Pro Tips

“DUDE, SWEET BACK CAST”   Now, that is something you don’t hear often when one is perusing the rivers of the Pacific Northwest. More along the terms of “just a little farther”, mend it, and so on and so forth. Yet when it comes down to it, the perfect back...

CASTING THE HEAVY LINES You've just purchased that casting machine S4 9 Ft. 9 Wt. and now you have to cast a lead core shooting head that weights 375 grains and a huge black over chartreuse whistler fly that is nine inches long and weighs a whopping 110 grains to catch that lunker 30 pound striper...

Spey casting tip 1: Lining up your anchor  Many Spey casters have difficulty getting the end of their line and leader to turn over properly. Some blame the design of their lines, others blame their leaders, still others blame their rods. Sometimes these much-maligned components of kit are...

It was one of those chance meetings… I had posted a question on a popular internet forum, asking who was going to be in Weipa this June. After a few weeks of no replies I proclaimed to have the whole place to myself. Then Andy Altman (‘Kiwi Andy’ to the forumites) responds....

One of my favorite dry flies for searching small streams is this variation of the Au Sable Wulff. I first used this pattern with success in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales in the middle of a plague of small light coloured moths. Since then I have used this pattern regularly and it has now...

In fly tying, specific imitation is driven by observation and logic. During a mayfly hatch, close scrutiny of the water reveals a sizable portion of emerging duns that are not successful in completely freeing themselves from the nymphal shuck. In this crippled condition, they are incapable of...

In the accessory-rich world of fly tying there are all manner of whip finish tools. The best whip finish tool is your hand – you can place a whip finish anywhere along the hook shank, and even use it to fashion a ‘needle-less nail knot’ to connect your leader to fly line. And...

Eyes are an important feature of many fly patterns. Check out a baitfish next time you see one swimming past, and the pupil is usually most prominent. Many pre-painted or stick-on eyes have tiny pupils. Next time, try making them larger for better results.

     There is something bordering on sinister when a half dozen top Henry’s fork guides are joined by still water master Gareth Jones from Wales and one of Japan’s most aggressive and effective anglers, Masa Katsumata for a four day assault on a single body of water....

While easy fishing is seldom associated with the Henry’s Fork, a month long period beginning in mid June produced something that came pretty close. Green, Brown, and Gray Drakes are all size twelve or larger and the effect they have on trout is quite different than the usual insect...

As the original fair weather fisherman, the Osprey’s autumn departure from the Henry’s Fork warns of winter’s arrival. Always the first to leave with the approach of cold weather, Osprey do not return until winter storms become a memory and the hatches of spring bring trout into a...

For more than a decade, members of the scientific community have attributed drought related trout mortality to inadequate water flows. If this assumption is correct, anglers should expect to see considerably improved trout numbers in the coldest months, and severe icing is less likely to occur...

In the proper season, my thoughts and attention are dominated by the big rainbows of the upper Henry’s Fork where copious hatches of great diversity dictate the refined application of a 3 or 4 weight rod. The constant disciplines of patience, concentration, and determination come into full...

Sitting on the ground, I was physically and mentally spent. Seriously depleted of electrolytes, food, and water, nearly every muscle in my body was sore and stiff as if I had just run a marathon or participated in some sort of iron man competition. Though not quite so extreme, the day’s...

“Fishing the Clock” By Rene’ Harrop               Although there are notable exceptions, trout streams within two hundred miles of Yellowstone National Park are considered large by most fly fishing standards....

Greetings Fellow Scott-Heads and fly-fishers! I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome you to my Southeast Alaska Scott Pro blog area.  Please take the time to venture through this area as I intend to use it to keep "you" up-to-date on various industry items as well as what's...

Start short. Use a rod and line combo that will load well in close. Try and keep as much line off the water as possible to eliminate drag. Keep your rod and arm high to assist. Remember to use your arm as an extension of the rod. I like to make 5-10 casts per pocket to search.   On...

