WINTER 2023 // #39
FARQUHAR SURF’S UP IN THE SEYCHELLES
KAMCHATKA
By Marina Gibson
BOULDERS ANONYMOUS By Christiaan Pretorius
COLOMBIA Yellowfin Tuna on the Fly www.intheloopmag.com
SEYCHELLES How to Tackle Indo-Pacific Permit #39
ARGENTINA
A Story of Our First Trip to Patagonia Europe’s free online fly fishing magazine
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We’d like your feedback, so please feel free to drop us a line at info@intheloopmag.com We’re not planning to go anywhere. We want to be around for the next ten years too, but only if we’re a magazine worthy of interest. – And you’re the best judge of that! Our December issue features contributions from a familiar stringer of fly fishing journalists and freelancers, including Marina Gibson, Matt Harris, Tarquin Millington-Drake, Rasmus Ovesen, Laurel White, Christiaan Pretorius and more. We hope you enjoy their evocative prose and stunning imagery. We couldn’t do this without them… Thank you!
WELCOME...
We’re getting really close to our 40th issue, which will be our 10-year anniversary issue. It makes you think! About time. About what is important in life. And about what there is to be grateful for. It’s an appropriate time to reflect and think about one’s practices, and perhaps – in our case - ponder the risks involved when you’ve been in the publishing game for so many years. Have we gotten stuck in old ways? Are we still attuned to what’s trending out there? -and do we still have a relevant mix of content?
Photo by Fly Fishing Nation
#INTHELOOPMAG Presents
Surf ’s up in the Seychelles by Marina Gibson Boulders Anonymous by Christiaan Pretorius How to Tackle Indo-Pacific Permit by Rasmus Ovesen A Story of Our First Trip to Patagonia by Laurel White Yellowfin Tuna on the Fly by Matt Harris Keep Fish Wet - Has the time come? by Tarquin Millington-Drake And much much more...
SEYCHELLES
KAMCHATKA
SEYCHELLES
ARGENTINA
COLOMBIA
KEEP FISH WET
Contributors RASMUS OVESEN
In the Loop Magazine C/O Cast Away Media Org no: 999 320 147 www.intheloopmag.com
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Oslo-resident, Rasmus Ovesen, was handed his first fly rod at the tender age of eight, and he has been a borderline fluff chucking fanatic ever since. Rasmus has written articles for some of the world’s most renowned fishing magazines, and his travels take him to remote areas across the globe in search for fish that will test and challenge his skills to the maximum. He has seen his fair share of exposed backing in the tropics, but his heart truly belongs to the soulful realm of trout and salmon fishing.
info@intheloopmag.com MARINA GIBSON
FRONT COVER
by FLY FISHING NATION
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Marina Gibson is a truly passionate angler who was lucky enough to spend much of her childhood chasing salmon, trout and sea trout. Following in the footsteps of her talented mother Joanna Gibson, herself a devoted fly fisher, Marina has dedicated a significant part of her life to the pursuit of every type of fish at every available opportunity wherever in the world that may be. Check out: www.marinagibsonfishing.com
CHRISTIAAN PRETORIUS
We choose not to print this magazine and we are happy not to use paper and harmful inks as used in a conventional printing process. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.
Another South African comet, Christiaan Pretorius is a globetrotting all-star, who has served as a guide and general manager at some of the most spectacular lodges and camps across the globe – from Kamchatka to Alphonse Island. Christiaan is a well-respected writer and photographer, whose work has appeared in a number of the world’s foremost fly fishing publications, and he is always on the forefront when it comes to developing new and exciting techniques and destinations. https://www.instagram.com/christiaanpretorius/
STEPHAN GIAN DOMBAJ
LAUREL WHITE
MATT HARRIS
TARQUIN MILLINGTON-DRAKE
Laurel is a registered nurse by trade but fly fishes as much is one of the most influenas possible in her free time. tial fly fishing journalists Traveling is a lifelong passion and photographers in the for her, with fly fishing benew Millennium. Stephan is coming an increasingly largextremely dedicated to the er part of that over the years. sport, and he splits his time Her favorite species to target between guiding and travare brown trout, grayling, and elling. Having written for a pike. She has recently discovmyriad of renowned magazines across the globe, Stephan has become a household fly fishing ered a new appreciation of targeting striped bass since moving to name, and he continues to amaze with his spectacular photography the east coast last September. www.instagram.com/laurel._.white/ and adventurous mindset.
Matt Harris has been shooting fly-fishing images since 1999 and has been commissioned to shoot images and write articles all over the world. He has shot in Argentina, Alaska, Australia, the Bahamas, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Cuba, England, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, India, Mongolia, New Zealand, Russia, the Seychelles, Scotland, the USA and Zambia. Matt loves any type of fly-fishing with a passion and is happy to fish for everything from trout to sailfish, but his favourite quarries are big Atlantic salmon and Permit. See more of Matt’s images at: http://www.mattharrisflyfishing.com/
Although he has fished and photographed extensively around the world through his work as the MD of travel company Frontiers UK, TMD’s heart lies with the Atlantic salmon. He has fished Norway, Iceland and Russia every year for the past 20+ years. He was also President of the Ponoi River Company for 10 years and is an international Director of NASF. He is lucky to be a member of the 50lbs + salmon club. You can follow his travels and love of photography at: www.blog.millingtondrake.com
Do you have any great fly fishing photos, videos, or stories that you would like to share with our readers? If so, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We are always looking for quality material for In the Loop Magazine, and we look forward to reviewing your material.
info@intheloopmag.com
Farquhar Atoll
Surf’s up in the Seychelles
Fly-fishing off Farquhar Atoll is a once-in-a-lifetime angling adventure, with giant trevally and bumphead parrotfish among the prizes. By: MARINA GIBSON Photos by FLY FISHING NATION
Farquhar Atoll is the most southerly atoll in the Seychelles chain of islands, lying just over 700km to the south-west of the main island, Mahe. Even in normal circumstances, trips to these remote places are carefully planned out, with little or no room to alter logistics, so we were fortunate that Covid restrictions allowed us to travel to the Seychelles, providing we abided by all regulations and guidelines.
“I was lucky to be one of the first fly. fishers to set foot on this pristine place” At short notice, we packed bags and set off from Germany, flying via Dubai to the capital of the Seychelles, Mahe, and then to Alphonse Island in a small plane, before the last leg to Farquhar Island. mThe island has around 22 inhabitants from Islands Development Company (IDC), a small number of houses, next to no pollution
and minimal fishing pressure. After 12 months of downtime, I was lucky to be one of the first fly-fishers to set foot on this pristine place, a once-ina-lifetime opportunity. It is a dream location, where casting for giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis), green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) – aka bumpheads, bumpys or buffalos of the flats – Indo-Pacific permit (Trachinotus blochii), bonefish (Albula vulpes), several species of triggerfish (of the family Balistidae) and an array of reef fish, including Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), saddleback grouper (Plectropomus laevis) and bohar snappers (Lutjanus bohar) make it the apogee of destination fly-fishing. As our sporting group of six eager fishermen, with a crew of ambitious guides, approached the island there was no one else in sight. The view from the white King airplane sent shivers down my spine. This horseshoe-shaped atoll was going to be home for the next week. We would be wading and poling its immaculate flats with high hopes of encountering some ravenous saltwater beasts.
POPLIPS
ON THE FLATS The fishing lodge is set on the edge of a rocky coastline a stone’s throw away from the first flats; the guesthouse caters for 10 anglers at a time and each en-suite cabin has an idyllic water’s-edge view of the ocean. You walk 20 metres from the main lodge to your skiffs. Although the lodge is a catch-and-release-only fishery, the IDC employees do daily kitchen runs to catch fresh fish for the guests. Historically, the use of conventional tackle methods such as bait fishing, chumming, and spinning was allowed but, after having seen catch records dwindle, it was decided that Farquhar Island would become a strictly fly-only destination. The island also has an Island Conservation Seychelles programme, which assesses and monitors the Farquhar biodiversity, including nesting sites for turtles, seabird habitats, and fish-spawning aggregations, as well as working on rehabilitation after Cyclone Fantala hit the islands in 2016. Today, commercial copra production on the island has ceased and tourism, especially fly-fishing, has been identified as a replacement source of income for the atoll.
As soon as we landed, the guides formed-up like a well-trained platoon and assembled all the skiffs. They opened up cobwebbed buildings, hauled the boats out into searing sunlight, mounted the engines and washed off layers of dirt that had accumulated during lockdown. Cullan Ashby, one of the guides, confided, “I am absolutely frothing to get back and see how much everything has changed. One of the most exciting things about guiding in the Seychelles is returning to these destinations after they have been rested, getting on a skiff on that first day and having to figure out the fish all over again. No matter your guiding experience, the atolls end up changing season to season, as do the areas we fish. It keeps it fresh and exciting when you see fish somewhere completely new - you’re constantly on the hunt for the next move. That’s the beauty of it.” The Alphonse Fishing Company’s guides have been handpicked, carefully trained, and are trusted to work in one of the most challenging fisheries there is.
Guiding in the Seychelles requires extreme fitness, especially over a full season. Demanding days with poling, pulling boats and walking miles in search of their client’s prized catches. They’re also away from family and friends for most of the year but that’s the sacrifice they are willing to make for their love of fishing and guiding.
“An adult green bumpy uses its forehead as a battering ram to loosen coral to eat” Poling takes balance, power, and endurance, not to mention the execution of perfect drift and positioning to allow a client the shot at a fish. Guides stand on a tower by the engine of the shallow, flatbottomed skiff with an 18ft, carbon-fiber pole. Should you receive any grief for missing a fish, executing a ‘trout set’ or being too slow (because you haven’t practiced
your double hauling before your trip), then it’s best to remain quiet and concentrate a little more. Either that or swap with the guide and get up on the poling station. From the moment I stepped on to the island, all I could think about was the bumphead parrotfish, the largest species of parrotfish, capable of growing to 1.5 meters and 165lb. The bumpy is slow growing and can live for up to 40 years. It’s a species that I have seen on various websites and social media channels, though I’d yet to fish for them, mainly because there are so few places where they can be found in good numbers. I gravitated towards these giants due to their peculiar, alien features. Their business end looks like a parrot’s beak due to exposed teeth plates, behind which you’ll find a baby-pink, bulbous forehead with a near-vertical profile, a small, beady eye, brightly coloured neon-green gill plates, huge pectoral fins and an armour of chunky green, blue, and purple scales all propelled by a paddle of a tail.
An adult green bumpy uses its forehead as a battering ram to loosen chunks of coral to feast on. It may ingest more than five tons of structural reef carbonates each year, according to a paper produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tricking them to eat a fly is the difficult part, followed by trying to keep them away from all the sharp coral. Hooking them right in the surf zone on an incoming tide was absolute carnage with many fish hooked and just as quickly lost. GREEN MONSTER We were using orange, crab-like flies and the one that produced the majority of our hook-ups was an orange Alphlexo Crab. As we followed a shoal of bumpheads slowly around the flats, they suddenly turned towards us, presenting me with yet another chance. I had been trying to catch one for a couple of days, most fish being lost to the coral reefs and one that simply came adrift, a sign that it was most likely foul hooked. This time, I pointed my feet towards the shoal, lifted my line carefully off
the silky water, gave it a little tug to increase the line speed and lifted it into the air, my heart pounding as I false cast across the plain. Was I finally approaching the moment where I’d get to hold my treasured green monster, or would the battle end just like the others, with a frustrated fisher? As the shoal moved towards the spot where I’d placed my crab fly, I drew my hand back steadily and pulled it ever so gently towards me just as the first fish passed over it, followed by another, and another, then, suddenly I felt a bump. Was that a fish? It could be a fish... With my heart racing I retrieved my line slightly harder, felt the resistance of a heavy object and quickly set the hook. It didn’t take long before the shoal saw the boat and shot off towards the reef, with my fish along for the ride. All I could remember was my guide, Jerry, and photographer Stephan Dombaj telling me that I had to break the fish’s spirit before it broke mine. I held on tight and gave it as much pressure as I could.
Jerry navigated the boat superbly and we managed to steer the fish away from the reef, slowly but surely, inch by inch, getting closer and closer. Dombaj then made a lunge at the fish with the net and ran around in circles until finally intercepting the brute and, just like that, I’d caught my first bumpy. SET UP FOR VARIETY We had a range of rods in our armoury, each one a different weight class to match the species of fish we were chasing: a 9ft 9wt for bonefish and permit; 9ft 10wt for triggerfish and bumpheads; 9ft 12wt for giant trevally, bluefin and barracudas; and a spare of each in case of mishaps. It is also a wise move to have a spare line for each set-up as you have the highest chance of getting spooled on a saltwater trip. The most sought-after gamefish found fame on David Attenbourgh’s Blue Planet II, where extraordinary footage showed giant trevallies (GT) jumping and catching juvenile birds attempting their first fledge from the beach. While most survive their first
lift off, some fail to escape the unforgiving mouths. These fierce-faced killing machines take no prisoners; if you’re out on the flats the law goes, it’s either eat or be eaten, grow bigger, move faster, or have more teeth to survive.
“These fierce-faced killing machines take no prisoners” And that is why you need a sturdy setup when you are GT fishing because if- and when you hook up to one, they allow no room for human error. Wading for GT is one of the pinnacles of saltwater fishing. Whether they are hammering a bait ball close to the edge of the reef or cruising the shallow flats picking off one bait at a time, you have to be ready because the moment you see them you will need to prepare your line and once they’re in firing range you need to haul a heavy 6 to 8 inch baitfish pattern 6 feet in front of them and be prepared to strip.
SURF FISHING I had caught GT before in the Pacific but never fished for them in the surf. Surf fishing is when you wade the reef or walk the rocky islands in search of the marauding GTs. Everything moves so quickly, and you must be ready to run. When one is spotted, get there as quickly as possible. If it means falling over a few times in the process on hard coral, that’s what you must do. As my guide and I scanned the waves and the turbulent whitewash for moving shapes we saw one GT riding a wave like a surfer without a surfboard. The tide was coming in fast; we had a small window of opportunity to fish the surf before it got too high, and we had to head back to the skiff. You want bigger tides, ideally, as the GT patrol thick and fast to feed on the baitfish. When I saw the first GT riding the surf, I was unprepared for what it would look like, so clear you could see the outlines of each fin and the prominent pitchfork-like tail.
