Season Opener

As you might expect, we are in high gear around here this week. Trout season opens this Saturday and it looks like we are finally going to have some warm temperatures for opening weekend. The water on Fishing Creek is in great shape, the guides have been seeing a few early black stoneflies and the others will soon follow. Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, and Grannom Caddis usually usher in the season but this year have been slow in showing, but with a couple days of warm temperatures the hatches will get going.

With early season in mind I’ve asked Jim Kukorlo, our head guide, to give us his thoughts on fishing at this time of year. Thanks, Jim, for sharing these with all of us:

Early Season Fly Fishing

Traditionally with the Opening Day/Week of Trout season most streams are running high, fast and cold. This year's Early Season will certainly live up to that and then some. Today I saw some snow in spots and ice clinging to tree branches along the water edge. When the weather decides to act like it's Spring and not Winter it will still take some time for the water temperature to warm up.

So it's not surprising that I'm seeing very little insect activity. Early Black Stones are spotty and I haven't seen any caddis or mayflies to get excited about.

If you’re going out, be sure to dress for the occasion with long johns and wool socks. Don't forget fingerless gloves and hand warmers. Hand warmers are a must if you plan on fishing after releasing a trout or two. It's always a good idea to dress in layers for warmth and it's easy to take off layers as the afternoon temperatures rise. I don't mean for this to sound all dark and gloomy. Cheer up. Trout Season is here. “Let's Fish”

Nymph fishing will probably be the name of the game and there are a few things to remember when fishing in cold and fast water. The most common mistake most fly fishermen make is not fishing deep and slow enough. One rule of thumb I tell fishermen is when you think your fly is deep enough add one more split shot. I believe you are one split shot away from catching trout. Detecting a strike can be tough in these conditions too. I highly suggest to fish with a strike indicator. Even with using an indicator the strikes can be very supple. One of the most common mistakes I see fishermen make is misreading a strike. If the indicator stops or just looks funny set the hook. I have a early season fly box with heavily weighted nymphs and streamers. I use tungsten bead heads on my nymphs and on a few flies I even add some additional weight. Off color water or muddy water scares off some fly fishermen. But in this kind of water darker color nymphs work well as does a pink or brown Squiggly Wiggly Worm pattern.

For extremely high and fast water I switch to fishing streamers. A sinking tip line works best in these conditions and I prefer the RIO Streamer Tip fly line. Once again “Slow and Deep” is the name of the game. If you are not bumping off the bottom of the stream with your streamer you’re not deep enough. Use a streamer that is big and heavy and moves water when you retrieve it. Cathy's Super Bugger is my go to fly in high, fast and cold water. The last thing I change is the color. I prefer to start with darker streamers and change to lighter colors. Carry an assortment of colors in your fly box. Black, Olive, Brown, White and Yellow all can catch fish under different water conditions.

Early season conditions can be frustrating at times, but hopefully these suggestions will help you to have a more successful and enjoyable day on the water.

Spey for Single Handed Rods

For Soft Hackles & Streamers

Are you wondering what all the hype is about spey lines for single handed rods for trout fishing? Here's the short version from Simon Gawesworth at RIO. For roll casting, swinging soft hackles, fishing streamers, the new InTouch Single Handed Spey Line 3D, in line weights 3-8, might just be the answer. We love listening to Simon and here he tells us all about the new line. Thank you Simon & RIO.

Spring Guided Fishing

The guiding season is ramping up for us. Three of the four best months of the year for fishing are here — April, May, June & October. Fishing Creek is freestone so the summer fishing, while good, can be quite technical with low water and spooky fish. So, this is it, right now!

If you’d like to come and fish, look at your calendar and give us a call (570-925-2392). Early season fishing can be very special as these photos show.

Season Opener Ug Special

In keeping with the season, we're offering a special on our Ug Nymphs. This is a perfect pattern for early season fishing. Weighted to sink fast, segmented and with life-like legs, the Ug looks like a big stonefly, or anything buggy. Fish it alone, in tandem, or trailed behind a streamer, these flies work!
Regularly $2.00 each, get a baker's dozen Ugs in a good mix of online colors, all size 8.

$19.95

Limited time only. Regular shipping applies.

Click here to purchase from our online store

Simple Nymph Tips

Spring fishing can often mean cold water and lethargic fish, so nymph fishing is often the most effective way to catch fish. Nothing beats simple....yet effective. This short video clip offers some great tips for getting started in tandem nymph fishing. Thank you Stream Outdoors for a great tutorial.

