Can a fish change an anglers life?
In December 2012, in a Louisiana swamp, a Redfish changed Meredith McCord’s.
That day, Meredith broke an IGFA World Record for 16 pound tippet, with landing a 32.6 pound Redfish (Red Drum). What Meredith didn’t fully comprehend at the time was that this fish would be the start of her being thrown into the fly fishing world as an television celebrity, iconic angler, adventurer and world record pursuer.
That fish was the first of what has now become over 160 world records and counting. Meredith’s world record pursuits have taken her around the world and established her as an ambassador of fly fishing.
Her contribution to fly fishing has not stopped at world records. She has hosted television shows with Lefty Kreh and Tom Brokaw. She has brought guests to international destinations around the globe and has become an ambassador to some of the largest manufactures in fly fishing today. And through all of this she hasn’t lost a bit of her enthusiasm and appreciation of fly fishing.
During this episode you can hear her excitement and pure joy to what she gets to do. Her pursuit of world records has not been an isolated selfish pursuit for self promotion but an opportunity to grow within the sport and within herself to become a better angler and better person.
During this recording Meredith shares how she physically, mentally and technically prepares to catch a world record and how best to document the catch to submit to IGFA for consideration as a new world record. She discusses “soft records” and how she thinks some of the records at Pyramid Lake are ripe for picking off and she is looking forward to giving it a go herself at Pyramid Lake.
I hope you enjoy this wide ranging discussion with Meredith McCord.
Show Notes:
International Game Fish Association
IGFA Fly Fishing specific information rules
A list of IGFA World Records for Cutthroat trout
Here is an instructional video on how to tie up your own IGFA leader
Contact info for Meredith McCord
"In 2018 the USFWS stocked 36,000 LCT and NDOW stocked 5,000 Rainbow Trout. Of the 747 sampled salmonids in the 2018 Fall Survey only 6 were hatchery trout."
-Travis Hawks, Fishery Biologist, Nevada Department of Wildlife
It is amazing that this is the 4th annual episode of the State of the Truckee River with NDOW Fishery Biologist, Travis Hawks. As you will hear in today's episode the Truckee River has made quite a recovery from those years following prolonged drought and now things are looking much better than Travis shared in our first couple of episodes.
In today's episode, like previous episodes, Travis covers the Truckee River reach-by-reach and reviews the results of the NDOW Fall biologic surveys. This covers the Truckee River from the California/Nevada state boundary downstream to the reservation boundary.
You will hear Travis discuss the river's response far exceeding his expectations with the concentrations and distribution of all the different salmonid species. Brown Trout were the stars of the 2018 class with an amazing jump in total populations. Travis believes this is in large part due to great Fall water conditions the last two years.
As I have shared in previous episodes with Travis I can't express enough my appreciation for his time and effort to prepare and share this information. I am not sure there is another wildlife agency that is so transparent and forthcoming with their information. What this means for us is that we can be assured that NDOW cares and is taking proactive steps to manage, protect and enhance the Truckee River and it's fishery.
So settle in and get ready for a great episode, jam packed with data and discussion on our great Truckee River.
2015 STATE OF THE TRUCKEE RIVER PODCAST
"Fly presentation trumps fly selection everytime"
- Phil Rowley
Get ready for our first Reno Fly Shop Podcast Classic. A couple of years ago I recorded and released an episode with Canadian stillwater expert Phil Rowley. I had the chance to chat with Phil about the history of balanced flies and his contribution to the evolution of one of the fly patterns that has turned a new page in fly fishing stillwaters. Additionally Phil shares how to fish Booby flies and when and why he thinks these are such a killer pattern.
You will hear Phil share how he most often sets up his leader rigs and then generously offer up the leader formula that he has fine tuned to fishing stillwaters under an indicator, without an indicator and the really creative formula "the Washing Line" setup. These leaders can be used for Chironomids, Balanced flies and Booby Flies (even in combination).
