The Pop Off Shark Leader
MAYBE IT’S THE KID IN ME BUT I CAN’T RESIST TOSSING A FLY AT A HUNGRY SHARK. I MAKE NO EXCUSES FOR IT. IF SHARKS WEREN’T COOL, SHARK WEEK WOULDN’T BE THE HOTTEST THING ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL. THEY’RE BIG, THEY’RE MEAN, THEY’RE STRONG, THEY’RE TOOTHY AND THEY’RE JUST PLAIN COOL.
The problem is, as much fun as they are to hook and fight, landing them can get a little, well… bitey. On several occasions I’ve brought sharks to the boat and seen them come out of the water and clamp down on the gunwale, shaking violently. They have no sense of humor.
My buddy Michael White shares my fondness for sharking and he showed me a great trick for an easy long distance release. When you tie your shark leader use 6 feet of 50 lb fluorocarbon for the butt. Tie a loop in one end and blood knot a piece
Read More »The Streamer Game
Streamer fishing is addictive. It’s almost become a cliche, but it’s true.
Guys get into it and hardly want to do anything else. I’m kinda one of those guys. I do lots of kinds of fishing, but if I’m out for trout and there’s nothing obvious going on, a streamer is likely what I’m tying on. I can’t say for sure why other folks get hooked on streamers, but I know what it is for me.
Obviously, there is immense skill in fishing dry flies and nymphs. Each is an art unto itself but the very nature of a dead drift is inherently passive. Streamer fishing is active. What I mean by that is, you are directly imparting an action to the fly which fools the fish. For me, it just feels more personal. I am “making” that fish eat. Again, this is totally personal but when I see the fish chase and eat my streamer it’s incredibly rewarding. The really cool thing about this is that it leaves a lot of room for personal expression on the part of the angler. My action is my action, by my hand. It’s different from yours, and every dedicated streamer fisherman I know has their own style. Those styles vary widely, so I thought I would share some of the gear and tactics that are successful for me.
Here’s how I play the game.
I want to get in the fish’s face with a big fly that looks alive but vulnerable. I want that fly to look like a bait fish that’s disoriented and in a panic. I want a lot of room between me and the bank. I want to identify and hit multiple holding zones between me and the bank. I’ll drop my fly a few inches from the bank just upstream of a likely pocket, then as I work it back to the boat, I mend, or pause, or speed up my retrieve to work the fly through as many holding zones as I can identify. Fifty or sixty feet is an ideal distance. It’s a challenging way to fish, but for me, it’s deadly.
Here is the setup I use to overcome some of the challenges.
Read More »Wild Trout, Mushrooms and Perspective
By Louis Cahill
I’m not sure there is such a thing as being lost in the woods.
I certainly don’t feel lost as I walk the trail, once an old logging road looking down on a beautiful, tumbling trout stream. I feel much more at home than lost, even though my new vision is not good in the confusing visual surroundings. The smells and the sounds are all old friends, as are the feel of the dirt and water and fine layer of sweat forming everywhere on my body. The warm, wet embrace of the forest feels like home. It’s Justin that I’ve lost.
It was so generous of him to drive me up here and take me out fishing, knowing I’d be slow and likely a burden. We were both so excited to fish that we couldn’t help but stop where the trail crosses the first stream and see if anyone was home. I was sure I’d seen him start up the trail and, when my calls got no answer, I figured I’d better get after him. I didn’t want to be the invalid slowing him down. I was too concerned with proving I could keep up to realize I was leaving him behind.
I still can’t get used to the idea that I can no longer trust my eyes. Just yesterday, my wife was telling me about a beautiful humming bird in the garden. I couldn’t see it. After she went inside, and I was about to do the same, I spotted him. He was hovering right in front of me, almost like he was blocking my way, so close I could almost reach out and touch him. I froze and watched him for thirty seconds or so before it dawned on me that it was not a hummingbird four feet away, but a big ass bee four inches away, warning me away from his nest. Perspective. Not as easy as it once was.
A mile and a half up the trail, the idea is just occurring to me that it was likely not Justin I’d seen headed up the trail, or it was Justin and this was not where he was headed. Either way, I’m alone to enjoy my stupidity. That’s the charitable nature of my self examination. Too proud to think of myself as handicapped, just enough self loathing to think of myself as stupid. I started back down the path letting out the occasional “Hootie-Hoo!” and listening for Justin’s response.
I have to keep a good eye on the trail, lest I walk off the edge. There’d be no stopping the tumbling on that slope. Along the edge of the trail I spot scattered orange trumpet shapes. I know that color, not quite orange but not yellow. Chanterelle mushrooms, I’m pretty sure. Kathy will be excited. Maybe too excited, she’s way more comfortable popping forest treats in her mouth than I am. “Pretty sure,” is not a great place to be with wild mushrooms. Damned sure is almost sure enough. I pick two and put them in my pack for further inspection by the smarter half of the family. I “Hoot” again and this time I hear Justin hoot back.
