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Addicted to Brook Trout

By
Jared Zissu
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After completing my first full year of fly fishing, I’m looking back on what it was that led me to fish well over 1000 hours in 2016. Thinking hard, Brook trout may have turned me into the addict that I am today.

Accessibility, the excitement of tricking a wild animal, and feeling the tug on my 3 weight rod all had me speeding up into the Rockies everyday after a hard morning of training. Playing professional soccer in Colorado has its perks, and one of those is having a fishing recovery plan in the Rockies. The cold water on my legs acting as an ice bath curing my aching muscles!

The best places to catch Brook trout are easily some of the most overlooked and in overfished places. As I gain experience, my desire to catch 30, 8 inch Brook trout in a  cold ditch diminishes but none the less is the perfect way to get into the sport.

If you are looking to add a fishing friend, take them dry fly fishing for Brook trout and you might turn them into a fly fishing fiend. I have taken several friends and teammates fly fishing for the first time and they all go ecstatic seeing a Brook trout rise.

As I gain experience and eye harder targets I will never forget the joys of learning to fly fish on Brook trout in the Colorado Rockies.

For more content from Josh, make sure to check him out on Instagram! @fishingjosh

“The One”

By
Jared Zissu
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It started out like any other September day in Montana. Fishing had been absolutely lights-out that week as it tends to be around here this time of year. The Browns were starting to push up in the river systems and were eating anything and everything, but I was still waiting for “the one”.

I decided to do a little bit of mousing on some new water that evening that just seemed too fishy to pass up. Hiking in a little ways I spooked a few fish on the way up… I was walking up the river near the bank checking directly ahead of me and also scanning the opposite undercut bank. And that’s where I saw him. He must have thought he was still an 18″ midge sipping brown because although his head was buried under the bank, his entire pumpkin colored paddle was visible from across the river. This was a big fish!

I had a mouse fly on my rod for that night but the sun was just going down and perhaps rather out of laziness than skill I left the mouse on. I Stalked up the river of him little ways so once the mouse landed I could start stripping it upstream, putting awake in front of him. I made my cast, slapping the mouse pattern hard on the water. It got his attention immediately and the next thing I knew this giant jaw engulfed my fly before I could even give it a twitch. A decent battle, a shaky-handed solo net job, and a few photos later, this brute was back to the undercut bank, only this time, not even a fin was visible.

Make sure to check out Brier Kelly on Instagram @brier_kelly – He is one fishy dude!

Epic Video: Blue Marlin On A Fly Rod

By
Jared Zissu
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The end of the year is also the end of the marlin season in Costa Rica. So, as we left the docks to look for billfish on the fly we were hoping mostly for a few sailfish to rise to our teasers. Then, we could bait and switch them into our big popper flies. To our surprise, we ended up catching the last gorgeous, extremely photogenic little blue marlin of the year.

Our set up usually consists of three hookless Pakula teasers for a spread in our left side which we troll at around 8 knots. Once a fish shows up, we make sure our guy is pretty fired up and we throw the boat out of gear. Then, and only then, we tease him into casting range. We hate trolling our fly and also, since we use a 20lb tippet if you hook ‘em on a moving boat the line breaks immediately.

If you place the fly too far in front of the fish, the eat is problematic as it swallows it moving forward which leaves you powerless when strip-striking. The best bite is a side bite, matched with a strike opposite to the direction of the fish. All that said, I’ve had friends come over and hook a billfish on a trout set. So that’s just a bit of theoretic crap on two paragraphs.

Timing Tides www.timingtides.com is a photo and video website with original content from us three Costa Rican guys who love to fly fish. You can find them on Instagram: @timingtides.

You can find more content from Fede on Instagram @fedehampl 

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Catching a World Record Halibut On The Fly

By
Jared Zissu
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I was fortunate in summer 2016 to secure a job running a salmon lodge in northern Norway along with my husband Jonny. It was long hours and tough work, but the lure, of course, was the fishing! Getting the chance to fish for new species and in spectacular surroundings, what could be better?

Salmon fishing was new to me and it was a massive learning curve – dealing with the obsession, disappointment, and frustration at my lack of skills that only years of dedication to salmon can bring.

But I am not one to chase only after one species and I had been told halibut sometimes come into the shallows of the local fjords to sunbathe and feed. I asked a few people if they could be caught on a fly, most said no, one guy said yes he had done it! So I did a bit of research, tied up a red and white half-and-half on a 4/0 partridge sea prince, I set my Greys salt 9# up with a 5ft sink tip and asked our friend Morton, one of the lodge guides to take us out on the fjords in his boat.

