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Publishing Team Department Editors
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The Bug Parade
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flyfusionmag.com 5
6 The Soul of Fly Fishing
CONTENTS
14 OUT OF JOINT
Frank Brassard
Although many people will flow from one discipline to another without a second
thought, some purists are quick to label anything other than their preferred
method as mere variations of gear fishing (looking at you, dry fly snobs). I would
put forward these anglers have yet to feel the surge of excitement that only
watching a big fly being chased by an aggressive predator can produce.

22 FOLLOW THE BOUNCING BUG

Gilbert Rowley
Caddis are one of the most abundant food sources on trout rivers. For many
caddis species, after mating, the females return to the water and “bounce” on
top of the water’s surface. Imitating this delicate dance is a terrific tool to deploy
when trout are tuned into the irresistible rhythm.

34 SILVER REFLECTIONS
Kastine Coleman
“Fly-fishing for Atlantic salmon is a way to pass on traditions to our family and
a chance to spark discussions about conservation. No longer do the rivers teem
with silver, as the elders remember. But the present is a gift and we spend four
months every year seeking this beautiful, silver fish with lilac hues, just to look at
them for a quick moment.”

40 MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Glenn Ueda
Calico bass are aggressive, ambush predators that make a living off the kelp-
covered coast and rock islands that stretch 200 kilometres on either side of Los
Angeles. To target these rod-buckling bruisers, while most of the city sleeps, fly
anglers ply the inky waters just outside of America’s busiest harbour.

46 NO CONTEST
Ryan Ermet
“As a young guide, when our boats came in off the lake, we clipped our flies
and secreted them back to their box. Contrast that with how I fish now, where
I’m trading ideas and tips with a community of anglers. I’ve learned that sharing
the resource, and the knowledge to connect to it, is much more satisfying than
measuring one’s on-water success against other boats.”

Also in this issue

8 Stream Lines 56 Wandering Currents
10 Profiles 60 Stillwater Secrets
28 Photo Essay 64 Water Marks
52 Long Lines 66 End of the Line

© Photo The Bug Parade | © On the cover: Faceless Fly Fishing

flyfusionmag.com 7

Derek Bird
I’m always willing to
share a few fly-fishing
secrets. My favorite fly,
for example, is the one
the trout are taking. My
favorite season is the
one when trout are biting.
My favorite stream is the
one where the trout are
plentiful and the anglers
are few.
© Illustrator Brian Hester
@bhester.
hookedflycompany
hookedflyco.com
8 The Soul of Fly Fishing
STREAM LINES
Think Tips
I
have a friend who just took up the pastime and he’s
showing early signs of severe addiction. He texted
me a photo of what looks like an urban commercial
foundation hole that filled with rain water. Below the
photo he wrote, “I found some unfishable stillwater
in Vancouver.” That’s a sure sign he’s been bitten badly: all
water, fishable or not, is evaluated as fishable or not. When
all water triggers a thought about fly fishing, it’s a clear
indicator of you’ve arrived at the initial stages of a fly-fishing
thinking problem. The benefit of the thinking problem is
that it’s not going to cause liver damage or an early onset
dad bod, but it’s still most definitely a condition that needs
to be managed.
From one addicted fly angler (who’s suffered with
the affliction for the better part of 40 years) here are a
few strategies to help. These tips are not intended to
enable anyone to overcome the condition but to help an
angler lead a somewhat normal life with their affliction.
If Michael Scott from the Office had not already created
the title for his book, the following advice could be aptly
titled Somehow I Manage.
Tip one—Learn the cognitive buzz words and
apply them to your situation. This will throw your
loved ones off the scent of your problem and allow you
unadulterated meditative time. Remember…it’s only a
problem if others think it’s a problem. And you’ll only
ever need to change if someone close to you calls you
out on the fact that you think too much about fly fishing.
Here’s an example of a mental buzz word you can use to
your advantage: homeostasis. In short, this means that the
brain is hardwired to maintain some sort of equilibrium.
The grey mattered engine naturally doesn’t allow for an
individual to stay high all the time or low for too long.
It’s releasing chemicals to bring the individual back to
a place of “normal”. For you though, normal involves
thinking about fly fishing for extended periods of time
throughout the day.
This will greatly affect your brain’s homeostasis,
since one of the reasons you like to think about fly
fishing so much is the dopamine release when you reflect
on the time you hooked a large rainbow on a streamer
underneath a logjam. It’s easy to fantasize about moments
like this. And when that happens, your significant other
may ask you what you’re thinking about. You don’t want
to lie, but you also want your spouse to understand who
you truly are (without realizing you’ve got a thinking
problem), so you simply discuss how you’ve been
reading more about homeostasis and how essential that
is to mental health and how essential mental health is
to a flourishing relationship. Work has been especially
stressful lately and the homeostatic antidote to stress at
work is spending time relaxing in nature. It’s a thought
that’s kept you grounded through all the work stress, and
the added bonus is that a less stressed you will actually
allow for you to work on your relational rhythms with
your significant other. Wow. If on the off chance he/
she doesn’t call you out for your advanced degree in BS,
you’ll likely convert your thoughts to reality and be fly
fishing your favourite stream by the weekend.
Tip two—Know when to hold ‘em know when to
fold ‘em know when to walk away know when to run.
Ah Kenny, the white-bearded giver of wisdom. Applied
to your fly-fishing thinking problem, what this means is
learn the importance of reading the room. Know when
to speak about your hidden thoughts and when to keep
them to yourself. You know how often you think about
fly fishing. Not everyone else needs to know. If you’re at a
fly shop, you’re likely in a safe place to “just be yourself.”
Gawk. Drool. Ogle. You’re amongst the chosen few who
identify with your shared passion. Pick up a fly rod off the
rack, that one you’ll never afford. Feel the cork in your
hands. Test out the flex. Then put it back and embark on
the new thought journey. How are you going to buy that For example, if you go out once or twice a week through
thousand-dollar rod? What sacrifices are you willing to the summer…ok and the fall too (and spring and winter),
make? Will you tell your significant other your plans or the thinking still doesn’t subside. If you have a good day,
will you keep it hidden? Oh, the ethical dilemma. Feel you replay it for days after. If you have a “bad day” you
free to discuss it with the fly shop owner. They know wonder if you’d just done this or that differently, if you’d
better than anyone what you’re thinking and how you’re just tried one more fly, would that have been the one to
feeling. That’s why they own the fly shop. For better or trigger the trout. And don’t even get me started on the
worse they gave into their thinking problem. days where you do an eight-hour float. Those are the best
Conversely, when you’re at the grocery store, an (sorry I mean the worst if you need to play the helpless
opera, a play, an art gallery or any other
place that’s adjacent to fly fishing, keep
your thoughts to yourself. The general
public does not understand your passion
nor can they. Talking about it in these
places is only because you’ve formed
a bad habit that will undoubtedly lead
to your demise. If you’re at a dinner
party, don’t go around complaining
about how you’re there out of obligation
and you’d much rather be standing
in a river somewhere casting dries.
That’s poor social etiquette. Here’s the
solution. A little-known fact is that most
people want to talk excessively about
themselves for long periods of time. If
you’re stuck at a dinner party and all you
can think about is fly fishing, then find
the most self-obsessed bloviator you can
and park yourself beside him (sorry it’s
usually a him), and let him do his thing. This allows you victim). You close your eyes after a day of pounding the
to do your thing. You get to nod in agreement every few banks and you don’t even have to try or not try to think,
minutes while you sit there and think about the stonefly your brain takes over and replays the day the minute you
patterns you’re going to tie when you arrive at home early close your eyes when your head hits the pillow until the
because you’ve faked a LBI (lower bowel issue…not to be moment you fall asleep. And if you’re lucky you’ll dream
confused with the sporting world’s lower body injury). about it that night. Trout after trout rising to your foam
Tip three—Figure out your sweet spot. That place hopper. Mmmm. So what’s the sweet spot in all of that?
where you can function somewhat normally while Simple. Go as often as work and family will allow.
performing your required daily tasks. For me I thought Does it ever get better? Can you ever drive across a
that fishing more would help me think less about it. If I bridge and not comment on the river flow? Will you ever
did it all the time, if I overindulged, then I’d be able to be able to go on a family holiday to Disneyland and not
have greater control over my thoughts. But that simply wish you’d taken them to a lodge in Alaska? I don’t think
led to other issues which led to overthinking those issues. so. You just learn how to live with a thinking problem.
Conversely, even if you fish in moderation, it doesn’t help. Somehow I manage. Somehow you can too.

flyfusionmag.com 9

Mariusz
Wroblewski
Mariusz Wroblewski
grew up in the forested
countryside of
northeastern Poland. A
Slavic languages major
in university, Wroblewski
resisted Poland’s
communist regime and
found refuge in the United
States. His conservation
work eventually brought
him to world-class
watersheds in Russia and
British Columbia, among
others. A professional
guide, instructor and
former casting champion
who speaks fluent Polish,
Russian, and English,
Wroblewski resides in
Portland, Oregon, and
has the Dechutes River
and its tributaries as his
homewaters.
10 The Soul of Fly Fishing
PROFILES
Mariusz Wroblewski
I
n A Fly Fishing Refugee, an official selection in BC: You were a member of the US tournament casting team
the 2022 International Fly Fishing Film Festival, and in 2006 won the World Spey Casting Championship.
filmmaker Brian Kelley trained his lens on Mariusz How is spey casting for Atlantic salmon different than
Wroblewski’s incredible life story. Wroblewski spey casing for steelhead and what advice would you offer
spoke to Fly Fusion Managing Editor Bob Covey
from his home in Portland..
Bob Covey: You fled Poland and state-instituted Martial
Law in 1989, eventually landing in San Francisco. In A
Fly Fishing Refugee, we learn that you don’t feel affinity
to a particular country, or a place as defined by its
borders. In that context, what can we learn about
connecting to nature?
Mariusz Wroblewski: It’s a question of freedom. Not only
in the political or national sense—even though plenty of
people are fighting for freedom as we speak—but freedom
in the more universal sense: from being captured by either
geographical or political situations. I think going out and
being in the wilderness was always a remedy for all the
possible forms of captivity. For me, fishing was the key to
opening that world and being in it.
BC: After being introduced to a fly fishing fraternity by way
of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Casting Club, you had the
opportunity to go to the Kola Peninsula in northwestern
Russia, home of the wildest, most remote and most prolific
Atlantic salmon rivers in the world. Eventually you ran
fly fishing operations on the Ponoi and Yokanga rivers,
overseeing their conservation programs. In hindsight,
what was the most special part of that experience?
MW: Nothing can compare to going through the seasons
living on the Arctic Circle. Everything is changing very
fast and dramatically. One day the river is locked in ice,
the next day, everything opens up. Within a week you
have flowers and leaves and beautiful full spring. After the
summer, the first yellow leaves are telling you that the fall
run is starting and soon you’re fishing for big, bright fish
until the ice once again prevents you from spey casting.
those thinking of getting into two-handed casting?
MW: For me, the transition from Atlantic salmon to
steelhead was difficult. The two species have very
different behaviours and responses to fly fishing. The
rivers they occupy are different. These days, the tackle is
a straightforward game; the tools have been established.
Your success depends a lot more on fish presence and if
fish are willing to take than your effort. What’s necessary
is experience. The more time you spend, the more
encounters you’re going to have and the quicker you’re
going to learn what fishing for steelhead is.
BC: As you’ve observed, in 2022, salmon returns are
lower, threats to our rivers are more intense, commercial
fisheries based on wild fish are proving unsustainable and
water levels are often too low to allow recreational fishing.
Do we have more of a responsibility to our environment
today than our parents and grandparents did?
MW: I think we’ve always had a responsibility, but we
used to have more resources that were unspoiled and
untouched. It’s become a lot more critical now because
of expanded extractive activities. A river without support
today is a river that is going to deteriorate tomorrow. We
flyfusionmag.com 11
 can see this marching deterioration from south to north—
even the Skeena in British Columbia was closed last fall to
steelheading. If you love fish, if you love these rivers and
are concerned about their state and the dwindling returns
of fish you love to fish for, get engaged. We’re
going to have to fight for this.
BC: You’ve led conservation programs for some
“I think going out and being of the most biologically significant watersheds
in the world when it comes to salmon and
in the wilderness was
steelhead. What holds your interest in the
always a remedy for all the conservation community these days?
possible forms of captivity. MW: I’m fascinated by the prospect of dam
For me, fishing was the key removal on the Klamath River in Northern
California. I have seen rivers untouched, I have
to opening that world and seen rivers destroyed. I would like to see a river
being in it.” which demonstrates that maybe we can bring
it back—maybe not to the pristine condition it
once was but can we make it better? I think we
12 The Soul of Fly Fishing
all need a proof of that concept.
BC: If you met him on his home waters in Poland today,
what would you tell a young Mariusz Wroblewski about
the rivers he’d fish and the experiences he’d accrue
through fly fishing and conservation?
MW: I would tell him the river he’s fishing and walking
and loving today is not going to be there tomorrow in the
same state. There’s going to be more houses built along
the river, more water withdrawals, more pollution in the
form of insect repellent and fertilizer from the meadows
around it and in 20 or 30 years there’s going to be nothing
in that river that would make him return to it. Instead of
inviting him on a trip around the world to see the best
rivers in the world, I would tell him that he has to protect
his river, and that if he really cares, he should start a club
or an NGO that would help do that work. I know it would
be hard, but I know how I would react if I had a chance to
be there again.
Out of Joint
Streamer Fishing and the
Evolution of Articulation
Frank Brassard
© Photo Christian Graham

