Lefty talks about the best way to construct a permit leader, including the use of a long, limp butt section. "To make a leader between 10 and 11 feet long, the butt section should be 50-pound test that is heavy yet limp and measures half the total length of the leader. You want the leader to unroll just like the fly line, and a stiff butt section does not turn over easily." The only advice I might take issue with is the suggestion for tippets to be 18" or under: I believe having that final knot so close to the fly will spook some fish. On FlyFishInSalt.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Outside magazine's Grayson Schaffer gives a rundown of the recent show and his picks for best and most interesting products. "New for this year, Sage launched its first-ever 16-weight. A rod that burly may be a bit impractical short of landing Jaws, but says Sage's Paul Johnson, 'We've got a guy in Switzerland who catches hundred-pound catfish with it.'"

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Columnist Bill Thompson is taken with the new lighter series of rods from Orvis due to go on sale this weekend. "To begin with, the scrim system is pure carbon. There is fiberglass in most scrim systems. Yes, that’s right, there is fiberglass in your 100 percent graphite rod. Unless you own a new Zero G. The scientists at Orvis then combine some boron in the butt section and bind the whole thing together with thermoplastic-toughened resins." On ConwayDailySun.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Northeastern U.S. guide Marla Blair has written her first book. Positive Fly Fishing (The Lyons Press, October 2005, 208 pages) is a resource for novice fly fishers that details the key elements of fly fishing and teaches how positive thinking can lead to faster learning.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday the IGFA did confirm to us that there will be a new class of records that is based on length and requires that fish be released alive. In an email, Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director, said: "IGFA is in the process of developing a new and distinct record category that is based on length. This category of records will also require mandatory release of all fish entered. However, when saying this, I always like to point out to people that many of the fish entered for our 'traditional' record categories are released alive due to the fact that anglers can weigh their fish using certified, portable hand scales. The new length category will most likely start out small, with 60 freshwater and 60 saltwater species that are amenable to anglers obtaining measurements and then releasing them alive. It will also not have line classes, but will be for the longest fish of each of the approved species. We currently do not have an activation date for the new category."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Powell's new reels ($179.00) have ported 6061 aluminum frames, are reversible and come in a titanium color. Keith Bryan, CEO, says, “We wanted to offer a high end fly reel at a price that everyone can afford and be very proud of. With our direct selling method at wholesale prices we can offer the consumer the best quality products our industry has to offer at a great price." For more info read the extended entry or go to Powell's Web site.

Powell launches new “Switchback” large arbor machined center knob disc drag fly reel. These reels will be sold direct to the consumer at a wholesale price of $179.00 across the range of reels.

Powell is introducing 5 new models of their new “Switchback” fly reel in category I, II, II, IV, and V. These reels are machined from 6061 aluminum, ported throughout the frame and spool and hard anodized, which means that they are tough and will last. Keith Bryan, CEO, says, “We wanted to offer a high end fly reel at a price that everyone can afford and be very proud of. With our direct selling method at wholesale prices we can offer the consumer the best quality products our industry has to offer at a great price. We feel this is critical to reduce the barrier to entry into our sport for the new comer and will inspire the more seasoned anglers to enjoy the variety our sport has to offer, like spring creek fishing or fishing for a specific big game species in the salt or fresh water.”

Additionally, we are very excited about the special savings we will be offering consumers, especially during the holiday and trade show season. Normally a reel like this would start at around the $385.00 but we will be offering these reels at $179.00. The new Switchback reels are a Titanium color and left or right hand retrieve, are reversible, and have an original owner lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and materials.

Contact Info:
Powell Poducts, Inc.
Keith Bryan
Powell Products, Inc
(415) 382-9745
www.powellco.com

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We haven't been able to get confirmation from the IGFA, but it looks like the organization responsible for recording world fishing records is introducing a class of records that requires only a length measurement (with a photo). The theory, I'm sure, is that this will allow larger fish to be released alive. Currently it is very difficult if not impossible to weigh a large fish and have it survive. Here's an article by Scott Doggett in yesterday's Los Angeles Times describing some of the angling community's reaction.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Steve Raymond's Year of the Trout came out in 1983 -- written about fly fishing in the great rivers of the Pacific Northwest -- it leapt out of the current run of angling books as something altogether different. Raymond's most recent books have remained, in the minds of many reviewers and readers, examples of how angling literature at its best transcends fishing. On MidCurrent you can now read a chapter from Raymond's most recent work, Blue Upright.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the recent Fly Fishing Retailer Show, American Angler magazine awarded its fourth annual to Bob Marriott's Flyfishing Store of San Diego, CA. "The winner is determined by manufacturer representatives, who nominate retailers and judge them on nearly every aspect of service, including sales, marketing, involvement in local conservation issues, community outreach, industry involvement, etc."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

George Croonenberghs, who died this past Thursday, tied flies for Paul and Norman Maclean, the subjects of Norman Maclean's "A River Runs Through It." His favorite pattern was a Santa Claus fly that he liked to place between the fish and the sun to "light it up." Vince Devlin in Montana's Missoulian.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The Paiute feeds, spawns and dies in just a few miles of upper Silver King Creek and other Silver King tributaries. Now, invaders such as rainbow trout and brown trout crowd the lower sections of Silver King where the Paiute once swam in peace for thousands of years." Dana Nichols on California's RecordNet.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nice to hear of a river returning to fishability after many years of abuse. "The banks are completely undeveloped and we saw just two other anglers all day. It's also the slipperiest river I've ever tried to wade, a side effect of all the lime dosing, which supports some greasy growth on the rock. And finally, the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam, allows just enough water through to float a raft in the deep pools, but not quite enough to make it through the rapids." Angus Phillips in the Washington Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Hunt proceeds to find that locally tied flies are held quiet dear after discovering in distant Whale Pass, Alaska, that he left his fly box at home. "The string of self-effacing expletives I muttered might have made a sailor blush. Here I was in remote Alaska on a fly fishing trip without one of the key ingredients. I broke down my fly rod, looked at the map and determined that tiny little Whale Pass was the closest thing to civilization from Neck Creek." In the Idaho State Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Seconding the call for better management of our oil and natural gas resources, here's a riveting first-hand account of the devastation caused to fisheries by the secondary effects of chemical and oil spills posted by Ted Haas over on Dan Blanton's bulletin board. "Offshore and coastline beaches will see the effects from over 2 million gallons of crude oil spilled and leaked out from the offshore drilling platforms. The surge and retreat and run off has started an artificial red tide bloom from all the fertilizers and organics from up to 6 miles inland, not to mention water run-offs from further up the state from the storm."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Capt. John McMurray writes about the seasonality of prey availability and the most appropriate fly patterns for fishing tidal marshes in the northeast U.S. in Shallow Water Angler magazine. "Fall sees extraordinary numbers of juvenile menhaden (peanut bunker). These menhaden hatch and flood out of the creeks and coves, creating all sorts of action."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Zac Sexton and his English Setter Mojo will be wading 26.2 miles up the Yellowstone River in Montana beginning tomorrow in an effort to raise money for the Children's Diabetes Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Yellowstone Park Foundation. For more info, visit the Cuttie-thon site at www.cuttiethon.org. (From an article by Willy Zimmer in the Jackson Hole Star-Tribune.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new type of sheep dip may be responsible for the poisoning of many Welsh trout streams. "Matt Shardlow, Buglife conservation director, said: 'Even a tiny amount of the chemical dripping from a wet sheep into a stream will kill all the invertebrates for up to 10km downstream.'" Andrew Forgrave on icNorthWales.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dave Sherwood reports that the stripers are now marauding alewives in the Kennebec River, a sea change from two decades ago when no baitfish entered the river at all. "At any one time, somewhere on the river, thousands and thousands of tiny, two to four inch long river herring -- alewives, blueback herring or shad -- are being corralled by striped bass into dead end coves and getting eaten alive." On MaineToday.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TFO is introducing two new rods for the big salt, one meant for 10- to 13-weight lines, the other for 14- to 17-weight (!) lines. Talk about beefy.

For more info visit TFO at www.templeforkflyrods.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A custom-built bamboo rod and other prizes await winners of Fly Tying Forum's annual fly tying contest, which attracts quite a number of entries each year. For more info, go to www.FlyTyingForum.com/contest.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The older I get, the less self-conscious I feel about saying things like "cool." That's why when someone refers to a fly box as "swell" in a published review, it makes me sit up and take notice. The first fly box I ever bought was a Wheatley, and it is still, indeed, a swell fly box.

