Nothing could be worse on opening day than standing in line on a Missouri dam and discovering that the guy next to you is wearing the same dress ...err waders ... that you purchased at the local fly shop the day before. Is it time for a fly fishing apparel registry?

"'You have people coming here for years, knowing that it's going to be crowded and that it might not be a day for serious fishing,' [Bennett Spring State Park hatchery manager Mike Mitchell] said. 'It's more like opening day of baseball season.'" Tom Vaughn in The New York Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AskAboutFlyFishing.com joins FlyFishRadio.com in betting that fly fishers want to hear expert advice from the source. The new "live" broadcasts from Ask About Fly Fishing (Fly Fish Radio audio is presented in downloadable podcast format) are happening every two to three weeks at 7PM Mountain Time (U.S.) and start with interviews of notable anglers Mike Lawson and Barry Reynolds.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“'Curt was so well known around the world, it was unbelievable,' said Islamorada guide George Hommell Jr., a longtime friend. 'What he meant to the Keys can't be measured. He was the maestro, the No. 1.'” This article by Kevin Wadlow also includes a photo of Gowdy and Wade Boggs memorializing Ted Williams on Buchanan Bank in 2002. In the Florida Keys Keynoter. (Thanks to reader David Dalu for this link.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Australia's The Courier-Mail delivers this wonderful excerpt from Matthew Condon's upcoming novel The Trout Opera, to be published by Random House Australia. The excerpted chapter tells the story of how a gift of flies gives birth to an idea for an unusual children's opera. "It was a ritual. A way his father could be there in the morning with Wilfred, by the river, without being there. And it was the gamble of the flies. An operational strategy, taking into account time of day, cloud, wind, water flow, shadow. They huddled together, a war cabinet."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've yanked dozens and dozens of hooks out of human flesh. The one and only method I would use on another person (I'll admit to forgoing this nicety once or twice when I was the victim and the fishing was hot) is the technique of using a strand of monofilament that Joe Doggett describes in his article in the Houston Chronicle. "The long-shanked 2/0 streamer hook was planted to the bend in the top of the finger just behind the nail. Wearing the fly felt strange. It was the first time in a 50-year fishing career that I had taken a hook past the barb." (Disclaimer: MidCurrent doesn't officially endorse this method; if you want the safest hook removal alternative, get thee to the emergency room.)

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

"Perhaps the flies most well known for success on the lower Grande Ronde are heavy on the purple end of the spectrum. Purple Woolly Buggers, the purple Perils, or Freight Trains seem to consistently catch more fish over other colors." Richard Galloway provides a guide to the many contours of the Grande Ronde, which flows through Oregon and Washington states, in Washington/Oregon Game & Fish magazine.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is generally accepted that black and other dark colors are best for flies fished at night or low light, and in discolored water. But some anglers think that black flies are an all-around top choice. Is it because — as this article by Tommy Thompson suggests — they are more likely to trigger aggression? "Even in super clear water, dark lures can get the bite when flashier stuff puts fish off. Flats redfish anglers have reported great results by switching from gold or silver to all-black spoons in bright sunlight." In Shallow Water Angler magazine.

For more on the effectiveness of black flies, read Chico Fernandez's "Basic Black" on MidCurrent.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 9:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fly tier Bill Pfeiffer expresses the koan-like paradox of fly tying: "'There’s this mystical aspect, but it’s not that mystical of a thing,' he said." He's referring to the fact that many of the most effective flies — like the woolly bugger — are not hard to tie and don't always imitate anything. Alex Strickland in the Montana Kaiman.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

European customs officials are banning the import of untreated feathers in the effort to curb the spread of the quick-spreading bird flu epidemic, leaving fly tiers around the world without natural fibers. "'We have experienced problems with a few lines of products -- in particular our turkey plumes. A shipment of turkey plumes was burnt at UK customs, as the vet could not inspect it in time,' said Debbie Coleman of ishop, a UK-based online retailer that sells flies and fly tying equipment." From Reuters.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Curt Gowdy, famed sportscaster and 2003 inductee of the The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Fishing Hall of Fame, died early Monday morning at his home in Florida. "As host and producer of the long-running The American Sportsman television series, ubiquitous with a Stetson hat and casting a dry fly, he garnered a public following that endured for the rest of life; many referring to him as the 'true American sportsman.'" From Tennesee's Chattanoogan.com.