We cruised and drifted in the shallows looking for halibut, and sure enough, we saw a few either sitting or slowly moving. We spent two days fishing here, I would cast out and wait for my fly get taken down by the sink tip then slowly strip in bouncing the fly on the bottom.
On the second day, it hit! A massive 147cm halibut! It was probably one of the most awesome fish I have felt on a rod, the rod was almost bent double at times and it would rip off at such a rate we had to chase it in the boat. It was super hard on a single handed rod, and my bicep was burning almost straight away. We were all convinced that it may not be possible to land this fish, but because of the fight being in only 3 – 5 m of water the fish could not swim down too far, so after only 35 minutes I had him boat side.

Morten secured him by the mouth whilst we fitted a tail rope to get him to shore. The length estimated him at 44kg which we later had confirmed as the new Norwegian fly caught halibut record. After I had released him back into the salt waters of the fjord, I was absolutely stunned by what had happened. That strange aftermath feeling you get once you have held a fish of a lifetime and been able to let it swim off cannot be explained unless you have been fortunate enough to experience it. It was like a weird dream, I had given myself a mission, done my research and manage to achieve what I set out to do. But I felt that I had not put in enough mileage, hours of obsession and drive. I felt almost empty as if I was thinking what now? But there is always something to pursue that is the beauty of fishing… a bigger one next time maybe?

For more content from Jo, you can find her on Instagram @jolenestevie_fishing

Saltwater Kings

By
Jared Zissu
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New Zealand has always been famous for trophy trout in pristine waters, but it’s the Saltwater fishery that now has my interest!

I first heard mutterings about kingfish on fly three years ago. My assumption was that these were random occurrences and I didn’t take them seriously. The summer after that the stories were more frequent and my long-time fishing buddy Alex and I were pretty keen to have a go. Alex put in a lot of road miles and time before me, going at least half a dozen times to wade the flats and a few days of boating without any success. But the chase kept him going back.

When I was able to free up a weekend, I contacted Lucas Allen from Kingtide Saltwater Fly in Tauranga, a newly established salt fly guide service (and only the second dedicated salt fly guide in NZ), and we arranged a day to have a crack at the elusive fish.

As we headed out into the salt Lucas told us what to look for, and stories about massive Kingfish riding big black stingrays…

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I jumped up and for the first time ever began casting a 10wt fly rod in the salt. Out of nowhere, I saw what looked like a big black floor rug swimming across our bow, I asked Lucas, is that a ray?  Lucas replied with urgency, “Yep cast at it.”

I banged out a cast leading the ray by 3 or 4  meters and a few strips later the big green-backed smudge that appeared off of the ray inhaled the fly.

 

The speed and power of this fish was unbelievable, and if tied together would pull any trophy trout backwords.  I had gotten very lucky, and immediately felt bad for Alex because I knew how much time he had put in for these fish, and for me to turn up and peg one within the first 2 minutes. Hooking that kingfish was the instant fly fishing in New Zealand changed for me, the power and the endurance this relatively small Kingfish displayed was incredible.

Trout were put on the back burner for the remainder of that year, and when work, weather and wives allowed we were out in the harbors chasing these fish. Tauranga Harbour is regarded as the birthplace of kingfish on the fly in New Zealand, and also the stomping ground of Lucas Allen, the Kingtide Salt Fly guide.

It’s not uncommon to see 3 or 4 KingFish riding behind Rays in the harbor or using the ray as a platform from which to ambush prey.  Kingfish will also swim in singles or packs and at times give away their position with either massive explosions of whitewater, or by making wakes and breaking the surface with their yellow tails as the stalk and feed in the shallows.

This is only my second season targeting shallow water, ray riding, fly eating, rod bending, reel screaming New Zealand yellowtail Kingfish, and it certainly won’t be my last. At the moment trout are no longer my main target. I believe they must rate pretty high, and when compared to other saltwater flats fishing.

Over the last 2 years, the exposure given to these fish on social media has been huge, and we now know Kingfish can be chased on foot within many of New Zealand’s harbors and shallow bays from the far north all the way down to the top of the south.

If you’re planning a fishing trip to New Zealand be ensure to allow some time to tick off Kingfish on the fly!

