Over the coarse of the past few weeks Monte, the rural town where I am currently residing, has seen days of rainfalls, resulting in a drastic rise in the water level of the lagoon on which the small town lies.
As I have explained in past posts, there are a number of affects that rainfall has, especially in relation to the increase in available food.

In the US it is common for rain to flood many grubs and worms from there holes along the muddy banks of the water, making them an easy meal for hungry fish. Here in Argentine I have learned that this principle is very applicable. Along the banks of the lagoon there is a type of large worm that burrows in the muddy banks close to the waters edge. This “worm” seems to be more of  an eel, yet scaled, with no eyes; just a large mouth really. They range in length from very small to up to about 8 inches. The recent rain has raised the water level, and brought the worms out of their holes, making the lagoon once again sustainable for fish.

I met one fisherman in town who was fishing with his son. The night before they caught a number of these worms and were using them as bait, resulting in a beautiful catch of 17 impressive catfish. I have found that when fishing in such conditions, the best pattern to use is a velvet eel, or a large woolly bugger, both of which mimic a similar worm that is sure to bear results. When fishing in rivers in the northern US that are under the same conditions, it is perfered to stick with a woolly bugger, fishing it along the edge of the banks where tree-roots overhang the water. Along such areas trout will lay under the covering and feed of whatever finds its way into the water below.

• Never Too 'Late' For the typical, New England, clear water fly fishermen, trout season tends to stretch primarily from opening day, the third Saturday in April, to about late may, into early July, when the temperature begins to rise, and the water levels begin to drop. Although this sad state of affairs has......
• Breaking the Ice Although I am currently in Argentina, and therefor do not get the opportunity to engage in the cold-water fall trout fishing this year, there is one thing that I thought I should throw out there for all of you who will be wading the waters of North America this coming......
• Habitual Hibernation Well, the trip to the Cape was postponed a couple of weeks due to conflicting plans calling me to the mountain regions of Northern New Hampshire. Fortunately, prior to my leaving for this chilly climate, I was able to stumble across a wonderful topic to discuss, the hibernatory habits of......
• What's A Yeti? Just yesterday I was fishing with my three brothers at a favorite childhood fishing hole behind the house where we grew up. While we were fishing, my little brother accidently brought up an interesting topic that I decided to discuss today. The four of us went out fishing, and neglected......
• Oh The Dry Season This past Saturday I finally made time to head to the local fishing lake to cast my new 6 piece, hoping to hook into a nice one as well. What I forgot to take into account was that we are currently in the dry season, and the once deep, tidal......

• What do I need to raise fresh water fish? I recently received a 55 gal tank and want to raise some fresh water fish. All I have right now is a filter. What else would I need?Do I need a UV light and air pump?Also would I need another filter? Thx for the response. I really want to raise......
• Why All London Window Cleaners Must Salvage Rain Water And Use It To Clean Windows Large metropolitan areas such as London house a huge amount of office buildings, hotels, historical buildings, apartments, private homes and even palaces, and all of these buildings have windows. While cleaning windows offers a wide scope of opportunity to people to earn a living in a city this size,......
• Fishing North and South of the I-80 North of the I 80 There are actually more good spots for fishing north from the Interstate 80 than many people realize. Unfortunately, all of these fishing spots are going to require some driving on dirt roads for access. Locals generally use trucks and 4 wheel drive vehicles to get......
• The Yuba River's North Fork The Yuba River's North Fork can be reached from the Nevada City side by taking Highway 49 north, or you can reach it from Truckee by taking the Highway 89 north until you reach the Sierra Valley and then travel west on the Highway 49 until you reach Yuba Pass.......
• Truckee Waters The Truckee River, Martis, Donner Lake, Boca, Prosser and Stampede Reservoirs offer plenty of fishing variety meaning that experts and beginners alike will find something to suit them. Truckee happens to be a convenient supply center offering decent restaurants, good lodging and unique shopping. There is also excellent camping nearby,......

Whenever a fish is caught, there is the unavoidable predicament as to whether it is better to keep, or release the fish. Above and beyond personal convictions and state regulations, there are other factors that come into play when making this decision.
There are many fly-fishermen that live by the “Catch, Release, Conserve” code, by which they make the choice to release all their catch. Although this is a noble plight, there are faults when the idea meets reality and one finds them-self with a battle wounded fish that, in all honesty, has no fighting chance. It is at this time where one must understand that their desire to not personally kill any fish, may, in fact, result in the waste of a fish.
To give a fish its best chance in returning to the water, there are a number of things that can be done to aid it, starting before you ever enter the water.

For those fishermen who wish to release their fish, it is wise to start by removing the barbs from the hooks, although it makes it more difficult to set the hook, and keep the fish on the line, de-barbing the hook will result in less injury to the fish, and will make removal quicker and less painful, limiting the time that fish is out of the water.

