Another PNW wild salmon and steelhead river will be once again set free from its impoundment as the Middle Fork Nooksack Dam near Bellingham is removed in July. The restoration will not only improve fish movement through the system but also for the endangered Southern Resident orcas of Puget Sound, who have been in decline as their primary food source, wild salmon, has dwindled in the past years.
“BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Construction crews have begun work to remove the Middle Fork Nooksack Dam near Bellingham, restoring a crucial river for salmon.
The project is decades in the making and is critical as fish species in the Northwest dwindle.
Steven Day, a project engineer for the City of Bellingham Public Works Department, says it opens up 16 miles of spawning habitat for salmon, steelhead, and bull trout.
“The project itself has been listed as the single most effective fish passage project in the Nooksack watershed for a period of over 15 years,” he points out.
Restoring the river is important for the endangered Southern Resident orcas of Puget Sound, which have declined in numbers as salmon populations have dropped.
Project partners include the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Lummi Nation, the organization American Rivers, and the state of Washington.
Dam removal has required creative thinking.
Over the past 50 years, the dam has been a vital part of Bellingham’s water supply. But Day and the city have come up with a solution. He says the new system will be installed slightly upstream from the old dam and is a win-win for the city.
“It will not create a waterfall or other step within the river that creates a passage issue and will still provide for municipal water supply to the citizens of Bellingham,” he explains.
American Rivers joined the project in 2017, getting the ball rolling on removal with funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
April McEwen, river restoration project manager for American Rivers, says she hopes this can inspire other projects in the region.
“That’s just a tremendous story of hope and also what we can do with our future,” she states. “We can meet our own future needs better without creating so much impact on the life support systems that we all depend on.”
The dam is scheduled for demolition in July.
The Middle Fork Nooksack River is expected to flow freely in September for the first time in 50 years.”
When people think of fly fishing, a few species come to mind: trout, bonefish, and maybe bass. Most, however, do not think of walleye. Well, I’m here to tell you that walleye is a great species to target on the fly. Guides and anglers in the conventional fishing world use flies to catch them in rivers because walleye love flash and the other materials fly tiers use. Most fly anglers catch them by accident while targeting other species, but recently there has been a growing movement of anglers targeting them and having great success. In today’s strange times, fly fishermen and women are looking for new species close to home. With these tips, you’ll be wondering why it took this long to target them on the fly!
Where to Find Walleye:
I think the main reason people don’t target them is that these fish are on the move (walleye follow the food) and/or usually retreat to deeper water during the heat of summer. They are, at times, more difficult to catch than other species, because getting flies deep over a structure can be difficult. However, technology advances in electronics and fly lines have made it easier to locate, target, and catch them. The possibility of detecting a bite in 20-30 feet of water is easier than ever.
To be successful in targeting walleye on the fly, understanding their habitat and biology are good but knowing your water body is even more important. It’s not as complicated as you may think. Walleye require the same things as other, more familiar, fish: cover, food sources, well-oxygenated water, and have a preferred temperature range.
Both have their pros and cons to locate walleye. Lakes are probably more complex or difficult for fly anglers to access than rivers. Most lakes require some sort of watercraft to consistently find walleye. In any case, if you’re going to try a lake, look for rocks piles, sand flats, fresh weed lines, transition areas (from sand to rock, rock to sand, weeds to rock/sand, etc.), distinct current seams (wind-blown points are a classic walleye magnet), underwater humps, and inflowing water from streams or storm drains.
Depending on their size, rivers can be more accessible for the fly angler to get out and target walleye. Similar to any fish in a river, they want to hold in the prime feeding areas with as little work as required. The locations mentioned above for lakes are good starting points, but also look for current seams in large pools, back eddies, dams or current breaks, log jams, and undercut banks.
