FLY FISHING & PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE
www.flymage.net
Nยบ 14 August 2012
14
FLY FISHING & PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE
www.flymage.net
Nยบ 14 August 2012
,
SURFACE SEA TROUT By Thomas Weiergang
4
PERMIT THE FIRST EXPERIENCE By Leonardo Ramírez
30
BLACK & WHITE RUSSIA
54
WATER TO PAPER By Travis Sylvester
108
FLY TYING VIDEO TROUT STREAMER
122
Over the last half decade sea trout fishing in the smaller rivers of Denmark has been revolutionized. Anglers are finding out that sea trout can be caught on the surface, and sometimes even on traditional match-the-hatch dry fly fishing with petite rods and ultrathin leaders. A new approach to sea trout fishing is taking hold of more and more anglers these years. Follow Thomas Weiergang and friends in their search for the ultimate dry fly experience in Scandinavia.
Surface Sea Trout Text & Photos: Thomas Weiergang
Fishing for sea trout is a firmly rooted Danish angling tradition. No wonder. Our small flat country is host to some of the best fishing in the world. Danish Sea trout grow to huge proportions and ten kilo fish are caught every year. Wherever you look there is a stream where migratory sea run trout spawn. Every stream is different from the next and so are the fishing traditions in every one. Most people fish with relatively heavy tackle and aim for the largest specimens. And they are there. Ten kilo fish are caught in a lot of rivers every year. But lots of rivers are characteristic in the way that the fish are smaller on average, but instead they swim upriver in large numbers. It is in some of these smaller rivers that we have experienced the revolutionary fishing for sea trout with purist dry fly methods. Our fly vests are now filled with boxes full of imitations of duns, emergers, spinners but also foam beetles and hopper patterns.
The emergence of a new method I have to take you back to the beginning, to the birth of the fly fishing revolution. We fished a couple of very small streams but were uncomfortable fishing with the traditional tackle the traditional way. We simply believed that the fly fishing gear used more or less by all anglers was simply too heavy and clumsy. Traditions on many rivers dictate that you fish big flies at night on #7 or #8 rods and mostly at night or in the dark hours. We just couldn’t get our heads around that, because our rivers were shallow, slow and clear. We believed
that this heavy gear simply spooked too many fish. At the same time we began to notice that lots of fish were taking insects on the surface. Could they be sea trout? Well to find out we had to scale down our gear. Thus began our love for petite dry fly rods class 3 to 5. We believed that the fish rising were in fact sea trout fresh from the fjords with an appetite for insects. And we were right. How many times in your life have you cast your dry fly in front of fish up to 60 centimetres? Well at that point, it was a brand new experience to us.
Upstream is the key We found out that lots of sea trout were eating aggressively on whatever hatch was on. So it was simply a question of matching the hatch the traditional purist way. It was truly a revolution for us. Suddenly we could fish in the daytime. Much contrary to traditional folklore dictating that sea trout are
shy creatures that only come out at night. Sure, the fishing is not great all the time. It all depends a lot on local conditions such as water level, light levels and whether or not sea trout are actually migrating. But once we hit it right, we could have king days with five or even ten fish. Something nobody had ever dreamed about.
The foam experience But some days were slow of course, and the fish resisted the urge to eat. Or maybe more likely: the fish were not in the river to eat at all, they were perhaps on their way to the spawning ground. We ruminated about what to do on those days, and perhaps, out of desperation tied on big foam beetles and hoppers. We had used big foam patterns in Chilean Patagonia with great success and though – well heck – a trout is a trout is a trout! If it’s aggressive, it will take a big foam pattern. And they did. So suddenly we could target both kinds of sea trout – the eaters and the spawners.
The great revelation, and probably the key to the revolution was that we could fish upriver. Very contrary to what tradition dictates in traditional downstream wet fly fishing. I am convinced that we are catching so many fish on foam patterns exclusively, because we can move stealthily upstream and present our flies to the vary trout without it ever noticing our presence. The method is simple. We sneak along the river upstream while we cast to every looking spot a trout might hide; under overhanging reeds, behind weed bed shelters and in every turn and deep hole.
