Late last night I was dumbstruck by the appearance of an infomercial touting the benefits of the "Fish Pen." Turns out someone has made a rod that extends from a tube the size of a ballpoint and is selling it on TV this season ("Only two payments of $19.95 plus shipping and handling!"). Then this morning Bill Thompson's amusing rant against the hyper-marketing of outdoors gifts reminds us that the spirit of P.T. Barnum (or Joseph, "Paper Collar Joe", Bessimer, if you prefer) is alive and well in fly fishing. "I was immediately drawn to the luggage made from, 'Safari-Grade camel leather and tweed.' What sportsman would not be delighted to be spotted carrying a matching set of camel luggage? Personally I was unaware that camels wore tweed and what the heck is 'Safari-Grade'?"

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

Included in Joe Zentner's article on bonefish fundamentals in All At Sea magazine is some clever advice on how hard to set the hook on these explosive fish: "... just enough to pull it from a blade of grass should it be caught." "The fly-fishing drill goes thus: you stand on a small deck at the bow of a skiff while your guide poles the craft across the flats, where the water may be from six feet maximum to six inches deep. You’ve stripped off 20 or more feet of line, which is lying in loose coils at your feet, and you’re holding the rod in your casting hand and the fly in the other. When your guide spots a group of bonefish working their way across the flats, he points them out to you."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We just received a copy of Rickey Noel Mitchell's new book The Orvis Guide to Personal Fishing Craft (The Lyons Press, December 2007, 99 pages, softcover). The book covers float tubes, pontoon boats, canoes, and kayaks and offers instruction on fishing from each craft (of course), safety and accessories. Mitchell is a writer and kayak fly-fishing guide out of Fresno, California, and apparently has plenty of field experience to back up his advice. Here he talks about fighting an invisible leviathan in Monterey Bay: "Fortunately my bow was pointed in the right direction and I tie a decent Bimini knot when I build a fly line, because the creature on the end of my line yanked me out of my teaching circle almost capsizing a couple of kayakers as it did so. Pushing the fighting butt of the rod into my gut, my PFD gave me the perfect cushioning and acted as a fighting belt. The mysterious fish was towing my kayak so fast the stern threw up a wake."

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

There are probably as many midge aficionados in the state of Colorado as in any other region of the world, so looking at the variety of choices made by anglers who swear by these tiny flies can be educational indeed. "As if you really needed to be reminded, all of us carry too many flies in our vests, even in the winter when nothing is hatching. Honestly, however, a handful of midge patterns chosen carefully for shape, color and size will catch 99 percent of the trout." Dave Buchanan gives a list in the Grand Junction, Colorado Daily Sentinel.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"When I was 14, I was caught fishing illegally in a drinking-water reservoir by a game warden named Joe Haines. Instead of giving me a ticket, he took me under his wing." James Prosek describes the underpinnings of a life-long friendship with Joe Haines in The New York Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The most interesting part of the story about how Cabot -- the famous Vermont cheese company whose employees wiped out 5 1/2 miles of life in the Winooski River in July 2005 -- came to admit guilt is that the company was responsible for a similar incident twenty-two years earlier. "The U.S. attorney's office noted that Cabot had discharged ammonia into the Winooski River in 1983, killing fish and damaging several miles of river. As the result of a civil settlement with the state, the creamery agreed to develop policies on how to handle hazardous materials and prevent future releases, but no policies were in place when the spills took place in 2005." One has to wonder how thoroughly the company will comply with new rules after paying their $50,000 fine, or whether two decades of non-compliance are so easily swept under the rug.

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

£8 million: that's how much revenue is generated yearly by Paul Devlin's Glasgow Angling Centre, where out of the 60,000 items for sale online and in his retail stores flies are the biggest money maker. "Devlin started fly-tying as a 10-year-old. His first fish, a pike, was caught on the Forth and Clyde canal at Dullatur. Later he started selling his home-tied flies at Cumbernauld Angling Club events in the town hall, 10 for £1. He left school at 16 to work in local tackle shops before taking up a career in the Inland Revenue as a civil servant. He opened a used fishing tackle stall in 1986 and soon found it was making £1000 a week, so resigned his job to pursue his tackle business full time." Gordon Mack in Scotland's Sunday Herald.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to Josh Mcauliffe of the Scranton, Pennsylvania Times-Tribune, Donald Trump Jr. will co-host a new fly fishing show airing on Versus this coming spring. Another show will feature Joe Humphreys. Interestingly, the shows that feature Humphreys are scheduled to focus on night-time fishing for trout.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope."

