Orvis Launches Free Virtual Summer Camp Program Aimed to Educate and Inspire Kids

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July 1, 2020

MANCHESTER, Vt. (July 1, 2020) — Orvis introduces a new weekly summer camp platform offering lessons and activities for kids of all ages who are homebound by the COVID-19 pandemic. Orvis Summer Kids’ Camp seeks to highlight outdoor skills and engage kids in their local ecosystems with topics covering navigation, wildlife, fly fishing, dog training, and conservation.

Beginning today, Orvis Summer Kids’ Camp will release a free weekly curriculum that challenges kids of all ages to explore their local environments. The six-part series will feature videos, skill sessions, and plans for adventure-driven activities that families can do at home, or close to home.

“Education and a love for the outdoors have been at the core of our brand for over 160 years,” says Orvis President Simon Perkins. “At a time when families are spending a lot of time at home, and many summer camps are canceled, we want to provide resources to encourage kids to get outside and explore their local environments. We hope that Orvis Kids’ Summer Camp will help to facilitate a lifelong relationship with the natural world and inspire the next generation of conservationists.”

For more information on Orvis Summer Camp, visit https://www.orvis.com/summer-kids-camp.

Additionally, Orvis is committed to sharing educational opportunities for all ages, offering virtual education options in addition to Orvis Summer Kids’ Camp, including fly-tying workshops and fly fishing how-to videos. Orvis’s full collection of video content is available on The Orvis Company YouTube channel, here.

Moreover, Orvis began offering Virtual Casting Instruction in May, providing individualized feedback on casting and technique through video analysis and one-on-one discussion with an instructor from the Orvis Fly Fishing Schools. For more information on virtual instruction opportunities, visit https://www.orvis.com/fly-fishing-schools.

About The Orvis Company: Founded in 1856, we believe the most meaningful experiences are created by sharing the love of nature and being inspired by its endless possibilities. Orvis pioneered the mail order industry in the United States, operates more than 80 retail stores in the U.S and the U.K. and maintains a network of over 400 dealers worldwide as a trusted source of discovery and adventure in the natural world. We promise to open the door to extraordinary outdoor experiences and to protect nature by committing 5% of our pretax profits each year to conservation efforts worldwide.

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Biologist Creates Insane LEGO Steelhead Sculpture

By

Dan Zazworsky

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July 1, 2020

LEGO Steelhead - Ryan Van Duzor — LEGO Wild Steelhead built by Ryan Van Duzor

While cruising the interwebs we stumbled across this insane LEGO Wild Steelhead build by Ryan Van Duzor (a.k.a. @the.bearded.pescador on Instagram) and it was too cool not to share. Ryan’s sculpture was displayed at Bricks Cascade 2020, a LEGO convention held in Portland, Oregon every winter, and won Best Sculpture at this year’s event. We got in touch with Ryan to learn what it’s like designing such an intricate work, check out our interview with him, below.

Flylords: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Ryan. What career field are you in and how does fly fishing fit into your lifestyle?

Ryan: After years working as a government entomologist and fly shop dude (shout out to my friends at the Gorge Fly Shop!), I am now a high school/college science instructor. This new gig not only allows me to continue to share my passion for the biological world but also gives me summers off to get outside and fish! My various careers have always had some connection to my passions, and being a science instructor gives me the chance to build that passion in my students. I have been fly fishing for 25 years now, and fishing is always on my mind. This steelhead build and many of my builds are crossovers from my love of fish and fishing.

LEGO Wild Steelhead built by Ryan Van Duzor

Flylords: What does it take to design and build such an intricate sculpture like this one?

Ryan: This build was always something I wanted to attempt. I had been thinking about the build for years before actually putting any pieces together. That is the heart of my process. I think about the design, research pieces, and conceptualize the piece. The actual building is usually the shortest portion of the work.

For this steelhead, I knew I wanted to use new pieces to show the curves, the fluidity, the scales and I wanted to try to show the chrome of wild steelhead. Lego doesn’t have a lot of chrome or shiny pieces, but I found that the flat silver color worked for the steelhead. The most difficult part of this design was to eliminate squared angles, I wanted it to look like it could swim and have plans to motorize the build at some point. The internal structure was built for this look and plan and is the key to more natural curves and shapes.

LEGO Wild Steelhead - Ryan Van Duzor — LEGO Steelhead built by Ryan Van Duzor

Flylords: How many pieces are involved? How long did it take you to build?

