Recently in Fly Fishing Events Category

Gordon Wickstrom recounts weaving his way through lascivious hippies in the sixties to find his way to the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club, and then returning more than 40 years later. "It was thrilling for me to revisit this fabled shrine of angling where during the 1940s and '50s, fly-fishing would take on an indelible and thoroughly American character. Here was codified the double haul cast, shooting head lines backed to monofilament, big-water, heavy-river distance casting, and a new dispensation in flies, the big 'attractor' flies capable of irritating steelhead and big trout into savage strikes." In the Boulder Daily Camera.

This coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers will hold their annual conclave in Mountain Home, Arkansas. While some seminars will take place on the White River, the bulk of Friday and Saturday's events will be held at the Baxter County Fairgrounds.You can find more info on the Southern Council FFF Web site and in this summary by John Berry.

Not only did Mike Lennox and Simon Wells take first and second place in the recent Canadian championships at Mont Tremblant, Quebec, but they also bested the top U.S. competitors, who fished unofficially. "'Everyone was really good about it,' Lennox, a Grade 12 Nepean High School student, said about how their victory ricocheted through the fly fishing community. 'But I feel there are a lot of better fisherman than me.'" Martin Cleary in the Ottawa Citizen.

Beating out the likes of Tim and Steve Rajeff and a host of other top casters, Hardy and Greys product manager Howard Croston won the casting competition at last week's Fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver. Croston, based in England, knows an awful lot about European fly fishing and fly rods, and he's overseer of Hardy and Grey's huge collection of fly rod models. So I'll have to remember to ask him what he thought of those Orvis Helios five-weights he was casting.

Rachel Finn, who also won in 2006, took top honors for women.

Zany. It's a word that could describe almost any Carl Hiaasen character. It could also describe the level of skill required for a fly fishing team -- that is, an angler and a guide -- to win something as challenging as the Islamorada Fall Fly invitational Bonefish Tournament five times. Hiaasen and Klein caught three weight fish and counted eight more releases during the three-tournament, which ended Friday. Tim Mahaffey of Miami, guided by Capt. Duane Baker, was second, catching one weight fish of 11.5 pounds on day three and managing seven releases on days one and two. The largest bonefish -- 12 pounds -- was caught on the last day by Mark Richens, guided by Mark Cockerham.

To read more about fly fishing for bonefish, as practiced by Hiaasen and Mahaffey, read "Targeting Giant Bonefish" and "Inside the Box: Carl Hiaasen" on MidCurrent.

Wading deeper into the concrete corridors of the Denver Convention Center brought us closer, yesterday, to the exhibitors who didn't bet on a front-row position to sell their '09 product. Among them: Hardy and Grey's, who in their first year of handling their own distribution in the U.S. brought a staff of 10 or more to man a very active booth lined with dozens (hundreds?) of different rods and reels ranging in price from $200 to $10,000. A third British invasion (if you remember the Beatles)? May be. The first good news for fans of fly fishing gear with a long pedigree and deserved reputation is that Hardy will make the "Perfect" fly fishing reel again, using the exact same specifications used in 1923 (sans brass foot). Pick one of these little beauties up, and I challenge you not to want one.

At the other end of the hall, Ross touted a new, lighter Momentum fly reel for salmon and saltwater, as well as a higher-end expansion to their Ross Worldwide line, machined overseas, and the smart-looking new Vexsis, which has distinctive and very appealing double-convex shape (imagine two shallow bowls, one inside the other). In the middle, we had a chance to spend time with Hatch Reels, whose products are very impressive feats of engineering (8-layer drag systems -- really) and an up-and-coming favorite of the other product reviewers we spoke to.

But the day was full of little surprises too. Tight Line Enterprises, who last year won the Ka'Ching award (retailers' favorite) for the magnetic rod and fly holders, showed us a very clever little plastic device that makes threading tippets through tiny flies a breeze. A magnet holds the hook eye in a small groove; slide the tippet end down the groove and, voila.

Of course we'll cover all the week's discoveries in our extended show coverage (be sure to listen to last night's podcast if you haven't already), but I did want to mention one other interesting bit of news. At the end of yesterday's show we had a chance to visit with the engineers at the Scientific Anglers booth. Seems there has been a bit of a "dust-up" over just how abrasive the new Sharkskin coatings have been to fly rod guides. Well, SA wanted to find out exactly how abrasive they are as well, so they put all the top fly lines from all the manufacturers through a 800,000-cycle test of tip-top wear. If you trust the measurements of a $750,000 Interferometer machine, turns out Sharkskin is among the least abrasive fly line coatings.