-- John Buchan

As fly fishers, we're always looking for a reason to hope, and here's some solid science to suggest we shouldn't give up until we've tried every fish in the pool. Researchers in Canada are exploring the varieties of behavior demonstrated by brook trout in an attempt to unlock another piece of the evolution puzzle. It turns out that not only do individual brook trout perceive their environment differently; they also develop personality traits that show up in feeding behavior. "University of Guelph scientists noticed the different personalities as they sat by the Credit River, west of Toronto, watching trout feed. Then they scooped out the fish and ran them through six days of personality tests in the lab, and even some swimming tests." Tom Spears of the CanWest News Service.

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

Apparently the scare caused by the discovery of dead didymo cells in a New Zealand north island river last month (see "Didymo Threatens Site of 2008 World Fly Fishing Championships") was caused by the very government agency tasked with didymo's control. "'Contamination of water sampling containers was almost certainly the source of the dead didymo cells found in four central North Island rivers in late October," [Biosecurity Minister Jim Anderton] said. Mr Andertson said it had been discovered that NIWA pottle lids sent to Turangi were contaminated with 'microscopic amounts of dead didymo cells.'" In the New Zealand Herald.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

25-degree temps and slow fishing don't discourage Will Rice and friends as they float Washington state's Klickitat River. "Wright's strike indicator no longer could be seen and his reel hissed with concurrence. The 8-weight rod was bent over completely and the tip bounced as if a current of electricity passed through it. The steelhead stayed deep, peeling line in bursts of 40 feet."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Late fall and early winter are a great time to take advantage of clear water and eager redfish along the south Texas coastline. "I make the move to the left just as the thick-shouldered red is illuminated by a shaft of light. The fly drops softly a foot past him but he's moved further left and I'm still just off his tail. 'Strip out anyway,' [guide Chuck] Naiser says and I do, just as the fish turns back toward the grassy shore and sees the white Seaducer squirt by." In the Austin American-Statesman.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The loss from disease of the majority of American chestnut trees in the Eastern U.S. in the first half of the twentieth century coincided with a dramatic decline in brook trout. (See "Chestnuts and Brook Trout.") The trees played a major role in keeping water temperatures low in rivers and streams favored by the native fish. Now breeders and volunteers are only two or three years away from beginning to plant fungus-resistant trees everyone hopes will restore the majestic trees. "The American Chestnut Foundation oversees a tree-breeding program with chapters in 15 Eastern states and is closing in on blight-resistant American chestnuts trees it hopes could revive the species. Unless a new biological invader intervenes, the Bennington, Vt.-based group hopes to begin mass replantings in about a decade in the chestnut's original range from Maine to Mississippi." Associated Press writer Rick Callahan.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin."

-- Linus in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

Of the many things I thank fishing for giving me, not the least is the time I have spent on the water with people, strangers and buddies alike. There is no better place than on the water to get to know someone or uncover something fresh and unpredicted about a friend, even if that means comparing notes after a day spent separated by half a mile of stream. Fishing is the ultimate equalizer. I feel more connected at the roots while fishing with my kids, and since I have spent time with movie stars and veterinarians and Secretaries of the Navy and trust-fund hippies and CEOs and trash truck drivers trying to catch difficult fish, I've gotten to witness how the good and the bad melts into a common and undeniable humanity. It is, as they say, all good.

So whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or the harvest moon or just taking time to call family or entertain neighbors today, we hope you're reminded of what good company is: not always what we expect, but often what we need. Everyone brings something to the table, sometimes even bait fishermen.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The folks who brought us the Trout Bum Diaries I & II and the concept of a fly fishing film tour have launched a smartly designed new Web site to promote their stuff. AegMedia.com hosts three blogs and a handy index to the many podcasts AEG has produced recently.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The lessons of many years as a long distance runner fuel the fly tying passions of Leslie Wrixon, who was the official fly tyer of Team USA for the 2006 Fly Fishing World Championships in Portugal. "She had grown up watching her grandfather fly-fish in the Catskills. At age 35, she bought a fly tying kit at Cabela's. 'It totally came to me,' she said. 'It feels like I've been doing it my whole life.'" In the Hartford, Connecticut Courant.