Ryan: This is a funny question that Lego artists/AFOLs (adult fans of Lego) get asked all the time. Almost none of us keep track of the number of pieces we use. I literally have no idea but would guess many thousands. The design and build for this steelhead were around a year, but with many years of planning and research. The longest part of this build was the internal structure. I wanted to make sure the dimensions were accurate to a real steelhead and also displayed the fluid motion and curves of the real fish.

To see the rest of Ryan’s creations and his living steelhead adventures, check out his Instagram page, here!

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When Jacks Attack with Capt. Jako Lucas

By

Dan Zazworsky

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July 1, 2020

Join us on July 1st at 9 PM ET on our Instagram as Capt. Jako Lucas joins us to chat about Jack Crevalle and his experience guiding full-time on the Gulf of Mexico!

Flylords: Now that you’re able to get back out on the water, what species have you been chasing?

Jako: You know me, I am an addict, so I will catch just about anything that swims. But as soon as I could get back on the water, I was out guiding my local waters here in Texas. Mostly targeting Redfish, Jacks, and a few other local characters.

Flylords: Tell us a little bit about the “underrated” Jack Crevalle fishery you’ve been exploring.

Jako: Man, I still don’t understand why so many people complain about not having the money to go fish for GT’s, but they have Jacks right on their doorstep. I love it when the locals ask me about my day and I tell them about catching a few Jacks.

Their response… “You mean you catch those trash fish on a fly pole?!”

The beautiful thing about Jack’s is that you can catch them all over, I have caught Jacks in Africa, South America, North America… I suppose here in Texas they are not very sought after because people can’t eat them. Amen to that, more for me and my clients.

Flylords: What strategies and techniques are you using to target them?

Jako: The whole experience is action-packed, from start to finish. We typically find the Jacks in a couple of different scenarios: deep water and on the flats, while hunting for smaller Redfish. More often than not, I find that it’s a “run and gun” situation. We’ll spot feeding activity on the surface and/or feeding birds. On the way over to the commotion, I’ll get a Jack setup in my client’s hands, and we’ll both buckle down for sickle-tailed carnage.

As we run over, I’m careful not to drive the boat over any fish on the surface to avoid putting the school down, all while getting my client ready to cast a line into the mayhem as soon as possible. Then it’s just down to the rapid strip, strip, strip retrieve. When the Jack smokes the fly (and they usually do), you’ve got to strip set as hard as possible. It might sound harsh, but in the moment I usually tell my clients to “Rip its face-off!” Just to make sure their hook is buried. After that all you can do is hold on, it’s about to get real.

Flylords: How do Jack Crevalle stack up against the Giant Trevally? Are there differences between them?

Jako: I really think pound-for-pound a Jack will stand up against a GT all day long. Their attitude, behavior, and all-around bad-ass-ness is exactly the same. Look, I’m not going to take anything away from a GT, I have built my career around GT’s and they have a very special place in my heart. And of course, GT’s can get a little bigger than Jacks growing to nearly 180 lbs. But this is how I would explain the comparison to everyone that asks me: “It is always great to have the dream to one day chase a GT, but don’t look past a Jack, you will not be disappointed. And if you are, then I don’t think we can be friends…”

Flylords: What set-ups are you using for those bruisers?

Jako: I always use 10 WT setups for them, but have changed up to 11’s now. These fish are turbocharged and it is just better for the fish to get them in quicker. My favorite rods to use are 11 WT G Loomis’, Orvis H3’s or T&T Exocetts paired with my Mako 9550 loaded with 80 lb backing, and Cortland’s 11 WT GT/Tuna line with a 40 lb fluorocarbon leader and either poppers or streamers depending on where the fish are sitting in the water column.

Flylords: What has been your favorite aspect of the Gulf fishery? How does it compare to others you have explored?

Jako: This fishery was such an amazing surprise to me. It is definitely not an easy place to guide and figure out. There is a lot of water to learn, a ton of variables…tides, winds, etc… And then it is also important to pay your respects to the local long term guides. If you are the real deal and work hard you will get respected for it. But like I said, it is a very healthy system. I was blown away by the amount of baitfish and birdlife among all the amazing wildlife. But as with many other fisheries, it is very fragile and needs to be looked after.

Flylords: What is the wildest scene you have witnessed while fishing down there?