The next important thing to remember, which I have mentioned in the past, is to wet you hands in the river right before touching the fish. Fish have a slimy membrane that encompasses  their entire body. This protective layer however, can be easily broken down from the oils on ones hands, thereby making the fish vulnerable to a number of bacterias and parasites.

Although all these factors are important leading up to the release of the fish, the release itself is very important. When releasing a fish, you must first determine it is releasable by visually inspecting to make sure it is not vitally bleeding out of its gill plates. Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure that all hooks are removed, especially those located in vital areas of the fish, primarily the gills or deep in the throat. The job is still not done.

When you have determined that the fish is healthy, and can be returned to the water, do not just throw it on in, like so many fishermen seem to do. Hold it, just before the tail, in the water, facing upstream, and allow a few moments for water to pass through its gills. This should be down in a place where, if the fish where to swim a small bit then die, it can easily be retrieved. Once the fish is revived and his regained its strength, it will free itself and return to the water. It is vital no to overlook this method, due to the importance of allowing the fish to regain the oxygen that it need to survive. Last and not least, never forget to remind it not to tell its friends!

• New Mexico: Seeing Past Dark Water I just recently returned from the lovely state of New Mexico where I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks on the Dine', or more commonly, the Navajo, Reservation. While there, I was able to travel to a number of different streams and rivers, in search of a native......
• When You Get Hit After all the casting and hard work finally pays off, and you have that beautiful trophy trout on your line, there are many things that take place both in your mind and physically on the water. The most common thoughts that come to mind are those regarding size, whether to......
• Breaking the Ice Although I am currently in Argentina, and therefor do not get the opportunity to engage in the cold-water fall trout fishing this year, there is one thing that I thought I should throw out there for all of you who will be wading the waters of North America this coming......
• Dropping a Line I was at Harkness Beach State Park for a social outing yesterday evening. While there, I walked down to the shore to speak with a number of fly fishermen that were gathering toward the evening. While discussing the different fish runs, and accepted patterns, I noticed that the majority of......
• Well Now that I Have the Fish... Over the course of the blog, I have discussed many tips and tricks to catching more, and larger, trout. Although this is very helpful, there is more to the experience of fishing than just fishing for, and catching trout.  Although the actual act of fishing is, in my opinion, the......

• Learning How To Care For A New Puppy To Make It Feel Comfortable At His New Home Bringing a cute little pup home can be really exciting, but at the same time individuals should be prepared to take all the responsibilities that will arise as a result of having a new pet join the family. There will also be huge cost associated with the puppy and......
• TC50 Star Tonchidot Releases Its Augmented Reality Sekai Camera Worldwide The wait is finally over. Over a year after its memorable (and zany) debut at TechCrunch 50 2008, Tonchidot’s Sekai Camera iPhone application is now available worldwide. The augmented reality (AR) app has already established itself as a huge hit in Japan, and now Tonchidot is taking its shot......
• Fishing Report: October 16, 2009 Lake Fishing - In lake Amador, the trout fishing has been fairly stable following a 8,500 pound plant that went in during the past week. This week is going to see an additional 5,000 pound plant, and the water clarity has also been good. At Berryessa, the lake seems to......
• If You Upgrade To A Bigger Tank How Do You Transfer The Corals And Fish? This exercise is very similar to moving an aquarium from house to house, but escapes some of the disruption and the need for transport. This leads to another plus in that virtually anything that is strong enough and seawater safe could be used as a temporary holding vessel. If transport......
• Review: The Barefoot Fisherman: A Fishing Book for Kids by Paul Amdahl This book is designed to cater to grades four through six, and specifically children who are already familiar with the basics associated with fishing but that want to learn more about this unique recreational sport. This book covers a wide variety of different topics on fishing for children, including approaching......

I just returned from fishing in South Argentina, casting for stream trout in the Andes, an adventure that I will be sure to write more about in the future.
While there, I met up with a man by the name of Ricardo, the director of relations between the hotel and the National Park Guard. Ricardo is an avid fly fisherman who taught himself to cast using gear that was given to him by a visiting missionary.
I spent four days fishing with Ricardo, and we caught dozens of beautiful trout, but what I want to speak about today is something that his son was struggling with when trying to cast his fathers fly rod.
His son had been practicing for a while, but couldn’t seem to sustain a cast due to a technique problem called ‘the chicken wing.’
The chicken wing is a result of someone trying to cast more line than they are ready, thereby overpowering the rod by using their entire arm and shoulder to make the cast. Although this may seem to be useful when distance casting, it is unnecessary when making a normal cast. If one utilizes their forearm properly they will actually increase their cast. To readily correct this problem, take a pillow and hold it against the side of your body with your elbow and continue casting. If the pillow falls, than your ‘chicken winging.’ When you are able to keep the pillow in place, and are only using your forearm, you are doing it correct. Good Luck, and watch for those wings.