Hosted Trip Availability

We currently have the following available on upcoming trips. Itineraries & pricing are on our website. Please let us know if you have any questions. Hope you can join us!

May 8-13   Grand Slam Lodge, Mexico 2 rooms                                
May 13-18    Campeche Tarpon, Mexico Sold Out
June 18-28   Ireland, trout/salmon Sold Out
Aug. 3-12    Kenektok, Alaska, silvers/etc. Sold Out
Aug. 18-25    Bighorn River, Montana Sold Out
Aug. 25-9/3    Bighorn River, Montana 2 rooms
Oct. 13-20    Spain, Pyrenees, trout, 3 rooms
Dec. 1-8    Tres Valles, Argentina, trout, 2 rooms

Grand Slam, Mexico

Looking for a few days in salt water, but can't get away for a week? We've got the answer! Come along with us to Grand Slam Fishing Lodge in Punta Allen, Mexico. Timed for good weather and good fishing, May 8-13. Four days flats fishing for bonefish, permit, snook and maybe baby tarpon. Excellent modern accommodations on the water, great guides, great timing. Get the details here.

Get The Right Line!

We've mentioned this before, but as spring approaches and we start checking our gear and replacing lines, be sure to check out the RIO Line Selector on their web site. Match up your rod with the perfect line. Rods from most manufacturers are represented. Having the proper line for your rod can make all the difference!  

https://www.rioproducts.com/    

Wyoming's Drug Ranch  

Sometimes I have to stretch to find articles that I think our readers will find interesting. Well, here's one that was news to me from the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River in northwestern Wyoming. Thanks to The Drake magazine for bringing this one to life.    

http://www.drakemag.com/featured-content/daily-drake/1910-cocaine-smugglers-clarks-fork-river-property-enters-public-lands-dispute.html

We wish you all a blessed Easter Weekend!

Report from Argentina

Barry and Cathy are finishing up in Argentina as I write this week. They had a beautiful week of warm fall weather at Estancia Tecka the first week but the second week proved to be more difficult with wind at San Huberto. The volcano had fresh snow almost everyday and through it all, some very nice fish were caught. We will have a report from the Limay River next week, but click here to see a few shots from the first two lodges.

Check out the new rotisserie video clip.

Facial Scanning at Airports

An interesting new screening process is coming to U.S. Airports. We've used it in several international airports this spring and it's fast and efficient. Read more about it here.

10 Spring Fishing Tips

1. When possible, cast down or use a reach cast so the fish see the fly before they see the fly line. Your fly line in the water will alert the fish to your presence.

2. The deeper pools will have a warmer water temperature than the riffles. In the spring trout will like these areas better. As the water warms, they will begin to spread out.

3. Water on the surface moves faster than water underneath so when fishing nymphs be sure you have enough weight to get the fly down. Consider using tungsten.

4. Don't be discouraged if you find off-color water. Fish feed often and muddy water can mean that more food is in the water and you can often get away with using larger darker flies. Pay attention to areas where muddy water is mixing with cleaner water.

5. During spring hatches when many fish are feeding, pick one and concentrate on that fish. You will catch more fish this way than by shot-gunning the water with random casts.

6. Fish are less active when water is very cold. Slow down your retrieve when fishing streamers and be sure your fly is on the bottom. If you're not occasionally picking up debris off the bottom you may not be on the bottom. If you're hung up continuously, switch to a slightly lighter fly. 

7. Dry Dropper. When fishing a dry fly, add a dropper about 10-12 inches by using a clinch knot off the bend of the dry fly. This will increase your odds of catching fish. On a larger dry use a spring nymph like a quill gordon, Hendrickson, or march brown. On smaller flies, or if the dry is being pulled under by the nymph, switch to a small bead head pheasant tail, BWO, or caddis pupae. Slow down the cast and stop for a second longer on the back cast to prevent tangles.

8. Use the appropriate tippet size for your hook size. Generally speaking, use 3X for hook sizes 10-14; 4X for 12-16; 5X for 14-18; and 6X for 16-22. For heavier flies, err on the heavy side and for lighter, go lighter. The dropper should be a same size or one size lighter than the lead fly.

9. Stalk your fish. Wear neutral earthy colors and approach carefully from behind or downstream. Fish have very good eyesight and can readily pick up movement on the bank, especially when the water is clear.

10. When blind casting always start with short casts and then add a little line to each cast so that you cover the water near you first. Fish are often closer than you think. Learn to spot fish in the water.