Jako: There are a lot of special things that happen out here, but there is still something very raw about hundreds of Jacks working together and destroying everything in their path.

Flylords: What’s your next adventure?

Jako: My season is pretty packed with guiding down here on the coast till September. I still have a few pending hosted trips, to Mongolia, Brazil, and Gabon, Africa, but I don’t think there will be any international travel this year. I am not stressed about it, as I love guiding down here, plus it gives me more time to work on crazy trips for next year.

Check out all of Jako’s insane fly fishing films and content on his Youtube Channel and Instagram!

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How to Tie: Steve Yewchuck’s Murder Hornet

By

Wills Donaldson

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June 30, 2020

envision murder hornet — Image courtesy of Envision Flyworks

For this week’s “how to tie”, we have a little something different planned. Last month, we partnered with Norvise Tying systems to present the #NorviseQuarantie competition. We asked all of you to use your time in quarantine to come up with the most creative fly you could think to tie for a chance to win a brand new Norvise. Needless to say, we were blown away by the submissions we received.

Once we finally narrowed it down to 10 finalists, we asked you, the fly fishing community, to vote on your favorite. With a healthy margin, the Envision Flyworks submission of the “Murder Hornet” was crowned King. Now, Steven Yewchuck, creator of the Murder Hornet fly, has set up his brand new Norvise and delivered us a step-by-step demonstration on how YOU can tie the Murder Hornet fly yourself! Note, this fly is not for the weary…

Here is how to tie Steve Yewchucks Murder Hornet:

Learn How to Tie This Fly

Difficulty: Murder

Step 1:

Cut strips of 2mm foam 3/4″ wide of yellow, orange, and black. Out of those strips, cut 2 yellow pieces 5/8 x 3/4, 15 orange pieces 5/8 x 3/4, and 12 black pieces 5/8 x 3/4.

Step 2:

Arrange the foam pieces in an order that will be laminated to make the abdomen, thorax, and head. For this technique, I prefer loctite super glue which welds the foam pieces together in a timely manner.

Step 3:

The Laminated foam pieces should look similar to this color combo when finished

Step 4:

I like to cut paper templates for most of the foam flies I make so there are no mistakes when cutting the foam.

Step 5:

I then trace the templates with a fine point sharpie

Step 6:

Once the templates have been traced, I cut the excess bulk off with a razor

Step 7:

The finished trimmed foam pieces should look like this

Step 8:

Next, I use a disc sander to get the desired shape

Step 9:

The three finished body parts along with a set of mandibles for the hornet’s mouth should look like this. The mandibles are cut from 2mm light brown foam.

Step 10:

Now it’s time to coat the abdomen with Raidzap flex UV and finish with a super thin UV resin. The abdomen can be coated after it’s glued on the shank as well. I prefer to use a bodkin when applying the UV resin for increased control.

Step 11:

The Raidzap UV resin creates a beautiful, durable seal to finish the foam abdomen. You want to end up with a smooth uniform finish.

Step 12:

The shank that will be used to connect the abdomen to the thorax is MFC offset 45mm.

Step 13:

The shank is prepared by clipping one side off at the beginning of the loop leaving a straight shank and loop that the abdomen will be glued to.

Step 14:

The shank is placed in the jaws of the vise and the thread is wrapped back towards the loop of the shank to seal it off. This also creates a secure surface to glue the abdomen onto.

Step 15:

The shank is pushed through the abdomen’s center hole that was made using the bodkin. My glue of choice is loctite super glue again. The end of the shank can be forme to a point and bent over to resemble the stinger of the hornet.

Step 16:

Now it’s time to prepare the thorax. I start by taking a fine point black Sharpie and coloring the orange foam black leaving 2 orange dots on the top for a realistic Murder Hornet look.

Step 17:

I like to use MFC natural flock in black for the thorax. The way you flock is by taking the Raidzap uv flex resin and brushing it on only the black surface you want textured. Make sure you have a nice uniform coating.

Step 18:

Once you have a nice uniform coating you sprinkle the black flock over the UV resin which it will stick to. You can take your fingertip and tap the flock lightly so you get good adhesion. Tap the bodkin’s shaft with your fingertips which will knock off and loose and unneeded flock. You then hit it with a UV light curing the resin and sealing the flock in place

Step 19:

When the UV is cured you should have a thorax that looks similar to this. When curing the Raidzap UV resin I recommend using the Raidzap UV light which will cure the resin fully with no sticky residue or mess.

