Create Your Own Virtual Fly Guide Profile

For every fly fisher, there are individual styles. There are dry fly purists and indicator nymphers. Regardless of your preference, fly fishing has a style all it's own. There are so many variations of this passion, it can suit everyone's style. Our intent is to create a network of fly fishers who showcase their individual style.

The VFG Bulletin Board allows fly fishers to not only post reports, photos, videos, and comments, but also to create a profile. Click on the link below to find out how to create and update your Virtual Fly Guide profile.

Follow this link to Create Your Profile

"Fly fishers guiding each other by sharing their personal reports"

Sleeping in the Dirt Mag

I figured with his lack of recent posting that Mr. Otto was just taking an extended nap somewhere out in the Gila wilderness, but apparently he has been putting together a pretty kick-ass online magazine that is busting with eye-candy and definitely worth a click:

Etsy Finds


The editorial trophy wife says I have a serious "container fetish," so it's no wonder I was drooling over two items on the craft site Etsy.

$245 gets you this great looking Handcrafted portable fly tying station.

This portable fly tying desk will hold everything you need and will go from home to motel to fishing camp and everywhere in between. Made of hardwood plywood with walnut reinforcing on the corners and edges, this is one rugged desk. The left half of the case houses two removable drawers which are drilled with different sized holes to hold all your tools, a slide out thread tray with room for twenty spools, three drawers for tools & such, and a large open bin for large items.




This sweet looking custom collectible fly fishing knife: $450

Full tang construction, clip point, 440-C stainless, 3 3/8" blade, 7 1/2" overall, black ash burl scales, brass trim, mirror finish, fly engraving with 24k gold accent. Black walnut display box

Belgian Shotguns


      My 12 gauge Belgian Browning along with some Huns


When it comes to good old field grade  O/U Shotguns  I think it is tough to beat the Browning Superposed.I have the pleasure of owning  a 12 gauge with 26 inch barrels choked ic & mod. I bought the gun for $800 from a Canadian Tire store in Calgary 14 years ago.
Prior to my Side by Side kick  it was my "go to" gun for everything including Waterfowl, now it sits
in a Safe in Canada and is mostly  used as a client gun .
If I was to purchase  another O/U it would be a 20 gauge, for a number of reasons  it would have to be a Superposed.In my opinion they are right up there with "Funky' old side by sides as they are no longer
made in field grade models , besides the funky aspect Belgians are great gun makers.Case in point
while serving in the Canadian Army all our   7.62 Assault Rifles (FNC1 & FNC2) where manufactured by Fabrique Nationale the same company that  built the Superposed . When we converted to M16's the Platoon support weapon ,the Mag 58 General  Purpose Machine Gun and Section Support weapon the 5.56 SAW where and are still manufactured by F.N. So on that note it is safe to say a Belgian built shotgun is going to have few if any mechanical problems.
Although one can still purchase a new  Belgian  Browning via a custom order Browning wants a lot of money for one. I have been drooling over a few on internet sites that are in the $2500 -$3000 range which considering the quality of these fine guns is well worth it .
 Not to get off track but There are  a lot of Belgian Side by Sides out there too. ,lots of 12's and a surprising amount of 16 gauge guns also  at reasonable prices .
.Last week Lee Kennedy  showed up for his  hunt with a 20 gauge Superposed , what a gun.
For a field grade shotgun the wood was fantastic, the gun pointed nicely and it had a straight English stock which is something I have never seen on a Superposed.This gun confirmed that if I ever "needed an O/U this would be it .
                                   The 20 gauge with an English stock
                                        Lee's 20 Gauge & a male Mearns Quail

                                Covering a nice point with a nice gun !

Quote of the week: Free as price point


The December 2009 issue of Angling Trade Magazine provides a review of Chris Anderson's book, "Free, the future of a radical price" and how it relates to the fly fishing industry. It gives us our most recent quote of the week:


"Which gets us to fly fishing… where
we’re still hanging no trespassing
signs on rivers and charging rod fees
to fish, then wondering why the sport
doesn’t grow. And we’re still assuming
that people will pay to read how
to tie a blood knot, or fish a streamer.
And the hot free deal in many shops
is getting a “baker’s dozen” 13 flies
for the price of 12. Wow."

To get the context check out the entire review on the Angling Trade Magazine website. The magazine also has an excellent editorial by Kirk Deeter.

Tungsten Shell-Back Shrimps

A few tied up and ready in the box:



I'll do a tutorial soon for this simple, but effective, heavy-weight pattern.