Lefty Kreh Dies

Lefty died Wednesday March 14th. There are many memorials on the internet but we will link two of them here. He was bigger than life and there will never be anyone else quite like him. So, this spring when the fishing is good and it's a pleasant day on the water, let's take a minute and think about how lucky we are to be where we are at that moment and whisper a prayerful “thank you Lefty”. He would like that. God Bless you Lefty.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/news/lefty-kreh/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-obit-lefty-kreh-20171113-story.html

Braided Loops

The introduction of braided loops has certainly made attaching our leaders much easier, faster, and simpler. But as you prepare for spring fishing and examine your fly lines, you may find that the loop is showing signs of wear and needs to be replaced.

You have two choices, either buy a pack of ready-to-go braided loops or make your own. I think I'll buy mine, but even so you will find RIO's How-to-make-a-braided-loop video interesting. I don't know about you, but I find that there is always a tip or short cut or something to learn from these clips. Thank you RIO for giving us the How-To series.

We'll also include a second clip which shows attaching the braided loop to the fly line.

https://www.rioproducts.com/learn/rio-s-attaching-a-braided-loop

New Zealand in the Rearview Window

We have a few photos from our friends/clients who were on the February NZ trip to share with you. Beautiful brown trout!

Tim Flagler's Euro Early Black Stonefly

Early black stoneflies are a often a step ahead of most signs of spring. Tim shows us how to tie and easy early black stonefly nymph in this easy-to-follow tying video. Thank you Tim and MidCurrent.  Click here for the video  

Why I like Tungsten

Barry and I are using more tungsten bead nymphs than ever before. We used to pinch on the split shot, sometimes 2 or 3 at a time to get the fly down. Then, years later, came the realization of what lead was doing to streams and rivers, not to mention birds and waterfowl. Eventually the light came on, probably from fishing in New Zealand where all split has been banned for years, and we started the transition to tungsten. There are still times when we may use a tiny bead or two of shot but most of the time when we need to get down, we use tungsten.

There are a lot of good reasons to switch. Here are a few:

1. We don't weaken the leader by crimping on split shot with forceps or pliers. I remember squeezing as hard as possible with pliers trying to keep the shot from slipping and of course it weakened the leader.
2. There is no shot to lose so I know my no-lead practices are better for the environment.
3. My leader doesn't get tangled as often now from not slowing down on my casting stroke.
4. I'd rather have one tungsten nymph hit me in the back of the head than 2 or 3 split shot and a nymph.
5. Tungsten gets the fly down deeper faster than lead. Tungsten is twice as dense as lead and 1.7 times heavier.
6. Tungsten deflects much easier and recoils so hang ups aren't so frequent.
7. And last, it takes me less time to get fishing! No more looking for the right size split shot, finding the opening and getting the leader in it, crimping it in place.....

With spring approaching, think about tungsten nymphs or already weighted nymphs and streamers. They can be very effective and are much easier to use and cleaner in the environment. Tungsten patterns in our store.   -Cathy

Finding Joe Brooks

We were happy to find this video on Fly Dreamers. In it two of our favorite people, Lefty and Jorge Trucco, talk about the legendary Joe Brooks and his early days in Argentina and how he changed the sport of fly fishing for trout. It is truly a walk down memory lane with interesting narrative and great filming. Thank you guys, great job.

New Zealand Recap

Despite a season of tough weather in New Zealand we had a good two weeks at Riverview and Owen River Lodges on the South Island. Early flooding, then extreme heat, and back to high water has everyone anxious for stable weather, but luckily we found rivers in pretty good shape and fish willing and able to play. Click here to see a few photos from our anglers. Enjoy.

Note:
If you're not on Facebook, choose “Not Now” and you can still view the photos.

The Perfect Cast    

Here's something to help you while away the time between now and opening day. Simon Gawesworth talks to us about how to make a perfect cast. As many of you know, Simon is the face behind RIO products and is a popular presenter at shows and other angler gatherings. Sit back and enjoy.

Tying the BWO Sparkle Dun

We came across a good clip on tying the improved Sparkle Dun with Matt Grobert. Add a few of these duns to your tying list for spring.

https://www.tu.org/blog-posts/fly-tying-improved-bwo-sparkle-dun       

Choosing a Tarpon Line

RIO offers three tarpon lines for different situations. Sometimes the water is calm and the fish are near the surface, other times it's windy and the fish are deep. Zack Dalton at RIO explains how you can have the right line for each tarpon scenario.