In the Houston Chronicle, Dave Strege remarks on Gowdy's fly fishing roots and love of fishing salt water. "Gowdy got into saltwater fly-fishing when he started broadcasting New York Yankees games alongside Mel Allen in 1949. Spring training was in St. Peterburg, Fla., near the prolific saltwater fisheries." Gowdy went on to become a fishing companion of Ted Williams.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Kumiski's new book, How and Where to Catch Redfish in the Indian River Lagoon System (Argonaut Publishing Co.), despite its focus on a specific and famously productive destination, offers plenty of interest for all redfish aficionados, according to reviewer Susan Cocking. "Kumiski discusses redfish biology and life history and how to approach them during any season. He goes into fine detail about where to fish -- even using aerial photographs to point out particular flats where reds are known to show up." On MercuryNews.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Though Doug Pike infers that most fly fishers sharpen their hook points, it's probably likely that they're less diligent than their reputation allows. Personally I've lost more fish to dull or poorly sharpened hooks than to any other mistake in preparation. "Hook sharpening is a key component of tackle upkeep, every bit as vital as wader patching and reel lubrication, but even anglers who say they use their stones and files probably don't do so enough." In the Houston Chronicle.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When the early spring runoff makes you think you should put up your rod until water levels fall, go lake fishing with Callibaetis patterns instead. "Callibaetis nymph imitations should be in sizes ranging from 10-3x to 18-3x. Earliest seasonal hatches usually sport larger bodies. As the spring and summer flow past, sizes of both adults and nymphs shrink." In the Corvallis, Oregon Gazette-Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Think you're tough? Then you better tote along a thermos of hot tea to take the ice off of your rod and guides and fly line next time you're out there in sub-zero-degree weather. "He dipped the rod into the river, hoping the flowing water would free the frozen guides. But a two-week cold snap had dropped the river's temperature so close to the freezing point that its thawing powers were zapped." Tony Kelso talks about Richard Kelso fishing Alaska's Kenai in the middle of winter in the Anchorage Daily News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Like Frodo Baggins trying to free himself from the web of a giant spider, south Florida residents and anglers affected by excessive releases of water and contaminants from Lake Okeechobee are finding that only enormous effort will move political powers to seek a solution to the problem. Of course it doesn't hurt when a government agency also cries foul. "Fearing that freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee will kill one of the nation's top wildlife refuges, officials at the J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge have sent a list of water-management recommendations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers." Kevin Lollar in the Fort Myers News-Press.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"My fly alights with a plop before beginning its waking transit downstream. This time, I actually see the strike and feel the fish while the boil diffuses in the current." Steve Kantner vows that migrating shad — at least on Florida's St. Johns River — actually do eat, and not just baitfish but surface-bound flies as well. In Florida Sportsman.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bob Petti reviews the latest entrant in the fly line cleaner/lubricant market, and notes that while performance is excellent, the unique makeup of the product — using dry teflon rather than silicone as a base — means that regular application is essential. On GlobalFlyFisher.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Among the editor's selections of non-standard resort destinations is Manchester, Vermont's Equinox Resort, which includes "such bells and whistles as an Avanyu spa, the Gleneagles golf course, the Orvis fly-fishing school and an off-road driving course as amenities to its spiffy classic manse." On Frommers.com.

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

"The secret of sunk-line fishing and protecting your rod from being overloaded and broken is to lift less line from the water and shoot more." Silver Wilkie remarks on the deadly effectiveness of properly handled two-handed rods and sinking lines on early-season Scottish salmon. On Scotland's The Daily Record.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The annual fiberglass-and-gadget fest that is the Miami Boat Show opens today, and the theme of most seminars and displays is, predictably, fishing. "Besides filling the marina slips, showrooms, parking lots and patios of the Miami Beach Convention Center; Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center; and Miamarina at Bayside with more than 3,000 boats, the show is a prime showcase for new innovations in fishing tackle, electronics and techniques." Susan Cocking in The Miami Herald.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Skip Morris, a host of Outdoor Life Network's "Fly-Fish Television Magazine," had a lot of things going against him as he strove to become a fly fisher, including a lousy start in fly tying and a problem with learning. Somehow it all worked out. "'It's a strange gift,' he says, 'to be inept.'" Scott Sandsberry in the Yakima (Washington) Herald-Republic.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rod Cochran writes about the top trout hangouts for those willing to brave the cold in the Empire state. Among the choices: the Connetquot River, the Croton River, Ischua Creek, and of course the "Beamoc." "In February, 'heavily fished' is a relative term. As you buzz along Route 17, you rarely see more than a single angler standing in the quiet current beyond the rim of ice, and most times, you see no one on the water." In New York Game & Fish magazine.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Championship will be held at Rotorua on New Zealand's north island, according to Friday's press release. "Jill Mandeno, president of Sport Fly Fishing NZ (SFFNZ) announced on Friday, February 10, that New Zealand had been awarded the rights to host fly fishing’s 2008 World Championship and Conservation Symposium by the sport’s governing body - the Federation Internationale de Pecheur Sportif-Mouche (FIPS-Mouche)."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As always, the best fly fishing writing often gathers its focus from the corner of the eye. "Whatever is most difficult becomes most interesting, if you're doing it right. A properly romantic fly fisher doesn't want his fish to come easy; he wants them playing hard to get." James Babb, editor of Gray's Sporting Journal, blends tales of romance and Atlantic salmon fishing at the remote Helens Falls camp in northern Quebec.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's little denying the achievements of fly fishing writers in books that are forty, seventy, even a hundred years old. We can all choose to be closet classicists, lulled into a prejudice that most of the good stuff is already written.