The Balanced Leech and Booby Fly weren't developed at Pyramid Lake but since their introductions there a few years ago they have been two of the most popular and effective patterns for huge Lahonton Cutthroat Trout. These are consistently two of the most popular Pyramid Lake patterns every year at the Reno Fly Shop.
As we discuss in this podcast the Balanced Leech's effectiveness is that it can be delivered and held right in the strike zone for cruising trout. Add in some (often present) wind chop and waves to create movement under an indicator and you are offering a fly that the fish simply can't ignore. If you end up fishing a balanced fly in a multi fly rig we suggest that the balanced leech be at the terminal end of the leader. This will allow the fly to suspend in the intended horizontal position.
The Booby Fly is a UK stillwater pattern that really has to be fished to be appreciated. Best described as an attractor pattern it certainly doesn't look like any naturally occurring in nature. But honestly who cares when this fly works so well.
We have the widest selection of Booby Fly variations available anywhere at the Reno Fly Shop.
Check out all of the available Booby Flies in our online store.
Make a point of visiting or following Phil on-line at, www.flycraftangling.com or www.stillwaterflyfishingstore.com and through his social media channels, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
"The ocean is in my DNA and sets the rhythm of my life."
-Conway Bowman
Today’s guest, Captain Conway Bowman, can best be described as a Waterman. A person whose life is heavily influenced and actually defined by water and watery environments. He fly fishes, surfs, spearfishes, body surfs and let's his life be defined by the rhythm of the ocean.
Conway grew up in San Diego, California and was enjoying the outdoors with his father and family at a very young age. His family would vacation in central Idaho and that is where Conway was first exposed to fly fishing. Young Conway brought that experience back to San Diego and being far from any trout fishery focussed his attention on the ocean which was just outside his backdoor. This attention to the Ocean and flyfishing began to define who and what Conway is.
About 20 years ago he was able to focus his lifelong interests in the Ocean and fly fishing into chasing Mako Shark on the fly. Now, 20 years later he is still chasing Mako, guiding and putting clients on the largest fish they have ever caught and in this process often changing their lives.
I had the chance to fish with Conway in July 2018 and it was unlike any fly fishing exerience I have had before. I believe fly fishing for Mako Shark with Conway can best be desribed as being Mellow and Intense at the same time.
Our day fishing with Conway was just three of us on the water in his 24 foot bay boat and surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean. Time went by as we drifted in current and spread the chum slick which acted as a dinner bell for the Ocean life. As we settled in we saw blue whale, sea birds, jellyfish, Bonita and Yellowfin Tuna, alone, well worth the effort to be on the water. However, soon the shark show up and we got ready to have our shot.
Things at this point for us were still on the Mellow side of the scale. Conway's demeanor and personality suggested that we didn’'t need to rush or move fast while picking up the 14 weight fly rod and casting what looked like a feathery wet sock at a 100 pound Mako Shark. Not until the Mako circled, charged, dove and then ambushed the fly from below did the scale quickly tip to Intense . And then it got really intense really fast.
Mako Shark are known for going absolutely berzerk when hooked and it is not uncommon to have them jump 10, 20 even 30 feet out of the water. This is not a jump out of the water and flop onto their side sort of behavior. This is the launching out of water like a ballistic missile then flipping head over tail before landing.
In today's episode Conway and I get to recap our day fishing together and dive much deeper into what makes Conway tick. How he describes himself as having the Ocean be part of his DNA and that the rhythm of it defines the rhythm of his life. We also discuss Mako Shark and what makes them a unique fish at-large and what makes them special to chase on a fly rod.
I hope you enjoy.
Contacting Conway Bowman:
Conway's website: www.conwaybowman.com
"Once you can commit to learning the stillwater game it can be as rewarding as learning any other type of fly fishing technique. Plus you can often find water uncrowded with great fly fishing conditions."
