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Rumble in the Jungle: Catching Huge Arapaimas on the Fly in Guyana

Online Editors — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:48:01 -0400

Field & Stream editor-at-large and FlyTalk blogger Kirk Deeter recently took part in an expedition sponsored by Costa del Mar sunglasses to fish in Guyana, where he became one of the first fly fishermen ever to land an elusive wild arapaima—the world’s largest scaled freshwater fish species.

Click here to learn more about arapaima fishing opportunities in Guyana and the film "Jungle Fish."

The CatchFeed: 50 Top Photos from Catchbook, Field & Stream's New Social Fishing App

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:43:40 -0400

These 50 photos are our editors' picks for the best shots posted so far by users of our new Catchbook app!

About Catchbook Fishing Reports
Catchbook is a free social fishing app we built for the iPhone to help you share photos of your fish while recording the spots where you caught them. Check out more great fish photos from around the country (and start posting your own catches) by downloading the app from iTunes! Visit fieldandstream.com/catchbook for details on how the app works, and why it'll help you catch more fish.

Catchbook Photo Contest
We're giving away a Columbia PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap, for the best photo posted each week (as chosen by our editors) from now until then end of July. At the end of each month we'll pick our favorite overall shot and run it in the magazine! Each monthly winner will also receive a Columbia Airgill Chill™ Long Sleeve (men) or Ultimate Chill™ Long Sleeve (women). Click here to learn how you can enter this contest. Click here for the official rules.

The Greatest Lesson in Fishing Streamers

Online Editors — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:13:53 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

Most of you who follow FlyTalk might realize by now that Romano and I are both shameless streamer junkies. We'll pound the banks from a boat, trying to turn big fish with blind casts, but we also like to wade and sight-fish streamers in low, clear water. Big flies catch big fish, to be sure. Yet in clear water, you have to make the right presentation for streamers to work well. While I've learned many valuable tips from streamer gurus like Kelly Galloup, who said, "You have to dictate the action, and not wait for something to happen," the greatest streamer lesson I ever learned didn't happen on a trout river, and it didn't even involve a true streamer fly.

I was fishing on Biscayne Bay in Florida with legendary flats guide Bill Curtis about 10 years ago. Bill was on the poling platform and I was standing on the bow, when a big permit that looked like an aluminum trash can lid gliding through skinny water came cruising into view. Without a word spoken by either of us, I locked my eyes on the fish and unfurled what I thought was the perfect cast: A water-loaded beauty that formed a tight loop, rocketed 60 feet through the air, turned the leader over, and plopped just a foot or two ahead of the fish. The crab fly landed exactly on the money, or at least where I wanted it to drop.

The permit didn't spook at first, but as I started making gentle strips, lightly bouncing the fly into the feeding zone, it abruptly finned away.

By the time the fish split, Bill was already climbing off the poling platform, grumbling unmentionables under his breath. Having thought I made the perfect cast, I was crestfallen but willing to rationalize the episode via all I had heard about the notoriously fickle nature of permit. Still, on impulse, I asked aloud, "What in the heck happened? What went wrong?"

Bill looked me straight in the eye and deadpanned, "Fish like that aren't used to bait attacking them."

Then he sat down behind the steering wheel, cranked up the boat motor and didn't say another word. I let it sink in for a moment and then realized that I had been taught the greatest lesson that can ever be learned about catching wily, predatory fish with large flies; by a master in as few words as humanly possible.

Think about it and apply this reasoning to the trout world. Little, finicky trout like to sip helplessly-floating nymphs and dry flies -- they demand to be "spoon fed." But when they get big, they go after other fish. They also get smart, so when something swims toward their mouth, they don't typically eat it.

Learn to drop streamers where trout can see them, and then immediately make those flies look like they're panicked and fleeing. It's a simple concept that's easier said than done. But if you figure that deal out, I guarantee you'll unlock the secret to catching more and bigger trout, in any conditions.