Waves crashed into us as we ran to get that one chance of a cast in front of it. Out of breath with scratches down my legs I hauled my fly as hard and as fast as I could at the target, not too close that it would spook it but just far enough that it would track and chase. The take was explosive, nothing would stop this giant trevally. As it fled from the scene, I hoped my kit would hold up against the ferocity. It did, and once landed it grunted at me and, after a photo or two, I released him to continue his feeding frenzy. Farquhar is an exceptional, all-round, multi-species fishery with some of the biggest GT I’ve ever seen. The variety of species we encountered was exceptional, as was the diversity of wildlife on each reef, island, and the flats.
Since Alphonse Fishing Company took over, the fishery has been carefully managed and rested. Farquhar island is a great example of a GT fishery that is conservation-minded. If you are an angler in need of an adrenaline fix, this could be the perfect destination. Special thanks to our hosts, Keith Rose-Innes, managing partner of Alphonse Fishing Company, and Devan Van Der Merwe, group fishing manager. To book a trip, call +27 82 496 4570 or visit: www.alphonsefishingco.com
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Genetically engineered open-net pen salmon are hatched in tanks, dumped into pens, fed pellets, drugged, deloused and dyed pink—open-net pen salmon are a science project gone wrong, not dinner. Photo: Corin Smith
KAMCHATKA:
Boulders Anonymous An ongoing addiction relating to a very special river of the Russian Far East has Christiaan Pretorius reminiscing about big rainbow trout behind firm structure.
By: CHRISTIAAN PRETORIUS
Hello everyone, my name is Christiaan Pretorius and I am a boulder addict. I have been hitting boulders for the last three years and I am a fullblown addict. For most of you who aren’t familiar with the term ‘hitting boulders’, this is a term that only a select few people know of. This is a term used frequently by the guides on the mighty Zhupanova River on the Kamchatka peninsula.
“The takes are usually visual and super aggressive” We’ll get back to the finer details of the very special Kamchatka peninsula later, but first let’s talk about the boulders. It’s not uncommon to hear your guide tell you, “ooooh look at that nice boulder”, “Wow, look at that one over there” or “Hit that one over there”. These are all phrases you hear when floating down river, constantly fishing to structure. On this river we don’t use egg patterns, we don’t nymph and we also
very seldom do any form of technical dry fly fishing. What we do here is target big wild rainbow trout. We try get the most aggressive response from them and the two identified methods with most success is either moussing, yes, you heard right, we mouse for trout -or we play around with fishing big streamers. BIG native rainbow trout These fish are the apex predators in this body of water and aren’t scared of shit! We fish for big Rainbow trout pushing the 30” mark quite frequently. The biggest one we have ever got to hand being a gigantic 35” 14-yearold native wild rainbow trout. It’s not uncommon losing count of your 25” fish by 4 in the afternoon. The most ridiculous thing happened during one of my last seasons where a guest called a 28” fish “A small one”. I didn’t quite know how to handle the situation, but my response was simple while lifting the beaut from the water “At what point in your life does this become a small fish I asked the guest??” he just smiled and replied “Sorry, that’s very true”.
Now back to the boulders Unlike most rivers where trout like to sit in the slack water behind the boulders (downstream), in this river they hold mainly in front of the boulders (upstream). These fish are strong and far from lazy, they use the water pushing into the boulders as a cushion to just hang around and wait for food. These areas are easy to identify and I have a term “Knocking on doors”, which basically comes down to the more boulders you hit the more fish you will move and the more fish you will hook. These takes are usually visual and super aggressive.
“These fish will eat most flies as long as it’s big and fleshy, or a mouse” This fishing reminds me of saltwater fly-fishing on the flats for GT’s, they are that aggressive. To give you an idea, I have hooked fish before, fighting them for 10 seconds before shaking the hook, I then put the fly straight back in there to only watch the same fish eat the fly again… Stupid right?!
The right gear My favorite setup for this style of fishing is a 7wt fast action rod to be able to hit more of those spots, quicker. It’s a super fast style of fishing and line management is key to avoid getting tangles and letting boulders go by without “Knocking on the door”. A floating line paired a reel with sufficient drag and backing is also very important. Once again, these trout are bigger and stronger than any trout I have ever hooked elsewhere. The next step is the leader setup, again not technical at all. We use 15lb Maxima, straight, no tapered needed. 7 ft is more than enough. Above the fly I attach a split shot depending on the depth, this doesn’t only serve as a sinking aid but also as extra movement. For some reason the jigging action drives these fish insane. The more erratic the movement, the better. Then finally we get to the flies, again not the most technical. These fish will eat most flies as long as it’s big and fleshy, or a mouse.
I personally love fishing white flies as they are very visual and the strikes are always memorable. Nothing better than seeing a 30” fish shoot from 10ft out to only engulf the fly a rod length away. And then there is the hook set, well let’s just say you can imagine what that’s like especially fishing with 15lb! And then last but not least, the moussing. These fish are tuned in on anything edible moving across the river. They go nuts for it and as long as you can avoid a rod lift these fish will keep attacking your fly as long as you give them a chance. Just give them a chance! Boulder blasts The mouse eats are always memorable ones. Although you seem to lose more, sometimes just seeing a fish explode on the fly is more than enough. Either mouse or a streamer, doesn’t matter, if there is a fish sitting in front of the boulder you will know about it. There is some skill involved and that is hitting the boulders at the right angles.
A 45-degree angle downstream is the best as it allows you time to recover if you do screw up and get more than one shot. You want to slap that fly down about 15ft in front of the boulder, one big mend upstream and let that fly sink down. Often on that first twitch you will get line pulled through your fingers. As a guide you often hear the comment “I’ve snagged the rock” and often my response will be: “Nope that’s him, hit him, hit him!!!”. Once you have caught one fish sitting in front of a boulder you will understand the addiction. Over three seasons I have had the pleasure of introducing many new guests to this drug. As far as trout fishing goes, this is so unique and special. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my 7x and small dry flies, but not here, not on the Zhupanova. Where again? So, I’m sure many of you are wondering where this place I call “Disneyland for fly fishermen” is. Kamchatka is the small little arm in the far east extending from the Russian
mainland. During our season July-September it’s a short little 4hr hop from Anchorage Alaska.
“Often on that first twitch you will get line pulled through your fingers” For me coming from South Africa, it’s a slightly longer journey through Moscow, well worth it though. Kamchatka was closed to any person until the early 90’s. This is when some die-hard fly fisherman made the mission into the unknown only to stumble upon what is possibly the best rainbow trout fishery on the planet. There are thousands of rivers, most of them still un-fished, unexplored. Similar in size to California, Kamchatka is home to 330 000 residents, and most of them have zero interest in rainbow trout. They are after aalmon and their eggs, which there are plenty of for them to keep themselves busy.
Kundzha Another very unique and special fish you will encounter towards the end of July is the rare Kundzha (Asiatic white spotted char). This specie is found in only a hand full of rivers around the globe, these fish are mainly land locked, with the Zhupanova being the exception. In this river they are sea-run, stretching the tape to 40+ inches. And like most cases, as soon as a fish touches the salt it evolves to a much stronger creature. These Kundzha being no exception, once hooked there is no mistaking the massive headshakes and short powerful runs for any other fish. This is a truly special fish to target when fishing this river.
Then again not to forget all the other pacific salmon species to target, the coho being one of my favourite as they too are very aggressive and strong. I was fortunate enough to spend eight weeks a year on this river, without seeing another soul. This is the most removed from people that I have ever felt. We covered a stretch of 45 miles in 5 days, and this stretch would only get fished by six people a week. There is very close to zero pressure on the Zhuponova River and that is one of the rarest things to find nowadays.
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THE MIDAS TOUCH
How to Tackle Indo-Pacific Permit By RASMUS OVESEN Photos by ALPHONSE FISHING CO and KEITH ROSE-INNES
Among fly fishermen with salt in their veins, permit have historically been considered the ultimate flats trophy. But permit aren’t just permit. In fact, there are four different species of permit dispersed across the sub-equator oceanic realm – and while all of them are elusive and challenging to catch, one of them requires a particularly golden touch to be brought to hand.
THE INDO-PACIFIC PERMIT, (Trachinotus blochii), belongs to a highly recognized and revered order of fish in the pompano family. But, for the longest time, it has stood unjustly in the shadow of its cousin; the Atlantic permit (Trachinotus falcatus), which – to many saltwater fly fishermen – is the only permit species out there. The latter couldn’t be further from the truth, however. In total there are four different species of permit on the flats; Trachinotus Anak, Trachinotus Blochii, Trachinotus Africanus and Trachinotus Falcatus. These species are widely dispersed from the Western Pacific Ocean including but not limited to the Coral-, Tasman-, and Phillipine Seas across the Indian Ocean and the Arabian- and Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic permit, certainly, is the biggest of the four sub-species – with recorded weights in excess of 80lbs (36kilos), but other than that there is very little to suggest that it deserves more attention than its cousins. All three remaining sub-species
are found on shallow flats, and while they certainly display different physiological characteristics, micro-habitat preferences and feeding habits, they all carry that certain genetic coding that makes them a trying and, oftentimes, frustrating challenge to catch on a fly rod. They’re highly sensitive, cautious, clever and finicky. Furthermore, they have keen eyesight and a highly developed proclivity for rejecting flies. Perhaps, the most difficult of them to catch is the indo-pacific permit (“the golden pompano”), which is also – without much required debate, the most beautiful of the lot. It boasts pearlescent flanks surrounded by glowing coronal auras. Pure liquid gold emanates from its fins, and gleaming specks of gold dust radiate from its big, soulful eyes. It’s a thing of seditious beauty to behold, and it’s the prime flats trophy of the Indo-Pacific Ocean – a veritable gold trophy! South African globetrotter, fly fishing guide, and director of Alphonse Fishing Co, Keith Rose-Innes, has a long-lived history of fly fishing for Indo-Pacific permit.
He was among the first people to successfully target the fish with fly rods, and he has never looked back. He now resides in the Seychelles, which is widely recognized as the epicenter for those similarly obsessed with Indo-pacific permit and - having guided for these fish for ages, he is probably the foremost capacity on fly fishing for Indo-Pacific permit out there.
variety of the earlier patterns. The cracking definitely came with the Alphlexo Crab fly pattern as it has revolutionised the game of confidence when fishing for Indo’s anywhere in the world.
Rasmus: You were among the people who initially cracked the code when it comes to targeting indo-pacific permit. What attracted you to this particular fish in the first place?
Keith: It’s definitely the difficulty aspect as you don’t catch them by mistake. It’s the one kind of addiction that you can refine and get better at. Permit fishermen are a different kind of animal and for me whether it be Atlantic, Anak, Africanus or Indo’s, the feeling will be exactly the same. The attraction becomes a necessity when you spend so much time fishing for them, finally hook one that stays on, feel the anxiety of it being on the line before finally holding this amazing slab of silver and gold.
Keith: I don’t think you can understand the feeling that drives you to fish for permit until you are standing there making the cast. The experience insites the “little boy” in you. I think that when a species is so difficult to catch it becomes an automatic attraction. I wouldn’t say we ever “initially cracked the code” as we caught them through spending painstaking hours targeting them with a
Rasmus: What makes fly fishing for indo-pacific permit so special compared to other flats species (and other permit?)
Rasmus: What were the major obstacles you faced when you first started targeting Indo-Pacific permit?
Keith: I think doubt in the fly was the biggest hurdle to overcome as It’s a confidence game. It’s hard to catch the first Indo but it gets easier as you become more confident. The biggest mistake is often placing the fly too far away from the fish and moving it too slowly. As you spend more time fishing for them you understand how to position yourself taking into account what’s under foot, what the currents or wave action is like, where to place the cast and how to get the fish’ attention. I always tell my guests to let the fish make the decision; rather too close than too far and, “all you need to do is show the fish the fly and then it’s up to the Indo to decide if it wants to eat or not” Rasmus: What is it that makes indo-pacific so challenging to catch? Keith: I still believe that we have a lot to learn about the species as it’s hard to understand how a fish can have such a split personality.
On some days a “way below par cast” will entice a fish to rush a fly and eat, when other days you can make 100 perfect casts at different fish and present the fly correctly to get a reaction that resembles as if you threw a rock at them. The stars have to align, the weather has to be right, the cast, the strip, the colour and weight of the fly, the fish has to see it and then for some strange reason it has to decide to eat. Rasmus: How does fly fishing for indo-pacific permit compare to targeting permit (trachinotus falcatus) in, for instance, the Mexican Gulf? Keith: I haven’t caught enough Atlantic permit (trachinotus falcatus) to preach as if I know this answer. All I can say is that from what I have experienced they are equally as ball-achingly difficult. The only difference is that we catch 90% of our Indo’s on foot and in 1 to 3 foot of water with a slow to medium stripped fly. From my limited experience with Atlantic permit (trachinotus falcatus) they don’t seem to like the fly stripped and most of the shots I have had have been from a skiff. Other than
that, they are “brothers from another mother” that all went to the same school of difficult. Rasmus: What are the most essential skills to bring to the fore when targeting indo-pacific permit? Keith: Casting, casting, casting and casting! Being able to put that fly into the right place at the drop of a hat, and being able to accurately cast, cast and cast. Rasmus: What are the most important lessons you’ve learned over the years while targeting indo-pacific permit? Keith: Never become too despondent and don’t take permit fishing personally. It’s a game of practice, enthusiasm and belief. Rasmus: Do you have any tips for optimizing the tackle setup for indo-pacific permit? Keith: Fish as light as you can when it comes to fluorocarbon tippet (12 to 15lbs).
Most importantly bring as many well tied Alphlexo’s that you can get your hands on as they work, but never underestimate the tying secrets that the guides hold close to their hearts. Rasmus: What have been the most important lessons when it comes to flies and presentation? Keith: Currently the fly pattern doesn’t vary as the Alphlexo entices 99% of the Indo’s we catch. The colour, weight, size and style does however vary between atolls and spots and it’s evolving constantly. If you show a fish a fly and it hangs around long enough to allow a fly change then change the fly rather than keep showing the same fly. Rasmus: Once you locate an indo-pacific permit (or a small school of fish), how do you best approach them? Keith: As you fish mostly on foot its best to intercept on their path to where they are going as its best to present the fly to them coming straight at you or between straight on and 45 degrees.