The first day of the FFR show started with sharing a van ride to the Denver Convention Center with three super-sized South Dakotans on their way to shop for Broncos paraphernalia prior to watching the "big game," and ended with our returning from yet another overstuffed theater with slow beer service (2 bartenders serving 300-400 thirsty and well-tatooed fly anglers) with, you guessed it, the same three South Dakotans. "The game was great," they said. "All you could ask for."

I thought to myself, "Well, that's exactly what our day was like too." Fact is, if you don't mind walking miles on concrete floors to get a real taste of how the industry perceives the near future of fly fishing, Denver was the only place to be yesterday. To be sure, there were at least a handful of manufacturers who told us they were flying a holding pattern this season -- one inflatable boat manufacturer said "We have no new products. We're just trying to survive."

But the booths of all the major vendors were packed with buyers. I had to wait for a couple of dozen curious retailers (including the 9-man Leland Outfitters crew) to exit the Fishpond exhibit before I could begin my walk-through. And it was pointless trying to wedge yourself into the Ross, Scientific Anglers, Sage, Simms, Orvis or Patagonia spaces without an appointment.

The top manufacturers apparently spent little time this year wondering how a recession might play with their bottom line. Many of the new designs seem momentum-driven (e.g. the move toward enviro-friendly gadgets, the collective adoption of sealed drag systems, and the introduction of shorter "stump-puller" bass rods), but several designs seem downright inspired. William Joseph's invention of a "water-tight" magnetic seal system on their new packs and Simms's new super-sticky Vibram rubbers sole patterns come to mind.

Other eye-catching items from Day One included Outcast's new $90 electric pump for inflatable craft, Flambeau's moderately priced waterproof fly boxes with smartly designed slit foam systems, Abel's new quick-release spool for their Super Series, and Dr. Slick's split shot clamps. We also learned that Oakley will be bringing out new amber lenses exclusively for fly fishers (and that a BB makes a pretty good splash when hits a glass lens going 150-feet per second).

There's plenty more that we don't have time to write about this morning. But if you need more first-day scoop, be sure to listen to Zach Matthews's excellent podcast interviews which were posted last night.

For those unfamiliar with the Fly Fishing Retailer Show in the U.S., it's the one-time-a-year fall event that brings fly fishing manufacturers together to display new products to retailers and distributors. As we have for the past two years, MidCurrent will be at the showing testing and evaluating the new offerings and blogging on items of interest as well as writing a full review of new products that will appear next week on our site. This year we'll also be posting daily podcast interviews with company executives and product designers at the end of each day, so be sure to check those out.

What is there to look forward to this year? So far manufacturers have mostly kept their promise to retailers that they will be the first to know about new products, but we've heard lots of exciting rumors, among them:

• Abel has a brand new reel design, and Tibor is introducing a reel just for spey casters. Ross, Loop and Ari Hart also will show new reels at the show, and Sage is showing off a new line of six reels to match their updated rod lines.
• Orvis has taken Helios technology and applied it to both larger saltwater rods and some specialty trout rods. Sage is replacing their FLi series of rods with a similarly priced "Flight" series. G.Loomis, Scott and others are introducing new shorter, stouter rods for warmwater, bass and shoreline-saltwater applications (seems to be the trend this year).
• Scientific Anglers is giving a bunch of their new lines a Sharkskin coating, while Cortland is entering the clear-line fray with a new crystal-clear line. RIO is turning their eyes to saltwater with some brand new tapers.
• In waders and boots, the themes this year are hard to miss: grippier, non-felt soles are either ready or in the works for Simms, Patagonia, Cloudveil and others; Patagonia has a new patent-pending merino-wool booty; and utility-focused waders arrive from Patagonia and Orvis, along with everyone seeming to recognize the need for waders that don't require a solid lining with $100 bills to stay waterproof.

When the show opens in a couple of hours we'll begin taking detailed notes on all new products, so be sure to check back regularly during the next three days.

The Jackson Hole One Fly Event, which raises money for trout stream habitat improvement, was won by Bud Chatham of Jackson Hole this past weekend. The One Fly requires participants to fish with a single fly each day; if the fly is lost, the competitor's day is over. Worth noting: Chatham won the event using only two patterns, a loop-wing mayfly and Barnett's Red Ant.

Orvis has made Project Healing Waters their special charity for the month of September and is matching all round up donations (rounding up your Orvis purchase) dollar for dollar. They've also donated $20,000 to the organization, which helps rehabilitate wounded veterans through fly fishing and fly tying. You can watch a video slide show on PHW on the Orvis Web site.

Read more about Project Healing Waters.

