Tenkara Fly-tying
I initially got interested in fly-fishing because of flies and fly-tying.
The idea of creating a lure using feathers and thread was very appealing to me. Before I ever got my first fly rod I probably tied well over 100 flies. Of course, I got indoctrinated in the western fly-tying school, that of trying to imitate, at least somewhat closely, the insects that lived in the waters I fished. Then, I discovered tenkara. When I first discovered the method I saw in it just the idea of using a rod, line and fly. For my first year of tenkara fishing I continued using the western flies I had learned to tie: parachute adams, elk-hair caddis and some cool mayfly nymph imitations. And then I started learning tenkara from the people that had been doing it for decades in Japan, and I started paying closer attention to their flies.
TENKARA FLIES OPENED UP A BRAND NEW WORLD FOR ME.
Sure, tenkara flies, called kebari in Japanese, were still supposed to fool fish by somehow looking like the insects those fish ate. While not all tenkara flies look the same, the most characteristic tenkara flies are the so-called sakasa kebari, or “reverse-hackle fly”. To a western fly angler they will look more like soft-hackles but with the hackle facing away from the bend of the hook, reversed. This reverse hackle style is very popular and has become my preferred style fly to use. With it, when I’m fishing in moving water the fly will always retain some profile to it rather than becoming a sliver and “disappearing”. I can also impart motion onto the fly, with a light pulsating of my rod, the fly will open and close and look very buggy.
Just like I got into fly-fishing because of flies and fly-tying, I can say that the tenkara flies and what they represent certainly had some impact on my interest in tenkara too. Tenkara flies show us the different approach of suggesting bugs rather than trying to imitate them. They also bring with them the philosophy of using any “one fly” (not changing flies nearly as much as we do in western fly-fishing), and the idea of tying the simplest fly you can get away with. How I wish I had known about tenkara flies when I started learning how to tie flies (my first several hundred flies I tied by hand, without the use of a vise.
TENKARA FLIES SHOW US HOW SIMPLE FLY-TYING CAN BE.
Here are two videos I think people should watch to learn about tenkara fly-tying
Read More »Tim Rajeff on Understanding Fly Rod Action
Fly rod action can be confusing, especially for the beginner.
Terms like fast and slow, tip flex and mid flex, which we use to describe the action of a rod can be vague to the uninitiated. When it comes time to choose a rod that’s right for your casting style and fishing application, too many anglers are just buying the rod with the best marketing.
Next week we are going to talk in depth about choosing the right rod and exactly how to go about doing it. Today, our buddy Tim Rajeff, owner and rod designer of Echo Fly Rods, is going to explain what some of the terms mean and how they apply to your fly fishing. He’s going to show you how rod designers fine tune their actions and discuss how weight and materials come into play.
WATCH THE 2 VIDEOS BELOW AND LEARN ABOUT ROD ACTION FROM ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST CASTERS AND ROD DESIGNERS.
Read More »Getting Started In Saltwater Fly Fishing
By Owen Plair
Saltwater Fly fishing is sort of like the X-Games of Fly Fishing.
Not only are you catching bigger fish in saltwater but the fish that you are targeting fight a hell of a lot harder than most freshwater fish! Whether it’s a 150 lb Tarpon doing the leap of faith oceanside off Islamorada or a GT ripping 100 yards of backing off in mere seconds off the coast of South Africa. There are tons of these kinds of species that make saltwater fly fishing seem intense but also desirable. Who doesn’t want to catch a bad ass fish on fly, sight fishing?
Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love freshwater fly fishing, and always will, because fly fishing is fly fishing, no matter what species of fish you’re targeting. Now I’m sure a lot of you have never done any saltwater fly fishing and that’s what this article is for– to get you started. Because after watching videos, reading articles, and seeing pictures, it’s time to make the move.
HERE ARE A FEW KEY THINGS TO GET YOU STARTED.
The number one thing is your cast. You absolutely positively need to learn how to Double Haul! There are tons of instructional videos out there but I always feel a good Casting School at your local fly shop or casting lesson will be the best. Before you make that move you’ll need to get your first saltwater setup. Saltwater rods have a very different action and you’re gonna need something to practice with.
I always recommend buying a 4pc 8wt rod with some kind of large arbor reel, basically a setup that will work for Redfish, Snook, Bonefish, Baby Tarpon, and many more saltwater species. These days you can get a pretty decent rod and reel combo for around $200-$300, which is a good way to start. I always
Read More »Skunked
I POUR MYSELF A STIFF RYE WHISKY AND SETTLE IN ON THE COUCH TO WATCH THE RAIN. I’VE HAD THIS COMING TO ME FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
There are no steelhead rivers in Georgia, or anywhere near Georgia. For me to chase these fish I love usually means spending a minimum of five hours in a middle seat, both ways, and parting with a substantial chunk of the annual fishing budget. I do it every time I get the chance.