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

Kamchatka. Sounds like it's far away, and it is, for most anglers in Western Hemisphere and Europe. But for the past 30 years it has tantalized adventurous anglers with big, wild fish, incredible scenery, and an excess of elbow room. Of course as Pat Pendergast's rollicking report of a recent trip reminds us, leaving place in your luggage for a good sense of humor and a hopeful spirit is always a wise idea when preparing to fishing Russia's rainbow trout heaven.

Read "Kamchatka: Wade Deep, Fish Hard" on MidCurrent.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Justin Ringsak, a Butte, Montana native, talks about why having fluvial grayling in Montana is important and what we give up when we accept "globalizing" species protection. "The bottom line is this: I’m glad that fluvial grayling are doing great in Canada. But they are a part of Montana, and I don’t want to see Montana delimbed willy-nilly because of the actions of 'civilization', especially not because one politico middle manager with a bad attitude decided to turn 10 years of sound science on its head." In New West.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We had a chance to fish the Sage BASS series rods recently and were very impressed by how well they work in close-quarters casting of big flies in mangrove creeks. It's something about the rod being shorter, or the custom-made line that comes with rod being very well matched, that makes tip control and fly delivery a lot more fun. In the Denver Post Charlie Meyers notes that both Sage and Scott are doing the short-rod/big-bug thing this year. "The notion of catching bass on the long rod is nothing new; savvy fly anglers have known the delights of catching bucketmouths for longer than anyone can recall. The novelty is that two prominent fly rod companies, Scott and Sage, now have produced tournament-legal products - rods less than 8 feet - with the specific intent to nudge the bass crowd, millions strong, into the fly market."

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

Compare the redfishing in coastal Louisiana to that in populated areas of southwest Florida, and you know that fishing and boating pressure have a huge impact on the catchability of redfish. Many are starting to blame tournament fishing, which guide Rob Modys of Fort Myers says has "turned redfish into a commodity." Of course the very conditions that Susan Cocking reports in her Miami Herald article -- super-clear water -- can add to the frustrations of fly fishers, who might be advised to look for off-color water if they want to find fish that will bite in Florida.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We mention this story only because it reminds us of a real page-turner about Farallones shark research we read last spring -- Devil's Teeth, by Susan Casey. Great white sharks are fascinating creatures, and one of the few top-of-the-food chain animals that make humans vulnerable in the wild. As Gordon Smith writes in the San Diego Tribune, scientists are learning much more about the habits of California great whites than they've ever know before, such as the fact that in spring and summer many of them migrate to distant waters that are so deep that light cannot penetrate. "A three-member team operates from a boat only 18 feet long – the same length as some of the sharks being tagged, [tagger Sal] Jorgensen said. 'It's like fly fishing, but instead of a tiny little mosquito imitation (as a lure), we use a seal imitation made out of carpet,' he said."

Devil's Teeth on Amazon.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Andrew Madoff and other private investors acquired Abel on November 9.

Read the press release in the extended entry.

November 15, 2007

NEW YORK INVESTOR GROUP ACQUIRES ABEL AUTOMATICS INCORPORATED

CAMARILLO, Calif. – A small group of private investors has acquired Abel Automatics, Inc. manufacturers of precision machined fly-fishing reels and fishing accessories, announced Don R. Swanson, president and chief operating officer. New York-based Abel Holdings LLC assumed control of the company Nov. 9.

Financial terms of the private acquisition were not announced.

Andrew Madoff, Abel Holdings LLC lead investor, said, “Abel’s 20-year legacy of unparalleled quality and performance makes it an attractive investment. As I’ve gotten to know the company through this process it has become clear that its most important assets are the people that create these excellent products. We’re thrilled to lend our expertise and join them in building this business and the Abel brand.

“We will work with existing management to help refine all operations of the business, reposition it for growth, and maintain the manufacturing processes that allows Abel to produce the finest fly reels in the world.”

Swanson, with Abel in various capacities since 1994, will continue to run the company day-to-day and assumes the title of president and chief operating officer. Representing Abel Holdings LLC, Madoff will be the CEO. Glen Krapff, chief designer, was named vice president; with Jeff Patterson director of sales. As a part of the transaction, both Swanson and Krapff became shareholders.

Founded by Steve Abel as an independent machine job shop, the firm initially made precision screws, aerospace, computer and medical parts. A lifelong fisherman, Abel machined reels for family and friends and in 1988 produced their first fly reel for the growing sport fishing market.

Today, Abel makes 37 sizes of fly reels in four models plus knives, pliers and other fly-fishing accessories.