What Fly Fishing Gear for Walleye:
You probably already own all the gear needed to target walleye, a standard 5wt to 8wt rod is a good start. A floating line and at least one sinking line will be needed. As far as reels go, you can use any of your bass or larger trout reels. It helps to have a spare spool with a different line spooled, so you can quickly switch between floating and sinking lines. A smooth drag will also be helpful; walleye aren’t known for their long runs, but they bulldog and head shake. A large walleye will definitely test your drag. If you’re a two-handed fly angler, a Spey or switch rod is a perfect tool to fish rivers and chuck big flies far and to get deep. A 4 to 8wt Spey rod is an excellent choice–it’s my preferred way to cover water and find fish in rivers.
Fly lines are a difficult subject, as deciding which one will depend on how and where you target them. Walleye can be caught on dry flies, streamers, under an indicator, or in 30 feet water or anywhere else in the water columm. So, at the very least have one floating line and one sinking line to match your rod. Just like every other technique or style of fly fishing, there is a specific line to match.
Leaders have a purpose and depending on how you fish may differ slightly. Try to keep it simple–a 7.5 to 12ft long leader for floating lines (you can add or subtract tippet as needed). For sinking lines a 3ft long leader is a good start. If you need to keep your fly off the bottom due to potential snags, then a longer leader may be required–up to 6ft. Tippet size is dictated by structure, other species present (like pike) and water clarity. For the most part, a good fluorocarbon in the 6lbs to 12lbs is a good choice, (leaning on the heavier side if possible, as walleye have teeth and if they eat your whole fly, you run the risk of losing them).
What Flies for Walleye:
This is my favorite part, the flies. You can make it as easy as you want or can tie the most realistic and challenging patterns to catch them. Walleye eat insects, leeches, crawfish, and minnows for the most part and sometimes it varies, but these will get you started.
Woolly buggers, Clouser minnow, deceivers, and half/half are all tried and true, walleye-catching flies. Plan to have a variety of weights and colors–such as white, brown, black, purple, and olive. Orange/chart, chart/yellow, black/red, chart/pink, red/white, red/black, and all black are also great colors for catching walleye.
A balanced leech is an excellent pattern to hang below an indicator.
Sculpin patterns in brown, black, and olive are one of my favorites (I am biased though, I landed the Ontario record walleye on a black sculpin a few years back).
Insect flies, both in the nymph stage and the adult dry fly, at times are very effective. So, think of mayflies, Stillwater caddis, and stoneflies, especially in a hatch when the water is exploding with fish everywhere. It is one of those special moments to catch a walleye on a dry fly, who wouldn’t love that.
Crawfish flies are a fly I find that people don’t use enough, especially in the spring during their molting phase when they are orange in color. Great patterns to use are Dave Whitlock’s Near Nuff, a Super Bugger, Morlock Craw, all in either tan, brown, olive, or orange.
If you like to use intricate patterns, look no further than the sex dungeon, swimmy jimmy, chunky dunker, and articulated leech.
Walleye on the fly used to be an unheard-of thing. But as people try new things and learn more about their local waters, they are finding more and more ways to target them. The gap between conventional fishing and fly fishing for walleye is closing. After all, we are all doing the same thing for the same reasons, just in a different way or using another tool in the box.
The Just Add Water Project is committed to cultivating common ground among diverse communities and making outdoor recreation welcoming and accessible to all. We believe that fresh air, clean water, and healthy outdoor activity are key to recovering our spirit and creating a brighter future for all. We know that the best way to protect our precious public lands and waters is to connect people to positive outdoor experiences. We also believe that representation matters and diverse communities have been historically underrepresented in the outdoor and conservation community. Our ambassadors and this project aim to interrupt this cycle, celebrate diverse people playing outside, tell their stories, and spark conversations that shift us toward a more inclusive way of life.
The Just Add Water Project is a month-long event starting this Thursday, June 18th. Every Thursday evening we will come together virtually for select film screenings followed by conversations that dig deep and aim to spark a dialogue that moves us toward a more equitable and just future in our great outdoors.