What is underfoot will determine how you can approach them as we often fish on mottled bottom that crunches under foot. The weather also plays a part as wind gives you a bit of cover and so does wave action. I believe that current is one of the biggest factors as it carries scent and sound so I’d rather fish to fish up current versus down current. Rasmus: Is there anything one needs to be particularly conscious about when an indo-pacific permit is finally on the fly (and eventually eats)? Keith: The most important thing to understand is that you need to keep in direct contact with the fly at all times. An Indo inhales the fly, so the slightest twitch on the line can mean an eat, which requires a steady strip strike to set the hook. Quite often, when you feel a bump, it’s the fly being exhaled and you have missed the eat. Rasmus: What are the most prolific indo-pacific permit fisheries to your
knowledge – and where is your favourite place to target them? Keith: The most prolific in the Indian Ocean is without doubt the Amirante chain of islands. What makes these fisheries so amazing is that there can be piles on certain days and others nothing. All the atolls fish differently and fish better on different tides. Miss a trick and you could quite easily not see a fish. The humbling part is that even if you know the atoll, the spots, the tidal preferences and fly pattern it by no means guarantees a fish in 7 days of fishing. Rasmus: Any other valuable tips, for people who would like to catch their first indo-pacific permit? Keith: Fish with an organisation/ guide who understands the species, destination and how to fish for Indo’s. Don’t make an already frustrating situation into an ALMIGHTY frustration that you would never want to do again. Stack all the cards in your favour.
Fact File – Indo-Pacific Permit// Indo-Pacific permit (also known as golden pompano and snubnose pompano) is a species of pompano indigenous to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, which is distributed across a vast area ranging from the shorelines of East Africa and the Red Sea to the Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to southern Japan and south to Australia. It can grow to over one meter in length (specimens up to 110cm have been recorded), but the average size is somewhere between 40 and 50cm – and fish in the 60cm range are considered trophies. Indo-Pacific permit inhabit sandy shorelines and muddy bays near river mouths and mangrove tidal channels as well as seaward coral- and rock reefs. They are a schooling fish, but as they grow and mature, they become increasingly solitary. Adults typically feed on crustaceans, sand mollusks, and other hard-shelled invertebrates such as oysters and small crabs. Fact File – The Seychelles// While there are guided fly fishing operators in both Australia and Oman specializing in Indo-Pacific permit, the Seychelles are widely recognized as one of the best places to target Indo-Pacific permit anywhere in the world. Especially Poivre, Alphonse Island, and Astove Atoll are known for their permit fisheries. For more information, please refer to: https://www.alphonsefishingco.com
The Alphlexo Crab// Considered by many a total game-changer, the Alphlexo Crab has now become the go-to fly for most hard-core Indo-Pacific permit fly fishermen. It’s an imitation of a small sand crab and it can be varied in size and colour depending on the habitat and conditions. The material list is as follows:
Hook: Gamakatsu SL 12S Thread: Danville’s 2/0 Waxed Body: Flexi Tubing Weight: Lead Eyes XS, Nickel & Bead Chain Eyes XS Eyes: Hard Mono – Burnt Legs: Ultra Chenille Micro Glue: UV glue or similar For a tying tutorial, please check out the following link:
Legendary fly hooks crafted with tommorow’s technologies
ARGENTINA’S WILD TROUT
A Story of Our First Trip to Patagonia Anyone who has been to Argentina remembers their first time and why they fell in love with it. For us, my husband Julius and I, we went for the world-famous fly fishing this past February. We chose the upper Patagonia region near Cholila and stayed at the Carrileufu River Lodge for about two weeks, meeting up with our friends Stephan and Marina. The lodge is near an abundance of lakes and river systems at the foot of the Andes Mountains. The lakes and rivers are full of the most beautiful brown and rainbow trout you have ever seen, carefully sipping flies off the surface or hanging out just below or on the edge of willows waiting for the unsuspecting bugs to drift by. By: LAUREL WHITE Photos by: JULIUS KOGEL and FLY FISHING NATION
FIRST THINGS FIRST But first, let’s talk about arriving in Argentina. We landed in Buenos Aires and upon disembarking the plane, we were besieged with the heat and humidity. Coming from a cold German winter, we had to adjust from down jackets and scarves to shorts and T-shirts. Once our outfits were tailored to the weather, we were off to exchange a small amount of money so we could partake in a famous Argentinean steak before flying to Esquel the next day. Later, we took a small detour to Buenos Aires Anglers, one of Argentina’s oldest fly shops. Finding the place was like going on a scavenger hunt. It is quietly tucked into what appears to be an apartment complex. We walked into the building and carefully asked the doorman if this is where the shop resides. The man smirked and told us to take the elevator to the eighth floor. Take a left off the elevator and then a right. Toward the end of the hall on the
left is the shop. We were greeted by Marcelo, the owner and his dog. The shop is well equipped with anything a fly anglers heart desires. A bonus was chatting with Marcelo about all kinds of things from the economy, the concept of his shop, and most importantly, fishing. If you have time while in Buenos Aires, stop by and check it out, it is worth a look!
“Each morning you wake up to a beautiful view of the Andes” The next day, we were on a threehour flight to Esquel, a tiny regional airport where our driver, Germán picked us up. Germán is called the “Joker” because he can work any role in the lodge including a fantastic fishing guide. There are two airports you can fly into, Esquel or Bariloche. Esquel is about a oneand-a-half-hour drive to the lodge and Bariloche is about two and a half hours.
Bariloche has multiple daily flights in and out of Buenos Aires where Esquel offers one in and one out per day. We ended up being the last ones to exit the baggage claim because of all things, my rod tube with ALL of my rods and some of Stephan’s hadn’t shown up. I was starting to get really nervous when I saw the luggage cart drive away and no more luggage coming through on the carrousel. Luckily Julius had bought Apple AirTags and was able to track my rod tube sitting between the airplane and the baggage claim. We approached an airport employee explaining our situation and that we could tell him exactly where the missing piece of luggage was. The man seemed quite puzzled that we were able to tell him the location of the rod tube. He got on the radio and within five minutes, someone came walking in with my rod tube! Hallelujah! It turns out, it had fallen off the luggage cart.
FAST FRIENDS We made quick friends with Germán and our drive to the lodge was over in a flash. It felt like we were all old friends catching up. Arriving at Carrileufu River Lodge, we were welcomed by all the staff and given a glass of delicious Argentinean Malbec.
“With my nerves trying to get the best of me, I carefully cast right in front of its mouth” I will say, this lodge is magnificent! The Great Room (main, communal room with an open bar, huge stone fireplace, lots of seating and also the dining room) has large windows that open up to a gorgeous view of the Andes mountains and the Cerro Tres Picos or The Three Peaks, a gorgeous, jagged three “fingered” peak. Next, we were introduced to our spacious room. Each room has two queen sized beds, an ample amount
of space for storing all of your luggage, and massive bathrooms. Then dinner was served and let me tell you, the food was incredible! After being stuffed with a three-course dinner and copious amounts of Malbec, we were off to bed anxious for the fishing the next day. Each morning you wake up to a beautiful view of the Andes mountains and make your way out for a hearty breakfast of fresh fruit, cereals, eggs, bacon, and toast before heading out on the water! GAME ON! Our first float with the drift boat was on the Rivadavia River in the Los Alerces National Park. Julius and I were speechless when we arrived at the put in location. The views of the mountains and turquoise water were made from dreams. You wouldn’t believe that we were there during the lowest waters and most difficult fishing in the last 20 years. The amount of trout we saw in the river was unbelievable!
On the boat, trout were rising all around us, trout were on the bottom inhaling nymphs, trout were everywhere so much so, my senses were in overdrive! Deciding where to cast became overwhelming and I was like a kid in a candy store, just glowing!
“Sometimes the good ‘ol chuck and duck was our only choice” Julius landed the first trout of our trip, a beautiful, feisty rainbow with incredibly pink cheeks, taken on dry. Soon after, I caught my first Argentinean rainbow trout on dry, game on! I knew there were plenty more to come and I couldn’t get enough of it. I almost forgot to look at our surroundings because I was so fixated on fishing. The rainbows were coming in hot! Along this float, we stopped at a spring fed creek for lunch. Lunch? Who wants lunch when there are fish to be caught! I was outnumbered, lunch time it was, plus Stephan was
excited to give us a small introduction to the spring creek. While the guides BBQ’d for us, we were off fishing in this little creek full of monsters! We couldn’t walk away from the creek to eat because our minds were blown from not just the mere amount of trout in there but the variety and their size! This creek not only has rainbows but brown and brook trout! I’ve never caught a brook trout so I was keen on finding one. Alas, we had to go eat and fish on along the Rivadavia from the boat. Not to worry, we went back to that creek the next day. That first day, we caught some beautiful rainbows on terrestrials as well as being introduced to the infamous Patagonian winds or as Juancho, our guide, would call it, the Patagonia breeze! THE INFAMOUS SPRING CREEK The next morning finally arrived and we were restless to get going to that spring creek where all of those elusive beasts live. A 45-minute drive and we were there, ready to take on the notorious spring creek.
There is a secret here, a secret nymph that these trout go crazy for. The bad news? There were only four of these little gems left. The four of us, Julius, Stephan, Marina, and I only got one each, no pressure. Stephan and Marina lost theirs almost immediately. I was being as careful as possible with mine knowing the importance of this little morsel of gold. You need to be precise with your cast here. Finally, a trophy sized brook trout was sitting right in front of me! With my nerves trying to get the best of me, I carefully cast right in front of its mouth. We saw the take and STRIKE! As quickly as there was tension on my line, it went limp, my tippet snapped! I was in shock and was about to start mourning my loss, but all I can remember hearing is Stephan giggling behind me. My hopes, my dreams, my nymph-my precious, gone and shattered and Stephan there to rub it in as well as lighten my mood! I couldn’t help but laugh with him but deep down, I may have been crying just a little.
That was a huge learning moment there, you have to let the trout run, don’t put too much pressure on or hold your line. That was a painful lesson that I had to learn not once but twice before I was finally able to land one of these beasts. Julius was the only one who managed not to lose his little piece of gold. The slow flowing water makes it easy for these trout to discern food from faux so only a few were caught that day but it was a blast. I may have had nightmares that night about my missed opportunity to land my first brook trout. The next few days were on different sections of the Carrileufu River with our guide Germán. Each section has so much to offer. The rainbows were taking dries, nymphs, and streamers with ease. The brown trout were being a little more apprehensive and elusive, hiding in and below the plethora of willows. The perfect cast on the edge or just below the willows will be righteously rewarded. Early on during one of the floats, I sent one perfect cast along the willows and this beauty of a brown came shooting out of the water and
slammed my fly! That was the largest brown I caught on the trip, and it was beautiful. The take was enough to get the blood pumping and the feign in me hyper focused and fixated on the next opportunity.
“Next cast, WHAM, fish on! This fight was something else, something different” Each afternoon, the Patagonian “breeze” would pick up and they are no joke. The gusts were sometimes strong enough that we almost fell off the boat and occasionally the boat would be pushed upstream. The guides are true professionals and were great at turning the boat so each fisherman had a good angle to cast even in the crazy winds. Sometimes the good ‘ol chuck and duck was our only choice. After thoroughly fishing the Carrileufu River, we gave the Arrayanes River a go which is located in the Los Alerces National Park.
It is most successfully fished with a streamer. A brown, black and purple, and bright red Wooly Bugger were very rewarding for us. Julius landed a gorgeous brown in Lago Verde just before entering the Arrayanes River. As with any of the floats, the views were to die for. This one for me, was the most beautiful out of them all. We caught loads of gorgeous young browns and plenty of proper rainbow trout. There were a handful of big brown trout that followed our streamers but never committed. The whirlwind of emotions caused by a hungry brown trout stalking your streamer just to turn off last second is astounding. SHOCK AND AWE After plenty of warm, dry, blue skied days of fishing, we had a couple of days of long overdue rain and boy did that turn the brown trout fishing on! While fishing in the rain, streamers were a popular choice for the trout. Once the rains subsided, the browns were smashing dries off the surface! Those takes were just incredible and got the heart racing! We caught our largest brown trout out of the Carrileufu, but we have heard of the massive browns that can be caught out of the Rivadavia and Arrayanes as well.
On our last day of fishing before heading home, on the upper section of the Carrileufu, we were fishing a spot that is known for big browns. Julius casted first and WHAM! Something hit his streamer at the surface with force but didn’t commit. Next cast, WHAM, fish on! This fight was something else, something different. Our minds were blown when we saw the fish jump out of the water, a landlocked Atlantic salmon! These bad boys slam the streamers like torpedoes! The thrill of the take and fight is almost euphoric. After releasing Julius’ salmon, we went back and I casted to the same spot Julius had. I let my streamer sink for several seconds, strip, nothing, strip, strip, nothing, strip, WHAM! Holy crap that almost made my heart stop! Excitedly, I played the fish and my soul was crushed when I lost it right at the net! But what a way to end our trip! LODGE LIFE, GUIDES, AND TACKLE If you are traveling with anyone who is not a fly fishing junkie like yourself, the lodge offers other activities such as horseback riding and hiking. The lodge also offers massage and has a sauna that can be used 24 hours a day.
Overall, I would recommend a 5 wt rod before the daily winds pick up in the afternoon and then once the winds pick up, a 6 wt would be your go to. Flies: Dries: Parachute Adams, ant patterns, beetles, Chubbies, Chubbies, and more Chubbies. Nymph: Scuds, Pheasant Tails, and Red Tags. Streamers: heavy, brown, black, black and purple, or bright red Wooly Buggers. Don’t forget to pack a fast sinking line for your streamer set up. The guides from the Carrileufu River Lodge have the utmost expertise of the rivers and lakes. They will tell you to cast to spots you would never dream of catching a fish, let alone a giant brown trout! The guides know how to show a customer a good time and have a lot of fun while doing it. They even set you up with three course lunches with beer or wine on the river. Most of the fishing is from a drift boat but there are some spring fed creeks that you can fish on foot. At these creeks, you must be stealthy and present the fly perfectly and then you may be lucky enough to land one of these lively trout. It doesn’t matter
where you fish out of the Carrileufu River Lodge, the views are intoxicating, and the fishing will awaken your inner child. The lodge itself completes the package. Every staff member there is genuine and you can tell they are passionate about what they do. Gori, a massive black Mastiff who believes she is a lap dog will enthusiastically greet you upon your return from a therapeutic day of fishing. Pancho, the owner and his family are the most wholesome human beings who welcome you with open arms. Not to mention Pancho’s son, Teo, a young blood who first held a fly rod at three years old. He brings more skill to the table than some of the most experienced fly fishermen I’ve met. We can’t wait to return next season to see what a normal year is like if this was considered rough. And that is how we fell in love with Argentina. For more info, https://carrileufuriverlodge.com
COLOMBIA
Yellowfin Tuna on the Fly Not so long ago, Colombia had a reputation as a broken, lawless state, riven by civil war and violence. The country’s very name was synonymous with murderous drug cartels and fifty years of internal conflict that had left well over 200,000 people dead. However, since the remarkable work of President Juan Manuel Santos, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, the civil war has finally ended, and Colombia has started on the long road to recovery.