Frank Brassard
Frank Brassard is a fly tyer
and fly fisher based in the
Rocky Mountains of Alberta.
When he isn’t chasing trout
in cold, glacier fed streams,
he enjoys taking traditional
nymph and dry patterns and
giving them his own twist.
Frank’s flies can be seen on
Instagram at @bully_flies
16 The Soul of Fly Fishing
F
ly fishing is a niche activity. Although the
pandemic has shown an uptake in interest,
it is still estimated that only about two per
cent of the North American population are
considered fly anglers. Furthermore, our
sport’s different methods—dry fly fishing, nymphing,
stillwater fishing and streamer fishing—add further
nuance to this already-specialized fishing style. Although
many people will flow from one discipline to another
without a second thought, some purists are quick to
label anything other than their preferred method as mere
variations of gear fishing (looking at you, dry fly snobs).
This philosophical stance is certainly a fun topic for
discussion, but I’m more interested in how the crossovers
of the various methods influence innovation.
The highest form of flattery
One thing is clear to me: thanks to improvements in
equipment and tying materials, modern fly fishing and
fly patterns are borrowing more and more from the world
of gear fishing. Over the past three decades, we’ve seen
some important developments in the world of synthetics.
Walk into any well-stocked fly shop today and you’ll
be delighted (or overwhelmed) by the plethora of light
and hydrophobic materials available. Aisle after aisle
display walls of craft fur, chenille, latex, wiggle tails and
rubber legs. Hooks, too, are now designed for specific fly
patterns. These advances have allowed for the creation
of bigger and bigger flies—flies that have less to do
with mimicking insects and more to do with mimicking
baitfish. Put another way, modern fly tying is increasingly
encroaching into the dubious territory of spoons, jerk-
baits and swim-baits.
Magic, numbers and adrenaline
We can all agree that there is something magical about
a trout rising to a parachute Adams. And ask any
tournament angler the best way to rack up numbers
and they’ll point to dedicated nymphing. In that same
vein, to get the adrenaline going, nothing in my mind
compares to sight fishing with streamers. In my neck
of the woods, the epitome of that exciting scenario is
watching a large bull trout come out from the deep and
give chase to a large streamer. The sighting, the chase,
the take, the fight and the large predator fish; it’s all
there. Streamer fishing is an active fishing technique.
You’re hunting the hunter. You’re looking for the
smartest, largest fish in the system.
Spacial profiling
About 30 years ago, a size 6 wooly bugger was
considered a large streamer. Today, some pike flies,
such as the Mega Glider, are upwards of 18 inches
long. We owe the development of modern streamer
patterns to fly tyers such as Russ Maddin and Kelly
Galloup, who pioneered the style in the 70s and 80s,
and more recently to the work of Andreas Andersson,
Blane Chocklett and Niklaus Bauer, who have added
significant contributions of their own. There is a much
lengthier list of innovative and creative tiers who have
pushed this style forward, but suffice to say articulated
streamers have become more popular over the past
couple of decades. These prodigious patterns often have
provocative names, flashy colours and large profiles.
The other common denominator is articulation—that is,
their being connected by jointed segments.
Use your platform
Some articulated flies are built by joining two hooks
together with a wire, others are connected by a series
of specialized shanks. No matter what the method for
joining segments (known as platforms), they all aim to
fill one specific function: enhancing fly movement. Let’s
face it: streamers tied on a single hook are limited in the
amount of movement they can produce. When it comes
to presenting realistic, swimming baitfish imitations,
traditionally, the gear angler has had the upper-hand.
This was in part because of the multiple articulations
and the use of heavy construction materials such as
plastic and silicone. Another advantage held by gear
anglers was their lures weren’t constructed around a
long, single shank. Because of the leverage it provides
the fish, the longer the hook shank is, the greater chance
a fish has to unbuttoning itself. Today we know that
tying a fly over two or more platforms allows one to
create large flies without increasing leverage.
Shanks a lot
There are many ways of articulating a fly. The method
you choose will be based on your local regulations,
the size of the fly and the swimming pattern desired.
Some regions will not allow for two hooks to be used.
When this is the case, you must decide whether to place
a larger hook at the front, followed by a
few shorter shanks, or a larger shank at
the front, followed by a smaller trailering
hook. The decision should be based on the
targeted species. Browns, rainbows, and
pike for example, all use different hunting
and striking strategies. The size of the fly
will also help guide your choice of hook/
shank configuration. In my mind, any fly less than
eight centimetres in length does not warrant two hooks.
However, the larger the fly, the more precautions should
be taken to reduce undesired leverage.
Wired vs tired
There are various ways of attaching
platforms together. Braided line allows
for an outstanding amount of movement
thanks to its flexibility, however, it is
vulnerable to fraying and is less-than
foolproof when it comes to toothier fish. At
the other end of the spectrum is titanium
wire. Popular in pike flies, this material is
amazingly strong for its size and even when chomped
by the sharpest teeth, won’t fail on contact. However,
wire is extremely stiff. For those reasons, I find myself
coming down somewhere in the middle when it comes
to finding a balance between durability and flex.
My articulated streamers are aimed at bull trout and
rainbows. I use braided wire such as Senyo’s intruder
wire, or more recently, I’ve favoured Surflon Micro
Supreme. Both options are nylon-coated but Surflon is
braided, stiffer and slightly thinner.
Foul play
No matter what material you choose to join your
platforms together, there will always be a risk of fouling
them. Fouling, when platforms get tangled, happens
either during casting or when the fly is swimming.
Keeping false casting to a minimum (or not at all) should
resolve the first issue, while threading the articulation
wire through one or two 6mm beads will take care of
the second. Below are examples of a couple different
commonly-used rigging techniques.
Articulation Rig 1
This is a standard rig set up. For this particular
configuration, the two hooks are joined with Surflon
and 6mm beads are used to stiffen and separate the
hooks. The front hook should be bigger than the back
to accommodate more material, promote movement and
maintain alignment.
Articulation Rig 2
This second rig is commonly-used in Gamechanger-
style patterns and for flies designed for fish that strike
from the back. Featuring a shorter-shanked hook, this
style allows for more movement and reduces the chance
of unhooking while fighting a fish. Where two hooks
aren’t allowed, the front hook can be substituted for a
Waddington-type shank. Alternatively, the rear hook can
be switched for a smaller, regular shank for articulated
flies. In this configuration, the two hooks are joined by
a set of 15mm Fish Skull Fish spin shanks.
Motion of the ocean
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the
raison d’etre of articulated streamers is that these flies
are tied to imitate bait. In other words, they’re flies that
flyfusionmag.com 17
 try to do the thing lures do so well. For some fly anglers, a specialized hook manufactured by Ahrex (TP650). The
this is a non-starter. However, if you’re still reading, front third of this hook has a 26-degree downward bend.
you may be interested to know that the articulation The dive is immediately followed by a right (or left) turn
allows for movement but it’s not what makes the fly depending on the strip angle and water current. Most
move like bait. If you were to simply cast out the bare, people’s reaction to fishing this pattern for the first time
articulated hooks, they would remain straight. They’d is that of being underwhelmed. Many-a-times I’ve heard
also sink too fast. The coveted movement is provided by complaints that “this fly swims like crap!” However, I’ve
the materials—not only which material is used but also learned that response indicates a well-tied Drunk and
the order in which it is tied. Firstly, like a fish, the fly Disorderly pattern. Moreover, the response of the fish
must be tapered, therefore the heavier, bulkier materials to the fly’s erratic tracking usually quells any further
are tied on the front. The idea is to create turbulence, grumbling from the angler.
achieved in this case by the fly’s head and collar pushing
through the water. That turbulence,
in return, will activate the rest of the
fly, moving each section of materials
independently. Using long, wispy fibres
such as marabou, craft fur, schlappen
or chenille enhances the action of the
shank. These fibres also create a bulkier
profile without increasing overall
weight.

Literally lateral
A well-tied articulated streamer is an
irresistible, instinctual visual trigger to
most predatory fish. Apart from stimulating the fish’s
visual cortex, the water being pushed by the streamer’s
head and large profile creates a wake that can be felt by
the fish’s lateral line. This lateral line is the most sensitive
and important biological function that a fish uses to
detect a potential food source’s location, movement and
direction of travel. The following patterns are designed
with that strategy in mind.
Drunk and Disorderly
Sex Dungeon (Kelly Galloup):
The Sex Dungeon is counted as among the first
generation of articulated streamer patterns and I still
count it as one of the best. Tied on a two-hook rig, the
SD uses very light materials on the rear and heavy, bulky
materials at the front. This is a true water pusher; its
main function is to maximize water disturbance and tail
wiggle. It rarely goes unnoticed.