Size matters Sure, the fish we catch are miniature sea trout compared to the monsters caught every year. But the thing is, that we actively target the smaller rivers and streams where the phenomenon occurs and sea trout feed on the surface. I am quite certain that
seasoned seatrouters laugh at our “revolution�, but ask yourself this question: how many places in the world do you fish with class 3-5 gear for sea trout up to 60 centimetres on the dry with the hope of catching even bigger specimens?
Thomas Weiergang Illustrations
Field editor for:
Chasing Silver wSportsfiskeren
Thomas has contributed to a variety of Scandinavian and English magazines. Co-author of a couple of books on angling, the most recent being “Skaelsaetninger” Illustration and photography for Patagonia ambassador Topher Browne´s two books on atlantic salmon published through Wild River Press. Illustrations and photos for Henrik Mortensen´s book on fly casting. Please go to his main website to experience some of his results and browse the galleries. Widely recognized as the leading artist in his field in Denmark. Also, check his newest website: Trophy painting Certified instructor for the Dansish Sportfishing. Association since 1990.
Thomas Weiergang
Flymage flies collection tied by Mikel Elexpuru
Exclusive to Flymage, Mikel has designed a collection of 6 “super fishable” flies, all of exceptional quality. Box of 24 flies (4 per pattern) 75€, shipping included. Want to be the first to buy one of the 50 collections available? Don´t end up on the waiting list ... Write to shop@flymage.net
Permit
The first experience
I had heard from friends and read articles about fishing for palometa (or Permit), and its being the most difficult fish to capture in salt water...
It is a much sought for species, because of its power body mass ratio and restless behaviour, which, in addition to its excellent vision and distrustful nature, make it extremely nervous and highly selective when taking the fly. Highly challenging fishing, for the more experienced fishermen.
With the rising tide in the morning: I saw at long distance several permit coming over the flat creating nervy wakes, making them a little bit difficult to spot. Some moving extremely quickly, looking for a ray to swim alongside in order to pick up the remains of crabs easily; this is very common in Mexico.
I remember the boat moving slowly. In the distance I saw a fish moving in an extremely fast, jumpy manner, in search of food, the palometa turned toward us, I made a cast and my fly held in its path, it followed it a few inches towards the boat without taking it. - Every millisecond was heart stopping, especially because of the speed of the fish. – I had seen a really large palometa, its large eyes fixed in my mind, just two meters from me. It mocked me, refused my fly and returned to deeper water.
A few minutes later a school of palometa heads decisively towards the boat, along the mangroves. They make a turn and I can cast the fly into their path and just move it as they pass ahead of it. -I feel the take and set the hook with the line, then a very strong run that quickly takes line and metres of backing.
The rigour of keeping calm, always maintaining the tension in a powerful fight, brought me my first palometa in tropical waters.
I must admit that my happiness was truly great after returning the fish, the size did not matter, it was a Permit, a fish that “anyone can see, but not everyone can catch.�
During his fishing trip for permit, Leonardo had the opportunity to try for another very attractive fish...
Snook
Leonardo RamĂrez With many years of intensive fly fishing life, Leonardo worked as guide and currently does for pleasure. www.pescador.cl
ArtĂculos de pesca a mosca Fly fishing products
www.urruzuno.com
Watch our video trailer
trutta
Black & white Russia
It is not easy to put into words the feelings that come to you in a place as extraordinary as the Kola Peninsula. I know many anglers who, after their first visit, have made it a must destination for annual pilgrimage. If not for its extent, its people, landscapes, rivers, history or its salmon (the latter playing a major role since of course) it is everything taken together and especially the sense of its being the real thing that gets the Kola hook into you. Throughout the rest of the year, I remember Russia continually and always in black and white.
Any one of the Kola rivers is impressive, in a carved landscape that stands as if no time had passed.
Many parts of the world have typical or particular transport, when talking about Kola, the helicopter is number one. There are no paths or roads across the most part of the Peninsula.
Fight from on a high.
A fresh run grilse.
Although it is summer, temperatures can change dramatically in Kola.
The close of day. 2 am in full midnight sun.
Having 24 hours of daylight is an advantage if you can cope with it. The angler begins casting in Rat’s Tail pool on the Sidorovka river as the clock strikes nearly four o’clock a.m.
And a few minutes after, he gets his reward.
Catch and release is essential to salmon stocks in Kola.
Life explodes and winter coats disappear, while flowers and berries decorate the tundra.
First week of the season. Fewer salmon, but large ones.