• Fly Day- Friday: Dr. C The Damn-Real Caddis, or Dr. C, is not only a very physically attracting nymph, but it is also very effective. Caddis nymphs are one of the most interesting larvae due to their unique style of housing and source of camouflage. When I was six years old, my brothers and I......
• Spot Fishing: 'Quarter-turn Sweeps' Spot fishing is a good technique when you find yourself in a situation where there are a number of visible fish rising. The basic idea is to always be ready for a repositioning of the fly to the place of the most current activity, whether that is along the......
• Fish Tale Today I chose simply to share with you a fishing tale from my past. Throughout my entire life, my family has owned a campground on the Natchaug River in Connecticut. The river is currently deemed a ‘trophy management stream,’ and has many great fishing holes. One summer day, when I......
• Fly Day- Friday: Mickey Mouse For all of you fishermen that like to be a little different, and go against the grain of traditional fly fishing, the Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly the fly for you. The Mickey Mouse isn’t actually a fly at all, and is generally categorized as a member of the terrestrial family.......
• Not Knots This past weekend I had the opportunity to work with a young man who wished to be introduced to fly fishing. Before beginning his first lesson, I set him up with a Pflueger rod and reel kit. The same set that my father bought me when I began fly fishing.......

• More Fishing and Boating Lexicon Earthworm - In fishing, this is a common term that is used to refer to the wide variety of different fishing worms that can be used for baiting, including night crawlers, garden works, dillys, leaf worms and red wigglers. Edge - This describes the borders that are created by a......
• How To Choose A Fishing Rod And How To Make It Last No sportsman wins by sheer talent alone. No matter how talented a sportsman is, if his equipment is not good enough, his chances of winning will remain sli...
• Planning and Tackle The prime fishing season, at least for the Lake Tahoe area, begins on a typical year in late April and goes until Memorial Day, and then from just beyond Labor Day until the fall stream closure in around mid November. A few of the waters, such as the tributaries in......
• More Fishing and Boating Lexicon Fishery - This is a term that is used for lakes, rivers and streams where it is possible for people to come and catch fish, or to catch a specific type of fish, such as a trout fishery or a bass fishery. Fish hook - This is a barbless or......

Tags: Casting

Making Weight,” an expression that I heard constantly from my little brother during his high school wrestling career, has made its way into the fly fishing world.
For those fishermen that enjoy nymphing and ‘wet-fly’ fishing, many companies have developed a number of different sinking lines that allow wet flies to sink more rapidly, thereby assisting the fishing technique.
Despite the popularity of these lines, many fishermen prefer to take the inexpensive route, and simply use split-shots to weight their lines. Although this method is useful when fishing in turbulent waters, such as during steel head and salmon runs, split shots tent to be difficult to cast, and usually ruin eloquent presentation due to their entrance into the water.

The final method involves using needle-like, lead-substitute weights that are inserted into the hollow core of the floating line. Although there are a number of outfitters trying to develop this idea, it is currently not a plausible means due to a few major factors. Primarily, the insertion, and removal of these weights results in small holes in the line, that in turn, weaken the line, creates areas where the line will stretch, and eventually break under pressure.

Secondly, the use of these weights makes typical casting methods nearly impossible, as the weighted areas of the line will be carried farther than the rest of the line, resulting in horrific “birds-nests” and “wind-knots.”

IF the line is successfully cast, than the last problem with this method is quickly exposed. When the line hits the water, the weighted areas of the line will sink, while the unweighted areas will continue to try to float, causing the line to create a wave in the water, resembling a horizontal mend.

Although this method is not practical for general use, these is one style of fishing that it can prove useful for. Over the past few years, fishermen have developed a form of fly fishing call “float fishing.” Due to the large, loop casting, and the fact that the line is constantly taunt in the water, this method of line weighting, if developed properly, may prove very useful in the future.

All in all, the most practical, and effective methods are to simply use weighted flies, and a weighted line. Utilizing these methods, you will successfully drop your flies and be able to get the most out of your nymphing and wet fly fishing.

• 'Fly day- Friday: The Usual After you have spent a while on the stream, you realize that every fisherman has his own favorite fly. Although I have a number of flies that I have deemed valuable to me because of their effectiveness, and even though I have a handful of flies that have sentimental value......
• Wild Eyed Wooly The Wild-Eyed Wooly (WEW) is a common fly amongst North American fly fishermen. Due to is versatility and productivity, it has earned its place as one of the best streamers to use when trout fishing in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. The WEW can be used as an imitator of......
• Spot Fishing: 'Quarter-turn Sweeps' Spot fishing is a good technique when you find yourself in a situation where there are a number of visible fish rising. The basic idea is to always be ready for a repositioning of the fly to the place of the most current activity, whether that is along the......
• Stream Etiquette As we are approaching fishing season, there are certain etiquettes that should be discussed. One of the most important rules of fly fishing is that a fisherman should never, under any circumstances, 'cull.' Culling is the very inconsiderate practice of keeping a trout in a creel, and then, after catching......
• Casting a Broomstick? Today I was speaking with my father, the man most responsible for my passion for fly-fishing, and we were discussing the topic of what should be considered when introducing a new angler to fly-fishing. The most important thing that was decided was that when someone is introduced to fishing, gear......

