Fishing In Crowded Areas Over The 4th!

When you thought your fishing Hole was a bit crowded, things could be worse!



Cheesman Canyon, Antero Reservoir, Yellowstone in July, Fall Fishing Oswego River New York , Boca Grande Pass, Fox chain of lakes, Kenai River King Salmon season....Okay those are pretty bad but my advise would be to do what I do. Just wear an Bassmaster Vest with about a 100 cool patches and they will stand back thinking you're one bad ass fisherman!

Smoky Mountain Park Fishing Adventures!

Summer Trout Fishing In The Smokies

Have you fished in the Smokies? It's only the most visited Park in the country come on now! Have you caught one of the many native Brook trout there? Have you sat in a special spot at the creek just to sit there and gaze at your surrounding? There is something majestic about fishing in and near the Smoky Mtn National Park area and after I spent a few weeks living there in college for a consortium, I am missing it dearly! Fishing most Trout streams in North Carolina in my day I learned much about fishing this area and how protected people in the area keep it that way so other's can enjoy it for years to come.

Fishing in the more than 2,000 miles of creeks, streams, and rivers in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park can be both thrilling yet relaxing for many fly fishers. This popular national park is one of the last natural wild trout habitats left in the entire eastern United States. Fisheries monitoring by the Smoky Mountain Park have found that many streams in the park can contain as many as 2,000 to 4,000 4 inch to 8 inch rainbow trout per mile! Even the native brown trout are commonly found running from 8 inch to 20 inches in many streams.Besides the native brook trout found at higher elevations (thanks to restoration efforts), and the rainbow trout, when fishing in the Smokies you will also find small mouth bass, rock bass, shiners, suckers, minnows, and darters. The Great Smoky Mountain Park alone boasts more than 53 species of fish and a huge spectrum of aquatic invertebrates and insects. Don't forget to check out one my Favorite rivers that I've spent countless trips to, the Nantahala River "Nanny"

Smoky Mtn National Park Info

Smoky Mtn Park Fly Fishing

Hiking Trails

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Fly Fish Addiction With A New Twist!

Notice a slight change in FFA's Blog and Main Website?

Yes were adapting and making a change for the better hopefully! With our website only 2 years old and Blog just over a year 1/2, we've hit close to 22,000 Hits just on our blog and still growing!!

Thanks to our daily Fishaholics keeping us on our toes and asking for more Fish info you can't get enough. Obviously with these in mind I can't get enough fish talk as well so expect more post on varying topics for the second half of the year and we still encourage others to:

Checkout our Blog for daily Fly Fishing News across the Country, Top Fishing Forum Threads and Fishing Videos

Checkout our Website which includes a Large database (searchable by google) on Fish Topics, RSS Feeds, Top Fish Sites, Previous Trips to just about everywhere you can imagine and a few decent pictures

Checkout our Fishing Forum to chat more about your trips, pictures you want to share with us and more

If we can do anything to help make your stay here more enjoyable let us know...it's not quite as good as staying at a Holiday Inn, but close

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Fishing Antero, Spinney and Delaney Buuuutes!

Our Recent Stillwater Fishing Adventures From the Last Few months!

What's Included: Colorado area Lakes that have been on fire, flies of choice, big fish pictures and some nice wallpaper shots if you like!

Click Here for our Stillwater Trout pictures so far from

this Year with a few friends

Click Here for our Delaney Buttes Trip

Click Here for our Antero Trip

Stillwater Flies, Top Fly Tyers, Tips & More!

One Can Never Truely Know Enough About Stillwater Fishing

It's Summertime...Let's hit some Stillwater! If you're fishing the states this may help, if you decide to fishing other areas ie: Patagonia not sure. I can remember awhile back talking with my pal Ryan formerly of AEG Trout Bum Diary about when he fished Stillwater down south in Chile. Boy did I get some wild stories about stillwater fishing in Patagonia and the techniques they had to use down there, pretty impressive and if you saw their video..WOW they grow em big down there. I never did get a big one when I was down there but his wisdom always helped when I was traveling to various areas he's hit before.