Contact: Don R. Swanson, 805.484.8789

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"The suit by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Western Watersheds Project says it was not scientific findings but a manipulative administrator that led the service to deny the fish protection under the Endangered Species Act early this year." Susan Gallagher of the Associated Press.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Backcast plays out like the long and splendid arc of a fly line, unfurling on an Alaskan river trip that Lou Ureneck has arranged to re-connect with his son. As the trip progresses, Ureneck reflects back on his own life while adroitly capturing the sometimes hilarious and sometimes serious interactions between himself and his son. The result is a realistic and heartwarming story of a father and his son -- and a work of outdoor literature of the highest order. "

You can read an excerpt from Backcast on MidCurrent.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicago Tribune writer Trevor Jensen delivers a long and laudatory review of the life of angling pioneer Jim Chapralis, who died last Saturday. "'He'd say, "When I am on a stream at midnight, guided by the light of the moon, that to me is my religion, my spirituality," his wife said.'"

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although some details of the latest version of the US Fish & Wildlife Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation were made available in July, the complete report -- which includes details on the number of anglers and their activities, their expenditures and demographic data -- was just released last week.

Among the more interesting information in the report, which is likely the least-biased measures of fly fishing participation in the U.S.:

-- 3,012,000 anglers over the age of 16 fly fished in 2006, participating for an average of about 10 days per person
-- "Although the number of all anglers declined 12%, their expenditures for fishing equipment (rods, reels, etc.) and fishing trips increased 5% and 7%, respectively. There were drops in expenditures for auxiliary equipment (special clothing, tents, etc.) and special equipment (big ticket items such as boats) by -14% and -12%, respectively." (Quoted from the USFWS Web site.)
-- 67 percent of all anglers (including non-fly-fishers) engaged in some form of catch-and-release fishing, while 20% always released their fish
-- Anglers spent $5.3 billion on "fishing equipment, such as rods, reels, tackle boxes, depth finders, and artificial
lures and flies" and $1 million on magazines and books (compare this to the $4.6 billion spent on land leasing and ownership related to fishing activities)
-- Saltwater fishing accounted for a little less than one-third of the total participation and related expenditures that freshwater fishing did

Lest you think 3 million fly fishers is an enormous number, the report also indicates that 1.7 anglers participated in ice fishing. On the other hand, fly fishers make up 10% of all U.S. fishermen (3 million of just under 30 million total anglers).

If you'd like to download the entire report, you can find the 4.2MB, 174-page document here.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Australia's Peter Morse talks about the four species of bonefish found around his native land, the jaw-dropping power of New Guinea Bass, the amazing species of fish found on the Australian mainland, and wade fishing in the land of crocodiles. On New Guinea bass: "There are two species: one is the black bass and the other is the spot-tail bass, and I recall when I was guiding up there a fellow landed a spot-tail bass about 35 pounds. And we used to lip-gaff these things and lift them into the boat for photographs, and as it came in this 35-pound bass spewed up a whole possum." New on MidCurrent.

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

Jim Chapralis, who helped pioneer destination angling and was a key figure in tournament casting as well as the author of several books, died Saturday night after a long battle with cancer.

Chapralis's passion for distance casting came early in life, as evidenced by his knowledge of the sport and his involvement at a very early age: "Marvin Hedge first demonstrated the double-haul in 1934 at a tournament. The shooting heads evolved from tournament casters. Jimmy Green and Phil Miravalle introduced the monofilament running line. Green also invented the tip-over-butt ferrule system used on almost all fly rods today. Tournament caster Myron Gregory introduced the current fly-line calibration system. Other casters helped to develop rod and fly line tapers, introduced different rod blank materials, and in general contributed heavily to today’s fly-casting tackle and technique. Tournament casting flourished decade by decade, so that by 1950 many cities had elaborate casting clubs. In Chicago, for example, there were eight casting clubs. I know this is true because as a youngster, I would take a streetcar to the different park casting clubs every Sunday to compete." (In an article on FlyAnglersOnline.) And Chapralis competed throughout his life, winning five Gold Medals at national casting tournaments and even winning first place in the one-hand distance fly casting senior division with a cast of 172 feet at the 2006 Nationals.

As the founder of PanAngling, the first travel agency devoted to finding fishing destinations for world-traveling anglers, Chapralis took the experience of fishing in exotic locations and turned it into a real business. In the process he rubbed elbows with many of fishing's icons, including Charles Ritz, Lee Wulff, and A. J. McClane, and by all accounts he made friends wherever he traveled.

You can read a sample of Chapralis's no-holds-barred account of Stu Apte on MidCurrent.