-Devin Olsen
As promised during Episode 41. We sat down again with Devin Olsen and this time got the chance to dive into some topics that might be out of the range of what you think of when you think of Devin. Specifically fly fishing lakes and stillwater.
- Devin Olsen - source: tacticalflyfisher.com
While Devin, might best be known for his popular films Modern Nymphing -Euro Inspired Techniques and Modern Nymphing - Elevated where he and his partner Lance Egan breakdown european style nymphing techniques on moving water. Devin also fishes lakes and stillwaters with passion and enthusiasm that I surprised me.
During this recording I found it interesting that when Devin is out on his own he will choose to fish a lake before moving water. This is largely driven by the challenge fly fishing lake provides but also because of uncrowded water and really big fish.
Like many of us Devin didn't start out fly fishing lakes but began to spend more time on stillwater through his exposure and desire to do well at fly fishing competitions. As his experience grew he began to grow and learn many of the nuances of effectively fly fishing lakes. This appreciatiation and confidence developed into where he now spends as much time, if not more, on stillwater as moving water.
- High Alpine Lakes are a great alternative to crowded summer rivers
Lakes and reservoirs are just about everywhere and during late Summer and into Fall they offer great alternatives to crowded rivers and streams. It was great to hear many of the great tactics Devin has developed are so translatable to others waters. As you will hear Devin express over and over. If you commit to developing stillwater experience and tactics you will most likely begin to appreciate and often prefer the many facets of flyfishing lakes.
- Devin's committment pays off. source: tacticalflyfisher.com
Devin covers both Loch and Bankside styles and how he is approaches them differently. Devin strongly believes suggestive fly patterns are consistently more effective than imitative patterns and that the Humungous is a great fly to search unfamiliar waters.
- Humongous Fly Pattern
This pattern that has very similar to characteristics to a pattern that was developed by a great regional fly fisher, Jay Fair. The Wiggle Tail has caught many eastern sierra trout.
- Jay Fair's Wiggle Tail
At the time of this recording Devin was preparing for representing the USA at the Fly Fishing World Championships in Trentino Italy. The lake portion of this competition will be Cornisello Lake. As Devin explains this will be a very important part of the competition and where he hopes Team USA will make theie presence known. It is limited to a bankside venue and Devin shares what might be his best approach to a lake he has not been able to find too much about.
- Cornisello Lake, Italy
Contact info for Devin Olsen
Devin's email : info@tacticalflyfisher.com
Instagram: @tacticalflyfisher
Facebook: @tacticalflyfisher and @DevinOlsen
Website: www.tacticalflyfisher.com
Music generously provided by: Frog and Toad - frogandtoadmusic.com
Song: Fullers Crossing off of the self-titled album Frog and Toad - Brad Jones wrote this song about a log toll bridge over the Truckee River built by Charles Fuller, in 1859. The bridge's location eventually became a community hub and commercial center for the surrounding area. The City of Reno was founded around the bridge's location in 1868.
"Work hard, have humility and appreciate what you learn."
-Jeff Currier
- Golden Maseer, India
Jeff Currier has been fly fishing the world for over forty years. Jeff's adventures to more than sixty countries on six continents has resulted in more than 400 species of fish caught on a fly. This is an amazing feat by any standard and one that would be tough to match unless one would be willing to dedicate their life to fly fishing and adventure travel as Jeff has. How does he do it? Rather simple if you listen closely to Jeff. Bring a sense of humor, enthusiasm, humility and plenty of curiousity and the rest will fall into place.
- Golden Dorado, Tsimane, Bolivia
Along the way, Jeff has been in the fly fishing industry for over thirty years. He began behind the counter at a fly shop in Jackson, Wyoming. He has taught the basics of fly fishing and guided anglers all over the Yellowstone area and throughout the world in both fresh and saltwater. He is presently on the Professional Advisory Staff for R.L Winston Rod Co., Bauer Reels, Simms Fishing Products, Scientific Anglers, Costa, Yeti, Kate's Real Food, and Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures. Jeff has met thousands of anglers from novice to advanced. His greatest joy is to help folks catch fish by supplying simple advice.