For more content from Gareth, check out his Instagram @trouthuntingnz

Photo Essay: Aggressive “Cutty Munching” Bull Trout

By
Jared Zissu
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Have you ever had one of those days? A day where turning back meant you missed out on such an incredible experience you’d be kicking yourself if you’d known. This day was a day just like that.

I’d been planning on exploring a new area of the map, one which my bud, Jake, somewhat knew. He and I loaded up the truck, the dogs, and the beer’s nice and early to beat the morning traffic. Jake had brought some weird trendy beer for us to drink, luckily, I packed something less sophisticated my stomach could manage. With the dogs and gear packed, we headed out in the dark towards the Foothills.

This time of year is quieter to fish. Many of the fly-by-night fly fishermen have switched to hunting, leaving the streams alone for the die-hards. On a summer day, you’d have to fight for parking as the rows of RV’s and ATV’s line the access points. However, the dirt road leading to the stream is absent from the bustle of summer. Just a worn down old Dodge stuffed with hunters greeted us as we winded down the narrow path.

We arrived only after several guesses to the exact location Jake remembered. Years ago, he had fished this spot, but busy areas such as this change from year to year. As the roads become more worn and the trees get pushed back further, the memories we once saw as true can become a puzzle in our minds. The wind was cold that day and stronger than we’d have liked. The dogs didn’t seem to mind though, as they chased one another around and around while Jake and I geared up. With our rods assembled, new leaders applied, and tippet tied strong we headed down the steep canyon. Lucky enough for us, the path had been beaten down over the years making our journey towards the water’s edge manageable, other locations we venture to feel like they require mountain climbing equipment.

The pools were emerald green and swirled slowly in the early morning light. At this point in the season, the water levels were quite low, allowing us to see right to the bottom of each pool. My first cast drifted slowly and my eyes were fixated on the orange indicator as it floated along the eddies. Yet, cast after cast yielded nothing. Ever reluctant to switch, Jake focused on nymphing as my impatience got the better of me and on I went to a streamer. Stripping in slowly finally I saw white fins move from its hiding spot of a narrow overhang. A small, but beautiful bull trout, lazily moved towards the fly. It’s beautiful yellow belly moved slowly in the water, almost as if to warn the streamer of its presence. Cast after cast the bull attempted to grab my streamer, but never gave enough effort to provide a strike. It was time to move on.

Pool after pool seemed to be empty of fish, and it looked like the only trout we’d see here would be the small, lazy bull. We turned back discussing our options, as we figured most of the fish had moved back into the main channel of the river. I decided to toss a bit more meat at the lazy bull as Jake chased after the dogs. Just as I was about to pack up, I hear Jake come from around the corner upstream. “You better check this out,” he said. As I rounded the corner I saw the river open into a much larger pool than we’d encountered and it was stacked with beautiful cutthroat trout. Each cast seemed to yield a 19 or 20-inch cutthroat, and our disappointment turned into pure excitement.

We must have pulled out close to 20 fish before I decided the action was worth running back up the hill to grab my camera gear. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to watch these fish eating out flies in crystal clear waters. On the way back down I saw Jake with a shocked look on his face. He turned to me and said, “This thing is huge!” I climbed over the overhanging cliff and peered into the water, it was huge! An old bull had heard the commotion caused by the cutties being caught and decided it was worth coming out from his hiding spot to check things out. We continued nymphing in hopes of hooking into the old bull, but the cutties kept smashing our flies. After snapping a couple pictures, I decided to put my drone up in the air to take in some of the action. I told Jake to have at it, and boom, first cast he hooked into a fat cutthroat trout. He began reeling it in and scrapping the feisty fish and then it happened!

Suddenly, the big bull turned around from the middle of the pool and started slowly coming towards Jake’s hooked cutthroat. Once it got close enough, it chomped down on it. I thought Jake was going to land both fish at one point, but after a couple jerks of the rod the bull released. It’s not uncommon for this to happen here in Alberta by any means, but watching it all go down from up above from the drone put a different perspective on the event. I knew right away I captured a very unique shot. After taking it all in and watching the bull trout become active I decided to tie on a big streamer, and after switching up colours a couple times I landed the old bull to add to just another fun day outdoors on the river.

For more content from Kelly make sure to follow backcountry_poolz on Instagram!