I cut my teeth on the tributaries of the Great Lakes, fishing huge garish glow bugs, but once I learned to cast a Spey rod and felt the pull of a wild Pacific steelhead the lake run fish didn’t scratch the itch any longer. There’s nothing wrong with those great fish, I had just moved on. Years later I find myself with a pile of two-handers and a suitcase full of frequent-flier miles. However geographically undesirable, I can’t give up steelhead.
Let’s face it, swinging flies for steelhead is stupid. That’s to say that there are a hundred better ways to catch them. If catching fish is what you care about, fish bait. Ok. Please don’t fish bait but get yourself a box of beads or a handful of egg flies or marabou jigs and tear them up. The guys you see swinging flies are in it for something else. Even though I’m one of them, I’m not sure exactly what.
I can, and have, gotten very romantic about it but I’ll spare you for now. There’s just something about the whole process, the feel of the swing, the elaborate and hopefully beautiful cast, the elegant flies and complex lines and, of course, the grab of the fish that feeds some need I don’t fully understand. I want to catch fish. Desperately sometimes but not so desperately that I pick up the nymph rod. Not because I’m too good for it but because it’s not what I want.
The cost of this mania, as anyone who has ever done it knows, is the ever present risk of getting skunked. It’s always right there with you. It’s on the plane next to you. It’s in the boat. It’s low-holing you in every run. It snuggles up next to you in the bed, its awkward boner pressed against your backside. It’s in you dreams. Dreams where suave Disneyesque skunks bring you heart-shaped boxes of goose eggs. From the minute you pick up the long rod with two feet of cork, the skunk is riding shotgun.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth.
Read More »Unhang My Fly You Villain Stump!
One of the unavoidable happenings in fly fishing is the oh-so-wonderful snag.
Overhead limbs, rocks, submerged timber, rhodo, your net man… you name it, it’s out there just waiting to snatch your fly from the air. A lot of the time it’s game over for your rig. You just have to break it off and move on after a short grieving period. There are, however, certain scenarios where one simple trick can save your flie(s) from being lost to the Water Nymphs. It’s by no means 100% effective, but it’s easy and worth a few tries before snapping your tippet.
First thing, if you’ve discerned that your fly is hung up on something solid on the bottom, or you’ve laid your flies across a log, or any other obstacle, sit tight for a second. Don’t set the hook into it any further! Before you going tugging on your rod like you’re Magnus Ver Magnusson, do this….
Strip in the majority of your line, leaving it just taught enough to lift your fly line above the water. Once the fly line is ABOVE the water, bring your fly rod tip to 12 o’clock like you would to make a roll cast. You may need to slip a little more line as you position your rod correctly. Once you’ve gotten everything situated, execute a firm roll cast straight at your fly. The loop created by the cast will transfer momentum past the fly, opposite of the direction that it was snagged, potentially releasing the hook from the snag. Didn’t work the first time? Try again, but this time
Read More »Strike Indicators, What Matters to Me
Do Strike Indicators spook fish?
There is a lot of debate over whether strike indicators spook fish. I’m not going to beat around the bush on this one folks. I truly believe that most of the time they don’t. Especially if you rule out calm and slow moving shallow water. Only when I’m dealing with really spooky fish, do I downsize and dull down the color of my strike indicators. The other 80% of the time I think the fish pretty much just find them interesting, possibly a tasty morsel, or just another piece of trash floating over their heads.
What I really think we should be doing is looking at the other side of the coin. In my opinion, we should worry less about spooking fish with our indicators, and worry more about matching the correct size strike indicator to the type of water and rig we’re fishing. That makes much more sense to me, anyway. Now I know there’s lots of you probably saying this is obvious rookie stuff, Kent. I hear you all loud and clear, but bare with me a minute, because I still find myself having to explain to anglers why it’s a good idea to carry different sizes and colors of strike indicators on the water. And as long as I’m doing that, there’s a need for this information to be out there for people to read.
HERE’S HOW I GO ABOUT CHOOSING WHAT STRIKE INDICATORS I USE ON THE WATER.
Read More »Making A 100 Foot Cast Is Easier Than You Think
Casting a fly 100 feet is not an unattainable goal.
In response to my review of the T&T Solar a reader asked, “This may be a dumb question, but how do you get 100′ of line out on a cast?” It’s not a dumb question and it deserves a detailed answer.
It’s easier than you think. That doesn’t mean that you will read this article and instantly be able to do it. My point is more that most folks who are trying to make long cast are trying too hard and that’s a lot of their problem. Distance casting is about timing and technique, not power.
and with a little practice a hundred feet is perfectly doable.