• More Fishing and Boating Lexicon Fishery - This is a term that is used for lakes, rivers and streams where it is possible for people to come and catch fish, or to catch a specific type of fish, such as a trout fishery or a bass fishery. Fish hook - This is a barbless or......
• Fly Fishing [/caption] Nymph fishing is a fly fishing technique and likely the most challenging too. Because the fly, which is very small, is underwater this can often be a tedious test to even the best angler. Needless to say, even the most patient fishermen can find this frustrating. Trout fishing is......
• Fishermen Contest Ocean Reserves Plans There does not seem to be anything pacific about the oceans off of Southern California anymore. There is currently a battle being waged over how marine reserves are going to be established along the California coast. The competing interests from seaside companies, fishermen and environmentalists are muddying the waters. The......
• Truckee Waters The Truckee River, Martis, Donner Lake, Boca, Prosser and Stampede Reservoirs offer plenty of fishing variety meaning that experts and beginners alike will find something to suit them. Truckee happens to be a convenient supply center offering decent restaurants, good lodging and unique shopping. There is also excellent camping nearby,......
• How Can You Find A Good Emergency Plumber In San Francisco? Do you need to find a good emergency plumber San Francisco, but don’t know where to start looking? There are a couple of different ways that can be used to help you find the emergency plumber that will help you get rid of your annoying plumbing problem. You don’t want......

This past Saturday I finally made time to head to the local fishing lake to cast my new 6 piece, hoping to hook into a nice one as well. What I forgot to take into account was that we are currently in the dry season, and the once deep, tidal waters, have now diminished to a shallow puddle. Despite the circumstances, I rolled my jeans up and waded into the murky water and began fishing. Three hours, and a horrible sunburn later, I gave up in search of some aid from the locals who had gathered to watch this mysterious method of fishing. What I learned I wish I had known before I entered the mud. Apparently, as the lake begins to lose water, the majority of the fish move out, and swim into the outlet of the lake, where they remain in a deep hole that has formed over the years.
Excited about the possibility of heading there to try my luck, I learned also that it is only permitted for young children to fish that area, leaving me back where I started.
As I was about to pack up, I ran into an older man who was carrying three large bottom-feeders; I was Interested. sure they weren’t cut-throats or Rainbows, but they were fish. The man informed me that while the other fish find their way into deeper water, the bottom feeders flourish. At this I tied on a large, olive woolly-bugger, and headed back to the mud-hole. After about only a half hour, I found it was lunchtime and began to pack up. Unfortunately, as I was retrieving my line, a large sucker took my line and snapped the bugger clean off at the tippet. Although he had the opportunity to live victorious for another week, I will be back out there tomorrow, armed with another bugger, and a bit stronger tippet.

• Dodging Duckweed This past week I spent time scouting out, and fishing, a local pond here in northeastern Connecticut. It was my first time fishing this specific body of water, so I met up with the owner of the property to discuss the ins and outs of fishing there. After a few......
• New Mexico: Seeing Past Dark Water I just recently returned from the lovely state of New Mexico where I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks on the Dine', or more commonly, the Navajo, Reservation. While there, I was able to travel to a number of different streams and rivers, in search of a native......
• 'Dead-Fly' Done For all of those fly fishermen our there who enjoy using streamers when fishing, there is one problem that seems almost inevitable at times: ‘dead-fly.’ Dead-fly is the term used to describe a streamer that tends to turn upside-down when being retrieved through the water. This action will cause the......
• Fish For Fun For all of those fishermen out there that fish simply for the joy of fishing, and wish to simply have a good time, I have the perfect plan for you. When I was a young teen, and was just starting to learn to fly fish, a close friend of the......
• Where To Draw The Line... Yesterday I was speaking to a man who has just began to fly-fish, and he asked me an interesting question that seems to typically be overlooked, “how often should I change my fly line?” This question has a number of answers that can all be considered correct. Firstly, the leader......