Photo Essay: 50 shades of brown

By
Jared Zissu
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During my time off for Thanksgiving, I paid a visit to the Clinch River. It’s been a favorite haunt of mine for years. The Clinch is a scenic waterway, great place to get some peace and quiet and one of the best fishing destinations in East Tennessee. 

I spotted this sweet prince about 4pm on Wednesday the 23rd. Exactly one year prior, the very same day in 2015, he (or a fellow Brown) straightened a size 20, blue zebra midge on me. I may have been near tears then, but I was all grins this time. I’d been waiting a full calendar year for the opportunity to dance with another big Brown.

The Clinch is what I would describe as a “tough-to-fish” river. Teeny-tiny nymphs seem to be the only things that get looks, especially from the big fish.  Recollecting last year’s experience, I went to the exact same fly I’d lost him on one year ago. I pulled out my size 20 blue zebra and went to work.

My 3rd or 4th cast earned a slight chase. Which got my heart pumping, a little more. Like most fish of his size, the Brown quickly lost interest.  Undeterred, I soldiered on, proceeding to try about 20 different patterns to see if I could spark an interest. Nada.

Frustrated once again, I decided to call it a night. On my way home, I told a good buddy about my 2nd attempt at the Brown, and how it was the fish of my dreams.

“It was probably a carp,” he replied. He’d soon eat those words.

Thoughts of the Brown continued to consume me. My entire drive back to Knoxville – where I’d be enjoying Thanksgiving festivities with my family – was spent dreaming of a victorious and triumphant return to catch this trophy Brown.

Friday at 8:15 am, I returned. The water would soon settle post-generation. From there, I would begin my assault with a new level of determination. I was prepared to do everything I could possibly try to catch this fish.

On my way to the hole where I’d previously spotted him, I caught a 15 inch Rainbow. After that, a 16.5 inch Brown. And as I was basking in the glow of my second catch, my brother yelled up  from below. “I SEE THE FISH!”

Feigning nonchalance, I told him to go for it. Knowing that very soon, I too would have my shot.

I meandered down to verify this was, in fact, my arch nemesis Trophy Brown. One look provided the validation I needed. He was just one pool down from before.

Did I truly want my brother to catch him? I’d tell you yes. But the honest truth is that I selfishly wanted my shot at the title. So when nature called for my brother Jonathan – in a different sense – I positioned myself for the perfect drift.

<Note: I’m fishing a 4 weight with 5X dropping a size 20 purple zebra midge off of a small pheasant tail.>

Cast one: Good distance, the perfect depth, but just left of this beast – who’s holding confident and steady in his position.

Cast two: Same, but just past him and to the right.

Cast three: Perfect. My indicator drops right over the fish. Set!

The fear and excitement sets in, but the visual I expected isn’t there. The line is tight, and yet, the fish is still in the same position. It wasn’t my Trophy Brown. It was a different fish, only 11 or so inches.

I unhook it, resettle, and cast again.

Cast four: Perfect drift. Perfect angle. The indicator is just over the fish. It ducks under the water. And a sense of fear suddenly ensues.

The shudder in the water is something I still can’t explain. The yellow belly flashed, and the pure power of the fish actually, physically shook the water.

He’s hooked! The realization momentarily stunned me. I yelled to my brother, “He took! Johnny Boy, get the net!” When all of the sudden, the Brown takes off.

Before I can get my line tight or heighten tension on the reel, this fish is already downstream 30 yards.  The next 10-15 minutes? A state of black-out — full of panic, fear, and anxiety. Think Will Ferrell in Old School.

Frantic and yelling to my brother to keep up, I followed the fish downriver and find myself hollering out requests for net assistance from 2 unsuspecting fellow fisherman. “Hey, can I get a hand with some net help?” Moments later, the Brown shows me the true meaning of power, making a last minute run for a downed tree. The unsuspecting angler yells something along the lines of, “Holy sh*t, that’s the largest fish I’ve ever seen!”

At this point, I’m overcome with panic. I’m this close to losing this fish.

He reaches the tree and lodges himself on a log with a notch at the base of the river. I don’t know if he’s tossed the line and about to run, so in a desperate last attempt, I lunge my arm to the bottom of the stream, grab him by the tail, and – somehow – surface this beast.

My net can barely even hold the writhing monstrosity I’ve just landed, but eventually he succumbs and goes in headfirst. I breathe the heaviest sigh of relief I’ve ever released as a fisherman. It’s over. I’d caught the fish I’ve always dreamed I would catch.