Step 20:

The Hook I used is a partridge attitude extra salt in size 2/0. The hook is placed in the vise and is now ready to be connected to the abdomen.

Step 21:

I use a shank to shank connection to join the abdomen to the thorax. I’ve found this to be very durable and foul proof. I use an MFC 20mm shank and connect it to the abdomen’s loop. The shank is then secured to the top of the hook with wraps of thread. My choice of thread for this fly is Uni Big Fly 400 denier

Step 22:

Here I secure the whole shank down with thread and then sealing with Loctite super glue for durability and keeping it in place

Step 23:

Next, slide the finished thorax over the hook and gluing it in place towards the bend of the hook. Making sure to leave enough room at the shanks loop for articulated movement. The 2 orange dots should be facing the rear. Next, using a Zuggy’s leg threader, punch a hole through the front upper part of the thorax

Step 24:

The wings are made from one 4 inch piece of Swiss Straw in Dark Brown. Take a threader and push it through the hole you just made.

Pull the Swiss Straw through leaving equal parts on both sides of the thorax. You can back the Swiss Straw out a hair and add a drop of super glue and then pull it back into position.

This is what you should be left with.

Step 25:

With the wing material glued into position you can now remove the Hornet from the vice to trim the wing shape

Step 26:

Put a drop of glue at the base of the wings and hold it in a backward position. Using a bodkin make 4 holes equal apart along the bottom of the thorax for the legs. To place the legs you will use the same technique as the wings by pushing a threader through the holes and pulling the legs equal through and gluing. The legs are made of Fly Tyer’s Dungeon 14-40 legs in Golden Olive. The 4 sets of legs are pulled through the holes and glued in place. The legs are trimmed to equal length on each side. I use a Black Sharpie to mottle the legs.

Step 27:

Now it’s time to make the head of the hornet. Take the Hornet’s head and glue on the mandibles and use a black Sharpie to draw in the eyes and any details. The way the eyes are made is by building up Raidzap super-thin UV resin follow by a little thick UV over top of the drawn eyes giving them the realistic 3D effect. I add little cuts to the mandibles and some details.

Step 28:

Next, the head is glued and placed in position over the hook

Step 29:

To make the antenna I use D’s Flyes quill body. I trim to length and bend

Step 30:

Finally, using a bodkin make 2 holes in the top of the Hornet’s head between the eyes and glue the quills in place. The quills are coated in thick UV resin to give shape and strength. They are then colored with marker or black fingernail polish. The rest of the head is coated with Raidzap thin UV resin.

If you follow all of these steps, your final product should look something like this!

Are you still with us? Congratulations! You now know how to tie Steve Yewchuck’s murder hornet.

Thank you to Steve from Envision Flyworks for this submission, as well as sharing with us how to tie this incredible fly. Also, thank you to Norvise for making this contest and “how to tie” possible. Head over to their website to get yourself a Norvise tying system to tie up your army of murder hornets.

Is This the Most Expensive Fly Rod Ever?

By

Dan Zazworsky

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June 30, 2020

Hermes Fly Fishing Rod — Hermès Fly Rod - Hand-build out of flax fibers, leather, and Sycamore.

Just when we thought fly fishing had hit peak opulence, Hermès (a luxury French fashion house) released a fly fishing outfit that will only cost you about as much as a brand new 4Runner. The kit comes with a bespoke fly rod, hand-made by French rob builders out of flax fibers, sycamore, and leather, a hand-woven classic creel basket, and a collection of beautiful salmon flies.

Hermes Fly Fishing Creel — Hermès Creel Basket

Hermes Fly Fishing Flies — Hermès’ collection of flies

Hermes Fly Fishing tassles — Hermès Rooster Tail Rod Ornaments? (We’re honestly not sure what these are for)

How much will all this set you back, you ask? Just a drop in the bucket at $31,210.

The bespoke fishing gear was created as a part of Hermès’ “Bespoke Objects” campaign. To learn more about the collection, check out this article from Vogue.com.au.

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Short Bus Diaries Volume 1: BUILDING OUT THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE BUS [Behind the Scenes]

By

Wild Fly Productions

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June 29, 2020

We needed a distraction. We had been furloughed, slow at work, etc. We had a Montana trip planned around July and August, but we didn’t know what it would look like yet. At the start, we didn’t know if we were just going to fish or to film as well. During a call with the fellas, the idea of buying a short bus for the trip came up.