Barry Chafin in the Louisville, Kentucky Courier-Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Norm Zeigler revisits this spring-fed central Bavarian stream, which he last fished 13 years ago. "Walking back to the car, the tower of the Burg Neideck ruin was silhouetted against the evening sky. I knew there were many places in the United States where I could have caught more and bigger fish; but not in the shadow of a Teutonic fortress." In Stars & Stripes.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The most impressive thing about the results of this past weekend's Mercury Southernmost Light-Tackle Anglers Masters was the number of permit seen. "[Tournament director Gary] Ellis said teams reported schools of up to 100 permit roving the flats. Bill Cullen caught and released six. Two anglers on Capt. Tom Roland's skiff caught eight between them." John Geiger in the Florida Keys Keynoter. (Thanks to reader David Dalu for this link.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Terry Hayden helped TFO design these new, more affordable saltwater reels with hard anodization, cork drags and redundant pawls. Three reel sizes are meant to accomodate 9-, 12-, and 14-weight lines. Visit the Temple Fork Outfitters Web site for more details.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jody Moore writes about the best tides, moon phases and other strategies for sight-fishing snook. "Patience paid off. I finally spied the edge of the fish’s rounded forked tail and then its dark lateral line in the tannic water. I tossed my deerhair slider ahead of the fish, chugged it then swam it under, and the snook turned and moved in." In Shallow Water Angler magazine.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"An overflow of volcanic ash, rocks, water and ice from Mount Chiginagak was the cause for a puzzling absence of fish in King Salmon River this season, scientists said." From the Anchorage Daily News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sharp's of Aberdeen, Scotland, recently reached agreements to buy both Abel Quality Products of California and Thomas & Thomas Rodmakers of Massachusetts. According to our sources, Gina Abel will remain with Abel Products until December, and Steve Abel will remain under contract with Sharp's.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The utter delight in reading a Babb book, beyond irreverent humor and centuries-old connections to the fishing life, is the intimations of his far-flung reading, quoting authors, such as Jane Austen, Thoreau, Cervantes, Thomas Hardy, Saki, George Eliot - whose statements have nothing - yet everything - to do with fishing." Hannah Merker writes about James Babb's recent book. On MaineToday.com.

You can read an excerpt from Babb's new book here: "Sudden Agility."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of fly fishing's great pioneers and personalities is, as one of his eulogists says, "casting to that spot on the other side that we can't quite reach." Bob died of cancer Friday, and the world of traveling fishermen and dedicated anglers lost a great friend. Bob is perhaps best known for his invention of the Crazy Charlie bonefish fly, but he is remembered by all who knew him as a unique personality, willing to share his warmth and passion with all he met. You can read many remarks by those closest to him, including his long-time friend and associate Frank Bertaina, over on Dan Blanton's bulletin board.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Throwing floating flies at fish that gather at the base of falls may feel strange, but it works. "The Fall River just inside the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park is an awesome destination, whether you bring your fly rod or simply opt to play the part of a gawking tourist. Cave Falls, where I stood atop a streamside rock and cast the buoyant hopper into the froth, is inspiring for both fishers and tourists." Chris Hunt in the Pocatello, Idaho State Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Guides Dave Markett of Anclote and Mike Locklear of Homosassa in Florida share their honest perspectives on what it takes to be a guide, why most folks shouldn't consider it, and what makes them want to keep doing it. "Seeing a person catch a fish they would never otherwise have a chance to catch. And seeing the confidence increase in many folks when they single-handedly battle and subdue a fish they never thought they could catch." David Brown in the St. Petersburg Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Montana Water Trust does good work, extending the state's practice of purchasing water rights to ensure adequate stream flows for native trout. "Brianna Randall, a Montana Water Trust development associate, said the agreements take many forms, running the gamut from long-term leases to installing more efficient irrigation systems and then leasing the water that's saved for in-stream use. Montana is one of just a few states that recognize in-stream flows as a beneficial use of water. The Legislature changed the state's water code in 1995 to allow water rights holders to transfer some or all of their water rights to in-stream use." Perry Backus in the Missoulian.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ken Marsh gives advice on fishing one of Alaska's numerous lakes for pike, which have made home of many traditional trout waters. "To catch pike Monday I cast an 8-weight fly rod with floating line, 10 inches of steel leader and some brightly-colored streamers tied on No. 3/0 galvanized hooks. Steel leader -- I use Iron Thread by Fenwick because it is pliable and easy to work with -- is needed to keep pikes' sharp teeth from cutting leaders." In the Alaska Daily News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where does "Dr. Slick" get most of his product design ideas? From the operating room. Dr. Slick is actually Dr. Kenneth A. High, a Montana surgeon. According to the announcement for next year's new products, "New fly-fishing and fly-tying tools were designed, tested, deconstructed and re-manufactured to attain the new line of instruments, according to Dr. Kenneth A. High, president. The products have been 'in the works' for about 18 months."

NEW FOR 2006 FROM DR. SLICK

• Titanium Clamps. 100% titanium clamps in two styles: 5-inch Spring Creek model with smooth, needle nose jaws; or 5-1/2 inch Scissors Clamp model with one-half smooth and one-half cross-hatched jaws. Blue finish. Available in gift sets.
Spring Creek model $45; Scissors Clamp model $55.
• Synthetics Scissors. 5-inch heavy-bladed scissors made specifically for synthetic fly-tying materials such as poly yarn, foam or other man made fibers and manufactured products.
$12.
• Curved Scissors Clamp. The original straight blade Scissors Clamp was introduced in 1999. This new 4-inch model has curved jaws, allowing for faster, more accurate removal of a fly. Available in gold or black.
$14.50.
• Clip-on Reel. With a 28-inch Nylon cord and polycarbonate body, an excellent choice for saltwater anglers.
$5.
• Stainless Steel Fly-Tying Tools. A complete range of the world’s most popular fly-tying tools made with superior 400 grade stainless steel. Matte finish. Available in a gift set.
Hackle pliers - $6.00.
Non-slip hackle pliers - $6.00
Small rotary hackle pliers - $8.00
Large rotary hackle pliers - $9.00
Dubbing hook (5-inch) - $7.00
Dubbing hook (7-inch) - $7.00
Small hair stacker with padded base (1-3/4 inch) - $14.00
Medium hair stacker with padded base (2-inch) - $15.00
Large hair stacker with padded base (3-3/4 inch) - $17.00
Bodkin - $6.00
Bobbin threader - $6.00
Half-hitch tools - $7.00
Rotary whip finisher - $8.00

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where does "Dr. Slick" get most of his product design ideas? From the operating room. Dr. Slick is actually Dr. Kenneth A. High, a Montana surgeon. According to the announcement for next year's new products, "New fly-fishing and fly-tying tools were designed, tested, deconstructed and re-manufactured to attain the new line of instruments, according to Dr. Kenneth A. High, president. The products have been 'in the works' for about 18 months."

NEW FOR 2006 FROM DR. SLICK

• Titanium Clamps. 100% titanium clamps in two styles: 5-inch Spring Creek model with smooth, needle nose jaws; or 5-1/2 inch Scissors Clamp model with one-half smooth and one-half cross-hatched jaws. Blue finish. Available in gift sets.
Spring Creek model $45; Scissors Clamp model $55.
• Synthetics Scissors. 5-inch heavy-bladed scissors made specifically for synthetic fly-tying materials such as poly yarn, foam or other man made fibers and manufactured products.
$12.
• Curved Scissors Clamp. The original straight blade Scissors Clamp was introduced in 1999. This new 4-inch model has curved jaws, allowing for faster, more accurate removal of a fly. Available in gold or black.
$14.50.
• Clip-on Reel. With a 28-inch Nylon cord and polycarbonate body, an excellent choice for saltwater anglers.
$5.
• Stainless Steel Fly-Tying Tools. A complete range of the world’s most popular fly-tying tools made with superior 400 grade stainless steel. Matte finish. Available in a gift set.
Hackle pliers - $6.00.
Non-slip hackle pliers - $6.00
Small rotary hackle pliers - $8.00
Large rotary hackle pliers - $9.00
Dubbing hook (5-inch) - $7.00
Dubbing hook (7-inch) - $7.00
Small hair stacker with padded base (1-3/4 inch) - $14.00
Medium hair stacker with padded base (2-inch) - $15.00
Large hair stacker with padded base (3-3/4 inch) - $17.00
Bodkin - $6.00
Bobbin threader - $6.00
Half-hitch tools - $7.00
Rotary whip finisher - $8.00

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is undoubtedly the biggest week of the year for fly fishing manufacturers. Starting Thursday, they'll get to serve samples of their 2006 faire to retailers and other buyers and "influencers" making decisions about which products to feature in next year's catalogues and on next years shelves. For more info about what's going on at this year's show, visit the Retailer Expo Web site.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some Texas doctors go fishing with our friend Dan Vermillion from Montana. War photographer James Nachtwey and writer Patrick Symmes chronicle the adventure in Outside Magazine. "It seemed like a good idea: Two war correspondents escape reality into far Mongolia, stalking an otherworldly fish called a taimen. But in the process of cleansing their souls with icy water and Johnnie Walker Black, they realize it's possible to stray too far from home."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"We can use only barbless hooks, and we are taking 800 flies, everything from little dry flies to 8- to 12-inch flies. We have flies of (imitation) egg-sucking leeches, articulated bunny leeches, mice and lemmings. We'll take four rods apiece, and everything will have to be waterproof. There are no Wal-Marts over there to run buy something you need." That's angler Tom Poe talking about preparations for his trip to the Zhuponova River on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula in the Arkansas News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rebecca Rule reviews William Tapply's most recent book Bitch Creek (The Lyons Press, September 2004, 292 pages). "Here’s where I’ll tread carefully, so’s not to spook the brookies or give away the plot. But between the spot-on Maine Yankee dialogue, the unusual love story (Kate is married to a dying man), the deep woods settings (somewhere between Portland, Maine, and the N.H. border), the attractive, likable characters (especially Stoney’s dog) – this is a topnotch mystery novel." In the Nashua, New Hampshire Telegraph.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bill Kiene's bulletin board hosts a new trip report with some nice photos of the tarpon fishing (and 5-star accomodations) available at Mexico's Campeche Tarpon Club.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New on MidCurrent: Art Scheck lend us his vast experience with knots in a chapter of his new book Fly-Fish Better. "The Last Link" ranks the most common knots used for leader-to-leader and leader-to-hook connections. Good reading for those still testing the strength of their opinions.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reader Steve Wood sent us this story of a big Georgia brown caught by angler William Davis some weeks back. When his thumb slid into the fish's mouth, the release became more of a bloody affair than William had planned:

"I had been aiming for stripers on the Chattahoochee for several weekends. I really wanted to take one on a flyrod. That particular morning I decided to get to the river before sunrise. The river was unusally high and slightly silted. Visiblilty was low due to extreme fog, making for interesting fishing conditions. There was one other person out striper fishing as well. I was throwing white streamers against a rock wall for an hour or so with a 7wt. rod with no luck. I laid the flyrod down for a few minutes and switched to a baitcaster rigged with a large white bucktail jig. The first cast resulted in an enormous strike. I thought it was a striper for a few seconds but realized it was something else. After a few minutes of battle, trying to get the fish around the anchor line, the fish rose whereupon I realized it was a very large Brown trout. The other fellow came rushing towards me in his boat armed with a big gaff offering his services. I politely declined. I was able to gently lift the trout up for a few quick photos. After getting him situated just so, he decided to make a meal out of my thumb. He bit down with razor sharp teeth. You can see from the grimace on my face that he was having some success in shredding my thumb. After a few seconds he succumbed to few seconds of photography and measuring then was quickly released safely back to the river. 29 inches! What a fish! The other fellow was stunned. He couldn't believe I'd release such a fish. He almost looked angry. He sped off shaking his head. I wiped the blood from my hand, smiling as I did so, knowing that the fish had gotten the better of me. It pleases me to know that there are such fish only minutes from Atlanta."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This story on About.com lists Ronnie Garrison's top ten picks for Georgia bass lakes. "I fish about 21 major reservoirs regularly but these ten would be my favorite. Some are better at certain times of the year, and that is noted."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This news item was sent in by reader Kent Edmonds, a west Georgia fly fishing guide who chases stripers on the Chattahoochee river and nearby lakes. Just in case you thought that the only fat stripers caught on fly come from New England:

"On August 21 Joel Daniel of LaGrange landed what is perhaps the largest striped bass ever caught on a fly rod in Georgia. Georgia does not maintain fly-rod records, but the fish was 43 .lbs and it shattered the previous all-tackle record for the lake (Bartlett’s Ferry Lake - 24 lbs., 3 oz.) and the record for the upstream lake (West Point Lake – 33lbs., 10 oz.). The huge striper was caught on an 8-weight rod, with a sink-tip line, a 3/0 chartreuse and white deer hair deceiver with a 15-lb. tippet. Joel was fishing the rocky shoals of the Chattahoochee with fly fishing guide Kent Edmonds (www.flyfishga.com). The fish was released strong and healthy."

And here's a large version of the fish photo.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

31-year-old Graham, co-owner of World Wide Angler fly shop in Anchorage, Alaska, fishes for big lake trout using chironomid larvae patterns hung on a Corkie. "During a hatch, when thousands of chironomids are popping to the surface and struggling out of their skins to fly away, trout often feed just below the surface. When dorsal fins and tails break the surface like miniature sharks, the chironomid pattern (at times like this, fish will often strike nothing else) is best hung 12-16 inches below the Corkie." Ken Marsh in the Anchorage Daily News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's how Smoky Mountains guide Chris Montgomery describes your chances of catching one of the 18-inch browns that prowl the Little River near Townsend in East Tennessee. Nonetheless, there are plenty of fish to be caught. "You can always tell a person who fly fishes the Smokys because they are bent over when they are casting." Phil Junker in the Central Kentucky News-Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)