Choosing a fly while Stillwater fishing can often be a difficult process for most of us. There are thousands of patterns at our disposal, the problem is where to begin. Under the perfect conditions most should be successful. Questions we ask ourselves: Do we choose a dry fly or a nymph? Perhaps a big streamer of some kind or even 2 at a time, what color or size do we choose? How shall we move it through the water? We often base our choices upon criteria we choose and not necessarily something the trout might find appealing

These questions can be easily answered by doing many things to prepare before your day out on the water. What I like to do is to prepare months in advance with notes regarding prior years at the lakes I will be fishing. Also as it get's closer I will talk to local fly shops, check fishing reports, bring extra flies if possible, an example being from a recent trip to North Park Colorado, we caught Trout on a total of 20 flies....that's a little too many to decide from but things change every day, hour and by the weather so be prepared! To be honest most lakes will leave you a guide year in year out, from Ice out flies to specific chironomid's, Callibaetis flies, damsels, scud's and cranefly's in some areas.

Do your homework and don't be disouraged, Stillwater areas have the largest fish you will find anywhere, the hardest fighting fish, sometimes the most remote areas to enjoy yourself and things will pay off I can promise you.



Denny Rickards Site on Stillwater Fishing.
He's always friendly to talk to and very helpful when
I'm heading out for a weekend on the Lake


Brian Yamauchi
He has patterns that will blow your mind as well as I'm amazed at how he schools me everytime we get out on the water, man do I have a lot to learn

Boats
We will also be talking about watercrafts to look into later this week as well seeing how it's always best to fish Stillwater lakes frim a boat to reach various depths and weedbed areas.
To use a bellyboat or Pontoon will be the topic we will discuss so stay tuned!

Tackle-Fly Rod equipment and fly lines to use
We will also be talking about what style rods, reels, fly lines, techniques also to use the next few days.

Brian Chan, his name is synonymous with Stillwater and
great patterns to learn about as well


Gary LaFontaine Stillwater Info

Stillwater Fishing in England, they definitely know their stuff
Rules of Fishing and being Successful in Stillwater
Catching My Fair Share Local tyer friend with some impressive flies


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How To Fish Stillwater and What Species To Target?

Stillwater fishing takes some time and effort and yet depending on the species you're after; I can bet that with a few tips, helpful links, seasonal patterns, flies of choice and some useful local knowledge, anyone can go out for a few hours or for the day and get a few fish!

The questions you have to ask yourself early on is -Do I want something small, big, easy to catch, hard to catch, keep a few to eat or catch and release purposes, do I need a boat to fish this water, fish from shore, how small/big is it, what are the regulations for that area, is this for a few hours after work, for the day or a long weekend?


Barry Reynolds with a Toothy Critter

There are always many choices to make when you want to Lake fish, or as we call it Stillwater fishing. I love to fish various stillwaters, it's almost like fishing various streams when you have different surroundings whether in state or out of state. You have to learn the set up for that waterway when ready to fish, look at how the fish are acting, what time of year is it to target specific food sources or weather conditions and what I feel is Very important is "what is the water temperature" that is one of the biggest factors on what the fish will be doing and what feeding will be taking place if any.

Why are Stillwater areas becoming so popular? Whether it's a local pond, big lake or Rez, the reason everyone is talking about them is because there are so many fish to catch....Take a look at a few species eager to bite, enough said!

Fish Species Caught in Urban Lakes To Target
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Crappie
Wipers
Tilapia
Lake Trout
Northen Pike
Stripers
Muskellunge
White Amur ( grass carp )
Carp
Channel Catfish
Rainbow Trout
Red Ear Sunfish
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye

Top Bass Areas To Hit in The South
Top Fish Species in The Great Lakes
Minnesota's Top 10 Multi-Species Lakes

Bass through and through are one of the more popular fish to go after nationwide, sure there are many to target but for most states around Bass is the chatter and especially on the Fly.

Lake Carol Ann is a Favorite of ours here in the Denver area and after a few casts, a few chuckles and some ear plugs it's worth a trip! The place is open to membership but top secret to find out about so definitely ask around!