Drunk and Disorderly

(Tommy Lynch):
Hands down my favourite pattern for
bull trout, this fly imitates an injured
or disoriented baitfish. The flat head
is angled down, acting like the lip on a
Rapala lure. As you strip, water pushes
down on the top of the head and the fly
dives. This head angle is possible due to
Sex Dungeon

18 The Soul of Fly Fishing

 Diving differences and tougher to cast, the Unholy Diver sheds moisture
The next two patterns are by Andreas Andersson. Both as soon as it gets into the back cast. Synthetic materials’
serve similar functions but are tied using different waterproof nature allows the tyer to create larger flies
materials. These two flies are a good example of how that are easier to cast. Of course, you can always get a
modern, synthetic materials have changed the world of heavier rod and purpose-built lines to chuck those super
streamer fishing. The Sid (named after the bedraggled meaty flies, but if you’re anything like me, a lighter
sloth in the animated film Ice Age) and the Unholy Diver streamer means your shoulder will thank you at the
are meant to dive upon each strip. Their articulations end of the day. Additionally, since synthetic materials
create fantastic tail movement and cause the fly to sway won’t rot (apart from the deer hair head), the fly can
from one side to the other with each strip. The difference potentially last a lot longer.
between each fly starts at the base. The Unholy Diver
is tied onto the multiple-shank configuration displayed Creativity > conventional
earlier, while the Sid is on a double hook setup. More Whether you associate with the “meat the hatch” or
important is the difference of materials used. The Sid is “junk stripping” community or not, it is undeniable
tied using rabbit strips and arctic fox while the Unholy that new methods of fly fishing are upon us and the
Diver is tied using waterproof craft fur. Both flies have a sport is constantly evolving. The trend of articulated
base of chenille, used to prop up the other materials and streamers imitating baitfish is possible in part due to
helping provide the illusion of bulk. the development of modern tying materials, but we
What they have in common is that both flies look owe a lot to the innovators in the tying community
amazing underwater. However, where the Sid’s natural who weren’t worried what the purists would say about
materials soak and retain water, making the fly heavy their unorthodox patterns. The North American market
has seen an increase of
more than 100,000 new fly
anglers since the pandemic
was declared and everyday
new Instagram accounts are
registered which showcase
the work of new, creative fly
tyers. I’m onboard, and so
long as they’re legal, sporting
and helping people connect
Sid to nature, traditionalists
shouldn’t be worried that
articulated streamers are
blurring the lines between
fly and gear fishing. If they
are concerned, I would put
forward these anglers have yet
to feel the surge of excitement
that only watching a big fly
being chased by an aggressive
predator can produce.
Unholy Diver

20 The Soul of Fly Fishing

Follow the
Bouncing Bug
Imitating the Cadence of Egg-Laying Caddis
Gilbert Rowley
 I
t was a hot, sweaty afternoon on a heavily-
pressured tailwater. Myself, Lance Egan and Devin
Olsen had arrived at first light, hiking as far away
from the crowds as possible, eventually getting to
a place where we could wet-wade amid the singing
birds and flying bugs. Earlier, we threw yellow Sallys to
represent crawling stoneflies and PMDs to imitate hovering
mayflies. Now, as the day grew longer, the caddis were
coming out.
There was the occasional female adult returning to the
water for a mid-day deposit of eggs, but the majority of
the caddis were hanging in the willows, waiting for the air
temperature to cool, getting ready for their evening dance
above the water’s surface. Little did I know that Devin and
Lance were preparing for the party, too.
Nymphing had produced a decent number of fish
that morning, but when both Devin and Lance clipped
their top flies from their Euro-nymphing setups and tied
on their favourite caddis adult imitations, my interest
was piqued—particularly because they left their weighted
nymphs tied below. Instead of fishing their dry-dropper
rigs in a dead drift, however, my friends began gently
shaking their rod tips, an action which caused their
top flies to bounce up and down, ever so slightly. They
weren’t “skating the caddis,” as many anglers do at last
light. They were purposefully dancing their dry flies on
and above the water’s surface, imitating the motion of
female, egg-laying caddis.
It didn’t take long before the fish took notice. Brown
trout of all sizes began rising, some of them performing
cartwheels and aerial acrobatics the likes of which I’d never
seen. This was my introduction to “bouncing” a caddis
dry fly. Since then, the bounce has been one of my go-
to techniques when fishing surface flies on hot, sweaty
summer days.

Caddis characterization
Worldwide, caddis (trichoptera) are one of the most
abundant food sources on trout rivers and for the
majority of their lives, these underwater architects live
© Photo Jessica Haydahl Richardson

on the stream-bed as larva. Some build elaborate cases

out of small sticks, rocks or other debris, while other
species live a less-sheltered existence, going through their

flyfusionmag.com 23

Gilbert Rowley
Gilbert Rowley is a guide,
former fisheries technician,
and filmmaker who has
traveled throughout the world
making fly fishing films with
Capture Adventure Media. The
bouncing caddis technique
described in this article can
be seen in “Caddis Magic,”
the short film entered in this
year’s IF4 by he and filmmaker
Phil Tuttle.
metamorphosis without building a protective case. Within
the water column, trout feed on caddis larvae all year long,
but for those who prefer to fish dry flies, the real fun begins
after they pupate, when they complete their underwater
existence and emerge into our terrestrial environment.
Pupation typically occurs from late spring to early fall,
meaning trout see caddis adults all summer long. As adults
whose primary purpose is to reproduce, caddis typically
only live for a week or two. After mating, the females return
to the water in order to deposit their eggs. For many species,
this is accomplished by dancing and bouncing above, and
on top of, the water’s surface for unlike mayflies, caddis are
still exceptional flyers at this stage in their lives.
Irresistible action
By performing this erratic dance ritual, caddis frequently
elude hungry fish. Have you ever wondered why their
rises are extra splashy when trout eat your elk hair caddis
imitation? It’s because they’ve learned that if they don’t
eat caddis quickly and aggressively, they’ll miss their
opportunity. Trout have been conditioned to turn on
during these hatch times and as a result, when trout are
targeting caddis adults, there are no casual sippers.
limit you. A standard, nine-foot rod can get the job done
as well, you’ll just need to position yourself closer to your
target. This may slightly increase the odds of spooking fish,
but with a thoughtful approach, the bounce can still be
readily accomplished.
Forget drag, worry about sag
While the bounce technique can be performed with any
dry-dropper leader setup, a long leader with a thin diameter
definitely gives you an advantage. The main obstacle to
overcome here is “sag,” the phenomenon wherein the
weight of your fly line pulls your rig back toward
your rod tip, which then drags your flies out of
the target seam. With this technique, we want
to keep our dry flies in the drift; we are
not looking to swing or skate them
across differing currents. This is
why a long leader, made of
thin-diameter materials,

The lengths we go
Bouncing a caddis dry fly can be accomplished with any
fly rod and dry-dropper leader rig, but there are ways to
increase your effectiveness. Because this technique
is executed by having the entire leader off the
water’s surface, the optimal fly rod for this
technique is a long, Euro-style rod. A 10-
foot or 10-foot-6-inch fly rod will give
you greater reach, but having said
that, don’t let your lack of gear

© Illustration Garrison Doctor

24 The Soul of Fly Fishing

is beneficial. Euro leaders are made to reduce sag and
improve presentation when you need to be in contact with
your flies. This holds true for both Euro-nymphing and
bouncing a dry fly. An added benefit is that you can switch
between the two methods simply by changing out your
top nymph for a buoyant dry fly; no other adjustments are
needed. During non-hatch times, Euro nymphing is my
personal favourite method to fish, so a long, thin leader
makes sense for my fishing style and preferences.
Keep it moving
Here’s a fly fishing hack for you that will undoubtedly
improve your dry-dropper success: the dropper tag.
Many anglers attach their dry flies directly to their leader,
then attach their dropper tippet to the bend of their
dry fly hook. This setup can certainly catch fish, but it
also has limitations. By attaching your dry fly to a tag,
instead of inline with the leader, your dry fly will drift
and dance more freely. When movement is key, such as
when you’re bouncing caddis, keep your dry fly nimble
with a dropper tag.
Floatant is your friend
Your dry fly imitation has two basic criteria: it needs to
resemble a caddis adult, and it needs to be as buoyant as
possible. Don’t be frugal with the floatant! Buoyancy will
directly affect your success rate, so resist the temptation
to cut corners. I prefer a desiccant floatant (powder), but
unless you’re fishing CDC dries, a good gel can also get
the job done. My favourite patterns include a basic Elk
Hair Caddis, Olsen’s Front End Loader Caddis, and Egan’s
Corn Fed Caddis. All of these float high and do a great job
imitating egg-laying caddis adults.
Weighty decisions
The most important thing to consider with your nymph is
how heavy of a fly you should use. Since we are trying to
avoid using fly line, the weight of your nymph will assist
in casting a long, delicate leader. Much like a spin fisher
casts, your weighted nymph will carry your line to the
target, so the heavier the nymph, the easier it will be to
lob. However, there is a balance to be struck. If the nymph
is too heavy, your dry fly will end up waterlogged more
flyfusionmag.com 25
 frequently, making it harder to bounce effectively.
For me, a nymph with a 2.8mm to 3.3mm tungsten
bead usually gets the job done. Or, to simplify, try a size 14
nymph with a tungsten bead. Just remember that if you’re
having trouble casting your leader, or issues keeping your
dry fly floating, you may need to adjust. With the bouncing
caddis technique, the dry is your primary fly, therefore,
choosing a nymph pattern that you think will catch fish is
important, but secondary to the weight factor.
Pole position
To successfully bounce a caddis over your target, you’ll
need to be relatively close to it. Most of the time you’ll be
targeting fish within 20 feet of you; 30 feet is probably the
max. Carefully position yourself upstream of your target,
moving slow to avoid spooking. If no fish are visibly active,
fear not: this technique will motivate fish to rise.
Make your cast directly across from you, or
perpendicular to the opposite bank. You’ll need to be in
contact with your flies to bounce them as they drift. This
is more-easily achieved when your flies are down and
across from you, with the water tension helping to keep
them tight.
Ups and downs
When making your presentation, it is paramount that
you keep your entire leader off the water’s surface, so
26 The Soul of Fly Fishing
keep your rod tip high as you deliver your cast. As
your flies hit their target, impart movement into the
presentation by gently wiggling the rod tip. Ideally,
your top fly will bounce three to four inches off the
water’s surface. Our goal here is to resist the drift of the
nymph ever so slightly, in an up and down motion. By
repeatedly pulling back and forth on the nymph, the dry
fly will achieve the desired bouncing effect. Take note:
if the fly is bouncing too high, the fish will usually be
less interested. Conversely, if your fly is floating low or
sticking in the surface tension, it will be hard to make
it elevate. Remember: keep your fly dressed and floating
as high as possible. Neglecting this aspect is a leading
reason why anglers struggle with this technique. It bears
repeating: don’t be casual in your fishing—keep that
floatant handy and apply it often.
Dinner and a show
Any time we’re presenting a moving target, fish are
going to miss. Fishing the bouncing caddis, they tend
to whiff a lot. I’ve had the same trout hit my dry fly
unsuccessfully three, four, even five drifts in a row before
I finally made a connection. But though this technique
has a lower hook-up rate than most other methods I use,
the incredible visual eats are worth the trade off. Don’t
get discouraged if fish are jumping all over your dry fly
and when you go to set the hook you keep coming up
empty. That’s normal, and although I’ve seen it drive
some anglers crazy, if you’re up for the challenge and
want to present your fly in a very natural fashion, the
rewards can be stunning.
Caddis are among the most prolific food sources on
a river. Most fly anglers have experience casting their
dry fly imitations, whether dead-drifting through a run
or skating one across a seam. For many, including, until
recently, myself, the bounce is new territory. But take
it from someone who’s seen the cartwheeling, acrobatic
aerials of frenzied fish: the next time you’re out during
summer and the heat of the day starts to wane, watch
for egg-laying caddis to start their delicate dance. Match
this unique hatch with the proper plan of attack and
you’ll have fish following your bouncing bug…all the
way to the net.
 Salty. And Sweet.
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 Up a Creek
High Stakes for Native Trout Streams

Amber Toner
Amber Toner is a fly angler
and outdoor photographer
from Calgary, Alberta - Soft
foregrounds and natural
light drive her creativity
with photography while
trout sipping dry flies
fuel her passion for fly
fishing. Amber is also
a conservationist and
passionate about saving
Alberta’s native trout and
their east slope rocky
mountain watersheds.

28 The Soul of Fly Fishing

M
y initial encounter with one
of Alberta’s native trout
species was at age seven.
My father had taken my
brother and I down to the
Sheep River to go fly fishing. The Sheep River
valley carved its way through the land behind
our acreage; we spent many days skipping
rocks and fishing there. I had witnessed my dad
catching lots of rainbow trout in this stretch of
river but on this particular day, he happened to
land a bull trout—one of Alberta’s native trout
species, and, as of 1994, its provincial fish.
I remember its grey colouring and noticed it
didn’t have black spots like all those rainbows
I had seen before. It was a unique fish. My dad
removed his fly and released the fish to swim
another day.

flyfusionmag.com 29
 Universal indicators
Twenty-seven years later I find myself wading
through that same section of river I fished
when I was a kid. Naturally, everything has
changed: my life is vastly different; our acreage
is a distant memory, and my father is no longer
with us. Unnaturally, the river has changed too.
The same log jams and boulder runs my dad
would focus his fishing attention on are long
gone. Residential development is all around,
impacts of floods are prevalent, habitat loss
and bank erosion are noticeable, and the fish
aren’t nearly as plentiful. The legendary annual
bull trout run I have fished for more than a
decade has endured an obvious population
decline, certainly noticeable from an angling
perspective. Deep pools where I used to
identify dozens of bull trout as they made their
way upstream to spawn are now left with two
or three fish at best.

