How Steelhead Rely On Rainbow Trout To Survive
The relationship between Steelhead and resident rainbow trout is one of the most fascinating in nature.
There is, of course, a huge argument between anglers over the nature of steelhead and trout, which brings with it a fair amount of animosity. The fish themselves, however, apparently have no such prejudice and it turns out that steelhead anglers owe a great debt to the resident rainbows. Without those trout, we would likely have no steelhead left.
Steelhead and rainbow trout are genetically identical. There is no debate over this, it’s a fact. The two are separated by behavior only. If a trout runs to the ocean and matures there, they are considered a steelhead. If they stay in the river, they are a trout.
There is an interesting thing which happens in the selection process. Whether or not a fish migrates to the salt is determined by the rate at which they grow, which is determined by their individual metabolism as well as environmental stimuli. If a fish develops a certain amount of fat by a given age, hormones are triggered which tell the fish to stay put in the river. This is generally the case with fish who have slower metabolism and abundant food. Those fish will be resident rainbow trout.
On the other hand, fish with higher metabolism, who burn calories rather than convert them to fat, will go to the ocean for its abundant food sources. Those fish are steelhead. Perhaps the higher metabolism is responsible for their natural athleticism and power, as much as their ocean environment. Either way they are a truly special sport fish.
Another interesting component in the mix is that the males are the fish which show plasticity. That is to say that a female born of a steelhead female, will be a steelhead, where as a male may become either steelhead or rainbow.
This is not simply a coincidence. It’s the key to the survival of the species.
Read More »Sunday Classic / Tying On The Road
When Kent and I hit the road for a Gink and Gasoline outing, among the pile of rods, waders, cameras and Cliff Bars there’s always a canvas tool bag stuffed to the gills with feathers and fur. It’s generally a ridiculous amount of materials. Way more that we could ever use. Everything we need to tie a thread midge or a streamer that looks like something Elton John wore in the 70s.
I don’t care how well you plan for a trip you always need just one more of that hot fly. Maybe there’s an unexpected hatch or maybe a sudden inspiration. In any case that bag of feathers has saved more than one trip.
I’ll never forget a subfreezing night we spent in a fish camp on the White River in Arkansas tying shad patterns. We would tie a fly, bundle up and scramble out to the river to try it out
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / No Longer America
“America without public lands is no longer America.”- Randy Newberg
“Transferring Control of Federal Lands Would Devastate Hunting and Fishing” That’s the headline of this of Hal Herring’s detailed and passionate article in Field and Stream. This is the best piece I’ve seen written on this desperate subject. Please read it. If you are sick of hearing about public lands, or have made up your mind, definitely read it.
We are in grave danger of losing our public lands. If you have come to this site, this is a subject you should be involved in. We have one best chance to save the public lands we love and it’s Tuesday November 8th. Vote these crooks out of office. Get informed and get involved.
READ THIS ARTICLE!
“TRANSFERRING CONTROL OF FEDERAL LANDS WOULD DEVASTATE HUNTING AND FISHING”
Read More »Simms G-4 Pro Packs For 2016
These new fishing packs from Simms are tough and versatile.
The G-4 Pro Packs have been a long time in the making. The product developers at Simms have pulled out all the stops to make a pack worthy of the G-4 name. They are tough as nails, customizable, full of great features and comfortable to wear and use.
There are 4 sizes to choose from, ranging from a compact hip pack to a functional sling pack and full on backpack. Whatever your next fly fishing adventure holds, one of these Simms G-4 Pro packs will fit the bill.
WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE THE NEW SIMMS G-4 PRO PACKS.
Read More »Guiding Tip: Set Your Client Free to Build Confidence
THIS POST IS FOR ALL THE PROFESSIONAL GUIDES OUT THERE THAT GIVE THEIR CLIENTS EVERY THING THEY’VE GOT EACH AND EVERY DAY. IT’S FOR THE PERFECTIONISTS, WHO TRULY BELIEVE FLY FISHING CAN NEVER BE 100% MASTERED AND ALWAYS SEE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL TEACHING SKILLS.
I’ve taken great pride over the years with my hands on style of trout guiding. When you take the time to explain the little details to your clients, and freely share what’s going on in your head, it really makes a big difference in them understanding the big picture. I’ve always believed catching fish should take a back seat to learning the how-tos of fly fishing. I’ve never seen much value in a client catching fish during a guide trip, if they can’t go out and replicate it on their own without me. It wasn’t until a few months ago, in fact, that I strayed away from my familiar guiding routine of holding onto the reigns.
Read More »Are You Actually Presenting The Fly?
There is nothing more important, in fly fishing, than presentation. How’s yours?
The word presentation has been woven into the fabric of fly fishing lingo since the first fly fluttered to the surface of the water. We use it so often, and without thinking, that it’s dangerously close to losing it’s meaning.
I remember trying to explain fly fishing to a civilian neighbor once, at a party. “You have to present the fly to the fish in a way the fish can appreciate,” I told her. That got a laugh, and to the uninitiated I can see how that comes off. I still believe, however, that this idea is central to fly fishing.
There are a thousand different ways to fly fish, and as many species to pursue and some of them bear very little resemblance to the mainstream but they all have this one thing in common. It all comes down to presentation.