• More Fishing and Boating Lexicon Free Spool - This is a reel allowing for fishing line to be fed through freely to the current or the fish, or it describes the method used to feed line without any resistance or drag to the fish or to the current. Fresh water - This is a term......
• Henness Pass Fishing Paved access to this pass' fishing leaves the Highway 89 just fifteen minutes north of where Truckee is. It will run down along the Little Truckee River until it reaches the end of the pavement which is at the Jackson Meadows Reservoir Dam. Here you will find dirt roads that......
• Top Five Reasons You’re Not Catching Fish From the time when man first decided that fish tasted pretty good, we’ve been struggling to adopt new techniques and unlock the secrets to successful fishing. While we may not rely on fish as our main source of food anymore, the contest has not dimmed. For thousands, every open......
• Fishing Report: January 29, 2010 Striped Bass, Crab and Halibut Thanks to recent heavy rains and storms, everything's running full and most everything is muddy. But after almost a full week of no fishing, anglers were able to get back out this week and the results were better than expected in many cases. At Berkeley/Emeryville......
• Green Fishing and Boating As the environment becomes a bigger concern, it has never been more important to practice green fishing and boating techniques. There are many ways that you can enjoy your favorite hobbies and still be eco-friendly. It is vital to preserve the state of our waterways and to ensure that there......

Tags: Argentina, Flyfishing

I was recently asked my opinion bout looped leader. As opposed to a regular leaders, that are attached to the float line directly, using a blood-knot, a small, looped tag line is fastened to the float that the leader, also having a looped end, is woven through.
There are a few advantages to a looped, such as the ease in which the leaders can be changed out. When changing out regular leaders, due to a hard knot or a high break, it is necessary to cut the old leader of, and retie a knew one, thereby waisted a few inches of float line each time. With a looped leader, one can simply remove the old, and rethread the new.
While this is very handy, the visibility and drag of a loop is much higher than a small blood-knot. Due to those factors, I typically will only use a looped leader when fishing saltwater, or steel heads in rapid water, where visibility and drag are not so problematic, and for such situations, I find them very useful, however I would not recommend them for lighter trout fishing where it is preferable to to keep your line very streamline and clear. All that said, I highly recommend them for heavy fishing, but have yet to find a plus to using them for stream fishing.

• Friday- Fly Day: Montana Although the Montana, due to its name, may seem like the All-American nymph, it is actually quite the diplomatic fly, spreading its influence into northern countries such as New Zealand. The streamer, theoretically, was used primarily in the Montana state, and other western countries, until it was discovered, and brought......
• Don't Forget Your Line I recently received the invitation to go on a short fly fishing excursion in Cape Cod. I, and a handful of other fly fishermen will be literally spending every waking moment on the waters edge. With this trip coming up, I would like to take time discussing one key aspect......
• New Mexico: Seeing Past Dark Water I just recently returned from the lovely state of New Mexico where I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks on the Dine', or more commonly, the Navajo, Reservation. While there, I was able to travel to a number of different streams and rivers, in search of a native......
• Tying the Knot This past week, a friend of the family bought a number of fly rods for their family members. As a result, I spent a couple hours assembling reels. While doing this, I remembered something important that I wanted to share with you all. When attaching the floating line to the......
• Down Came The Rain And... Over the coarse of the past few weeks Monte, the rural town where I am currently residing, has seen days of rainfalls, resulting in a drastic rise in the water level of the lagoon on which the small town lies. As I have explained in past posts, there are a......

• Boating and Fishing Glossary Continued Apache Trout - Native to the White Mountains area located in the east of central Arizona, this is one of the two species of trout native to the state. It is a yellow-gold color on the body that has sparse spots that may go beneath the lateral line and bold,......
• Fly Fishing Rods - New And Improved Fly fishing rods are the fishing poles used by the anglers in the old days to catch a few fish for dinner. Youngsters and their granddads would walk to the creek or the 'old fishing hole' with their rods in hopes of catching 'the big one' they could proudly......
• More Fishing and Boating Lexicon Earthworm - In fishing, this is a common term that is used to refer to the wide variety of different fishing worms that can be used for baiting, including night crawlers, garden works, dillys, leaf worms and red wigglers. Edge - This describes the borders that are created by a......
• Boating and Fishing Glossary Continued Bluegill - A common member of the sunfish family. This word is not interchangeable for panfish or sunfish. Bobber - A small float that is fastened to the fishing line a distance above the hook. This is used to both control the depth that the hook will sink to and......
• Defining Fly Fishing I’ll bet that you have any idea about fly fishing, aren’t you? So, what really is fly fishing? Why bother ask this question? Well, it is relevant to answer the question given that fly fishing has been a matter of public policy. Definitely, this is the most obvious in the......

Tags: Lines, Loops

Hey Ya all! I’m back in the wonderful country of Argentina once again, and, once again my travels have revealed one more aspect of fly fishing that I cannot believe I have not yet mentioned : Flying Fishermen.

I recently received a March Brown travel rod from my father for Christmas, an investment that I highly recommend for any avid fisherman due to the endless opportunities that the world has to offer.

