I think I've got the Wordpress album figured out. Here are a few shots from our recent Agua Boa peacock bass trip. One of the best trips ever!

[caption id="attachment_2353" align="alignright" width="300"] Not bad for being in the middle of the Amazon jungle![gallery link="file" orderby="rand"]

 

Take a look at this fisherman! No one will call him a "Bird Brain."

After many months in the planning, we launched the new web site last night. We're still tweaking, of course, but excited about it. The store will grow as we add flies and put the finishing touches on it to make it as easy to use as possible. We're hopeful that the Connect Community will be a fun place for everyone to share photos, conversations, tips, comments, and stories. We welcome your suggestions and comments.

[caption id="attachment_2245" align="alignleft" width="199"] Joe Zona with a very nice peacock bass.


We got home from the Amazon last Sunday night. We had a great trip. Lots of fish, water was in great shape, and amazing stories to tell by all. We broke the lodge record for broken rods (I don't know if that is something we should talk too much about). We had a group of good fishermen but the bass were rested, hungry and determined to test our skills and tackle!

We fished the river and the lagoons and  found fish everywhere we went. We had long fishing days. If you want, you can cast continuously all day. As they say, keep your fly in the water and keep it moving.

Thank you to Frontiers for organizing the departure and to Agua Boa Amazon Lodge. We'll see you next year!

 

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[caption id="attachment_2229" align="alignleft" width="300"] Destinations


After many many months of working on the new web site we are ready to launch. Next week, hopefully Tuesday, is our date. This is a complete remake with  everything new. I'll let you know the exact day and hope you have a few minutes to take a look.

Since I've been very negligent in keeping our old site up to date, I'll list our schedule of trips here.

Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2012 - Tres Valles, Argentina (trout)

2013:

• Jan. 12-19 - Los Roques, Venezuela (bones, permit, tarpon)


• Feb. 3-22 - South Island, New Zealand (trout)


• Mar. 5-23 - Patagonia, Argentina (trout)


• Apr. 27-May 4 - Bahamas (TBA)


• June 2-9 - Boca Paila, Mexico (bones, permit, tarpon, snook)


• June 18-July 1 - East Africa Safari (great migration)


• July 13-19 - Isla Holbox, Mexico (big & little tarpon)


• July 27-Aug. 3 - Laxardal, Iceland (brown trout)


• August 17-24 & 24-31 - Bighorn River, Montana (trout)


• Sept. 20-Occt. 8 - Mongolia (taimen) & Eagle Festival


• Oct. 26-Nov. 2 - Agua Boa, Brazil (peacock bass)


• Nov. 30 - Dec. 7 - Tres Valles, Argentina (trout)

All trips will all be on the new site with complete itineraries, but please let us know if you have any questions in the meantime.

 

We spent the weekend in Lexington, KY. It was a beautiful fall weekend and the opening of Keenland so needless to say town was full of horse people. But, we were there for a TU event at Talon Winery. We had a casting clinic, demo, and Barry presented his Digital Photography program. It was a beautiful fall afternoon and evening. Live music, good food, great company.

Saturday we spent a day on the lovely Cumberland River with guides Mike Wloswski and Troy Humphrey. Our fishing partners were Susan Slade and Robert Van Onselder and we had a great time. Caught a few fish, enjoyed a beautiful day, and ate lots of good food as the photos will show.

Thank you Bluegrass TU for a great weekend.

 

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Yesterday was our last day of fishing. We will soon load up the ATVs for our trip out of the jungle to the Indian village where we will meet our little plan plane back to Santa Cruz. Overnight there tonight, fly to Miami tomorrow, overnight in Miami tomorrow night, and home on Saturday.

I am still fighting with the Wordpress app from my iPad. Seems like a lot of people are having problems with it. It makes me anxious to get home, launch the new web site and blog. Enough of Wordpress for me.

We have had an incredible time. This is a wild place  and a wild river. It's amazing to see the dorado crashing into the sabalo with fish and bait flying everywhere. It's very much like a bluefish/striper blitz on the east coast.

Our guides have been amazing too. It's very interesting too see how well they work with the Indian boatmen. Everyone helps each other whether it's pushing and pulling the heavy dug-out canoes up through the rapids, spotting dorado, or sharing lunch. Everyone is very patient, no one shouts or looses their patience - even when the boatmen have disappeared into the jungle hunting when we're ready to move!

They are loading the ATVs. More to come when we get home, with photos!

Lots of dry fly fishing this month on the Bighorn River in Montana. It hasn't been this good in years. Yellow Sallies, Tricos, Tan & Black Caddis, Mahogany Duns, you name it, we're seeing it right now. It's like the old days. Dry flies all day long. Incredible!

We'll be back, same time, same place next year. If you're thinking of a western fishing trip, we urge you to consider Kingfisher Lodge with us on the Bighorn!