A memorial service for Mr. Chapralis will be held this Friday (11/16) at the Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home, 6150 N. Cicero Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

RIO just announced the arrival of its new Gold series fly lines. Designed for freshwater use, the new lines feature the brand new XS ("Extreme Slickness") coatings that RIO CEO John Harder described to us at the FFR show in September: "The XS coating contains a blend of two new polymer ingredients that are radically different than anything used before in a fly line." The new Gold lines are two-toned, featured welded loops, come in sizes WF3F to WF8F and have a recommended retail price of $64.95.

Read the full press release in the extended entry.

RIO Products introduces the Ultimate Freshwater Fly Line – The RIO Gold™.

IDAHO FALLS, November 1st, 2007 – RIO Products proudly announces the introduction of a brand new trout line, for the ultimate in all round performance.

The new RIO Gold fly line has a revolutionary design that provides incredible loop stability for long casts, a unique profile that loads the rod at close range and a positive front taper that delivers perfect presentation of flies between sizes #2 and #22. The long back taper makes mending and roll casting, or single hand spey casting easy, and stabilizes the line at a range of distances.

The RIO Gold line is manufactured using RIO’s state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and incorporates the new Extreme Slickness Technology for an extraordinarily slick, dirt-repelling coating that results in increased distance in casts. The line also includes RIO’s patent pending AgentX® and Super Floatation Technologies™, ensuring the line tip and running line will not sink and resulting in the smoothest coatings ever made in a fly line.

The RIO Gold line features a moss color head with a Gold running line, so anglers can easily see where the load is at its optimum. The subtle head color will not spook fish in any conditions, yet is pale enough to see in low light and against dark backgrounds. The highly visible running line is easy to see whether standing on the shore or a boat.

Like the rest of RIO’s premier trout lines, the RIO Gold incorporates a thin welded loop so leaders may be changed with ease, or for the adding of one of RIO’s VersiLeaders to, converting the line into a sink tip.

This new RIO Gold is available from all authorized RIO dealers and is available in sizes WF3F to WF8F and has a recommended retail price of $64.95.

For more details or information contact: Simon Gawesworth, simon@rioproducts.com or Zack Dalton, zack@rioproducts.com at RIO Products Intl., Inc.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Those of us who love small boats -- and particularly the ones that let us to get close to fish -- have been in turns intrigued and saddened by the story of Hell's Bay, which came to life in the late 1980s as the brainchild of Chris Morejohn, Hal Chittum and Flip Pallot. In short, the company was sold in 2002, assumed an overly large debt, lost some key craftsmen and gained a lot of management problems, and by 2005 was in bankcrupty (see "Skiff Manufacturer Hell's Bay's Difficulties"). To compound the problems, owner Brian Broderick had taken many deposits on boats that were never built. It looked like the brand -- and the idea of building highly technical skiffs for anglers -- was dead.

But in 2006 businessman Chris Peterson was looking for an opportunity and came across the scuttled company on a tip from his accountant. Peterson was two years out of treatment for lymphoma, which doctors had diagnosed four years earlier, and felt to urge to rebuild his professional life. He began unsuccessful negotiations with Riverside National Bank and several months later, after the bank refused his many offers, showed up in early December 2006 when Hell's Bay went on the auction block. Peterson acquired all the assets -- the physical plant, the molds, the intellectual property, even the coffee machine -- in mid-December. He also convinced the key craftsmen and even the office manager to come back, and by the end of January 2007 Peterson's new business was only weeks away from producing the next Hell's Bay skiff.

The story since then has been one of careful management as Peterson has resuscitated the brand. For several months he worked with suppliers on a cash-only basis. "They wouldn't even take a cashier's check from Hell's Bay by the time I acquired the company," he told us in a recent conversation. "But then again, I didn't want to do business on credit." He decided not to take deposits on the first new orders and to honor the old deposits within reason. He also began delivering boats. A year later, Hell's Bay is producing skiffs faster and with better quality than it has in years, all under Peterson's careful supervision. "It's never a single problem that kills a business," Peterson said. "The straw that broke the camel's back on the last owner's business was that he was an absentee manager. I won't have that problem. My wife and I live and breathe Hell's Bay. I am in the plant with the guys building the boats every day."

It's fascinating to watch a company like Hell's Bay being brought back to life after it was written off by creditors, customers, competitors and even a large number of owners who figured their well-loved skiffs would become the Studebakers of the technical skiff world.