~Dave

Brookie Bridge

Deep pools, big fish, small flies

There are a numnber of small rivers and stream which are very local to my home and work. In fact, I am lucky enough to be able to be on the river within a few minutes drive and a shortish walk. Therefore, I have become very fond of certain pools and runs and it's always nice to see how they change each year, after the flood waters have pushed through: A new bar of gravel exposed or a deeper hol formed. They even change with the seasons. A few parts of the rivers are deep - too deep to wade and they hold some really good fish. Therefore, a few extra patterns are being added this year to the box.

Often limited on hook size by regulations, big streamers or bugs are often no use. So I have tied some heavy streamer style flies - but in a #14 hook. Should be fun to try:



Hook: Partridge BIN #14
Thread: Hends Grall, dark olive
Tail: Downy fibres from Coq de Leon feather - tied around the hook
Wing: Olive Zelon
Ballast: Dumbell eyes
Thorax: Hare, tied in split thread

~Dave

Friday Bacon, (on Saturday morning!)

This was sooo good, just had to share:


PB and Bacon In Under a Minute from FlySwinger on Vimeo.

The end of the trout season in October signifies different things to different people. For some it is the time to pack their rods and fly boxes away, stay warm in doors as the weather gets cooler and look forward to fishing again in the spring. Perhaps for others, it is the transition between fishing and shooting: swapping rods for guns ~ and with pheasants becoming the quarry in place of trout. However, as with many anglers, it is for me the chance to target grayling. Beautiful, slender fish with that magnificent dorsal fin, they offer a great prize for the angler: especially one that is willing to face cold, frosty weather. I will be honest: I almost prefer catching grayling than trout - I look forward to the time when you can go 'all-out' for these fantastic fish.



A brownie, picking at drifting nymphs:


However, I feel that anticipation for the start of the trout season that I have always done - the onset of spring and the reminder of early season nymphing blending into superb hatches of up-wings or caddis; fish showing all over the surface of the stream with the evening crescendo.



The winter months are also a time for replenishing the fly boxes, tying up favourite patterns and even adding a few new ones to try on the trout. There is something very pleasing with sitting at the vice and tying a fly that you have planned for specific river or even a certain pool or run. You can almost imagine tying it on the leader, making the cast and letting it fish through the pool. Exciting.



I have struggled to make it to the river recently. But when time has allowed, I've been getting the boxes filled with rows of neatly tied flies, all in preparation for coming trips.





~Dave

Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea

If you have not seen the Ken Burns documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea", you definitely need to. Nothing I can say will do justice to the excellence portrayed in the walk through history of our national treasures. My opinion, this is Ken Burns greatest work! Visit PBS.org to watch videos of and to check your local listings for "The National Parks: America's Best Idea".

Range to target..one ping only..


When I was a kid I heard stories (intended to be taken with a grain of salt) about German U-Boats that made their way up North Carolina Rivers...but imagine seeing this on your next brownline expedition.

Famous.

Because you can never have too many photo's of Lefty on your blog.

Famous for fibers

Enrico Puglisi at the vise during the Somerset, NJ instance of The Fly Fishing Show. Tell him hello if you see him at the Charlotte show this weekend.

Valentine's Day in Boise?

If you happen to be spending Valentine's Day in Boise, maybe your significant other would like to have a romantic time at the Fly Fishing Roadshow hosted by Jack Dennis. For the complete article visit Idaho Statesman or for more details or to register for the event visit Fly Fishing Roadshow. Hey guys, by the way, if you register for both days and the dinner, the wife might approve.

HI FIVE KENNELS


                                            Bruce working with a 7 month old Pointer

For the last four years Bruce & Jenny  Minard owner's of High Five Kennels , have been dodging the snow shovel in Michigan and exchanging the Grouse Woods for the Mearns woods .
Bruce is really into the Cover Dog trials which  to me makes a lot more sense than All Age Trails because Cover Dog Trails are conducted on wild birds , you don't need a horse  besides  endurance the dogs running in the trails have to be pretty darn smart .
 Bruce's goal in his breeding program is to produce smart ,stylish  Setters and Pointers with lots of drive. Bruce only  has three litters a year,  he is busy working dogs as opposed to operating a puppy mill ,he keeps a couple of pups and  rest are sold to Hunters and  Cover Dog Folks who tend to hunt a lot also. 
When Bruce leaves AZ he heads up to Kansas and puts some more polish on the dogs then he heads back to Michigan and gets ready for the trails to start in the Spring.
 Lee Kennedy and I  had a visit with Bruce and Jenny,both of us where impressed with his dogs and his dog knowledge. Down the road I am sure you will see a few of Bruce 's Pointers on my string.