When buying a travel rod, the smallest is not always the best. My March Brown is a 5 piece, and I love the action it has to offer, but what you need to remember that at every point where the rod breaks, the rod is reinforced, and at those areas, you lose a small amount of power when casting. There many articles out there that can more easily explain what I am talking about, but it is important to take that into account when purchasing such a rod.

What can get interesting though, is that companies will sacrifice this reinforcement in order to offer better action. This fine line is left for the buying to decide based on the targeted fish. One piece of advise I can offer after talking to a number of other fishermen is this, try to buy a rod that is a weight heavier than you would desire. It will offer more security for those unexpected trophies, and you can always remove the butt and just cast the top if you so desire.

Furthermore, spend the extra money to buy nice case. Never go cheap when it comes to protecting your gear, especially when traveling. The extra couple dollars for a good hard case can save you hundreds in damages.

• Making Weight Making Weight," an expression that I heard constantly from my little brother during his high school wrestling career, has made its way into the fly fishing world. For those fishermen that enjoy nymphing and 'wet-fly' fishing, many companies have developed a number of different sinking lines that allow wet flies......
• Never Too 'Late' For the typical, New England, clear water fly fishermen, trout season tends to stretch primarily from opening day, the third Saturday in April, to about late may, into early July, when the temperature begins to rise, and the water levels begin to drop. Although this sad state of affairs has......
• The Argentine Way The past weekend I had the opportunity to tour Rio de Plata, the largest river in the world. While there I had the opportunity to meet a number of men fishing along the dikes that ran along the waters edge. After speaking with there fishermen, I found that the general......
• Like Passing a Camel Through a Needle This past weekend I spent time working with a gentlemen who wished to learn to cast a fly-rod. Before we even began casting, I noticed something that I thought appropriate to address. When threading a fly line through a rod, we have all faced the frustration of accidently dropping the......
• Holey Handle As most fly fishermen can attest to, cork handles are undoubtedly the most comfortable handles to use when casting. Although there are many types of handles, such as foam and composite, nothing seems to offer the support, durability, and comfort of cork. However, cork falls subject to a number of......

• San Francisco Tips for Traveling If you are planning on experiencing everything that San Francisco has to offer, then it would benefit you to have some San Francisco travel tips under your belt before you get the ball rolling on your travel. Here is a brief list of some of the most important San Francisco......
• NEW OEM HTC T-MOBILE GOOGLE G1 BATTERY DOOR B r a n d Product Description Flight delays, power outages, longer-than-expected trips. You can't always recharge your HTC device when you'd like to. But with an extra HTC battery on hand, you can always talk, type, and work as long as you need to. Keep it in your......
• Truckee Waters The Truckee River, Martis, Donner Lake, Boca, Prosser and Stampede Reservoirs offer plenty of fishing variety meaning that experts and beginners alike will find something to suit them. Truckee happens to be a convenient supply center offering decent restaurants, good lodging and unique shopping. There is also excellent camping nearby,......
• Stay the course Stay the course – when you start any online marketing campaign, it’s very important that you stick to the same central idea and work with it until you get results. Another major problem that kills many would-be marketers is trying to advertise or promote in a certain way and......
• Buying Carbon Offsets - Which Company Do You Choose Holy Moly, which one to choose? This is just a small sampling of the companies that are offering carbon offsets for sale so that you can take action against the CO2 that you emit, whether from your house, your car, airline travel or whatever the case may be. Since we......

Throughout the history of the website I have mentioned a number of wonderful patterns that have served countless fishermen well.

We all know the joy of catching a nice trout on a new patterned, but what is unfathomably more enjoyable is catching trout on a pattern that you tied personally; a desire that most fly fishermen have, but few end up ever pursuing the art, usually because they do not know where to begin, faced most commonly with the question, “Where do I get the material.”
Buying the tools to begin tying is as simply as a trip to your local sports outfitter, however, acquiring the actually materials can be quite a challenge if you do not know where to look.

This time of year, as well as during other hunting seasons, the availability of materials increases greatly. Around the country there are thousands of gaming clubs, at which, hunters gather to register their trophies. Furthermore, there are many times throughout the year that these clubs engage in large bird roasts, and other such activities, resulting in large amounts of unused feathers and furs, that can readily be obtained.

Furthermore, there is another resource that I have found to be very useful when I am in need of material: the DEP. Over the past few years I have made friends with a member of the Maine DEP. Thanks to this contact, I have had access to a number of materials not readily available to me here in Connecticut. Therefore I highly recommend that you make friends with your local game clubs and DEP.

More than just natural materials alone, there are many other materials that can be found in a number of other places, such as your local arts and crafts store, filled with different yarns and colored feathers. I have found that some of the most useful materials I have in my arsenal are not ordered from magazines, or found attatched to an animal, but rather have been found strolling the aisles of ‘Crafts R Us.’

