New Web Site is Coming

We are finally close to launching our new web site. I thought this year of basically quarantine would be a good time to take on the project, but it's turned out to be a long drawn out affair. Between Brooke and myself, we've got kids and grandkids attending school in the living room and not having any clear direction on where the travel business is headed or when we will resume traveling, canceling one trip after another, restrictions on lockdown and what we can and can not do with guiding and instruction here in Pennsylvania, and, well – it's been challenging. But, we all think it's changing...finally.

Back to the web site, we're adding some new flies which we are excited about. You've seen and read about the poly fluff material that we're selling, using, and incorporating into some of our patterns. Last week we talked about poly fluff caddis adults and this week we have caddis emergers.

New Caddis Emergers (Pupa)

Our caddis emergers are tied with tungsten beads to sink quickly. The poly fluff wing case can't absorb water but the water hangs on it to make a realistic looking gas bubble which all emerging caddis use to propel themselves to the surface. Caddis pupae are very hairy and the translucency of the synthetic poly fluff adds to the realism of the actual caddis. Tied right here by our guide, Tom Harris.  Online Store

4 Body Colors: Creamy Gray, Tan, Green, Light Olive
Sizes: 12, 14, 16

$2.25 each

 Understanding Caddis

   Here's a great short piece by Josh Deck, a full time guide with Fly Fishing the Smokies. We too will see the Grannom caddis here on Fishing Creek. Our Gannoms will have a bright green body and tan wing. The gas pocket that Josh talks about is perfectly imitated with the translucent, buggy-looking properties of poly fluff. Thanks, Jeff. 

https://flyfishingthesmokies.net/the-life-of-the-caddis-fly-selection/

Hank Ties with Poly Fluff

Here's an easy, durable, very visible caddis adult that anyone can tie. Hank, one of the “L's” in L&L Products that some of our readers will remember from a few years ago is now a neighbor. In these past months at home we started to play around with poly fluff and have been reminded of what a great material it is for so many applications in tying flies. With a little tweaking and some new colors, it is available again.

If you don't tie, we have these caddis flies available in our online store. We think you'll like them!

https://youtu.be/7YQgQ2BQSm4

Poly Fluff Caddis

By the time you read this we should have a good inventory of black and tan caddis adult dry flies in 12's and 14's. Tied in the same style as Hank's caddis adult in the video above except that we've added legs. Online Store.

Quint’s Poly Fluff Parachute

I had an interesting chat with Quint Davis last week. Quint teaches fly tying classes in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and sent a photo of his poly fluff parachute dun. Micro Fibetts for the tail too. Beautifully done, Quint, thanks for sharing with us.

And Winding up the Week

The beautiful spring weather we’ve had this past week has brought out the fishermen — well, that and our Guiding Special which runs to the end of the month. Here’s the proof:

Guiding Special Extended

We're ready and waiting

We had a very mild winter....until we announced the winter guiding special a few weeks back. Now, after weeks of snow, ice, and freezing temps, it looks like spring might be on the way so we're extending the Winter Fishing Special until March 31st. Jim, our head guide, reported that he was out yesterday and it was one of the best days of the winter- and, he saw little black stoneflies and blue winged olives. With warmer temperatures the fish are more active and afternoons are pleasant. 4 hours guided fishing (Noon-4:00) for $175. Give us a call to schedule. 570-925-2392.

 What is Carbon Neutral?

Hi Everyone, I don't know what this means exactly. For the most part I think that it must be a good thing. Less pollution...or something like that. This article from the AFFTA Fisheries Fund first newsletter helps explain terms like this that are being tossed around these days. Let's all subscribe to the newsletter. Thank you AFFTA. Great job. Cathy.

Within the past six months, I’ve received a slew of pitches for products and services that all sound eerily similar: a “climate positive” parka and burger, a “carbon negative” vodka, a “carbon neutral” shipping service, a “carbon zero” commuting app, and “zero carbon” coffee.  
For scientists and environmentalists, these phrases have been around for a while, but it’s only recently that companies, from small startups to established corporations, have adopted them for mainstream marketing use. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos pledged to have the company be carbon neutral by 2040; Microsoft has committed to be carbon negative by 2030; Starbucks aims to be “resource positive” …..  
continue reading

How To Prolong The Life Of A Fly Line

In this episode of RIO's "How To Fly Fish" series, Chris Walker explains and demonstrates a number of ways that a fly line's coating can get damaged in day-to-day fishing situations. Having a fly line perform at the very best of its potential is much easier if you can avoid some of these very simple, common-sense mistakes.
Clearly explained in Chris's easy-going, simple-to-understand style, this film shows how easy it is to keep a fly line from getting damaged.
We've got a few packs of RIO's fly line cleaner that you'll see in the video. Send us a comment through the blog (make sure you're viewing online) and we'll send you a packet to try.