The project kicked off last Thursday with the online premiere of Una Razón para Pescar (A Reason to Fish). Followed by a Q&A with Just Add Water guides Faith Briggs and Adam Edwards, Dan Diez, Orvis president Simon Perkins, Orvis ambassador Alvin Dedeaux and Katie Guerin from City Kids, where they spoke about the film, conservation, and about representation and access in fly fishing.
Tune in this Thursday to Orvis’ Instagram and Facebook for info on the next film screening and panel!
In this week’s how to tie video feature, Tim Flagler from Tightline video is here to show us how to tie the yellow sally stimulator
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
The Yellow Sally Stimulator is a stimulator fly that is tied to loosely imitate a golden stonefly. Stimulator flies, or attractors, are extremely popular amongst anglers when fishing large hatches in the spring and summertime, as their flamboyant shape and coloring makes them hard to miss on the water.
Oftentimes, stimulator flies will be used in an attempt to draw fish to the surface when little or no rises can be found. Their large build makes them an attractive meal for a curious trout, and will oftentimes trigger a dry fly eat. The yellow sally stimulator is the adult representation of the yellow sally stonefly nymph, a fly that has really made a name for itself in the western part of the US due to the nymph’s abundant presence in rivers and streams.
This fly is an excellent tie for anyone looking for a gentle transition from beginner flies, to more complicated flies. While there isn’t anything particularly challenging about tying this fly, it does have a few parts that novice tyers may get hung up on. However, once you’ve tied a few, you’ll really fall in the swing of things. These flies are an absolute essential to any anglers fly box, as they’re one of the best flies to entice a timid trout to rise.
Last week, our amazing friend, Jay Johnson (of GeoBass and Fish or Die fame) was injured while fighting a kitchen grease fire. If you’ve ever met Jay, followed him on social media, or seen him on your screen, you know Jay is one of the best of us. Ever altruistic with his time and energy, it’s our turn to help this legendary angler out!
According to a friend close to Jay, “He sustained mostly 1st-degree burns, with some 2nd-degree spots, to a substantial part of his head and face last night in an accident at home. He was very lucky that he avoided his eyes, and outside of some pretty intense swelling around the eye/burn area, he’s doing well. He only has a couple of spots that are exposed and he is in virtually no pain, despite looking like a character from an 80’s sci-fi.”
In the meantime, Jay will be laid up at home while healing from the burns and if you know anything about Jay, that’s probably going to be the hardest part of the recovery for him. We’re sure this injury and down-time will surely only fuel the passion that man is capable of.
Jay is part of the reason Flylords is where we are today, and for that, we couldn’t be more grateful. We know medical care these days is wicked expensive, and a few of Jay’s friends have put together an amazing fundraiser to help our man Jay out until he’s back on his feet doing what he does best. Check that out here, and help us show the man who has given the fly fishing community so much how big of an impact he has had on our lives!
As fly fishermen, we tend to go through various fly patterns during a typical outing on the water. Our goal is to do our best to match the aquatic food sources in which fish species are munching on. In order to do that, our imitations must have a fairly realistic and life-like look to them. If you enjoy tying your own flies, you may have run into a time where you wish you could add more bulk to your fly without hindering the life-like appeal. A simple and easy tip to achieve this effect is to create a dubbing loop while tying your fly. This makes adding bulk and liveliness to your flies much easier. In this tutorial, Orvis endorsed fly tyer, Tim Flagler shows us how to easily and effectively create a dubbing loop when tying flies.
Step-by-Step Process
Position your tying thread at the hook point.
Pull down to expose about three inches of thread.
Loop thread around the index finger of your left hand.
Take a full wrap around the hook shank and then pass the thread around the loop.
Feed the loop with a clump of dubbing.
Remove your finger and twist the loop clockwise until the dubbing is spun nicely.
Use the loop to wrap the hook shank creating the body of the fly.
Use your tying thread to finish off the dubbing look and snip off the excess.