• Dodging Duckweed This past week I spent time scouting out, and fishing, a local pond here in northeastern Connecticut. It was my first time fishing this specific body of water, so I met up with the owner of the property to discuss the ins and outs of fishing there. After a few......
• Friday- Fly Day: Montana Although the Montana, due to its name, may seem like the All-American nymph, it is actually quite the diplomatic fly, spreading its influence into northern countries such as New Zealand. The streamer, theoretically, was used primarily in the Montana state, and other western countries, until it was discovered, and brought......
• Fly Day- Friday: The Hornberg For all of you fishermen, and women, out there who wish to catch fish, the Hornberg is a wonderful fly to have in your arsenal when on the stream. People are not sure exactly when this fly was first fabricated. Some people believe it was some time in the 1930’s.......
• New Mexico: Seeing Past Dark Water I just recently returned from the lovely state of New Mexico where I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks on the Dine', or more commonly, the Navajo, Reservation. While there, I was able to travel to a number of different streams and rivers, in search of a native......
• Fly Day- Friday: Mickey Mouse For all of you fishermen that like to be a little different, and go against the grain of traditional fly fishing, the Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly the fly for you. The Mickey Mouse isn’t actually a fly at all, and is generally categorized as a member of the terrestrial family.......

• Budget Buster: Home Gym or Health Club? While my wife and I always seem to talk about it, we are now starting to take action on living a healthier lifestyle. After hibernating during the cold months of winter and having our age catching up to us, it is time to be active again. We have been discussing......
• Six Lessons Star Wars Can Teach Us About Money Is Star Wars just a fantasy world or can we learn some things about personal finance too? As a young lad I was exposed to the original trilogy, watching the movies with every sick day I could force out. Many of the broader subjects, like government corruption escaped my......
• Roofing Solutions For a House by Scott Rodgers A beautiful view of the surrounding trees and open grounds adorns our house is located on the suburbs. My husband works as an automobile engineer for a car manufacturing company. It is the community school located near the neighborhood where our two kids go to study. I......
• 6 Lessons Star Wars Can Teach You About Money Is Star Wars just a fantasy world or can we learn some things about personal finance too? As a young lad I was exposed to the original trilogy, watching the movies with every sick day I could force out. Many of the broader subjects, like government corruption escaped my youthful......
• Golf Club Reviews - Adams, Essential Fit, and More. Adams Golf RPM 460 Titanium - The newest RPM 460cc Titanium Driver by Adams was launched by popular demand to serve as a compliment to the new RPM Low Profile Fairway Woods as well as the new RPM Dual Driver. This is an incredibly forgiving driver thanks to its large......

This past week, a friend of the family bought a number of fly rods for their family members. As a result, I spent a couple hours assembling reels. While doing this, I remembered something important that I wanted to share with you all.
When attaching the floating line to the backing, it is important to use a nail knot. Although this knot is popularly assembled but use of, well yes, a nail, I have, over time found an easier way.

By using a small section of an inkwell of a standard office pen, the line, that is usually passed parrallel to the nail, can be easily passed through the plastic tube, resulting in the same knot.

Furthermore, when this knot is completed, I like to secure it using a dot of nail polish, both securing and waterproof, it locks the knot from fraying, and thereby loosening.

• Don't Find Yourself Fishing For Excuses The season is here, and in all the hustle, it is very important to not overlook any laws. Being a responsible fisherman means having a good sense of responsibility; even when noone is necessarily watching. The first most important thing which noone should ever attempt to dodge, is registering for......
• Fly Day- Friday: Mickey Mouse For all of you fishermen that like to be a little different, and go against the grain of traditional fly fishing, the Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly the fly for you. The Mickey Mouse isn’t actually a fly at all, and is generally categorized as a member of the terrestrial family.......
• Loopy Leaders I was recently asked my opinion bout looped leader. As opposed to a regular leaders, that are attached to the float line directly, using a blood-knot, a small, looped tag line is fastened to the float that the leader, also having a looped end, is woven through. There are a......
• Casting a Broomstick? Today I was speaking with my father, the man most responsible for my passion for fly-fishing, and we were discussing the topic of what should be considered when introducing a new angler to fly-fishing. The most important thing that was decided was that when someone is introduced to fishing, gear......
• Keeping Your Feet Dry Yesterday I was abruptly reminded of a very real problem that many fishermen face this time of year. I was unpacking some fishing gear with a friend. When we examined his waders, we found a number of holes in the legs, as well as dry-rot cracks were they had been......