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DOW Reports: Stillwater Summer Lakes Mortality rates

To illustrate the likelihood of postrelease trout mortality, the Colorado Division of Wildlife produced a program illustrating what happens when certain factors come into play. These elements include severity of hooking injury, length of fight, size of fish, time out of water and water temperature. No distinction was made between flies or lures. All calculations were made for an 18-inch trout.

Here are a variety of scenarios and the projected percentage of mortality:
Flies and lures 1. 60-degree water temperature, superficial hooking, playing time 4 minutes,
1 1/2 minutes out of water. 10 percent probability of dying.
2. All the same elements, but with 70-degree water. 17 percent probability of dying.
3. 60-degree water, superficially hooked, playing time 2 minutes, 1 minute out of water. 5 percent probability of dying.
4. 70-degree water, superficially hooked, playing time 2 minutes, 1 minute out of water. 8 percent probability of dying.
5. 60-degree water, playing time 2 minutes, no time out of water. 3 percent probability of dying. 6. All elements the same except 70-degree water. 5 percent probability of dying.
7. 60-degree water, playing time 4 minutes, other elements the same. 5 percent probability of dying. Bait 1. 60-degree water, playing time 4 minutes, 1 1/2 minutes out of water, superficially hooked. 22 percent probability of dying. 2. All the same elements, except a deep hook set, leader was cut. 42 percent of dying. 3. All the same elements, except the leader was not cut. 66 percent probability of dying. 4. 70-degree water, superficially hooked, playing time 2 minutes, 1 minute out of water. 17 percent probability of dying. "This illustrates that if you reduce the playing time in half at 70 degrees, you reduce the probability of dying by more than half when fishing with artificials," DOW biologist Jeff Spohn said. "Playing time and the time kept out of the water clearly are the most important elements in keeping fish alive." Charlie Meyers, The Denver Post

Stillwater Fishing Tips Week!

Summer Means one Thing For Many Fisherman....It's Summer Stillwater Time!

I think we can all agree that Stillwater fishing is an acquired taste, one that we all grown up doing as kids at the pond or a local lake. Stillwater fishing also mean some of the biggest fish caught of every species. Whether you target Trout, Bass, Pike/Musky, Carp, Wipers or Lochness Monsters, Stillwater fishing grows them Big!

This week we hope to cover Stillwater tactics that I've used -careful to heed my advice :0, expert tips from stillwater fanatics I know, authors about stillwater fishing and how to improve your chances of having not only a good day out on the water but improving your skills each time you head back out.

Stillwater Tips To Help

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Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is Here and That Means One Thing.....grab your Pops and take him out on the water for the day!

If you can't or have some gifts in mind, go to these choice Vendors for some great gifts!

Sierra Trading Post
KustFiske

Gunnison River Salmonfly Hatch!

Floating the Black Canyon of the Gunnison for Salmonfly's!!

Our Trip and Pictures Here

The Gunnison is one of the top areas for big rainbow and brown trout, and the isolated, narrow Black Canyon is one of those places that inspires or keeps you coming back year after year. The best way to thoroughly explore the area and get a real feel for this awesome river is to take a float trip through it and spend several days working on flies and getting tips from experienced guides, such as those with Black Canyon Anglers, a longtime outfitter on the "Gunny." They will take care of rafting gear, camping gear, food, shuttle fees, horse-pack fees and the federal user fees, and share their expertise on catching (and releasing) the big ones. You can float it or head to Pleasure Park for an adventure riverside fishing or camping and hang with Crazy transporter Leroy....he is a Hoot!!

Gunnison River Pleasure Park Info

Other Outfitters (970-835-5050, blackcanyonanglers.com.).

More at the Denver Post Also

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Montana Big Brown Trout Strike Again!

Butte man lands Big Hole lunker Monster brown
By Justin Post of The Montana Standard - 06/16/2009

Bob Kingston and Gary Keeler of Butte bought their first raft as teenagers and have been floating the Big Hole River ever since.Now in their mid-50s, the longtime fishing buddies have their best fishing story yet.On Friday evening, Kingston caught what appears to be the elusive, monster brown trout that has been the talk of many area anglers in recent years.The beast measured 35 inches and made its way to the raft cooler following a roughly 30-minute battle between man and fish, said Kingston, who is having the trout mounted. The fish weighed slightly over 20 pounds after it was wrapped in a damp towel in preparation for the taxidermist."He just kept going wherever he wanted," he said of the fight.Kingston caught the fish with a five-weight fly rod rigged with eight-pound leader and two stonefly nymphs above Mallon's, west of Wise River, after launching from East Bank. "I was just throwing my fly right by the bank and it gobbled it up," he said.