Giant Trevally Attacks and Eats a Bird

I know, just when you think you've seen it all. If you've been to the Seychelles or Christmas Island, you have fished to giant trevally, but I'll bet you've never seen this. It's amazing. Thanks to the Venturing Angler and Blue Planet II for sharing. Click link below to see video.

https://venturingangler.com/2018/01/01/giant-trevally-attack-bird/

Update from New Zealand

Barry, Cathy, and the group are enjoying beautiful, warm summer weather in New Zealand, and catching some very nice brown trout.  Here are a few photos from them. 

{module NZ Slideshow }

February Fly Special Correction

Thank you to our readers who brought this error to my attention. We have corrected the price and apologize for not catching it the first time. We will extend the offer through March 9. Now it's a good deal! Cathy.

Two great selections for anytime of the season, but essential in the spring. Our bead head Hares Ear Selection and our bead head Pheasant Tail Selection. Two dozen flies, sizes 12, 14, 16, each boxed in a pocket pack with a RIO Powerflex 3X leader. (A $45 value)

$35.00 (Plus regular shipping) Click here to go to our store

Lefty Update

A frequently asked question at the Edison, NJ, show over the weekend was, “How is Lefty doing?” He is our most loved ambassador and we're pleased to say that he's doing okay. Actually much better than before. Barry and I talked with him yesterday and he was his old chipper self. In the current issue of MidCurrent, Marshall Cutchin reports on his hour-long chat with Lefty.

https://midcurrent.com/2018/01/30/lefty-kreh-update/?utm_source=MidCurrent+Fly+Fishing+Email+Newsletter&utm_campaign=97769bd1dc-MidCurrent_October_5_2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8efbf3b958-97769bd1dc-18929377

Can Fly Fishing Help Make America Great Again?

No, we are not getting into a political discussion here, but I have to say that when I read this short article by Louis Cahill, whom Barry and I have long admired, it made me think. Thank you, Louis, for sharing your thoughts with us in Gink and Gasoline. It's a suggestion we can all benefit from simply by hearing. You help me be a better person.

http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-fishing-lifestyle/how-fly-fishing-could-actually-make-america-great-again/

Trout Near the Sweepers

We have lots of sweepers here that trout love to use to their advantage. Enjoy this short 2:33 video, catch a couple of tips, and daydream about summer. Thank you to Orvis and Dave & Amelia Jensen.

https://news.orvis.com/fly-fishing/master-class-monday-fish-trout-near-sweepers

Edison This Weekend!

The Edison Fly Fishing Only Show is this week, Friday through Sunday, in a new larger location at the NJ Convention & Expo Center. See one of Barry's seminars on Nymphing Strategies, Catching Larger Trout 2, or Dry Fly Strategies. Cathy will be giving casting demonstrations and teaching a women's class Sunday afternoon. Stop by the Sage booth to say hello and try a new rod. And see what's new in trips at Frontiers. For more information http://flyfishingshow.com/edison-nj/ See you there!

February Fly Special

Two great selections for anytime of the season, but essential in the spring. Our bead head Hares Ear Selection and our bead head Pheasant Tail Selection. Two dozen flies, sizes 12, 14, 16, each boxed in a pocket pack with a RIO Powerflex 3X leader. (A $55 value) For orders placed now through February only.

$45.00 (Plus regular shipping)  Click here to go to our store   

Chile Recap

We had a great trip to Estancia de Los Rios recently. It was so nice to get out of the winter and enjoy a week of summer in the mountains. Our fishing included spring creeks, the Cisnes River, and a couple lakes, all on a 360,000 acre ranch. We fished different water everyday and never left the property, and never saw anyone else. It was a pretty special experience. Here are a few of our favorite shots and there are more in the Facebook album.

{module Chile Slideshow}

We'd like to include the last of our blog contest short stories this week. These entries are from Rachel Dagovitz, Ted Eisele, and Robert Moore. Thank you all for participating. It sure was fun.

"I have always heard my fly fishing friends talk about epic fishing days, but until Nov 4th of this year, I never had that experience.Well, yeah baby, I finally had my day!!More than 20 steelhead to the net that Saturday at Elk Creek, PA.I’m still giddy two weeks later.Being on the water is great, but when everything comes together for an epic day, it’s just magical. "

Rachel Dagovitz

It started with a TV show. Fly fishing for sharks? I watched and felt an adrenaline rush. “I’ve got to do that!” I told my family.