The Light Foundation, which provides money for children's medical and educational programs, will be the beneficiary of an auction of a fly-fishing cabinet made from reclaimed wood by the Pro Bowler Matt Light and Stephen Staples. "Staples says the cabinet is worth $5,800, but hopes it will bring in more, given the work that went into it. 'It will fit in any home, no matter what the decor,' he said. 'It is a real piece of history.'" Benjamin Bell and John Wilcox in the Boston Herald.

The impressive British performance in Beijing has Telegraph writer John Bingham looking back at the good old days of the 1908 Olympics, when the top swimmers had to share the pool with fly casters. Apparently it was a time when "running deer shooting" was considered PC and champagne was considered a legitimate electrolyte replacement drink, at least among the Italians: "Paula Radcliffe's upset in the marathon pales in comparison with the disappointment felt by Italy's Dorando Pietri in 1908 when he collapsed five times on the track and was disqualified because officials had to carry him over the line. But then his incapacitation is said to owe as much to the many glasses of champagne he enjoyed during the previous 26 miles."

"Danny Marino led Team USA in 8TH place, an impressive finish in his first competitive outing. Matt Rose (12th ), Caleb Boyle (15th ), and Weston Reynolds (16th ) all turned in strong performances as well." From the U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Team Web site.

"When the modern-day Olympic Games began in 1896, competitive fly-casting was already well established. In 1906, an Irishman named John Enright set a world record by casting a salmon fly 152 feet at an Anglers Club of New York tournament in Central Park. The New York Times reports Enright used a 20-foot greenheart rod that weighed four pounds." Morgan Lyle offers some history on the sport of competitive fly casting, mentioning current American women's record holder Pamela Peters and of course Steve Rajeff, who's made a cast of 236 feet with a single-handed rod. In the Schenectady, New York Daily Gazette.

On October 18, the Catskill Fly Fishing Center Hall of Fame will induct Dave Whitlock, Ed Zern, George Griffith, Art Neuman, Francis Betters,and Ed Van Put, who at age 70 still works full-time as a state fisheries and wildlife manager. "When you fish nearly 55 years of your life in the Catskills, you kind of pick up on the history behind the water you've fished. Along the way, Van Put wrote two important historical books on Catskill fly fishing. In 1996, he penned the critically acclaimed book, 'The Beaverkill,' (The Lyons Press), and more recently, Van Put released his second and broader historical book in 2007, 'Trout Fishing in the Catskills,' (Skyhorse Publishing)."

Early July can produce good permit fishing in Key West, but as the month drags on toward August, calm winds and high temperatures can make it maddeningly hard to find fish, and especially ones that will eat. Apparently that's what happened during this year's annual Del Brown Tournament. Only three fish were caught in three days, and that's out of eighteen skiffs fishing.

One notable story coming out of the tournament is that the winning team was guided by Scott Collins -- the same guide who partnered with David Dalu to win the first ever one-season hat trick of tarpon tournaments this year. Collins and angler Greg Smith won by only 3/4" of an inch (that's what separated their one fish from the second-place catch), but it does suggest Collins is doing something right.

Below are the final results of the tournament:

1st Place: Angler -- Greg Smith, with Capt. Scott Collins (1 fish on day 2)

2nd Place: Angler -- Jack Knoll, with Capt. Jeffery Cardenas (1 fish on day 3)

3rd Place: Angler -- Chase Wise, with Capt. Bryan Holeman (1 fish on day 2)

Having been born and halfway raised in Charleston, it doesn't surprise me that the Post and Courier, which was founded in 1803, would take a month to come up with a story about resident David Dalu's triple crown win in Florida tarpon tournaments this year. It has to do with the half-century "waiting period" for new arrivals, I think. But columnist Tommy Braswell wrote the most thorough piece yet about Dalu's phenomenal win: "Dalu didn't catch his first tarpon on fly until 2002, but in five years has reached the pinnacle of tarpon fishing. 'Last year was my first year of fishing tarpon tournaments in the Keys,' Dalu said. 'I fished with my friend Scott Collins, and we fished the Golden Fly and had the most releases. We fished in the Hawley last year and won, the first time a new angler had ever won.'"

Members of the America Cup Junior fly-fishing team will be using engraved #1 Abel Creek reels, courtesy of the tackle manufacturer, during their September international competition in Frisco, Colorado. Teams from Japan, Ireland, Australia, the USA, Hungary, and others are expected to compete.

Read the full press release in the extended entry.

The Federation of Fly Fishers will bring more than 75 workshops and clinics on casting, fly tying, on-water fishing techniques and other topics to Whitefish, Montana for their 43rd Annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave, July 22-26. Dave Ames, Stu Apte, Bob Jacklin, Brian O'Keefe, Bruce Richards, and Diana Rudolph are just a few of the dozens of expert fly fishers who will be presenting workshops and teaching at the conclave.