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

We've fly fished throughout the Caribbean and have a few favorite spots that we would return to on a moment's notice. On the top of that list is Belize, a country no larger than Massachusetts but with one of the richest coastlines in the Western hemisphere. Permit don't live in ugly places, and there are lots of permit in Belize. And bonefish. And tarpon. And even snook.

With our Belize guide, we're launching a new series of electronic handbooks for travel to fly fishing destinations all over the world. All our guides will feature map "mashups" that show key locations and give you a way to place a destination geographically. We'll try to distill as much information as possible -- costs, fly and gear selections, lodging and travel info -- and hopefully give you a jump-start on preparing for your next trip. Enjoy MidCurrent's "Fly Fishing Trip Guide: Belize."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sometimes "doing the right thing" means giving up a lucrative career path for the things that make you happy, then sharing the bonuses with others. Teacher and Bozeman fly fishing guide Brian McGeehan does just that. He recently turned a $1000 prize into an opportunity for kids to watch wildlife through a high-powered spotting scope. And, for fun, he teaches fly tying to curious youngsters.

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

"Trout fanciers remember that earlier this year Trout Unlimited (TU) had a little 'dust up,' as described by Montana Trout Unlimited Executive Director Bruce Farling. Inside the organization, a few people questioned TU’s involvement in stream access issues and wondered if the group should stay out of them in favor of devoting resources to preserve coldwater fisheries." Bill Schneider on NewWest.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In the U.K. Independent, Charles Rangeley-Wilson and Mark Cocker discovers that "twitching" has a lot more in common with fly fishing than simple immersion in nature. Cocker: "Actually the bit of equipment I derived most pleasure from were Charles's conventional old gumboot-style waders. I suspect it's the bit I'd always longed to do. And it was just as I'd imagined. Walking up to your crutch – legs and thighs housed in rubber – in crystal-clear, fast-flowing water was a heady and profoundly sensuous, even mildly erotic, experience."

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

A new book out from British publisher Constable & Robinson traces the history and mystique of giant salmon in pictures and words. Sounding like a great seasonal gift for those who like to both gawk and dream, the 400-page, five-pound Domesday Book of Giant Salmon is, according to review David Profumo, a "highly enjoyable volume." "Organised into several categories fly-caught fish, any-method monsters in excess of 60lb, even ones that got away there is a discursive account of the circumstances of each leviathan's capture, ranging from detailed (and sometimes contradictory) first-hand narratives to the sketchiest of historical anecdotes." On CountryLife.co.uk.

The Domesday Book of Giant Salmon on Amazon.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Long-time Keys angler Mo Smith was the first person in history to win four different Redbone titles in one year when he took home the grand champion and superfly titles from the Mercury Cheeca Redbone Tournament held Nov. 2-4 in Islamorada. The Redbone was started by Gary and Susan Ellis 20 years ago to raise money and awareness for the battle against cystic fibrosis, after the disease was discovered in their young daughter.

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

Rich Murphy's new 445-page opus on fly fishing for stripers has me wondering -- as did Dec Hogan's steelhead book last year -- where folks find the time and resources to put together such giant compendiums. Fly Fishing for Striped Bass (Wild River Press, October 2007, 445 pages) is divided in to nine long chapters that cover everything from fish biology to flies and tackle, but the emphasis is, as it should be, on technique and strategy. This is a large format book with a ton of photographs and illustrations. The pre-release reviewers -- Lefty Kreh and Rip Cunningham among them -- seem to think this is the best book yet written on the subject.

Fly Fishing for Striped Bass on Amazon.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The head of Netherlands-based Aegon NV plans to retire next year and indulge his passion -- fly fishing. "Shepard is a trustee at the College of Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Walters Art Gallery. He's also a board member on the Greater Baltimore Committee as well as the United Way of Central Maryland." Trisha Bishop in the Baltimore Sun.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eighty-five-year-old Frank Moore tows a young reporter across the waters of the North Umpqua by his finger, giving a lesson in perseverance. Frank and Jeanne Moore were the original owners and operators of Steamboat Inn, from the early 1950s into the 1970s, and Frank was among the first to recognize dangers of filling western rivers with hatchery-raised steelhead and a pioneer in habitat conservation. "Moore has spent almost six decades fly-fishing the famed North Umpqua, forging an intimate relationship with the wild summer steelhead he coaxes to the surface each fall with his favorite fly, the muddler minnow. All the while, he's served as the conscience of North Umpqua's fly-casters and the face of Northwest steelhead fishing to aficionados across the globe." Mark Freeman in Oregon's Mail Tribune.