                                                 Bruce has 30 Dogs strung out 


 
I liked the look of this Pointer 

Patagonia's World Trout Initiative Grants

WORLD TROUT ISSUES FINAL GRANTS FOR 2009

Eight Global Grassroots Groups Receive $75,000 for Fish and Habitat Enhancement

Ventura, CA (January 12, 2010) Patagonia, Inc, the outdoor gear and technical apparel company announced today their World Trout initiative has issued eight grants totaling $75,000 to global grassroots groups whose diverse efforts to protect and enhance fish and their habitat around the world exemplify the philosophy of World Trout.

Grant recipients include the Wild Salmon Center at $10,00 for their Koppi River Salmon Diversity project; Pacific Rivers Council at $8,000 for their Umpqua River Legacy Program; Truckee River Watershed Council, who’s efforts on Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Restoration received $15,000; Takshanuk Watershed council was allocated $10,000 for completion of their water rights reservations initiatives; Bahamian-based Friends of the Environment was the recipient of $8,000 for their sustainable crawfish campaign, Henry’s Fork Foundation’s film, Watershed, which is about impressive hands-on projects completed over the past 25 years, was allotted $3,000 to help distribute this informative film to anglers and other grassroots groups in the hopes these efforts can be replicated; Bonefish and Tarpon Trust’s research on critical tarpon habitat received $15,000 and Italian group Societa Valsesiana Pescatori Sportivi was sent $8,000 for enhancement of their threatened grayling habitat.

World Trout was founded by Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard and author/artist James Prosek, who believed that immediate, hands-on action through local grassroots groups can begin to address multiple threats facing our fish and their habitat. Educating the public about these groups’ efforts and raising money to support their vitally important activities was the goal. As a result, original artwork by such renowned artists as James Prosek, Tim Borski and Alan James Robinson, has been used to create unique t-shirts, with $5 from the sales of each shirt set aside to fund these groups. Since 2005, World Trout has successfully generated over $400,000 that has been allocated to 30 local grassroots groups.

Because of increasing requests for support and the significant amount of dollars that have been raised, Patagonia has made the World Trout Grant application process easier. Go to www.patagonia.com/worldtrout and the grant guidelines in the lower left corner will walk you through the process. "This grant process allows us to receive applications from groups worldwide, allowing us to react more rapidly to fund those working tirelessly to protect and enhance fish and habitat," noted Bill Klyn, Patagonia’s international fishing development manager.

About Patagonia
Noted internationally for its commitment to product quality, Patagonia’s Environmental Grants program has contributed over contributed over $35M to grassroots environmental activists since the program began in 1985. Patagonia, with sales last year of $315M, is noted internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism. Its Environmental Grants Program has and its Environmental Internship Program allows employees to work for environmental groups while receiving their full paycheck. Incorporating environmental responsibility in to product development, the company has, since 1996, used only organically-grown cotton in its clothing line, and is noted world-wide for using recycled soda bottles in many of its polyester fleece garments.

www.patagonia.com

About Patagonia
Noted internationally for its commitment to product quality, Patagonia’s Environmental Grants program has contributed over $35M to grassroots environmental programs since it first began back in 1985. Since 1993, Patagonia is noted world-wide for using recycled soda pop bottles in many of its polyester fleece garments. Raising the bar even further, our Common Threads Recycling Program takes back ours and our competitors’ polyester underwear and specific Malden Mills fleece, along with organic cotton t-shirts, to be recycled into new fibers. The company has paved the way for others to get on the garment recycling bandwagon. In addition, Patagonia initiated the Footprint Chronicles, a unique, transparent insight into the impact a product generates from its sourcing of materials until it is delivered to our warehouse. For further information on these programs, visit www.patagonia.com/recycle.

travel companion,ipad

With a 9.7-inch, high-resolution screen, the half-inch-thick device gives book, newspaper and magazine publishers — as well as movie and TV producers — a chance to show they have a future in the digital age. The iPad, which uses the same operating system as Apple's popular iPhone, promises to show off news and entertainment as well as, and maybe better than, print media and many TV sets. For the fly fishing travel companion,this baby looks like it has it all. Murdock should get all his editors one to increase posts and blog from anywhere. Capt.Paul

Project Organization: Fly Box Edition

An organized fly box is a happy fly box!

For All The Bamboo Purists....

I ran across this blog a while back and thought I'd post it to see how the other half lives. I suppose I would be a fly fishing purist if my budget would allow. But for now, I'll have to dream about purchasing a custom made bamboo fly rod. A rod that takes a year to make. The anticipation would be similar to waiting for a dream fly fishing trip to an exotic destination. I'll have to wait for that too.

Visit Calviello Rods at http://calviellorods.blogspot.com/

Redfish Can't Jump- Charlotte FF Show

http://captgordon.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/redfish-cant-jump-charlotte-fly-fishing-show-129-30/

Maine Striper Fishing 2010: Start Planning Your Trip Today!!!

(Den Kelly of Sag Harbor, NY tagging Stripers on the Kennebec River 09/15/09)


Happy New Year Everyone!!!

As a way to kick off the New Year and New decade, We at Super Fly Charters would like to offer all our customers a $50.00 discount for any trip booked before April 1st, 2010. This our small way of saying thank you to everyone that has helped to make our business a great success.

I'm looking forward to having you all back aboard this season!!!

We'll once again be chasing Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna and other species...dont Miss out on the action!!!


Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

French Nymphing

Some nice pictures of French Nymphing in action here:

French Nymphing Gallery: FlyFishingPoint

~Dave

In Colorado These "Ice Guys" don't mess around

When Ice fishing, (something I am not very good at), everyone has a hidden spot to drill. Chris and his buddy Andy have found an area that is virtually untouched, and holds the big pike. I have been out 2 times on the Ice with my buddy Nate at Eleven Mile Reservoir, and only pulled up a nice Bow, No complaints it was a fun adventure walking on water, hearing the ice crack below you, and watching my buddy fall on his ass almost breaking it!!!

I haven't really seen too much fish through the ice bit Nate saw himself a beast of a pike as I was pulling in my good 14 inch bow, and a fat little fart he was. Normally I do not go for "Bait Dunkers", "Bait Chuckers" or what ever the hell you want to call them. Obvious fact is you can't throw a fly on a frozen lake when there is 20" of ice.


Chris on Saturday comes into the royal tavern after sending me these photos on my cell phone about the 9lb. pike he caught and thought he was the man.
After tossing a 10 inch mud dog on his tip up in his new secrete hole I would agree.

So Chris and I are sitting at our friends house, Jake and Sina, The German couple as I like to call them, Watching the Vikings and Saints game. I thought Farve was going to make his last trip to the Super Bowl instead the last pass he throws had to be a damn interception. Anyway enough of that rambling, Chris and I go outside of a smoke when his phone rings. After all day of bragging about his 9lb. pike his head drops, his voice has a bit of a stutter, and his skin turns pale. His Ice fishing buddy, Andy, just tells him that he pulled a 20lb pike out of the same hole! Chris, I can tell is kicking himself in the ass a bit for watching the football game instead of fishing this hole again. But what are you gonna do? who would think over 30 lbs of pike would be sitting in the same hole? So a total of 7 pike caught in the same hole in 2 days, I think that is a good way to start 2010........

Kyle - who needs to do some ice fishing.

Animas River, CO Fly Fishing Report


The Animas is low and cold. Some slush on cold mornings but mid day disappears. Fishing has been fair to good with fish eating midges and caddis nymphs deep in pools and pockets.

San Juan worms and eggs also catching some medium sized fish. Don't forget streamers- bright flashy yellow patterns producing fair to good.

Profile of the Firehole River, WY


When planning a fly fishing trip to Yellowstone National Park, a visit to the Firehole River is on everyones list and the reasons are many. Not only is there easy access along the Grand Loop from Upper Geyser Basin to Madison Junction, but the wildlife and thermal features combine all aspects of the Yellowstone experience. In previous years and depending on the time of year, there can be additional regulations for the Firehole due to higher than normal water temperatures. In this area of the park, anglers can expect to catch Browns and Rainbows. We've had success with dries, dry/droppers, and indicator nymphing. Typical caddis patterns worked well and swinging soft hackles raised fish near the end of the drift. Make sure you have your camera, you will not be disappointed.

Something to smile about?

Chuck Furimsky, owner/operator of The Fly Fishing Show may well have something to smile about. We accosted him in the halls of his Somerset, NJ event and found out a few interesting facts about the fly fishing show scene.

How was attendance this year? According to Mr. Furimsky, Friday set an all time record for the Somerset show (which is his largest event). The packed house we saw on Saturday seemed to further back this up. When asked if he thought the strong attendance was a sign of an impending economic rebound he replied rather that people saw the $15 admission price for the show and over 60 fly fishing programs as a great value (a message that is front and center in this year's marketing material).

What about the whole AFFTA / Nielsen trade show drama this year? Mr. F just shook his head and indicated that he had pitched a Florida show proposal to AFFTA but couldn't get any traction with the AFFTA board (the same folks who had previously decided to go head to head with his consumer show in the Denver market). A big revelation about his proposal for the Florida show would have given free hotel rooms to the dealers. Something we have to think would have made it almost as popular as if they had given free rooms to the media types.

From our own point of view, the show felt successful. The dealers we spoke to seemed happy with the attendance, booths were packed, Lefty Kreh was in the house, and the cash registers appeared to be ringing sales. We even saw a few freshly purchased fly rods leaving the building. Lots of folks were giving show discounts and one rod company even offered our pal Pete a code to use if he wanted to purchase online later. Laissez les bon temps rouler? Maybe.

Thanks to Mr. Furimski for taking time to answer our questions. Just in case you ever thought being a fly fishing show mogul was easy, when we met up with Mr. F he was on his way to repair a wireless microphone and wondering why the local Goose Patrol hadn't gotten rid of the geese.

Fly fishing show NJ Edition

I met up with angler, author, and fly fishing blogger Pete McDonald of FishingJones.com at the Somerset, NJ fly fishing show. In this picture he is holding a House of Hardy fly reel worth about 8K. I can't spill the beans but let's just say that Pete has some "splainin'" to do when he gets back home to Mrs. FishingJones..

The Fly Fishing Show


Visit this link to learn more about the upcoming Fly Fishing Show in Pasadena, CA March 13 and 14, 2010.

Moisture and the Nikon D90

 
Spot retrieves a Mearns Quail.
The  talk here in AZ. is about  the amount of snow and rain this State has received in the last three days.For example  in this area  the precip. got all the little creeks running which I have never seen in the winter. More storms are in the forecast and if the weather pattern keeps up 2010 will be looking good for  a Gambles Quail hatch  ... fingers crossed ! .
This is the first shot of moisture since early December so the short term effect  is  improved scenting conditions which the dogs really are enjoying as they display a  great deal of confidence while running and on point.
Due to a dumb move on my part I lost my D40 somewhere in Oklahoma .The replacement is a Nikon
D90 which seems like a nice camera, and has more features than the older D40 , the only drawback is that it weighs more.The pictures on this Post  where all shot with the new  D90. I have work out some shutter speed issues but otherwise so far so good .







Spot pointing.


                                           Paul covering an Okie Point

The Fly fishing Show NJ Edition

A commentary on the industry?

Sharing Ideas

The internet is a great resource for fly tyers and fishers, whether you are in search of materials, explanations of techniques, fishing or simply inspiration. Blogs and forums are not everyone's thing, but I find them to be most interesting: an opportunity to delve into someone else'e experiences, share ideas and share interests.

Here's a couple of patterns I discovered on a forum a while back. Tied by Mick Wilkes ("Sabsman") they epitomise my interest in fly dressing: simple but highly effective.





Proof that they work... I'm sure Mick won't mind me posting a photo of his success:



Mick has kindly sent me some photos of the step-by-step. Take a look at his blog: Mick's Fly Fishing Diary. It showcases some enviable fishing and success.

~Dave

Post Your Fly Fishing Reports


Click on the link below to learn how to post your fly fishing reports with the Virtual Fly Guides.


After the reports, photos, or videos are posted on the VFG Bulletin Board, they will be featured here on this blog.

By sharing our reports and experiences in fly fishing, we encourage other fly fishers to do the same and become Virtual Fly Guides. Regardless of your skill level, or how many days you spend on the water each year, everyone can learn from everyone. Our vision for the Virtual Fly Guides is to create a network of fly fishers around the country, and around the world, who guide each other by sharing their personal fly fishing reports.

Found in the Urban Wild

Fish on!...the wall. Well partially anyway. The beast in question came through the office wall of co-worker, Dave Colle, The trophy is proof that Dave comes from great angling stock.

Snow, ice and freezing rod rings

Well it's finally thawed and now very wet. For a brief period the rivers were low enough to cast a nymph or two to River Lyd grayling, although ice in the rod rings made things interesting...

In more than extreme conditions, David did manage to winkle out a fish. Not the biggest grayling in the world... but a grayling nonetheless!