By MATT HARRIS
It is now safe to visit the country and those willing to leave their preconceptions behind are in for an exhilarating rollercoaster ride. A vibrant Latin culture is now thriving, and the country can offer an incredibly colourful spectrum of environments and experiences. Colombia is one of the world’s only 17 ‘megadiverse’ countries and boasts the second-highest level of biodiversity of any nation-state in the world. Its territory encompasses Amazonian rainforest, highlands, grasslands, and deserts, and it is the only country in South America with coastlines and islands bordering both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Colombia also offers some truly remarkable fishing, and pioneers like my good friend Beto Mejia at Fish Colombia are helping to expose the rest of the world to some of the exhilarating opportunities the country has to offer. SPECTACULAR FISH MIGRATIONS Every year, along Colombia’s Northern Pacific coastline, one of the natural world’s most spectacular migrations takes place.
Literally millions of sardines travel from the Bay of Panama down along the coast, and as they make their way south, they seem to attract every predator in the Eastern Pacific. Whereas in Panama’s celebrated Pinas Bay fishery, just to the north, the oceanic shelf is around 30 miles offshore, at Bahia Solano it is right on the doorstep, barely five miles from the beach. This means that the migration comes very close to the shore, and small artisanal boats can catch huge numbers of sardines armed only with a cast net. For the last decade or so, the local communities have worked hand in hand with the Colombian Government to create ZEPA, an exclusive zone for artisanal fishing, allowing only traditional methods of sustainable fishing, and banning long-lines, purse-seiners and all the black magic of high-tech tuna and shrimp boats. As a result, the sardines and the species that predate on them have flourished. The sardines attract a huge range of large predators.
A panoply of wonderful sportfish queue up to compete for the angler’s attention. Superstar sport species like Roosterfish, Marlin, Sailfish, Cubera Snapper and even increasing numbers of Tarpon that have found their way into the Pacific via the Panama Canal all feed on the huge bait schools, but the main staple that follow the sardines down the coast are the vast hordes of Yellowfin Tuna. These precious fish provide a sustainable fishery for the local community, and for the fly rod fanatic, they are a truly wild ride.
would have a blast. We flew west and landed at José Celestino Mutis Airport in Colombia’s Choco district.
“Literally millions of sardines travel from the Bay of Panama down along the coast”
ON TRACK TO COLOMBIA I was invited to explore this incredible fishery in May 2019 with Beto. but at the last minute, my friend was called away on urgent business. No matter: I headed out with another friend José Bravo, a talented and likeable young angler from Colombia who has fished all around this amazing country.
A short taxi ride over rutted tarmac brought us bouncing into Bahia Solano, a remote, colourful little community, wedged between the jungle and the eponymous broad bay on the Pacific Ocean. As we sank a few icy beers and rigged the twelve weight rods in the late afternoon sunshine, José told me all about the fisheries conservation work that the Colombian government had done here in the Choco region and elsewhere in his country. It was impossible not to feel optimistic about our chances.
I met José in Medellin, and his brighteyed enthusiasm for his country’s diverse fishing opportunities was infectious. I knew immediately that we
The first day was a disappointing wash-out as a nasty cold front blew down from Panama, but the following day dawned clear and bright.
The bustling little harbour was alive with all manner of craft as we arrived at the jetty in the early morning sunshine. We laughed with the local kids as they crowded around us at the dock and helped us carry our gear to the boat, and we showed them the bizarre array of flies that we were hoping might snag us a tuna or two. HEADING OUT We stashed our kit onto El Bizcocho, Beto’s fast and well-appointed boat and then, having eased our way carefully between the flotilla of little fishing skiffs and dug-out canoes, our captain opened up the big twin Yamaha engines and we fizzed out into the ocean. Heading north, it was fascinating to see that the shore was protected by mile after mile of dense jungle, with virtually no sign of human incursion. The water was clean and clear, the endless golden beaches were immaculate and deserted, and the entire environment felt utterly pristine. We explored a jagged headland that jutted out unto the ocean and gazed in amazement at the tens of thousands of sardines hugging the rocky promontory. Dolphins frisked in the tropical sunshine, and pelicans and frigate birds hovered over the sardines with murderous intent. It was surely only a matter of time before the tuna turned up and tucked into this enormous, all-you-can-eat-buffet.
YELLOWFIN EVERYWHERE We scanned the water expectantly, rods at the ready and line stripped on the deck. Just as José predicted, we didn’t have to wait long. Suddenly they were all around. Yellowfin. Everywhere. The feeding activity was astonishing. Everywhere we looked there were myriad busts as if dozens of hand-grenades were being thrown all around the boat. The water was literally churning with activity, as hundreds of tuna fizzed through the waves like supercharged torpedoes, slicing through the bait-ball in a frenetic blizzard of mayhem and slaughter. “Yellowfin soup!!!” I laughed to José, as we pitched our flies into the melee. This was surely going to be a turkey shoot. After three monstrous busts, our flies - tried and tested subsurface sardine imitations like the Gym sock, the flashy profile and various Deceivers, Surf Candies and Clouser minnows had all been singular-
ly ignored. Our excitement quickly turned to frustration and humiliation, as the feeding frenzies yielded a lot of excitement but precious little to the boat. Some turkey shoot! Our likeable skipper was new to flyfishing, and he was clearly less than impressed with our daft bits of fluff and their inability to lure even one fish from the vast schools of ravenous tuna. The issue was clearly that there was too much bait - our flies were needles in the proverbial haystack, lost in amongst literally thousands of easy little meals. We needed something that stood out from the crowd. I had an idea. NOT YOUR AVERAGE TUNA FISHING I’d rigged a second rod for throwing big poppers for cuberas and jacks, and as we bounced towards the next big bust, I snatched it up and stripped the line onto the deck in readiness. The fly attached to the leader was my old friend James Christmas’s brilliant creation, the NYAP, on an 8/0 hook.
NYAP stands for Not Your Average Popper, and it’s the perfect sobriquet. James designed it to solve a specific problem. Most popper patterns are designed to offer water resistance (so that they ‘pop’ ) but this also makes them air-resistant and renders them hard to cast. James’s invention slices through the air and casts like a dream, even when waist-deep in the waters of the Seychelles. However, once in the water, the fly pops and sputters with the best of them, causing as much commotion as any number of other, more unwieldy designs. It is a work of genius. As we approached the next bust, I wound up a cast and sent the NYAP out into the chaos. For long casts to busting tuna, the NYAP was perfect. It cut through the air just like a regular fly. Unlike the sub-surface patterns, however, the big surface ‘pop’ that the NYAP made was like a dinner bell to the depraved yellowfin, and it was instantly demolished in a thrilling heartbeat. The line shot off the deck in a split-second, and suddenly the reel was fizzing wildly as the fish disappeared across the bay in a blur.
RAW POWER I don’t care what anyone says - for sheer strength, pound for pound nothing and I mean NOTHING is as strong as a tuna. A twenty-pound tuna will amaze you with its turn of speed. A forty-pounder will beat you up, and an eighty-pounder? An eighty pounder will have you crying for your mother.
“The main staple that follow the sardines down the coast are the vast hordes of Yellowfin Tuna” Thankfully this was a relatively modest fish of around twenty-five pounds, and after a protracted tugof-war, I finally wrestled the fish into the boat. I grinned at José as I prized the NYAP from the fish’s jaws and watched the captain unceremoniously dispatch the tuna with a baseball bat to provide us all with a delicious sashimi supper.
The bust was over but another one was blowing up half a mile away. I fished another NYAP out of my fly wallet and gave it to José. We went rocketing towards the action and set about those tuna with an appetite that verged on bloodlust.
“We watched entranced as a huge whale shark came gliding through the bait-ball and swam right under our boat” That first fish wasn’t a fluke. James Christmas’s fly transformed the fishing, and for the rest of that long day, the action was as frantic and as relentless as any I can ever remember. We caught and released countless Yellowfin. Fish would sometimes grab the fly as it landed, often before we even had time to induce any movement. Mercifully, most of the fish were between 15 and 30 pounds, and we soon lost count as fish after
fish climbed onto the big poppers and went rocketing for the horizon. “MIS CONDOLENCIAS!” Eventually, it had to happen. José got lucky - or perhaps unlucky, depending on your perspective. A big Yellowfin burst through the surface and my friend was instantly attached to a really big brute of a tuna. “Grande!!!” He hollered, as the rod buckled down to the cork, and I grinned at my friend as he winced in pain. “Oh dear!” I winked, “mis condolencias!!!!” Small Yellowfin are some of the most fun you will ever have with a fly rod. Being attached to a tuna of fifty pounds and over with a flimsy fly rod, however, is nothing short of a living hell. Jose’s fish looked 70 pounds and more. I sat down lazily under the boat’s central canopy and opened a frosty can of “Aguila”. “Salut, amigo” I grinned, catching my new friend’s eye as he scowled theatrically, wiping away the sweat and settling into what we both knew would be at least 30 minutes of unremitting attritional torment.
Hats off to José. He put everything he had into battling that fish, and, after a tortuous battle, he had the fish to the gunwale. Our captain expertly gaffed the fish and swung it aboard. José was thrilled - a tuna of seventy-five pounds on the fly is a remarkable achievement, especially if your rod remains intact. I photographed my friend with his spectacular catch, and then we enjoyed a laugh and a cold beer in the sunshine and watched entranced as a huge whale shark came gliding through the bait-ball and swam right under our boat. The action and the laughter continued unabated all through that long golden afternoon, and we never tired of watching our NYAP flies being swallowed by the voracious tuna, mostly the moment they hit the water. That night, we strolled into the vibrant little town, ate delicious sashimi, drank a few more cold beers and laughed at our good fortune and the countless line-burns on our thumbs. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. EXPLORATIONS TOWARDS PANAMA The next few days were extraordinary. We went exploring all the way up to Panama, and although we couldn’t find a sailfish, we walked on remote, immaculate beaches and caught yellowfin almost at will. Our captain showed us how to throw a cast net, and we filled the Bizcocho’s live-well to the brim with sardines. Throwing them overboard would have the fish exploding around the boat in moments, and after catching a few fish, it was simply fun to watch the water churning with feeding tuna.
The Whale Sharks put in a regular appearance, and dolphins frisked around the prow in their hundreds as we headed for home. Then, one evening, as we rolled back into the dock, we were met by an ominous sight. Moored in the beautiful little bay was a hideous, incongruous blemish - a huge ship. It looked like the Tirpitz, but this was no battleship. The little yellow ‘spotter’ helicopter perched on her superstructure gave her away. This was a state-of-the-art industrial purse-seine tuna-fishing boat. Our captain scowled, and as we pulled up at the dock, the little harbour was alive with animated chatter. It was clear that the boat was an unwanted presence in this utopian little Garden of Eden. The next day it was gone. So, sadly, were the sardines, and to a large extent, the tuna. It was, most likely, coincidence: the sardine migration moves in waves down the coast, and the pelagic species follow them. However, it felt like a dark portent. Bahia Solano‘s incredible fishery had shown us in a few short days what a sustainable
fisheries policy like the one imposed by ZEPA can look like - plentiful fish for the entire community that can be caught in sustainable numbers, while allowing the resource to flourish. As we roamed the bay, looking for the last stragglers of the run, I thought a lot about that huge, malevolent-looking tuna boat. It felt like a glimpse of the future, and I didn’t like it. “LAST CHANCE SALOON” The last hour of the trip was as exhilarating as any. We found a horde of Yellowfin only half a mile from the dock and set about them with the ‘last chance saloon’ enthusiasm of those that know that the start of a long trip home is only hours away. As what I knew would be my last yellowfin of the trip sizzled out into the blue, I knew I would come back to this magical place, perhaps to target the roosters, the snook, the cubera snapper, and maybe even a marlin or two as well as the yellowfin. I hope Bahia Solano stays as pristine and as beautiful as it was in those few short days I spent there. It felt like paradise.
The Brand Buffet Hanak Competition: H450BL JIG HOOK Hanak H450BL Jig Hooks are very popular for river fishing with tungsten nymhps. The hook has a lovely wide gape and while the size 14 is equivalent to a standard #12, the 16 is the equivalent to a #14. These two sizes are probably the most popular river hooks in the world. Razor sharp and extremely strong, this a very dependable hook. Available in sizes 14 – 18, and more info can be found at: www.hanak.eu Book release: FLIES FOR ATLANTIC SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY TREY COMBS We’ve had the pleasure of getting our hands on a copy of Trey Combs’ new book, which is a wonderful masterpiece for all those interested in fly fishing for anadromous fish; particularly salmon and steelhead. The book goes into careful detail with the flies that catch these chrome unicorns; their history, how to dress them, and – not least – how to fish them. In doing so, Trey has teamed up with some of the best fly tyers across the Northern hemisphere and picked their brains. The result is a visually striking book featuring some of the finest and most aesthetically pleasing flies ever seen on print, an important document for anyone interested in targeting salmon and steelhead with a fly rod. The book provides captivating insights, it is well-written and thoughtful, and the images and flies are inspiringly beautiful. A highly recommended coffee-table book that belongs in every salmon- and steelhead fisherman’s fly tying cave. Bajiío: BI-FOCAL LENSES If you’re struggling to tie on that #22 emerger you might be in need of some extra visual enhancement. Bajío provides that extra visual sharpness with their new bi-focal lenses, which are available now in their three most popular frame styles; Las Rocas, Vega, and Bales Beach. More info can be found by visiting the website of the European dealer, Flyfish Europe: www.flyfisheurope.com/bajio/
2024 Calendar: FLY FISHING DREAMS BY DAVID LAMBROUGHTON In the Loop Magazine-contributor, David Lambroughton, has released his new 2024 calendar full of spectacular fly fishing photography. The calendar has just the right size and format for you to keep perfectly organized in 2024 – while reminding you on what’s important in life. To order one, contact David at: davidlambroughton@telus.net
Grundéns: BANKSIDE WADING BOOT The new Grundéns Bankside Wading Boot is designed to function as a system with their high-end line of Boundary GORE-TEX Stockingfoot Waders. Offering a tried and tested fit together with a premium, waterproof Nubuck leather construction, the Bankside Wading Boots are built to provide the most comfortable wading experience on the market. A Vibram® Idrogrip™ rubber outsole offers the ultimate in-river traction and is compatible with the Grundéns HEXAGRIP™ alloy cleat and carbide stud system for truly elevated grip and performance. Check out Grundens.com or your favorite fly shop for more details. For more info: www.grundens.com
The Fly Fishing Crew: PRESERVE IT SWEATER Try Fly Fishing Crew was founded in 2021 in Munich, Germany, as a fair trade fashion brand which is focused on sustainability and combining fly fishing with fashion. Using organic cotton as well as merino wool for the beanies made in Germany, the young fly fishing brand chooses to live the slogan ”buy less, choose well, make it last” in regards to fashion as well as ”catch with care, catch and release” when it comes to fishing. Each collection is limited to 50 pieces only - 5 pieces per cap and beanie - to be exclusive for the customers and to make every collection special. Since Moritz, the founder, is a grayling fanatic a special collection was made in honor of the Queen of the Stream, here represented in the shape of the ”Preserve It” -sweater. For more info: www.tryflyfishingcrew.com and www.instagram.com/tryflyfishingcrew
The Brand Buffet Costa del Mar: KING TIDE 8 SUNGLASSES Made for elite anglers that demand the most from every cast, the King Tide 8 features a full wrap with removable side shields for optimal viewing on and off water. Shark-inspired venting achieves a near impossible zero-fog effect. Top of the line sweat management and drains keep your view dry and unobstructed. Non-skid hooding means they stay in place on any surface wet or dry. For more info, www.costadelmar.com
Patagonia Nano Puff: FITZ ROY TROUT HOODY Warm, windproof and water-resistant, the Patagonia Nano Puff® Fitz Roy Trout Hoody has a 100% recycled polyester shell and lining, and uses 60-gram light, highly compressible PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco 100% postconsumer recycled polyester with P.U.R.E.™ (Produced Using Reduced Emissions) manufacturing technology. Made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory. Available in men’s or women’s. For more info, please refer to: www.patagonia.com
FlyMen Fishing Co: BENCH BOOSTER – BIG GAME FLIES ASSORTMENT This curated collection of Kona hooks, Fish-Skull, and Surface Seducer materials are primed with materials suited for tying the larger, durable streamer and topwater fly patterns needed for targeting formidable game fish. The kit includes: Kona Big Game Carnivore (BGC) hooks, Kona Big Game Hunter (BGH) hooks, Fish-Skull Body Tubing (1/2”), Fish-Skull Faux Bucktail, Fish-Skull Next Generation Shanks, Fish-Skull Articulated Jig Shanks, Fish-Skull Exchanger Shanks, Fish-Skull Fish-Masks, Fish-Skull Bandito Baitfish heads, Fish-Skull Bandito Sculpin Heads, Fish-Skull Living Eyes, Surface Seducer Howitzer Baitfish Heads, Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper Heads, Surface Seducer Dragon Eyes. For more info: www.flymenfishingcompany.com
Mustad: HERITAGE S74S STREAMER O’SHAUGHNESSY The new Heritage S74S Streamer hooks from Mustad are perfect for seatrout and seabass flies – but with a size range from 6 – 2/0 they can also be used for larger predator fish. This is a 2X strong, 4X long straight ringed eyed hook, designed for saltwater streamers that benefit from the extra long hook shank, like Crease flies, Sliders and other big fish imitations. (We’ve found them particularly good for sandeel patterns). Fitted with the new TitanX matte gun metal finish for reduced reflected glare and increased stealth. For more info, please refer to the European distributor www.flyfisheurope.com/mustad/
JMC: 10,6´#2/3 PERFORMER EURO-NYMPHING ROD JMC has been at the forefront of the euronymphing trend for years. The French brand, which has been the sponsor of the extremely skilled French fly fishing team – and which has benefited from the developmental- and testing services of said team – has now launched its Performer series of euronymphing fly rods. We’ve had the chance to test the 10,6’ #2/3 rod on some of our local rivers for trout and grayling. The rod feels extremely light in hand and very sensitive, despite the overall length of almost 11 feet. The length of the rod provides extra reach and great mending abilities, and the blank
has a nice progressive, deep-bending action that makes it great for precision casting at short range and comfortable to hook-, fight-, and land fish on the lightest of tippets. We thoroughly enjoyed fishing with this rod, and it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into both the blank design and how the rod has been fitted. The finish and fittings look sharp, and the 10-increment centimeter marks on the blank for measuring fish, as well as the detachable weight module and fight but – which helps achieve the ever-important balance in a euronymphing rod – show that JMC are at the top of their game. Highly recommended! For more info: www.mouchesdecharette.com
The Brand Buffet Book Release: THE CATCH OF A LIFETIME Moments of Fly Fishing Glory is the subtitle of Peter Kaminsky’s new book, which is really an anthology of short text by several fly fishing writers, who tell their vivid stories from across the globe. Every angler has his or her very own “catch of a lifetime” – a story that gets told over and over to anyone who’ll listen - and this book is full of them. So, if you’re willing to read, this book might very well serve you up the most heavily distilled and captivating dose of fly fishing hero moments you’ll ever get. We highly recommend it! Find the book on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Catch-Lifetime-Moments-Flyfishing-Glory
FlyMen Fishing Co: SUPER BUGGER FLY TYING KIT This Fly Tying Kit contains everything you need to tie 6 Super Bugger flies, including step-by-step tying instructions, to make it easy for you to get your hands on the various needed fly tying materials all in one place. This is a great starter pack to help you get into the rhythm of cranking out great streamers for either coastal seatrout or – in that case – resident brown trout in small to medium sized rivers. For more information, please refer to www.flymenfishingcompany.com
Hanak Competition: MICRO TIPPET RINGS Micro rings remarkably simplify the construction of leaders and save leader and tippet material. Hanak Competition’s Micro Tippet Rings are ultra smooth and durable, and they don’t affect the durability of your knots. They come in 2.0mm diameter black nickel, crafted in Japan, with a 9-kilo breaking strength. For more information, please refer to www.hanak.eu
Book review: THE FISH OF A LIFETIME BY MATT HARRIS Matt Harris isn’t featured in Peter Kaminsky’s new book, The Catch of a Lifetime. The thing is, Matt has caught so many fish that other people would deem “the catch of a lifetime” that he has simply decided to put out his own book – a 656page whopper to be exact. However, instead of just focusing on the miraculously big and impressive fish that Matt has caught throughout his long fly fishing career, he tells the stories behind his many globetrotting adventures he has experienced while crisscrossing this beautiful planet in search of the most pristine fisheries and natural worlds out there. Having worked with Matt Harris for years, it comes as no surprise that Matt’s book, The Fish of a Lifetime, is both expertly written and stunningly illustrated. Reading it is simply a matter of buckling up- and enjoying the ride. Be careful though, Matts accounts of his many trips across the globe are so invocative and mesmerizing that you’ll soon find yourself aching to follow in his footsteps. For more info: https://thefishofalifetime.com
Primal Fly Rods: MEGA SALTWATER RANGE The MEGA saltwater series rods are designed in New Zealand and built to handle aggressive saltwater predators from local kingfish and Australian permit right through to all of the different species available in the tropics – but they are also perfectly for seatrout, seabass, and brackish pike. As with the Primal RAW freshwater series, the improved tracking of the rod will maximise your chances when chasing the ocean fish species with clean, powerful and accurate casting. The 57MSI blanks have optimal wall diameters to maximise lifting power without compromising the rods casting ability. The reel seats are fully machined aluminium with titanium SIC stripper guides and corrosion resistant snake guides. Available in #6, 8, 9, 10, and 12. For more info, please refer to the European dealer, Flyfish Europe: www.flyfisheurope.com/primal/
The Brand Buffet FlyLab: FOCUS FLY REELS The Focus fly reel, from New Zealand-based FlyLab, is a custom european nymphing reel designed to balance longer rods, not catch a euro line in the frame and spin freely for fast retrieves - all whilst being stylish enough so it’s comfortable on a podium, just like you. Features a; fully machined frame and spool from 6061 aircraft grade aluminium, fully caged frame design to improve balance and prevent thin euro lines from slipping between spool and cage, and a free running disc drag system so reel can be spun to collect line without having to wind the handle. For more info, please refer to the European distributor: www.flyfisheurope.com/flylab/ Simms: WAYPOINTS JACKET IN DARK CLOVER Poised for instant deployment, the lightweight, succinctly packable Waypoints™ Jacket brings stretch mobility and waterproof-breathable protection to fast-approaching storm fronts. Made out of a 100% nylon stretch 2.5 layer Toray shell with DWR the jacket features and adjustable hood, zippered chest pocket, drawcord adjustable hem, and hook-and-loop cuff closure. Furthermore, it is so light that it packs into the zippered hand pocket. For more info, please refer to the European dealer, Flyfish Europe – www.flyfisheurope.com/simms/
Tippet Management: THE SMITH CREEK TIPPET HOLDER™ Smith Creek’s new Tippet Holders keep your tippet spools right where you need them. They are individually machined from marine grade aluminum. After precision milling, each unit is bead blasted and then anodized in color for a beautiful surface finish that will last for years. Fitted with a push-button plunger cap, the Smith Creek Tippet Holder is easy to open when needed, but stays securely fastened when closed. Stainless steel plunger components and a zinc carabiner won’t rust. The floating washer design has a recessed silicone O-ring, so you can quickly snug it down against your tippet spools. Available in two colors (burnt orange and metallic gray). For more info, please refer to the European distributor, Flyfish Europe: www.flyfisheurope.com/smith%20creek/
Fly Skinz: EXO CRAB BAG Each of Fly Skinz’ Exo Grab Bags (10 x 15cm) include five random pieces of Exo Skin and are also cut into random sizes. No matter what, you’re getting a deal! If you’ve always wanted to play with this skin, this is your chance! More information can be found at www.flyskinz.com/ Smith Creek: ROD CLIP+ The Smith Creek Rod Clip+™ is based on their classic Rod Clip, but adds a second, alternative attachment method via a sturdy zinc carabiner. Rod Clip+ frees up your hands to tie on a fly or show off that trophy fish you’ve just landed. Smith Creek’s patented fishing rod clips hold your fly rod securely and out of the way, keeping it from being accidently knocked free. Besides keeping grit out of the reel, Rod Clip+™ also keeps your outfit above the salt and out of the mud. No more having to lay a rod on the ground while releasing a fish. We’ve had a chance to test these Rod Clips while fly fishing for salmon in Norway and have come to really rely on them. They’re sturdy and well thought-out. For more info, please refer to the European distributor: www.flyfisheurope.com/smith%20creek/
The Feather Bender: NEW BOOKS BY BARRY ORD CLARKE Barry Ord Clarke has released two new books: Fly Tying Techniques and Fly Tying for Beginners. Fly Tying Techniques (and the corresponding online instructions) show the author expertly tying each of the 28 flies featured, with excellent step by step photographs. Barry also engages online with his book-buyers to answer their flytying questions on any of the patterns demonstrated, each one chosen to teach some new or important technique. Fly Tying for Beginners contains crystalclear instructions on how to tie 12 key trout flies for the complete beginner. With each pattern you learn a new technique and again, each fly in the book has a QR code linked to a YouTube video of Barry Ord Clarke, tying the same fly. Barry was voted ‘Fly Tyer of the Year’ by Fly Tier magazine readers as this book was published. For more information, please refer to: https://thefeatherbender.com
WWW.BA JIOSUNGLASSES.COM @BAJIOSUNGLASSES
MAROCCO
Muddling through the Middle Atlas The rain begins in the afternoon, when I am still several hours away from Azrou, a market town in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains. Each time the highway crosses a riverbed, I steal a glance over the side of the bridge.
By PETER W. FONG
What I see makes me anxious: bare gravel where no water has flowed for months, then gray ribbons of silt and, finally, a red-brown torrent. Although these are not the rivers I am planning to fish, the despair begins anyway. How can this be happening, I think, on my first trip? Not my first trip ever, of course, or even my first attempt at finding trout where no trout should reasonably be found. But, strangely enough, my first dedicated trout-fishing excursion in a country that I have called home since 2015.
me to the river after picking her up from school.
When I was younger (thirty-something) and my wife and I were living on a Montana public school teacher’s salary (hers), I imagined myself a philosopher. And this was my creed: frequent and casual. Meaning that outdoor pursuits—fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, and so on—should not be the stuff of expeditions. This was an easy code to live by at our house, where multiple trout streams and trailheads were several miles closer to home than the nearest supermarket. I would often hunt ducks at sunrise, before retreating to the office, or take our daughter with
SUNRISE TO SUNSET I arrive at the hotel under a dark shroud of fog and cloud. But my mood lightens when the desk clerk asks, “Would you like breakfast now?” The meal begins with harira, a fragrant and savory soup of chickpeas, tomatoes, and spices whose name derives from the Arabic word for “silk.” This is accompanied by a meatball tajine, onion flatbread, two round white pan breads (bigger than an English muffin, with a dense, close crumb), butter, jam, yogurt, sweetened mint tea, and a plate of honeyed cookies.
But Montana’s Paradise Valley is a very different place from the North African city of Tangier. No doubt there are plenty of fun things to do here but—for any number of reasons, some of which you may be guilty of yourself—it has taken me years to complete these simple and necessary steps: contact a guide, rent a car, and make the five-hour drive to the mountains.
Also a Moroccan skillet pie called pastilla, typically chicken, onions, and almonds seasoned with cinnamon and saffron (among other things) and wrapped in thin layers of crisp pastry. But this pastilla is not the traditional round shape served in Tangier—it is oblong instead, like a burrito. Although called “breakfast,” this is not my morning meal because, during the holy month of Ramadan, one breaks the fast in the evening. From sunrise to sunset, observant Muslims will neither eat nor drink. Not even a sip of water. GETTING THE FISHING PERMIT In the morning, with the sky newly clear, I can see white storks ferrying twigs from the hillside to their nests atop nearby chimneys. In the distance, I can hear the impatient braying of a donkey. Not ten paces from where I parked the car, a cascade of wisteria falls in lavender profusion from an upper balcony. My new friend Karim Boutellaka walks to the hotel from his apart-
ment, carrying his camping gear, fly rod, and camera. He is thirty-six, married with two children, and one of the very few licensed tourist guides in Morocco who also happens to flyfish. To obtain my fishing permit, we drive to the Centre Nationale d’Hydrobiologie et de Pisciculture, site of Morocco’s first trout hatchery, established in 1924, during the French colonial era. Since 2006, the center has been systematically attempting to bolster Morocco’s populations of native trout, whose numbers have been battered by warming temperatures and persistent drought. Because the official who must stamp the license with the required seals (one red, one blue) has not yet arrived, Karim and I visit with the chief engineer for sportfishing, whose office walls are decorated with larger-than-life-size prints of himself holding fine specimens of largemouth bass, northern pike, and rainbow trout—three of Morocco’s more popular introduced species.
