Fly Fishing

I have not kept a trout in a few years now. I will probably keep a steelie or two this fall. I brought a smoked one to Christmas dinner last year and they loved it. I also try to bring one to our wild game dinner at my church in the spring. I might keep a fillet for myself or bring one home just for me. That's the max I will keep every year unless I think the fish is going to die.

Fall fly fishing in Pennsylvania offers anglers a unique opportunity to enjoy cool colorful days on some magnificent streams. Many anglers enjoy the solitude of fall fishing as other are caught up with other fall activities. A little bit of preparation can be a rewarding opportunity for those who can make the time.

Reproduction plays an important part of the trout lifecycle during the fall months for both book and brown trout. Brook trout, native to Pennsylvania, usually begin to spawn during the day in late September through October. Brown trout typically start spawning in October through late November. Females will often create gravel beds for the fertilized eggs called redds. During this time coloring on the trout will intensify especially in the males.

As the trout begin to change so does entomology or insect life in the stream. Activity will be different from region to region, stream size, summer water temperatures, and geology. The fall provides a more limited selection of insects and often anglers enjoy bringing a more modest selection of flies and imitations. Some of the more popular collections include: Slate Drakes, BWO, Caddis and Terrestrials. Typical nymphs and streamers are very successful and smart choice too.

The fast spring waters can take a new characteristic and a different approach once September arrives. Low clear water can create a challenge for some anglers, but stealth and patience can provide many rewards.

With summer holder over trout and newly stocked trout in almost 100 streams there should be ample opportunity for solitude and fish this autumn. Check out the PaFlyFish forums and stream reports to learn more about what is happening in your area of the state.

Photograph by PaulG

The 2009 FlyFishing Retailer show runs from September 10th through 12th in Denver, Colorado. The show is the big opportunity for fly fishing retailers to see much of the new gear, attend seminars, educational events and even a little time for some fly fishing. Hope to see many new announcements, products and reviews as a result of the show.

In an early news release Simms Fishing Products announced the Simms G3 Guide Pants– which come with a built-in, adjustable belt – are ultra-waterproof and super breathable thanks to the three and five layers of GORE-TEX® Pro Shell Technology. Simms’ own nylon/polyester microfiber face fabric increases the puncture resistance of the pants, particularly in the front of the legs.

Made in Simms’ Bozeman, Montana factory, the Simms G3 Guide Pants ($379.95) comes with features designed to make a day on the water both dry and comfortable. Anglers will rave about the convenience of the RiRi® Storm™ zipper fly and two thermo-laminated hand pockets with water resistant zippers while appreciating the patented front and back leg seam construction that adds enhanced articulation, comfort and durability.

Offered in 14 stock sizes, the Simms G3 Guide Pants have built-in Guide Model Gravel Guards designed to slip over wading boots and check in a just a smidge over two pounds (38 ounces) making them a great choice for a hike-in fishing trip to a remote stream or pond.

Can one ever really have too many flies :lol:

My first thought was "Oh, not all that many...I'm a creatue of habit"...but then I started thinking about it. Between steelhead, trout, and wild trout, I have already fished 16 streams this year and I have yet to take an "extended" fishing trip.

Over 120 anglers from 27 countries competed in the World Fly Fishing Championships in Perthshire, Scotland this past week. The anglers pursued brown trout, rainbow trout and grayling in Kinross-shires Loch Leven and the River Tay during the three-day tournament.

The winning fisherman was Ian Barr and his team from England won the team award as well. The French and Scots finished in second and third place respectively.

Glengoyne was named the Official Whisky Sponsor of the World Fly Fishing Championships. Scotch Wisky the official sponsor of an event in Scotland...go figure.

How do I access these? I am having issues!

I'm surprised at how few voted parents...at least in the early stages of the voting. I would expect parents to have the greatest influence.
I didn't vote parent either, though. While I certainly learned how to fish from my father, my grandfather is the one who got the long rod in my hands.

The USA Youth Fly Fishing Team held a successful National tryout and clinic on Fishing Creek at the Sieg Conference Center in Lamar, PA. on May 8 through the 10th with 33 kids in attendance from across the United States.

The members of the traveling team are:
Weston Reynolds, Harrisonburg, VA
Danny Marino, West Cornwall, CT
Matt Rose, Largo, FL
Zach Bearden, Gore, OK
Spenser Miller, Lewistown, PA
Will Travis, Dana Pt., CA
Noah Thompson, Austin, TX
Stephen Salwocki, Danville, PA

The Rest of the Team are:
Robbie Wirth, Moraga, CA
Cody Burgdoff, Lafayette, CO
Peter Sheetz, Mt. Joy, PA
Owen Welch, Lewistown, PA
Kyle Winey, Mifflintown, PA
Nick Denardo, McMurray, PA
Austen Randecker, Mill Hall, PA

Team USA Announces August Tryouts in Montana for the 2010 Team.
The USA Youth Flyfishing Team, Inc will hold the second tryout on the Stillwater River in Montana, August 7, 8, and 9. This will be the first of two tryouts for the 2010 team.

Many of us catch and release our fish. Photography is the one way we can return home with those sporting memories. There are so many good quality waterproof digital cameras today and there is no reason you can’t keep one accessible with you while on the stream. A few tips can really help show off that time on the water.

Read Your Manual
Learn your camera and read the manual. Your camera won’t make you a photographer, but has many settings that can help improve your pictures. Learn to move your settings out of the automatic mode and try some of the portrait, landscape or other programs depending on your subject. These settings offer many qualities that improve the lighting and focus of your pictures based on specific conditions.

Check The Lighting
The time and temperature of the light can play a key role in your photography. The early morning and evening light is often regarded as the best time for photography and referred to as the “golden hours.” The sunlight during these times is softer and does not provide the harsh contrast of mid-day shadows. When you are taking a picture of a friend at noon with that ball cap try adding the flash to fill in those shadows.

Have A Subject
We are talking about fly fishing so that includes people, water and fish. If you can get two or more of those subjects in your picture you off to a good start. A picture of a trout in the mud, next to your foot does have all three qualities, but is not going to land your photograph on a trout stamp. When taking a picture of a stream include an angler in action. Also, try moving your subject to one side of the picture or even adjusting your angle of view.

Be Sure To Focus
Nobody should have to question if that was a brown or brook trout in you pictures. Take advantage of the sensors in your camera that allow you to auto focus you shots. Most cameras visualize a...

Tom Skerritt, who starred in Robert Redford's "A River Runs Through It," returns to fly-fishing as the narrator of "Rivers of a Lost Coast." The documentary explores the rise and fall of fly-fishing in California from its inception at the turn of the 20th century to the 1980s, when salmon and steelhead began disappearing from the state's waterways.

The film is being shown in limited venues across the west and is still undetermined if it will be released out East just yet.

Here is the trailer.

John Gooderham gives a short fly-fishing lesson on a section of LeTort Spring, one of the 13 Pennsylvania Designated Scenic Rivers.