video from Tom Rosenbauer over at Orvis…

Skwala Fishing is a newer brand, but they’ve already established themselves as a reputable player in the technical apparel industry. Now, Skwala is in a position to give back to the sport, and is doing so by donating 20 percent of all sales from SkwalaFishing.com on December 14, 2023, to Save Wild Trout. “We have enjoyed an incredible history so far and we all feel blessed,” said Kevin Sloan, Skwala’s…

Photo: Chris M Morris/Flickr In this sweeping feature for Fly Fisherman Magazine, Dennis Pastucha takes readers on a journey through the Yampa River in Colorado. The Yampa is Colorado’s last free-flowing river with a natural hydrograph, despite the dam at Stagecoach Reservoir on its headwaters. It flows, unimpeded, for 250 miles before it meets the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. But there’s so much more to the story of the Yampa,…

Last week Tenkara USA launched the newest rod in their lineup. The Ukiyo is a 9’10” tenkara rod that’s only 14.5″ long when fully closed. Of particular note, however, is the new grip you’ll find on the Ukiyo. Instead of the traditional cork, Tenkara USA went with a swelled graphite handle that’s coated in a unique sprayed-on texture. This carbon fiber grip allows for greater sensitivity, increasing the feedback an…

In this week’s edition of Tying Tuesday, I want to showcase a new series from the folks over at Fly Fish Food. They’ve just launched their Fly Tying Skill Builder series of videos, and the first one takes us through how to tie a half-hitch, how to work with deer hair, and how to work with zonker strips. These are critical skills that every tier should master, and of course,…

Photo: Geoff Parsons/Flickr The four lower dams on the Snake River have become one of the galvanizing issues in all of fly fishing. It’s widely accepted that these dams are one of the biggest impediments to salmon and steelhead recovery throughout the Columbia River Basin. Well, last week, news broke that federal officials are open to the potential of breaching these dams. That news came via leaked documents which state…

Tim Flagler produced a great video for Orvis on the different ways you can finish a fly’s head. He focuses on the difference between glossy and penetrating finishes, including why you’d want to use one over the other. You can view the video here. The post Advice on Fly Finishes appeared first on MidCurrent. Source: Fish2

Photo: Fishing Booker/Flickr Marble trout are one of the world’s most unique trout, and certainly one of the rarer ones. Native to a slice of Europe, these fish are as pretty as they are exotic to many anglers. But recent flooding in their native range has prompted many to wonder how the marble trout have fared. Ben Pierce wrote a great story on this for Fly Fisherman Magazine, which you…

The folks over at Costa have released their second update of their Protect Report, a publication that showcases the company’s commitment to sustainability and conservation. Through the lens of community and conservation, Costa’s Second Edition: Protect Report captures its efforts throughout 2021 and 2022 – alongside its community of anglers, adventure-seekers, partners, retailers and pros – to protect our waterways and to conserve the life within. The report takes a…

Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation/Flickr As we’ve reported on extensively here at MidCurrent, quagga mussels were detected in a stretch of the Snake River in Idaho. These mussels are not only damaging to the habitat (by eating organisms that fish need) but to water infrastructure, as well. To eliminate the mussels before they could establish a foothold in the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG)…

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr In a recent story for High Country News, Kylie Mohr posits an interesting question – does voluntary conservation work? Mohr specifically looks at the situation currently facing the Montana population of grayling. These grayling have the potential to be listed under the Endangered Species Act, but landowners along the Big Hole River are hopeful that their voluntary conservation efforts will help the species. Landowners along the Big Hole are…

This week’s edition of Tying Tuesday features a pattern from a channel I don’t believe we’ve shared here before. The folks at Spawn Fly Fish tie up a great little turkey and partridge jig nymph that looks like right at home in many boxes. The post Tying Tuesday: Turkey and Partridge Jig Nymph appeared first on MidCurrent. Source: Fish2

Photo: NPS Climate Change Response/Flickr Cedar Creek is a tributary to the South Fork of the Eel River, located in Mendocino County, California. The Eel has been in the news of late after a decision by California utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE) to remove all dams on that river. While those dams have yet to be removed, other dams along the Eel River corridor have been removed in…

In a dramatic shift in the heart of holiday shopping season, Patagonia is asking its customers to forgo buying their products this season and instead submit their formal opposition to a project threatening Alaska’s Brooks Range. You can view the video about this initiative below, then visit Patagonia’s website to sign your name to the petition. The post Patagonia Asks For Submissions, Not Purchases appeared first on MidCurrent. Source: Fish2

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie Conservation groups often sue against developments like mines, roads, or condos. I don’t recall a conservation group suing because fisheries managers want to add more wild, native fish to the landscape. But that’s what’s happened over in Yellowstone. Per a great story by Chris Hunt over in Hatch Magazine, Wilderness Watch is suing Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MFWP) over MFWP’s plan to introduce Yellowstone cutthroat in Buffalo Creek….

Photo: The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk/Flickr If you’ve ever been curious about why so many anglers love fly fishing for striped bass, then you need to read this story. Captain Jim Freda – a New Jersey-based guide – tells a wonderful tale about the incredible 2022 striped bass fishing season. He includes tips and tricks for both shore-bound and boating anglers alike. You’ll also learn about some of the issues…