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

It's spooky how effective dropper flies and tandem rigs are for catching trout. Even many experts who slammed the technique for not being "classic" fly fishing (the ghost of Frederick Halford moans in the distance) have come to appreciate its effectiveness.

But there are many more ways to design effective tandem rigs than the simple dry-and-nymph combination. In his new book Tandem Fishing Flies, Charles Meck explores the many different non-traditional setups for dropper flies, among them rigs that employ two dries, multiple nymphs and -- the latest in trout candy -- sunken spinners. This week we excerpt Meck's new book on MidCurrent.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Charlie Meyers notes that whitefish aren't the only fish that don't jump: take a look at bonefish. "Find a good whitefish hole, tie on a nymph with an egg pattern dropper beneath an indicator and wait for the fun to begin. There can be no better way to introduce a youngster to the sport. The fact that whiteys continue to bite throughout the winter wherever there's open water adds to their charm." In the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are New Zealand trout fishermen and government agencies going to get a second chance to prevent didymo from infesting North Island rivers? Maybe. "Dead cells of the invasive algae had been found in samples taken from the Tongariro, Whakapapa, Mangatepopo and Whanganui rivers, but the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry confirmed yesterday that no living cells had shown up after microscope and dna testing." Britton Broun on Stuff.co.nz.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"A once-prevalent old guides’ tale was that an angler should rest the fish for as long as it took to smoke a cigarette. But these days salmon rivers seem as smoke-free as New York City bars. The legendary angler Lee Wulff always made an immediate cast back to a raised fish, believing that a taker is a taker. Everybody has a theory." Monte Burke asks a classic question of his fishing guide on New Brunswick's Miramichi and gets a predictable, if unsatisfying, answer. In The New York Times.

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

The number of steelhead showing up in the Trinity this season is also drawing large numbers of anglers from those areas like the Sacramento Valley where fishing is slow. "This year's run is headed toward eclipsing last year's record return of these sea-run rainbow trout. The weir counts at Willow Creek on the lower end of the river have been consistently over 1,000 fish per week. In contrast, I can remember years when the entire run was counted in hundreds for an entire season." Denis Peirce on TheUnion.com.

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

We've got our hands on this new DVD and hope to review it soon, but we were impressed by the amount of expert information communicated in the short segment we've already watched. Janet Urquhart writes about the new film in The Aspen Times: "Seattle-based filmmaker Eric Rafoth has produced 'Fly Fishing 411,' capturing five fishing guides as they work sections of the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan rivers in a 27-minute instructional DVD that is now available through amazon.com."

"Fly Fishing 411" on Amazon.

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

PAGE, Ariz., Oct. 24 – The scenery here on Lake Powell is just extraordinary. At about 186 miles long and hard on the border between Arizona and Utah, the big lake is tightly framed by towering red-sandstone cliffs that seem to glow in morning sunlight. They are the exposed remains of the vast Colorado River canyon complex flooded by Glen Canyon dam in the 1960s, where the watery fingers of countless side canyons now hold smallmouth bass and landlocked stripers.

Jason Brunner and I are scheduled to fish together this morning. He is a talented young rod designer for St. Croix Rod Company, which is hosting this trip. We’ve spent the night on a houseboat anchored some 30 miles up-lake from the main marina at Page, which is near the dam at the lake’s southern end.

I am drinking coffee, squinting at the rising sun, and feeling just the touch of an ache in my arthritic knees. “So, Jason,” I say, as he appears, ready to go in full fishing garb. “You need to know something. I am The Old Guy, and you are The Young Guy. Do you understand about this?”

Brunner doesn’t miss a beat. “Yeah, I do,” he says. “It’s like the Old Bull and the Young Bull.” I’m immediately laughing and ask him to explain.

“Well,” he says, “the Young Bull and the Old Bull are standing on a hillside overlooking a pasture full of cows. The Young Bull is prancing around, all excited, and says to the Old Bull, ‘Let’s run down there and [bleep] some of those cows!’

“The Old Bull just shakes his head. ‘Nah,’ he says. ‘Let’s walk down there and [bleep] all of them.’"

I choked on my coffee, fortunately near the side of the boat. Then I got a second cup with which to toast his wisdom, unusual for a young angler. We killed some more time warming ourselves like rock-bound cormorants in the growing sunlight. Finally I felt like fishing, so we hopped on a bass boat and ran off to catch small stripers with fast-sinking fly lines and chartreuse Clouser minnows.