Read the extended entry for the full press release.

We got word last night that for the first time in history, an angler and guide team have won all three major Keys tarpon fly fishing tournaments in a single season. David Dalu, fishing with guide Scott Collins won the Gold Cup Tournament, which was held from June 16 to June 20 in Islamorada, Florida. Dalu and Collins won by a substantial number of points, and did so only two weeks after winning the Don Hawley tournament and less than a month after winning the Golden Fly.

I spoke to both Dalu and Collins last night, and besides giving credit to several other guides and anglers for their role in helping develop the techniques they have been using, they both were ready for some good, old-fashioned fun fishing for a change. "The pressure in the tournaments was intense," Dalu said. "Scott and I need to go out and just jump some fish for a change." Collins echoed Dalu's sentiments in regard to their amazing success: "I just feel plain lucky."

A week that began with a dreamlike combination of fish and weather ended with a good blow, but that didn't keep the competitors in the annual Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Tournament from setting new records for numbers of fish caught. Leading the numbers were winners David Dalu and Scott Collins (guide), who caught an incredible 21 fish during the five-day tournament. Angler Carlos Duncan and guide Rob Fordyce caught ten fish in one day, quite a remarkable achievement. In all 158 total fish were caught by 25 teams in the combined 12-pound and 16-pound divisions, the most ever in a Don Hawley tournament.

More results (all 12-pound tippet):

First Place: David Dalu with guide Scott Collins -- 21 fish released
Second Place: Carlos Duncan with guide Rob Fordyce -- 19 fish released
Third Place: Peter Reddin with guide Dave Borras -- 11 fish released

16-Pound Tippet Winners: Mike McLoad with guide Brian Helms -- 10 fish

For the second time in less than a month, David Dalu and guide Scott Collins won a major Florida Keys tarpon fly fishing tournament, finishing the five-day Don Hawley Invitational with a 2-fish lead over second place finishers Carlos Duncan and Rob Fordyce.

We will post more information about the results as they come in.

In the Denver Post, Charlie Meyers heralds the recent moves by AFFTA and the Federation of Fly Fishers to establish their new bases in Denver, Colorado, and ponders the likelihood that the baggage belts in Denver International Airport might become clogged with rod tubes. "Add to this the impending move of Federation of Fly Fishers headquarters to Loveland, the September AFFTA World Trade Expo in Denver and a January blend of the AFFTA consumer show with the longstanding International Sportsmen's Expo and one finds bold reason to trumpet Colorado as the new fly-fishing capital of the world."

Last night we got word that David Dalu, guided by Captain Scott Collins, won the annual three-day Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament in the Florida Keys yesterday. This follows their win in the 5-day Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament last June, when Dalu was the first first-time angler to win the event. We'll post more results as we get them.

What started as a way to mock their relative poverty became an important annual event for a generation of Pere Marquette fly fishers at this classic club. "Member Carl Graef, a former Texan who lives in Mount Pleasant, said he likes the weekend tradition because he 'absolutely lives to fly-fish.' 'This is my way of communing with God,' he said. 'This is the most beautiful place I know of. It is so far removed from the stresses of my everyday work life. You look down on this river and these trees, and they call to you.'" David V. Graham in the Flint Journal.

Sunglass maker Costa Del Mar will host the Fly Fishing Competition at the Teva Mountain Games, which take place from June 5 - 8 in Vail, Colorado this year. The competition itself takes place on June 9 and 10 and starts with a qualifying round on Gore Creek for 50 registered anglers. The finals will consist of a timed float trip on the Eagle River with two competitors per boat. Anglers will only be able to use one pattern in one size for their fly, but will be allowed six of the same pattern.

For more information and the full press release, read the extended entry.

CNN's Kate Bolduan covers the activities of Project Healing Waters at Douglas Dear's Rose River Farm near Culpeper, Virginia. For the wounded vets, it's just about getting back to doing things "normally," and fly fishing helps. "It's not about the wounds or the rehab," Bouldan notes, "It's about the fish." (Reminder: Project Healing Waters holds their second annual 2-Fly Tournament starting Saturday.)

Every year in May or June a bunch of veteran tarpon anglers get together on No Name Key in the Florida Keys to raise money for good causes and to have fun fishing and trading stories. This year the event is planned for May 30-31 (about the time of a predicted Palolo worm hatch), and the benefit is for Casting for Recovery, which provides fly fishing retreats for women who have or have had breast cancer. Poontangle is supported by lots of generous businesses -- Scientific Anglers, Loomis, Cabela's, Cliff Outdoors, Islander, Temple Fork Outfitters and dozens of others -- who donate products for a raffle and a silent auction. Not only are the giveaways great, but the the Poontangle camaraderie is something to be witnessed first-hand, with new registrants being treated like old friends and old friends flying in from all over the country to share in the enthusiasm, good food, and not-always-100%-accurate fish stories.