30 The Soul of Fly Fishing

Compounding cuts
So the story goes for many of our eastern slope
streams. Alberta is home to three native trout
species: the bull trout, westslope cutthroat
trout, and Athabasca rainbow trout. All three
species have been pushed far up into their
headwaters, searching for cool, clean water,
seeking healthy habitat that is essential to their
existence, and looking for willow-covered
banks with plenty of structure and opportunity
for thriving bug life such as stoneflies and
mayflies, the food of choice for most trout.
Every year on June 16th, anglers flock to the
east slope streams in southwest Alberta as they
open for fishing season, hoping to come across
fish just like our native trout. I have been doing
so myself for the last 15 years as fly fishing
has resurfaced in my adult life. I have also
watched firsthand the entire landscape change
over those years from development, climate
change, industry exploration, deforestation
and extensive recreation. I have observed
a change in the westslope cutthroat trout I
target, too. No longer am I finding as many
pure westslope cutthroat as their population
has become mixed with rainbow trout and the
hybrid species cutbow has taken over.

flyfusionmag.com 31
 Aligning efforts
Thankfully, hope is not lost for Alberta’s native trout.
A new effort in the form of the Alberta Native Trout
Collaborative (ABNT) is working to restore native
trout habitats and populations across the eastern
slopes. The collaborative is made up of the Canadian
Parks and Wilderness Society Southern Alberta,
Trout Unlimited Canada, The Alberta Riparian
Habitat Management Society (Cows and Fish),
Alberta Conservation Association, Foothills Research
Institute and Alberta Environment and Parks. These
organizations are working together not only with
on-the-ground habitat restoration but also raising
awareness and encouraging action to forge a path of
positive change for Alberta’s native trout. As an avid
fly fisher, I know I can do my part by altering how
I recreate on these lands, sharing fish handling best
practices and educating others on the importance
of native trout and our eastern slopes. I can also
volunteer my time to restore fish habitat through one
of the ABNT Collaborative organizations. If every
person who recreated on our eastern slopes did one
of the above, there would be a chance we could bring
back Alberta’s native trout. Our watersheds and their
ecosystems can be connected once again, resulting in
a thriving fishery and an even better Alberta for our
future generations.

As I stand on a bank of the Sheep River with my

son, reeling in a little bull trout, his excitement is
contagious. It reminds me of that time as a little girl
with my father. I let my son help me release the fish
and I think to myself, ‘this can’t be the last bull trout
here. I simply won’t let it be.’

32 The Soul of Fly Fishing

 Go where
the fish are.

That moment when the planning and hard work pays off Connecting anglers with fish for over 25 years.
because you just landed the fish that no one else could reach. Learn more at watermasterrafts.com
Silver Reflections
Ebbing and Flowing with the
Atlantic Salmon Life Cycle
Kastine Coleman
© Photo Hooké
 L
ast summer, I sat by a fire on the river with some
old friends, the familiar scent of spruce burning. I
welcomed the smoke, letting it cling to my clothes,
knowing the next day when I put on my jacket I
would smell this scene again and relive the
moment. I can still feel the warmth that came from watching
these old timers’ eyes sparkle as they talked.
You could walk down to the river, catch six Atlantic salmon,
Kastine Coleman tie them on your belt and be back at the tent in time for
Kastine Coleman is a breakfast.
Fly Fishers International
casting instructor, a two- I breathed in their passion and energy, not speaking
time IGFA world record much; when I did it was in a soft whisper. I didn’t want
holder for Atlantic salmon,
to bring these elders back to the present. Everyone wore
fishing guide and co-owner
of Tight Loops Tight Lines a knowing smile and their words painted vivid pictures of
with her partner Terry their lifetime on the river.
Byrne. She is a director You could keep the big fish, no matter what the size.
with FFI and the Atlantic The spoke about when the man from Nova Scotia came
Salmon Conservation to the river. That was the first time they had ever seen a dry
Foundation and a SPAWN
fly being fished for Atlantic salmon.
board member. She
resides in Corner Brook,
Newfoundland. It drifted down the water like a puffball dandelion.
Nobody spoke about conservation, per se, but the
decrease in quotas became bookends for their stories. At one
time, anglers could keep six salmon a day. Then it was four.
Today there’s a two fish limit—not per day, but for the whole
season. All large salmon must be released. We’ve learned
© Photo Hooké
36 The Soul of Fly Fishing
that egg production is largely based on fish size. Females lay
1,500-1,800 eggs per kilogram of body weight.
The rivers were teeming with silver.
Those silver rivers are now mostly clear. The elders
didn’t talk about the current state of salmon stocks, but
earlier that day I watched every one of them release their
catches back into the water.
The present is a gift
There’s always a story to share—usually with a mug of coffee,
over a fire, on the beach. When the company isn’t twice
my age, the stories are different. Rather than being about
how many fish we can or could catch, now the conversation
is how we can or could see more salmon return. We share
worries about the open pen salmon cages operating on our
shores, we celebrate work that local groups are doing to
enhance fishways and river systems. We discuss ways we
can improve fish handling and release techniques, how hard
or how soft the salmon are taking the fly, and why. We spend
four months every year seeking these beautiful, silver fish
with lilac hues, just to look at them for a quick moment
before releasing them again.
That fly you tied last night might just work here today.
Today we’re heading to the northern peninsula, just on
the outskirts of Gros Morne National Park. There’s a high
tide at 10 a.m. and we’ll be able to get to a spot on the river
with an hour to spare. Fishing by the ocean on the tide can
be magnificent. If you time it right, you can see the salmon
hit the fresh water and start leaping into the air.
The great cycle of survival
A salmon will always return to the same river it was born
in. Hatched from an egg in the river system, it grows from
an alevin to a fry, a parr. When they are three to five years
old, they leave the river as a smolt. These tiny silver fish,
no bigger than the length of my hand, leave the freshwater,
hit the ocean and migrate as far as Greenland. Some will
return after a year as a grilse, others are on cycles of two to
five years before they return—all spaced out to ensure the
best chance of survival for the species. Eventually, if they
make it through the migration route, avoid predators and
commercial fisheries, they will return to the exact river that
they were born in to spawn.
The cycle begins again.
I love to cast. I love the way the rod loads on the backcast
and the energy I feel in the line on the double-haul. When
the timing is perfect, the whole line shoots out without any
effort and the fly lands softly on the calm water. I could cast
for days. Sometimes I don’t even remember that I’m fishing
until I see or hear a fish nearby and it wakes me up.
Wake up!
Homecoming
The large salmon are the repeat spawners. They push in
on rising and falling tides. That’s why we’re here at this
exact moment, on this exact river. When I see those silver
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I N C L U D E D I N E V E R Y T U R N E F F E F L A T S S TAY
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fish jumping as they enter the mouth of the river it’s like a
celebration of coming home. As they pass by, I can’t help but
question my choice of fly. Human nature. I change to a Green
Machine, a classic pattern with roots on New Brunswick’s
Miramichi River. Soon a parr—a baby salmon—tugs at my
line. I give it some slack to see if it will release itself and
then, slightly annoyed, I pull my line back in. The parr’s
face, with those big eyes, is about the same size as my fly.
With the pinched barb, the parr slips off the hook and I
release it gently. As it darts off I am reminded how important
these nuisances are.
A few years from now you might be lucky enough to cast
your fly for that exact same fish.
Impulse shopping
Terry, my partner, is good at offering such reminders. Terry
grew up on the river. To him, helping people fish means
having a salmon grab their fly. If there’s a fish around, he’ll
find it. A guest might swing a fly over a piece of water 10
www.tflats.com
 times without a take, before a prompt from Terry ends up
with a fish on the line.
Give the salmon enough time to notice the fly, but
not enough time to figure out what it really is.
Impulse shopping.
Natural instincts
Rarely do we use the traditional, 45-degrees downstream
cast. Most of our casts will be at 90 degrees. You can mend
the line to hasten, or hold back, the fly. Line speed is of
utmost importance. The swing is based on the speed of the
current and the position of the fish. It’s an art form. There’s
no matching the hatch. When the salmon enter the river
systems, they aren’t feeding. Once in the fresh water these
fish have one thing on their minds: making it to the spawning
grounds. Our fly choices aren’t so much as to entice an eat,
but to elicit a strike. A natural reaction. Some sections of
rivers with faster water are better for wet flies, such as a
Blue Charm or an Undertaker, but when the water is flat and
calm it’s dry fly fishing heaven. Here, every movement and
breath is magnified. Having the fly land softly and letting it
dead-drift, watching carefully to make sure there’s no pull
from the line. Intensely staring at the fly, waiting for the
salmon to come to the surface. If you let your mind wander,
you will miss the take. The fly will roll off the salmon’s back.
A slow-motion video of disappointment.
© Photo Hooké
38 The Soul of Fly Fishing
Did that fish just wink at me?
Taking their place
I’m using about 100 feet of weight-forward floating line
on a six weight, 9-foot rod. I’ve got a 10-foot homemade
tapered leader consisting of 12, 10 and eight-pound
test monofilament, pieced together with blood knots.
I connect my wet flies to the tippet with a Turle knot and
use a modified clinch knot to tie on the dries. A lightweight,
large-arbour reel and 150-200 yards of backing completes
the setup. As I look behind at my backcast, I notice my
three kids approaching in their waders. One has a pocket
full of frogs. They pick their way out and take their place
with us on the river. We share a few casts. Soon, Terry
hooks a salmon and passes the rod over. They take turns
playing the fish. They bring it to the net. By now, the kids
are familiar with this process and can land and release a
fish carefully, with very little instruction. They grew up
hearing about the Keep Fish Wet movement; to them,
seeing a fish played too long or held out of the water
is akin to smoking a cigarette: people doing it should
know better.
After releasing their salmon, the kids head back to
the fire for a hot chocolate. That was all they needed, just
to be involved a little. That’s all I need, too.
Look at the smiles on their faces. What are they talking
about over there?
Stories connect us
In the summer, anglers will parade to the rivers daily. Some
will fill their tags and leave, and some will fish just to fish.
We fall into the latter category. Fly fishing is a way to pass
on traditions to our family, a chance to spark discussions
about conservation. Every time we step into a river, we’re
flooded with memories from past trips, the excitement of
a new day, the possibility of finding fish, the challenge of
reading water. We choose to fish and to release what we
catch in hopes that our children and grandchildren can
share the same experience.
The stories we collect, the joy of being immersed in
nature, like the spruce smoke from our beach fires, they
cling to our clothes.
 Midnight
Madness
The Quest for Trophy Calico Bass
Glen Ueda
O
n a cold and lonely launch ramp, my
Edgewater center console slides off its
trailer and into the inky water. Soon,
we’re passing dozens of dockside
condominiums, festooned with
Christmas lights. With the trolling motor purring, and
under a low glow emanating from our nation’s busiest
harbour, my fishing partner launches loop after loop,
slowly bouncing his mouse-sized fly down the face
of a rugged subsurface outcropping we lovingly call
“The Wall.”
Suddenly, he grunts loudly, trying his best to
muscle the tip of his now-lunging 10-weight out of the
murky black flow. He’s not giving an inch but neither is
whatever is yanking hard on the other end. It’s a brutal,
seconds-long tug-of-war. Something has to give. Finally,
something does. He reels in his shredded leader. Blinded
by my headlamp, I’m not sure if my partner can see me as
I smile knowingly.
“Dave, welcome to calico bass fishing!”
Predatory predilection
Kelp bass (Paralabrax Clathratus), aka calico bass to us
impassioned fly anglers, range from Point Conception,
40 The Soul of Fly Fishing
about 200 kilometres north of Los Angeles, to the northern
coast of Mexico’s famed Baja Peninsula. Inhabiting a rich
tapestry of island or coastal kelp-covered rock, as well as
man-made oil platforms and concrete rubble reefs, this
beautifully-speckled species will feed on anything that
will fit in its mouth—including its own. As aggressive as
calico bass may seem, it is nonetheless a very slow-growing
species, measuring only 12 inches after five to seven years.
A broadcast spawner once water temperatures rise to 65
degrees Fahrenheit in spring, they stay very close to where
they are born. Calico bass can reach sizeable proportions—
the IGFA All Tackle World Record is 14 pounds, seven
ounces—but it doesn’t happen quickly. The largest
recorded calico bass landed on a fly rod, which weighed
in at nine pounds, four ounces, was a female that likely
exceeded 30-years-of-age.
Like its freshwater relatives, calico bass are ambush
predators. With their large, vacuum-like mouth, heavily-
scaled, spotted and bronzed fuselage, and a broad,
powerful caudal fin, they are perfectly-suited to their
hostile, saltwater environment. Lipping your catch isn’t an
issue as they do not have slicing teeth per se, however, after
a solid night of angling it is not uncommon to suffer from
a serious case of “bass thumb.”
Bundle up
Though calico bass are available all year long, we target
the largest ones from November to April when water
temperatures range from 58 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Any colder and the fish hunker down, becoming mostly
inactive. I was told many moons ago by an old timer that
65 degrees in spring was key to triggering the spawn
and seeing much-improved activity. It is at this time that
the fish are coloured with beautiful spawning markings:
vibrant oranges and golds adorn their flanks, especially
noticeable as gangs of followers chase your hooked fish to
the surface.
Like tuna, striped bass and a host of other species, truly
large calico bass prefer to feed in very low light conditions.
It is not unusual to feel your heaviest grabs well after the
sun goes down. Similarly, the action often slows again with
the dawn’s early grey. Not surprisingly, then, searching for
darker, more nutrient-rich water often leads to improved
fishing. Finding moderate current (not to be confused with
tide) is essential as it will position fish in relation to cover.
Foaming wave surge generated by a large swell can also
trigger sensational fishing. Rocks, pushed-through by the
surge, dislodge any number of food sources that the bass
can target including octopus, crabs, lobsters and shrimp.
Beaches, breakwalls and islands
Living in Southern California, we are fortunate to have a
large variety of natural coastal environments, including San
Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands. Tens of thousands
of calico bass call these waters home. Interestingly, some
of our best fishing can be found in Los Angeles-Long
Beach Harbours, only a minute’s drive from the chaos
of metropolitan Los Angeles. Providing protection from
enemy submarines during World War II, the surrounding