Friends & Family

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is struggling with the ravages of this winter. Just about every part of the country has been affected in one way or another and we hope that you all soon have power restored, food enough, safe water to drink, and warm shelter.

Polyfluff & Microfibetts

If you saw the blog a couple weeks ago, you may have seen Barry introducing our new Polyfluff wing material for dry flies, emergers, and down wing caddis, etc., along with a new tail material Super Thin Microfibetts, great for spinner and dun tails.

Polyfluff is available in 5 colors to start, with more colors coming. The Super Thin Micro Fibetts are white/clear. Both are now available in our online store. In the next couple of weeks we'll have Tom Harris, our guide and fly tier, and Hank Leonard, formerly of L&L Products, tying flies and showing different uses and tricks using these products. We hope the fly tiers among us will tune in.  

29 Days Until Spring!

We Have a Winner!

Scott Hood was the first to correctly guess the Selkirk Lighthouse on the Salmon River in Oswego County. We had many guesses that were “mostly” right but something was missing. Congratulations Scott. Thank you to everyone who participated.

 Sage's 597-4 X

Matt McCannel is a Ridgeway, Colorado guide who specializes in guiding on tailwater rivers. Read what he has to say about the Sage 597-4 X, for bigger water. You may want to consider the advantages of an extra six inches when fishing nymphs and mending line.
https://www.sageflyfish.com/experience/sage-blog/the-right-tool-technical-winter-nymph-fishing

 Comparadun Sale from last week

Not quite as much inventory as last week, but still good. $1.50 each.
We are discontinuing our comparaduns to make way for the new dry flies. There are many loyal comparadun fishermen out there and if you're one of them, now is a good time to stock up! Almost all of our stock has been beautifully tied by our long-time tier and friend, Jim Smethers, and right now we have a good inventory.
Order Today!
https://www.barryandcathybeck.com/site/index.php/store-shop-online/Comparaduns-Hatch-Matchers-p33495707

Contest! Join the Fun

Be the first to name the lighthouse and tell us where it is and win a River Camo MFC fly box. Just in time for the season! Hint: The lighthouse is east of Cleveland, south of Portland, west of Martha's Vineyard, and north of Washington, DC. Hurry, if you know it tell us. Must reply in our Comments Section so make sure you're viewing this online and not in your email (link at top of blog).

Introducing PolyFluff Flies & Material

We're excited to tell you about our new Poly Fluff flies and material. With positive feedback from our friends who fished the flies last year, we're soon going to have them in our online store. Barry's going to tell us about the flies and the versatile tying material.

Comparadun Sale

We are discontinuing our comparaduns to make way for the new dry flies. There are many loyal comparadun fishermen out there and if you're one of them, now is a good time to stock up! Almost all of our stock has been beautifully tied by our long-time tier and friend, Jim Smethers, and right now we have a good inventory.

$1.75 each while supply lasts. Order Today!

https://www.barryandcathybeck.com/site/index.php/store-shop-online/Comparaduns-Hatch-Matchers-p33495707

This week we have suggestions from Barry on getting our gear ready for spring and trout season. Let us know if you have any questions. You can access our comments section by viewing the blog online (see the option at the very top of the blog). We love hearing from our readers!!

Down Time

These are the months when we usually have time to check our gear to make sure we're ready for our next fishing trip. Let's look at some of the things we can do before spring rolls around.

If you use cleats, check your boots to see if any cleats are worn down or missing. If you're missing cleats, it's easy to replace them and now is the time to do it. Replace worn laces and examine the eyelets which can develop a sharp edge that will wear on the laces. Make sure the boot bottoms are not coming loose from the uppers. There are only so many repairs you can make, so it may be time for new boots. Your local or online fly shop should have new inventory coming in and will appreciate the order.