You can find more information about Poontangle 8, including registration info, on the Poontangle Web site.

Project Healing Waters, which benefits wounded veterans, will hold their Second Annual 2-Fly Tournament on May 4, 2008 at Rose River Farm in Madison, Virginia. The 20 teams open to the public have been filled and they have an additional 10 teams made up of a professional guide and an injured veteran. (They still have a couple of slots left open for sponsors, who can support a Pro/Vet team for $2500. This year's event is being televised as an episode of "The Fly Rod Chronicles" on The Sportsman's Channel and all the Sponsors will be recognized, if they would like, on a show banner.) Read more about the event on the Project Healing Waters blog.

According to Simon Earle of the Rotorua Review, once again the Czech team showed that they have trout dialed in -- not just in Europe and the U.S., but in New Zealand as well. "The top two teams alternated in the lead over the first two days but the Czech Republic came through to clinch the title with wins in both sessions on the final day on Friday. The result meant New Zealand narrowly failed to repeat its 1991 success when the event was also centred on Rotorua."

According to the organizers of the World Fly Fishing Championships, "Members of the Bosnian Fly Fishing Team, who have been in New Zealand for 10 days practicing for the world fly fishing champs next week, have learned that may not after all be able to compete. The organization running the championships, the SFFNZ (Sports Fly Fishing NZ) has just heard that the Bosnian fly fishing federation has refused to pay the team's entry fee to the competition. The Bosnian anglers team are said to be stunned at this unexpected news as they have laid out a small fortune getting to New Zealand and cannot afford to front up with the $9750 entry fee. SFFNZ is working with the FIPS secretariat to see if they can resolve this matter before the check-in deadline which is Saturday 22nd March."

Among the newsworthy changes for this year's World Championships, which start this Sunday in Rotorua, are rules which prohibit the use of felt sole shoes and the introduction of a new National Open Fly Tying Competition, sponsored by Umpqua Feather Merchants. "The five North Island rivers and lakes where the competition will take place are the Whanganui and Waihou Rivers, the Waimakariri Stream, Lake Rotoaira and Lake Otamangakau."

As we understand it, the U.S. Team handled the new rules by leaving waders, boots and other gear in-country so that there is no possibility of having key equipment confiscated. No doubt this will become the standard practice for competitive anglers in the face of increasing concern about invasive species control.

Read the full press release in the extended entry.

Lakeland, Florida doesn't spring to mind when one thinks about the FFF, which is based in Livingston, Montana. But in fact Florida has probably one of the fastest growing FFF chapters. The Florida Council has a big show coming up March 28 - 30, 2008 at the Lakeland Center, which is about halfway between Tampa and Orlando. Lefty Kreh, Steve Rajeff, Dave Whitlock, Bruce Richards, Nick Curcione and Diana Rudolph are among the speakers, and there is a great group of fly tiers who will be giving demonstrations at the event. For more info go to the Expo site.

Scott Robertson, a guide for Sunriver Fly Shop in Sunriver, Oregon, was recently named captain of the U.S. international team, which will compete in two weeks for the world title. "The 28th world championships — scheduled March 22-30 in Rotorua, New Zealand — will include more than 100 anglers from 24 countries. Robertson, 47, was selected captain based on his experience in competitive angling and his sixth-place finish at the National Fly Fishing Championships in Colorado last October." Marc Morical in the Bend Bulletin.

The annual show run by Tom Helgeson of Midwest Fly Fishing magazine runs from the 8th through the 10th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center located just north of Gold Road (Route 59) and east of Meacham Road in Schaumburg, Illinois (that's just west of Chicago's O'Hare airport). Steve Sarley writes about it in teh Northwest Herald. "The show floor of the expo will feature a number of 'learning stations' where guests can learn about many different facets of fly-fishing from experts. Free fly-casting lessons run non-stop from Friday’s opening to Sunday’s close. Beginners are encouraged to get instruction." Check out the show's Web site for more info.

The captains in saltwater fly fishing tournaments often walk away with a simple 'thanks' after helping their anglers grab the phat loot. But Webster “Web” Young, a Chicago fly-fisher who won the 2007 Abel On Your Honor Tarpon Tournament, felt that Dan Malzone deserved to own the Super 13 reel that he won in last year's event, and after spending two days watching his reward being made, shipped it off to Florida captain. "On Your Honor" indeed.

Read the full press release in the extended entry.