Finally, my daughter and I were there. An 8-foot hammerhead came up and bit the motor mount. I told Katie, “we’re NOT telling Mom!” Then it smashed my fly. Its runs had made the reel scream.

After running forever, it sounded. Slowly, I muscled it back up until it lay on the surface just 20 yards away. Then, it swung its tail around until the fin sliced the leader. Wow!    -Ted Eisele

1993 first & only time fishing YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK and the surrounding rivers, first float trip(Madison)......wildest thunderstorm I've ever seen....seeing Yellowstone Lodge, Old Faithful Geyser.......snowball fight in July.....WOW....     -Robert Moore

Do you subscribe to the Sage and RIO blogs? The Sage blog at, https://www.sageflyfish.com/experience/sage-blog, has lots of interesting fishing stories from writers around the country....and world. I loved reading Nine Months of October by Rob Parkins. I like his lifestyle, elk in the freezer, wood stacked by the door, and fall fishing. He tells us what weight rods he likes to use at different times and why. It's easy, enjoyable reading.  

If you skip over to the RIO blog, at https://www.rioproducts.com/, you'll find more short stories with a bit more focus on lines and leaders. Check out Tips for Temps by Scott O'Donnel. But while you're on the site look around, it has a wealth of information. If you go back to the home page (just click the big RIO in the yellow bar at the top), you see the Line Selector, a really cool tool for helping you select the right line for your rod – any brand and weight. Enter your rod and see what it has to say.

Both blogs entertain us with great videos and photos, and at the same time we learn about the products we like to fish. And while you're there, sign up for the blogs. It's an easy way to keep up with new products, new technology, and a delightful short stories.     

Understanding Mayflies

In many places, like here in the northeast, trout season opens in April with fish feeding a parade of insects emerging, hatching, and dying on the water. As a fly fisherman, it's important for us to be able to determine what the insect is, what it is doing, and how to present our fly in a way that catches the fish. While there are several insect groups, mayflies are the most popular and often the hatch that you will need to imitate.

Fly Fisherman Magazine online gives us an easy read on the mayfly and how to better prepare for the game when it opens in the spring. http://www.flyfisherman.com/how-to/understanding-mayflies/

“Outside By the River”

We found this entertaining video on MidCurrent. It's very well done and I think Jean Phillip describes why we all like to be Outside By the River. We hope you enjoy it. Thank you MidCurrent and Jean.

As I put together the blog today, Barry and Cathy are on their way to Estancia de los Rios, Chile, with a group of 8 guests. I'm envious of them being in summer weather while it's freezing here at home, and it's hard for me to imagine a 360,000 acre ranch with a river, a spring creek, and lakes. It sounds beautiful and I hope to have a report from them for next week's blog. Brooke.

Ug Nymphs

As we continue to update flies on the store, we will be writing about some of the patterns and perhaps telling a story about a particular pattern. All of the flies listed are patterns we use and believe in. We'd love to hear from you and get your thoughts as well. Today, Barry writes about the Ug Nymphs:

Ug nymphs, flexi-legs, rubber-legged, whatever you want to call them – these big flexi legged variegated chenille body nymphs catch fish. I wrote a few years back about an Argentine guide who relied on legged nymphs so much that he thought of them as a secret fly on his local river. He refused to show them to anyone that he thought of as competition. It took a week of prodding but he finally relented and handed me three of his favorite colors. 

If you have never tried these nymphs, your first impression may be how simple but yet how buggy they look. Think of them as a great stonefly nymph imitation or any large nymph that is very much alive in the water. I get to spend a lot of time on the water with clients and I've learned to think out of the box when it comes to fly patterns. This past season I was standing next to a good friend who I fish with each year. The water was gin clear and we could see a number of fish anchored on the bottom. After drifting a number of small nymphs and caddis larva by, without any notice from the fish, I cut back the 6x RIO leader and attached a size 6 Ug nymph.

I looked at my friend and he laughed and asked if I was trying to scare them to death. I asked him not to be too quick to pass judgment. I know the fish in this pool have college degrees, but I also know the Ug. I watched his first cast unfold and followed the Ug nymph as it quickly sank to the bottom. I immediately yelled for him to strike as I watched a good rainbow engulf the Ug. My friend mumbled, “Absolutely amazing,” as we released the fish. The Ug nymphs have saved more than one day on the stream and I always carry a selection of colors and sizes in my fly box. You might want to as well.  Link to our store Here

Story Contest Entries

We have a couple more story entries to share with you this week. Peter Nilsen reflects on an Opening Day many years ago, and Mike Norton fondly recalls taking his 10 year old son fishing on the West Branch of the Ausable. Both are wonderful stories. Thank you Mike & Peter. Enjoy.