After the paperwork has been completed, we drive past fields of bright red poppies while Berber children wave from the roadside, some with enthusiasm, some forlornly. (Due to the combined effects of Ramadan and the pandemic, the tourist traffic this spring is much diminished.) Karim explains that, because of yesterday’s rainfall, our original plan is no longer advisable. We had hoped to hike into the canyon of the Fellat, home of a remnant strain of endemic brown trout, but his friends there say that the river is blown out. PROSPECTING AT HIGH ALTITUDE We could visit a local reservoir for stocked rainbows—large fish, he notes, with a reputation for finickiness—or else do a little touring while we wait for the muddy flows to subside. Since many of the streams in this region arise from springs, it’s possible that we could find fishable water by prospecting higher in each drainage. I ponder a moment before replying, distracted by the familiar sight of green meadows and rocky hillsides
dotted with conifers. Our elevation is about 5000 feet, roughly the same as that in Gardiner, Montana, on the northern boundary of Yellowstone Park. But our latitude is much farther south, on par with Phoenix, Arizona. So while some things feel familiar, others seem odd when juxtaposed, potentially, with trout: silvery-leaved olive trees, head-high prickly pears, young men in djellabas tending flocks of wiry goats. “Let’s prospect,” I say, wanting to see more of this landscape. First stop, the Chbouka, a rivulet that drains a spring-fed bog. The water is stained but not murky, and we can clearly see Saharan pond turtles a foot below the surface, grazing on beds of aquatic plants. From a distance, the dimple created by the brief emergence of a turtle’s snout looks a lot like the remnant of a trout’s rise. At least to my eyes. Accordingly, I tie on a small elk-hair caddis, but Karim shakes his head. Here the fish are shy, he says. They prefer fast water and will hold tight to cover, such as larger rocks and undercut banks.
He recommends a small, weighted nymph, high-sticked on a tight line. So I replace the caddis with a beadhead pheasant tail. After waiting six years to dampen my four-weight in Morocco, I don’t mind that no fish emerge from the first few holes, each no bigger than a bathtub. It feels good just to be near moving water, wearing waders, grasping cork. When a lesser kestrel hovers above me, I watch gratefully before continuing downstream, around the next bend, where the muddy bank is pocked with the tracks of sheep, goats, and cattle. FISH CLOSE TO STRUCTURE When the first strike comes, I lift the rod out of habit more than real awareness. As Karim predicted, the fish was laying close to structure: a knee-deep bank thick with reeds. It flashes in the light, showing a flank so silvery that, for a moment, I think it’s a rainbow. But no—it’s definitely a brown, barely as long as my hand, with bluish-black parr marks and faint brick-colored spots. Because the Chbouka’s waters were
augmented by stocking from Azrou in 2008, it’s hard to know what percentage of the river’s original DNA is present in this fish. But it was undoubtedly born here and looks very different from the brown trout I’ve encountered elsewhere in my travels. According to the American Fisheries Society’s Trout and Char of the World, it is most likely Salmo macrostigma, the least threatened of Morocco’s endemic trout. At the first diversion dam, we turn around and head back upstream, where Karim extracts a slightly bigger brown from a narrow run that I’d dismissed as too shallow to hold fish. When we reach the bridge that marks the limit of the legal zone, we can see a young man fishing with a cane pole and bobber, fifty yards upstream, in the closed area. Karim asks if he has caught any trout. “There’s no trout here,” the man replies, then turns his gaze back toward the bobber. As comforting as the mountain air With the end of Ramadan still two weeks away, Karim says he is not hungry.
But I am—especially when I learn that Karim’s wife has made me a box of finger sandwiches, each the diameter of a tippet spool, stuffed with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, corn, and freshly harvested morel mushrooms. Hunting for morels had been a beloved family pastime in Montana, an activity intimately associated with our son’s May birthday and the coming of spring. Though my wife and I have never prepared them in this fashion, the taste is as comforting as the mountain air. After lunch, we move on to the Oum Er-Rbia or “mother of springtime,” a more substantial stream that literally springs from the bedrock of the Middle Atlas. Its headwaters emerge from dozens of clefts in the limestone and dolomite, gathering volume until the river becomes too big and fast to wade across. Along the way, we pass Berber shepherds driving their flocks of sheep and goats along the potholed road. The ancient houses, raised by hand, one stone at a time, are now sliding back toward the earth. Each
structure looks like a rockpile that happened to fall into the shape of a room, topped with rusty sheets of corrugated metal, precariously secured against the wind with more rock. Near the little village at the river’s source, a rabble of boys plays soccer with a cricket ball, using a pair of stones to mark the boundaries of each goal. On the far side of the river is an aquaculture facility operated by a company owned by Morocco’s king, Mohammed IV. The fish it raises are processed like European smoked salmon and can be purchased in supermarkets as far away as Tangier. The near side, however, and both banks proceeding upstream, are lined with makeshift tea houses, built of tree limbs and bamboo, sheathed with equal parts of plastic and thatch. On a normal weekend, Karim says, this place would be filled with tourists from nearby Khenifra and other cities. It’s the need to fast that’s keeping things quiet now. That and the coronavirus pandemic, with its attendant curfew and travel restrictions.
HOUSE ON HILLSIDE Because the sun is nearing the ridgeline, we decide to postpone fishing until tomorrow and look for a place to spend the night. One of Karim’s acquaintances is building a house on a hillside overlooking the valley. The dirt access road is so steep that the rental car requires multiple attempts to make the ascent. When we finally park, I notice that the right front tire seems low on air but am too impressed with the lambent walls of the nearby mountain—and too eager for the evening meal—to pay it much attention.
spare in a cradle beneath the undercarriage, fully inflated.
In the morning, however, it’s apparent that the right rear tire is losing air faster than the right front, perhaps a consequence of our journey up the dirt incline, spitting mud and gravel, the initial leg in first gear and the next in reverse, as the switchback was too sharp and tight to negotiate with the steering wheel.
SIZE 14 – TOO BIG At the uppermost limit of the fishing area, where two large springs pour from the mountainside, a little boy holds out his hand, demanding two dirhams, equivalent to about 20 cents. I cheerfully tell him “No, thank you,” in the local dialect, then begin to cast. A tiny fish attacks my size-10 stonefly nymph as it swings past a submerged boulder. I change to a size 14 but even that seems too big. I can see the flash of the fish and feel its peck-peck-peck but can’t set the hook.
By the time we descend to the riverside parking area, perhaps 200 yards away, the rear tire is well and truly flat. But we are lucky—there’s a
Once the tire has been changed, I observe that the Oum Er-Rbia hosts several spin fishermen in hip boots or waders. Karim says that they are all hoping to connect with one of Azrou’s hatchery rainbows, stocked a few weeks earlier, just before the season opener. On the opposite bank, two enterprising anglers are trying a different strategy: using long, telescoping rods, they dunk their baited hooks in the the outflow from the king’s rearing pens.
Around midday Karim gets a phone call. His friends on the Fellat report that the river level is dropping quickly and already fishable. I take a deep breath and wind in my line. This is what I’ve been waiting for. Like the Chbouka, the Fellat was a target of the national augmentation plan, receiving deliveries of native browns from 2006 to 2008. Judging from an hour or two of daydreaming on Google Earth, however, the Fellat is much larger and protected by a deep canyon, something like the upper forks of Montana’s Boulder River. We drive to the farthest upstream bridge to meet Karim’s friend Ali, who has ridden down from his home in the canyon on a gray mule. After loading our gear into the animal’s packbaskets, we stash the car at yet another friend’s house (Karim knows everyone around here) then don our waders. OUTERUTILAZATION The lower reaches of the Fellat bear the typical marks of overutilization: a staircase of diversion dams made of rock and woven plastic cloth, a
network of concrete irrigation channels, and a dwindling mainstem. As we hike upstream, however, the landscape becomes steeper and stonier— less conducive to cultivation. A few hundred yards upstream of the last dam, we discover a handful of morels along the brushy edge of a bankside meadow. Soon after, we encounter two local anglers, fishing with earthworms and split-shot. Karim stops to exchange pleasantries and also to impart some crucial information. According to the most recent government regulations for the Fellat, any brown trout “whatever its size, must be immediately returned, free and alive, to the water in the same place where it was caught.” I can hear the men laughing as I continue upstream, but the sound of water soon drowns out their conversation. I can’t fail to recognize that all of the ingredients for local extinction of wild trout exist here: poaching, dewatering, overgrazing, hatchery stocking programs, nonnative species introduction. Nevertheless, I feel hopeful.
Something about seeing the morels has quickened my steps and lengthened my stride. Though no more mushrooms appear at my feet, I begin to notice small springs seeping from the hillside, green beds of aquatic vegetation, Saharan frogs—with a distinctive green stripe along their backs—and algae-covered stones well-populated with the protective cases of caddis larvae. IN THE MIDDLE OF A CADDIS HATCH Before I know it, I’m climbing over boulders the size of garden sheds, then following a goat path to the rim of the canyon, where I can see for many miles to the west. As the sun approaches the horizon, I hear the goats themselves. They clatter in noisy groups down the trail to a rickety bridge—an unexpectedly picturesque structure of mismatched boards. If I can beat them there, I think, their silhouettes against the canyon wall, lit by the late afternoon sun, will make a great picture.
That’s when my phone rings. It’s Karim, of course, wondering where I am. He is standing in the middle of a caddis hatch—and the fish are taking dries. I sigh. Did I really drive all this way, I think, just to look at goats? But it’s too late for regrets now. I’ve already broken the only rule that matters: If you don’t know the water, don’t leave your guide. Eventually Karim and I rendezvous at the goats’ destination: Ali’s homestead on the far bank of the river. We shed our waders and stoop to enter a low doorway into the kitchen. The room is large and sparsely furnished, with walls of smooth cement topped by a lean-to roof. The family congregates around the woodstove, Ali reclining on the left, his wife Meriem tending a soup pot on the right, their adult son Moulay perched on a stool close by, watching a soccer match on his phone. It is Moulay who has painted at least two walls—one inside, one out—with images of trout. A shy cat ignores my greeting and retreats to the stove as well, then closes its eyes and stretches out against Ali. I sit down on a pile of Berber carpets
and close my eyes too. Still to come are the ritual breaking of the fast, a sky replete with stars, and then the easy rest that comes with a cold night in a warm sleeping bag. COMICALLY ENTHUSIASTIC STRIKES In the morning, Karim will guide me farther up the canyon, where we will see nary a caddis fly. At the plunge pool of a waterfall perhaps 50 feet high, he will mention that the Fellat also contains an endemic species of barbel, a member of the carp family. When we turn downstream, I will knot on a size-14 muddler minnow and twitch it across the current, like a wounded barbel fry. The strikes will be comically enthusiastic, the aggression all out of proportion with the length of the trout. By then, of course, my youthful philosophy will seem comical too. Whatever, I will tell myself. Life has borne me far from the time when I thought I knew something about life. If not frequent and casual, then I will make do with expeditions. Wherever, whenever.
Photo: Rasmus Ovesen
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FLY TYING
The Ribbon Shrimp From late autumn until early spring, the majority of bait fish around the coastline of Northern Europe leave the shallows and head out for deeper water where they will be protected from the bitter cold of winter. Many of the species of shrimp that can be found on the other hand move into deeper tidal pools and onto shelves were the coastline is steeper and falls abruptly away into deeper water.Therefore, shrimps are on the coastal seatrout’s menu the whole year round, and can be found in great numbers. These are particularly important to fly fishermen because they mature in the shallows where we do most of our fishing, and all sea trout fishermen should have at least a couple of good shrimp patterns in their fly box at all times. By BARRY ORD CLARKE
WHERE, WHEN & WHY? You may think that a perfect small translucent shrimp pattern fished blind, may not be the easiest prey for a sea trout to notice in a large body of water! and if you fish something that “stands out in a crowd” with a little colour and movement, it may increase the chances of it being noticed and picked-up. The most rewarding colours for shrimp patterns, in my experience, are red, pink, orange, and olive. Occasionally, it can be worthwhile, tying some very small shrimp flies in sizes 12-14-16 and in more neutral, mundane colours, such as grey and white. Shrimps of all shapes and varying sizes are without a doubt the most important all-year-round food sources for saltwater seatrout. Unlike other seasonal foods like ragworms, sandeels and small baitfish, that the seatrout feed on throughout their first years in salt water. Natural selection takes a favorable view of effective and adaptable feeding, a proficient predatory fish,
when feeding, will maximize energy intake and minimize energy consumption. Predators quickly learn to avoid areas where there is little or no food. These rules also apply to the fish familiarizing themselves with the best feeding locations and habits that coincide to the different seasons. So, its paramount that the effective fly fisherman is aware of this and adapts his techniques, flies and strategy to that of the seatrout’s feeding habits. This is especially important during the winter months when food items are few and far between. Look for the signs, deeper bays with vegetation and structure, or the classic leopard bottom, with dark spotted patches of vegetation on a lighter backdrop of sand, where prey can have accessibility to sufficient food and cover from predators. The natural collection points of wind lanes of all shapes and sizes are also worth working. These collect plankton and other small forage that attract shrimps and baitfish. If there is ice on the surface, which is quite a common occurrence in the winter months, on Scandinavian
coastal waters, pockets of open water generally indicate warmer water or flow. Both these elements will attract prey and predators alike. FAST OR SLOW ? Most species of shrimp have three very different ways of locomotion. When foraging for food or resting on the bottom they use their front walking legs for moving short distances on vegetation and other structure. When migrating or moving over larger distances they use their swimming legs. These are lo-
cated under the abdomen and undulate when swimming, and can be used to propel the crustacean in all directions slowly. But when alarmed or fleeing from a predator they use a contraction of their strong abdomen muscle which results in a powerful rapid snap of the tail plates propelling the shrimp quickly backwards away from danger. With this in mind, one has a better understanding of the type of retrieve required to imitate a swimming or fleeing shrimp.
Your retrieve will not only decide the speed of your fly but also its action in the water. If you know your prey and choose the correct retrieve, your overall chances of connecting will increase. If you choose the incorrect retrieve even the right pattern may not result in a take or even a follow. After a few extremely frustrating days fishing earlier this spring, where I had fish following the ‘regular patterns’ I started fishing small. When I say small, I refer to the hook size used and went down to patterns tied on a size 16 short shank hook. The results were overwhelming! My best seatrout season ever; six days fishing with 78 seatrout with 33 over the kilo mark. Whilst tying flies at one of the large European fairs, I saw a similar material as Organdie being used for nymph gills. When I returned home, it wasn’t difficult to find at my local sewing shop just for a couple of pounds, and, as far as I can see, it’s exactly the same material
as the one marketed by a large fly tying supplier - but for just a third of the price. I have also experimented with colouring the ribbon with waterproof markers but the colour washes out for some reason in salt water, but dying may be an option that I have yet to try. This is an extremely quick and easy pattern, that only takes a few minutes to tie if you use Bug Bond as the shell back, if you use epoxy it does take a little longer in curing time.