8 Years ago Jeremy Clark (AKA Jerms) found himself stuck on the 25th floor of a building in Christchurch New Zealand…
The city had been hit by a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake. In that moment of darkness, Jerms had a new perspective on things. His near-death experience was a clarifying moment, he knew what he wanted if he had the fortune of making it out alive. He wanted kids.
After several years of trying to have children proved unsuccessful, Jeremy and his wife Billie Jo decided they were going to give adoption a try. As young professionals, the adoption process was expensive and daunting. Unannounced, Jerms’ friends put together a fundraiser to raise money to help him adopt a child.
90% of the money came from the fly fishing community. Members of the community auctioned flies, guided trips, custom rods, anything they could, out of the kindness of their hearts to help a fellow angler. Fast forward a few years and we have Zealand. This is a story about a dad, a husband, a father, an outdoorsman, and a beautiful mess.
I downloaded this video and knew right away it was Father’s Day gold. From “The Spirit of Fishing”, to videographer, photographer, guide, and net man, the OG Backpack Kid has some serious fishing buddy skills!! It’s only been 3 short years since our “Parenting Done Right” blog, yet my sons have taken in and never forgotten any memory from our times on the water. They’ve quickly become my best fishing buddies and it’s been incredibly hilarious. Watch this vid and you’ll see!
If I were to recap the years for prospective parents, it’d look like this:
Myles Year 1:
Pretty tough to fish; but doable on a local stocked pond, a bottle of milk and UPF fishing swaddle blankets (in production).
Myles Year 2:
The start of OG Backpack Kid. Getting our first son Myles used to being in the pack was easy, and a hell of a lot of fun! We just had to keep the outings short and bring the D&D (donuts and diapers)!
Myles Year 3 / Maxwell Year 1:
Year 3 was prime backpack fishing, and the highlight goes back to “Parenting Done Right”. We hiked 10’s of miles together, my knees got destroyed, and we loved every minute of fishing together. Coincidentally, this was also the year our 2nd son, and rightful heir to the backpack throne was born.
Myles Year 4 / Maxwell Year 2:
IT WAS TOUGH! Our 2 year old Maxwell now knows his brother and dad are going fishing without him… Bottom line? TANTRUMS! Yet my 4yr old Myles isn’t old enough to be river safe. Parents, this is the highest stress year and will test your fortitude as a fisher-person! It’s a good idea to split up and switch to man-to-man defense, or head out as a family and teach some river safety.
Myles Year 5 / Maxwell Year 3:
Ok, the shock of 4 and 2 is wearing off and we’re getting in our groove. We’ve found other fly parents who can chill and etc. BE SAFE, have fun, find some bugs, sticks and sneak in some river naps. You ain’t catchin’ many fish. Entomology class in session.
Myles Year 6 / Maxwell Year 4:
THE START OF THE GOOD YEARS! Myles is a level 6 net man, level 3 camera guy, level 8 guide, and level 10 ego crusher. Max is off destroying the only clothes I brought him. Both kids have good river safety, and can cast their little rods and start fishing on their own!! Highlights include catching rare rainbow trout and ULTRA-RARE Golden Brown trout!
Every year has been 100% unpredictable and a lot of work. If we could give you advice, it would be to just go with the flow and make some memories on the water! This year, we’re taking it to the next level of the unknown by introducing BABY #3! Our baby fly girl will bring the next level of unknown in Sept 2020 and as a fishing Dad, I couldn’t be more excited!
Steve Longfield is a dedicated fly fisherman and father. For more for his work, check out Steve on his website and Instagram here!
This week we are featuring an epic adventure from Tight Loops Fly. About a year ago, we had the chance to interview Chase Bartee from Tight Loops about this film, and it was available for purchase at the time. They have now released the full version to the public for free! Be sure to strap in for almost an hour of epic adventure. We would also highly suggest checking out our interview with Chase for all of the details of this epic trip. You can read the full interview here:
For many anglers, using a boat to fly fish is a must. It opens more fishing opportunities whether it’s the ability to cover more water, avoid the crowds, or even utilize effective techniques to catch more fish with the boat. But, one thing is clear if the person rowing the boat has no idea what they are doing it can almost be impossible to effectively fish a certain stretch of water.
