Fly Fishing

Beginning fly anglers first need to understand the function of a fly rod before wading into the piles of available rods to purchase one.

Functions include the following:

Originating in Japan, Tenkara-style fly fishing has existed for at least the past 200 years, but it may have been used far earlier. It is one of the most popular methods of angling among fresh-water mountain anglers in Japan. The style, similar in form to Western-style fly fishing, uses the weight of the line to cast flies into the water.

“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines.

As I mentioned a couple months ago, this would be the year I would break down and use a wading staff. Though any initial reluctance was probably due to an unwillingness to concede to age, I now wish I'd made the adjustment years ago.

The faint smell of saltwater invaded my nostrils as my guide brought his MAKO flats boat up on to plane and sped across the mirror smooth waters of Campeche Bay, Mexico. "Welcome to the world of Tarpon Bay," Cpt. Miguel Encalada said through a tanned face full of gleaming white teeth. "Our adventure begins."  

Most of us have been there.

Fly fishing isn't just about trout. And it's nothing like the movies.

This is a confusing time of year for a guy like me.

In the midst of the last snow storm of the year (fingers crossed) here in Wisconsin, I couldn't help but think of the smallmouth spawn being just a month or two away.

When high water, combined with flowing ice, prevented me from running the Allegheny River for smallmouht bass, I decided to do what any angler would do: find other fishing options.