This stream is one of those you don’t talk about. Maybe, after fishing with a guy for years, seeing how he handles fish, seeing how he treats his family. understanding his religion and politics, maybe seeing him take in a sick stray dog, you might casually drop the name.
“Hey, you ever heard of…”
Then if he gives you that look, like he isn’t sure he should say yes, like he’s quietly judging you, maybe thinking about that time you had one too many and lost your temper with that idiot in the bar in Jackson, and then he says, “Yeah, I fish up there.”
Then the two of you might plan a trip. You hike up there for a day, not more than once a year, because you know how special it is and you don’t want to screw it up. You catch little wild fish on dry flies out of every pocket, and once, maybe twice in your lifetime a fifteen or sixteen inch fish charges out from a dark undercut bank to eat your fly, in a stream you can jump across, and the two of you never forget it but you never talk about it. That’s the kind of day it was.
It was my first real day of mountain trout fishing in over a year. The first time I’d
Read More »Why I Want to Move to Argentina
By Justin Pickett
“SO MUCH WATER, NO ONE PERSON WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO COVER ALL OF IT, BUT I’D SURE LIKE TO TRY.”
At the beginning of the year I was afforded the opportunity to travel to Argentina for a week-long fishing adventure in the Patagonia region with Andes Drifters. It was relatively short notice (less than 30 days), and my typical schedule doesn’t really allow for that, but over my dead body was I going to miss out on an opportunity like this. I can still remember the phone call I received from Louis. I was standing in the paint section of Home Depot mulling over my list of needed stuff for household projects when he asked me if I could rearrange my schedule in order to make the trip. I was so consumed with making it work that I completely spaced out and left the store without buying a damn thing on that list. It took some scrambling over a few days, but I was able to work it out. Less than a month later I was on a flight to Buenos Aires, and let me tell you it was one amazing trip.
Let me first say that, yes, the fishing is the reason why I was so excited to come to Argentina, and it did not disappoint. When I stepped off of that plane, it was all I could do to keep myself from stringing up a rod and throwing a double-haul down the terminal. What I didn’t realize was that by the time I left, I would have a huge appreciation for the people and the culture of Argentina, and the endless opportunities for travel and adventure, whether you’re going stag, or traveling with your family. Not to mention the guides’ enthusiasm for wanting to share everything about their world with you.
Once arriving in Buenos Aires, we hopped on a two hour flight west to Bariloche, which is a major hub for those traveling into the Patagonia region. We were met outside the terminal by a few of the guides and tossed our gear into their HiLux’s (which are awesome!) and headed for the lodge. It would be another two hours before we would make it to the lodge, and at first I couldn’t stand the thought of two more hours of travel. However, once we made it out of the airport, the concept of time was lost to me. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the scenery. Everywhere I looked, as far as the eye could see, was unmolested beauty. The bluest skies, snow-capped volcanoes, soaring condors, rivers and streams flowing everywhere, and mountain ranges reaching towards the Pacific filled my view from the passenger seat, and before I knew it we had arrived at the Spring Creek Lodge.
Here, again, the scenery is second to none. The lodge sits in a valley alongside the banks of a small tributary of Rio Chimehuin, with the main flow just 200 meters from the lodge. Surrounding the main lodge are the well-appointed, two-bedroom guest cabins. Looking out the front door of your cabin, you’re greeted with an in-your-face view of the Lanin Volcano, just beyond the rolling hills and towering mountain range. Meandering through the property is a small creek which drains into a small pond full of big Brown and Rainbow trout, which are introduced as pets and are off limits to any hook harassment, but fun to watch nonetheless. The service and the friendliness of the staff at the lodge are amazing. Nothing is out of the question, and they make sure that you have everything you want and need. Gustavo Hiebaum operates the lodge and is a wonderful host. He and the staff make sure to interact with each and every guest on a daily basis, making sure everyone is stress-free and having a great time.
A typical day with Andes Drifters consists of waking up early to find a generous spread of fresh coffee, fruits, cereals, juices, pastries, meats, eggs and anything else you could ever desire for breakfast. I wanted for nothing. Oh, and don’t forget the dolce de leche. It’s present, in some form or fashion, at just about every meal, and you’ll want to bring home a jar of it for yourself! While at the lodge, I made sure to take the time to enjoy a cup of coffee on the porch every morning so I could relax, wake up, and admire the view. By seven-thirty or eight, the guides had arrived and began packing the trucks with our gear and got everybody ready to depart for the river. We were usually on the water by 9am, which is late by my standards, but what you may not know about this region is that summer days here are LONG. The sun rises around 6:30am and doesn’t set until nearly 10:00pm, leaving plenty of light for fishing so there’s no need to rush. Once we arrived at our put-in and got our rods strung up, we hit the water and got to fishing. And fish hard we did.