Everyone knows that leaky waders are no fun. On our last trip to Spain I had a leak that became more serious as the trip went on. I planned to patch the waders as soon as we got home but it slipped my mind and on the coldest day this fall I guided and was sorely reminded about the leak. If your waders are Goretex, you can easily find the leak by turning the waders inside out and spraying the inside with rubbing alcohol. The holes quickly show up as dark spots. A little drop of Aquaseal rubbed over the dark spot will solve the problem. For non-breathable materials turn the waders inside out and fill with water being careful not to get the outside wet. The water pressure will push a droplet of water through the wader where you can see it, mark the holes with a marker as they appear. The waders will be very heavy once filled with water so this process works best with two people and a hose. Once the material is dry cover the holes with aqua seal.

After a few seasons raincoats will start to seep or leak, especially around the shoulders, so it's good to periodically treat the fabric with ReviveX or Nikwax. Goretex molecules shrink over time and putting the raincoat in the clothes dryer for a half hour will expand the molecules. Follow the directions carefully for either product. Zippers can sometimes be a problem so a light coat of zipper lube will keep them running smoothly.

This is the perfect time to reorganize your fly boxes, restock favorite patterns and add new ones. We like compartment boxes for storage but prefer to fish out of boxes that keep our flies more organized, accessible and secure. A long time ago I opened a compartment box upside down on the stream and lost most of the contents. The icing on the cake was watching a trout rise to an escaped fly floating downstream.

Vests, hip packs, or whatever you use to carry your flies and accessories should be inventoried. Stock up on tapered leaders, replace near empty tippet spools and fly floatant, fly drying crystals, split shot, strike indicators, stripping fingers, lip balm, hook sharpener and other accessories. Don't forget to purchase a new fishing license.

Rod handles can be cleaned with a mild soap and warm water. We often use a Simple Green, from the hardware store, for deep down dirt. Reel seats should be clean of dirt and grit. Grit in a screw lock reel seat can be a real problem. Stripping guides, snake guides, and tip tops should be checked for wear and replaced if necessary. If your rod has given you many years of service, carefully examine guides and tip tops. Sometimes a sharp edge or groove will develop which can ruin a fly line. Using Pledge wipes on your rod blank will make it look like new.

Reels should also be carefully inspected and cleaned. Watch for corrosion or grit build up around screws, and crevices. Turn back the drags and check the screws that hold the reel foot to the frame as this is a place that can collect sand or grit. If your tackle is used in salt water, this type of maintenance becomes more important than ever and will need to be done periodically throughout the season. Pledge wipes will also make your reels look new again.

Fly lines should be cleaned as necessary during the season but examined again before the start of a new season. Check out RIO's 2 part YouTube series How To Clean a Fly Line. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsCDjSdrpOA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taTfJMpiXeQ.

Examine your welded loops and nail knots both on the leader line connection as well as the fly line backing connection for any wear and replace if there is any doubt. Take a good look at your backing and make sure the wraps are on tight and even on the reel so there is no chance for a tangle or knot that will cause you to lose a good fish.

Even your landing net should be looked at. Holes in the net bag may let a fish escape so give it a look and repair if necessary.

Outside our office window it's snowing. A text came awhile ago from our guide, Tom Harris, who decided to go fishing. He tells us that he missed one fish early this morning but nothing since, says he's having trouble changing flies because of cold fingers. Here in the tackle room Eric Clapton is playing in the background, it's nice and warm, and the perfect day to check gear and maybe tie a few flies. We may fish tomorrow, if the weather forecast improves, but for now it's down time.   -Barry

Congratulations!

Our congratulations to Joe Compton on his biggest steelhead to date. A beautiful 31” fish caught somewhere between Ohio and Pennsylvania (he's not saying more than that!).

RIO's New Skagit Shooting Heads

And to round out winter fishing this week we have RIO's new Skagit Shooting Heads. It's always a pleasure to listen to Simon talk about spey casting. He and his team at RIO never stop thinking of ways to improve their products and they've done it again. If winter steelhead is your game, with new technology, taper design, and color coding it's easier than ever to keep yourself organized. Watch the video. Visit the RIO web site for more information.

Steelhead tactics vary greatly from the west coast to the Erie tributaries with season, water levels, and the size and condition of the streams which all factor in determining what tackle and methods we use. So, needless to say there is often confusion around steelhead rods and lines and the more we understand the options, the better the decisions we can make. If Skagit lines are in your arsenel of flylines, you'll like the new shooting heads. RIO has been the leader in offering steelhead anglers the tackle they need for all situations.

https://www.rioproducts.com/learn/elite-skagit-shooting-heads

Your Multi-Spey Rod Strategy

And while we’re on the subject of steelhead, here’s an interesting story on spey rods. It’s from Sage so it’s focused on the northwest. We would love to find a story on the same subject focused on the Erie Tributaries. Until then, we hope you enjoy this from Jon Hazlett.

https://www.sageflyfish.com/experience/sage-blog/your-multi-spey-rod-strategy

Winter Fishing Special

We're having mild days, our guides are fishing, and catching fish. If this mild trend continues we'll fish straight through the winter. So, with that in mind, we're offering a Winter Special from now until March 1. Come for the afternoon, 1-4:00, 4 hours guided fishing for $175. It's the warmest part of the day and when the fish are most active. Dress warm and get outside in the fresh air. Give us a call to schedule. 570-925-2392.