The Yellowstone is the classic western freestone river and the only major U.S. river to escape damming. It starts in the Teton Wilderness, a stones throw away from the Snake River, flows into Yellowstone Lake, through Yellowstone Park, and cuts through Montana before meeting the Missouri at the...

I tie two epoxy sinking ant patterns, the TransparANT and the Attract-ANT, both of which are carried by Umpqua. They sink very slowly, usually only a few inches below the surface. I often fish them by themselves either to rising fish during a hatch or lightly weighted and with an indicator. What...

CENTRAL TEXAS BASS FISHING If you enjoy wade fishing crystal clear streams with healthy populations of native fish and float fishing scenic rivers lined with lush vegetation, I have a wonderful place for you. Some of the waters are spring creeks with abundant aquatic life and dense hatches....

“Leave the stripping to the girls at Fred’s Lounge- dead drift your wooly buggers” Well, I guess it’s a little more complicated than that. But, I have never in fifteen years had a new client step in my boat that fully understood how I wanted them to fish a bugger, so I...

The other day, while sitting on the can amidst deep thought I noticed a new book among the standard fly-fishing magazines and Men's Journals so common to a bachelor's bathroom. How to succeed in singles' bars- (For MEN Only!), was printed in big bold black letters across the top, with a final...

Stripping baskets are a necessity in a number of fishing situations. They allow you to get maximum casting distance, keep the line from tangling around your feet and keep your lines cleaner. No one basket will do it all, so check them out and find one that suits your style of fishing. What seems...

Try and work upstream if possible (especially in low water). Map out a course (not unlike picking a line in skiing) to wade. If it's anything like the West Branch Ausable, and the wading is tough, try to economize your position and fish all vantage points from where you are at the time. The key...

I have never met an angler that hasn’t said out loud, or at least under his breath, “boy, I wish I had a good photograph of that HOG”. You can get “lost” in a good photograph, but you don’t have to be an expert photographer to take a compelling image. With a...

Planning your trip Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures is a destination angling booking company that sends hundreds of anglers a year all over the world. Over the years of booking trips and fishing the world ourselves, we have learned one very important lesson about destination trips —...

The last time she and I fished together I learned a new fishing strategy. I remember because she wore a bikini top in the bow when the sun came out, and I became distracted because that is one of those things I really like, bikini tops in the bow of fishing boats. I also remember this day...

“Double Haul Camp Coffee” AKA “Rotator Cuff Coffee” Ingredients needed: A little cold water, a lot of centrifugal force, and a splash of faith. Forget the eggshells, mule spit and all those other secret tricks that are said to settle the grounds in a pot of camp...

I just returned home from three days fishing and camping in the Everglades National Park. This was my first trip of the season here in South Florida since returning from Cape Cod. I had the pleasure of fishing with Jason Lynn who is the manager of Boca Grande Outfitters on Gasparilla Island....

This fall we had several weeks of great fishing for School Bluefin Tuna. These fish were averaging around 100 lbs. We had the opportunity to hook and land several on the Scott Bluewater 15 weight. This is the fourth season for me on these rods and they are still going strong. I had an angler hook...

Want more hook ups in salt water????   Try using a non slip loop knot. It is easy to tie, extremely strong, and allows the fly to have a lot more action. Flies tied with synthetic or natural materials (especially craft hair and rabbit fur) really perform well using...

I’m not afraid to learn from my anglers. One thing I noticed was how well good trout anglers controlled their lines in heavy current. Subsequently I now use reach casts and mends for line control in heavy current. I can dead drift the fly better, and I have no downstream belly in the line....

Life as the Anti-Matcher of Hatch has served me well, and there¡¦s no better time for that philosophy to shine than springtime. Common knowledge, combined with life experience, should tell you that good or bad, the attention always goes to those that opt to be different....

IT'S ALL IN THE RETRIEVE The striped bass is a predator, an eating machine that maims and then devours its prey. Whether fishing Clousers or whistlers for these trophy game fish I ask one thing of my clients: make sure you pause the fly. All my flies are weighted in the front so when we pause them...