 

Dorado fishing in Bolivia is one of the most exciting trips you'll ever take. The entire trip is an adventure; traveling through the airports, the country, the camps, and most of all the fish. There is nothing like Dorado for reel-screaming action. We still have a few openings in the second week, Sept. 14-25, 2012 (door-to-door). 8 nights, 6.5 days fishing. $7,600 per person. More information & itinerary. Call us today!

Owner of Patagonia Clothing Company, Yvon Chouinard, must not sleep at night. He is constantly thinking of ingenious, down-to-earth practical ways for all of us from large mega corporations right down to individual citizens to consciously and actively live more environmentally sustainable lives. And he's not afraid to raise the bar with the major players. Read the amazing story about his new partnership with Walmart and other retail behemoths. It will knock your socks off!

 

This is cool video - a look at the ocean world underwater.I hope you'll take a minute to view it.  Our God is an Awesome God!

Cathy Beck's New Super Beetle




This realistic-looking black foam beetle sports silicone legs and a high-viz wing making it easy to find on the water. Like the super bugger, this pattern belongs in your fly box. It's a great search pattern and is literally unsinkable. We've fished it from Patagonia to New Zealand, the Bighorn and back home again with great success.

Sizes: 8-10-12  $2.00 each

Super Beetle Selection: 4 of each size. Boxed. 1 doz. $21.95.

This item is not yet in our "store". Please call us toll free at 877-278-5638 or email to order. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This is our fourth day at ORL on the South Island, NZ. We're had the nicest weather ever in New Zealand and some incredible fish. The new Sage ONEs are making a big hit here as it is the perfect rod, when loaded with a Rio Grand line, for turning over big bushy dries and heavy nymphs on long leaders, sometimes 18' long.

We're here at Riverview Lodge, South Island. Just finished our fourth day. Fishing has been good and rivers are all at great levels. Lots of fish being caught on big beetles, parachute Adams, and various nymphs. Biggest so far is an 8 pound brown caught by David Theimann, not to mention his 6 and 7-1/2 pound fish caught the same day. This is the place for a big fish.

Ponoia River, Russia

The Ryabaga Camp on the Ponoi River epitomizes all that we love about a remote fishing experience; the excitement of a true wilderness location yet an oasis of comfort, hospitality and fine cuisine; a totally wild Atlantic salmon population that is thriving – where the efforts to care for the stocks show positive results.

We're returning to the Ponoi River in June, 2012. Cross off this week in your calendars and come with us for an extraordinary trip in prime time! Read the itinerary and get all the details!

Got the urge to do some saltwater fishing? We've got a very good friend and trip client who would like to find someone to share a room and a boat for our trip to Delphi Club, Abaco Island, Bahamas, January 15-21. Doesn't smoke, doesn't snore, good guy. $3,532 dbl. occupancy, 5 night/4 day, all meals & lodging, round trip Marsh Harbor transfer.

Let us know as soon as possible if you're interested.

I've recently updated our web site for the 2012 Guiding and Casting Instruction season. 2012 is going to be our busiest year ever for hosted travel, but I've squeezed out a Saturday in May for a Fly Casting Clinic and will be giving private lessons throughout the season. We've geared up our Guiding here on Fishing Creek and have a lot of pretty special water available to our guides. If guiding or instruction is on your mind, please refer to our web site for details. We hope to see you in 2012.

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to make a quick post about our NEW Facebook Fan Page. If you already 'LIKE' our old Fan Page, thank you! We appreciate the support very much. The old Fan Page never seemed to have the traction that Cathy's personal profile did. So we're going to where everyone already is.

If you were Cathy's friend on Facebook your profile automatically 'LIKED' the new Fan Page when we converted it over. But just to be sure, please take a second to visit us there and make sure your profile 'LIKES' the new page so we can continue to share the updates and other info that you've followed on Cathy's old personal profile.

Click the link below to visit the new Fan Page.

Barry & Cathy Beck's Fan Page

Thank you everyone for all your support and we look forward to seeing everyone on the new Fan Page and on the water!

Thank You and Happy Casting!

Barry & Cathy

Just a couple quick things before heading out to Alaska:

On October 8, we are being inducted into the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum, CCFC&M in Roscoe, NY. We're astounded at this prestigious honor and look forward to being in Trout Town, USA, for the events and ceremony. Hope to see you there.

I've posted several photos on Facebook of the flood that hit Benton and Fishing Creek last week. It's very very sad. Lots of people, including most of Benton, are still without water and were without power for days. Downstream of us, cabins were washed away at Forks and Bloomsburg was hit especially hard. If you're not a Facebook fan, check out the many photos posted in the Benton News, our wonderful little daily electronic newsletter.

We'll soon be advertising our line-up of trips for next year. Along with all the usual stops, we'll be heading to Bolivia for Dorado in September. We'd love to have you with us. Contact us for details.