Glen Ueda
As a native to Southern
California, Glenn was
introduced to surf fishing
as a child by his father.
Today, Glenn enjoys sharing
his passion for our sport,
through writing presenting
and tying demonstrations.
Borne from an affinity
for sightfishing, he has
ventured abroad for
exotic species and enjoys
the challenge of stalking
finicky carp, pelagic and
coastal species; having
landed 126 species on fly
to date.
42 The Soul of Fly Fishing
breakwater now creates sanctuary for cargo ships while
defining the harbour limits. Constructed in the 1940s of
immense granite boulders, the breakwater is more than
eight miles long and carpeted with underwater cracks,
crevices and caves, all offering perfect habitat and an all-
you-can-eat buffet for our target species. Lobster divers tell
me that the largest of calico bass are backed way into these
spaces, peeking out, just waiting to pummel a hapless
creature that may cruise or crawl by.
Located in slightly shallower water, there are also
numerous manmade oil islands, piers, and docks—all of
which hold gangs of these pugnacious bass. Organized with
a jagged perimeter, then filled with sand, many of these
structures have wonderfully-deep bottom cuts where crew
ships back in and offload expensive drilling equipment.
Combined with some bushy rag kelp, those depressions
create ideal ambush points for calicos, but also for barred
sand bass (Paralabrax Nubilifer), a shaded grey and equally
hard-tugging relative of the kelp bass.
Foam is still home
While these extensive aggregations of rock offer miles and
miles of significant habitat in and of themselves, it is the
“spot within these spots” which are the subtle difference
makers. Using our boat’s depth sonar, we seek out smaller
irregular mounds, stepped edges and tapering points,
many of which are much too small to appear on your
chart plotter’s preloaded software. Generated seasonally
by powerful Alaskan storm or Mexican hurricane surge,
we pay special attention to our electronics, recording
differences in bottom terrain and how they fish—some of
them do well with an uphill (westbound) current, while
others fish best flowing in the opposite direction. Even
in slack tide conditions, wind-driven current can create
just the right amount of movement to trigger calico bass
activity. Kelp will be leaning in the direction the current
is flowing. We often seek the foamiest, most turbulent
section of water; that’s where bass will be aggressively
seeking prey. Remember that foam line in your favourite
trout stream? It’s the same out here. The foamy water is
also often discoloured, only adding to our presentation’s
deception.
Safe access to, and functionality within, this fishery
is via seaworthy center consoles and bay boats equipped
with bow-mounted trolling motors. These crafts offer an
appropriate platform from which to ply these waters on the
fly. Wind, surge, and swell, as well as bow wakes created by
passing water taxis and crew boats, are all part of the game,
so a stable vessel with substantial freeboard and a sturdy
railing is essential. Deck lights and head lamps, along with
non-slip footwear, help us navigate an often wet deck.
Big lumber
Most serious calico bass fly anglers deploy 9 to 10 weight
outfits that begin with fast action rods powerful enough to
stop a big fish and yet lightweight so that you can launch
hundreds of searching casts with bulky flies attached to
heavy, fast-sinking 400-450 grain integrated fly lines. Also
doubling for offshore duty, I’ve not found a better setup
than my Orvis Helios 3 fly rod with Galvan Grip 10 fly reel
filled with Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Deep 3 / 5 / 7.
An 8-foot leader of straight 30-pound fluorocarbon with a
loop knot completes the outfit.
To locate calico bass, we like to fan-cast a piece of
structure to determine where the fish are positioned. They
tend to show a distinct preference for the up-current side
of structure, where upwelling drives food towards them. A
variety of structure-bumping retrieves ensure that you are
fishing where the big ones live. Many of your grabs will
occur on the sink between strips. A strip–pause–strip style
seems to work best. The colder the weather, the slower the
retrieve.
Keeping your rod tip low and aimed down your fly line
will help create a straight path to your presentation, which
will allow you to feel everything from a subtle “tick,” a
rubbery pressure bite, or an aggressive slam. Keep constant
pressure, stripping hard until you feel the weight of the
fish. Once hooked up, keep your rod low as you pump
and strip, always keeping the bend in the lower third or
“power” section of your fly rod.
Consistent with our mantra “play with them in the
boat,” we forego weaker IGFA-compliant leaders and use
a straight 8-foot section of 30-pound test fluorocarbon.
Abrasion resistance is going to be critical to your success
when wrestling that bull calico bass from its lair, so softer
monofilament is no bueno. At first glance, the combination
of a powerful 10-weight rod and 30-pound leader may enticing offering while improving cast-ability. Some of
seem like overkill but remember: you are preparing for the new curly tail accessories look particularly nice, as do
that calico or sand bass of a lifetime. Gamechangers. Going barbless may cost you a few fish but
doing so assures that each giant is released with only its
Hair, plastic and steel feelings hurt.
My first exposure to calico bass began in the early 1970s, For optimum movement and sink rate, use a loop
bobbing around in a small tin boat powered by a smoky knot of your preference. Conversely, using a Trilene knot or
Johnson. Chucking soft bottom-bouncing plastics like
Mister Twisters, Sassy Shads and twin-tailed grubs, we
caught lots of bass. From depth control to bait size to
colouration, decades later, those early successes have only
informed the way we approach them now with the fly.
Ambush feeders, calico bass wait in the shadows or
dirtier flows, eager to attack everything from passing baitfish
schools to drifting pelagic red crabs to crack-dwelling
cephalopods. Given the breadth of food choices, calico
bass fly patterns can vary dramatically. Only occasionally a
topwater feeder, most of your patterns should be weighted
to cover the water column from just below the surface right
to the bottom. Given their propensity to avoid snags, heavy
Gamakatsu 3X flipping jig hooks have grown in popularity
and when combined with an ultra-heavy 100-pound mono
‘V’ weedguard, they do an excellent job of keeping you
out of trouble. Don’t worry, these bass are tough. Used to
being poked, they have absolutely no problem crushing
those weedguards on the strike.
Often working the depths in complete darkness,
your fly’s overall footprint is essential to its success. Sink
rate, silhouette, colour, and vibration—in combination—
are among the important variables to consider. Though
standard dumbbell eyes will suffice for smaller patterns,
our most popular weighting system is Flymen Fishing similar “fixed” connection can help slow your fly’s descent,
Company’s Fish Skull Sculpin Helmet Head. It comes in thus keeping your fly in the zone a bit longer. In slack
a few sizes, but I prefer size large and further enhance current or cold water conditions, slowing the speed at
its effectiveness by powder coating (ProTec) each one to which your presentation sinks can make all the difference.
complement body material colours. Materials in warmer
earth tones of brown, oranges and reds are very effective, Welcome to the jungle
while bright chartreuse or pinks can sometimes trigger a Hooking and landing trophy calico bass is serious business.
few extra bites. That said, an all-black bug can produce What these fish lack in size they make up for in serious
amazing results on a new moon. pulling power. Every season we get absolutely destroyed
Bulky, yet water-shedding bodies of synthetic fibres by bass that we simply cannot stop. If you’ve yanked on
by SF Blend or Enrico Puglisi, combined with wiggly big Amazonian peacock bass or cabrilla in Baja Mexico,
silicone legs and magnum rabbit strip tails, create an you understand. Like those species, the thrusting torque

flyfusionmag.com 43
 generated by calico’s broad, square tail is unbelievable. In
the middle of the night, standing on a pitching deck, you
are absolutely ruined as your slippery fly line is ripped
from your cold wet grip and your rod is almost wrenched
from your hands. These bruisers have to be horsed through
and away from their rock lairs, throngs of heavy kelp and
clusters of jagged barnacles. Line piled in your stripping
bucket, there is absolutely no time to put them on the
reel. Whether a rod-jerking slam or subtle tick or rubbery
pressure bite, a swift, long strip combined with a hard,
opposing scissor strike will move fly line and help you
come tight and sink the barb. With a 60-foot cast into 30
feet of water, all these hard pullers have to do is dive straight
down and you’re done for. After landing even a smallish
one, oftentimes your leader is absolutely shredded.
Strip, pause, BOOM
Purposeful boat positioning when working a piece of
structure is everything. While many bass anglers prefer
to simply let their flies trail along with the drifting boat,
as dictated by the day’s wind, this strategy offers very
little presentation management. A more controlled, more
productive option is to aim your vessel into the wind,
moving forward very slowly while casting. Once a cast is
made, maintain your boat’s position with a GPS-equipped
“anchor lock” trolling motor, such as that manufactured
by Minn Kota. Doing so will allow you to carefully dissect
holding water.
Not unlike working a streamer in a river, I prefer a
down-and-across presentation, letting the fly swing with
an occasional twitch and pause, then adjusting for current
by casting further up-current as required to get your fly to
depth. I routinely use the countdown method to effectively
cover the water column. Whether casting down-current,
perpendicular, parallel, or up-current to the underwater
structure, it’s all about angles and repeatability.
Being aware of the depth at which you are receiving
strikes is extremely important. Are the bass suspended
up in the water column or holding tight to structure?
Are they responding to a dead-drifted crab pattern or
an aggressively-stripped streamer? Don’t be afraid to
experiment with different looks. Having each angler using
different patterns can help determine the flavour of the day.
44 The Soul of Fly Fishing
Calico bass are notorious for eating your fly while
coming at you before turning. From the moment the fly lands
on the water and begins its descent, or is pulled off the edge
of a kelp mat, always be in contact with your presentation,
with the fly line and rod pointed straight towards the fly. It
begins by not releasing your fly line from your line hand
during the cast. On a recent trip, I watched as my boatmate
missed numerous bites without even knowing it. Making
the cast, he would release the fly line from his line hand and
before he could grab it for the first strip, the line would flick
as the fish hit the fly on impact, then spit the hook. Keeping
your line in hand will allow you to detect even the most
subtle of takes, but as importantly, will afford you the best
opportunity to direct the fish away from cover with a good
hook set. This is especially true when bass are backed into
rocky structure and facing out, waiting for that next meal to
come by. They quickly dart out, grab the fly, quickly return
to cover, and summarily break you off.
This is a game of inches, so any slack in your
presentation only favours the fish. Oftentimes, calico bass
will attack the fly while swimming towards you, introducing
slack and imparting a certain loss of feel. This is usually
detected when you go to strip the fly and the weight of the
fly is no longer there. When this happens, quickly take a
long strip while sweeping the rod in the opposite direction
from your line hand. The idea is to move lots of line. I’ve
tried utilizing the “strip strike” method so popular on the
flats but it just does not remove slack quick enough nor
drive the hook into the fish’s mouth hard enough.
Moment of truth
Recovering from that earlier beatdown, Dave rallies with
a couple of stunning captures later that evening. Fish-
friendly rubber net, flash-ready preset camera and a giant
smile, we’re prepared for the moment, and as a result have
the fish returned to the water in a few seconds. Calico
bass are an ultra slow-growing resident species and need
to be protected. That trophy brood stock female might
be 40-years-old. What must a fish of that stature have
endured to have achieved such proportions? By taking care
of these incredible species, you may one day be able to
enjoy a wonderful evening on the water after tucking in
your vacationing family at nearby Disneyland.
 LEAVE THE CROWDS

