Fly Tying? You want me to tie a fly? No way. I can’t even darn socks. I knew I had enrolled in a fly fishing school, but I never thought about the fly tying aspect that would accompany my studies. School started and there I was, my instructor persuading me to give it a try. Reluctantly I went to the tying area. With a heavy heart, I tried my hand at tying my first fly, and managed to make a large and splendid bug. That disheveled fly went on to startle many fish, but one showed interest; all was
Oman … the name alone conjures up images of the desert, sand dunes and camels. This is the place that I now call home and where my husband and I have started our fishing business: Arabian Fly Sport Fishing. Most people’s first reactions are “Oh yeah, I saw the movie Fly Fishing in Yemen. Is it like that?” Well we haven’t built our own river and stocked it with wild salmon, that’s for sure. Our business is saltwater fishing. Oman has over 2000 kilometers of coastline - from rugged, unforgiving cl
Laurentian Great Lakes steelhead are a complex stock of fish. The population is a mixture of hatchery-released and wild, naturally reproduced fish originating from many different streams. Knowing the natal streams of the fish is important to best managing this species, as it allows for targeted conservation and management to the areas that are the major contributors to the total lake population. Fortunately, we may be able to determine the natal stream of a fish by looking at its otolith. Otoli
Every time I land a fish, my mind and body go through a wave of emotions: SHOCK - “Wow, do I really have a fish on? Is it just a snag or can I begin the battle to the net?” EXCITEMENT - “I wonder what kind it is? How big it is?” FEAR - “I hope I am not hurting it. How can I catch and release this fish as quickly and safely as possible?” I have always been told that my mind over-analyzes my actions, however in this case, I think it serves as a great reminder. A reminder to every angler that
Here's a tale of how I got bit by the fly fishing bug. It all started while watching my boyfriend prepare for a day of fishing. I longed to learn more about this sport, not knowing what I was getting myself into … Getting up early is not for one who doesn’t like to do so and doesn’t drink coffee. My alarm roared at 5:30am on a Saturday morning. I cautiously opened one eye. The sun had not even come up over the horizon, so why was I awake? After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I turned to
Every spring they rise – by the millions it seems – so many it looks like a snow storm. They’re the caddis, moth-like bugs that suddenly hatch on, above and around the Arkansas River in Chaffee County, Colorado. For those who don’t fish, this swarm of insects is just an icky swat-these-pests-away phenomenon … but for the ravenous rainbows and browns who make this paradise of a river home? Oh my - pure buggy bliss! Naturally, for those lucky enough to fly fish here, the ‘hatch’ inspires nothing
I had in the past given some thought to being an expat – Dubai, Croatia, Japan, but an Aussie expat in New Zealand? Not really. As a fly angler having visited NZ on countless adventures, it almost felt like a second home anyway! All of those pre-planned fishing trips, most to the South Island, brought only good times as holidays always do. But, there was another side to making the not-so-anticipated-BIG move to New Zealand. Settling into a new work contract, I found myself in a blissful situa
20 years ago if someone would have told me I was going to run a fly fishing business one day and steelhead would be my biggest passion, and I was going to be a mother, I would have called bullshit. 20 years ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do or who I was, and spent a lot of time at a bar stool, raising hell. I’ve now fostered that energy into a more productive path. My story starts in Tennessee, where I was born. My parents where ex-hippies. My father worked odd jobs and spent evenings p
Within three months of discovering the concept of the California Heritage Trout Challenge, I was standing waist deep in the middle of a creek in a Redwood Forest, casting purple flash streamers into dark shadowy areas, focusing like a laser on the task at hand. I was completely terrified that at any moment I would tip over and fill my waders. Not only was it my first time fishing this particular creek, it was also my first time actually wading and fishing, which is a whole new sensation. You ca
In case you haven’t heard, Minnesotans like to boast about our state. We’re proud of our natural resources, cities, hot dishes and the fact that we’re unfazed by cold weather. As a fly angler who lives in this state, I’ve got more to brag about … the endless supply of fishing opportunities. If you head up north, you’ll find yourself catching various species of salmon and trout that are moving inland from Lake Superior. You can also head to the central part of the state to fish one of our many l
My name is Annarose Yvon and I live in the Highlands region of Maine. My family and I moved to Maine, just before I was two years old, from Connecticut. We moved because my parents wanted our family to live in an area where we could enjoy the outdoors. I live on a small tree farm with my Mom, Dad and my younger sister, Amanda. I am truly blessed because it is the perfect place to live when you are a person who loves the outdoors. I have had the pleasure of fishing and hunting in Maine since I
I started fly fishing 12 years ago because of my work at a youth center in Montreal: more exactly in Verdun, which is an underprivileged area of the city. We do all kinds of activities to help the children become more responsible, active and to help them develop a more critical mind. All activities are designed to make them think, and to give us, (the counselors) a chance to talk with them and to bolster their self-esteem. One of the activities consists of fly fishing, which my colleague Mario
It is strange how big changes often present themselves in modest ways, like the first ripples on the water before the storm or the small blue marks on a stick that indicates a major change is in the makings. Up until the encounter with the blue stripes, my biggest angst as a fly angler had been whether wind conditions and water flow would mess up the next fishing trip. Being a simple-minded fly angler, I never planned longer than the next weekend. But, half way to work the morning of the blue
For over a decade, I observed as my husband crafted the bamboo fly rods I so much love to fish. This winter I embarked on a pursuit to craft my own bamboo fly rod. Oh my goodness! I had no idea how much fun it would be and how much intricacy there was to building a bamboo fly rod. Beginning on this page and for the next few pages you will be taken on a photo essay of my bamboo rod building pursuit. And, of course, my first fishing pursuit with my new rod in hand. I can only hope that my words