The Best F&S Online Record Fish Stories and Photos

Online Editors — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:57:23 -0400

Photo Contest: Name This Fish, Win a Pair of Costa Sunglasses

Online Editors — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:06:20 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The rules for this contest are simple: Tell us what kind of fish this is, where we caught it and what the fly this fish is chewing on looks like. Yes, this fish ate a fly.

The first commenter, if any, to nail all three answers will win a certificate that can be redeemed for a pair of high performance Costa polarized sunglasses.

I'll announce the answers and the winner on May 21, and give more details on what is a very interesting fish story.

International Nymphing: The Irish Dibbler

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:54:08 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

Not all nymph (or wet-fly) fishing should be confined to rivers. Using subsurface patterns for trout on lakes can be deadly. Fourth-generation ghillie (guide) Neil O’Shea recently explained to me why the traditional “dibbling” technique works well in places like Lough Currane in County Kerry. “The peat-rich soil makes these lakes acidic and less hospitable for mayflies,” he said. “So the migratory trout and salmon are window-shopping more than they are keyed in on a specific food source, like an insect hatch. Showing the trout and salmon bright, attractor wet flies with a slow, methodical retrieve will elicit a reaction strike. This is a technique for hooking curious, rather than hungry or aggressive, fish.”

The Rig: Use a 9- or 10-foot 5- to 7-weight rod with a weight-forward floating line—or a sink tip for targeting trout 8 feet or deeper. From the fly line tie a 6-foot 3X leader. This rig presents three flies—two are on dropper tags. From the leader, tie a 3-foot section of 6- to 8-pound mono tippet, leaving a 6-inch dropper tag. Attach another 3-foot section of tippet, again leaving a 6-inch dropper tag. The leader length is roughly 12 feet.

The Flies: Traditionalists will insist on staples like the Red Arse Green Peter, Bibio, and Silver Stoat, but good luck finding those at your local fly shop. Stick with proven patterns: a size 10 Damselfly nymph, followed by a size 14 Prince nymph, and a size 16 Mercer’s Poxyback PMD as the point pattern.

Where It Works: Dibbling is best suited for flat water—preferably in light wind-driven chop on overcast days when the trout are not dialed in on a specific hatch. Work it over structure, off points, in current lines, and especially near weed mats. Try this technique from a belly boat.

How It Works: Make a long, delicate cast and let the flies sink for a few seconds before starting your retrieve. You want to make long, slow, consistent strips (1). Near the end of the strips, lift your rod tip toward the sky so the flies “emerge” to the surface (2). The trout, which will likely have trailed the rig out of curiosity, will grab a bug—just as it reaches the surface—often within short reach of the boat or shoreline. Not all nymph (or wet-fly) fishing should be confined to rivers. Using subsurface patterns for trout on lakes can be deadly.

Fourth-generation ghillie (guide) Neil O’Shea recently explained to me why the traditional “dibbling” technique works well in places like Lough Currane in County Kerry. “The peat-rich soil makes these lakes acidic and less hospitable for mayflies,” he said. “So the migratory trout and salmon are window-shopping more than they are keyed in on a specific food source, like an insect hatch. Showing the trout and salmon bright, attractor wet flies with a slow, methodical retrieve will elicit a reaction strike. This is a technique for hooking curious, rather than hungry or aggressive, fish.”

The Czech Trick

The Spanish Combo

The French Twist

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

International Nymphing: The Irish Dibbler

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:54:08 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The Czech Trick

The Spanish Combo

The French Twist

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

International Nymphing: The French Twist

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:42:18 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The French have won six world flyfishing championships by being masters of catching trout in the trickiest, most technically demanding conditions—clear, shallow water and slow-moving currents. When you find trout in these situations, and they are not eating dry flies, the best option is to throw light nymphs on a long, fine leader. The French have devised a rig for this scenario that works better than anything else.

