May...
"The first desideratum is to find time to go fishing. There is the rub in the case of most of us. We are so tied down to the pursuit of the essential dollar that we lose the best and most innocent pleasures that this old world affords. Time flies so fast after youth is past that we cannot accomplish one-half the many things we have in mind, or indeed one-half our duties. The only safe and sensible plan is to make other things give way to the essentials, and the first of these is fly fishing. There are few men so wise as Henry Thoreau. I do not think that he was a great angler, but he made time for the life which he desired to live and considered best for his own peculiar genius. If we were satisfied to live in a $28 home and rest contented with the simple fare which was all that Thoreau found necessary to preserve health and strength, we would be able to fish as often as we have a mind to."
Theodore Gordon
-in a letter to a friend
May and June are really the months to be out there on our local streams.
Opportunities...
Speaking of which, here are two excellent opportunities to get out and learn a few things. First, our last trout fishing school this spring will be held on Saturday, June 9th. If you're just getting started this is a wonderful chance to learn the sport and this class is taught by Bob Trevis, an extremely patient teacher. You need to demonstrate casting and knot tying skills so call us and we''ll get you started. Second, if you've had enough experience to know you need help fishing dry flies, Scott Thorpe is teaching our Dry Fly School on June 2nd. He's only had about thirty or forty years experience so you'll be in good hands. Now go back and re-read the paragraph from Theodore Gordon, then call us.
New hooks...
We just added another Daiichi hook to our hook rack, the 1180 dry fly hook. I admit to being really fond of Daiichi hooks because of their finish, detail and innovative styles. Last year we started carrying an 1100 dry fly hook assortment because they have BIG EYES, a definite advantage when trying to thread tippet on a very small hook in waning light. So now you'll have even more options when trying to solve the hook conundrum. Try a package of these 1180's; I'm sure you'll like them.
Driftless leader body...
We're continuing to experiment with our Driftless Leader Body after the first copies had an unfortunate tendency to snap off tippet material. Redesigned, it still comes with a loop at both ends so you can loop it to your line and then loop whatever tippet material you want to it. Imagine a leader with a hi-vis butt to help you detect a pick-up while nymph fishing; no strike indicator required. And the only knot you need is a double over-hand loop, like tying your shoes. The Driftless Leader Body.
Fly Fish U: fishing classes.
Our continuing ed program for fly anglers or prospective fly anglers is now in full swing for the upcoming season with a full schedule of hands-on classes to get you started or improve your skills. You'll find out schedule in the Classes & Seminars file. Classes you can expect to see are:
Beginning Knot Tying: learn to rig from the reel all the way out to the fly
Practical Casting I: featuring anchored line casting...roll cast, switch cast, spey
Practical Casting II: featuring aerialized casting...elliptical and pick-up and lay-down
Rigging for Big Gamefish: special knots for pike, musky, barracuda and the like
Leader Construction: part knot tying and a whole bunch of design theory
Advanced Knot Tying: useful alternative knots for rigging
Trout Fishing Schools: four hours on the stream with a guide at your elbow
Fishing Dry Flies: identifying the emergence, choosing an imitation, adjusting leaders
Fishing Streamers: adjusting for depth and drift
Fishing Nymphs: adjusting for imitations, depth and current speed
Fishing Emergers and Soft Hackles: learning to recognize the opportunities
Aquatic Entomology: identifying invertebrates, learning about life history, finding imitations
Bass/Panfish Schools: learning habits and finding the cover
Fly Fish U: fly tying classes.
Beginning Fly Tying: Dry Flies. This three week, six hour class will cover almost all of the necessary techniques while you learn classic dries, hair wings and no hackle styles.
Beginning Fly Tying: Streamers. Besides the basic techniques students will learn to tie streamers, bucktails, buggers and muddlers in this three week, six hour course.
Beginning Fly Tying: Nymphs. In three weeks you'll cover all the immature forms of the major trout food insects plus learn all your basic techniques in this six hour course.
One Nighters: These classes are organized around a single issue and range from tying bass flies to tying winter nymphs to tying all the patterns you need to cover Baetis from the nymph to the spinner.
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