My most memorable fly fishing experience was when I took my 10 year old son to West Branch Ausable in NY. We met a few friends of mine there , stayed at KOA, went to friends fly shop to get him waders and off we went. Down on the river with his new rod he won at TU Banquet all excited ready to get going. Now trying to explain how to do things he replies that he already knows how to fly fish...Oh yeah lets see a cast. He gets in water and bang beautiful cast about 25 feet. Tim my friend who is a guide looks at me and says where did he learn that, must have been from playing with practice rods at home. Tyler is my son name , he made me proud that day and he even caught couple rainbow. We still had 2 more days of fishing so we meet up with more friends and they also took a liking to Tyler and his skills encouraging him to keep going. As our last day comes he is crying that he wants to stay and fish more but we have a long drive, make a deal with him we fished again that day just he and I for few hours then went to my friends shop to return the waders. Tyler then proceeds to tell all of my friends there at the shop how he out fished his Dad and he was a better flyfisherman than him, right Dad I caught more fish than you. Yes he did and I could not have been more happier and my buddies all got to rub it in for a while.The smile on Tyler's face was worth every single second and everyone has that memory to share for the rest of there life. I remember it like yesterday and so does Tyler...even throws out every now and then hey dad remember when I caught more fish than you the first time I flyfished. We continue to make memories together.
Thank you
Mike Norton

Opening Day
It was the start of the 1952 fishing season, cold and raw – the dayI dreamed about all winter, and the first time using my new fly rod, bought with Christmas tips from my paper route. I tossed out a ratty, old streamer, then danced around to keep warm.
The line move, I set the hook, an enormous ‘largemouth’ vaulted out of the water and dove for the bottom, only to pull out.
“Oh, no, had to be a 10 pounder,” I yelled! That fish wasn’t hooked, but I was. 65 years later I’m still hooked, still casting a fly rod for that special fish.
Peter Nilsen

Baby It's Cold Outside! We hope you are somewhere warm and reading our blog today. For us and many others, it's freezing cold! In many places our stream, Fishing Creek, is frozen over and we don't see that very often. It makes us envious of friends and customers who are heading south to fish Argentina and Chile, or saltwater trips to the Bahamas and other warm locales.

With that in mind, we've been busy updating the flies in our store. If you're headed to South America or New Zealand, be sure to have plenty of Super Beetles, Adams, and PT nymphs. Going for tarpon? Check out the new Tarpon Teaser selection. Actually all of our selections are good buys and good additions to your gear bag. Bonefish? Stock up on Gotchas, Sliders and Sili-legs. 

Click here to go to our store

We take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our readers, friends, clients, and customers who read our blogs, fish our flies, hire our guides and take our trips. Without you we wouldn't be here doing the things we love and for that a simple thank you doesn't seem to be enough. We are very thankful for each of you and we wish you all a very Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.

We wrap up this year with two more of our story contest entries. Both writers recall a fishing experience that ended up being something quite unexpected. Next week when we are all back in our normal work week routines and the holidays are behind us for another year, we'll resume our regular blog.

I was trolling at peters Pond on the Cape but I decided to throw a dry fly, and much to my surprise a winged creature came back at me. when I draw my line in the fly I had on attracted a bat. And that’s the only time I’ve caught a bad while fly fishing. I had my lifelong friend with me and we often tell this story when we get together with our fishing buddies. –Bryan Parrish

I was fishing for Tarpon on a lagoon in Puerto Rico for the first time years ago. I saw a long shadow swimming along about 75 feet away and made two casts at it. Thought it was a great fish. There was a swirl and spray of water which scared the hell out me. What I thought was a tarpon was a scuba diver snorkeling across the reef! No kidding.... never tried since     -Henry Ramsey

For this, our last blog before Christmas, we would like to share a fishing story by Liz Weinreich, a contestant in the story contest a couple weeks back. We hope it brings a smile to your face — as it did to ours.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Cathy & Barry