The rower is a lot like the offensive lineman of the football team, without a good offensive lineman, the quarterback or running back can’t score. Same goes for the angler, if you don’t have someone with some skills at oars, you’re not going to have much success on the water. So with that said, here are some basic guidelines to follow for the novice oarsman to get you up to speed on safely running a drift boat or raft.
So you bought a new boat and you want to try it out on a mellow section of water to get used to it. First things first, check in on current water levels, put in and take out points, call your local fly shop for fishing conditions, set up a shuttle and prepare all gear. When arriving at the boat ramp be sure to pull off out of the way to prepare your vessel for launch. This means taking all straps off, loading all gear into the boat.
If you have a raft, pumping it up or if you have a drift boat making sure to put those boat plugs in (I know most of us have forgotten this step at least once before). Upon launching be sure to have practiced backing up your trailer prior to the boat ramp. Typically, you will be in the limelight of many to prove your trailer backing skills. If you are having trouble, one quick trick is pop open the tailgate. This allows for a visual of the boat as you put in. Once the boat is launched, quickly move it out of the way of the ramp and prepare for the river.
One rule that is often only learned the hard way, “Rig and strap down everything in the boat so if King Kong grabbed it and shook it nothing would fall out”. Pretty self explanatory as to why you do this. Upon departing onto the river be sure to make sure everyone on the boat is familiar with the basic safety of running a river.
The American White Water Association Safety Code is an excellent resource for all boaters to review before a day on the water. I highly recommend following this link for more information.
Seems straight forward right..? It’s not when you are rowing for fishing you need to be constantly rowing backward to slow the boat down. All this means is constantly pulling back on the oars to slow the boat down. By slowing the boat down it gives you control over the boat to make the moves necessary to navigate the waterway.
There are two types of fly fishing rowers, lazy ones and not lazy ones. The ones that are not lazy are constantly rowing backward to slow the boat down so that the anglers have enough time to work a piece of water. Do yourself a favor and work hard on the oars and the anglers will thank you later.
Tip 2: Point the Front of the Boat Away From Trouble
Now that you are rowing backward, you’ll notice that by pointing the front or bow of the boat in the direction that you do not want to go and pulling back you can avoid the danger. So hypothetically speaking lets say you are floating down the middle of the river and there is a rock coming up on river left. To avoid this rock, point the front of the boat at the rock to the left and pull backward. The boat will then move away from this rock and to river right. Straighten out the boat and if you are now too far on river right then point the front of the boat to river right and pull away. Just point the bow into the obstacle and the stern 45° to the flow and pull away from it.
Similar to the fly cast, the oar stroke doesn’t have to be powered with all your muscle. An efficient and effective oar stroke involves a simple oar movement where the blade of the oar is just about completely submerged in the water. Don’t dig deep where the blade of the oar is deep in the water as this is not an efficient stroke.
A proper oar stroke engages the whole body, not just the arm muscles. It starts with a strong core, leg and back power, and a little bit of arm muscle. One secret to getting more power in your stroke is to utilize your legs by placing them out in front of you and almost squatting to power through a stroke. Rowing a boat can be a good workout so be sure to pace yourself throughout the float and understand that fatigue can play a factor when running more technical water later in the float.
Boats are meant to go down rivers straight, when they are sideways they can be susceptible to flipping and other dangers. When going through whitewater staying centered is key. If you are going to run into an obstacle try to be centered upon hitting it as it can do less damage to the boat and can be easier to maneuver off of.
Another point to make is when the boat is sideways it can be very challenging for anglers to fish. So do your best to keep the boat straight unless repositioning.