Buying something big just for a trip wasn’t a new concept for us… a few years ago we wanted to go fish an area and didn’t have the right boat. So we did what anyone would do. We hopped on Craigslist and bought a boat on the way into town, and sold it on the way out of town. Another time in Montana, we decided we needed a bigger boat while we were on the river. We hopped out and took some pics and posted it on Craigslist, by the time we got off we had a buyer lined up and had found a raft that was 2’ longer. We met the new buyer and seller in the same parking lot and made a deal. So the idea of grabbing a bus for this trip wasn’t a novel concept to us.

We didn’t know what it would turn into. After a few more phone conversations, the film Short Bus Diaries was taking shape. We would buy a short bus, convert it to a camper van, and take it on our trip while filming the shenanigans.

Below are some steps we outlined for filming Volume 1 of the Short Bus Diaries.

Step 1: Find a Short Bus.

Like many of you reading this, I wasn’t up to date on the short bus market. How much was this idea going to actually cost us? Within 24 hours I’d located a suitable short bus at an auction. It sold for way, WAY more than we were expecting a short bus to sell for. Looked like this could cost more than we hoped. But in another 24 hours, I had located another short bus on Craigslist. This thing looked like it would fit the part and the price was right. After a quick test drive, a walkthrough (and crawl under), and a trip to a bank, it was in my driveway the next day.

Step 2: Now what???

Well…..We were the proud owners of a New 2U Short Bus. I went to work pricing out repairs and parts that it needed. After many more brainstorming conversations with the boys, an idea of the bus really started to take shape. We did the routine maintenance and checked all fluids, discovering leaks. We fixed a coolant leak, which I fixed for $7 thanks to the help of some J-B Weld (if you’re reading this J-B Weld, we need to talk about sponsorship because this bus is mostly your product).

After the repairs and maintenance were complete, it was time to get on the camper conversion work. One of the biggest issues I found was that nobody makes a trailer hitch for a 1993 short bus. I know, surprising right? So after some interesting phone calls that went something like: “Hey, can y’all make a trailer hitch for a 1993 short bus?” *Silence* or “click…. Dial tone,” I located a fella who would weld one up.

This guy did a fantastic job for us and we were lucky to have him so close. After the bus itself was ready for our maiden voyage, we got to work gutting and rebuilding the interior. Sleeping, fly tying, cooking, and storage were all on the checklist. We built some bunk beds with storage lockers. We put astroturf in the living room and found a suitable futon. Located some storage bins that would fit perfectly. Fixed some foam mattresses to go on the bunk beds, it was pretty much set for its first run.

Step 3: “And, uhhhh, holy cow, it’s slow”

It was finally time to run this thing up to Idaho for a trial run. I normally make this drive in 3.5-4 hours. In the bus, it took about 6, thanks to a max speed of 55 and a gas stop every 2 hours, but we finally made it. The weather forecast was bleak and since it was the first time using the bus, we decided we ought to bring my truck along just in case.

Step 4: Fish.

Shout out to the folks making the weather reports in Idaho because it was spot on. The weather was generally crappy most of the time. But we managed to embarrass some good fish. The first day, all fish were on streamers and nymphs.

The second day, it snowed all morning, turned to rain in the afternoon, and never let up all day. But despite the weather, we caught some good fish on streamers and nymphs again.

On day 3 the weather finally relented and allowed us to chase some big bugs (salmon flies). And boy did they produce. It was one of the best days fishing dries any of us have ever had. When we put on the water it was still cold out so we rigged up some nymphing and streamer rigs to start as the salmonflies weren’t out yet. Shortly after launching, we started having fish come eat our indicators…. Ding ding ding.

After a quick pit stop to tie on some big foamy dries, we were rolling. Scottie pinged the first bow, a pretty big one, out of some weird water and it was on like Donkey Kong the rest of the day.

Day 4 was a repeat of Day 3 but we added a fifth crew member for a day, a buddy from the area who we met in Canada while filming the Northern Native series.

Step 5: All good things have to come to an end sometime.

We had to leave fishing bliss earlier than normal because the bus is so slow. From the inaugural Short Bus run, we found some things that need to be changed, adjusted, and fixed. I’m currently taking a quick break from installing solar power in the bus to write this for you.