OSG - STRIKER outcastboats.com | 844.243.2473

No Contest
Finding Fishing Fraternity
Ryan Ermet
 A
s a young fish head in Jasper National Park,
competition for clients was fierce and a
rivalry between the guide outfits got
occasionally heated.
When our boats came in off the lake, we
clipped our flies and secreted them back to their box. There
was no way another angler was going to catch a glimpse
of what was working for us, especially if there was a guide
or a friendly from the other shop hanging out at the dock.
We’d never disclose where fish were schooled up or what Ryan Ermet
hatch was taking place where. It got so intense that I was Ryan Ermet grew up fishing
persuaded not to fish with some of my buddies who worked the majestic lakes of the
for the competition. Canadian Rockies with his
Contrast that with how I fish now, where before even dad, and at 12-years-old
got his first job at the local
getting to the lake I’m sharing ideas, tips, tricks and fly
tackle shop. Ermet is a
patterns with a community of anglers, and then once I get founding member of the
on the water it’s fun, not faux pas, to invite another boat into Stillwaters social media
the same bay that we’re anchored in. group. He is supported by
What changed? A lot. And I’m grateful for the new Canadian Llama and Marlon
outlook. Although my concerns as a young guide were boats.
overshadowed by so many amazing aspects of that job,
I’m not sure I even realized how much the element of
protectiveness bothered me until I joined a community of
anglers who held strong values of inclusivity and openness.

Clout Unlimited
My first link to this new perspective was via a chance run-in
on a local lake with a member of Edmonton’s Trout Unlimited
Chapter. This angler’s understanding about fly fishing—
particularly when it came to entomology and the natural life
cycle of the lake—was encyclopedic. More importantly, he was
friendly, passionate and extremely generous with his
knowledge. There was no clipping his flies when my boat
came close; on the contrary, he was happy to offer me a
pattern that he knew caught fish. This warm welcome was
where my friendship with Phil Rowley began. At first, it
was somewhat surreal: I’d watched the emergence of Phil’s
YouTube channel and many-a-times tried to duplicate his
patterns. Now he was borrowing flies from me!

Blood ties
For someone who was used to keeping his fishing cards
close to his chest, the idea of sharing fly patterns and
© Photo Brent Gill

flyfusionmag.com 47
trading tips so easily was liberating. Embracing that ethos,
not long after being introduced to Phil’s friend, Brent Gill,
I sent a small selection of bloodworms I’d tied through the
mail after Brent expressed interest in them on Instagram.
Little did I know when I sent those flies that Brent operated
one of the premier stillwater destinations in the pacific
northwest. I’m sure he thought I was kissing butt to get
a deal at the resort, but I plead ignorance! Shortly after
connecting with him I learned that not only did Brent have
an intimate knowledge of chironomid fishing, but he also
was a community organizer and a filmmaker. He was the
talent behind Wait4ItFILMS and the energy behind the
Stillwaters Facebook group. As that group’s membership
rapidly grew, and my enthusiasm for being involved in the
community kept pace, Brent asked me to help out.
The jig is up
How could I say no? This was the guy who’d helped
introduce several anglers I respected to the glories of “the
dangle.” While I learned the dangle from Rowley, Brent
gleaned the relatively-novel stillwater technique from a
group of savvy Washington state anglers—fisher folk who
were always two steps ahead of the chironomid crowd in
the Thompson-Nicola region, where Brent spent most of his
time. The way he tells it, while out looking for fish on B.C.’s
famous fisherman’s highway 24, after noticing a cluster of
wooden rowboats anchored over a deep hole, Brent found
it unusual that none of the anglers appeared to be re-
setting their presentation, or making any casting motions
whatsoever. He wasn’t sure that they were even fishing, until
the tell-tale hooting and hollering of an exciting hookup.
Brent was intrigued.
“They had their fly rods out of the side of the boat, and
it looked to me like they were jigging,” he recalled. “One
guy had two rods, one underneath each leg. He looked like
a trawler, until fish started jumping.”
Chill but kill
After watching them find success, Brent of course needed
an explanation. They weren’t jigging, and they weren’t using
extra long leaders with super-tapered floating line to push
out a heavy rig—in fact they weren’t even using floating line
 at all. The anglers huddled together were all using Type 6
and 7 high-density, fast-sinking line, attached to which they
had a measly two-or-three feet of tippet. A heavy chironomid
was getting the presentation vertical, and because they were
fishing so deep (30-plus feet), they weren’t worried about
spooking trout with their boats.
“You have to be double-anchored and not budging,
and you have to find bottom,” Brent learned, noting that by
hanging an old bell sinker or a pair of forceps off your hook
you could delineate the depth.
“Find bottom, reel up six inches, strip the line back in
and remove the weight. Don’t mess with the reel and flip it
back over. Hence ‘the dangle.’”
It’s not for every situation, of course, but the dangle can
work all year round. When wind or current is pulling your
presentation out of the zone, or when you know fish are too
deep for your floating line and indicator setup, the dangle
can be deadly. For dedicated chironomid anglers, it means
fishing those micro patterns even in the hot summer. For
the rest of us who simply like to switch things up and try
new strategies, the dangle is a great way to keep a line in the
www.revolutionsadventures.com
water while you’re passing out cooler snacks.
“We call it sandwich casting,” Brent says. “It’s chill
but kill.”
It’s chill alright—until you’ve got a big fish on and
a hoagie in your hand. I’ve been witness to at least one
unattended rod shooting off the bow of the boat because the
“chill” angler forgot about the “kill” part.
“I know we say the tug is the drug but when they hit
that sinking line that rod is just buckled,” Brent says. “It’s an
injection of energy.”
Less is s’more
Brent has a pretty good motor himself, which is why, when
he put out an invite to a group of anglers to meet up to
film the sequel to his fishing/camping/buddy-film, Still, in
which a group of friends fish by day and tie flies around
the campfire by night, I leapt at the opportunity. Brent’s
films have a contagious, potent punch, inspired by the
snowboard and skateboard flicks he used to devour as a kid.
They celebrate not the hardest-to-get-to angling destinations
or the most exotic species or even the biggest fish. Rather,
250-688-7616
 they salute the fly fishing lifestyle—super high frame rates,
perfect lighting and tripods be darned.
“We’re not choppering in, we’re camping,” he says.
“There are no rules, you can have shaky camera angles and
drop in some beats. It’s low stress.”
Hot seat, cold feet
Until it’s your turn to tie, that is. A hallmark of the Still
trips, and a way to honour the Stillwater community as
the catalyst for bringing us together in the first place, are
the after-dinner “spotlight fly tying” sessions, where each
angler gets in the hot seat to come up with his or her best
pattern for the following day. The rule is you have to fish
it, so you don’t want to come in rusty. While a couple of
the crew members are absolute magicians in their ability to
blend thread and tie exact replicas of bugs they pumped
from trout’s tummies, for some, including myself, being
under the gun can be somewhat nerve-wracking. Luckily
my chosen fly was a simple larva (bloodworm) pattern, now
affectionately dubbed the Cariboo Shake—named after the
tremors in my hands that Brent’s spotlight induced.
50 The Soul of Fly Fishing
Simple pleasures
Whereas the anxiety of tying a tiny fly with a hot LED
shoved in your face can certainly cause a bit of self-
consciousness, I’m happy to count that scenario as the
most stressful five minutes of my fishing season these days.
No longer am I concerned I’ll be giving away trade secrets
if I swap stories with a fellow fisherman. No longer am
I hiding my flies from genuinely curious onlookers when
I’m getting off the lake. No longer am I reluctant to offer a
friendly wave to boats who want to set up close to where
I’ve found cruising trout.
What changed was that I saw how sharing the
resource, and the knowledge to connect to it, was much
more satisfying than measuring one’s on-water success
against other boats. Thanks to a couple of key mentors
and a social media community of like-minded anglers, I’ve
been able to improve not just my own game, but witness
those around me take their fly fishing and tying to the next
level. Like the dangle technique, fishing doesn’t always
need to be complicated. Nor should finding others to share
our passion for stillwaters with.

Jeff Wagner
When he’s not fishing or
casting you’ll find Jeff
hiking or biking the back
country with his family.
They also volunteer their
time to conservation
efforts with groups such
as Fly Fishers International.
Oh, and during business
hours Jeff does
business stuff.
52 The Soul of Fly Fishing
LONG LINES
Seasonal Delicacies
Careful Casting in Clear Conditions
A
s we transition from spring’s high flows to
summer’s dropping water conditions, we
see changes in fish behaviour. The trout that
weren’t shy to take a size 12 stimulator
with reckless abandon in stained, fast moving
water are now seeking shadows in clear water as they sip size
18 mayflies. For anglers, once-aggressive casts required to
turn over large flies have evolved to presentations featuring
delicacy and finesse. I love casting those splashy patterns
to hungry, aggressive fish in the spring but as the season
changes we have to adapt—just as the fish do.
While I appreciate the flurry of activity that spring can
bring, few things are more satisfying than fooling a spooky
fish with a long, well-presented cast in the summer. Many
of us can catch a gullible fish after ice-off, but tricking a fish
in lower, clearer water requires a more versatile toolbox.
Subtle setups
To make a delicate cast easier to execute, start with
adjusting your equipment. If you can, choose a fly line
with a longer (slower) taper. Presentation-specific lines are
meant to make a cast’s energy transition longer, but keep
in mind they might fall short when the wind comes up or
if you want to switch to a nymph rig or tie on a larger fly.
Their situation-specific features make the case for carrying
multiple lines on extra spools.
If you can’t shell out for new fly line, you can certainly
swap out your leader. A longer leader (nine feet or more)
with a less-aggressive taper will allow for a delay of the
cast’s energy dissipation and reduce casting “kick.” Your
local tackle shop probably carries dry fly or presentation
leaders, but even a nine-foot, 5x leader will generally give
you the subtly to create a more nuanced offering.
Rod type can also affect presentation. The most
versatile rods, in my experience, have faster action,
tip flex and a fast recovery. That being said, fast-action
rods’ ability to generate line speed can make subtle
presentations more difficult. A softer rod can make
delicate presentations easier because the slower line
speed becomes the default. Slower action rods can also
protect lighter tippet and reduce break offs when fishing
6x or 7x.
Position decision
Earlier in the year, when the water is off-colour and
moving fast, I’m less concerned how I move into a run.
When fishing summer’s calm-water situations, however, a
thoughtful approach is critical. As the water level drops
and the season progresses, increasing the amount of time
you take to evaluate your approach will pay dividends.
Take a few minutes to look up-stream at the character of
the water. Think about where you will cross or move to
maximize the use of the current and the flow of the river
channel. As much as is reasonable, limit your movement to
lessen the chance of spooking fish.
When approaching a specific section of water, take
the time to look for fish and fish-holding water. Begin by
casting to the edges of water you think will hold fish and
gradually work your way out. I have often been surprised
to find trout in water that upon first inspection looked
devoid of fish. Once you have worked these areas, begin
moving into the more prime water. My objective is always
to make the shortest cast possible while not spooking the
fish. Keep line length manageable. It does little good to
make a long cast that you can’t mend or control; usually
the result is spooked fish.
 © Photo Faceless Fly Fishing

