LL’s Perdigon Torch
Hook: Daiichi 4647 Size 16
Bead: MFC Slotted Tungsten Lucent Bead-Orange
Thread: Uni 6/0w-Doc Blue
Tail: Calftail-Orange
Body: Veniard Stripped Quill-Orange
UV: Solarez Bone Dry
Wingcase: Solarez Thick/Hard and Solarez UV Fly Finish-Black
Featured in “End of the Line” in the Summer 2021 issue of Fly Fusion
Sometimes the best way to say something difficult is just to say it. So here it goes. Fly fishing sucks.
It’s actually really hard. The visuals presented in fly-fishing films and Instagram photos are quite misleading. Sure it looks inviting, but there’s so much you don’t see…like how many mosquitoes and black flies the angler had to swat away while holding that prize trout at just the right angle, which is only slightly out of the water (like only one third of the fish). And you also have to position it at the perfect angle, with one hand holding the fish’s tail just slightly outstretched and the other arm, bending only slightly at the elbow, holding the fish’s body nearly fully extended. There’s a reason it’s called “angling.” It’s so complicated. And if you have really large hands and are naturally “big boned” then you need to really question whether or not you want to take up fly fishing at all. Trout appear smaller when held by large people, which will not make for enticing social media images.
Hook – Firehole Sticks 516 #14-16
Bead – 3mm Slotted Tungsten
Thread – Olive UTC 70D
Tail – Coq De Leon Med Pardo
Body – Olive Hareline Turkey Biot
Rib – Olive UTC Ultra Wire
Thorax/Collar – Natural CDC/Hares Ear
Tied by Jake Vanderweyden (@theflyfiend)
Featured in “Best Ties for Summer Flies” in the Summer 2021 issue of Fly Fusion
The logjam provided enough depth and structure to hold decent sized trout. I waded in just below it to about thigh deep and made a good cast up to where it looked like the large fish should be holding. My beetle pattern bobbed and drifted a foot or two from about the half-way-point of the jam where a few larger logs protruded into the river. I pulled quickly at the line to manage the slack as the current pushed the terrestrial toward me.
This is a very realistic hopper pattern that is quite easy to tie and floats like a cork. You simply have to buy the foam bodies and tie legs, antron wing and an indicator on it. I started using this pattern about three years ago and was immediately impressed by how it accurately mimics a hopper and that it was impossible to sink. I have found this pattern to be particularly effective in late summer when streams are low and super clear. It also quite easy to see and takes are often very subtle almost like the manner that a trout sips a caddis or mayfly.
Hook: 2x long dry fly hook sz 8 to 12
Thread: Tan Uni-Thread 8/0
Body: MFC Foam Hopper Bodies- tan, yellow or gray
Wing: Tan MFC Widows Web or Antron yarn
Indicator: Orange foam or yarn
Legs: Barred Tan rubber legs
Featured in “Best Ties for Summer Flies” in the Summer 2021 issue of Fly Fusion
Outwaiting a fish has never been a problem for me. Patience of this variety is not a superhero’s quality, but if it were, I’d be fighting crime rather than writing about fishing. So when I first stumbled upon Dr. Seuss’ book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as a university student on a late-night outing to Chapters, I couldn’t understand why he portrayed “waiting for the fish to bite” with all the other negative aspects of waiting, like “waiting for a train to go / or a bus to come.”
Elk Hair Caddis:
Hatches through the summer (May to Sept). Imitates various types of caddis flies. Tied in size 10 to 14.
Hook: Hanak H130BL
Thread: Textreme 8/0
Body: Semperfli Dirty Bug Yarn in Litchen
Hackle: Whiting’s High and Dry Grizzly
Wing: Elk Hair and Swiss CDC
Egg Sack: Gulff UV Resin in Ambulance Chartreuse
Ours is considered a gentle sport for the most part, and that trait is part of its attraction. Recently, more people are finding solace and clarity—and much-needed gentleness—in the outdoors and the activities there, one of which is fly fishing.
And while it’s true that fishing, called the “contemplative man’s recreation” by Isaac Walton, can indeed be gentle and thought-provoking, sometimes our contemplation needs to be sharply focused.
An example is the recent controversy and struggle to prevent construction of a huge copper and gold mine in Alaska, called Pebble Mine. The effects of the mine on the environment and the Bristol Bay watershed would have been massive. For now the project has been canceled, thanks to participation in a long, arduous fight by a great number of people and groups who value the outdoors, including fly fishers.
A similar battle has been escalating in Alberta in recent months over the threat to the future health of land and water posed by proposed expansion of open-pit coal mining. The mountains and foothills are the headwaters and domain of Alberta’s best and best-known trout streams: The Oldman River, the Crowsnest River, the Livingstone River, the Highwood River, the Ram River, plus all their critical tributaries. These mountains and foothills are the Alberta wilderness.
If you haven’t already picked up a copy of the Summer issue, now is the time to do it! This “Fly Tying Triple-Header” covers off the Pro’s top recommendations for dries, terrestrials and nymphs to use this season. The five patterns below are Jake Vanderweyden’s (@theflyfiend) picks, complete with recipes for you tying pleasure!
No matter what kind of angler you are, at some point you’ve probably pondered buying a boat. It’s a rite of passage, really, to daydream about floating down a beautiful river with just you, the scenery, and all the fish downstream. One of the more frustrating things about purchasing a boat is that it’s not a cheap endeavor. Fiberglass drift boats can cost as much as a vehicle, and some of the smaller single-person inflatables just don’t provide enough storage or rowing power. Enter the Outcast OSG Clearwater.
The Clearwater, brand new for 2021, takes some of the design elements from Outcast’s multi-person inflatable rafts and transitions them to a sturdy, well-appointed, single-person frameless raft. For gear heads, the Clearwater features trampoline-style cargo spaces in the front and the rear, allowing you to pack up to 450-lbs. of gear (including yourself, of course.) The open oarlock system accommodates longer strokes, allowing you to really get after it in rough water, if need be, and the high back seat sits on top of an inflatable thwart, allowing for excellent visibility and rowing. The best part? The boat only weighs 35-lbs. and can easily fit in the back of a pickup truck. No trailers required.
$1,299 | outcastboats.com