Jim’s Winter Fishing Tips

And, while we’re on the subject of winter fishing, Jim, our head guide has some tips for us:
Winter Fly Fishing Tips

I have noticed in the last few years that winter fly fishing has become more popular, especially in our local area. It's always been popular in Central PA, on streams like Penn’s Creek, Spring Creek and other limestone streams. And I’m also seeing a lot of articles in fly fishing magazines, photos and stories on social media on winter fly fishing.

As with any outdoor adventure it's always good to be prepared and have some idea of what clothing to wear and other items to have on hand so it a fun and a successful day on the water. Dressing in layers is a very good way to keep warm and if the conditions warm up, you can always take a layer off. Beware though, over dressing will make you look like the Michelin Man and restrict your mobility. 

A hooded rain jacket that is wind proof and water proof is a must. A warm hat with ear muffs and a lined buff will keep your head and neck warm. Fingerless fishing gloves help to keep your hands from freezing. I just found a pair of Simms fingerless gloves that have a pouch on the wrist for a disposable hand warmer packet. 

If you live close by, putting your waders and boots on at home is a lot easier and warmer than booting up on the stream. If there is snow on the ground be sure to use rubber bottom soles with cleats. Snow will cling to the felt soles making it very difficult to walk.

One problem with winter fishing on colder days is that ice will form in the guides of your fly rod. Solution? I like to use Stanley's Ice off or Pam Cooking spray. It will work for a while. If ice still forms in the guides, try dipping the rod in the water and swoosh it around, the ice will thaw. But, unfortunately, the guides will ice up again. It's just part of winter fishing. A mono rig will shed water quicker than a thicker fly line. So when I'm fishing in air temperatures in the 20's I will Euro nymph with a Mono Rig. (That’s an article for another time…)

A list of other things to bring along:

• Polarized Sunglasses
• Hand warmers
• Water, thermos of coffee and some snacks
• Towel – attached to your waders or vest to wipe off your wets hand after releasing a fish
• Change of clothes – just in case – it's a long ride home when you’re soaking wet and cold
These items are good things to have in your car all year round and you might be surprised how often you will thank yourself.

Now you are set with equipment, let’s talked about what hatches you could see and what flies usually work best.

Insects in the winter? Absolutely! Especially on nice sunny blue bird days it's not uncommon to see BWO's, early black stoneflies, caddis and small midges. If the sun warms up the water even a degree or two, you could see some rising fish and have some dry fly fishing.

Winter nymph fishing is usually the name of the game and having nymphs of the above hatches is always a good idea. A rule of the thumb for winter fishing is to use small flies in hook sizes 16 to 22. But rules are made to be broken and myths abound in the fly fishing world so don’t be afraid to experiment.

A few days ago I caught several trout on a size 10 Sexy Walt’s Worm and dead drifting a Cathy's Super Bugger has been the hot flies this month so far. Be prepared for anything and think outside the box. Oh, and don’t forget the incredible edible egg. Are you old enough to remember that in a TV commercial about eggs? Trout know what we know. Eggs are high in protein and a great winter diet for the trout.

Best to time be on the water is from around 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . It's usually the warmest part of the day and the most productive part of a winter day. It’s a good idea not to fish alone on cold winter days and having a buddy along can just add to the fun.

The idea of winter fly fishing is really hard for some anglers to grasp. It is a different mind set. But once you grasp it and are comfortable with fighting the elements it can be very rewarding. I'm not just out there to enjoy the beauty of a winter day. If that was the case I would just take a walk in the woods. I fish to catch fish and love the challenge that winter fishing brings and the feeling of accomplishment that I get from bringing a few trout to the net.

If you’ve never fished in the winter I like to encourage you do so. Hope some of the tips I mentioned will help you to enjoy these days on the water. I am happy to answer any question you might have. Click at the top of the blog to view it online and the comments box will appear. We love hearing from our readers.