Hopefully you enjoyed hearing about it, and we look forward to showing you the full film from it and the upcoming Montana trip with the bus. If you would like to stay up to date with the bus and see behind the scenes from the trip follow @shortbusdiaries on Instagram.

There’s not a single person following the Short Bus Diaries who is having even half as much fun following us as we are making these for you. We can’t thank y’all enough for the support. See you soon.

Article by Adam from Blue Line Company. Be sure to check out Wild Fly Productions on Instagram or on their Youtube Channel here. Stay tuned for the next installment of the Short Bus Diaries!

7 Best Cars For Fly Fishing

Michigan Arctic Grayling Reintroduction Initiative

By

Tia Kelliher

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June 29, 2020

Students from Troy Athens High School created the above documentary to raise awareness about the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative.

Arctic Grayling are native to only three states in the US: Alaska, Montana, and Michigan. Unfortunately, the last known Grayling on record in Michigan was from 1936. The loss of Grayling came from years of habitat destruction, overfishing, and fierce competition amongst other fish. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were attempts to reintroduce Arctic Grayling, but it was to no avail. Another attempt was made in the 1980s by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and it was also unsuccessful.

The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative was announced in 2016 by the Department of Natural Resources. It is in conjunction with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The initiative has over 50 partners helping to reintroduce this lost species. They are currently deciding where the Grayling should be introduced, as well as making sure mistakes from past attempts are corrected. Below are watersheds that the Michigan DNR is considering for Arctic Grayling establishment.

For more information on the reintroduction of Arctic Grayling in Michigan check out the Michigan Grayling Initiative website.

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The Mayfly Project and Confluence Collective Team Up For Fly Tying Event

By

Dan Zazworsky

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June 29, 2020

We’re teaming up! With both The Mayfly Project and Confluence Collective spending more time behind the vise than usual this year, we’re especially excited for our next Virtual Noob Fly Tying vise takeover — together.

THE MAYFLY PROJECT: The mission of The Mayfly Project is to build relationships with children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, feel supported, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.

With a simple goal of creating space for everyone on the water, Confluence Collective focuses work on fostering accessible and inclusive learning spaces and community building opportunities through fly fishing. Connecting people holding different identities through a shared passion helps put understanding into action, and allows more perspectives to curate what the fly fishing community and culture should look like to truly be welcoming of everyone.

Both knowing more can be achieved when we work together, it was clear our overlap in mission would result in some awesome collaboration. The learning and healing power fly fishing holds for anyone is undeniable; the ability to build relationships through this connection is perhaps even more prominent.

While COVID-19 has interrupted regular programming for both The Mayfly Project and Confluence Collective, we still want to support finding community and sharing experiences as best we can from a distance. Part of this effort manifested as the Virtual Noob Fly Tying series hosted by Confluence Collective and welcoming varied perspectives to step up behind the vise and learn together. Meanwhile, The Mayfly Project had shifted from in-person programming to create fly tying kits for their kids in program to keep learning, and expanding their fly boxes. It just made sense to welcome The Mayfly Project into the series for a vise takeover!

For more information, head over to Confluence Collective’s website, here!

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Best Flies to Fish: The Gunnison River

By

Landen German

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June 28, 2020

rainbow trout — Image courtesy of Matt McConnel

There’s no task more daunting in a fisherman’s life than fishing a new river. Whether it’s a new stretch of tailwater or a roaring torrent of fish and bugs, there’s nothing quite as gratifying as hooking up on an unfamiliar lip and feeling as if you’ve conquered a new beast. To make such an endeavor slightly more palatable, we’ve compiled a list of a few flies you might want to find at the end of your line on new waters. With advice from local shops, guides, and the fishy folks who know these waters best, here are the best flies to fish the Gunnison River.

brown trout on the gunnison river — Image courtesy of Matt McCannel

The Gunnison River. This river is the largest tributary of the Colorado River in Colorado, with a length of 180 miles, multiple hydroelectric dams, and many confluences with other bodies of water. The upper river or the Upper Gunnison is a classic freestone river that flows from the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers and into the Blue Mesa Reservoir. This river can rival the mighty Colorado in terms of its flow into the Grand Junction during high water. Its most famous stretch is below Crystal Reservoir where Gold Medal Water and Wild Trout Waters converge into the Black Canyon, one of the world’s longest, deepest, and narrowest gorges in the world. The river is home to Rainbow trout, Cutthroat, Cutbow, Brook trout, Tiger trout, and Brown trout. There have even been quite a few records pulled out of the Gunnison such as a 26-inch Brook trout, 33.5-inch Cutbow, 31-inch Cutthroat, a 40-inch Rainbow, and a 28-inch Tiger to name just a few.