Then a book like Lani Waller's comes along. I read River of Dreams cover to cover in two sittings. My "sittings" are usually an hour or so in the middle of befuddling work days, and it takes a lot to penetrate the fog. But Lani's stories are engrossing, well-crafted, and likeable. As soon as we get over the chill of Waller's first chapter — his dreamlike emergence from a horrific plane crash in the Alaskan bush — we're stirred by prose that warms and personalizes, wrapping itself around a variety of adventures, from illicit experiments in gardening to this week's excerpt on MidCurrent about stumbling toward angling nirvana in New Zealand.

It's worth noting too that Waller's book was published in 2004 by a small publishing company with as yet only a handful of titles: West River Publishing. Small publishers putting out books like Waller's are a nice reminder that in the business of fly fishing size doesn't always rule.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a quick summary of the fly fishing opporunities available in southernmost Spain written by Phillip Pembroke. "As one day per week is usually reserved for 'pesca sin muerte' ('catch and release') and, given that Spanish anglers tend to prefer to bag up, you may find that on these days you have a superb trout river all to yourself." In southern Spain's Sur.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dubbed the Great Bear Rainforest, the 6.4 million-hectare (15.4 million-acre) park "is the result of an unusual accord between governments, aboriginal First Nations, the logging industry and environmentalists. It will stretch 402 kilometers along British Columbia's rugged Pacific coastline in the ancestral home of many native groups whose cultures date back thousands of years." Jeremy Hainsworth of the Associated Press.

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

"A pike fly is nothing like a dainty little trout fly. It’s a gaudy monstrosity of a thing, 4 to 10 inches long, that you sink below the surface to imitate a wounded baitfish or other aquatic critter to entice a strike." Wes Smalling goes pike fishing with Ed L’Heureux on New Mexico’s Rio Grande and describes why pike are an altogether different quarry. In The Free New Mexican.

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

Bill Erickson of Flagstaff, Arizona began a campaign last year to raise awareness of the problems facing wild sockeye salmon, and particularly the challenges presented to the species by dams, fish hatcheries, and streamside erosion. His goal? To get financial support for a kayak trip through the native salmon ranges and to increase the visibility of what's at stake. "All along this trip we plan on stopping in the towns along the river (i.e. Stanley, Challis, Salmon, Riggins, Lewiston, Tri-Cities, Hood River, Portland and Astoria). At these 'Awareness' stops we will arrange to talk with local journalists and school groups and in several key cities we will have full-blown planned public rallies."

Check out Bill's Weblog site at www.salmontosea.blogspot.com for more information.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Welsh don't tie flies, they dress them, and they've been doing so for a very long time. Moc Morgan provides an interesting perspective on Welsh patterns and their derivations on icWales.com. "The first ever book written in Wales on fly dressing was The Fly Fisher's Legacy by George Scotcher which was published in Chepstow in 1811."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fraser Island guide Paul Dolan recently spent time on the water with the visiting Diana Rudolph, who is something of an icon in saltwater fly fishing in the Florida Keys. According to the report, Rudolph caught longtail tuna, queenfish, and giant trevallys, as well as barramundi and australian bass. "Diana is a wealth of information and a awesome angler whom might give some fellas a little pinch to the ego."

MidCurrent interviewed Rudolph back in June of 2005.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Declaring victory in the decades-long effort to restore coho salmon populations, federal regulators recently removed Oregon coast cohos from the Endangered Species list, despite the fact that NOAA scientists say the fish are in great danger. "'The question people need to be asking federal managers is "Why Oregon Coast coho, and why now?"' said Kaitlin Lovell, Salmon Policy Coordinator for Trout Unlimited." Trout Unlimited's press release tells the full story.

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

Alan Caolo describes his first experiences and some basic strategies for fly fishing for carp. "'They are weird,' he said of both carp and carp fishermen. 'Get too involved in carp, and it just gets weird. 'On the other hand, it's pretty cool. Would I do it again? Definitely.'" John Corrigan in the Concord (New Hampshire) Monitor.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Classic pattern expert and fly tier extraordinaire Selene Dumaine is profiled in this piece by Deirdre Fleming. "Dumaine, in a similar fashion, in virtually the exact same method, lifts and twirls the fishing line over her Green Beauty to tie together its various parts, just as Stevens did back in 1924. You can barely see the line as Dumaine wraps an invisible spell over the fly. 'It's my hex,' she said, without looking up." On MaineToday.com.