Over a decade ago, on the San Juan, standing in 3 feet of 42 degree water, the guide was directing my drift... (we always get a guide on a new water, all water have a special quirk).... "In a little, in a little more..." The seasoned guide directed me... "In another 2 feet closer to us." so I did that.
Then he said "Can't you see that fish? We're drifting to that fish!" Pointing i to the water 20 feet away.
I calmly said "No, I can't see it."
He snidely said " Do you have polarized glasses on?!!?"
"Yes, I do!" Lifting them off my nose and giving them a jiggle.
"Well, you should see that fish then!"
Grabbing his collar, gently from his 6'5" frame, I pulled his face down to my 5' top of my head... and said:
"Do YOU see that FISH?!!?!!"
He immediatly apologize, because at my eye level, nothing but the top of the water could be seen

Images for Reflection

It's Christmas and a new year is waiting just around the corner. For Cathy and I, it's down time, no more airports or packed bags for a couple weeks. It's a special time to spend with family and friends and it's also a time of reflection, to look back through our image bank and remember the people and places along the way. Our work as trip leaders for Frontiers and an equally long time with Farbank (Sage, RIO, Redington), has given us the opportunity to photograph in some amazing locations.

Most photographers have a short list of images that have inspired them and in many ways these images have made them a  better or more appreciative photographer. We like to think of ourselves in this way. We are very much aware of how truly blessed we are and with another year coming to an end, we'd like to share a few of the images that have made an impact on the way we look at others and life in general.

Children have always been a favorite subject of mine. It amazes me to see how resilient they can be especially when faced with tough times. An image that always comes to my mind is a boy playing on the beach in Los Roques, Venezuela. He studied us as we took his picture then smiled and formed a square around his face with his hands pretending to have a camera and took our picture. We later learned that he was an abused kid with drug addict parents, but that day he was just a kid like any other. We tried to locate him in later trips to the island but he had disappeared and we often wonder and hope that something good came into his life. Cathy has a picture of this boy in her office and below it is a bumper sticker which reads “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” In our trips to Africa, Mongolia, Christmas Island, and other countries we are always moved by how little people have and yet you find this amazing faith and courage to face each new day.

The following images represent just a few of those special moments when a shutter clicks and an image is made that captures a moment in time that can change our lives. Outside our cabin door a light layer of snow has fallen, there’s a warm fire in the fireplace and winter has found us. But as we look around we know that we don't take life for granted.

Thanks for taking a look and Merry Christmas and Happy New year.

A special thanks to Frontiers, Far Bank, our photography clients, Nikon, and Delta Airlines. 

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Behind the Brand

We've been delighted to bring you each episode of Behind the Brand. It's been a wonderful opportunity to get to know the people who work “behind the brand” at RIO products and to get a little insight into their favorite fishing, home waters, work at RIO, and to put a face with a name.

Today is the last episode and it features Simon Gawesworth, truly the face of RIO, and we know you will enjoy “getting to know Simon” through the clip. And, if you happen to bump into him at a show or on a river somewhere, please know that you will never meet a nicer person.

https://www.rioproducts.com/learn/behind-the-brand-simon-gawesworth?play=true&utm_source=RIO+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c1e23aaed5-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_11_28_BTB_SG&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1049359efc-c1e23aaed5-85110573

Report from Tres Valles, Argentina

We heard from Barry and Cathy who are with a group at Tres Valles this week, and they are having a great week of warm spring weather and good fishing. The rivers are in great shape and there is still a lot of snow on the mountains so it looks good for the season ahead.

Here are a few photos   

Carp on Tricos

Browse through the Sage blog for lots of interesting stories and information, among which currently is our blog piece, Carp on Tricos.

https://www.sageflyfish.com/experience/sage-blog/carp-on-tricos

Short Stories
(from the contest)

For the next couple of weeks we're featuring a couple of entries from our recent Short Fishing Story Contest. Stanley Cole and Renee Fitts took the grand prize and runner-up last week.  Here are this week's features.  Thanks to all who participated and we hope you all enjoy these as much as we did!

From Walt Paskey

One summer when my daughter was old enough, maybe five, to wade a stream I introduced her to fly fishing. The Yellow Breeches is within walking distance and there is a meadow pathway along the stream that leads to the best pools. My fondest fishing memory has my daughter chasing butterflies in that meadow while breaking into song: "Zippity do-da zippity day, my oh my what a wonderful day". I still frequent that meadow on my way to some favorite fishing spots and always give a whistle....you can guess: Zippity do-da.