Materials// Hook: Mustad Shrimp C47SNP-DT Eyes: EP Crab eyes Feelers/Body: Organdie decretive ribbon Shell back: Bug Bond
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Secure your shrimp hook in the vise with the hook shank horizontal.
Cover the whole hook shank with a foundation of tying thread.
At the base of the hook tie in a short length of lead wire as shown.
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Now fold the lead wire along each under-side of the hook shank and secure with tying thread.
Once, secure run your tying thread back to the hook bend.
Select your chosen Organdie ribbon.
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Cut a length of Organdie ribbon approximately 15 cm long, depending on the size of hook you are tying on. With a pair of long sharp scissors make a cut along the edging of the ribbon as shown.
You will now be able to pull out the short woven lengths of Organza.
Pull out enough to make a bunch of strands long enough for the shrimp’s beard. Tie in approximately one third of the length of fibres that you prepared for the beard.
Step 10
Step 11
Step 12
Now fold over the remaining fibres.
Tie these down so they are a little longer than the first fibres.
Dub your tying thread with a little pearl ice dubbing. Wrap a short collar with this tight into the beard.
Step 13
Step 14
Step 15
Brush the ice dub fibres forward over the beard.
Take a pair of black Easy Shrimp Eyes. One side of these eyes are ribbed. Make sure that this side is upward when tying in so the tying thread gets a better purchase.
With a pair of tweezers bend the eyes upwards as shown.
Step 16
Step 17
Step 18
Cut a 15 cm length of Organdie. With long straight scissors carefully trim off the ribbons welded edge as shown.
Take the length of ribbon and with long straight scissors divide the ribbon diagonally from one corner to the other.
Tie in the eyes right on top of the ice dubbing collar with the eyes pointing straight up.
Step 19
Step 20
Step 21
Pull out all the long fibres that run the length of the ribbon.
Take the ribbon section and pull off a few fibres from the side with the long fibres.
Tie in the ribbon ”hackle” at the widest end just behind the beard. This will create a tapered body, large at the front and smaller at the tail.
Step 22
Step 23
Step 24
Make a couple of wraps of ribbon as you would a traditional hackle and tie off.
Take some clear mono for the rib.
Tie in a length of mono as shown.
Step 25
Step 26
Step 27
Dub your tying thread again but this time cover the whole hook shank back to just behind the hook eye.
Now you can wind on your ribbon hackle forward to the hook eye forming a christmas tree like effect on the shrimps body. Tie off and whip finish just behind the hook eye.
Tie in a short length of EP Fibre at the hook eye for the shrimp back.
Step 28
Step 29
Step 30
Using the mono rib tie down the EP Fibres and tie off at the hook eye.
Trim off the excess rib and whip finish. Trim off the EP Fibres at an angle as shown over the shrimps eyes.
Cut another length of ribbon as shown.
Step 31
Step 32
Step 33
Tie this in on top of the shrimp to form the feelers.
Whip finish and remove your tying thread. Now while holding the shrimp back ribbon in place with your left hand give it a coat with UV resin.
Cure the UV resin with your UV light. You may need to give the shrimp back a few coats of resin to build up the shrimp back.
Em
Jo
Step 34 The finished ribbon shrimp ready for the salt.
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oin us Gassa Camp in Cameroon’s Faro River, home to the majestic Nile perch in a pristine 120km stretch within the Faro Valley. Gassa Camp offers a unique chance to engage in sustainable flyfishing while contributing to vital conservation efforts. The following dates are available at incredible specials. Up to 50% off for group bookings. Join us Gassa Camp in Cameroon’s Faro River, home to the majestic Nile perch in a pristine 120km stretch within the Faro Valley. 4 to 12 Feb 2024 - 4 rods available Gassa Camp offers a unique chance24toFeb engage in sustainable flyfishing while contributing to vital conservation efforts. to 4 March 2024 - 4 rods available The following dates are available at incredible specials. Up to 50% off for group bookings. 3 to 11 March 2024 - 4 rods available 4 to 12 Feb 2024 - 4 rods available Join us Gassa Camp in Cameroon’s Faro River, home to the majestic Nile perch in a pristine 120km stretch within the Faro Valley. 24 of Feb to 4 March 2024in- an 4 rods available Experience the magic untouched adventure compare! to vital conservation efforts. Gassa Camp offers a unique chance to engage Africa in sustainable flyfishingbeyond while contributing 3 to 11 March 2024 - 4 rods available The following dates are available at incredible specials. Up to 50% off for group bookings. 4 to 12 Feb 2024 - 4 rods available Experience the magic of untouched Africa in an adventure beyond compare! 24 Feb to 4 March 2024 - 4 rods available 3 to 11 March 2024 - 4 rods available
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FLY TYER SPOTLIGHT
Hernán Tula Lord of the Jungle Fly! Meet Hernan Tula, an avid angler whose love for fishing began on family camping trips to the rivers of Buenos Aires. Starting with basic gear, he developed a fascination for crafting lures. Inspired by fly fishing, Hernan transitioned to making flies, eventually working in a fly shop where he honed his skills. Now a dedicated fly-tier, he finds joy in seeing his creations catch remarkable fish, including Tucunare and dorado in the Amazon. Grateful for the journey, Hernan appreciates the meaningful moments fly tying brings to his life.
By THE EDITORIAL STAFF
Full name: Hernán Tula Home country: Argentina (próximamente España) SoMe: www.instagram.com/ hernan.tula How did you get into fly tying? Since childhood, my family and I regularly camped by the river in the beautiful Buenos Aires locale known as Tigre. Those days spent along the river are etched in my memory as my first interactions with fish. Our fishing approach was simple, utilizing natural colihue rods—South American relatives of Bamboo— paired with a small hook baited with worms or caterpillars, and a modest float typically crafted from cork. During those times, we caught small Bagres (catfish) and Mojarras (a small bait fish common in the Argentine delta). The intriguing lures I observed in fellow fishermen’s boxes during our shared days piqued my interest. In adolescence, I embarked on crafting my own wooden lures, an endeavor that brought me much amusement. This led me to
delve into the world of sport fishing through magazines, marking my first visual encounter with fly fishing and its distinctive rods, thread guides, and vibrant lines. My admiration for fishing deepened, particularly for Dorado (Salminus Maxillosus) and wolffish (Tararira) —two spectacular predatory fish found in the Argentine delta and Río de la Plata basin. Capturing these species with artificial lures became a common and immensely sporty pursuit. The Dorado, often referred to as the Tiger of the river in South America, stands out for its fierceness, power, and beautiful yellow hue. On the other hand, the Tararira resembles a creature from the Cretaceous period, boasting teeth even down to its palate, a tubular physiognomy, and a powerful tail facilitating swift starts during prey pursuit.
In the ‘90s, on a Tararira-fishing expedition, we discovered an extensive network of lagoons in the south of Greater Buenos Aires called Kakel Huincul. There, we encountered a group of fly fishermen, exposing me for the first time to their equipment and incredible creations using feathers and other materials. Intrigued, I began purchasing books and magazines, eventually crafting my first vise from an old pair of pliers.
This journey culminated in selling my flies at the shop, eventually prompting me to leave my job and fully dedicate myself to the art of fly tying.
This marked a shift from lure making to creating my initial flies, using whatever materials I could find. With my first job, I frequented fly shops, amassing materials and literature to fashion my first fly-fishing arsenal.
Witnessing the incredible fish caught with my flies felt surreal, transporting me to distant places, especially when creating flies for Tucunare, the captivating Amazonian fish dwelling in dense jungles. Despite the passage of time, my love for fly tying endures, bringing continuous joy and gratitude for the opportunity to dedicate myself to what I love.
It took considerable time before I decided to invest in proper equipment. Until then, I spent years tying monstrous flies, envisioning the day I would use them for fishing. As the years passed, almost serendipitously, I found myself working in a renowned fly shop in my country. Learning from seasoned fishermen, I gradually honed my fly-tying skills.
“Witnessing the incredible fish caught with my flies felt surreal”
What is it about fly tying that you like so much? I think the most beautiful thing about tying flies is the infinite possibilities in this world.
There are no limits to making a good assembly, especially when we open our minds to unconventional materials found everywhere. The key is to keep an open mind when exploring materials, even in DIY stores. What kind of flies do you most enjoy tying and why? It is difficult to choose one type of fly that I like more than another. I enjoy the challenge of making realistic or semi-realistic flies, such as Cicadas, big cockroaches, or grasshoppers. Achieving a balance between cuteness and effectiveness in these patterns is particularly fulfilling. What are the most important/determining factors when you design a new fly pattern? I believe that the balance is crucial in the design of our flies. Achieving balance in the dosage of materials, volume, weight, and the simplicity of our deception is key to creating effective and enticing patterns.
What’s your all-time favourite fly and why? My favorite fly of all time is Enrico Puglisi’s Peanut Butter. Its simplicity and the possibility of imitating baitfish just by varying the colors make it wonderful. I love making them and always strive to polish and improve the technique with each one I tie. Are there any specific fly tyers that have influenced and inspired you over the years? I have several references in terms of fly tying, but without a doubt, my great inspirer is Dron Lee (@dron_lee). His creations are wonderful and extremely creative, opening your mind when you see his flies. There are several more like, for instance, Drew Chicone (@drchicone) and Ru Harvey (@rupertharveyflies) who are really creative fly tyers.
What is special about fly tying and fly fishing in your parts of the world? In my opinion, the special thing about this fishing technique is the variety of species that can be achieved with a fly and the large number of prey items that can be imitated. In Argentina and South America, fly fishing is booming, drawing more people, whether for refining casting techniques, pursuing salmon, or just for simple fun. Despite environmental challenges, the diversity of species and their great sporting value make this region one of the dream destinations for any fisherman.
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FLY TYING
Viddapuppan Late summer brings a distinctive allure to fly fishing, especially when targeting trout with dry flies and emergers. As the season progresses, trout become increasingly attuned to the emerging insects, but by the end of the season they can be picky and weary! In this setting, the choice of imitations becomes paramount, with attention to visibility and effectiveness crucial for a successful and rewarding fly fishing experience.
By THOMAS ROOS
I frequently fish with hatching caddis pupas in the later part of the summer. However, most of the imitations I use are poorly visible on the surface. Consequently, I aimed to design a pattern with improved visibility without compromising its effectiveness.
For the Viddapuppan pattern, I employ 2mm foam cut into 3.5mm strips, Dave Whitlock SLF dubbing, and deer hair, all carefully crafted on a curved or short shank hook. This combination ensures not only adequate visibility but also enhances the fly’s fishing performance.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Place a needle or a detached body pin in your vise, then wrap the foam with a few firm turns of thread.
Dub the thread with SLF dubbing and dub the whole length of the needle.
Whip-finish when the dubbing has been wrapped and remove the needle from the vise.
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Secure the hook in the vise and wrap the thread a short distance down the hook bend.
Attach the foam where you made the finish with several tight turns.
Cut off the remaining excess piece of foam and fold the back-end foam forward and tie it in.
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Move forward towards the hook eye and then back.
Cut a small bunch of deer hair and stack it. Remove the hair from the stacker and press the tips firmly against your other palm to align them.
Comb the tips and place them in a material clip.
Step 10
Step 11
Step 12
Use the clip to determine the length of the hackle, then cut it off. Split the thread and spin the hair.
Wind the hackle forward while brushing the fibers backward.
Complete a series of whip-finishes.
Step 13
Step 14
Step 15
Cut of the excess foam at the very front of the fly.
Lightly burn the foam end with a lighter, paint it with a waterproof pen
Finally, trim the hackle on the top and underside.
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ON A FLY FISHING JOURNEY WITH
Art Merk Join us as we pick the brain of Art Merk, a seasoned fly fisherman and artisan from Lithuania. From childhood explorations to the pursuit of elusive Atlantic/Baltic salmon, Art Merk delves into the unique challenges and joys that define his angling adventures. Beyond the riverbanks, he unveils the origins of his leather craftsmanship, explaining how a desire to break free from the monotony of office life led to the creation of extraordinary fly fishing accessories. Discover the blend of practicality and artistry as Art Merk discusses his approach to transforming leather into functional and aesthetically pleasing pieces for fellow fly anglers. As we navigate through his experiences, Art Merk’s passion for the sport and commitment to his craft shine through, offering insights into the mind of an angler and artist who has found his rhythm between the rippling waters and the artful strokes of leatherwork.
By THE EDITORIAL STAFF Pictures: ART MERK
Can you begin by telling us a little bit about yourself? Hello, well, I introduce myself as Art Merk, as my original name, Arturas Merkevicius, is a bit complicated to memorize for my international friends and customers. I am 39 years old with more than 20 years of fly fishing experience and over 8 years already making fly fishing accessories using leather and traditional leather craft methods and techniques. Like most of us, I started fishing during my childhood. I think I was around 6-7 years old at that time. I started with coarse fishing in some small ponds beside our old summer house, and then gradually, I was introduced - by my father - to spin fishing for pike and perch. Eventually, my dream would come true – and I would graduate into becoming a fly fisherman. How did you get started fly fishing? -and why? During my teenage years, I had my inaugural experience with a fly rod. Guided by a seasoned fly fisherman on a fishing expedition, I was entrusted with an old D.A.M. rod—unfortunately, I broke it that day, having no clue about casting. Despite the mishap, the allure of fly fishing gripped me, overshadowing the simplicity of spin fishing. In an instant, I realized the kind of angler I aspired to be and discovered my true passion. However, obtaining fly fishing gear in those days was not as convenient
or affordable as it is now. Recognizing this, I resolved to assemble my own fly fishing set by venturing abroad during my student days. At the age of 19, during a summer break in the US, I seized the opportunity to explore the country and acquired my inaugural, budget-friendly fly fishing set from Sage. I truly relished the experience and it became the beginning of my personal odyssey into the world of fly fishing. What is it about fly fishing that captivates you? Primarily, it was the embrace of a RIVER that captivated me long before the allure of fly fishing took hold. This revelation occurred during a spin fishing excursion when I ventured to a small stream flowing from a pond where our day-long efforts yielded little success. Out of curiosity, I decided to explore this stream for the sheer enjoyment of it. Casting my line, I witnessed an instantaneous response as a flash signaled a fish attempting to strike my lure. From that pivotal moment, the coursing waters seized me with an overwhelming passion. From the outset, fly fishing struck me as the most sophisticated, intelligent, and mysterious approach to angling. Though my understanding has deepened over time, exploring new locations or targeting different fish species continually emphasizes the need to grasp the intricacies of nature and fish behavior in each specific setting.