More Here

Fly Fishing Frenzy Boys on Trout!

Big Cutthroats and Many Fish Stories!

Link

These guys love to fish as much as I do, yep there are people who fish more than me! Check out their story and great site.

Day five started with us eating a great breakfast and getting to the South Fork at about 10. We put in a bit lower than the Palisades Dam so we could get to the really good water quicker. The weather was cloudy and ended up dumping rain on us for about half of the day. We caught a ton of fish mostly Rainbows and Cutthroats. Chubbs stole the day whit a 24 inch Cutthroat. CRAZY HUGE!!!! Over all one of the best floats I have had on the South Fork. We did hunt for some spawners on the bank and hooked up on some nice fish. Great day.

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This Is Fly!

Did You Checkout The Most Recent Issue? Well Get On It Son.....

Fishing Runoff Rivers in The Rockies!

Runoff Fishing is Finally Here....I know You Can't Wait!!

Oh Yeah, the runoff has started! The runoff doesn' hurt the fishing but it can make your catch rate a little smaller. With a look at the calendar, fishing across Colorado is in full swing. The just-concluded Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to the season for many anglers, and with the arrival of June, the stage for some of the best activity of the year is set.Early reports from anglers returning from the Memorial Day weekend indicate they found generally good fishing conditions, with the exception of most free-flowing rivers, which were in a runoff stage, running high and discolored. The runoff is likely to continue into June, but most believe it will be of relatively short duration. Many rivers already appear to have peaked, and in another week or two will offer prime conditions.

If all else fails and it's too much to deal with...Head to the Lakes!



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Kenai River Alaska Festival

June 13 & 14, 2009
Soldotna Creek Park in downtown Soldotna, AK

The Kenai River Festival is a festival unlike any other in the state of Alaska. The Kenai River Festival is a time to reflect on the importance of the Kenai River in our lives; to celebrate its great recreational, economic and educational opportunities; to learn how we can take care of the River; and understand our part in the survival of the Kenai River. This event is centered around educating our children on the benefits of taking care of the Kenai River and our watershed. By incorporating inspirational and educational activities in a fun environment, we have fun and learn at the same time.

In June on the Kenai you will expereince;
-In low water kings will hold up in holes longer.
-Fresh out of the salt, these fish are beautifully bright fish and great eating salmon for your families and guests.
-You can keep 1 king salmon up to 28" 1 per day. only in May and June
-This early season fishery sees little to no crowds anywhere on the river.
-Great deals on fishing and lodging packages as this is considered the shoulder season to the main tourist months of July and August.
-Lots and lots of big kings in the river due to the slot limit 46" to 55"
-If you are here from the 1st week of June till around the 20th you can fish for our 1st run sockeye salmon. These fish are only about 3 to 6lbs but offer great action on light tackle. Kids -love this one for the fast and furious action.
Fish and game has opened the river to bait fishing in June for the last two years.
A great time to see wildlife on and around the Kenai River. Lots of mother moose with new born calves and even an occasional brown bear is spotted in the area.

The Kenai River Festival is a FREE event open to all! This event is supported entirely through the generosity of local businesses and organizations.

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Fishing During Bear Season!

Are You Ready For Da bears while out fishing?

"Warning: In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert of bears while in the field. We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing, so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear manure: Black bear manure is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear manure has little bells in it and smells like pepper."

All I can say is that most Rivers across the country have the chance of having a Furry 4 legged fisherman come your way. Whether it was last Fall here in Colorado in North Park or 2 Fall's ago in Alaska. My Pal Narhwal and I had a fun run in with a big brown bear streamside and just a few feet away I shreaked in fear and "Luckily"I chased her towards my Boy....thanks Narwhal for taking one for the Team on the Kenai!!!