You will have to excuse me here, but if I don’t make a few qualifying statements I’ll be called everything but the son of God in the comments section.
First, and likely most important, you don’t have to make a long cast to catch fish. Even in saltwater an accurate forty-foot cast is more important than a long bomb. In trout fishing the long cast is almost non-existent and can even be a liability. That said, there are times when a long cast will add to your catch. There is also a lot to be said for the confidence you gain from mastering the long cast. Making a long cast requires good technique and there’s no downside to being a better caster.
Secondly, let’s not get hung up on the number. Although I can cast 100 feet when everything goes right, 90 feet is a much better working distance for me. I can make that cast with a greater degree of accuracy and consistency. Both are important and your number for accuracy and consistency is what’s important. It will always be a little less than your maximum distance. For the sake of discussion let’s just say “long casts” and define that as anything over 70 feet.
So, if you are still interested in making long casts read on and if not, move on and spare us your dissertation on Euro Nymphing.
The Price of Admission
Read More »Choosing the Right Tippet Size
I’ve talked quite a bit about how important it is to correctly select the proper tippet size when your fly fishing for trout.
Most fly fisherman have no problem grasping this, after all, small fly patterns generally call for using smaller tippet and big fly patterns call for larger tippet, right? Well, that’s a general guideline most anglers fish by on the water, but it’s not the only factor fly fishermen should use when choosing what size tippet to fish with. Equally important in tippet choice by anglers is how clear or stained the water is that’s going to be fished, and also what level of fishing pressure the water sees (how educated the trout are).
Choosing the Right Tippet Size Guide
(This is your typical text book guide you would find for a beginner wanting to learn to match the appropriate tippet size with fly pattern size. For the most part it’s spot on, but I think it’s important to point out and understand you don’t always have to follow it exactly)
Tippet Size Hook Size
0X 2, 1/0
1X 4, 6, 8
2X 6, 8, 10
3X 8, 10, 12,
4X 10, 12, 14,
5X 12, 14, 16,
6X 16, 18, 20, 22
7X 18, 20, 22, 24
8X 20, 22, 24, 26, 28
Take for instance hopper fishing. Most anglers would say that 3X tippet is the appropriate size tippet to use if we’re talking about fishing with a good size foam hopper imitation. I would agree this is correct and it’s probably what I use most of the time for this type of fly fishing, however, I’ll never forget floating out west a few years back where my buddy opted instead to use 4X tippet and he dominated us and was the hot stick that morning. The point being, we as anglers shouldn’t always stick to the book when it comes to how we rig up and fish. That morning we were both fishing hoppers. I was in the bow of the boat with 3X and my buddy was in the stern with 4X. I had several refusals at the last second from trout, and on multiple occasions my buddy in the back of the boat caught those fish. It just goes to show, it might be worth putting
Fly Fishing for Brown Trout in the Summer and Early Fall
Over the years, I’ve made the mistake many times of walking past trout water that I thought was too shallow to hold trout. Most of the year trout prefer depth transitions where shallow water flows into deeper water. These transitions provide shelter from excessive current and increased safety for trout, and locating them is usually the ticket to finding and consistently catching trout. However, during the summer months, brown trout particularly will often disregard these areas, opting instead to hold tight to the banks in extremely shallow water. They do this to take advantage of terrestrials falling into the water, but I think they also do it because there’s generally shade available and they instinctively know it’s a good spot for them to remain largely undetected.
Read More »Practice Makes Permit
TODAY WE HEAR FROM ANOTHER NEW G&G CONTRIBUTOR.
Bruce Chard likely needs no introduction. You’ve seen and heard him many times on G&G, but now its official. We are proud to have Bruce a regular contributor on all things saltwater.
Photo by Louis Cahill
Photo by Louis Cahill
NO SPECIES CHALLENGES THE FLY ANGLER LIKE PERMIT.
They’re smart, spooky and have great eyesight, if not ESP. Fooling one with a fly is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can achieve in fly fishing. An accurate presentation increases your odds exponentially!
You should practice casting as much as you can before any flats fishing trip but especially before a permit trip. Accuracy is definitely more important than distance in permit fishing, so challenge yourself for accuracy during practice sessions.
You’ve heard the saying “Practice Makes Perfect”. Well I think when we are talking about saltwater fly fishing/casting “Practice Makes Permanent!”
Practice casting develops muscle memory and muscle memory lets you deliver under pressure. The more practice time you put in, the more you will get out of it. Repetition is the key. Three one hour sessions are better than one three hour marathon.
Flats fishing is a serious challenge. Mother Nature will leave you head down and humbled and usually the angler’s casting ability more than anything else is to blame. This is easy to fix. Just practice! A lot! The more the better!
Here are some things you can do to practice accuracy.
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