FLY GYDE:

DRY FLIES

NYMPHS

STREAMERS

The river has a multitude of hatches from Salmonflies, PMD’s, to Gray Drakes. To help with these hatches Dragonfly Anglers have a full hatch chart on their website. Below, we’ve listed some of the most influential hatches on the Gunnison.

stoneflies in hand — Image courtesy of Matt McCannel

Salmon Fly (Pteronarcys Californica) Hook Size 4, 6, 8
- Gunnison River (Black Canyon) – – – – – – – – – – June 20 to July 1
Pale Morning Duns (Ephemerella inermis) Hook sizes 14, 16, 18, 20
- Gunnison River (Blue Mesa – Almont) – – – – – – – – – – June 25 to August 20
Blue Winged Olives (Ephemerella cornuta) Hook sizes 14, 16, 18, 20
- Gunnison River (Black Canyon) – – – – -April 15 to May 15
- Gunnison River (Blue Mesa – Almont) – – – – April 20 to runoff
Gray/Slate Drake (Siphlonurus occidentalis) Hook sizes 12, 14, 16
- Gunnison River – – – – – – – – September 10 to October 10
Caddis (Tricoptera) Hook sizes 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
- Gunnison River (Black Canyon) – – – – – – – – – -June 15 to August 30
- Gunnison River (Blue Mesa – Almont) – – – – – – – June 1 to September 1
Terrestrials
- July 15 to September 30
Green Drakes (Ephemera Guttulata) Hook Size 10, 12 ,14
- Gunnison River (Blue Mesa – Almont) – – – – – – – – – – June 20 to August 10

Now keep in mind that river conditions and flies change regularly. You won’t be throwing the same bugs in 2 months. Below is a list of universal flies for the year, but remember to always check in with the local shops to get an idea of the hatches and what the fish are keying in on.

Dry Flies:

Caddis (Elk Hair, X caddis, Butch Caddis)
Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
Green Drake (Adult Green Drakes, Coffin Flies, Extended body Green Drakes)
Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
PMD *Pale Morning Dun* (Tilt wing PMD, Extended Body PMD, Improved Sparkle Dun, Rusty Spinner)
Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
BWO *Blue Winged Olive* (Parachute Blue Winged Olive, RS-2, Blue Wing adult, Hatchmaster Blue Winged Olive)
Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com

Nymphs:

- Caddis (Pupa, Hares ear, Birds nest, Net builder)
  Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
- Green Drake (Deep dish Green Drake, Green Drake nymph, Defcon 5 Green Drake)
  Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
- Stoneflies (Pat’s rubber legs, Prince Nymph, Wired Stonefly, Jighead Pat’s rubber leg)
  Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
- BWO (The Barrs Emerger, Slim Shady, Pheasant tail)
  Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com

Streamers:

Leech (Classic leech black or Olive)
Image Courtesy: Slideinn.com
Baitfish (Montana Mouthwash white or olive)
Image Courtesy: Montanafly.com
Baitfish/Sculpin (Dirty Hippie (*single or double* tan, olive, black, white)
Image Courtesy: Headhuntersflyshop.com
Baitfish/Sculpin (She Demon baby gonga gray or baby rainbow)
Image Courtesy: north40flyshop.com

With this information and a general introduction to one of the country’s most iconic rivers don’t let it be intimidating. Get out on the water, explore new rivers, and more importantly learn. Nothing betters you as a fly fisherman more than taking a leap of faith and continuing to learn.

Featured Image Courtesy of Matt McCannel

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Get Wet: A Guide to Wet Wading

Organization of the Month: Captains for Clean Water

By

Will Poston

-

June 28, 2020

For this installment of “Organization of the Month,” we chatted with the folks at Captains for Clean Water and learned about all the great work they do for Florida’s marine ecosystems. For decades, poor water quality, harmful discharges, and toxic algae blooms have plagued Florida’s water and vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation economies. Captains for Clean Water was founded by fishing guides to correct the missteps and restore the natural flow of Lake Okeechobee water south into the Everglades and Florida Bay. Follow along for more!