If I lived anywhere near Colorado, I'd be hoping for stocking stuffer tickets to both the AFFTA and Fly Fishing Show events that run January 4-6 in downtown Denver. There may not be two shows forever, and certainly there will be some oneupmanship on display. Charlie Meyers gives the event details in this morning's Denver Post.

As the streets clear in Denver for the high-noon stare-down between the AFFTA and Fly Fishing consumer shows, AFFTA president Robert Ramsey offers some insight into the reasons the organization chose dates that overlapped an established event. "He said AFFTA chose to clash dates with TFFS because fly-fishing exhibitors already were burdened with winter show commitments around the country. 'So rather than present all these companies with an additional show on their schedule, we decided just to ask folks to make a decision.'" Ed Dentry in the Denver Post.

We're less than a month away now from the opening of simultaneous fly fishing shows for consumers in Denver, and apparently tempers are not cooling. Chuck Furimsky, owner of the established event, The Fly Fishing Show, is prepared to lose money for a couple of years to fend of the predations of the new AFFTA show, according to today's piece by Ed Dentry. The only thing that is pretty clear is that consumers won't be gaining much in the short term, since divided loyalties and business connections will separate many of the top names. "Some celebrities are staying with the old show; others willingly have gone over to the far side. Among the notables, for example, anglers will find Lefty Kreh at the convention center, but Dave Whitlock at the Merchandise Mart." In the Rocky Mountain News.

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.

"'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.

Moving the show back to September from August appears to have helped attendance at this year's Fly Fishing Retailer show, according to this week's press release. "A total of 3,045 attendees made the trip to the 2007 FlyFishing Retailer show, up 33.0 percent overall from 2006. Total buyer attendance jumped by 18.5 percent from 2006, indicating a distinct business vitality from the retailers that made the trip. Total storefronts attending the FFR show was up as well this year (4.5 percent)."

Read the full press release in the extended entry.

"Dennis and Polish angler Vladi Trzebunia were returning to Jackson after the final day of the NFFC and in the very early morning hours of Oct. 8, only 40 miles from home, their car went off the road with Trzebunia at the wheel. Reports say their SUV was demolished after rolling twice." Dave Buchanan in the Grand Junction Sentinel.

The National Fly Fishing Championships ended Saturday, with 15 competitors being tapped as candidates for the US national team. George Daniel took the gold medal in the competition, while Josh Stevens and Edward Pinkston finished second and third, respectively. Dave Buchanan writes about the mental challenges behind the technical ones that the anglers faced during the three-day competition: "There’s the lack of sleep, since you get up at 4:30 every morning to wolf down a quick breakfast and then scramble aboard a crowded van for the 21⁄2-hour ride to the morning venue. You’re already wearing your fishing boots and waders (you’re not sure you even took them off the previous night) to save a few precious minutes for when you get wherever you’re going, so any bathroom breaks along the drive aren’t simple 'hop out and go' pit stops." In the Grand Junction Sentinel. More rankings.

Not even a swarm of sacrifice flies could save the Yankees from a bug-infested loss to the Cleveland Indians Friday night. Yankees player Derek Jeter suggested it was an unfair home-field advantage when players began choking on midges as they rounded the bases. "Swarming bugs, millions and millions of them, bombarded the New York Yankees at the worst possible time Friday night, covering and rattling rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain and helping the Cleveland Indians to a 2-1 win in 11 innings and a two-game lead in their AL playoff series."

“'The map has changed,' said Naranja in a puzzled voice, staring at the paper in his hand. 'Yesterday this was an alternate beat and I thought, "Man, I’m glad I didn’t draw this one." But here I am.'” That's competitor Anthony Naranja, who also happens to be assistant coach of the current Team USA, commenting on his day one draw of a stillwater lake beat. Naranja is in second place, after Scott Robertson, going into day two. Dave Buchanan in the Grand Junction Sentinel.

Jack Dennis says the 2008 season of coaching the U.S.'s international fly fishing team will be his last, due to personal and business demands. Over the past five years, Dennis has been credited with turning the team into one more capable of competing with other top world teams. "The board said, ‘Look, we need to build a structure to this team so it can become like a regular athletic team,’ Dennis recalled. At the time, the U.S. team was largely composed of wealthy donors rather than competitive anglers, a fact emphasized by the team’s dismal results in international tournaments." Dave Buchanan in Colorado's Grand Junction Sentinel.

Once again a large contingent of competitive fly fishers will be in Boulder, Colorado next week. The 55 U.S. anglers all hope to draw a good beat and land one of the 15 spots on 2008's Team USA. "Five-member teams from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Ireland will assemble in Boulder for the championships, which are being held in northern Colorado for the second consecutive year. The competitors will fish for three days on the Big Thompson River, the Poudre River, Dowdy Lake and Parvin Lake." Zak Brown in the Boulder Daily Camera.