One rule to follow when rowing the boat is to never drop the oars in the water. When the oars are in the water they are susceptible to getting bumped, snagged, broken, or lost. Try putting the oars underneath your knees or inside the boat when you cannot have you hands on the oars.
One very common mishap happens when the downstream oar is in the water and it hits a rock or river bottom. The oar can shoot up with a lot of power and hit the rower. Some people have been knocked unconscious by this danger. The boat can also flip or can knock out other anglers in the boat. So take extra precaution with the downstream oar.
For beginner oarsmen, I personally don’t recommend using an anchor as it can result in a variety of safety hazards. The biggest hazard is to never let the anchor go in fast water. When the anchor drops in fast water it can pull your boat into waves and cause it to flip. So take extra precaution with your anchor and make sure it is up when running technical water. And if it does somehow go down, cutting it loose can be the quick solution to getting out of a sticky situation. The anchor will become a tool for you to use to operate the boat and can result in more fish caught. Understanding the capabilities are key.
Also, do note that anchoring in private land in the state of Colorado is illegal. Be sure to have maps of private and public land for knowing where to anchor and pull over when re-rigging is necessary.
Tip 7: High-side, Strainers, Throw-bags, and Life Jackets
As stated above understanding basic whitewater safety is above all. A few points to reiterate is understand terms high side, strainers, and throw-bags.
A high side is when the boat becomes pinned on an obstacle, all people in the boat should move to the high side of the boat as quickly as possible. The weight will dislodge the boat from the obstacle.
A strainer is an obstacle in the water like a tree, stump, or branch. They can be very dangerous and very easy to be caught up and trapped in a strainer. So make sure to use extra precaution when you spot a strainer.
A throw-bag is a safety tool on board of every boat that can be thrown to rescue someone danger. When using a throw-bag, throw the bag like a football. If you are being rescued be sure to grab the rope, not the bag.
Always have a life jacket or PFD’s (personal flotation device) onboard for everyone at all times. Life Jackets saves lives it’s as simple as that. Put one on!
Boats can be customized a million different ways and can be set up to accommodate shorter, taller, wider, skinner people. So take a second to adjust the boat or familiarize yourself with the boat so you can be confident in rowing it. Every boat rows and feels different. Some things to look out for that can be adjusted to make it easier to row would be adjusting the seat, adjusting the foot brace, adjusting the oar placement. Know where the anchor is and how to operate it. Understand the type of oars and if they are using an Oar rite or rubber stopper. If you don’t feel confident rowing someone else’s boat because it just doesn’t fit you, don’t row it. Not all boats are built the same so understanding that is essential to properly rowing a specific boat. Taking the Boat Out:
After the float is done, proper boat ramp etiquette is key to being a steward out on the water. Make sure your boat is anchored properly off the ramp as you get your vehicle. Other boats, gusts of wind and other unforeseeable dangers can dislodge your boat. So be sure to have it properly anchored and secured. When loading the boat make sure the oars are stowed correctly. Proper boat ramp etiquette is to be fast on the ramp and pull forward once the boat is loaded so others can access the ramp. Then you can unload and strap down your boat.
The oarsman is the captain of the boat that helps anglers get into fish, a highly-skilled captain can get anglers into even more fish. While it may take years and years of experience to get there, below are some intermediate to advanced rowing techniques that will make you become a better rower for fly fishing.
One key thing to remember is that rowing for fly fishing is completely different than your traditional river running techniques where you constantly push forward. While the base foundation and fundamentals of rowing are the same, rowing for fly fishing is a whole different ball game and remember the fundamental rule to “row backwards”. In this next section we will cover more advance rowing for fly fishing techniques.
Understanding and assessing the water you have to row is paramount to be efficient. You have to see and visualize how you want to fish a specific piece of water. If you see a juicy boulder garden on the river left, slowing the boat down to effectively fish is key.
A few tips to abide by out there when looking for good water is to slow that boat down in fast water currents to give anglers a chance to fish the water and the opposite goes for slow water. You don’t have to work as hard, so take a breather and let your anglers casually fish the slow water. Don’t over milk or spend too much time working the slow water unless of course you’re getting into fish.
One tip is as you familiarize yourself with a section of water watch how other boats work the water and take notes, especially from the guides. Also, remember the areas of water that you caught fish as next time you float through there will probably be more fish.
Holding your line can separate beginner oarsmen from intermediate to advance oarsmen. Holding your line has nothing to do with your fly line rather it means holding and navigating the boat at a stable distance from the bank. Beginners have challenges with holding lines as we have all been there when the oarsmen is 10 feet from the bank than 30 feet and just zig zagging down the river. It makes it challenging to effectively fly fish the water.
So making sure that you are maintaining a constant distance from the bank or fishable water will provide anglers with more opportunities to effectively fish. The typical progression to achieving this is first to focus on keeping the boat at a slow pace where you can control the boat, then making micro movements to adjust the preferred distance from the bank. The next step is making simple fluid oar strokes to pace the boat and then the last step is to assess the upcoming water to make necessary oar strokes to keep the boat in line.
So now you have an idea of how to assess the water for rowing and can hold a line down the river, well understanding the skill level of your anglers in the boat plays a huge factor in knowing where to position the boat. For example, if you have an angler upfront that can cast 40 feet comfortably and one in the back that has never held a fly rod and can maybe get 20 feet out. The boat will need to be positioned based on these skill level. When you’re coming up on good water, making sure that you have set up the angler in the back for success where he/she can make a 20 foot cast and their flies will be fishing is key.
Another huge tip and fundamental to every float trip is to communicate with the anglers in the boat. “Is this a good distance from the bank?” “Do you want me a little closer?” Having open communication on the boat between the anglers and oarsmen makes the experience a lot more enjoyable for everyone. Everyone likes to fish a little different so even if you are an experienced rower, specific anglers may like to fish a certain piece of water a little different. And hey maybe you will learn something new.
Along with Tip 2.3: Know the Angler/s, oarsmen needs to take into account the specific techniques that the anglers are fishing. Are they throwing streamers, nymphing, or dry flies? Each technique means different rowing techniques.
Nymphing: focus on deeper pools and riffles. Avoid shallow banks. No need for long casting, those fish are feeding below the surface, get the boat closer to the water so an angler can have an easy cast. Make sure the anglers have their rigs ahead of the pace of the boat in case of a snag.
Streamers: typically anglers can fish all types of water with streamers. Keep the boat at a nice pace and a good casting distance from the bank. Make sure the angler has enough time to strip perpendicular across the water to present the fly.
Dry Flies: Keep the boat a decent distance from the holding water to not put the fish down with the boat. Make sure your caster can reach the water you are targeting. It is very important to keep the boat at pace with the flies to achieve a long drag free drift.
Time management is not necessarily a technical rowing tip but an important one for anyone captaining a boat. When planning your fishing day take into account the miles you have to row and the amount of time you would like to spend or get to spend on the water. From there you can create a rough plan of the pace you would like to maintain. If you are “milking” or going slow on certain stretch this will allow you to pull over and work some water over and over. When you’re going faster you have less time to go slower, so adjusting your fishing techniques might need to be altered. Also, take into account pressure from other anglers, private water, and your favorite water when planning your float. A good captain has a rough plan of where and when they want to be hitting specific water.
Pro-tip: Make sure to give yourself an extra hour of leigh time when your spouse asks you what time you will be off the water. 😉
Tip 2.6: Learn and Master the Crawl or Crab Stroke
The Crab or Crawl stroke is by far the most useful rowing technique for rowing for fishing. It allows the boat to maintain a smooth line without disrupting the fishable water. So what is it? The stroke is a combination of back rowing and sweeping. You will take one oar and push it forward so it’s vertical facing forward by the bow. This oar almost works like a motor tiller, by making strokes it controls whether the boat will move to the left or right. The other oar remains in the normal position, where you will just maintain a simple back row to maintain your pace. The result of the two oars working together is a system where you can have complete control to hold lines and make micro adjustments to move left and right based on the water you are fishing.