From Sandy Noyes

We were off the beach in Charlestown ,RI. Looking for bonito. The fog was thick and we only had about 100 feet of visibility. At the same time we heard someone calling for help. We found a diver that lost sight of land and had become disoriented. We threw him a line and towed him to the beach about 100 yards away. Soon after the fog lifted. We heard a loud snort and looked in time to see a large sperm whale breach about a quarter mile away from us. It was the brown version of Moby Dick.

Think Tropical!

May 8-18, 2018, will find us once again at Grand Slam Lodge and Tarpon Bay, Mexico. Join us for 4 days of flats fishing at Grand Slam, near Punta Allen, and four days of baby tarpon fishing at Tarpon Bay, Campeche. We've combined our two favorite kinds of shallow water fishing into one departure, but anglers can choose to do either or both.

Recently opened Grand Slam Lodge is located on the beach at Punta Allen, and offers six spacious beachfront villas each with two king beds, air-conditioning, 24-hour electricity and satellite TV. The main lodge features the Kai restaurant with a covered beachfront deck, bar and lounge area. The lodge (with pool) is designed for kicking back and relaxing after fishing.

For our four days of baby tarpon fishing at Tarpon Bay, Campeche, we will be guests of the Ocean View Hotel, 15 minutes from the airport and 3 minutes from the dock. Restaurants and shops within easy walking distance. Campeche was designated as a UNESSCO World Heritage Site in 1999 due to the many historic landmarks. It's an interesting colonial town.

For additional information, prices and photo galleries go to
http://www.barryandcathybeck.com/site/index.php/hosted-travel/2018/campeche-grand-slam-mexico

Mark Your Calendar:

Here's the line-up for the 2018 Fly Fishing Only shows:

Denver, CO January 5, 6 & 7. Denver Mart
Marlborough, MA January 19, 20 & 21. Royal Plaza
Edison, NJ January 26, 27 & 28. NJ Convention & Expo Center
Atlanta, GA February 2 & 3. Infinite Energy Center
Lynnwood, WA February 17 & 18. Lynnwood Convention Center
Pleasanton, CA February 23, 24 & 25. Alameda County Fairgrounds
Lancaster, PA March 3 & 4. Lancaster County Convention Center

For more information: http://flyfishingshow.com/

Contest Winner

We have a winner; Congratulations to Stanley Cole. Brooke, Susie and Rebecca all said it was very hard to select only one winner and actually they couldn’t do it and asked to be allowed to choose a runner-up.  They chose Renee Fitts, congratulations to Renee. Today we give you both of these stories and we will share all the entries with you over the next few weeks. A big thank you to everyone who participated.

From Stanley Cole:

As one can imagine, one of my most memorable times fishing was the first time I put my prosthetic feet in the water. I can't explain the feeling it gave me that sunny spring day. It was in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. I just knew if I could get to the water I would be able to catch fish. So, excited and scared with fly rod in hand off i went through the woods. I still get that feeling and chills every time I step into a run and throw my flies. I would like to thank all my mentors and friends that continue to make this possible for me and my loving and understanding wife.

From Renee Fitts:

As a Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing I spent a day with a PTSD veteran young enough to be my son, wading and fishing a small river. He learned to cast a little and read the water, to tie a clinch knot. We talked about boxing and fishing and the weather. At the end of the day we walked out of the river to our cars. He turned to me and said, “I didn’t know life could be like this.” To have made a difference in his life that day will always be my most memorable fishing experience.

America’s Favorite Flies

By John Bryan and Rob Carter

This book is a whopper: more than 235 contributors, 656 pages, oversize, full color throughout. It is the result of endless hours of amazing dedication and work by the editors, contributors, special essayists, artists, and designers. All without financial compensation so that 100% of the profits can be given to organizations that help make our fisheries and waters healthier.

Let us all do our part to help make this wonderful project a great success!

Order your copy today. www.americasfavoriteflies.com

Contest Deadline is Tuesday!

We extended our deadline a few days. Don't forget to send us your “most memorable” fishing experience in 100 words or less. Funny, serious, feel-good, or anything else. We've got some great stories, send us yours! Send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Think you can fly without a Valid ID?

Read about this guy's experience.

http://angelinatravels.boardingarea.com/2017/11/13/how-to-fly-without-a-valid-id/?utm_source=BoardingArea&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=BA_Email_Nov15

Plans for a Saltwater Trip?

DirectCore Flats Pro is the newest addition to the RIO family of lines. This new saltwater fly line is built on an amazing new low-stretch, low-memory core that is easy to pull our memory and stays dead straight on the water. Don't believe it? Check it out here. Available now so make sure you have one in your gear bag!