Category: Stories

Education, Stories

Kayak Fly Fishing in Chesapeake Bay Tributaries

Kayak angling is very popular where I live near Annapolis, Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay and its many rivers and creeks provide an active striped bass fishery for most months of the year, from the early spring to the late fall. Indeed, fisheries scientists believe that nearly 70 percent of the striped bass on the east coast of the U.S. originate in the Chesapeake Bay. In the summer, white perch, a feisty smaller cousin of striped bass forage in the Bay’s rivers and creeks. They too are targeted by kayak anglers. And then in the cold months, pickerel can be caught in those same waters. Learn More “Kayak Fly Fishing in Chesapeake Bay Tributaries”

Education, Stories

So, You Bought a Tenkara Rod, Eh?

Tenkara is breathtakingly simple, a delight in terms of minimalist gear and ease of use, and an easy piece of kit to pack along in the car or on a hike. Most people purchase a tenkara rod because they are already anglers, but a good number of people get them because they were always intrigued by fly fishing but never wanted to go all out in learning about knots, rods, and all the ephemera that surrounds the fly fishing world. However you ended up purchasing a tenkara rod, and however much experience you have on the water, there are a few things that every tenkara rod owner should think about. Check out these tips and maybe you can avoid some rookie mistakes with your gear. Learn More “So, You Bought a Tenkara Rod, Eh?”

Education, Stories

Learning To Fly Fish From My Dad

I started fly fishing at the age of 8 and I am now going on 50! I can say the best times in my life were going fishing with my Dad and Grandfather.

To get across the river I remember my father putting me on his shoulders and carrying me across the stream so I wouldn’t get wet. But inevitably I would fall in, usually being soaked and that water being really cold as it was in March. Nevertheless, I would always keep going. As soon as I would hook a fish the coldness always seemed to go away! Learn More “Learning To Fly Fish From My Dad”

Education, Stories

Unorthodox Approach Pays Off

This is a tale of Tenkara, adaptability, and success. In early February, a couple of my fishing buddies and I embarked on an exploratory journey of a section of the Lower Yuba River we’d never fished. Located in western Nevada County, California, the Lower Yuba flows from Englebright Dam to the Feather River, but most fly fishing occurs on the 4-ish miles between the Highway 20 bridge crossing and Sycamore Grove, the take out point for watercraft. So, for our expedition, Sycamore Grove was our starting point and we hiked and waded downstream from there. Learn More “Unorthodox Approach Pays Off”

Education, Stories

Fly Fishing For Spring’s Gray Ghosts

The desperate urge strikes every year, sometimes as early as January, and it grows stronger with every warm day. Grayling come from the arctic, but ironically, we have to wait for winter’s grip to ebb before they re-emerge from the ethereal depths of imagination. So the memory of billowing iridescent sails takes hold, and I wait.

We need snow to fill our lakes and reservoirs so we can keep the forests lush and green through summer and to fill streams with cold, clear water for trout, char, and whitefish, and for something else too: Arctic Grayling. Learn More “Fly Fishing For Spring’s Gray Ghosts”

Education, Stories

What it takes to be an Umpqua Fly

Umpqua has been producing the highest quality flies—in fact, the company is only interested in bringing the best to market. So, how do we insure that our quality is actually the highest?

First and foremost—our fly selection is extremely extensive and extremely picky. Many of Umpqua’s flies are created by our Signature Royalty Tyers. We select the best flies that come from extremely talented and innovative tyers. The submissions are put through their paces—on and off the water. Read more about the process in our next article. Once a fly is selected by our Fly Selection Committee, we work closely with the tyer to make sure the design specs are exact. That way, our factories can (practically) perfectly produce their bug. Learn More “What it takes to be an Umpqua Fly”

Education, Stories

Cabin Fever Fly Tying

Chasing winter steelhead can be more than a challenge as anglers fight changing water levels, punishing rain, and low returns of wild fish. A little hope can go a long way when it comes to the pursuit. Wherever you can find a glimmer of confidence swinging a fly, anglers grab at it. Tying beautiful flies in unique color patterns not only inspire confidence, but also help to enhance the experience. Decompressing from a day out in the elements in the cabin, sipping on an aged reserve, while chatter fills the small space is a perfect opportunity to tie something special. So, pack along your vise and materials for your next adventure into the wild as the days are short and the nights long. Learn More “Cabin Fever Fly Tying”

Education, Stories

My Take On The Korkers Darkhorse

I grew up fishing with my Grandpa. Back then fishing was a lot easier. We’d buy a pack of worms on the way up, my Grandpa would take out his two fishing rods, wipe off the fish guts that had been stuck on them since last year, toss both rods out about 100 yards apart and fall asleep in between them. So as I began fishing more and more, got a belly boat, some waders, a fly rod … my grandpa thought I was crazy. “What do you need all that fancy stuff for anyhow?”, he’d ask. My way of combating that was bargain bins. It was easy to say, “Grandpa, these boots cost me $8, they really aren’t fancy stuff at all.”

Learn More “My Take On The Korkers Darkhorse”

Education, Stories

1st Time Out With My Tenkara

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that I had bought my son an awesome new fly rod for his birthday, a Tenkara rod. While it is his rod and he loves it, here’s the truth. Part of the reason that I bought it for him is because I thought it looked awesome. For me, one of the places that I thought it would be great was out on a belly boat in the middle of a lake. For quite a while now, I’ve tired to take two rods with me when I go out to a lake. I’ve got a reel that has some sinking fly line on it, and with the right streamer on there, it’s sometimes hard to make a cast without catching a fish! Learn More “1st Time Out With My Tenkara”