This technique can be very effective when you have disruptions like rocks, trees, the bank, and other structures in way of your oar stroke. By using the vertical oar stroke to control the line of the boat you can fish a lot of water that many other boats cannot.
Tip 2.7: Micro Movements with Your Hands – Feathering the Oars
One key to holding a constant line in your boat is making micro movements with your hands to control the boat. What this means is when making an oar stroke you can change the angle of the oar blade in order to have a different result on the stroke. So if you need a small adjustment, moving your oar blade sideways a little bit will reduce the surface area of the oar blade in the water and result in a smaller movement. This is also called “feather the oars”. The techniques can also be useful in general rowing when you have to adjust to current speed, wind and other factors. By feathering the oars you can subtle movements to result in a better line and more enjoyable experience for the anglers in the boat.
Feather of the oars cannot be achieved when you Oar Rites on the oars. This is why many intermediate to advance rowers do not prefer Oar Rites.
Being able to slow the boat down in shallow water is a skill every oarsmen should strive for. A lot of time near or around shallow riffles or gravel bars there is some great water to fish. So being able to slow the boat down in there is key for anglers to get some good drifts through this water.
The technique to slowing the boat down in shallow water involves short shallow back strokes to slow the boat down. Don’t be afraid to knock a few rocks with your oars. Be comfortable with taking short shallow strokes to control the boat. Another tip is to get the speed of the boat down before floating down the shallow riffle so you don’t have to work as hard.
Very similar to Tip 8: Master Rowing in Shallow Water, fast water like rapids can hold some great water that often is overlooked and under-fished. Look ahead and get the pace of the boat down before entering the fast water, strong aggressive strokes are typically needed to slow the boat down. Look for big boulders with soft water, when passing by the soft water you can get a nice strong oar stroke in this soft water. It is also important to communicate to the anglers to pick and choose the water they plan to fish as the boat will be moving fast so hitting all the water will be near impossible.
Tip 2.10: Proper Anchoring and Boat Stabilization
Being able to anchor in tricky places is a boating skill that is often overlooked, it can result in a quick pit stop to hit some quality water or an emergency re-rig resulting in no lost water. Some techniques and tricks to anchor and stabilize the boat in tricky spots is to utilize back eddies and slow water. Look for boulders rocks or big eddies that you will be able to slow the boat down. Once the anchor is down be sure to let out 5-6 feet of anchor rope, this excess rope will provide a bit of a buffer from the strong current. If you keep moving keep letting out anchor line until your anchor catches. Mastering how to properly stabilize and anchor the boat is essential to rowing for float fly fishing.
Pro tip: When back rowing up to a bank to anchor, right before you pull up on land stand up (reduces the weight in the boat), then sit down once you’ve hit the bank. It almost works as an anchor and will get you farther on to land.
This list of tips and techniques is only a start to the endless learning process of rowing a boat for fly fishing. One big takeaway is that everyone has their secrets and certain techniques that work for their specific rivers, boats and fishing techniques. With that observing others on the water and talking with other oarsmen and anglers in your boat will only make you a better rower. As always safety is a priority out there on the waterways, along with being respectful to the others out there.
If you want to brush up on skills or learn how to row a boat, Vail Valley Anglers offers Oar Certification Classes every spring. They involve five days of 10 hours of on the water training with certified instructors. The class gives you the rowing certification needed to commercially float guide in the state of Colorado. For more information click the link here.
Article by former Vail Valley Anglers float fishing guide and Editor of Flylords Mag Patrick Perry (@patperry).
Photos courtesy of Scott Kramer, Freelance Photographer at Vail Valley Anglers. Be sure to check them out on Instagram @vailvalleyanglers.
