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
My non-fly fishing friends just don’t get it. Why do all the pictures on my Facebook page contain a fish? Haven’t I caught all the fish I need to catch? Why do I travel the world just to catch fish? And then they say, “You look so happy in that fish picture.” And, it’s true. There is no place I’m happier than on the water with rod in hand. Although I have some favorite rivers, I feel that tackling the unknown and fishing in new places with new friends has contributed to my growth and enjoyment.
When I was 14, my father taught me about fishing holes. We waded into the shallows of the Platte, the sun at our necks, muddy water lapping our ankles. He would point to the other side of the bank where the otherwise quick, singing water stilled and lay quiet. “That is where the fish rest” he would always say. He taught me to seek the calm that nature provides, despite its haunting chaos. When I was 19, my father taught me that despite seeking out the fishing holes, despite the singing water ar
Dear Everett, This is the story about your first 18-inch Westslope Cutthroat trout. At this time, you were only six months conceived and your name wasn’t Everett - it was Butternut Lebron. But that’s a story for a different bedtime. I wonder, butternut boy, if you remember that flash of green sliding up through the water column. I wonder if you remember the sunset red on its jaw as it sipped foam, hook, and feather off the surface. Did you hear the splash through the ambient auditory ocean of
Americans are busier than ever in their daily lives with work, family, errands, and so many other endeavors that keep us on the move. The value of a pastime that brings a quiet and still space into our minds is truly priceless. I have fished my entire life, and I began fly fishing at age 17. Fishing has always brought me inner peace and mental clarity like nothing else can. Whether you are an aspiring angler, a beginner, or have a lifetime of fishing experience - I know that you, too, find peace
Maybe it was the morning light dancing along the river’s surface or the water softly lapping at my knees. Maybe it was the gentle breeze carrying the sweet pine smell through the valley or the tug on the line that allured me. Something in that early morning made me transfixed. Entranced. Mesmerized. Hypnotized. It was my first time fly fishing, and with every cast, I knew it would not be the last. From that moment on, my fly boxes were bursting with stoneflies, copper johns, scuds, RS2s, and se
I am sitting perfectly happy and consciously grateful in the black darkness of early dawn. My trusted, and well worn, Patagonia puff ball jacket is zipped up over red flannel pajamas as I rest my wool-socked feet on the hearth of a wood burning river rock fireplace. I feel myself slowly awakened by the taste of that essential first sip of steaming coffee as the sun starts making its way up in the sky, reliably lighting up the majesty of the natural beauty surrounding a hundred year-old farmhouse
I didn’t know what to expect flying from Winnipeg to the North Seal River area of Northern Manitoba to Gangler’s North Seal River Lodge. It was 6 am and barely light when departing on Calm Air Charters’ 10 passenger plane. We were greeted by our German-born pilot and native Madagascar co-pilot, both speaking better English than my Southern slang. They went over the safety rules and offered us snacks and water before takeoff. The flight was two hours, so we all settled in for a morning’s nap with
It didn’t take more than five minutes to catch and release my first fish of the day. The river was barely 60 feet across, yet there seemed to be a hundred hungry mouths stacked in the riffles on either side of me. Every cast, regardless of how delicate or clean a drift, produced at least a nose of interest, if not a full-on attack. It was when one aggressive female, taking me completely by surprise, cleared the surface of the water and arced down upon my fly that I realized fishing for brook tro
Out of all the places you have ever been, all the places you have ever put a line in the water, where is your absolute, all time favorite place to fly fish? Take a minute to think about your answer. Do you have a favorite place? Is it outside your back door or on the other side of the world? People ask me variations of this question all the time and I have a secret to share with you. This is one of the most difficult questions anyone could possibly ask me to answer! When I hesitate, and think
Orvis is on a mission-- unity and parity on the water. With the 50/50 on the Water campaign, a lofty goal has been set; an equal ratio of men to women fly anglers. What started as wishful thinking just two years ago has grown into a resounding call to action for Orvis as a company and the fly fishing industry as a whole. In less than two years, Orvis has earned three awards for its efforts. The first came from DUN Magazine. “We were pumped to receive the DUN Mayfly Award in recognition of our co
I can vividly remember the moment I fell in love with fly fishing. My Dad and I were standing side by side in a small creek in California, the beautiful blue water slowly moving in front of us. I was so young my head was only able to reach his hips. He was tying a new fly onto his line, and I was standing there, anxious to catch a fish. I was tired of waiting so I said, “Dad, let me fish. I can do it.” He looked at me, and I’m sure his mind was racing. Do I let her go? Let her just cast? She's s
Rivers of Recovery operates on a simple premise—outdoor therapy via fly fishing excursions can help U.S. combat veterans find emotional and physical recovery. All combat vets face similar complications when they leave the military—coping with the trauma of warfare, finding a new career, and navigating changed relationships with family and friends. But, women often times experience different and additional challenges. “Women tend to be caregivers,” explained Monica Shoneff, U.S. Army veteran. “