He taped at 28.5 inches. Releasing this fish is something I’ll never forget. The ecstasy and joy surrounding this achievement is something I’ll never be able to describe.

The act of fly fishing is one of patience, determination, skill, and luck. And on November 25th the stars aligned for me. Catch or no catch, trophy or not, I’ll continue my trips to the river for many years to come – thankful for the beauty of the Clinch and the memories of catching this amazing Brown.

Video: Chasing 24 Karat Gold in The Bolivian Jungle

By
Jared Zissu
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In September of 2016, I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime. A trip to the headwaters of the Bolivian Amazon with Angling Frontiers.

When you spend two weeks in the Raw Amazon jungle you begin to really understand the people who you are with, that is one great aspect about fly fishing adventures…

One of the guides on this expedition is a guy who goes by the name of Jonathan Jones, aka RedBeard. John was also guiding with one of my high school roommates, Scott Montross. Below John is putting a “Bolo” in his mouth. A native ritual to help gain stamina pushing wooden boats up the Amazon River. John is mentoring Scott on the right technique.

Next, you wash down the Bolo with a quick splash of local liquor. 

This was Scott’s first full time guiding gig, and starting in the Amazon jungle was not easy in the least bit. John did a great job helping mentor Scott and me on this trip and for that, I owe him my gratitude. Scott and John put together a pretty awesome short video showcasing their adventure. Check it out below. 

Faces of Fly Fishing: Rolf Nylinder

By
Jared Zissu
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Flylords: How long have you been fly fishing for?

Rolf: I think it’s around 13 years now…

Flylords: When did you start carrying a camera with you? What was the first movie you made?

Rolf: I guess I started with that right away, some cheap DV-cam we had to film snowboarding during the winters. My interest in filming and fly fishing has sort of evolved together. The first movie I made was maybe something involving the Pike in Lake Mälaren, where I grew up.

Flylords: All time favorite fish to catch on a fly rod? Why?

Rolf: It’s a boring answer, but of course, it’s the brown trout. Where I grew up (close to Stockholm, Sweden) there were no trout and no clear rivers, just farmland and pike. The brown trout became like a mythological creature, something I dreamt of but would never be able to see. But then the summer came, and when my brother got his driving license and we drove north, into the mountains. That summer was magical, I caught a huge 10-15 cm trout on a dry fly. I felt like I was in my own dreams. I guess I’m just chasing that first trout, everything needs to be perfect in order to catch it, a calm and steady current, a proper mayfly hatch and slowly rises. the encounters with that fish happen more and more rarely.

Flylords: I have been following your video work since the beginning, you definitely have one of the most creative minds in the industry. Where does this creativity come from and how have you grown as a videographer since you started?

Rolf: Thank you. Hard question, I don’t know, I just do things. I’m hopefully growing as a filmmaker, though I lack the professionalism that everybody else seems to have. I do things whenever it feels right, but mostly I just dream about being able to do things I can’t.

Flylords: What is your favorite movie?

Rolf: Are you a relative of Steve Zissou? In that case, it’s Life Aquatic.

Flylords: Who is your favorite musical artist?

Rolf: One choice? It can get so wrong when you have to choose only one favorite. Just look at your presidential election…  But well, it has to be Tallest Man On Earth.

 
 

Flylords: If you could recommend one book to read?

Rolf: The one I’m reading now is After Nature by Jedediah Purdy, I recommend that, especially if you have a broader English vocabulary than me, and most people do.

Flylords: Do you have any role models in the fly fishing industry?

Rolf: My friend Peter Christensen, Håvard Stubö and the Felt Soul Media guys!

Flylords: If you were stranded on an island and had one fly and one rod, what would you choose?

Rolf: A class 5 rod and a Klinkhammer hook 16. You might think it’s a stupid choice for a deserted island surrounded by a salty ocean. But I would die with class…

Flylords: I know you recently had a fire in your house. First off I am so sorry to hear about that. I am glad to see you starting to get back into your videos, how have you been able to recover from such a setback?

Rolf: I’m so absent-minded that it’s hard keeping one thing in focus for a long time, guess that goes for grief also. But it was hard, not the least economically.

Flylords: What does Rolf Nylinder have planned for 2017?

Rolf: I’ll hopefully make some videos that I just put on my homepage rolfnylinder.com.  I’m almost done with a film from Kamchatka that I did together with Peter, it’s gonna run on the fly fishing film tour…  I’m very happy people actually watch the things I do, that means a lot to me. I’ll probably keep doing some random movies the coming year, that’s what I do.

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Gear Review: Hatch Reels

By
Jared Zissu
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No doubt, there are a lot of incredible fly reels out there. Ross Reels, Abel Reels, Nautilus Reels, and Taylor Fly Reels are all high quality fly reels, just to name a few. This gives fly anglers a plethora of options to choose from. Working in a fly shop in Fort Worth, Texas, I was lucky to have a lot of options. However, since I received my first Hatch reel 6 years ago, I have not purchased another reel other than Hatch Outdoor’s Finatic Series.

I was fortunate that my fly shop sold Hatch Outdoor fly reels. I contacted the general manager Andrew Dickinson out at Hatch’s headquarters in Vista, California, and he hooked me up. Since then, I have been lucky to call Andrew Dickinson my friend. This summer I flew to California to visit my friend who was from the Orange County area. I thought if I was going to be an hour north of Hatch’s headquarters, I should reach out to Andrew to see about coming down to see the facility. Andrew was more than happy to have me. I knew how the fly reels were made; however, seeing the production process first hand was much more insightful than just reading about it.

So for those of you who know about or own a Hatch reel, you know how special they are. If you don’t, you might be wonder, “Well there are a lot of ‘great’ reels out there. What makes Hatch so different?” Here lies the million-dollar question. What makes Hatch reels so incredible? More specifically, what makes Hatch reels so #FINATICAL?

Well for starters, Hatch Reels are built out of a solid block of aluminum, rather than pouring a liquid aluminum into a mold to solidify. Most high quality reels are made this way, making them much stronger and durable. Hatch reels also have a one-piece machined reel seat, eliminating any unnecessary screws and ensuring there is no corrosion causing the reel seat to lose footing ever. Next, the dimension in the frame is machined to increase rigidity and strength while reducing lateral flex. If you have ever experienced a strong fish ripping line off the reel, then you know how important this aspect is. The spool and the housing act as one. There is no lateral flex when you push or pull the two, resulting in the reel tracking truer and eliminating any shaking in a high speed run. Also, the frame/spool connection utilize a “power flower” design that locks and creates a secure fit. Finally, the reel is then finished with a Type II anodize that holds up in both fresh and salt water.

All of these characteristics mentioned make Hatch’s reels strong and durable. However, the number one thing that sets Hatch apart from other reels is the drag system. Not only is the drag system completely sealed (a big selling point for salt water fly fisherman), the drag system is unique in its multi-disk drag system, compared to most conventional one on one surface contact. This means that one surface (metal) is driven towards another surface (cork, plastic, carbon fiber, graphite, etc.).

However, Hatch reels take a much different approach. The stacked drag system is made up of disks (seen below). The size of the Hatch reel determines the amount of disks that are in each drag system. For example, the smaller 3 Plus reel (ideal for 3-5 weights) has 4 disks with 6 sides of braking surface, whereas the 7 Plus reel (ideal for 7-9 weights) has 6 disks with 10 braking surfaces.

The braking pressure occurs on both sides of these disks, making sure that the materials apply maximum stopping power. This design maximizes the effective braking surface (EBS) in square inches. If you want to learn more about the concept of EBS and how it is measured, call the team at Hatch. I only know the oversimplified version.

There are three main benefits of this multidisc drag system. First, the more surface area makes for a smoother, more durable drag. It also practically eliminates the start up inertia required to get the spool moving. Secondly, because heat distribution occurs over multiple surfaces, the stick slip problems caused by high speed runs are eliminated. Finally, the sealed, multidisc drag system require no lubrication or maintenance.

These benefits truly do translate into a better fishing experience. There is no better person to tell you about Hatch Reels than general manager Andrew Dickinson (pictured above). I was lucky to catch up with Andrew recently and do a Q&A with him.

Q: How did you get started working in the fly fishing industry? Did you start out at Hatch, or did something draw your eye towards the company?
A: “My driving motivation in business mainly focuses on the purpose of the project rather than the monetary payoff. I’ve found if you throw yourself into a project you believe in and fuel it with 110% effort, the money generally takes care of itself. This mindset plus a childhood love for fishing put me on a collision course with the fly industry early on. I learned to cast a fly rod when I was 11 and shortly thereafter found myself fascinated with tying flies and building custom fly rods. I started a custom rod building company when I was 14 and ran it through high school and college. While exhibiting the company at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show, I met John Torok and Danny Ashcraft. Pretty sure that was in 2007, only a few years after Hatch started. Both being San Diegans and passionate about fly fishing, we stayed in touch. John was very helpful in passing along business tips to me as a young business owner and eventually offered me a job in 2009. I’ve been here ever since. I was the first employee at Hatch and was able to work alongside John and Danny in a very close-knit environment as we worked to build Hatch to what it is today. We now have a bigger team of very talented and passionate folks working here. It’s been incredibly satisfying to see the brand grow and become known for quality, American products made here in San Diego.”

Q: Freshwater or saltwater? And which species is your favorite to target?
A: “I’m a junkie for anything with fins so it’s tough to pin me down to one species. Some of my favorites would be Dorado here in San Diego, Roosters in Baja, Browns on Silver Creek, and Permit in the Keys. Cuba is happening in 2017 so I’ll probably add a couple more favorites to the list shortly.”

Q: What has been the craziest story you have heard or experienced regarding Hatch’s products? For example, catching a 30” trout on a 1 Plus or a 1000lb shark on a 12 Plus?
A: “Oh man, ask an angler for a story and you better sit down and prepare to listen for awhile. I’ve heard a few and been apart of a few. A few years ago, one of our Pro Staffers found a 7 Plus in the river, cleaned the mud off it and fished with it for the rest of the season. We had a guide down in Texas who caught redfish over 35” with a 3 Plus. When I was at the Fly Fishing Show in New Jersey, I had a guide and customer tell me they used our 12 Plus to bring in 450 lb Bluefin all season. Numerous stories from customers and guides who forgot to buckle down their rods to the car before hitting the highway and then back tracking to find their rigs miles up the road. Most of the Hatch reels survive the fall just fine, except I have one 5 Plus on my desk that collided with an Idaho beet truck. It’s a very low profile fly reel after it’s roadside alteration!”

Q: What have you enjoyed most about working at Hatch Outdoors? And working in the fly fishing industry in general?

A: “Working in the fly industry, you quickly realize it’s small in dollars but big in passion. Dollars-wise, the fly industry is about $800 Million annually for everything sold in the fly fishing space. Flies, Leaders, guide trips, clothing, reels, rods; everything! The small size of the industry makes for a tightly integrated group of manufacturers and dealers who maintain relationships with a passionate crew of customers. I really enjoy the ability to have 50 names in my contacts list connecting me with every important aspect of the fly industry. It’s a tight knit community of folks who know each other and work together to build better businesses, protection for waters we love, and satisfy a wonderful group of consumers.

Hands down, favorite aspect of working at Hatch is the daily interaction with our team of pro staffers, dealers, and customers. I really enjoy working with my dealers to grow their business with our brand. I also really enjoy customer relationships and learning about how we can provide them with the best fly fishing tools ever made. Ultimately fly fishing is an outdoor experience that you hope to replicate over and over again. My desire is to provide gear that will consistently perform to your top expectations when you hit your favorite river or flat the next time.”

Q: What does the future of Hatch look like? Do you see any new product lines or major improvements coming soon?
A: “One of the advantages of making your own gear is having the ability to make changes, customizations, and advancements literally at your fingertips. Any machining change to our reels happens 50 feet from my office. Also, being a small company allows us to be nimble to respond to not only sales demand but also technological improvements. We are continually working on improvements to our products; believe me, new stuff gets us excited!! I can tell you that we would be bored stiff if we weren’t always working on something new, whether it’s new t-shirt design, fly line taper, plier cutters, or improved drag mechanism in a reel. We really appreciate the support of our customers who get behind our crazy ideas.”

 Head over to Hatch’s website for more information or find a Hatch dealer here.

 

Photos provided by Bryan Gregson and Jim Klug. You can find more of their incredible work on Instagram at @bryangregsonphotographyand @jtklugphotography. Both also work with Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures, @yellowdogflyfishing. Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures is a hands-on, specialty travel and destination angling company that delivers the finest “insider” knowledge you need to find, book and arrange the perfect fly fishing trip.

Tanner Poeschel, The Taylor River Trout Bum, is a creative content intern and ambassador for The Fly Lords. Tanner has grown up fly fishing in Colorado, specifically on the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers. For more of his work, check out his website, Facebook, or Instagram. 

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