Their twist (literally) is a coiled, two-toned sighter, sometimes called a Curley Q. The sighter is actually at the end of a standard leader, making the total leader system very long—16 feet or more—which can make casting tricky. A deliberately long stroke and wide loop is necessary here. And casts are made upstream rather than working perpendicular to the current, as the Czech tactic requires.

The Rig: Here, the same style of rod used in Czech nymphing works, but you’ll need to chop 5 feet from the tip of the weight-forward floating line. From the line connect an Umpqua 9-foot Power taper leader (butt section at least 2X), followed by the Curley Q.* The length of 5X tippet that extends from the Curley Q should be 2.5 times the water depth. The dropper fly hangs on an 8-inch tag, and the point fly is tied to 5X or 6X tippet 18 to 20 inches below the dropper. *Make a Curley Q: Take a 24-inch section of Jan Siman Bi-Colored Indicator Material (bluequillangler.com) and tightly wrap it around a 3-inch finishing nail. Boil the line-wrapped nail for five minutes, then freeze it for 24 hours. Make perfection loops on both ends.

The Flies: Fish a size 16 (or smaller) tungsten Zebra Midge as the point and a size 18 Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail as the dropper. Egan’s Frenchie is also a great all-around nymph for this tactic.

Where It Works: This rig is ideal in spring creeks and clear tailwaters—water where you know the fish are eating nymphs and emergers, but you think the splash made by a dry fly in a dry-dropper rig would spook your targets.

How It Works: Cast upstream and let the flies drift over your target fish (1). As the flies come downstream, lift the tip of the rod to gather the slack in the line. When a trout takes either fly, the Curley Q will stretch ever so slightly. Set the hook. The long leader makes the cast tricky, requiring a deliberately open loop. After the coil starts to lose its memory, you can refreeze it into form, but once it kinks like a telephone cord, it is ruiné…finis!

The Spanish Combo

The Czech Trick

The Irish Dibbler

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

International Nymphing: The French Twist

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:42:18 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The Spanish Combo

The Czech Trick

The Irish Dibbler

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

International Nymphing: The Spanish Combo

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:13:44 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

Spanish nymphing blends characteristics of both the Czech and French styles. Like Czech nymphing, you’re using a heavy weighted fly on the point and leading the flies through a run with the rod tip pointed at the water. Like French nymphing, the leader in this technique is very long—15 feet or longer—and rather than feel, you are relying on a sighter that is relatively far from the end of the fly line to tell you when to set the hook.

Spanish flyfishermen created this nymphing technique to help them catch the notoriously elusive fario (brown trout) in Pyrenees mountain streams. They found that the extra-long leader is the key to avoid spooking the fish.

The Rig: The ideal rod for Spanish nymphing is a 10- to 12-foot 3-, 4-, or 5-weight. Use a weight-forward floating line and a 3X to 5X 9-foot tapered leader. Spanish anglers tie a two-tone sighter to the end of the leader. Make the sighter by splicing two 12-inch sections of Sunline Siglon F mono (fishusa.com) together with Uni knots or a Blood knot. Below the sighter, attach 4 feet of 5X tippet and leave an 8-inch dropper tag while adding 2 more feet of 5X for your point fly.

The Flies: Heavy Czech-style flies work best on the point; smaller nymphs on the dropper. As an American variation, try a size 10 Conehead Woolly Bugger on the point and suspend a size 18 Flashback JuJu Baetis on the dropper.

Where It Works: This technique is especially effective in the tailouts of runs, in slow, deep water, and in spots where you have to reach across fast or deep water into a seam where rainbows and browns are holding.

How It Works: Cast at a 45-degree angle upstream (1), then follow the flies with the tip of the rod as they move downstream. With such a long leader, back casting is almost impossible, so lift the rod high at the end of the drift, letting the current load the rod (2), and lob the line back into the target zone. Keep your eyes focused on the sighter and set the hook on the slightest stagger, change of direction, or pause. The key to effective Spanish nymphing is choosing a point fly that is heavy enough to tick the bottom but not so heavy as to hang up on every drift. For that reason, anglers switch point patterns often—usually run by run.

The Czech Trick

The Irish Dibbler

The French Twist

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

International Nymphing: The Spanish Combo

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:13:44 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The Czech Trick

The Irish Dibbler

The French Twist

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Catchbook Contest: Photo of the Week!

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:41:44 -0400

Congratulations to Austin Bockwinkel, whose spring Iowa largemouth bass takes top prize in our weekly Catchbook Photo Contest! Austin gets a PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap from Columbia, and also qualifies to win our monthly prize, a Columbia Airgill Chill™ Long Sleeve fishing shirt and his mug in the pages of our magazine. Click here to learn how you can enter this contest by. Click here for the official rules.

Catchbook is a new fishing app for the iPhone that automatically turns photos of fish you've caught into detailed fishing journal entries that show up on your map, then shares those entries exclusively with trusted friends. Our goal is to help you and your buddies learn more about the spots you fish. You can download the app from iTunes here.

Tie Talk: Tying The Dirty Rat (Step-by-Step Photos)

Online Editors — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:13:59 -0400

by Tim Romano

Despite what it says on its Flyrecipes.com page, I'm pretty sure that this week's Tie Talk bug, The Dirty Rat, is not by Jackie Treehorn. Don't get me wrong, I love the character reference to one of my favorite movies of all time, as well the pattern itself. It IS damn dirty…
As "Jackie Treehorn" says, "One evening while enjoying some Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva... I noticed a small mouse swimming in my pool. He struggled and fought for dear life, nose barely breaking the surface, legs kicking like bunny. I was inspired by his heroic efforts and chose to create a fly that mimiced his final death dance. Most mouse patterns have the mouse floating on top of the water, while this is great at imitating a mouse which is dead and bloated, I wanted something that would fire up the bass and cause the most vicious of strikes, so my good friends, I present to you... THE DIRTY RAT..."

Click here for step-by-step instructions with photos.

Holy Mackerel: 2nd-Grader Hooks 68 lb. King Fish

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:10:38 -0400

Andrew Quinn, a spirited Michigan second-grader who wrestles in the 77-pound weight class at his school, is no stranger to grappling with heavyweight foes.

But even Andrew almost met his match when he hooked this 5-foot king mackerel during a deep sea fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico in late March. At the end of a 30-minute fight, Andrew had just enough strength left to boat the giant king, which weighed 68 pounds, 3 ounces—a touch lighter than Andrew but 4 ounces heavier than the current Alabama state record.

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

Step-by-Step Photo Instructions on How to Tie "The Dirty Rat" Fly

Online Editors — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:12:16 -0400

Fishing Tip: Comb Your Flies Before You Cast

Online Editors — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:27:50 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

I carry a lot of "atypical" things in my fishing vest. I mean stuff you don't normally find at a fly shop. For example, I always carry Super Glue and dental floss, in case I have to fix a guide on my rod; Holly Twist yarn to make strike indicators; and nail clippers, in case my fancy nippers fall off the zinger.

But perhaps the most interesting thing I carry is a baby comb. (Okay, I hear the jokes from those of you who know me well enough to have seen what's underneath the hat. What would you need with a comb, Deeter?)

Actually, I have become a stickler for combing out my flies before I fish them. I think if you run a dry fly through the teeth of a comb (work the fly on the comb, rather than raking the fly over with the comb) before you dab floatant on it (or dress it some other way), it's going to look more natural, hold its profile better once it gets wet, and catch more fish. Moreover, if you comb the grit and gunk out of your flies after you are done fishing, they'll last much longer than they will otherwise.

I've also started combing out streamer flies, partly for the same reason of keeping them clean, but also because I think combing through and loosening up the tail feathers helps to make those materials undulate and flutter better in the water. And that attracts bites.

You might want to give it a try. A 39-cent plastic comb doesn't take up much space in your vest or pack, weighs virtually nothing, and can save you money on flies in the long run. If it helps you catch fish as well, what's not to love?

Novice Fishing Tip: Try Flyfishing Without Fly-Casting

Sarah Smith — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:16:32 -0400

by John Merwin

It is indeed possible to sometimes go trout flyfishing without doing any fly-casting*. The casting act is the most difficult and intimidating part for beginners. So sometimes, when starting out a beginner, I skip the casting part entirely. That way, they can get a fish on the line more easily and quickly, which does wonders for novice enthusiasms.

All that’s needed is a trout river/stream/brook with some current. Rig up with a 9-foot leader tapered to 4X, say, and tie on a small, weighted nymph--a size 14 Hare’s Ear is usually a good choice just about anywhere.

I have the person stand in the current above a likely trout lie. A riffle above a deeper pool is the usual scenario. Drop the leader and fly in the water, then shake out 15 to 20 feet of additional line just by wiggling the rod. Put the line coming off the reel tightly under the index finger of your rod hand, and you’re all set.

By moving the rod slowly back and forth horizontally, the nymph is made to swing back and forth in the current. No casting is needed. After a while a trout will whack the fly. I can almost guarantee this. just as I can almost guarantee the shrieks of fright and delight on the new angler’s part.

What this brings is flyfishing success in the least complicated way possible. It allows people to discover they can “do” flyfishing. It works for people who are naturally athletic. And it works for klutzes, too. Fly-casting lessons will come later, after a few fish have provided motivation and reinforcement.

I think one of the great problems in flyfishing is that we old guys tend to over-instruct. Our enthusiasm leads us to tell novices more than they need or want to know. This also happens to be more than they can possibly absorb in an initial session. And lacking experience, they have no way to choose when swarmed with a plethora of advice.

So take it easy on them. Flyfishing without fly-casting is one good way to do it.

*Note that I am not referring to Tenkara fishing, which is somewhat similar and can be done in much the same way. Beginners, though, are much more likely to have standard fly gear, so that’s what I’m describing.

Step-by-Step Photo Instructions on How to Tie "Triple Wing Caddis" Fly

Online Editors — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:54:48 -0400

3 Killer Fly Tactics for Big Early Spring Trout

Online Editors — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:18:38 -0400

When early spring brings unstable water conditions to your local trout stream, river, or lake, don’t wait for levels to drop before donning your waders and breaking out your fly rod. You could be tapping into some terrific trout action in that high, off-color water while other fly anglers are sitting on the couch waiting for things to clean up. These three killer tactics from veteran Kentucky and Tennessee guide Chris Nischan will help you hook up on the fly when the going gets tough.

A - Cut Some Slack
In high, murky water, big trout will often hole up in slow-spiraling eddies. Contrary to popular belief, these fish will frequently face downstream in the slack water created behind boulders and other current-breaking structure. Nymphs that incorporate some purple material or have flash backs are highly visible to trout in dirty water. Fish them on a 10-foot leader, starting at the outside edge of the eddy (1) and gradually working toward its center (2). Cast upstream and allow the fly to dead-drift. Take up the slack as the fly drifts back toward you (3), watching the line for subtle bumps and stops.

B - Lift and Lower
Never overlook shallow runs between deep runs in early spring for big trout, especially when water levels come up and increase the depth of those shallow runs a bit. In these spots Nischan prefers an in-line double fly rig, consisting of a Finnish raccoon shad streamer 18 inches below a size 10 Beadhead Pheasant Tail nymph. Cast upstream and allow the flies to sink (1), but don’t strip the line. Instead, gently lift the rod (2), then lower it (3), to give the flies an enticing crippled action. Trout often strike just as the flies begin to rise in the water column, or immediately after they begin to fall.