© Photo Faceless Fly Fishing

 Controlled casting
For many of us, the idea of long casts, clear water and dry
flies is angling heaven. On the other hand, if you’re not
doing them right, repeated long casts can be hell on the
body. Even an average 30-foot cast, made many times in a
day, can strain one’s arm. When faced with a distant target,
novice casters often try to overpower their rod, forgetting
that a well-executed cast is one which makes efficient use
of their equipment. You want the loop to barely unfurl over
the surface of the water. Not only is this more efficient, it
will also present the fly better. We want the fly line and fly
to have enough power to turn over, but from the lowest
height possible. The higher the fly line drops from, the
more likely it is to splat, rather than touch down lightly.
Additionally, the lower the line, the less susceptible to
wind it becomes.
Presentation preferences
As we sight our target, we must consider the target’s
ability to sight us—particularly during the low, clear water
conditions of summer. Remember that trout have a cone
of vision and are looking through two different mediums
(water and air) causing light distortion. Casting over fish
creates movement and shadows which they may perceive
as a threat, however, at some point you have to get your fly
into the feeding lane. To ensure I’m putting a fly the right
distance upstream of a fish I’ve been fortunate enough to
sight, I’ll often first pick a target to measure my cast by.
If a fish looks like it is 30-feet away in the middle of the
stream, for example, I like to find an adjacent point—be
it a rock, a branch or a current seam that looks to be the
same distance as the fish—and use this point to measure
my distance. We want the fly to float into the fish’s vision.
If your cast is too short and the fly drops right on its head,
not only does the presentation appear unnatural, it gives
the fish less time to see the fly. Too long, and you risk
spooking the fish with your fly line. Once you’ve got the
distance dialled, deliver the fly to the feeding lane.
Straight and narrow
The best, most accurate and easiest cast, is going to the one
in a simple straight line. Typically this means an upstream
cast, with a presentation roughly 45 degrees up and across
54 The Soul of Fly Fishing
the current. This situation presumes the currents are mostly
travelling at the same speed, and that there’s enough space
to allow for a backcast and forward cast.
Pile it on
A straight line cast isn’t always possible, however.
Sometimes you need some extra slack to get a drag-free
drift. A simple way to achieve this is to perform a pile
cast. A pile cast is similar to your straight line cast, but
is oriented on a more-vertical plane. More tilt gives more
slack, less tilt equals less slack. Note you will need to add
some additional line to the cast to accommodate the tilt,
and be prepared to mend to help keep your fly on target.
But the pile cast is special for its simplicity. Keep the
rod tip high as the loop unrolls and begins to fall. As it
does, drop the rod tip to the surface of the water. The
resulting “puddle” of line will add a few extra seconds to
your drift, and give you some extra slack to play with for
mending.
Reach for the chars
Another critical technique for presentation is the reach
mend. Not exactly a cast, because it is done after the stop,
the reach mend nevertheless might be the most under-
utilized, and yet potentially most useful, technique that
fly anglers can employ. An aerial mend is characterized
by manipulation of the rod and line after the stop of the
rod, but before the line hits the water. Similar to the pile
cast, it is typically used to increase slack and ultimately to
generate a longer drag-free drift.
The reach mend is just that: a simple reach to the
right or the left after the stop of the rod and before the line
hits the water. The goal is to have the fly land in the same
location as it would have before you made the mend, but
with the line upstream of the fly.
During summer time the livin’ may be easy but the
fishing can be anything but. Clear, low water and tuned-
in, skittish trout often require long casts and creative
presentations. By adjusting your equipment, altering your
approach and practicing your casting, you can make the
most out of classic summertime conditions. Hopefully you
rise to the challenge and are rewarded by more than a few
trout rising to your offerings.

Derek Olthuis
Derek loves researching
and exploring new places
to fish–the more remote
the better. He is obsessed
with sight fishing; to him
there is nothing more
enjoyable than stalking a
fish and watching it eat
a fly.
56 The Soul of Fly Fishing
WANDERING CURRENTS
What Dreams May Come
Spellbound in Magic Minipi
C
hug, chug, chug went the little mouse as
I stripped him across the turbid, broken
surface of the river. The deer hair fly
plowed courageously through the foam
as it bravely made its way back against
the current, towards the bank. Cast after cast the mouse
dutifully swam the gauntlet. Meanwhile, I muttered
incredulously under my breath. A few minutes earlier, it
felt odd to be tying on a mouse without requiring a head
lamp. Now, the idea of seeing an eat in full sunlight was
exciting…but hardly believable.
While in most places where there’s a chance of a big
trout eating a small mammal, mice patterns are fished in
the dead of night. In Minipi, Labrador, a float plane’s ride
away from the far east coast of Canada, however, mice are
fished sun up to sun down.
Hyper hope
Often high expectations end with disappointment. Minipi
was one of those locations I had seen in a magazine as
a kid but doubted I would ever get the chance to visit.
Now that I was here, and had been working a section of
river for the last few hours with a barrage of streamers, the
thought occurred to me that my long-seeded intrigue with
the Minipi River system had built the hype too high. If the
fish didn’t respond to a streamer, why would they even
consider moving through the water column to break the
surface and eat a mouse?
Then, a thick tail appeared. It swatted at the little
foam and deer hair mouse, spraying water into the bright
fall sky. A quick pick-up-and-cast sent the mouse back into
the fray. Another splashy miss, another quick cast into the
hot zone. This time, the fish connected! The tail swat was
traded for an aerial maneuver, its mouth wide open as the
massive brookie prepped for lunch. I would like to say it
was my “nerves of steel” that ensured I didn’t rip the fly
out of its mouth with a knee-jerk trout set, but I think the
term is “deer in the headlights.” As the fish splashed back
into the security of the tea stained water, a firm strip sealed
the deal.
The first blows thrown in the ensuing fight were a
series of head shakes, followed by a race to the current.
More head shakes, an effort to bull-dog me to the bottom
and finally, a few furious death rolls on the surface. The
match was over. The colourful male hit the net in defeat
while I stood there, stunned.
Whiffs of Wulff
In Minipi, the unlikely just seems to materialize. Eats that
you’d never convince a toddler could happen somehow
come to pass. Whether it was a mouse being smashed in
broad daylight or an eight pound monster taking an ultra-
classic dry fly, we learned that childhood dreams can come
true here.
We also learned to trust our guides! While you
would think I would’ve figured it out after admiring the
spotted flanks of my six-pound mouse-eater, later in the
trip, sometime in the afternoon of what had been our
slowest day so far, the guide suggested tying on a size 6
royal Wulff. We had been pounding a pool with streamers,
nymphs and even mice, all to little effect. The guides kept
reassuring us that this hole regularly produced some of
the biggest fish in the area, so like good little guests we
kept casting, but when the idea of fishing an old-school
attractor pattern was floated, I know I wasn’t the only one
raising my eyebrows. However, thinking back to day one
flyfusionmag.com 57
 and the mouse, we realized we had no reason—and no
room—to doubt.
Cort waded out waist-deep to a rock and pulled himself
up to make a cast. He had already put in a solid effort to
pull a fish from this pool, but was willing to try something
new. On his first cast, the Minipi magic took effect. As the
fly drifted lazily along in the current, an absolute giant
mistook the Wulff for a drowning mayfly. In sheer disbelief
we watched Cort set the hook on what ended up being
the fish of the trip. The guide slid the net underneath and
attached his scale to the basket. The monster lay still as the
guide pronounced he was more than eight pounds.

Dreamscape drama
Childhood fantasies can’t always be relied on in hopes they
will come to fruition. Never did I think, as an adult, I’d be
presenting a fly to the quality of brook trout I’d admired
in the well-worn fishing magazines I’d leafed through as
a kid. But in the red and blue hues of a Labrador sunset,
Minipi turned that presumption on its head.
Soon, the roar of the float plane was growing louder
as it approached the dock. The week was over, and as we
threw our gear in, shouted our final goodbyes and climbed
aboard, I thought back about what had transpired.
Eventually, the endless blanket of trees blurred into one,
and the memories of big, muscly brook trout were crisp
against the softened landscape.
Was it believable? Was it a dream? The answer is in
the eye of the beholder, I suppose, but it’s unlikely that the
memory of Minipi will ever fade.

58 The Soul of Fly Fishing

 STILLWATER SECRETS
Dragon Slayers
Imitating Lakes’ Apex Insect Predators
Brian Chan
I
Often referred to as “Dr. was very fortunate to have a wonderful mentor
Chironomid,” Brian has to guide me during my formative years as a
always viewed stillwater fly stillwater fly fisher. Jack Shaw, from Kamloops,
fishing through the lens of
B.C., was a pioneer in the development of lake fly
a biologist. Lakes and their
inhabitants are always fishing methods as well as innovative fly patterns
changing–no two days based on actual food sources. Some of Jack’s very first
are ever the same–and words of advice to me were to set up an aquarium and fill
that’s what Brian finds it with the common aquatic foods that the rainbow and
so fascinating about fly brook trout feed on in our local lakes.
fishing in still water.
Basement dwellers
Back then, we could get a permit to
collect invertebrates and keep them in our
home aquariums. My collection included
chironomid larvae, scuds, damselfly
and dragonfly nymphs, mayfly nymphs,
leeches, water boatman, backswimmers
and snails. I added a marl bottom along
Doug’s Aftershaft Dragonfly with some vegetation and a few rocks for a
good habitat base and proceeded to watch
Nymph how the various creatures moved, and also
Hook: 2XL curved nymph hook in size 8 or 6
Thread: 8/0 waxed in olive green or brown how they changed as they matured. I still
Tail: Pheasant rump or hen saddle vividly remember having adult damselflies
Underbody: built up with wool flying around my basement suite in the
Body: SLF dubbing in light olive to dark middle of December. It wasn’t long before
brown to match naturals I noticed fewer shrimp and damselfly
Rib- medium gold or copper wire
nymphs and upon closer inspection I
Back: raffia
Legs: knotted pheasant tail fibres could see pieces of their carcasses strewn
Thorax: filoplume or aftershaft feather about the bottom. While watching the
spun into dubbing loop tank one evening I observed a Jurassic
Collar: pheasant rump or hen saddle, sparce Park moment when a large darner
Wing Case: raffia dragonfly nymph came out of hiding and
Eyes: knotted ultra chenille
slowly moved within striking distance
60 The Soul of Fly Fishing
of several scuds that were partially buried in the marl
substrate. With lightning-like speed the nymph extended
and then retracted its lower triple-hinged jaw, which was
now wrapped around an unsuspecting shrimp. I quickly
learned that the dragonflies needed their own tank where
I had control of who and how many they ate for dinner.
Jaw-dropping hunters
Two families of dragonflies are common inhabitants of our
trout lakes. The darners of the family Aeschnidae, and the
mud dwellers of the family Lebellulidae. Unique nymphal
body shape and other features makes it easy to tell the two
species apart. Darners have a slender, streamlined body,
perfectly-suited to their aggressive hunting behaviour.
Mud dwellers, conversely, appear almost spider-like with
a short, squat body, long legs and an abdomen covered
in hair. Mud dwellers are ambush predators, waiting for
unsuspecting prey to swim or crawl within striking range
of their retractable lower jaw.
While dragonfly nymphs are the apex insect predator
of other invertebrates in the lake, they are also highly
sought after by trout and other fish species. Dragonflies
can spend up to five years as a nymph so they are an
available food source at all times of the year. As well, they
are a big food item; mud dwellers grow to more than an
inch in length and darners can reach in excess of two
inches long.
Molten larvae
Dragonfly nymphs are most vulnerable to trout predation
when mature nymphs make their emergence migrations
to shoreline riparian vegetation or emergent vegetation,
such as cattail or bulrush stems, to complete the
transformation into the adult phase. The heaviest
emergences typically occur during the first couple of
weeks of summer. Large numbers of nymphs crawling or
swimming along the lake bottom become very easy targets
for foraging fish. Trout also seek out these nymphs when
they are molting, which occurs numerous times during
the aquatic phase of their life. Freshly-molted nymphs
are often bright-coloured, making them easier for the fish
to find amongst the vegetation and other benthic debris.