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Rocky Mountain Park Fishing!

Fishing The Rocky Mountain National Park For Greenback Cutthroat's!
More on my Trip and Park Info Here

Looking for something a bit less crowded, less stuffy, more uniquely your own and filled with vast trout streams? Estes Park Colordo is waiting for you! Discover some of the hundreds of miles of trails, wildlife, hundreds of High mountain lakes and enjoy the surreal majesty of Rocky Mountain National Park. You'll find rushing streams, towering peaks, placid lakes, tall timber and gorgeous wildflower meadows - everything a Rocky Mountain paradise should be and all within an hour 1/2 from Denver.



Greenback Cutthroats are awaiting

Populations of at least four species of trout exist in the park - brown, brook, rainbow, and cutthroat. Some suckers also inhabit the streams and lakes. Only 48 of the 156 lakes in the park have reproducing populations of fish. Cold water temperatures and lack of spawning habitat prevent reproduction in high altitude lakes. Supplemental stocking is done only to restore native species to altered waters. Fishing success at high altitudes varies, even from waters known to contain fish. Restoration efforts have kept the possession limits to a minimum, and have resulted in increased trout populations in many areas within the park.


"Restricted area but fun to watch though"


Our Cutthroat have improved dramatically thanks to the tireless efforts from the Division of Wildlife and the National Park Service. Wihtout them we definitely wouldn't have the resources we do now for finding these incredible Cutthroats in our high mountain lakes. Many thanks to them!

Great guide service and the lowdown on where to fish Contact Kirk's Fly Shop


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Teva Mountain Games Are Back!!

Teva One-Fly Fishing Event

For those that haven't attended the Games you're missing out, I've made a few in teh past and wish I could have enetered the Fishing event but I made other arrangements so maybe next time. Check them out for an eventful and wild party weekend!

The country's largest celebration of mountain sport, soul and culture returns once again when The Teva Mountain Games returns to Vail, June 4-7, 2009. Professional and amateur outdoor adventure athletes from the Vail Valley and around the world will converge upon the mountains and rivers of Vail to compete in seven sports and 21 disciplines including: x-country, freeride, slopestyle and road cycling, freestyle, 8-Ball, sprint and extreme kayaking, raft paddlecross, World Cup bouldering, as well as trail and road running, and the GNC Ultimate Mountain Challenge.In addition to the athletic events, the Teva Mountain Games will include a mountain photography competition, adventure film school, film festival ,an interactive exhibition and demo area, live music, and mountain lifestyle parties.

Thursday, June 04, 2009 @ 8:00 AM - Sunday, June 07, 2009 @ 4:00 PM
Vail Village
Fees:Fees Vary
Registration Closing Date
Saturday, June 06, 2009 @ 5:00 PM

The Games are the largest celebration of Athletes, Arts, Music and Mountains. Hosting 7 sports, 21 competitions, concerts every night and parties galore, the Games will not disappoint the hard core athletes, weekend warriors or those looking to celebrate the mountain lifestyle. Competitions will be held for professional and amateurs during this four day event. Over the weekend, organizers will give out $100,000 in cash to top finishers.
More Information
Click here to view the event organizer's website
Full Description
WHITE WATER EVENTS:- All whitewater competitors must be a current American Canoe Association (ACA) member or purchase a ACA weekend membership for $10 at the event.Bud Light Lime Steep Creek Championship: June 4 ($30)Bud Light Lime Kayak Freestyle Qualifier: June 5 ($30)Bud Light Lime Kayak Freestyle: June 6 ($30)Bud Light Lime Down River Sprint: June 6 ($30)Teva Raft Cross: June 7 ($40)Bud Light Lime 8 Ball Sprint: June 7 ($20)
CLIMBING EVENTS:Youth Bouldering Competition: June 7, 8:00-10:30am ($35)Citizens Bouldering - Wave 1: June 7, 11am-1:30pm ($40)Citizens Bouldering - Wave 2: June 7, 2pm-4:30pm ($40)

FLY FISHING:Costa Del Mar 2 Fly X-Stream Qualifier: June 6 ($25)