C - Swim a Spring
If you’re fishing still water, use a thermometer to locate springs, which can produce water 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the lake. Submerged weedbeds are thicker in these areas, and trout will cruise them while feeding on aquatic insects. On a 20-foot leader, tie a light soft hackle on a dropper on top, a lightly weighted nymph on a dropper in the center, and a heavy nymph at the end. Make an open loop cast parallel to the weedbed (1) and swim the flies toward you very slowly (2). Gently twitching the rod tip from side to side, pausing and repeating, will trigger strikes from following fish.

3 Killer Fly Tactics for Big Early Spring Trout

Online Editors — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:18:38 -0400

Secret Service Dismantles Angler's Faux Rocket-Tipped Rod Carrier

Online Editors — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:03:34 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

Here's one from the "Don't Try This at Home" file: If you make a fly rod carrier for your SUV and then decorate the tip sections of the long tubes to look like rockets, it might not be the best idea to park your vehicle near an airport. Especially near Washington, D.C. Unless you want the Secret Service to question your wife and dismantle your project.

This was the lesson apparently learned by Robert Kerlin, an avid fly fisherman and a commercial pilot, who shared his story on the Trout Unlimited blog.

Two questions come to my mind: 1) What was he thinking, parking that thing pointed at a runway in this day and age? and 2) Where I can get a rod carrier like that for my vehicle?

Catchbook Contest: Photo of the Week!

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:21:10 -0400

Congratulations to Connor Brazell, who's early-season pike photo takes top prize in our weekly Catchbook Photo Contest! Connor gets a PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap from Columbia, and also qualifies to win our monthly prize, a Columbia Airgill Chill™ Long Sleeve fishing shirt and his mug in the pages of our magazine. Click here to learn how you can enter this contest by. Click here for the official rules.

Lift a Fish to Land It, Use Your Forearm for Leverage

Online Editors — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:22:46 -0400

by Kirk Deeter

The key to landing fish quickly is knowing how to get their heads above the water's surface. Fish have all the leverage when they're fighting nose-down. You have all the leverage when their noses point up, and you can usually skate a fish right into the net, or land it by hand. The key to making this all happen quickly, which is of mutual benefit for the fish and the angler, is knowing how to "lift" fish.

It's often tricky, especially with large fish. Go ahead and try to pick a 10-pound dumbbell off the floor with a fly rod, fly line and 12-pound test leader. It's almost impossible if you hold the grip normally, gently lift the rod, and expect the flexed graphite tip of the rod to make it happen. When lifting heavy fish, you want to focus the stress into the line itself (trust me, 12-pound Maxima is harder to break than you think) and the butt section of the fly rod. To get that done, you want to grip slightly higher on the cork, bring the reel seat flush against your forearm, and then lift with your arm and shoulder, not just your wrist. This dramatically reinforces the leverage you have on the fish.

Here is a photo my friend J.P. Lipton of "Roughfisher" (you should check out his website, which is dedicated to catching "rough" species like carp on flies) getting ready to land a 20-pound carp on an eight-weight. The butt of the rod is about to snug up against his forearm, and soon after, he steers the fish right to the net.

Your landing efficiency will improve dramatically if you remember to use your forearm when lifting fish — especially heavy ones.

Tackle Tip: Fix a Busted Rod Guide on the Water in Minutes

Online Editors — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:49:34 -0400

by Bob Stearns

If the bite is hot, the last thing you want to do is quit because of a gear malfunction. One common problem is a dislodged ceramic ring in the rod guide. You can’t continue fishing until it’s fixed, as the ring keeps the guide from fraying the fishing line. But if you carry a small dispenser of waxed dental floss—which holds knots better than unwaxed floss—in your tackle box, you can fix the damage in minutes.

Cut the fishing line above the lure and carefully pull it out of the damaged guide. Now, make 10 to 15 wraps around the ring and guide with the floss. Secure with a knot. The repair will last for at least a week, and it’s saved many a trip for me over the years.

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.