Carl Hiaasen and guide Tim Klein won the Islamorada Fall Fly Bonefish tournament with three weight fish and ten releases, including the largest bonefish, an eleven-pound, twelve-ounce fish caught on day three. Mitch Howell and Dave Denkert were runners-up in the tournament, which ended Friday, with two weight fish and a release. Rick Orcutt with Duane Baker took Best New Angler with two weight fish and two releases.

As David Dalu, this year's Hawley tarpon tournament winner and a participant in the Fall Fly, commented, "It is clear that TK and Carl are THE team in bonefishing. I suspect that they are doing something different than the others, as even the good guides and anglers up there cannot hang with them." (Thanks to David for reporting the results.)

Want to see what Hiaasen and Klein might have been using for flies during the tournament? Check out Carl's fly box on MidCurrent.

If the Fly Fishing Retailer show is any measure of the health of the fly fishing industry, the patient comfortably endured its physical yesterday. Though we had heard from organizers that the show was larger this year, there seemed to be only a few more booths in the Denver Convention Center exhibit hall. And by 9:30 AM, we wondered if the show might see lower attendance than in years past. But by 11, the coffee lines were growing (even at $3.50 a cup) and by lunch time Mountain Dew became the best available option for a jolt (business note to food vendor for 2008: be sure you don't run out of coffee, especially at those margins). All the anglerati seemed to be in attendance this year too: Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock, Gary Borger, Flip Pallot, Simon Gawesworth, Steve Rajeff and others. The top new products -- excepting some new rods from Orvis and Sage and new lines from Scientific Anglers and RIO -- might well be sleepers this year. We noticed, for example, some sweet new "Extra Hand" nippers from Dr. Slick and some well-thought-out apparel in Redington booth. But there are many more miles of exhibit carpet to walk before we have a good count of the standouts.

The U.S. Youth Fly Fishing team came in seventh in an event dominated by the same European countries who compete so well in the adult championships. "After a strong final day of fishing, Team USA 1, with 132 points, finished just one point out of the medal standings. France took the gold medal with 90 points, the Czech Republic (91 points) earned the silver medal and England received the bronze with 131 points." Mark Nale in Pennsylvania's CentreDaily.com.

A 140-pound Homasassa tarpon earned Webster Young a trip to California, where he'll watch the craftsmen at Abel make a fly reel of his choice. Abel's tournament, which is the first that we know of to be based on an honor system, also gave out some nice prizes to Tim Mahaffey (second place), Michael Greve (third) and Jeff Ferguson (fourth).

Read the extended entry for the press release and full results.

Mark Nale writes about the various members of the U.S. Fly Fishing Youth team, which is competing today, tomorrow and Wednesday in central Pennsylvania. Among them is Heather Seitz, who, besides having a black belt in Kung Fu, is the only female on the team. "'I'm delighted to be on the world team because it is an amazing experience and an opportunity to meet other anglers who have the same love for fly fishing as I,' said Seitz. 'I greatly enjoy dry fly fishing; however, nymphing has grown on me since I started to work with the coaches. They taught me how to truly nymph, and I have become successful by using the techniques that they have shown me.'" On Pennsylvania's CentreDaily.com.

France will be there in their yellow jerseys... err, golden jackets. "Teams from the United States -- including Pennsylvania -- the Czech Republic, England, France, Ireland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Canada will kick off official practice today, followed by three days of competition. Spain was not able to make it for the opening ceremonies but was expected arrive for practice today." Sara Ganim on CentreDaily.com.

It sure is nice to see a company whose brand is only newly visible in the fly fishing market step up and support something as worthwhile as the U.S. Youth Fly Fishing team. Cloudveil is continuing their apparel sponsorship this year with waders, boots and vests for the team, which is due to compete for the World Youth Championship in State College, Pennsylvania this coming week. The U.S. will host teams from England, Wales, France, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Spain, The Czech Republic and South Africa.

For more information and the full press release, read the extended entry.

Turns out there are only two Federation of Fly Fishers casting instructors certified using bamboo rods, and one of them -- Harry Boyd, Jr., a Baptist minister from Louisiana who owns Boyd Rod Co. (www.canerods.com) -- attended the fifth gathering of the Colorado Rodmakers Reunion in Carbondale, Colorado this week. Dave Buchanan writes in the Grand Junction Sentinel about how the Web has changed everything in a craft where information has traditionally been almost impossible to find.