• Money Saving Monday: Air Travel I set out to write a post about how to get the best deal on air travel. My list consisted of the following: Book travel as far in advance as possible. Use an air travel aggregator site. Get an airline "miles" credit card. Look for airlines that feature child......
• Tips for Fishing in the Fall As the weather begins to cool down, and as the leaves begin to change in hue, you may begin to have daydreams about fishing. The autumn season is the perfect time to start thinking about fishing, as there is no better time for you to be fishing than in the......
• 9 Steps for Establishing Credit Credit is the catch all term for the act of lending money. It can take the form of a credit card, in which the lender buys the things you want and you pay them back. Loans are where you have the money given to you with the promise to pay......
• Win a "Front-of-the-line" pass to Manta at SeaWorld Orlando Contest! SeaWorld in Orlando is set to open their newest aquatic themed ride in May: The Manta Coaster! In the spirit of festive market buzz, they're offering a chance to win a free pass to go to the "Front-of-the-line"! That's the grand prize, but there are other prizes: Prizes (5,000 each):......
• The PBX Evolution The term PBX refers to a Private Branch Exchange. A PBX is sometimes called a telephone switch, business telephone system or phone switching device. The term PBX is synonymous with Electronic Private Automated Branch Exchange (EPABX) and Private Automated Branch Exchange (PABX). It is similar to a central office exchange......

Tags: Knots, Lines

Hey everyone! I have just recently entered back into the US after having spent a few weeks in El Salvador, and boy is it cold here, ecspecially when out on the water. As I have discussed in the past, there are a number of dangers that fishermen face during the winter months of the season.

One major challenge that we all face is staying warm. There are people who have the idea that it is easier to get warm than cool off, due to the fact that you can always put more clothes on, but can only take so much off. Although this is partially true, there is one important factor to remember: sweat.

Many fisherman forget to factor in sweat when they prepare for the winter outdoors. Although layering clothes will result in immidiate warmth, if you become so warm that you begin to sweat, than you run the risk of hypothermia in the same way as if your clothes are dampened by river water or rain.  hypothermia results when your body temperature drops rapidly, the problem results when outside air begins to cool the water against your skin, in this case, sweat. due to the fact that temperature can be transfered through water faster than air, the sweat causing a miore rapid exchange of temperature, resultting in a faster drop in body temperature.

There are many clothing products that can cut down on this tempurature transfer, that will absorb your sweat and allow your body to maintain proper temperature. all in all, it is important to remain warm, but be careful to not become so warm that in becomes a danger. furthmore, look around, and invest in sweat-absorbant undershirts.

• What's A Yeti? Just yesterday I was fishing with my three brothers at a favorite childhood fishing hole behind the house where we grew up. While we were fishing, my little brother accidently brought up an interesting topic that I decided to discuss today. The four of us went out fishing, and neglected......
• Fly Day- Friday: The Hornberg For all of you fishermen, and women, out there who wish to catch fish, the Hornberg is a wonderful fly to have in your arsenal when on the stream. People are not sure exactly when this fly was first fabricated. Some people believe it was some time in the 1930’s.......
• 'Match the Hatch' I was down by the river today, and was looking to see what hatches would be coming off soon due to the warm spring weather. while there, I thought that it would be advantageous for me to share with you some simple methods of searching for nymphs, and seeing what......
• From Sea to Shining Sea As I stated yesterday, the majority of Midwest fly fishing is 'dark water.' Although this is true, clear water fishing is a huge industry in other, more mountainous, areas of New Mexico. When traveling through the mountainous regions around Los Alamos, I met up with two men who were preparing......
• Fish For Fun For all of those fishermen out there that fish simply for the joy of fishing, and wish to simply have a good time, I have the perfect plan for you. When I was a young teen, and was just starting to learn to fly fish, a close friend of the......

• Shirley J: Parkerhouse Dinner Rolls If you want something light for dinner, then try the Parkerhouse Dinner Rolls from Shirley J. Ingredients: 6 c. Shirley J Sweet Roll, White or Wheat Bread Mix 2 T. instant dry yeast 1 ½ c. warm water (variable) butter (melted) Directions: Using an electric mixer, add Shirley J Bread......
• How to Treat Frostbite /caption] If you're a natural outdoorsman who enjoys the hiking trail even when it's littered with snow, you've probably encounter some pretty cold conditions before. But that doesn't necessarily mean you've had a real case of frostbite, even if you have exposed yourself to the possibility. Frostbite is a real......
• Why is Staying so Dry Important for Winter Sports? /caption]On one hand, the question that the title of this article poses seems like a bit of a self-answer-er. Dryness is crucial during winter sports, is it not? Well, yes, but how many of us not only understand this lesson, but put it into practice when we actually venture into......
• 50 Ways to Leave you Richer -- Part II iz Pulliam Weston posts an article on 50 Ways to Trim your Budget. The points in this series of posts will be taken from her list in this article. This installment will round out the "utilities" section in the article. I hope you enjoy this series! Part I is here.......
• Fishing North and South of the I-80 North of the I 80 There are actually more good spots for fishing north from the Interstate 80 than many people realize. Unfortunately, all of these fishing spots are going to require some driving on dirt roads for access. Locals generally use trucks and 4 wheel drive vehicles to get......