Kype Magazine VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1, 2012
What is a Kype? A kype is a hook that forms on the lower jaw of a male trout, salmon, or steelhead during spawning periods. This is the badge of power and dominance unique to only these species—a sign of a warrior. From this mark of strength comes the title of our magazine, KYPE.
Kype Magazine Castle Douglas Productions.LLC PO Box 2024 Anacortes, WA 98221 360.299.2266 Streamside@kype.net
www.KypeMagazine.com Kype Staff Publisher: George Douglas Editor: Dominique Chatterjee
COPYRIGHT Kype Magazine Copyright © 2012 Castle Douglas Productions LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. May no part of this publication be copied or reproduced in any way without written permission from the publisher.
Yukon Gold.................................................................4 Perfecting Your Swing..................................................8 The History of Fishing...................................................10 The Business End.........................................................12 New Spey Lines...........................................................14 Aerial King of Salmon Flies...........................................16 Kype Vise, Afternoon Delight........................................20 Kype Tour...................................................................30
The water on the flat was light aqua green. The foraging schools of trophy grayling and broad whitefish up to 8 pounds are getting me excited. I cast the sink tip into the steep drop-off of what looks like a Florida bonefish flat. Strip, twitch, strip, p-a-u-s-e… strip-strip…. FISH ON!!! As I admire the ruby red fins and shades of orange goldenyellow on the underbelly, I remember the violent fight which started with the surprise of a broken shoelace… the bulldogging, the rolling and the frequent runs. What a fish!!! –Marc Crapo Artisan/Filmmaker www.flywallets.com www.nosportsallowed.com
Yukon Gold Super-Charged Sight Fishing by George Douglas
Bio: Publisher of Kype Magazine OH & NY Fishing Guide Fishing Hall of Fame Inductee Fly Tier Type of Fishing: Fly, Spey, Spin, Pin & Plug Location: 1/2 the Year, Great Lakes 1/2 the Year, West Coast Filming everywhere else
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ibrant sound waves catapult from their lungs into the Yukon night, reflecting off majestic cliff faces as four men exit the 150-degree sauna and jump directly into the frigid temperatures of Coghlan Lake. The demons that thrive on the stress of human beings are driven out and beheaded by the glistening sword of the creator of these lands, sending the men back to the lodge with speechless stares, innocent grins, and cleansed souls. Their muscles, achy from casting, become numb, and their line-burned fingers feel cool as they replay the vivid highlight reel of the day’s moments that time has scribed into their hearts. Below-average anglers—or those who don’t fish at all—actually have an easier time defining fishing than those of us who have fishing at our core, have skin of scales, and have piscatorial DNA. To others, fishing may be the act
of doing, as simple as reeling in a fish, but we anglers know that, to say the least, the sport is much more complex to define. It is a complete package that embraces our creativity, friendships, application, execution, reward, and the desire to further educate ourselves, perfect our craft, and teach others—all of which whet our passionate palates, releasing our expression and freedom and connecting us to nature and its
Website: KypeMagazine.com Contact Info: Streamside@kype.net
WASHINGTON
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Triple “S” Guide Service Fishing SW Washington & Oregon Contact Lee Freeman to discuss your fishing adventure today. 503-312-9844 salmonfishingnorthwest.com
Brazda’s Fly Fishing - # 10393 Trout & Steelhead Fishing on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Fly Fish Montana with Jeff this year! 253-307-3210 jeff@brazdasflyfishing.com
artistry. By no means can we neglect our passion. We must fuel it, nourish it, and shower it with experiences. The fishing opportunities on this planet are vast and plentiful, each having its own flavor, its unique signature that pierces our hearts in a different way. Right now, as I humbly write this article on my laptop on day three of seven deep in the Yukon Territory, I am pleasantly reminded of how special this sport really is, how awesome this planet is, and how lucky we are to have
opportunities to travel to and fish places such as this hidden paradise. The flavor here is a concoction of spiritual aromas mixed with the trembling relaxation from a chain of secluded lakes, all sporting jaw-dropping, picturesque backdrops. The fly line lies out and extends on the water’s turquoise surface, followed by the fly itself, dropping like a falling feather. A solid Rocky Mountain bone fish slowly approaches the fly and sips it in as if drinking a cup of English tea. The angler’s casting arm twitches upward, followed by the erratic trashing of the rod and a singing drag. The exclamation “Mr. Whitey!” comes out from behind the grand red beard of filmmaker Marc Crapo. “WooHoo! Fish on!!!” he proudly screams, having just conquered his own personal challenge to take a whitefish on the surface—a very difficult task here in the Yukon as the broad strain of whitefish is entirely different than the small, pale nuances that are often seen in the States.
The flavor here spews out a concoction of spiritual aromas mixed with a trembling relaxation amongst a contagious chain of secluded lakes, all sporting jawdropping, picturesque backdrops.
OHIO
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Briquettes Smokehouse Pork, Chicken, Beef Brisket, & Ribs Dine-In or Take-Out In historic Ashtabula Harbor 440-964-2273 briquettessmokehouse.com
Martinis Restaurant & Lounge Spacious Lounge & Dining Overlooking the Golf Course 440-964-2800 harborgolfclubashtabula.com
I hooked this trout on a muddler minnow from a sink tip. It was one of those casts that you just know will bring a strike, and here is the result
Even the deck-hand, Ben Davenport (Dr. Ben), got into the action. This was his first grayling and his first fish ever on a fly rod. Ben learned quickly and gave a strip set from a switch rod.
If you have ever seen Mr. Crapo’s performances in his No Sports Allowed series or the Costa Rica Challenge, you’d guess that there has not been a dull moment on this trip so far—and that would be an understatement. Marc is one of the most charismatic personalities in the fly fishing industry today, and it’s been quite the experience and a huge pleasure to meet up with him on this trip. He is a fishing madman with a great cast and a keen eye to present flies in the most tempting fashion. Marc had two words to say when I asked him if he’d be interested in joining me on this Yukon adventure: “Heck yeah!” Now that we are here, we just laugh and high-five without saying anything else, but we both know exactly what each other is thinking—that this place is amazing and that both our minds are totally blown. Sight fishing for northern pike and lake trout is the most popular anglers’ attraction here at Coghlan and the surrounding lakes. Huge silhouettes of the monsters below, ranging from two to four feet in length, will pump the blood of any fisherman. The water is so crystal clear that the bottom of the lake appears to wriggle to life with these trophy fish, along with a huge population of potential world-record grayling. All these species can be taken by a variety of different methods, including dry fly, trolling, spin casting, and indicator nymphing—whichever way an angler prefers to catch fish, the opportunity is present. The cold Yukon waters contribute the most beautiful wild fish I have ever seen; their colors pop so much, it’s like they’ve been photoshopped with a blast of saturation. Earlier today, we were casting into
SALMON R. NY
6
Salmon River Sport Shop 4826 Salina St. Pulaski, NY 13142 On Salmon River’s “Town Pool” 315-298-4343 Salmonriversportsshop.com
Whitaker's Sport Shop and Motel 3707 Rt.13 Pulaski, NY 315-298-6162 Check out our web site at: www.whitakers.com
the mud flats that have excellent vegetation, perfect for lurking northern pike. Cast, strip, strip, strip, BOOM! A violent crash on the surface is created by a northern attacking a mouse pattern. If spin casting is your preference, the results are even more deadly, as floating Rapalas and Zara Spook plugs are punished with a vengeance. On the way back to the lodge, we stopped off and cast to hundreds of grayling feeding on the surface in the crystal clear shallows, and just out a bit further on the color lines, lake trout were aggressively feeding on streamer patterns. The fishing was incredibly impressive, to say the least. Catching these amazing creatures is only one aspect of this experience. It’s almost as if the fish are a bonus as opposed to being the main event. It’s the surroundings, the scent of the air, the sunburns at nine o’clock in the evening, the beautiful lodge, the secluded camps on each of the lakes, and the great personalities that blend with this place perfectly. Bernard Stehelin, the owner of the business, and Head Guide Symon Kirchner are two individuals that are dialed-in to this region, completely connected, and even through all the years up here, they still appreciate the magnificence of this untouched resource. Marc and I fished with Bernard and Symon through the first few days of this trip, and I now pause to bring all our readers a clear message: do not pass this place up. The Yukon Territory is truly the last frontier of North America, a place that most people never think about. Only 30,000 people occupy the
The owner of Wilderness Fishing Yukon, Bernard Stehelin with a nice Pike caught on this trip. Bernard is a great guy that runs a professional operation and has fun doing it The Pike were striking flies and huge plugs on the surface, especially the lures from whiteknucklelures.com.