Golden retrieval
Regardless of the stillwater season, because of their size,
dragonfly nymphs are always a good searching pattern.
During the hot summer months anglers can have good
success fishing them during the day as well as at night.
While the sun is up, anchoring along the edges of the drop
off and fishing both darner and mud dweller patterns up
the slope on Type 3 to 7 full-sinking lines can be very
rewarding. Match the line density to the angle of the
drop-off slope so that the nymphs are bumping along just
off the bottom. Darners are fast swimmers and are best

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Deer Hair Mud Dweller Nymph
Hook: 1X long nymph in 10 or 8
Thread: 8/0 waxed in olive green or grey
Body: spun and clipped deer hair
Thorax: spun and clipped deer hair
Legs: hen pheasant tail fibres
imitated with a continuous strip retrieve
between four and eight inches in length.
Mud dwellers are much slower swimmers
and their movement is best represented
with short, slow, two to four-inch
long retrieves.
Darn it anyway
The shallower areas of the shoal zone are
prime trout food real estate, however, often
it can be too warm during the daytime for
the fish to feed. At night, cooling water
temps and better oxygen levels will allow
fish to venture back into these food-rich
areas. A large darner pattern retrieved on
either an intermediate or slow sinking
line can provide some exciting fish
fighting action under a moonlit sky—just
make sure your tippet material is at least
eight pounds (3X) to 10 pounds (2X) in
strength, or be prepared to lose flies. And
remember to tie that big pattern on with a non-slip loop
knot to give more life-like movement to the fly.
Dragonfly Patterns
Over the years fly tyers have become extremely creative in
the design of realistic dragonfly patterns, particularly with
darner nymphs. Many years ago I met a young teenager
named Doug Wright who was already tying some incredibly
detailed stillwater fly patterns. His darner imitations
immediately caught my eye and some 20 years later that
pattern is still my number one choice for mimicking the
nymph. Doug continues to create fish-catching patterns
when not guiding steelhead fly fishers on the Dean or
Bulkley rivers of northern B.C.
Because of its body shape and lifestyle, the mud dweller
nymph lends itself to patterns tied using spun deer hair for
the body material. The buoyant nature of deer hair allows
this fly to be retrieved just inches above the lake bottom
without fear of getting snagged up. Waterproof marking
pens can be used to get the exact colour of the nymphs but
the natural colour often works equally as well.

Jim McLennan
Jim McLennan has been fly
fishing and writing about it
since sometime in the last
century. He continues to
indulge his passions for fly
fishing, bird hunting, writing,
and music, but unfortunately
this leaves very little time
for the thankless task
of keeping Derek under
control during filming
of Fly Fusion TV.
64 The Soul of Fly Fishing
WATER MARKS
Paws for Effect
Would fishing be better with
a canine companion?
Y
ou’ve seen the images: a magazine shot of a pivots toward its inevitable conclusion: chaos in a small
handsome, noble Labrador sitting attentively space. There are no Instagram posts of this day because
on the bank while Master fishes a beautiful the expensive camera that was supposed to take the
mountain stream; a Christmas card showing photos is at bottom
your friend’s silky golden retriever, riding of the lake, flipped
proudly and patiently in the front of the boat, helping Master overboard by a loop
scan the lake for risers; or the video of a cute and faithful of loose fly line that “There are no Instagram
spaniel carefully “kissing” every fish Master catches. There wrapped first around posts of this day because
are tiresome stories of dogs that point and retrieve fish, yuk Charley’s foot, then his
the expensive camera that
yuk, ha ha. I’d probably say the whole “fishing dog” thing ear, then an oarlock,
is urban myth, a concoction of social media, except I know two fly rods and my was supposed to take the
several of them, dogs and people. sunglasses, when he photos is at bottom of
When I see these images I feel sorry for myself, made a sudden lunge
the lake, flipped overboard
deprived even. Dogs are a big part of my life and so is fly at a passing dragonfly.
fishing, yet I’ve never had a “fishing dog.” Every once in There is additional by a loop of loose fly line
awhile though, I wistfully imagine one of my dogs coming damage: a soggy that wrapped first around
along on a day of fishing for purposes of companionship lunch, a broken rod,
and photo-ops. an unexpected swim, a
Charley’s foot, then his ear,
My first imaginary trip is to a pretty, small lake missing boat plug. End then an oarlock, two fly
in a pretty small boat, just Charley and me. Charley of fishing-dog fantasy rods and my sunglasses,
was a big, furry, slightly clumsy Brittany with a poor number one.
sense of direction who liked to sit on things. He’d have My dogs, you
when he made a sudden
found a small boat particularly fascinating. This understand, have all lunge at a passing
pastoral scene starts out pleasantly enough, the been hunting dogs, but dragonfly.”
boat anchored off a nice shoal and Charley sitting not the polite retrievers
on the cooler. The lake is surrounded by pretty that are trained to sit
green hills that will make a nice background for the quietly in the duck blind until the birds arrive. They are
upcoming photos. But before long Charley gets upland-bird dogs, and specifically, pointing dogs that are
antsy and starts pacing in the boat. This could mean more, shall we say, pro-active, than the mannerly retriever
boredom, or the pressing need for a poop. I start to just mentioned. They don’t wait for the birds to arrive; they
row quickly toward shore, which is when the expedition go and find the birds. So maybe that gets them a pass on
the idea of riding quietly in a boat. Maybe a nice day on a
trout stream would be better?
Fishing-dog fantasy number two: I’m with Reuben,
a setter and the fastest, most athletic of the dogs we’ve
owned. Oblivious to the fact that the places I fish are very
similar to—or at least to a bird-dog look very similar to—
the places I hunt, off we go along a brown-trout stream
in the foothills. Or, shall I say, off Reuben goes. He’s out
of sight before I strip line off my reel, rocketing through
the woods seeking grouse scent. I have two choices. I can
ignore him, assuming that he’ll be back at some point,
or I can worry about what he’s up to. I choose the latter
and try to follow him. Luckily he’s wearing his “beeper
collar,” a clever device that makes a loud, annoying sound
every seven seconds so I can keep track of him audibly
when I can’t visibly. The beeper tells me that he’s getting
farther and farther away. I stumble along, wishing I had
brought my whistle, falling and tearing my waders. The
idea of fishing has now evaporated entirely. Eventually
the beeper changes to the different sound it makes when
the dog is stationary. This sound is called, optimistically,
Alberta's Native Trout
are a big part of what makes the backcountry
in Alberta so incredible.
the “point signal.” The collar stays in this mode for the
several minutes it takes me to bash my way through the
bush. I finally find him, indeed on point and looking
rather grand. In a farmer’s yard. At the chicken coop.
With the farmer coming out of the shop to find out
what all the noise is about. End of fishing-dog fantasy
number two.
Maybe it would have been better with Nash, an elegant
white setter whose life’s calling other than hunting was, in
the words of George Carlin, “just waiting around to get
in on stuff,” or with Rosie, an orange and white pointer
from Oklahoma who was the most (don’t take this the
wrong way) “cat-like” of our dogs, sort of stoic and snobby,
unwilling to consider any activities beyond hunting worthy
of her attention. Could I have turned one of them into a
fishing dog? Maybe, but I doubt it.
I should have started the process of developing
fishing dogs when mine were pups, but I didn’t,
and now that I’m likely on my final dog, I expect it’s too
late. So I tip my hat to fly fishers who do have fishing dogs,
freely acknowledging my jealousy.
Learn more about how to protect
Alberta’s native trout and their habitat at:
AlbertaNativeTrout.com
 END OF THE LINE

Thursday Night Live

Tim Hepworth & Dana Lattery
Tim Hepworth
Tim was born in Alberta
to a family infused with Foam is Home Stone
the outdoors. He loves Hook: Ahrex 531 Sedge Body: Rainy’s Cross-Link Sheet Head: Rainy’s Cross-Link Sheet
people, is passionate about Dry Fly Hook - 8 Foam - Cinnamon - 1 mm Foam - Cinnamon - 2 mm
the outdoors and strives Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Underwing: Rainy’s Cross-Link Legs: Round Rubber Legs -
to be an ambassador for Denier - Burnt Orange Sheet Foam - Tan - 1 mm Brown - Medium
sustaining it. Most of all, Tail: Speckled Centipede Legs - Wing: Nature’s Spirit Select
he loves fishing with his Speckled Tan/Brown - Medium Cow Elk - Natural
daughter Wren. When Tim
isn’t on the river searching Complex Twist Bugger Articulated
for trout, he’s in the TNL
Hook: Daiichi 2461 - Long Cone: Brass Cone Heads - Fl. Body: Solid and Krystal Tinsel
studio tying flies on his
Shank Streamer Hook - 1/0 Pearl White - Large (1/4”) Chenille - Gold
Norvise.
Hook: Daiichi 2461 - Long Weight: Lead Wire Spool - .020 Body: UV Polar Chenille - Gold
Shank Streamer Hook - 1 Tail: Hare’s Mask - Body: Fish Hunter Select
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 140 Grade #1 - Natural Schlappen – Tan
Denier - Tan Tail/Body: Fish Hunter
Premium Strung Marabou - Tan

Chubby Chernobyl
Hook: TMC 5263 #6-12 Body Dubbing: Gold Synthetic, Legs: Pumpkin Sili Legs
Thread: 6/0 UNI Tan I used Harrop Nymph Dubbing Wing: White McFlylon or White
Tail: Pearl Krystal Flash here Strike Indicator Yarn
Body: Cinnamon Foam, 2mm
Dana Lattery
Born in Alberta and raised
in the backcountry,
fishing, hunting, nature Foamulator
and the wild all run thick Hook: TMC 5212 #6-14 Abdomen: Tan Antron Dubbing Legs: Medium Orange Barred
in Dana’s blood. A former Thread: 70 Denier Florescent Body Hackle: Brown Rooster Rubber Legs
professional hockey Fire Orange Saddle or Neck Overwing: Natural Deer Hair
player now working as Butt: Florescent Fire Orange Flash: Pearl and Indicator: Orange Float Viz
a professional guide, he Antron Dubbing Gold Krystal Flash Front Hackle: Grizzly Rooster
loves to serve clients Tail: Natural Deer Hair Underwing: Tan Mottled Neck or Saddle
alongside the rivers of Overbody: 2mm Tan Fly Foam Web Wing Thorax: Florescent Fire Orange
Southern Alberta. When not Rib: Copper Wire, extra fine Antron Dubbing
searching for a big brown
trout, you’ll find him in the
TNL Studio. om for
Visit flyfusionmag.c
tterns!
two additional TNL pa

66 The Soul of Fly Fishing

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