- Wyoming Brown Trout
Show Notes:
Jeff shared that St. Brandon's Atoll is the antipode of his hometown, Victor Idaho. Do you know where your hometowns antipode is?
Jeff's Yellow Permit from St. Brandon's
Jeff's article on
Self Promotion (source: JeffCurrier.com)
Nile Perch (source: jeffcurrier.com)
- Nile Perch, Lake Nasser Egypt, April 2007
Scientific Anglers Titan Taper
SA has designed the Wavelength Titan for when you have an all-encompassing need to throw big flies for big fish.
- Loads quickly and delivers the biggest flies to the furthest targets
- Excellent turnover due to short, powerful head and short front taper
- Ideal line for boat or wade fishing
- Textured surface shoots further and with less memory
- For temperate climates
- Braided multifilament core
- SA Titan Taper geometry
Music generously provided by: Frog and Toad
Song: Fullers Crossing off of the self-titled album Frog and Toad - Brad Jones wrote this song about a log toll bridge over the Truckee River built by Charles Fuller, in 1859. The bridge's location eventually became a community hub and commercial center for the surrounding area. The City of Reno was founded around the bridge's location in 1868. The Reno Fly Shop is less that 1/2 mile from the bridge's original location.
"I love the fact that I can go out and learn something new each and every time on the water"
-Ernie Gulley
Today's guest is a stillwater icon of the eastern Sierra and a master of Crowley Lake. Ernie Gulley has been fishing and now guiding Crowley Lake for many many years. His enthusiasm, committment and generosity to share his knowledge and tradecraft is unique and refreshing in a popular fishery like Crowley Lake. We cover everything from the seasonal changes of Crowley to the trouts food source and how he has applied his vast knowledge of that fishery to other stillwaters like Pyramid Lake and Lake Davis.
- source: http://stevenojai.tripod.com/crowley.htm
Ernie was born in southern California, and started fishing with his Dad as soon as he could walk. At age seven, Ernie and his family moved to New Orleans where he learned how to fish Lake Pontchartrain for speckled trout and other saltwater species. Later he moved back to SoCal and began fishing Lake Crowley, Bridgeport Reservoir and many lakes in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. (Ernie currently resides in Riverside with his wife Shannon and their two children, Logan, age 13 and Aidan, age 10.)
- Ernie and his wife
In 1997, Ernie’s curiosity about fly fishing began and a true love affair was born. This love affair blossomed and he never looked back. Ernie was mentored by Bob Slamal, one of Ernie’s legends in the fly fishing industry, and he also joined many local fly fishing clubs to learn as much as he could about fly fishing. In 2007, Ernie won the “Double Haul in the Fall” tournament at Lake Crowley, now his home waters for guiding; this is where he has won both individual and team division titles.
- Happy Client and a Rainbow
Ernie is currently a professional fly fishing guide in southern California and the eastern Sierra and is known as one of the Sierra’s premier stillwater guides. Even when he is finished guiding for the day, you will find him back out on the water until sunset, always exploring, testing, observing, analyzing and putting in the extra time and effort to master his craft. His philosophy is simple: you can always learn something new every time you are on the water.
- Happy Client and a Cutthroat
Ernie is a “Pro Ambassador” for the Hardy Fly Fishing Company and the Cortland Line Company, among others. He takes great pride in sharing his knowledge of fly fishing and his great passion is teaching stillwater fly fishing tactics.