Yukon Gold: The fins and spot patterns from these fish were bursting with color--fish so fresh and pure, it was hard to look away. This photo by Marc Crapo captured the beauty of these fish perfectly.
SALMON R. NY
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Angler's Lodge For Those Who Enjoy A Secluded Natural Setting Altmar, NY 13302 (315) 298-6028 stonehouseinnlodging.com
Fox Hollow Salmon River Lodge 2740 State Route 13 Altmar, New York 13302 Roger Wolfe - (315) 298-2876 Foxhollowsalmonriverlodge.com
Perfecting Your Swing by Chris Lessway
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ast, swing, step. Cast, swing, step. Cast, swing, step. If you’re a devoted steelheader, you probably know what I am talking about: the routine we follow while valiantly searching the long boulder-laden runs where steelhead reside. We confidently swing our flies in search of that tug, the one that fuels our desire, the one that sends a shot of adrenaline coursing through our bodies. You know, the one that keeps us coming back again and again!
Bio: Michigan Fishing Guide Fly Fishing Instructor Tube Fly Tier Guide for North Branch Outing Club Type of Fishing: Fly Fishing / Spey Casting Location: Michigan Trout and Steelhead Rivers Website: OutForTrout.com Fullersnboc.com Contact Info: info@outfortrout.com
While there are many techniques used to catch steelhead on a fly, the one that most likely comes to mind is the wet fly swing. Many anglers think of swinging flies as the simplest form of presenting a fly to steelhead. While it is one of the most simple to rig up, the actual swing is somewhat more involved than most realize. Sure we can go to the river, heave a few casts out, let the fly swing, and hook an aggressive fish or two. Good day, right? But what if I told you there’s a way to turn that good day into an even better day-- that one or two fish day can become a three or four fish day? Well If I did tell you that, I would probably be lying—after all this is fishing we’re talking about here. There are ways, however, to improve your odds while swinging flies for steelhead. First and foremost, you need to understand your swing. What is your fly doing? How fast is it swimming? How deep is it swimming, and is it sinking? Is it starting to rise to the surface? These are a few of the questions we need to ask
ourselves if we want to truly understand what is going on with the fly after we make a cast. The river’s many currents are also going to have a huge impact on what your fly is doing. It doesn’t hurt to step back and study what’s going on with the river before making that first cast. Also, we need to remember when fishing with a two-handed rod that it’s quite a bit longer, so any subtle movement of the rod tip accentuates the movement of the fly, thus affecting what is going on with the swing. When I first started steelhead fishing with a two-handed rod, I was not the greatest caster. I would cast as far as I could, then throw a few mends to get the fly down, let it swing, and mend a few times in between to keep it down. At the end of the swing, I would let the fly dangle for a moment then repeat the process. I was somewhat successful in catching a few fish using this technique, but throughout the years, I have became more triumphant by observing the way
NEW YORK
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Orleans Outdoor Oak Orchard and Western NY Trout and Salmon fly, float & spin 1764 Oak Orchard Rd Albion, NY 585-682-4546 www.orleansoutdoor.com
Lone Wolf Sportfishing Lake Ontario & Lake Erie Charters Guaranteed Fish - Guaranteed Success LoneWolfSportfishing.com 717.863.0018
my fly is swinging and by paying attention to what’s going on with the current. You are ultimately going to have more success if you are reading the currents correctly, and confident that your fly is swimming the way it needs to be. Like most fly fisherman, I started out with trout fishing. While concentrating on current seams, foam lines, and small areas where a trout may be holding, trout fishermen are taught to execute a good drag-free dead drift. We cast, throw a mend or two, and let our fly drift, sometimes throwing a mend in between. We were taught to make the fly drift as if it was a real bug naturally floating down the river. Well, with swinging flies, there is no such thing as a dead drift. The fly should be constantly under tension, a tight line from the rod tip straight to the fly. This is what causes the swimming action. It’s that swimming action that entices a steelhead to strike. When I look back on my early days of swinging flies for steelhead, I can see all of my mistakes. I would make a cast, feed a little line out to create some slack, and throw a couple of upstream mends to get the fly down. This did in fact get the fly down, but one thing I started to notice is that my fly was not swinging. Instead, it was dead drifting for part of the run. I began to wonder: was I missing opportunities by doing this? After all, I was casting into very fishy looking water with limited success. When swinging flies for steelhead, we are not fishing through a current seam or foam line as if fishing for trout. We are fishing wide expansive runs where steelhead could be holding just about anywhere, so we are looking to cover as much
water as possible. By mending upstream to get my fly to sink, I was getting more of a dead drift through the first part of the swing; therefore, my fly was not swimming enticingly and wasn’t covering as much water as it could have. Keeping a tight line and positioning
The fly should be constantly under tension, a tight line from the rod tip straight to the fly.
SALMON R. NY
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All Season’s Sports 3733 RT. 13 Pulaski, NY 13142 Salmon and Steelhead Gear. NY Fishing Licenses. 315-298-6433
Fat Nancy's Tackle Shop 3750 RT. 13 Pulaski, NY 13142 Right off the Pulaski Exit. Everything you’ll need. 315-298-4051
The History of Fishing by George Douglas, Sr.
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he young child was the first to see the figures off in the distance slowly moving toward the encampment. Although dusk had fallen, he could see that they were carrying something. As they neared, the child recognized that one of the men was indeed his father. The boy jumped up and ran toward the men, shouting with excitement. Upon hearing the child, others emerged from the cave.
Bio: Outdoors Enthusiast, Fishing Hiking Skiing Snowshoeing Type of Fishing: Fly and Spin Fishing Location: Great Lakes Catskill Mountains Contact Info: Streamside@kype.net
They would all have sustenance that night. The men carried crude baskets made from reeds and, in them, fish and mollusks. This small group of cave dwellers lived in what is known today as East Timor, a small island off the coast of Australia. About 40,000 years ago, this scenario was being played out in caves in South Africa, Northern China, and elsewhere as fish became a dietary staple of early Homo sapiens. The evidence for this is clear: scientists have found a high level of nitrogen isotopes in the human bones dating to 40,000 plus years, indicating frequent use of fish in their diet. Competition for food and the difficulty of catching or finding other food sources on the savannah certainly made fishing a popular activity. The first use of hooks was found to be approximately 20,000 years ago, during which time a very efficient barbed hook was fashioned from bone. Harpoon-like spear fishing, a style that’s still used today in some cultures, had also become a popular method. But
as the early advanced cultures spread across the globe between four and eight thousand years ago, nets became widely used. The best example of this would be found in Egypt on the Nile where reed boats, woven nets, and weir baskets were effectively used for fishing. In addition, cooked rice was used for bait. The Egyptians fished mainly for perch, catfish, and eels. There is also evidence that fishing for sport had begun on the Nile at that time. Around the same time period in North America, Native Americans were using hooks made from horn bone and wood. Gill nets were also being used in North America, most popularly fashioned as rock-weighted nets with wood frames. In addition to the standard type, another variation of a hook was called a "gorge." This was described as a halfinch-long piece of wood in which the line was tied in the middle with sharpened points at each end of the object. When ingested by the fish, the "gorge" would become jammed in the fish’s jaw, and a catch could be made.
MICHIGAN
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J&J River Guides Inc. Baldwin, Michigan Fish the Big Manistee & Pere Marquette 231-578-0946 MichiganRiverRaiders.com
Jeff’s Guide Service Drift & Jet Boat - Fly & Spin Fishing Muskegon River – Steelhead & Salmon 616-204-4999 jeff@muskegonriverguide.com muskegonriverguide.com
Advances in fishing equipment were quickly spreading across the globe in this time period. The Romans had begun using rod and reel in addition to nets. The Norseman in Northern Scotland near the Shetland Islands, the Peruvians, the Chinese, the Persians, and the Greeks were all reaping the benefits of new fishing techniques. Where water was shallow enough, many cultures practiced herding of fish into waiting nets. Later, in the American colonies, herding was a popular practice for catching Atlantic salmon and shad. However, there is evidence that the first practice of fly fishing came from the Macedonians on the Astraeus River in the 2nd century. Early writings in this time period allude to the use of fishing rods up to six feet in length and even to the presence of flies. To take a big step forward into the so-called modern era of fly fishing, we have to turn to the 15th century in Scotland and England. In 1496, the first publication about fishing was printed in England, titled The Treatyse of Fysshynge Wyth an Angle, written of course in old English style. At that time, the word "angle" referred to a fish hook. By 1650, another publication was written, Conservation and Angle Etiquette by a Kirby Hock in England. It spoke of fishing waters, rods, lines, and bait. Artificial flies were also addressed in the publication. But only a few years later, in 1653, the publication of Izaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler led to an explosion of sport fishing. Some said that much of The Compleat Angler was borrowed from the earlier Hock book, but either way, Walton’s book was a huge success, bringing fish-
ing to a wider range of people. It also updated the latest in "tackle," meaning hook, rod, and line together. However, at the time little credit was given to the place where it is said that modern fly fishing had developed: the large, rocky, fast moving rivers of Scotland—in particular, the River Tweed near the border, the River Dee in the northeast, and the River Spey in the Central Highlands. The fact is that when the two publications were written in the 1650s, Scotland was still an independent country, so hostilities between England and Scotland existed. But in the coming years, Scotland became famous for its salmon, sea trout, and brown trout fishing. The River Spey even had its own form of casting developed around it. Of course, that would be Spey casting, in which the fly and line do not travel behind the fisherman so as not to tangle with the bankside. It would require the use of rods 18 feet and longer. But other rods were also
A fishing camp on Lake Charlotte, Nova Scotia in the 1930’s. Photo compliments of www.thecottagechronicles.com
The first use of hooks was found to be approximately 20,000 years ago, during which time a very efficient barbed hook was fashioned from bone.
MICHIGAN
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Fairfield Inn & Suites 3701 North Country Dr. Traverse City, MI Close to the Betsy and Big Manistee River 231-922-7900
Woodland Rivers Guide Service Catering to the needs of the Fly-Fishing Angler on Michigan's most productive waters! 248.608.0908 www.woodlandrivers.com
The Business End by Michael McAuliffe
Bio: Owner: Rise Form Studio/Rise Form Fly Fishing Guides NJ Fly Fishing Guide Fly Fishing Instructor Author Fly Tier Type of Fishing: Fly Fishing everywhere Filming everywhere Website: riseformstudio.tv
O
ver the course of a guiding/fishing/filming season, I get to see a nice crosssection of what fly anglers are purchasing and using. Some of the anglers are first-timers hiring me for instruction and guiding; some are seasoned pros out on the river for some filming. The majority of the gear I see is pretty shiny and new— not to mention $pendy! This is not necessarily a bad thing. One of the most important lessons my father taught me was: “Spend your money on good American tools and take care of them, and they will last your whole life.” This was sage advice evidenced by the fact that I still use his tools (and fly gear) long after his passing. So thumbs up to anglers for being smart like my dad would want you to be. However, there is one area where I consistently see fly anglers underspending. Sadly it is in the most important end of their outfit: THE BUSINESS END! When you get to the river and gear up with possibly several thousand dollars’ worth of gear, your buddies may be envious. The problem is trout do not know or care about how much cash you dropped at the fly shop and will be unimpressed by the labels on your gear. Unfortunately for you, the trout only knows that he does not care to sample your bargain or generic fly. He probably also thought your drift could use a little cleaning up. Expensive rods and reels are fantastic tools. In the spirit of truth and full disclosure, I own lots of these and even work for companies that build them. Will they help you catch more fish? In
my estimation, the simple answer is no. Nothing fools a fish like a great fly and presentation. Could the latest and greatest in carbon fiber space age technology help you get said presentation? Absolutely. It can help an angler who has the skill to make the right shot with the right bug hook and land the fish of a lifetime. In a perfect world, we would all have unlimited budgets and time to fish. In lieu of the perfect scenario, I would like to suggest a few adjustments in how you spend your fly fishing dollars. This way, you’ll catch more fish! Flies and Leaders/Tippets Your fly is hopefully the only part of your gear that the trout really get a good look at. Please take a moment to ponder this. The leader and tippet you choose make up the final delivery system, and if you get it right, become the connection to your query. For the angler’s end of a typical singlehanded trout set-up, an angler may spend a total of $2915 (see the chart below).
PENNSYLVANIA
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Freestone Fly Fishing 717-337-0734 or 717-855-8057 Fly Fishing for Steelhead Salmon and Trout. South Central & North Central PA Streams freestonefly-fishing.com
Wet Fly Waterguides 814-341-0946 or 814-322-4755 Central & North Central Fly Fishing Trips. Old School with Modern Twist wetflywg@gmail.com Wetflywaterguides.com
For the trout’s end of the set-up, an angler may have spent: .
Does this seem a little backward to you, too? Tying your own flies and leaders may be time consuming and more expensive than clicking a mouse or going to the fly shop, but it is the best way to ensure that a quality bug is properly presented to the fish. Generally, flies you purchase online or in a fly shop are generics. Most of the time, this means that the fly is tied overseas by someone who might have never even seen the bug it is supposed to imitate. In most instances, they are tied to be cost effective. This can mean substandard, incorrect, or substituted materials. Worst of all, it usually means reduced quality in the hook sharpness and strength. Flies When you tie your own flies, you can use the best quality materials. This means that you can purchase quality hackle that floats well, a name brand hook that is both sharp and strong, and so on. You will also use the hard won knowledge gained from the years you have put into your fishery, enabling you to tie flies that EXACTLY match your local bugs. From stream to stream and region to region, there are distinct differences in the appearance or color of bugs. Big box or discount generic flies do not take those factors into consideration. Therefore, the overseas tied fly you purchased is most likely a poor imitation of the insect it is supposed to mimic. Don’t tie? The simple answer is to learn. Take classes at your local shop, and if your local shop does not offer
them, check your local fly fishing club or contact a reputable local guide. The internet is also a great resource for free fly tying videos. (Shameless self-promotion goes here: http://www.riseformstudio.tv/fly_tying_video.html) If you do not have the time or interest in tying your own, the best sources for killer flies and patterns are your local guides and fly tiers. These are the real sources for great flies that catch fish. Local tiers and guides spend a lot of extra time and energy to produce flies that match the local bugs to a T. Will you spend more than you do on bargain internet flies? Absolutely. How about the $2 flies in your local shop? The surprising answer is not really. Two examples of FANTASTIC American production tiers are Mike Schmidt (www.anglerschoiceflies.com) and Kype contributor John Collins (below, flyjcfish100@msn.com). Both of these tiers can twist you up standard trout dry
The problem is trout do not know or care about how much cash you dropped at the fly shop and will be unimpressed by the labels on your gear.
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Efinger Bound Brook, NJ 732-356-0604 Proudly Celebrating A 100 Years of Dedication to Sportsmen & Athletes
NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
13
Best Western Crown Inn & Suites Fish Oak Orchard by day and hit Batavia Downs by night! Batavia, NY 585-344-8882
New Spey Lines For the Midwest Steelheader by Klint Borozan
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here are some wonderful rivers that find their way into Lake Michigan, providing some equally wonderful steelhead fishing for the fly fisherman hunting them. For the most part, I enjoy swinging streamers; I love the equipment and like the casting even more. My story begins with trying to figure out the best way to catch them in the different seasons.
Bio: Former Fishing Guide SW Montana and Alaska Steelhead & Salmon Fly Tier Outdoor Writer Type of Fishing: Spey Casting for Anadromous Species. Location: Michigan, Alaska, Montana, Florida. Contact Info: klintb@aol.com
My Midwest fishing season usually begins in August, swinging streamers on the Big Manistee, trying to connect with a Chinook salmon fresh out of the lake. Yes, they attack a swung fly attached to a sink tip. Everyone knows that steelhead will do the same. But, depending on where you are on the river and a myriad of factors (surface hydraulics, slow deep water, etc.), swinging a streamer can be a much less productive way to fish. If I am going to drive five hours each way, I want to touch as many fish as possible. Since some of the best spots on the river are t h e
deep runs behind the gravel, which can range from three to ten feet deep, and the deep slow water areas around log jams, I needed to expand my repertoire. I started to look at how the guides like to fish, mostly with egg or nymph patterns. By the time the salmon are on the gravel, everyone is chasing chrome using egg patterns under an indicator. My own personal favorite is to push the green caddis nymphs. While the Chinooks are building redds, they kick the green caddis nymphs out of the river bottom. Relative to the egg patterns they are bombarded with every day, the steelhead appear to be far less wary of the caddis nymph as the season progresses. Ultimately, I discovered that using nymph rigs, along with a conventional stick, would produce a lot more steelhead given the conditions. However, I did feel as though I was betraying my best girl by keeping my Spey rod in the tube. And, a boat was required to reach some of the best spots. Evidently, this was the case for many steelheaders. Enter Airflo.
OHIO
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High Tide Tavern Best wings on the strip! 5504 Lake Rd. Geneva on the Lake 440.466.7990
Fish With Jim Outfitters Fishing Steelhead Alley Fly - Pin - Spin 248-252-1277 www.fishwithjimoutfitters.com
Rajeff Sports has a team of unique steelhead guides on staff, contributing as line designers working with Tim Rajeff to create the Speydicator line. The result is a very cool Spey line designed to solve the kind of challenges I was facing on the Manistee. The way Rajeff describes it, “The Speydicator was designed to throw an unreasonable amount of weight at the end of an unreasonable length of tippet with an unreasonably large indicator.” I was intrigued. It was designed to handle something as big as a Drennan Piker Float, or the biggest football-shaped indicators from Frog Hair with a line of split shot below it, making it easy to both cast and reach deep into the dark water with enough weight on your line to find a player steelhead. The shooting head on the Speydicator line is similar to a Skagit head with a higher floating mending line to facilitate the mending requirements when nymphing with a large indicator from sixty feet away. The added line control will likely make it more attractive to swingers as well. For the Midwesterner chasing many different species, it would be a great way to fish crayfish patterns, alevins, eggs, nymphs, and even larger weighted flies in slow water. Rigging approaches vary between fisherman and the types of water they fish. On the Manistee, I have quite a few spots where clear water runs over gravel in depths of three or four feet. However, just behind them usually lays a long, slow moving pool of darkness that is six to seven feet deep, beginning with a drop-off where many
fish are usually sitting and making choices about what to pursue for lunch. If I can reach that water without disturbing it with a boat and can cast way above it with a really long leader, dropping in green caddis or egg patterns, there is more often than not a fish waiting to play. Speydicator gets me there in stealth and provides the necessary line control. While river testing how to cast the Speydicator, I discovered some very happy truths about its design. The first: the statements by its designer, Tim Rajeff, are true. The casts I used were both double Spey and a snap T. Done gently, both worked great, and I was covering a lot more water than I ever could without a boat. The mending capability made a huge difference in the quality of my presentation. In rigging the line for fishing pur-
Photo by Klint Borozan
The result is a very cool Spey line designed to solve the kind of challenges I was facing on the Manistee
ALASKA
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Alaska River Adventures Lodge & Guide Service Alaska’s Upper Kenai River & Kasilof River www.alaskariveradventures.com 1-888-836-9027
Mystic Waters Fly Fishing 907-227-0549 Fly fishing guides for Trout and Salmon on Alaska's Upper Kenai R. www.mysticfishing.com
Bombers The Aerial King of Salmon Flies by Steve Silverio
“N
o, no, no! Not like dat, Steve! Da fly, she must be higher. You have to shoot for da top of da tree so dat she float down comme un ange terres menues petits sur l'eau, you know? Yes?” “I know, Mario!” I thought. “And what the hell did you just say about a little angel?”
Bio: Fly Tying Articles Fly Tying Instruction Polar Pony Fly Tying Material Member of Regal Vise Developmental Team Partridge US Pro-Staff Canadian Tube Flies Pro-Staff Type of Fishing: Freshwater / Saltwater Location: Primarily Eastern US & Canada Contact Info: steve@silverfishflies.com silverfishflies@msn.com
Attempting to control my mounting frustration, I tried just to breathe in and out slowly while looking around me. Here I was, perched in the bow of a 26’ handmade canoe in the heart of Quebec’s Gaspé wilderness with tall green timber, a bright blue August sky, and a crystal river stocked with staging salmon clearly visible in the water below. Our guide, Mario, was a seasoned veteran and the head guide at camp. His obvious disappointment at my lack of skill with the bomber, the salmon fisherman’s answer to the dry fly, contrasted with his natural ebullience and otherwise light-hearted, jovial manner. “You know, Steve, my daughter, only a girl, and even my mudder, who has many years now—dey each ‘tro da fly, no problem!” A snort of muffled laughter from the stern of the canoe let me know that my partner, Dave, was enjoying the fun immensely. Seeing that he had a willing audience, Mario continued, “Even my fadder, he can do it très bien, and he is gone now, seven year!” A howl of laughter erupted from Dave as he and Mario
collapsed into a laughing-coughing heap, the two of them slapping each other while peals of laughter echoed down the river. I turned, eyes blazing and forehead throbbing, but the sight of these two now bursting with unrestrained merriment broke the tension, and I joined in, glad for the relief. “Now you try again and do it tout bon,” said Mario after a bit. My next cast saw the fly shoot up and come down in a lazy flutter. Without warning, a silver surge erupted out of the placid pool, and my arm was almost jerked out of its socket as the fresh chromer headed upstream, leaping and cartwheeling in a panicked attempt to get free from my fly. An eternity later, as I angled it into Mario’s waiting net, I was still shaking while I looked down at my first ever salmon on the bomber, and I knew it was actually me who had been hooked for life. That was years ago, and I am still as hooked today on dry fly fishing for salmon as I was then. For me, fishing the bomber is like delving into a religion, and each year I go, a little piece of the great salmon mystery is revealed to me.
OHIO
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Biscotti’s Restaurant Casual Authentic Italian Dining Located in historic Conneaut Harbor, close to the river! 440-593-6766 biscottisrestaurant.com
Best Western Lawnfield Inn & Suites Great location for fishing the Grand and Rocky River. 8434 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Oh 440-205-7378
This type of fly was born as the brainchild of the Reverend Elmer Smith, who, according to legend, received his inspiration for the pattern while watching a young boy on a river in Maine. Apparently, the lad easily took a nice brace of sea-run browns using a deerhair mouse pattern, and upon seeing this, the reverend thought it would work as well on his Miramichi salmon. While spun deerhair bugs had existed before the reverend’s creation, and many others have come later, it is his original design that can still be seen floating the Miramichi today. W.W. Doak & Sons, Ltd., located in the heart of salmon country, continues to offer its clients not only the original, but also many popular color and style variations of Smith’s creation. Excluding color variants and the newer foam body versions (which seem to float a bit too high), the bomber is essentially a clipped natural deerhair body, ribbed with a single or double row of dry fly hackle and sporting a tail and wing made of white calftail, squirrel, or fox guard hair. It is the winging, however, that separates the Miramichi school of Reverend Elmer from the Quebecoise style of dual-wing design, which is often complimented by a thick hackle collar at the throat. This popular variation traces its origins to the dry fly patterns of Lee Wulff, whose bushy twin-hair wings and heavily hackled collar enabled his flies to float high and dry over turbulent river currents. Wulff patterns gained a large following among the salmon dry fly enthusiasts, and the Quebecoise design is an obvious melding of ideas from both Elmer and Lee. Perhaps the ultimate expression of the bomber as dry fly can be found in the Oiseau, a pattern created by André
Boucher and the late Serge Vincent and passionately adopted by several Gaspé Peninsula guides.* In the Gaspésie, the clear-running green rivers provide the perfect environment for coaxing salmon to rise to the dry. Dressed with a prominent bi-wing that extends well out over either side of the hook eye, this moustache, as it’s sometimes called, is not merely a design statement. Lying relatively flat, the long wings enable the fly to achieve serious hang time as its cast almost vertically and allowed to flutter down to the surface of the water. Gaspé guides believe that the salmon has a clear view of the fly as it descends; the water has amazing clarity because the rivers’ head waters are purified of sediment as they tumble down from the rugged Chic-Choc Mountains. It is important, then, that the fly appear to float in the air as long as possible to attract the fish into rising from where it lays along the deep resting areas of the pool. The position of the wings also provides a stable design in flight, enabling the fly to land upright, as opposed to the single-wing style, which can lean to one side upon landing. Additionally, the guide can immediately determine if the
Without warning, a silver surge erupted out of the placid pool, and my arm was almost jerked out of its socket as the fresh chromer headed upstream.
OREGON
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Bob Toman Guide Service Oregon Sportfishing 503-658-6493 Clackamus & Deschutes Salmon & Steelhead fishing www.bobtoman.com
Portland Fishing Guide.com Experience Oregon guided fishing at its best! Columbia, Clackamas, Willamette Scott@portlandfishingguides.com 503-730-3392
fly is positioned correctly as it floats while the angler maintains a dragfree drift. This is Gaspé bomber fishing in its purist form—with no drags, skitters, or riffle knots to complicate the fishing. It is a demanding yet deceptively simple style that requires the full concentration of the angler and his guide, who studies every movement of the fish. It demands the utmost patience and delivers the ultimate reward. The title “fish of a thousand casts” was undoubtedly given to the Atlantic salmon by a dry fly fisherman. When I was recently asked by a trout fisherman how I would sum up fishing the bomber for salmon, I replied, “Think of it as fishing Catskill drys for behemoths.” And so it is. KYPE *(Source, Paul C. Marriner, Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies)
BOOKS by George Douglas Fish Like a Guide................................. $19.95 The Complete Guide to the Salmon River..............................$39.95 CLOTHING, Kype Waterproof Gear Hats, Beanies, Parka’s, Fishing Shirts and Pants...Inquire by Email GUIDING on the Great Lake Tributaries George Douglas’ Steelhead Alley Guide Service www.SteelheadAlleyGuideService.com KYPE PRODUCTS Fusion, Erupting Fish Scent..............sold out Kype Anthology.....................................$19.95 Castle Douglas Productions.llc PO Box 2024 Anacortes, WA 98221 360.299.2266 Out Latest Website:
www.FlyFishing-Techniques.com
Brian Silvey’s Fly Fishing Guide Service Deschutes and Sandy Rivers Steelhead and Trout Fly Fishing 800-510-1702 silveysflyfishing.com
ALASKA
OREGON
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Mack's Sport Shop 212 Lower Mill Bay Rd. Kodiak, Alaska 99615 907-486-4276 SHOP ONLINE! www.mackssportshop.com
Afternoon Delight by Mike Nutto
Bio: Fly Tier http://waywarddrifter.com/ Tier Notes: The fly is a tube fly variation I created based off the style I learned from Matt McCrary, a guide from out west. It is a prawn pattern that can be used for winter or summer steelhead. That is the great part of tube flies, you can get really creative with them
The Tube Fly with Stamina 1. Using tapered mandrel, cut tubing to length and cut the larger tubing at a 45 degree angle. Then, insert the small tubing and add a bit of Zap a Gap to lock it in place (don’t use to much or it will glue it to the mandrel). 2. Wrap thread over small tubing right in front of the large tubing and bring it over 45-degrees to lock the tubes together. 3. Wrap the thread back to the rear of the fly and tie in 3/4 tri lobal fibers. 4. Hackle in pheasant rump tail. 5. Strip a saddle hackle and leave tips to form feelers. 6. Add the feelers. 7. Tie in hackle and tinsel.
8. Make a dubbing loop and dub the body forward. 9. Wrap the tinsel and the hackle forward just in behind the tube junctions. 10. Make another dubbing loop and cut out a patch of Arctic fox tail, brush out the under-fur, stick it in the dubbing loop, and spread the fur out. Turbo twist the loop and brush the fur out with a toothbrush, then treat the fur like a wet fly hackle and wrap it around the tube. 11. Add some Finn Coon wing. 12. Add a cone in front. Remove the fly from the mandrel. Cut the tube about 1/16th of an inch from the cone. Use a lighter and melt the tube back to the cone.
OHIO
20
Kames Sporting Goods 8516 Cleveland Ave. N. North Canton, OH 44720 Catch it, climb it, hunt it, or ride it, we have it! 800-446-4906
Briquettes Smokehouse Pork, Chicken, Beef Brisket, & Ribs Dine-In or Take-Out In historic Ashtabula Harbor 440-964-2273 briquettessmokehouse.com
RECIPE Frodin tubing medium and extra small
Flat tinsel
Tri lobal 3/4 fiber (cascade crest)
Flat braid tinsel Body Hackle: Grizzly hackle
Pheasant tail rump feather
Collar: Arctic Fox tail
Saddle hackle stripped for feelers Dubbing angora goat
Wing : Finn Coon Cone : Eumer night glo
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Martinis Restaurant & Lounge Spacious Lounge & Dining Overlooking the Golf Course 440-964-2800 harborgolfclubashtabula.com
ALASKA
OHIO
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Rapids Camp Lodge King Salmon, AK Legendary Alaska Fishing 907-246-8345 rapidscamplodge.com
Fishing Blogs Kype Magazine Sponsored www.steelcanvas.blogspot.com
Kent Klewein’s Georgia-Fly-Fishing
www.thisriveriswild.com
www.saltyriffle.blogspot.com
www.thejerseyangler.blogspot.com
www.anglergang.com
“the retired guys”
Our goal is to provide you with the “best of the best.” http://retiredguysworld.com – http:myfishinggearstore.com
Fly Only Zone - Fly Tying & Fly Fishing
OKAY, WE ADMIT TO VEERING WILDLY WHEN DRIVING OVER BRIDGES, SIZING UP THE NEIGHBOR’S CHICKENS FOR HACKLE AND A POTENTIALLY UNHEALTHY INTEREST IN SMALL INSECTS. And yes, we’ve been known to whip dueling micrometers from pocket protectors to check line thickness from time to time. The upside? Products like our RIO Gold trout line. RIO Gold’s revolutionary taper design provides phenomenal loop stability for maximum distance, and at the same time, allows easy loading at close range. It handles flies from #2 to #22 and excels in every situation a trout angler might encounter. When our fanaticism results in what might just be the best, most versatile trout line ever made, we figure we deserve a little forgiveness. At least from our fellow anglers.
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poses, I loop connected to the head either three, four, or six feet of 20 lb. Maxima Chameleon that I had slid on a huge Drennan bobber (the biggest test of performance I could find) about two to three feet down from where Chameleon started. But in truth, depending on what casting style you use, it might cast better if you slide it a little in either direction. I then took about three feet of 15 lb. fluorocarbon, connecting it to the Maxima with a nail knot so that I could put split shot in a position that wouldn’t slide around during use. In this section I sometimes have as many as five split to get the fly down. For the last two feet, I loop connected a 6
Yellowstone Horseback Fly-Fishing Trips
lb. fluorocarbon section to tie on the fly. It looked funny to a Spey junkie, but it worked right out of the chute with a 14 lb. buck grabbing an egg pattern in the first run. My set-up is on an Echo TR 7130 Spey rod, rigged as described, and for my style or lack thereof, it works great. I am covering a lot of water with some very long drifts that I could not accomplish before I used this line. A lot of thought went into the extended mending line, and it shows well around log jams. Several blogs tell a pretty good story about using it for swinging streamers as well, but the real strength is its overall flexibility to indicator fishing, swimming a big intruder style fly in slack water for Chinooks, or even tossing a mouse pattern to a log jam—all of which are about control. I still can’t believe how well this line cast for the different kinds of junk I put on it. The head is 39’ with a 26’ taper, killer for tossing heavy stuff. I threw a mouse just for fun and ultimately convinced myself that I have the rig of choice for mousing on the Arolik in Alaska, or sailing an indicator along a Michigan log jam looking for steelhead. I landed two fish around 14 lbs. each, and a few others around seven. I did need some help from a boat to untangle a fish that took me around a log, but all in all, it was a great day that I hope to replicate in the future. The most important thing is that Speydicator adds so much versatility to my existing equipment. Also, I stopped cheating on my best girl. KYPE
CALIFORNIA
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Cast River Guide Service Steelhead*Salmon*Trout Fishing N Cali & S Oregon (707) 487-CAST (2278) www.smithriverfishing.com I fish From Dusk’till Dawn
Sierra Drifters Guide Service Guiding Eastern Sierra Year round Drift Boats (760) 935-4250 www.sierradrifters.com
yourself at the proper angle are paramount to getting a good swing. So how do you get your fly to swing right from the start and yet get it deep enough to grab the attention of a steelhead? As your cast unrolls onto the water, lift your rod tip a bit, move it slightly upstream, and then throw a quick upstream mend. While keeping slight tension between the rod tip and the fly, lower the rod tip as the fly sinks and starts to swing. Doing this will keep your fly swimming right from the start of the cast instead of dead drifting through an area where a steelhead may be holding. Still in disbelief that this technique will be able to increase your hook ups? Think about it this way: if your fly is dead drifting though the first part of the cast, you are missing roughly 20 percent of the water you are trying to swing. Multiply that times a full day of fishing, and that’s a whole lot of water you are missing that you could easily be covering! Another mistake I often made (and that I have seen other anglers make) was to constantly mend throughout the swing to get my fly down deeper. At least getting my fly down deeper was what I thought I was doing, but what I was really doing was moving my fly out of the strike zone. Every time you lift your rod tip to throw a mend, you’re pulling your fly up and away from the water that steelhead are most likely to hold in. Mending also stops the fly from swinging. If you could
trace the path of a fly while someone is doing this, it would probably look like a diagram for an extremely thrilling roller coaster, with all kinds of ups and downs—not what we want. I see this mistake almost every day on the river. If you feel your fly is speeding up because the current is pulling on the line, strip a couple feet of line off the reel, then throw one good mend and let it go. Mend only if absolutely necessary. If you find that you have to keep mending constantly throughout the swing, something is not right. Step back, reevaluate the run you are fishing, and try to reposition yourself at another angle. You’ll be surprised how much this changes your swing! Swinging flies for steelhead just might be the most exhilarating technique known to anglers. Try to take it easy with your mends, and
visualize the path your fly is swimming. Don’t guess where it is; follow it and know exactly where it is. By following your fly, you will learn more about steelheads’ behavior and how they react to your fly in different situations. Pay attention to the currents your fly is swinging though; there is a time to mend and a time to just let it go. Work on keeping your line under tension right from the start of the swing, and refrain from mending in the middle of the swing, making corrections only as needed. Following these few simple guidelines will not only increase your hook ups, but it will also make you a better angler overall. After all, reading currents and predicting a steelhead’s behavior to a swung fly are the keys to success on the river. KYPE
MICHIGAN
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Fairfield Inn & Suites 3701 North Country Dr. Traverse City, MI Close to the Betsy and Big Manistee River 231-922-7900
Woodland Rivers Guide Service Catering to the needs of the Fly-Fishing Angler on Michigan's most productive waters! 248.608.0908 www.woodlandrivers.com
entire Yukon Territory, which is the size of California. These three days have rejuvenated us with a refreshing slap in the face of fishing madness. Lakes that one could only dream about showcase four- to six-foot sections of marl (white mud) that resemble the flats of Belize. Schools of bait fish (cisco) swim into these bluegreen slices of heaven in packs, which in turn draws in monster trout and pike. Marc and I were blown away as we never thought that lake fishing could provide a similar experience to the everfamous sight fishing for bonefish or permit of the Caribbean. When a 30-inch fish is hooked, as Marc Crapo would say, “he will put you in your backing before you can say Rumpelstiltskin.” The learning curve on this lake is all scalable, so anglers can just
Marc Crapo, Bernard Stehelin, Symon Kirchner, George Douglas. relax and catch fish right off the dock in front of their cabin, or can take out one of the provided boats and learn the structure and different coves of each lake. Bernard’s unique business affords anglers the opportunity to fly into Whitehorse,
and most everything they need is at their fingertips. He picks up groups from the airport and takes them to remote lakes in the region by float plane. Visitors can stay in their own private cabin or at the main lodge on Coghlan Lake. Groups of two to six people are the perfect size, offering each angler a life altering, mind shattering experience that’s sure to redline their fishing passion and place all the worries of the world aside—if only for a few days. We are only halfway into our trip and are loving every moment. In the next issue of Kype, I will finish the story of this excursion and will take you base-level with Bernard and Symon to expose their stories and fishing philosophies. Until then... KYPE Head Guide Symon Kirchner with another monster Pike from Coglan Lake.
Phoenix Inn & Suites Salem North 1590 Weston Court Northeast Salem, OR 97301 (503) 581-7004 phoenixinn.com
WASHINGTON
OREGON
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Aladdin Motor Inn 2333 Washington Street Port Townsend, WA 98368-4608 (360) 385-3747 aladdinmotorinnpt.com
becoming popular, including bamboo and the use of silk lines. Fly fishing clubs were forming across England, and fly tying had become a favorite pastime. At first this only included dry flies, but with the arrival of the 19th century, wet flies and nymphs were introduced and became a part of the anglers’ presentation. In 1857, The Practical Angler, a book by W.C. Stewart, was published, giving the dry fly purists competition. Later in America, Theodore Gordon introduced fly fishing to the Beaverkill and Willowimac Rivers in New York State. From that time on, fly fishing became a permanent part of the American scene.
After growing steadily for decades in America, fishing is now enjoyed by 34 million people, 28 million of whom only fish freshwater. From 1975 and up, sport fishing has set new records for sales of equipment and licenses almost every year. The average fisherman is on the water sixteen days per year and spends approximately $1000.00 annually, and one-quarter of anglers are women. The total economic output is $125 billion annually, and the fishing market has created approximately one million jobs. In 1983, there was a slight drop, which was probably a result of the recession in 1982. But the sales figures jumped back up in 1985. In 1992, there was big jump in sales that continued until
1997, when they leveled off. With the recession of 2000 to 2002, there was a slight drop in industry sales but in 2003, they resumed upward movement. This continued until the crash of 2008, when licenses and sales started dropping and have continued to fall through 2011, where sales reached the lowest level. It is clearly evident that the rise and fall of the economy has a direct effect on sales pertaining to sport fishing. As the economy improves over the coming years, the annual increases in fishing expenditures will surely return. Some states have fared better than others. The three states listed as having the most anglers are Florida, Texas, and California. With one out of every three
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Orleans Outdoor Oak Orchard and Western NY Trout and Salmon fly, float & spin 1764 Oak Orchard Rd Albion, NY 585-682-4546 www.orleansoutdoor.com
Lone Wolf Sportfishing Lake Ontario & Lake Erie Charters Guaranteed Fish - Guaranteed Success LoneWolfSportfishing.com 717.863.0018
anglers fishing for bass, it is obvious that bass fishing plays a large part in these numbers. When looking at just the statistics for freshwater fishing, Minnesota leads the way in dollars spent with $2.6 billion, due in part to the popularity of ice fishing. Following Minnesota are Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. Oddly, Ohio is listed as number 24th in sales of licenses and equipment. It is unclear why Ohio, with its long lakefront area, would be listed so low. Is it that the other states with large exposure to the Great Lakes have promoted the industry more? In addition to Lake Erie, Ohio has numerous tributaries that hold great fall and spring steelhead runswhich are apparently going under-fished. New York, listed as 10th for economic impact, actively promotes its Lake Ontario fishing along with its many quality tributaries on the eastern and southern shores. This translated into $104 billion coming into the state from fishing alone. Much of this income
was also the result of the salmon, steelhead, and brown trout fisheries that were developed in the early 1990s, a venture by the state that has surely paid a huge dividend. New Jersey, where fishing is ranked as the most popular participation sport in the state, has recognized the benefit of the fishing industry as well. This is also the case with Minnesota, Florida, and North Carolina, which list fishing as their number one participation sport. In fact, fishing is the 4th most popular participation sport nationwide, with bass fishing outdistancing all other types. This ranking is only preceded by walking, swimming, and camping. This concludes a brief history of fishing, and in particular, sport fishing around the world and here in the U.S., where we are fortunate to have this wonderful outdoor activity available to us. Next time you’re out fishing, think about how this sport began, and how you, today, are contributing to the long legacy of fishing! KYPE
SALMON R. NY
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All Season’s Sports 3733 RT. 13 Pulaski, NY 13142 Salmon and Steelhead Gear. NY Fishing Licenses. 315-298-6433
Fat Nancy's Tackle Shop 3750 RT. 13 Pulaski, NY 13142 Right off the Pulaski Exit. Everything you’ll need. 315-298-4051
flies, emergers, and nymphs for about the same $2 price tag you would pay for the generic mass-produced flies found at most fly shops. They also use quality materials and hooks and have the know-how to imitate the bug in question because they are studied fly anglers. For quality non-local or production flies, I see nice products coming from Umpqua and Montana Fly Co. A quick look at either website reveals that they both have some big names on their fly designer staffs. Both companies have patterns that fish well, and they seem to use higher quality materials and hooks. Leaders A leader and tippet is the final and most critical connection to your fly. Most anglers today just reach for a $4 modern extruded leader with a perfection loop on the end and hit the river. While this can turn a fly over, it is hardly the best option available. Loop to loop connections are convenient, but they hinge and do not
transfer the energy from your cast very effectively. A nail-knotted butt section attached to your flyline is a more efficient connection. I like hand-tied compound leaders. The biggest advantage that a knotted leader has over an extruded leader is repeatable performance. When your leader is inevitably cut back or damaged over time, you can easily fix it by counting the sections forward from the butt and replacing them. If your leader is always the same, it will give you predictable results without you having to think about it or adjust your cast. This is impossible to do accurately with extruded leaders because they lack any delineation between sections. Leaders are very easy to tie. All you need is a ruler, nippers, a few spools of leader material, and the ability to tie a blood knot. This is where the cost factors in. When you initially purchase all of the spools, the cost comes out to about $30 if you are using Maxima Chameleon and Maxima Ultragreen leader material. If you buy hand-tied leaders, the cost is usually in the $710 range per leader. The really nice thing about constructing your own leaders is gaining an understanding of how leaders
ALASKA
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Alaska River Adventures Lodge & Guide Service Alaska’s Upper Kenai River & Kasilof River www.alaskariveradventures.com 1-888-836-9027
Mystic Waters Fly Fishing 907-227-0549 Fly fishing guides for Trout and Salmon on Alaska's Upper Kenai R. www.mysticfishing.com
work and having the ability to customize your leaders for different styles of fishing or sets of conditions. For most small- to medium-sized streams and rivers, I prefer a hand-tied George Harvey-style slack leader. The slack leader is designed to collapse or pile the last 1/3 of the leader for dry fly presentations. Why would an angler want a leader that doesn’t straighten out? Because it allows you to get a longer drag-free drift with a dry fly. If your cast lays line, leader, and fly straight out without slack (extruded leaders are designed to do this exact thing), then the current will immediately cause the fly to drag. The way I am constructing my leader calls for several different types of monofilament. The butt section of the leader is made up of Maxima Chameleon and Amnesia. The much stiffer Maxima transfers more energy into the first 2/3 of the leader for cleaner turnover. The Amnesia is very close in performance to the Maxima and is the most visible monofilament I have found for the indicator section. My tippet sections are comprised of Maxima Ultragreen. The Ultragreen is very limp and supple, helping the tippet sections collapse, thus giving you the longest drag-free drift possible. This leader also functions extremely well with a tuck cast for tight-line nymphing, and it roll casts indicator rigs with ease. Modified Harvey Slack Leader Formula
Brian Silvey’s Fly Fishing Guide Service Deschutes and Sandy Rivers Steelhead and Trout Fly Fishing 800-510-1702 silveysflyfishing.com
ALASKA
OREGON
If you need to go to a 5x dry fly leader, lengthen the 2x section to 18” and shorten the 3x to 12”, 4x to 18”, and 5x to 18”. If you do not wish to tie your own leaders, there are guides and small companies that specialize in this. If you cannot purchase them locally, Rio makes classic handtied leaders. These perform exceptionally well for a mass-produced product. All fly anglers need to carefully consider how we spend our hard-earned dollars. Will you spend your money to purchase that new rod everybody is drooling over? Or, will you invest in tying lessons or purchase some locally sourced flies from a reputable tyer? Do you buy from the internet store and save $20, or support the local guys who always give you good information and point you in the right direction? I say try something new, support the little guy, and sore lip some fish in the process. KYPE
Mack's Sport Shop 212 Lower Mill Bay Rd. Kodiak, Alaska 99615 907-486-4276 SHOP ONLINE! www.mackssportshop.com
Recommended Blogs Antlers & Gills www.antlersandgills.com Owl Jones http://www.owljones.com November Rains lambton101.blogspot.com Mystic Waters mysticwaters.com The Wayward Drifter thewaywarddrifter.com Unaccomplished Angler unaccomplishedangler.com Retired Guys World retiredguysworld.com Creek Addict creekaddict.com Fishing Fury www.fishingfury.com World Fishing News wis-fm.co.uk/default.aspx Troutrageous www.troutrageous.com Fin Follower www.finfollower.com Fly & Fin www.flyandfin.blogspot.com The Jersey Angler www.thejersey angler.blogspot.com Reel Job Fishing www.kent-klewein.com/ georgia-fly-fishing-blog Fly Fish With Mel www.flyfishwithmel.com BigerrFish www.bigerrfish.blogspot.com Rise Form Studios riseformstudio.tv 33
Kype Tour O
ver the last few years, we have been blessed and privileged to connect with anglers and conservationists across the country. It is the members of Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers that are out there in the trenches making a difference. They love this sport and continPenn Wells Hotel & Lodge 1.800.545.2446 ue to do all they can to protect Wellsboro, PA 16901 and maintain our resources. www.pennwells.com This year’s tour took us to a couple special events, including the annual banquet at the Tiadaghton Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Wellsboro, PA. (Thanks Larry & Sheila!!!) The night started out great, that is, until the projector broke half way through the presentation. A special thanks to the Penn Wells Hotel who had another projector handy, and bailed us out. They also sponsored our event by providing us with accommodations. Hotels such as the Penn Wells help us to stay on the road promoting steelhead fly fishing nationwide.
Holiday Inn Kingston
More Recommended Hotels La Quinta Inn & Suites--Danbury 116 Newtown Rd Danbury, CT 06810 Phone: 203.798.1200 LQ.com/Danbury Comfort Suites 132 Village Drive State College, PA 16803 814.235.1900 ComfortSuites.com OAK ORCHARD CREEK AREA Best Western Crown Inn & Suites Fish Oak Orchard by day and hit Batavia Downs by night! Batavia, NY 585-344-8882 http://www.bwbatavia.com CATTARUGUS CREEK REGION Clarion Hotel Marina 30 Lake Shore Dr. East Dunkirk, NY (716) 366-8350 http://www.clariondunkirk.com DETRIOT AREA FOR EXPO’S Hampton Inn Detroit/Northville 20600 Haggerty Road Northville, MI 48167-1990 (734) 462-1119 www.hamptoninn.com PITTSBURGH AREA Holiday Inn Express Hotel 3122 Lebanon Church Rd. West Mifflin, PA. 15122 412-469-1900 hiexpress.com
KYPE
503 Washington Ave. Kingston, NY 12401 845.338.0400
www.hikingston.com Booking Salmon River Trips!
Salmon River Sport Shop Pulaski, NY “We Now Sell NYS Fishing Licenses” 4826 Salina St. On Salmon River’s “Town Pool” 315-298-4343 Salmonriversportsshop.com
Driftboat and Bank Guiding
Fishing with Rob Olson Montana Outfitter #8976 PO Box 2382 Livingston, Mt. 59047 406.579.3619 www.FishingWithRob.Net
PRODUCTS
MONTANA
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Mountain Creek Anglers Handmade Portable Fly-Tying Tables, Lanyards, & Really Cool Fly-Fishing Bumper Stickers! www.creeknuts.com (606) 923-7488