I think too many anglers forget that at some point. We focus way too much on the hot fly, or the holy water and at some point, at least for some portion of the day, our presentation gets put on auto pilot. We fall into the rhythm of cast, drift, repeat, or chock, duck, strip, or what ever it is we are doing and forget to think about the fish. I know I’ve done it plenty of times. Especially when I get to talking.
I’LL TELL YOU A STORY THAT STICKS OUT IN MY MIND AS A LESSON ON PRESENTATION.
In the 90s I was fortunate to photograph, and later become friends with
Read More »4 Ways To Up Your Streamer Game This Fall
By Kyle Wilkinson
While fishing streamers can certainly be a productive way to put fish in the net year round,
there is no doubt that “streamer fishing” and “fall” go together like peanut butter and jelly (or if you’re like me, chicken fried steak and Coors). I know I’m not the only person who has recently spent a hot summer day dreaming of how good it will feel to need a few extra layers of clothing and a 6-weight in the months to come.
As many of you know, I talk to a lot of anglers, both in the shop and guiding. Whether it be a beginner/intermediate or more advanced angler, streamer fishing seems to get in a lot of people’s heads and in my opinion, causes a lot more confusion than is necessary. I tell these folks in simplest terms, it’s really not that complicated. You just have to do it. And more importantly, commit to it. This is where I think many people struggle — the ‘committing’ part. They don’t realize that a different mindset is required to become a proficient streamer angler, that you have to work your butt off, making countless casts, fully prepared to go hours without a strike.
I pride myself in my streamer fishing abilities but I’d be lying if I said there still weren’t times on the river where I find myself getting a little too worked up between the ears. There’s no way around it — some days are just a flat-out grind. On the flip side though, not every day is like that and if you fish streamers enough you’re going to find yourself on the river one day where the fish are in the mood to chase down your offering and give you explosive eat after explosive eat. If you’ve ever had one of those days then you know what I’m talking about. I’d also be willing to bet those days are some of your best on-water memories to date.
SO, TO GET WHERE I’M GOING WITH THIS, IF YOU’VE GOT IT IN YOUR HEAD THAT THIS FALL YOU’RE GOING TO IMPROVE YOUR STREAMER GAME, HERE ARE FOUR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
Keep On Movin’– Everything listed below is built on this foundation. When streamer fishing, you HAVE to cover a lot of water. There’s no way around it. If you’re wade fishing, this means possibly logging many miles on your boots that day. You know that run you love to nymph and have found yourself spending hours in before? Be prepared
Read More »Sunday Classic / Stocking Nymph Patterns in Different Weights
THIS PAST WEEKEND, ON ONE OF MY HOME TROUT WATERS, I WAS FRESHLY REMINDED HOW IMPORTANT IT CAN BE TO CARRY DIFFERENT WEIGHTED VERSIONS OF MY FAVORITE NYMPH PATTERNS DURING TOUGH FISHING CONDITIONS.
The low and gin clear water had the trout extra spooky and cautious. All it took was one wrong move, like my shadow briefly being cast over the water, or a presentation made a little too hard, and the trout ran for their lives like they were being chased by a pack of starving otters.
I use split-shot most of the time with my nymph rigs to get my flies down in the strike zone. It works great for me almost all of the time, but keep in mind that the extra weight added by them, also increases the noise made when presenting your flies on the water. Since I had low and flat water conditions, it wasn’t necessary for me to use them to get my flies down for most of the water anyways, except for the deeper pools. I love my Thingamabobbers but I had to substitute them for small stick-on foam strike indicators to keep my presentations extra quiet. I could have used a dry fly as an indicator but it would have called for me to constantly adjust my dropper length to keep my flies drifting in the preferred depths from one fishing spot to the next.
For the most part, the trout were congregated in the deeper pools, buckets and troughs, where the most water was found, but there were also multiple spots where I found trout holding in shallow, slow moving water located near cover. These places required unweighted or lightly weighted versions of my nymph patterns to get a good drift through the target water. My problem was
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Freedom On The Brink
We are seriously on the brink of losing our public lands for ever.
I am, frankly, shocked by the complacency of the sporting community on this issue. We should all be very angry at what amounts to the greatest land swindle since Manhattan was bought with beads. We should all be much more vocal about our displeasure and we should certainly all be voting these thieves out of office.
Fortunately, Jason Tucker, of Fontinalis Rising, is more than angry and vocal. He’s informed, and he’s sharing some valuable information with us all. If you are not seriously disturbed by what’s a foot, You don’t have all the facts.
Please read, “Our Public Lands- Freedom on the Brink”
Read More »Bauer Joins Winston And Introduces New Fly Reels
I have some twenty year old Bauer fly reels I still fish all the time.
I really appreciate that kind of quality in my fishing gear.You don’t get a lot of flash and marketing from Bauer but you do het reels with smart design, quality materials and beautiful fit and finish.
Over the last few years Bauer may have lost some market share to some of the new reel companies but a recent merger with The Winston Rod Company has breathed new life into the brand. Jon Bauer is still at the wheel, designing and producing great reels, and with Winston’s distribution and support, more excited than ever.
New for this year are the RX and SST offering powerful drag systems, large arbors and classic designs.
Watch this video to see the new fly reels from Bauer.
Read More »