The Denver chapter of Trout Unlimited chose downtown Denver as the location of their new carp fly fishing tournament next weekend. Why? Because the South Platte as it flows through the city is one of the best places to go to stalk these difficult fish. "The best time to fish flat water is in spring, just before and immediately after spawning. They spend much of the day in the cool shallows, where they root and tail like bonefish. Midsummer heat sends carp to deep water, no longer available for sight fishing except very early and late in the day. But they're always ready in the river, where the only variable is flow." Charlie Meyers in the Denver Post.

Catching a total of eight permit on fly won Doug Berhman the top spot in the 2007 Del Brown Invitational Tournament, which was held July 16, 17 and 18 in Key West, Florida. Berhman fished with Little Torch Key guide Deigo Roullye. Warren Hinrichs, the defending champion, and guide Kris Suplee came in second with six permit. Warren and Kris also caught the largest fish, which was 31 inches (pictured at right); they lost a much larger fish on the afternoon of the third day. John Abplanalp was third, catching four fish with guide Jeffrey Cardenas. (Thanks to readers David Dalu and Warren Hinrichs for providing these results.)

"The International Federation of Sport Fly Fishing (Fips-Mouche), at the 38th Congress of The Confederation International of Sport Fishing (CIPS) in Prague, has announced Scotland has won the rights to host the 2009 World Fly Fishing Championships."

The best part of this story is that Kathy Hoar started competitive fly fishing just last year, after finishing a saltwater fly fishing school -- probably the one started by Sandy Moret in Islamorada, Florida. "Hoar caught five tarpon over the three days, including one weighing 90 pounds, to win the championship in just her second competitive tournament." Greg Swatek on Pennsylvania's EveningSun.com.

"John Ford and Joe Humphreys report that volunteers are still needed for many phases sixth FIPS-Mouche World Youth Fly Fishing Championship, which will be held in and around State College [Pennsylvania] on Aug. 3-10."

Gary Loomis, whose graphite rod production techniques opened eyes to the potential of fast-action rods, and Joan Wulff, the doyenne of influential female fly fishers, will enter the International Game Fish Associations Hall of Fame on October 20.

As Charlie Meyers suggests, the U.S.'s international fly fishing team represents more than a chance to participate in angling competitions that don't require six guys dressed up like a NASCAR pit crew. It's an opportunity to bring leadership to a sport that could use all the help it can get in growing and staying vital. "Question is, can a relatively thin and static U.S. fly-fishing industry muster the money and resolve to provide the necessary boost? Current sponsors include Simms, Scott rods, Scientific Anglers, Nautilus reels and Clear Creek accessories - arrangements that provide swell gear and some cash, but not nearly enough to crack the nut." In the Denver Post.

Tom Siska and guide Glenn Flutie were the winners of this week's Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida. The tournament, which began Monday and ended Friday, resulted in 63 fish released and 14 fish measured as "weight fish." After scoring no points on day one, Siska and Flutie put themselves far ahead of the pack on day two and three, when their combined release and weight fish points totaled 3854.

Second through forth places were more closely contested, with Delucas and Krowka scoring 2744 cumulative points, Mill and Perez 2726, and Fotopulos and Suplee 2156. Robertson and Burke had the most releases (7).

(Thanks to reader David Dalu for these scores.)

Although the French and Czech teams continue to dominate the annual FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships, the U.S. is showing that it has to stuff to finish among the contenders, achieving 6th place this year -- its best finish ever. Coach Jack Dennis believes the good showing has to do with the recent switch to a regional trials system of team selection. "'This truly is an example of a team effort (and) everybody working together for a common goal,' wrote Dennis in an e-mail from Kemi, Finland, the site of this year’s World Championships. 'I firmly believe the competition system of trials will work. (A)s it expands and gets better, it helps us get closer and closer” to a world title.'" Dave Buchanan in Colorado's Grand Junction Sentinel.

As Charlie Meyers points out in the Denver Post, the folks who run The Fly Fishing Show feel AFFTA has taken dead aim at their business by scheduling a new consumer show for the same January dates in Denver. "The American Fly Fishing Trade Association announced last week it will launch The Fly Fishing Expo at the Colorado Convention Center on Jan. 4-6, the exact same dates that an exiting [sic] event, The Fly Fishing Show, is scheduled at the Denver Merchandise Mart."

David Dalu and guide Scott Collins won the 5-day Don HawleyTarpon Tournament which ended yesterday in the Florida Keys. Dalu was the first first-time angler to win the event in the 33-year history of the sport. Releasing six fish on day one and three fish on day two, then two fish on each of the last two days, Dalu and Collins kept their lead through the entire event and ended with six fish more than second-place team Thane Morgan and Craig Brewer.

We asked Dalu what he thought made the biggest difference in their success this week and he said: "It was all about staying connected to the fish, which for us means just bringing the fish tight and keeping the hook in the fish's mouth. It works just as well with 12-pound test as it does with 16."