We would stop at a nice shady spot for lunch every day with enough time afterwards to recharge the batteries with a short nap. Lunch was another great experience. No corners cut. The meals consisted mainly of cold meats, pastas, salads, as well as other local fare, and were outstanding. Once lunch was broken down it was back to the fishing for the rest of the day until it was time for the row-in beer. Once back at the lodge, there was enough downtime to relax and clean up. In the lodge, wine and spirits flowed and hors d’oeuvres were laid out for everyone to enjoy. Dinner was always special. Not only was the food spectacular, but Gustavo arranged some sort of entertainment for every evening, such as tango dancers and musicians, adding to the enjoyment had by all. Truly, a day that could only be described as rewarding and awe inspiring.
Spending a week on the water with the guides from Andes Drifters was a treat in itself. These guys work their butts off to make sure their clients are safe, have fun, and catch fish. They were the first up every morning to make sure we were ready to hit the water, and the last to go to sleep, and they do it all with a smile. I’ve never heard so much fun and laughter come from a group of guides sitting around the lunch table, or a campfire. It’s obvious the Andes Drifters’ guides truly love to be on the water with their clients. And not only do these guides love their job, but they are damn good at it! Our guide that week, Eduardo, could row a damn boat and knew his water like the back of his hand. Open minded, and full of knowledge, tips, and tricks, it was a pleasure being on the boat with him that week.
Ah, the meat and potatoes… The fishing. Andes Drifters offers numerous options when it comes to fishing the waters around the northern Patagonia region. Names like Chimehuin, Melleo, Alumine, and Limay are mainstays in this area, and
Read More »First look at the Ibera Wetlands
By Louis Cahill
Every now and then I have to remind myself that a redfish tail isn’t going to pop up along the edge of the grass.
The scene looks familiar but what lurks below the surface is a bit more sinister. The Ibera Wetlands, in northern Argentina, may look like the Lowcountry marsh of South Carolina but that’s the end of any similarity. The eight-thousand square mile, freshwater marsh is like a vast, grassy inland sea. It filters immeasurable gallons of rainwater headed for the Parana river system and supports a remarkably diverse array of wildlife including prehistoric tapers, capybara, caiman and countless exotic birds. Deep in the marsh live native people so isolated they do not even speak Spanish, and while everything that meets your eye appears like some lost paradise, below the surface of the water things are very different. There in the weed and grass below the water is the most ruthless food chain I have ever witnessed.
We are there to fish for dorado, the king of freshwater sport fish. They are a vicious apex predator and seriously challenging on a fly rod, but they are only one of a cast of toothy players in this place. I honestly can’t remember the names of most of the species I’ve caught. The first morning, eight casts brought in eight different species, including one that looked like a musky and a neon tetra had a baby. There are piranha everywhere. Growing up in the sixties, television led me to believe two thing were going to be a constant threat in life, quicksand and piranha. I’ve still yet to have a life threatening run in with quicksand but, in this place, piranha live up to my childhood expectations. I wasn’t eaten alive, but I lost countless flies. Some spots you just have to fire up the motor and move on.
Moving on is, in it’s self an interesting proposition in the wetlands. The abundance of vegetation gives the impression that there is a lot of land. There isn’t, just huge rafts of floating vegetation. What look like islands move with the flow of the water. If you open a channel through them, it will quickly close. While making navigation tricky, the narrow slips through the vegetation make for some very cool fishing. We pole the boat down channels barely four feet wide, casting huge rat patterns into bends and cuts ahead of the boat. When a strike comes, it’s heart stopping.
Dorado fishing is never easy. No matter where you do it, or how, it will test you. You will certainly have some great fishing days in the wetlands
Read More »Study Shows Salmon Farming Results in 20% Loss of Wild Atlantic Salmon
By Jason Tucker
Farm raised salmon may represent a serious threat to wild fish populations.
A recently released Scottish study has demonstrated that salmon farming in estuaries used by wild salmon results in a 20% loss in returning wild salmon, mostly as a result of sea lice infestation due to the unnatural conditions fostered by net pen fish farming. It also tracked losses due to genetic introgression from escaped fish.
The study was commissioned by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, also known as ICES.
The original question presented for study was “Advise on possible effects of salmonid aquaculture on wild Atlantic salmon populations focusing on the effects of sea lice, genetic interactions and the impact on wild salmon production.”