Thus, at the inception of my fly fishing journey, I recognized the imperative to delve into the nuances of fish behavior, life cycles, climate, rivers, and both surface and subsurface insects—a prospect that thrilled me immensely. Subsequently, delving into fly tying became a natural progression. Since then, I refrain from using other anglers’ flies when gifted with one. Instead, I preserve it in my friend’s fly box as a token of memory and inspiration, never affixing it to the tippet. For me, the ultimate satisfaction lies in catching a fish on a fly crafted with my own hands. What are your favourite species to catch and why? After 20 years of fly fishing and targeting different fish species like grayling, chub, perch, pike, brown trout, seatrout, and salmon, I can say – without a doubt - that Atlantic/Baltic salmon is my favourite species. Expressing the essence of the experience proves challenging within the confines of a few sentences, but key aspects can be distilled.
Firstly, the unique challenge of targeting a fish species like salmon, known for its non-feeding behavior, demands a comprehensive understanding. It goes beyond mere knowledge of the fish’s preferred prey at a given time. Secondly, engaging in salmon fishing elicits a profound mental struggle, a continuous internal battle to decipher the code of this elusive creature. The surge of adrenaline and relief when feeling the tension on your fly, marking the commencement of the struggle, induces an instantaneous quiver in the legs. The sheer size and formidable strength of salmon ensure that each encounter unfolds as a dramatic and distinct scenario. Another fish species that captivates me is the brown trout. Pursuing them in the spring allows me to intimately connect with nature, observing the transformative shift from a winter coat to the vibrant vitality of spring. Both brown trout and salmon, residing in some of the most picturesque locations on earth, add an extra layer of allure to the pursuit.
When did you get started making products for fly fishermen?
my own style of leatherwork, I can now present the accessories as they are.
I started leatherwork around my 30s. At that time, I had an ordinary office job. I was a marketing department manager at that time, and although it can sound like an interesting job, the fact of working Monday - Friday 8-17 was killing me inside. At that time, I realized that my real-life passion is fly fishing and if I continued the same routine, I would fall into depression. Therefore, I started to think about how I could contribute to the fly fishing community, and I came up with this idea of making extraordinary fly wallets and other fly fishing accessories because fly fishing for me has always been extraordinary itself. This is how my leatherwork was born.
“The act of carving salmon or trout on leather, meticulously shaping their eyes and jaws, is a particularly gratifying aspect”
What skill-sets do you use? -and does it relate to your educational background? The leatherwork I do is self-taught. My educational background is in marketing. But I have always been very creative and into arts, like painting, drawing, etc. So, once I found a leather crafts master who introduced me to leatherwork and showed the basics, I started to create leather accessories in my mind, like ideas I wanted to accomplish. And with lots of experimenting and getting deeper into the leather craft, also finding
One of the most important reasons why the accessories, especially the fly wallets I make, are the most advanced in the market is that, as a passionate fly fisherman, I am able to assess every decision I make in the stage of production, from the practical perspective. So, the accessories I make are not only beautiful and nice to hold but also work the best way possible in real outdoor conditions. What are the most important things you aim at when making your fly fishing art and products? My primary goal is to convert leather, a raw material, into a product that fulfills its intended purpose seamlessly. When crafting a fly wallet, my objective is to ensure it adheres to all essential criteria for fly anglers.
This involves being water-resistant, precisely sized, constructed from non-rusty materials, durable, and adept at safeguarding flies. While leather possesses inherent beauty and a sense of luxury, I believe in transcending mere aesthetics. Creating a leather item that not only exudes elegance but also proves practical in real outdoor conditions is a formidable and demanding challenge. I am confident that my endeavors have successfully achieved this delicate balance. What kind of artwork do you most enjoy doing? My predominant artistic inclination lies in painting. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised at the inception of my journey into leatherwork by the realization that I could seamlessly integrate painting and even sculpture techniques into the craft. While traditional painting on paper involves creating spatial depth through the interplay of colors, working with leather offers a unique canvas to enhance tactile experiences.
The ability to incorporate texture, emboss intricate details, and engage in the sculptural process brings immense joy. The act of carving salmon or trout on leather, meticulously shaping their eyes and jaws, is a particularly gratifying aspect. Concluding the creative process by adorning the template with stamped dots and meticulously coloring them feels akin to a celebratory culmination of artistic expression. Where can people find your products and more info? I primarily operate online. You can easily reach me through my website or on various social media platforms. Additionally, I make it a point to attend numerous fly fairs across Europe. This, I believe, presents the optimal opportunity to connect with me in person. At these events, you can not only explore the accessories I craft but also physically engage with them—holding them, closely inspecting their details, and experiencing the exquisite texture of the leather firsthand. On a lighter note, I often jest that you might unexpectedly encounter me at the riverbank. It’s not uncommon for chance meetings with fellow fly fishermen, where casual conversations lead to them unveiling my crafted fly wallets from their pockets—a delightful testament to the shared passion for the art and sport of fly fishing. Website: www.artmerkstudio.com Email: art@artmerkstudio.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/art.merk/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/artmerkartworks
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Keep Fish Wet
Has the time come? Has the time come for us to up our catch and release game and reduce our fishing pressure on our salmon that are close to spawning?
By TARQUIN MILLINGTON-DRAKE With SASCHA CLARK DANYLCHUK of KEEP FISH WET
We Britons should be proud of the way we embraced catch and release. In 1998, under the anagram name, Charles Teace, with the support of the Field Magazine, I declared publicly that we all had to embrace catch and release because it was part of the solution. I invited all fishing organisations and influencers of a type in those days, to support my statement. Hundreds did so and the article in the Field swelled to a list that was five pages long. Trout and Salmon Magazine did not agree and made me raise £13,000 to run the same educational piece in their magazine which I did. Of the many that I invited to sign up, some wrote to me to say that while they supported my effort, for their river, it was too late, they had no salmon left. I guess that in 2023 the numbers of those whose rivers are now dead has grown substantially and I know that the river where I caught my first salmon is hanging on by a tiny thread. HITTING ROCK BOTTOM Fishing abroad made the process that much easier for us because we had to do it, but I said it was part of the solution (and maybe it did slow the decline) but we all know now that no amount of catch and release can overcome the destruction by salmon farms and the huge growth in predator numbers and pollution. But… now that we are at rock bottom with our salmon, and many other wild
fish that we love to catch at home and abroad, perhaps the time has come to renew our efforts and up our game. The stakes were high back in the late 1990’s but they are far higher now. It is time to improve our practices!
“Putting it in my own words may reduce the importance of their words” Let me explain but in so doing, for the most part I am using the wise words of the excellent organisation Keep Fish Wet. This is a science-based organisation which helps anglers create better outcomes for each fish they release. Most of the content below is used with the explicit permission of Keep Fish Wet. Why did I not paraphrase, 1) because they are the experts, and 2) what the fishing community needs is a consistent and persistent message, so putting it in my own words may reduce the importance of their words. PHYSIOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE From the second they are hooked, to the moment of release, fish experience some level of injury and stress (in scientific terms: physiological disturbance) during fishing.
Even if a fish vigorously swims away when you release it, impacts associated with catch-and-release can cause negative consequences such as diminished ability to avoid predators, reduced reproductive success, and mortality due to increased susceptibility to disease. There are some rivers where the wisdom of catching the few fish that remain must be questioned but elsewhere, fishing and fishers bring great benefits to local areas including massive conservation efforts to their local rivers and in these cases, we need to set about mitigating the impact as much as possible which we can do. MINIMIZE AIR EXPOSURE Just like humans, fish need oxygen to support essential bodily functions and keep them alive. What is different is that fish get their oxygen from the water (it is dissolved), not the air. Fish respiration (“breathing”) involves moving water into their mouth and over their gills, whether by pumping it or when swimming with their mouths open. Also, like humans, fish need to respire more during and after exercise, including when they are fighting on the end of a fishing line, as well as after they are landed. Maximizing the ability for fish to get oxygen when they are recovering from the stress of angling is essential for a speedy recovery. Holding a fish out of the water prevents recovery and can lead to death if done for too long. Even short durations of air exposure (as little as 10-20 seconds for some species) can harm fish. You can reduce negative impacts by keeping a fish’s mouth and gills fully submerged in water as much as possible. It’s simple - #keepfishwet
ELIMINATE CONTACT WITH DRY SURFACES Fish have a layer of protective mucus (slime) and scales that protects them from disease. Contact with dry, hard, or rough surfaces (such as hands, rocks, sand, and boat bottoms) can remove slime and scales making fish more susceptible to diseases, especially fungal infections. Keeping fish in or over the water, and holding them with clean, wet hands or a soft rubber net will help keep their slime layer and scales intact and the fish disease free. REDUCE HANDLING TIME Fish are wild animals and handling is stressful for them, whether they are in your hands or in a net. Most fish that are brought to hand are still amped up based on the release of glucose to fuel their ‘fight or flight’ response to being caught. It can take hours for a fish to physiologically return to normal once it is released. The longer you handle a fish, the more stressful it is for them, which compounds the stress associated with capture. Don’t confuse seeing a fish ‘swim away just fine’ as a sign that it has completely recovered. If you are not going to take a photo of your catch, consider releasing the fish without touching or netting them. Run your hand down the line and remove the hook – something made even easier if the hook is barbless. TMD Note: Do not tolerate being told that your fish needs to be netted or come to
hand to be counted in the statistics. Those days are over and there are far greater issues at stake. Stand up to peer pressure that your fish did not count because you did not beach it, pull harder and ping it off if you can so that it is not beached on purpose. If that does not sit well with you and you feel you would prefer to stop fishing, stop. FOLLOW LOCAL REGULATIONS In some places and for some species, it is illegal to remove fish from the water. Examples of this include wild steelhead, salmon, and bull trout in Washington State, and Atlantic tarpon over 40” in Florida. Likewise, some areas require barbless or circle hooks. Be aware of regulations and any waterbody-specific variations. BE WARY OF WARM WATER Be extra careful of how you handle fish when water temperatures heat up. The metabolism of fish is directly linked to water temperature and this, along with the exercise of angling, can make fish more vulnerable to the effects of catch-and-release. (Check out Finsights for more details on water temperature and fish). USE BARBLESS HOOKS Crimp the barbs on hooks. Not only do barbless hooks cause less damage to a fish’s mouth, but they are also much easier and quicker to remove - especially helpful when one ends up in your ear or finger!
This not only applies to single hooks, but also treble hooks. (See this Finsights for more details on the science) USE RUBBER NETS Rubber nets are less abrasive and do less damage to fish slime, scales, fins, and gills than knotted nylon mesh nets. Plus, hooks don’t snag as much on rubber nets, which can help reduce time in captivity. (See this Finsights for more on the science) LIMIT USE OF LIP GRIPPERS Lip gripping devices should only be used on fish that you have no other way to control or handle, including toothy fish. Also, fish should never be held vertically by a lip gripping device (See Finsights for more details on lip grippers). CARRY HOOK REMOVAL DEVICES OR CUT THE LINE Carry easily accessible pliers or other hook removal tools, which will enable quick and careful hook removal. If the hooks are barbless, there is a good chance that a hook removal tool can help with release even without taking the fish out of the water. If a fish is deeply hooked, cut the line instead of trying to remove the hook. LIMIT FIGHT TIME Once hooked, a fish is essentially vigorously exercising when fighting on the end of your line. By landing a fish quick-
ly and without over-playing it to exhaustion, you can reduce the physiological and muscular stress the fish incurs. To help with this, match your tackle to the targeted species and the conditions. HOLD FISH IN OR OVER WATER Fish are slippery creatures and can easily be dropped. When holding a fish, keep it in or slightly above the water - not over boats or land. GRIP FISH CAREFULLY Fish have sensitive internal organs, so hold them, better still cradle them, gently without squeezing or bending. Avoid placing your hand over their mouth and gills since this obstructs breathing. If a fish is bigger than your hand, use both hands to hold it. With larger fish, grip the base of the tail with “A-OK” finger formation and gently support the body close to the pelvic fins. Keep very large fish in the water – for their safety and yours. PHOTOGRAPH WET FISH Try photographing your fish while it is in the water. This shows the fish in its element and ensures that it can breathe. If you do quickly lift the fish for a photo, keep it as close to the water as possible. Also, let the photographer call the shots – 1, 2, 3…raise the fish... and get your shot. Keep air exposure to 5 seconds or less.
ONLY REVIVE FISH THAT CANNOT SWIM A fish will do better recovering in its natural habitat unless it cannot swim away on its own. If a fish has lost equilibrium – the coordinated movements of its fins that allow it to remain upright and swim – it will need reviving before you let it go. Reviving a fish can be done in moving water by submerging the fish and holding its head facing into the current so that the water flows in the mouth and over the gills. In still water situations, move the fish gently to stimulate this effect. The exception is fish like tuna, billfish, and some sharks that are ram ventilators (i.e., need to swim with their mouths open to move water across their gills) and do need reviving. Keep them boat side and have the captain move the boat slowly forward to help facilitate their recovery. (See this Finsights for more info on reviving fish - and why you likely don’t need to do it). THINK TWICE BEFORE GOING AFTER SPAWNING FISH Fishing for fish that are on route to spawning grounds or are in the act spawning can disrupt a critical part of their life cycle and impact future generations. In some cases, fish are especially vulnerable to capture when they are aggregating to spawn or are especially aggressive as they defend nests and territories. Depending on the species of fish you are after and their spawning habits, you might want to forego fishing for them during their spawning season.
For more information about the best practices or to support Keep Fish Wet, visit www.keepfishwet.org
“You can reduce negative impacts by keeping a fish’s mouth and gills fully submerged in water as much as possible” TMD Note: Rather like catch and release in 1998, I think we must turn another corner while things are as dire as they are. I know this may impact estate incomes as well as personal but maybe those losing income from guest fishers not coming during almost spawning time can be used for other good purposes on and around the river. I believe the time has come for our seasons to close earlier and that the days of badgering gravid hens and territorial cocks should ease back a little. It cannot be good for our rivers, and it too must be part of the solution to what is now a much more grave problem. If we do not, those relying on the wild salmon for the income may have no income at all.So, please, when it comes to grip and grin time – fish in or hovering above the water please, and let’s do all we can to treat our wild fish at home and abroad with the greatest respect we can.
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