  Patagonia Puff Pants

And still thinking about winter fishing, if you are looking for a layer that will keep you warm under your waders, check out Patagonia's Tough Puff Pants (#82005). Made from the same stretchy, durable fabric as the puff hoody, they are so warm you'll wear them as pants after fishing. For more information check them out at Patagonia.com.

 Guide's Advice

It just so happened that our three guides – Jim, Tom & Brad, were here a few days back and Barry asked them a couple of questions about their most valuable gear. What do they never leave home without when guiding. Here are their answers:

 Conservationist of the Year

We are very pleased and excited to announce that friend and Commissioner at Large for the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Charles Charlesworth, has been chosen at 2021 Conservationist of the Year. It would be hard to find another person (although we know they are out there) who has been more committed or has worked harder than Charlie in protecting, preserving, rehabilitating streams and promoting fly fishing. Take a look at what he has done for the Lackawanna River. Pretty impressive. Congratulations Charlie!

https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/2021-conservationist-of-the-year/387254

 

Photographing Fish

We have drives full of stories that we have written for various publications over the years. Actually some are still stored in boxes of floppy disks, cds and DVDs, and some are so old we don't have the devices to access them. But, that's a problem for another day. As you know, the flies and some of the terminal tackle changes over the years, leaders get thinner and stronger, fly patterns come and go, as do gadgets. But the thing that doesn't change is the quarry – the fish. Over the next few months we will be republishing a few of the short stories from days gone by. Here's our first one Photographing Fish originally in Field & Stream, 2010. Photos in the album are a mix of good, funny and unplanned.

 We handle fish almost on a daily basis as either guide, trip host, or fishing photographer. So, when our friend and editor Doug Olander asked for a few suggestions on releasing fish after we take a photo we thought we might begin with talking about handling the fish.

There are some toothy critters out there and when we decide to photograph these, there are some things to think about. A big barracuda is the first fish that comes to mind. Sharks can be a dangerous handful and even a small jack crevalle can give a nasty wound if handled improperly. Heck, we can get a sore hand for a couple of days by getting poked with the dorsal fin of a harmless panfish! These potentially hazardous situations can be the result of getting our hands too close to a mouthful of teeth (as in barracuda), or coming in contact with a sharp spine or gill plate (jack or snook), or an actual intended bite (shark). Cathy once grabbed a decaying sockeye salmon for a photo in Alaska and managed to get her fingers inside its mouth. It took a month of antibiotics to finally rid her hands of infection caused by bacteria in the rotting process. Be careful where you put your hands. Often on big fish a boca grip is the safest way to handle them for a photograph.

After catching the fish, how we handle it for the photographs is critical to its survival after being released. Nothing is set in cement here as there are so many variables, but there are a couple things to keep in mind. If the fish is taxed from being played too long it will take longer to revive and even then he may not survive. If he has put up a hard fight and is obviously played out, we’ll often help revive and release him using the method described below without chancing a photograph. We don’t believe any photograph is worth killing the fish.

This is the system we use whenever we photograph fish. The longer we hold a fish out of the water the better the odds are of it not surviving the event. If the fish is in good shape one of us will compose the photo while the other is safely holding the fish under water either gently cradling it or using a net. The person in charge of the fish can be getting it into the correct position for the photograph before lifting it when the photographer gives the word. If the head of the fish is gently cradled in one hand while gripping just ahead of the tail with the other hand, you’ll see plenty of the fish in the photograph and have a comfortable hold on the fish. For big, slippery fish a fishing glove or even a sun glove will help grip the tail. Make sure the glove is wet to protect the fish.

We work with Nikon digital cameras so we take our first picture of the angler holding the fish underwater and then check our composition and light in the monitor of the camera. If we like it we do a one-two-three count, the fish is lifted out of the water, the angler smiles, and the photographer fires three quick shots and the fish goes back underwater.

If the images look good in the monitor, it’s time to release the fish. We’re still holding the fish with a firm grip just ahead of the tail keeping it in an upright position in the water. If it’s not anxious to go we slowly move it back and forth facing into the current making the gills work. Make sure the fish is in clean water where turtle grass, sand, or mud can't foul the gills. If it’s exhausted or bleeding there may be predator fish in the area waiting for a chance to get at him. If it starts to turn sideways or upside down it’s in trouble, rescue it and repeat the revival process. It may take some patience when you want to get back to fishing but if it’s a fish worthy of a picture, it's always worth ensuring it’s survival.

Click here to see the album of photos