For a peek into what a top-notch tier uses for basic toolset, read Dumaine's "The Fly Tier's Toolbox" on MidCurrent.

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

Scientists tracking the DNA of brook trout in Minnesota have reached a surprising conclusion: despite decades of overfishing, stream-habitat destruction and stocking of non-natives, native fish are on the comeback trail. "'We understand better today that species that evolve in a system have a genetic advantage,' said Jason Moeckel, DNR southeast trout manager." Chris Niskanen on TwinCities.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Read most opinions on extra-long rods and you will find a common thread: they really aren't necessary. But in saltwater fly fishing especially, strategies are changing, adapting to fish that are more wary than they were 30 years ago.

What do longer, lighter rods do for flats anglers that standard rods can't? Chico Fernandez takes a close look at the advantages and disadvantages of the latest 9' 6" rods being offered by manufacturers in "Walking Sticks."

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

By permission of the International Whaling Commission, native Bequia islanders in the southeastern Caribbean are still allowed to practice a trade learned from 19th-century Yankee whalers — hunting humpback whales with harpoons. "On his left leg, there's the scar of a rope burn that went right down to the bone. His eyes, bloodshot from age and the glare of the sun, focus on a point just above my shoulder and about 500 miles distant." Sebastian Junger in Outside magazine.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Released in 2005 it has received awards from no less than 5 movie festivals. The photography is amazing and features Hoagy Carmichael and Glen Brackett. If you don’t already own a bamboo rod, you will certainly want one by the time you finish watching Trout Grass." Dan Bachman lends his praise to the recently released documentary about U.S. bamboo rod craftsmen on his Tattered Fly Weblog.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This piece by Clive Gammon describes how a single salmon pool in Ireland can attract anglers from around the world while providing a local spectacle nonpareil. "'Too fresh!' said someone (I should explain here that salmon fishing on the Ridge can be something of a spectator sport. The bridge at its tail of the pool carries the main road in and out of Ballina and when the fishing is hot, traffic jams occur as buses and trucks pull over to watch.)" From the Irish Tourist Board Web site.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Folks who appreciate the craftsmanship and design skills required to build a truly technical poling skiff want nothing more than to see a company create a great product and make money building and selling it. When Flip Pallot and Hal Chittum put their heads together on the original company, Hell's Bay was considered the best candidate to move skiff design forward.

But ultimately it was not to be. The company was sold to new buyers in 2002 and shortly thereafter ran into various troubles, including the loss of some of the key craftsmen responsible for ensuring the high degree of quality and finish the market expected. Most recently, the burden of debt became too much for Hell's Bay to manage. "What is known for certain is that Hell's Bay filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October after the company's primary financier, Riverside National Bank, received a $2.6 million judgment against Hell's Bay for unpaid loans. Sources familiar with the bankruptcy proceedings said talks are under way over the potential sale of the company to an owner who would keep the name and product line, while paying back creditors under a deal structured by the bankruptcy court."

In a recent piece by Ben Iannotta on KeysNews.com, it becomes clear that there was more at play in Hell's Bay's demise than simple cash flow problems. (Thanks to reader David Dalu for sending this link.)

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

It turns out that OLN will also be airing "In Search of a Rising Tide," a video we recently reviewed on MidCurrent, this Friday at 8:30 AM. As "Chasing Silver" promises to do, "In Search of a Rising Tide" demonstrates Howard's "keen eye and ear for the essence of the local" experience, said reviewer David Dalu.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One bumpy four-hour drive to Punta Allen in a station wagon with worn-out shock absorbers will convince you that nothing in that part of the Yucatan is likely to change for a very long time. Thank goodness.

Joe Richard captures the flavor of the isolated peninsula and the tremendous fishing in Ascension Bay in this piece from Florida Sportsman. "The sun rose higher and hotter, and we sailed across miles of light-speckled shallows. Then the quiet approach, poling in from upwind, and we began to see bonefish—groups mudding, single fish pushing slight wakes, even a small pack of 5- to 7-pounders over clean bottom, very decent fish for these waters."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the past decade the number of Atlantic salmon returning to eight Maine rivers where their population is endangered has fallen by half. "All Atlantic salmon in Maine are doing poorly, but scientists are particularly worried about the population in the eight rivers because their gene pool is believed to be the least diluted and their survival offers the best chance to restore Maine's historic wild salmon runs, with fish leaping upstream to return to their ancestral spawning grounds." Beth Daley in the Boston Globe.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"He traces the first Woolly Worm to Charles Cotton, whose palmer fly with black wool body appeared in the 1676, fifth edition of Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler. A mind-boggling array of Woolly Worm variations covers virtually all salt- and freshwater, surface and subsurface application." Ed Dentry details the contents of Gary Soucie's newest book in the Rocky Mountain News.

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