Despite the colour of the waters, many salmon can be located with a trained eye and by spending time at it.
Sea lice.
Along with Canada, Russia is the perfect place for salmon dry fly fishing.
Tagged female. Catch and release works!
Back to school. Sea trout fishing at the river mouth.
Beautiful sea trout at low tide.
Reindeer herds follow natural corridors formed by the rivers.
Tracks of reindeer and their top predator, the bear, along the beach.
Mosquitoes?, many, but the rewards make you quickly forget them.
We’ve counted, there are 102 mosquitoes on Igor.
The consequences.
A cigar is the best mosquito repellent.
Riffling Hitch
Russian salmon flies.
Four friends, four salmon.
The present and the only future of salmon in Kola.
No time for the last photo before returning home ...
By Jos茅 H. Weigand Additional photos by J Arbildi, J. Lamberto, F G贸mez, M. Jacob and M. Cantera
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Water and paper
by Travis Sylvester
Travis Sylvester was born and raised in the Salt Lake Valley at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, and although he spent most of his life drawing and fishing, it was only until the fall of 2009 when it occurred to him that he should take what he had learned while working with colored pencils, and merge his style and skills with his love for fishing.
In his mid-30’s, Travis’s friends influenced him to get reacquainted with the outdoors and turned him on to fly fishing.
Getting back to nature, catching beautiful trout from some of the most amazing country in Utah, coupled with viewing trout based art from very talented artists is what inspired Travis to dust of the pencils and start creating again. Now he spends the majority of his spare time drawing, working on fly fishing skills, learning the art of fly tying, or creating digitally enhanced versions of his own artwork. Travis strives to make each new drawing better in some way than the previous drawing, and he has always has a watchful eye for great photographs to work from.
One of the recent works of Travis, a chilean brown trout photographed and published by Flymage Mag. The picture exceeds to photography.
Travis uses colored pencils on all of his trout based artwork. “Colored pencils gives me the ability to capture some of the fine details of the fish, as well as get the colors to really pop”. Travis likes to somewhat exaggerate some of the tones and shiny reflections associated great trout photographs, his work and style has become very recognizable amongst some of the great trout and fish based artwork. “There are so many fantastic trout photos to work from, I really enjoy getting to know some of the photographers and hearing the story behind the fish in the photo that I choose to work from. It usually only takes a few seconds for a photo to jump out at me. I really love photos where the fish has a wet, glossy look to them, and that have a lot of cool reflections and contrasting colors”.
In 2010, his “Bonneville Cutthroat” won two ribbons at the Utah State Fair, in 2011, his “Rainbow Reflections” won first place in its category at the Utah State Fair fine arts completion.
“As a kid, I recall walking the local rivers and streams with my dad or uncle throwing spinners and worms in a pair of cut-offs and tennis shoes, these days I find myself spending the majority of my time working still water from a small tube or pontoon. Nymphing and learning the different hatches associated with smaller lakes has really been a lot of fun, and often times very rewarding. I do spend some time on those same rivers and streams that I grew up fishing, but I have found that I have a lot of learning to do to become successful at fly fishing them�.
Travis sells high quality Giclee prints, Epson Luster prints, as well as some of his original drawings on his website: www. TravzArt.com
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TROUT STREAMER MATERIALS HOOK BLACK #10 THREAD BLACK 8/0 ORANGE 8/0 TAILS PEACOCK HERL BODY THREAD ORANGE/PEARL TINSEL PEACOK HERL RIB YELLOW TINSEL WINGS BLACK FEATHERS PEACOCK HERL LILAC BIOTS GREEN AND GOLD TINSEL PURPLE FEATHERS FUCHSIA HOLO TINSEL
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#1 Latex caddisfly puppa
#2 Pellet nymph
#3 CDC caddis
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#4 Gammarus
#5 Caddis Puppa II
#6 Danica
Contributors in this issue Thomas Weiergang - Leonardo Ramírez Travis Sylvester - Mikel Elexpuru - John Langridge Juan Urán - José L. García - José L. Garrido
E D I T O R S José H. Weigand Angler, photographer and TV fishing editor at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+ for 14 years. Contributor to some international magazines, blogs and forums.
Antonio Goñi Antonio Goñi, fishing video producer, photographer and angler. Currently producing fly tying series “The Silk corner” at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+.
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Issue #15 from October 1