Some important points from the study (copied directly from it so I don’t get them wrong) are:
-The survival of Atlantic salmon during their marine phase has fallen in recent decades. This downturn in survival is evident over a broad geographical area and is associated with large-scale oceanographic changes. Viewed against current marine mortality rates commonly at or above 95%, the ‘additional’ mortality attributable to sea lice has been estimated at around 1%.
– In some studies, the impact of sea lice has also been estimated
Read More »Follow The Water
I’ve said it before, Florida is the primier fishery in the US. That statement always starts an argument, but if you do the math, it’s hard to deny. I don’t know another fishery with the variety or quality of fishing. Let’s not even talk about 200 pound gamefish. The problem is, this awesome fishery is in trouble. “When most people think of the Everglades, they picture the sawgrass wetlands and mangroves at the southern tip of Florida. What they don’t realize is that the health of this incredible ecosystem is dependent upon events far to the north. Historically, the Everglades received a steady supply of fresh water from a massive watershed that begins near Orlando, but over the past century—in the name of flood control and agriculture—man has interrupted that flow, most notably at Lake Okeechobee. As a result, the amount of water that reaches Florida Bay, at the southern tip of the state, is less than half of what it should be.”- Orvis Orvis has produced this short film, which is extremely informative. If you are interested in the subject, or how you can help, check it out. Fallow The Water
Read More »Take Your Flies Into The Danger Zone!
IN A WAY, FLY FISHING IS A GAME OF CHANCE.
That’s how I see it anyway. If you think about it, that will start to make sense to you if it doesn’t immediately. You want the best chance to catch fish, so you go to the place that gives you the best odds of hooking up with a particular species. It’s the same reason you don’t see folks throwing #20 BWO’s in the Keys, or fishing with a 1/2 oz spinnerbait and a baitcasting setup in tiny, freestone stream in the dead of summer… well, not often anyway. It doesn’t make any damn sense first off, and secondly, the chances of you catching anything are pretty much nil, zero, and nada. Get where I’m at now?
I’m not trying to take any skill out of fly fishing, I’m just saying I’m not going to toss flies in a parking lot mud puddle after a rainstorm and expect a whole lot. With all that being said, once you’re on the water you have to take advantage of the water you’re fishing in order to increase your chances of hooking up. Whether it’s trout, bass, snook, bluegill, or musky, you’ve got to be willing to cover all types of water, and sometimes that includes tight, uninviting areas that will cost you some flies. Those places are where many fish congregate and seek refuge.
Flies aren’t cheap. It’s the main reason why I tie the large majority of what’s in my boxes. I will seldom purchase flies from a shop, and when I do it’s because
Read More »Fishing In A Crowd Of Your Choosing
By David Grossman
Solitude is one of those ideals we all tout when asked the question, why we fish. I plan, barter, and beg sometimes for weeks just to realize a few hours of it. But when it comes to being a better fisherman, solitude might not be all it’s cracked up to be. I have never fished better than when I had a regular group of people to push me to up my game from where I started the day. Plus, it’s nice to split the driving, food, booze, and shuttle fees (just sayin’).
I still like fishing by myself these days, and go out of my way to do it every once in awhile when I really need to clear my head. But the older I get, sharing the experience with like-minded friends seems better. Fish selfies suck. I have never seen a good one…never. Screaming for joy with no one around winds up seeming creepy most of the time as well. Having a partner in crime also saves you the embarrassment of crawling back to your truck gravely injured when you have fallen and can’t get up.
Everyone fishes different rigs, patterns, retrieves, and water types. I have never met anyone that is proficient in everything all the time. There is no better motivation to learn something new than when your buddy is giving you the piscatorial red bottom fishing the slow water with a dry dropper while you have your head buried in the riffles fishing heavy nymphs. I have learned new spots on old rivers just by sitting in the front of the boat while someone else rows and uses their experiences to pick the anchor spots. If you don’t believe my metaphysical arguments, look at it from a straight logistical perspective: You are a better fisherman when you aren’t rowing or poling. It’s simple physics…trust me.
A good crew will make you a better fisherman, but the flip side of that coin also holds true. A bad crew will absolutely make you worse for wear by the end. Here are a few things to consider when putting together a posse.
There should always be one member of your group that is at least as good a fisherman as you are. If they’re better, then you won the fly fishing lottery.
Read More »New Products From Sightline Provisions 2022
Wear your passion for fly fishing for everyone to see. Sightline Provisions set the bar for fly fishing lifestyle brands. If you’re looking for a way to show your love of fly fishing, no matter where you fish or for what, Sightline Provisions has you covered. Check out the video to see all the new goodies from Sightline Provisions.
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