Posted by John Merwin at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With baetis hatches beginning to wane in most parts of the northern hemisphere and midges becoming the food of choice as cold weather truly grabs hold, it's probably worth brushing up on some bug science. Check out TroutNut.com's pages on baetidae, or blue-winged olives, and chironomidae, or midges. Or skip past the science and heed Neuswanger's advice: "The number of genera and species is hopelessly huge for angler entomologists to ever learn, and the identifing characteristics often require slide-mounting tiny parts under high-powered microscopes. Even the most Latin-minded fisherman must slip back to the basics--size and color--to describe his local midge hatches."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eric Sharp of the Detroit Free Press decides that the new $755-775 Helios rods from Orvis have taken top position in the ranking of high-end fly rods. "For the past 10 years Sage has set the standards for upmarket fly rods. But when I tried the Helios side-by-side with a 9-foot Sage TCR, using the same reel and line, I thought the Orvis was noticeably better."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brave man that he is, Field & Stream's Kirk Deeter suggests that "playing a bass usually involves about as much action and drama as the Spinks-Tyson fight did in 1988. Jump, shake, fall down."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"This past week, my late father must have been rolling in his grave. His only son skipped deer hunting on the second open day of the regular firearms season to fly-fish the Solon stretch of the Kennebec River. 'What kind of effete elitist would fly-fish during deer season?' he would have asked." Ken Allen is rewarded for thinking the timing is perfect for a blue-winged olive hatch on Maine's Kennebec River.

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

The new series, planned for spring 2008, will feature Conway Bowman and has the working title "Dollar Wise Fly." It will follow "host Conway Bowman (In Search of Fly Water) to destinations near and far as he shows viewers how to experience world-class fishing for a fraction of the cost."

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

While the New Zealand Tourism Minister rushes to do damage control, the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board is closing the upper reaches of the Tongariro, the river due to host the 2008 World Fly Fishing Championships. "Dead cells of the algae, commonly known as rocksnot, were found last month in water samples taken from the Tongariro, Whakapapa, Mangatepopo and Whanganui Rivers as part of Genesis Energy's monthly water quality sampling programme. Biosecurity experts are urgently carrying out more tests for fear that didymo is now in North Island rivers. "

Meanwhile some North Island guides are hopping mad over what they see as government inaction in preventing the spread of didymo from the South Island, where it was already established. "'It gets me wild,' added [Taupo Trout Guides' Brendon Mathews], who said local guides were picking up customers from Taupo's airport where the anglers had walked past signs warning them about a potential for the transportation of didymo cells on their wet gear."

From Stuff.co.nz.

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

"While the Bush administration says it remains committed to the restoration, critics say its actions suggest otherwise. Although the cost of the effort was to be split evenly between Florida and Washington, the state so far has spent about $2 billion and the federal government only $358 million, though it has also helped finance some projects planned before the 2000 legislation. Moreover, earlier this year, the Department of the Interior asked the United Nations to remove Everglades National Park from its list of endangered World Heritage sites." Abby Goodnough reports on the lack of progress in grand plan to save the Everglades. Be sure to check out the video on page 2. (Thanks to reader Jon Ain for this link.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"'You pick your level of insanity when it comes to fly fishing,' [senior collections manager in entomology Raymond] Pupedis admits. 'In the act of doing this, you learn a lot of esoteric things about silk, glues, bamboo. But trust me, there are fly fishermen everywhere.'" The special exhibition going on in New Haven, Connecticut includes Babe Ruth’s E.F. Payne rod, the Shakespeare rod used by Ted Williams, Bing Crosby’s Orvis rod, and Glenn Miller’s Paul Young rod. Jim Shelton in the New Haven Register.

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

Among other items to be sold at the Lang auction in Boxborough, Massachusetts are a William Billinghurst sidemounted fly reel in its original box, a rare German silver and aluminum "Ben Hur" model reel made in the early 1900s by the William H. Talbot Reel Co. of Nevada, Missouri, and a reel personalized for Sparse Grey Hackle by Alfred E. Hewitt. "One highlight for reel collectors is a handmade aluminum trout reel, one of less than two dozen such reels made by inventor and author Edward R. Hewitt, a well-known figure in the Catskills before his death in 1957. Hewitt's reel is engraved to Alfred E. Miller, better known as the fishing author Sparse Grey Hackle. The Hewitt fly reel has a pre-sale estimate of $15,000 to $20,000." In the MetroWest Daily News.

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