You can learn more about Ernie and his guiding by going to:
Website: www.erniegulley.com
Instagram: @erniegulleyflyfishing
Twitter: @erniegulley
Facebook: Ernie Gulley and Ernie Gulley Fly Fishing Guide Service
Email: erniegulleyflyfishing@aol.com
Show Notes:
This is episode is packed full of information that Ernie generously shares. As we covered in the episode Ernie was willing to share his leader setups that he uses with his clients and from paid speaking engagements around the western U.S. Please take a look and if you are interested enough to download for your use please thank Ernie directly and let him know where you picked up these diagrams.
Knowing the life cycle of the insects you use while fly fishing is not only enjoyable but can help you make a choice on fly, location and depth to fish. Here is a great graphic outlining the life cycle of Chironomid (midge).
Music generously provided by: Frog and Toad - frogandtoadmusic.com
Song: Fullers Crossing off of the self-titled album Frog and Toad - Brad Jones wrote this song about a log toll bridge over the Truckee River built by Charles Fuller, in 1859. The bridge's location eventually became a community hub and commercial center for the surrounding area. The City of Reno was founded around the bridge's location in 1868.
"To really understand Euro Style Nymphing the angler has to dive in and believe it will work."
-Devin Olsen
After a bit of a break it is exciting to be back in the saddle and putting out podcast episodes for your enjoyment.
During this break we have been very busy around the shop supporting many of your adventures on the water and working on some new and exciting projects that we will get to announce soon.
Here at the Reno Fly Shop we have fully embraced the technical approach of European Style Nymphing (ESN) for fly fishing our local rivers. It is an amazing techique that really allows us to have a level of sensitivity with our flies that we haven't been able to find with other techniques. Plus advancements and availability of good quality gear that before often had to be chased down from European sources is making it that much more enjoyable and accessible. We are also really lucky that experts in ESN are willing to share their experience, knowledge and passion to better understand the many variables and nuances of this effective technique.
In today's episode I had the chance to sit down with Devin Olsen. Devin is the co-producer and co-host of Modern Nymphing, Elevated the much anticipated sequel to the very popular movie Modern Nymphing, European Inspired Techniques. Devin also runs tacticalflyfisher.com which has become an important source of ESN inspired gear and equipment for the competitive angler.
Devin, much like his partner and previous podcast guest Lance Egan (Episode 27), shares information without hesitation. In this recording we get to really dig into the weeds on many of the tactics and techniques I have wondered about. Plus through this wide ranging conversation we cover
- reading water,
- hiding from trout using natural features,
- fly selection,
- when and when not to use it added weight, and
- squeezing the most fish out of each section of water.
We covered so much ground and spent so much time working through details we lost track of time. Not wanting to make these episodes too long. I asked and Devin generously agreed to come back for a second episode later this summer. Devin will squeeze us in between his summer guide season, U.S. Team Trials and hopefully representing the U.S.A at the next World Championship in Trentino, Italy on the Sarca and Noce Rivers and Cornisello Lake.
I hope you enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Devin and take a moment to check us out on Facebook at the Reno Fly Shop Podcast Group. There you will find more discussions of this and other episodes. In the group later this summer I will open the opportunity for you to submit questions to Devin and or myself prior getting back together so we can get them answered while recording the next episode. Please check it out and provide any feedback or questions in the Facebook group.
SHOW NOTES
Devin's blog post ROD LENGTH AND REACH: A TRIGONOMETRY PERSPECTIVE from tacticalflyfisher.com
DVDs of Modern Nymphing, European Inspired Techniques are available in the shop now and DVD copies of Modern Nymphing - Elevated will be available soon.
Both are available digitally on Vimeo with these links
Modern Nymphing -European Inspired Techniques
ESN inspired episodes on the Reno Fly Shop Podcast
EP018: George Daniel - Dynamic Nymphing Techniques, Approach and Equipment
EP027: Lance Egan - European Style Nymphing, The Rainbow Warrior and Modern Nymphing
EP036: George Daniel - Stream Tactics, Techniques and Blanding Styles to Catch More Trout
Modern Nymphing Elevated - Beyond the Basics from Capture Adventure Media on Vimeo.
