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
“You ready to chuck some streamers?” the captain asked me as he and two groomsmen helped me into the boat, making sure the train of my wedding dress didn’t hit the cool waters of the Chattahoochee River below. “Hell yes!” I responded. “Someone hand me the 8 weight.” Day number one as a fly fishing wife wasn’t too bad if I say so myself. Not that I thought married life would be any different - but now I was official. Justin and I were married on the river that gave us our start. It was a beautif
Each year we go on a month-long adventure. Our guide service hosts a week-long trip to Colorado for clients. After that our pack is free to explore wherever the wind blows. Logging some hours on the road from Arkansas, there is usually time for reflection. It has been an interesting journey since our last trip. Right after we had gotten back in July 2017, I had a bike wreck. It was quite ridiculous and feel free to laugh. We certainly did. My husband built a bike ramp for our kids. I thought why
We conceived the idea for a ladies' trip to The Driftless area of Wisconsin in January of 2019. The group consisted of women from a wide array of backgrounds with the only common thread being the Gary Borger TU Chapter. Our destination was Viroqua, WI, in the heart of the Driftless. The goal was an independent women's trip. The attendees would do everything from tying their flies, checking their gear, booking hotel accommodations, making dinner reservations, and selecting guides. Everything a ne
Originally referred to as Czech, Spanish, or French nymphing, this style of nymph fishing was born out of the competitive fishing culture of Europe. Competitive fishing is much more prevalent in Europe than it is in the United States. In competition, anglers are not allowed to use indicators or weight attached to the leader. Because of this, the Euro-nymphing technique was born, which is not only handy for catching large or finicky trout but is also a lot of fun. A trout's diet is mostly subsur
When Kascie Herron talks about rivers, her voice gets clear and loud—like a singer who pulls the mic away when she belts out the high notes. “Well. I love the Bitterroot, the Clark Fork, the Blackfoot, the Yellowstone,” Kascie says, in crescendo. “But I also love the glacial rivers of the Flathead. You don’t always get as many big fish, but the water is Caribbean blue, and you can see 20 feet down to the bottom in places. Oh, I forgot to mention the Smith and the Dearborn!” When you love river
When I got into fly fishing, I rarely saw another woman on the river. I heard rumblings that there was a woman who came into the fly shop and fished, but I never saw her on the river. The times, they say, are a-changing, and it’s about high time. Today, the angling community is robust with young and old alike, female and male, and growing in ethnic diversity. That’s a great sign. The only way our sport will continue to grow is if we break out of that old male-dominated box and progress along wit
Growing up with a lot of adventurous people in my life has made me realize how much we can explore in our world. If I didn’t have an adventurous family, I wouldn’t have as many opportunities like surfing, fly fishing, jumping off cliffs, riding rapids, and many other adventures. One thing that has opened up so much of my life is living in Florida. If I didn’t live in Florida, I wouldn’t be able to sit and listen to the sound of waves hitting the shoreline waiting for a great wave to surf. I lo
Three days before I walked into my first 12-step meeting, I had a fly rod in hand. Little did I know that day that I was about to embark on a lifelong journey of recovery and discovery. Fly fishing (and the help of my program) would soon guide me through some of my most trying times, all the while teaching me to enjoy calmer waters. I will never forget that hot week in August of 2016. It was a week of what many in 12-step recovery programs call a "dry drunk." My life had been on a cycle. I went
Images of frozen fingertips and iced-over rod holders run through my mind like the frames of an old-school movie projector as we snake our way over the historically high mighty Mississippi. Rain pelts the windshield so hard we have to slow almost to a stop, and I can’t help but feel like it’s me who is bringing the weather. It has been five years since the fateful frozen day when I fished the Norfork River in Arkansas, and still, a cold shiver runs down my back at the mere thought of returning.
Last month I had the opportunity to attend the 2019 International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) show at the Denver Convention Center with DUN Magazine for the first time. The sheer volume of people to talk to and things to see was overwhelming, but I had the chance to speak with a lot of fantastic people and observe the scenery, so to speak. Here are some of the things I enjoyed most from my one-day journey. #Kickplastic These signs adorned the entrance to the exhibition hall, announcing that IF
You have probably heard of Euro-Nymphing by now; and if so, you have probably also heard people talking about French, Czech, and maybe even Polish nymphing. What’s the difference between all these different styles? Let me break it down for you. Euro Nymphing is a blanket term that covers many different nymphing techniques, each technique developed in different countries in Europe. As far as I am concerned, all these blanket terms mean is that you are using an indicator that is made from a piece
Ah, Redfish — red drum, channel bass, puppy drum, spottail bass, or simply red, by whatever name you know them, this species has become a sought after game fish for fly anglers in the past few years. Known for that beautiful red hue, the flash of gold in the sunlight, and that telltale black dot, Redfish is a hard fighting fish that can be found tailing the flats like permit as they scrounge the bottom for crabs, shellfish, shrimp, or anything tasty. Scientists believe that the black dot near th