Flylords: When and why did Captains For Clean Water start?

CFCW: Captains For Clean Water (CFCW) officially started in 2016. As fishing guides,
we saw the decline of our local estuaries for years and recognized the need for the
outdoor community to have a voice in regard to our state’s water mismanagement.
By providing an outlet for these voices to be heard, we are able to advance
solutions to these issues through Everglades restoration.

Flylords: Care to give us the spark notes version of Florida’s water issues?

CFCW: During the early 1900’s, there was an effort to transform “useless swampland” into suitable land for agriculture and industrial development. This mainly consisted of draining the Everglades and was viewed as progress toward the settlement of Florida. However, these changes disrupted the balance of the Everglades ecosystem, sending too much fresh water to the east and west coast while starving the Everglades and Florida Bay. As industrial agriculture continued to grow, the powerful special interests of the sugar industry worked to gain control of Lake Okeechobee. In doing so, they have prioritized the needs of their corporation over that of the natural ecosystem and general public. These actions treat Lake Okeechobee as a private reservoir rather than a natural lake, which only exacerbates the existing damage to the greater Everglades ecosystem and estuaries around the state.

Flylords: How far back do these water issues go?

CFCW: Florida’s water issues started almost a century ago and have grown exponentially
worse over the years. For too long, the public was largely unaware of these issues, which meant there was little to no political will to drive solutions.

Flylords: You guys are on the water more than most, how drastic have some of the
environmental changes and impacts been?

CFCW: As fishermen, we see impacts to water quality and surrounding habitats first-hand
and are often referred to as the “canaries in a coal mine.” We’ve witnessed thousands of acres of seagrass loss, reduction of oyster beds, toxic blue-green algae blooms, and massive marine life die-offs. These environmental impacts directly affect Florida’s economy including the marine, fishing, tourism, and real estate industries.

Flylords: What are some of the ways Captains For Clean Water works towards repairing the damage done by years of water mismanagement?

CFCW: CFCW works to educate both the public and stakeholders on our water issues and
the importance of their actions in advancing long-term solutions. By taking action, we are able to push representatives at the state and federal level to advance Everglades restoration projects that have been stalled and stagnated over the last 20 years.

Flylords: Is there a solution for Florida’s water and affected ecosystems?

CFCW: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and Central Everglades
Planning Project (CEPP) encompass a suite of 68 projects that will reconnect the historical flow of water from Lake Okeechobee to the central Everglades, southern Everglades, Everglades National Park, and Florida Bay, benefiting the entire connected system. In total, these projects make up one of the largest restoration efforts ever undertaken in the United States.

Flylords: What is preventing this from quickly happening?

CFCW: The influence of the powerful corporate sugar industry on our political system
keeps Lake Okeechobee managed for their benefit, which delays progress for Everglades restoration.

Flylords: I know the upcoming House of Representatives’ Water Resources Development Act has some major implications for Florida’s water and everything Captains For Clean Water has worked towards. Can you tell us a little about this?

CFCW: A recent political scheme was being led by certain members of Congress to add
language to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 that would prioritize the irrigation needs of the industrial sugar industry over all other water users and undo decades of restoration progress. These are the types of back channel road blocks that have historically delayed progress. Together with other conservation groups, we’ve been making the public aware of this and giving them an easy way to contact Congress and urge them to reject the effort.

Flylords: What does the future look like for the Everglades and South Florida?

CFCW: Today, more people than ever understand the importance of Everglades restoration and the role they play. As a result, we’re starting to see progress toward getting restoration projects back on track. Completion of Everglades restoration is years if not decades away. The future of Florida’s water depends on more people getting involved and staying involved until restoration is fully achieved.

Flylords: How can Flylords’ readers help further Captains For Clean Water’s mission?

CFCW: By learning about the efforts of CFCW, sharing that knowledge with others, and taking action, Flylords readers can help to grow the grassroots effort that is finally moving the needle in the right direction for Everglades restoration and protect these unique estuaries for future generations to experience.

Learn more about our organization and join the fight at captainsforcleanwater.org.
You can also stay up-to-date by following @captainsforcleanwater on Facebook and Instagram or @capt4cleanwater on Twitter.

Organization of the Month: Wild Steelhead Coalition

Nonprofit of the Month: Elevate Youth