Producers of the Modern Nymphing film series:
"I get a special satisfaction out of creating a fly, fishing it and finding out it works really well."
-Ken Morrish
Today’s guest, Ken Morrish, has wored within the fly fishing industry for the past 30 years and has contributed more than we might ever fully undestand. Kenny has designed many functional and effective fly patterns for trout and steelhead and his photographic contributions have inspired not only fly fisherman but non anglers as well.
Kenny started out as guide in Alaska, Oregon, and California and has, quite simply, done it all. He has taught fly fishing, managed fly shops, and is widely known as a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. He has come up with patterns like the Morrish Hopper, the Morrish Mouse and the Anato-May amongst many others. Kenny’s writing and photography has appeared in magazines like Outside, Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod and Reel and Northwest Fly Fishing and many other popular publications.
Ken’s images have also appeared in dozens of books including Lani Waller’s A Steelheader’s Way.
In 1999 Ken started Fly Water Travel, a fly fishing travel company specializing in international angling destinations. Ken runs the company with his business partner Brian Gies and serves as their, primary photographer and catalog copywriter. Ken is also a dedicated environmentalist who primary focus is on the cold water fisheries of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Ken lives in Ashland Oregon with his wife Mia and his children Max and Lilli.
Show Notes:
Kenny's flies we discussed on the episode.
- Morrish Hopper
- Morrish Mouse v1.0
- Morrish Pick Pocket
- Morrish Anato-May
Reno Fly Shop's hosted trip to Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati - April 16-25, 2018
Call for more details or send an email to jim@renoflyshop.com
- Bonefish from Kiritimati
Links to more information about the trip:
Fly Fishing Christmas Island with Fly Water Travel
Great article on Fly Fishing Christmas Island from Dylan Rose, Fly Water Travel
Reno Fly Shop's hosted trip to Agua Negra, Tsimane, Bolivia - September 9-16
Call for more details or send an email to jim@renoflyshop.com
- Golden Dorado
Links to more information on the trip:
Fly Fishing Tsimane, Bolivia - an article by Ken Morrish
- Tsimane Bolivia
"Fly fishing and art are the two perfect ways to go through life. There are limitless opportunities for learning and pushing yourself."
-Sarah Landström
If describing a hard charging angler, grad student in the fine arts and conservationist doesn't automatically sync in your minds eye then get ready for this episodes guest. Sarah Landström is all of those things and more. Originating in Michigan Sarah migrated to Helena, Montana in search of the refreshing air and a change of scenery. Once there she was exposed to two things somewhat simultaneously that changed her life, fly fishing and her natural talent as a painter and fine artist.
It didn't take Sarah long to direct her focus to combine these two interests and they have led her all over the country chasing fish, creating fine art and forwarding conservation issues to protect the critical environments she enjoys so much. Along the way she solicited a mentorship with none other than the famous fly fishing artist Derek DeYoung. Derek was able to show Sarah ropes of excelling in the fly fishing industry and channeling her energies into a much wider audience.
Sarah now calls San Francisco home while spending time as a Masters of Fine Art candidate at The California College of the Arts and part time work as staff at Lost Coast Outfitters a great independent fly shop in the City. She gains much of her current artistic inspiration from frequent road trips up the California coast for steelhead, high in the Sierras for wild trout and the desert to visit Pyramid Lake.
Sarah's bio on her website:
Sarah Landström is an energetic 23 year old artist who studied classical painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is currently a Masters of Fine Art candidate at The California College of the Arts. Sarah’s practice heavily revolves around her development as a conservationist and angler. Moving from Alaskan rivers to rural Ireland, Sarah has collected and expressed her experiences through referential palettes and subject matter in large scale paintings. Because these delicate landscapes are easily influenced by ill-equipped policy and greed, Sarah hopes her work will encourage her audience to educate themselves on local waters and the environmental pressures they face.
Show Notes:
