Back on the Blog "Grid"... South Caicos, Yucatan, Alaska, and, coming next, Amazon...

 The best medicine for the soul... 

To start, I must apologize to all you that have frequently and faithfully followed my blog over the years.  I have been quite absent from posting since the New Year (YES, almost 10 months ago!)  Although my hosted travels continued throughout the year, I was simply challenged by the lack of time and energy because of some unfortunate events in the family (multiple funerals... ugh.)  Anyhow, the family and I are coming out of the "fog" now and, therefore, you will now see frequent and consistent posts from this point forward.  I am back on the GRID!

OK, enough of the personal blab... let's show and tell about fly fishing travel!  Over this past year, I hosted a number of trips to my favorite destinations.  On these trips, I focused much of my time capturing imagery of these favorite destinations.  Over the past years, I learned a great deal about the fine art of photography from the likes of Ken Hanley, Gregg Holland, John Sherman, Brian O'Keefe, Dan Blanton, and many other photographers' work.  From each trip, I created a photo journal that I hope will give each of you the feel (or rather, the BUZZ!) about each destination and all that each has to offer.  Here is a sampling of my favorites photos from each trip and a link to my photo journal from each trip:

South Caicos Bonefish (April 2012) Beyond the Blue Charters
South Caicos Photo Journal

Yucatan Tarpon (July 2012) Isla del Sabalo and Tarpon Cay Lodge
Yucatan Photo Journal

Alaskan Silver Salmon and Jumbo Rainbows (August 2012) Alaska West
Alaska Photo Journal (some photos compliments of Bill Kalm and Jim Bare)

 South Caicos - Beyond the Blue Charters

Yucatan Tarpon - Tarpon Cay Lodge and Isla del Sabalo

Alaskan Silver Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, and Grayling

And finally, I am in Miami (MIA) now and en route to the Amazon (Manaus, Brazil).  I will be hosting another group for the brutish Peacock Bass!  Check back in a couple of weeks for a complete trip report and photos.  Fish ON!

The target species this coming week... YEAH!

Mid-Week Trip Report: Musky Country Outfitters (Hayward, WI)

Jim lands his very first Musky on the fly...

Jim and I are having a wonderful week here in Wisconsin fishing with Musky Country Outfitters. This part of the country is breathtaking... amazing beauty and remoteness. I never thought a domestic destination could still be so remote and wild. In just a few days, we saw snapping turtles, bald eagle with yearlings in a nest, swans, white-tailed deer, and other wildlife. This region is the outdoor paradise and fishing is a way of life for the residents.

We are lodging on Spider Lake and in the midst of a myriad of lakes and rivers... there is water everywhere and it seems to be fish everywhere too! In addition to the glamor species Musky, Jim and I are also equally impressed about the other available species that are willing to eat the fly. Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth, Trout, and awesome Smallmouth. We are getting a true sampling of their waters and species this week. Their guides are total professionals and they run an excellent program.

Here are a few photos so far from our trip... Fish On!

An "oinker" Musky landed by guides Chris and Tim...

Head outfitter, Brad, and guide, Brian, reviewing the rigged flys for the day...

The "Tribe" at Musky Country Outfitters...

I landed my largest ever Smallmouth... landed on a topwater "Pike Fly"

Float Trip 2011: South Fork of the Flathead River (Montana)

I am excited to announce that Angling On The Fly will be hosting a float trip in 2011 on one of Montana's premier dry fly fisheries, the South Fork of the Flathead River. The South Fork flows through the Bob Marshall wilderness and is home to incredible numbers of native West Slope Cutthroat that rise to a dry fly with vigor and Bull Trout that reach massive proportions. This is a full service, multi-day float trip outfitted by Paws Up Outfitters - they are renowned for offering the finest camp experiences in the wilderness. The remote headwaters are reached on horseback, where we will begin floating and fishing up to 50 miles of river during the week. Best of all, Paws Up retains the special permit to operate on this river and this means a week of fishing and camping in solitude.

I have personally made this float trip with Paws Up and was completely captivated by the entire experience. The scenery was breathtaking, while Paws Up provided unparalleled levels of service and amenities at camp. And, the fishing was... honestly, the absolute best Trout fishing I have ever experienced. The "catch-rate per day" was incredible and I was most pleased with the variety of methods that could be used to entice the Trout. Even more, it was exciting to be able to pursue Bull Trout - some of which reach double digit weight. So, I hope you can join me on this amazing wilderness adventure in 2011! Below are the trip details:

Paws Up Outfitters
Program: South Fork of the Flathead River float trip (Bob Marshall Wilderness)
Target Species: West Slope Cutthroat
Other Species: Bull Trout

HOSTED TRIP DETAILS
Date Options: August 1 - 7, 2011
Trip Length: 6 nights camping and 5 days fishing
Group Size: 6 - 8 anglers
Rate: $4,700 per angler (guided fishing) -- OR -- $3,500 per angler (non-guided fishing)
Travel Details: Fly to Missoula, MT

NOTE: "Non-Guided" option receives all of the same services and amenities in camp - full staff service, camp setup/takedown, cooking/meals/beverages, etc... but you and your fishing partner would row your own fishing raft during the day. The South Fork is not very technical river to row and much of the best fishing is done while wading (use the raft for transport and fishing down the river).

Good Fishing to All,
Keith

Article: Tight Line Nymph Fishing by Bill Carnazzo

Bill Carnazzo, one of N. California's authorities on "Tight Line" nymphing tactics...

Here is a great mini-article written by guide and signature fly tier, Bill Carnazzo. Bill guides on the following Northern California premier Trout fisheries:

• North Yuba near Downieville
• Upper Middle Fork American River Canyon, including the following streams in that canyon: Rubicon River (upper and lower); the Middle Fork American above French Meadows; Long Canyon Creek; Wallace Creek; the North Fork of the Middle Fork American; and Duncan Creek.
• Upper Sacramento River and McCloud River

He applies short line nymph fishing tactics on all of these rivers and has written a very informative piece about this technique. Here it is...

Short Line (aka Tight Line) Nymph Fishing

General points. Short line nymphing is a highly effective method for fishing pocket water—but it requires “paying your dues” in order to master its many nuances. This means a lot of patience and practice over an extended time. There is no silver bullet and no substitute for putting in the time on the water. Once mastered, the short line technique will become intuitive. What follows is a brief description designed to keep it simple.

Casting technique. Begin with about 3 feet of fly line outside the top rod guide. This means that you have 3’ of line, about 9’ of leader/tippet, 9’ of rod, and 3’ of arm length (plus all the distance you can lean forward) to work with. That’s at least 24 feet, enabling you to cover the water by fishing close in or farther out. Toss the rig downstream so that you can use “water load” to assist you in making the cast, which is a simple roll cast directed at the point where you want the flies to land. Do not try to execute a regular back/forward cast as you will end up with messy tangles and lost fishing time. Once the line is downstream, raise the rod to the vertical position, take aim, and make the roll cast.

Angler position to target. Angle the cast 45 degrees upstream—in other words, your target position for where the flies land needs to be ¾ upstream. This, of course, will determine where you position yourself in the stream. Remember: the short line technique always begins with an upstream cast. Don’t worry about the flies splashing down and making noise; ambient noise in pocket water is always present, and fish don’t generally spook when flies are tossed into the pocket.

The drift.

• As soon as the flies hit the water, begin moving the rod tip downstream.
• Keep the rod in a horizontal position; don’t raise the rod tip because that pulls the flies off the bottom. If you have a hard time with this, raise the reel instead of the rod tip.
• Keep the rod tip moving so as to lead the flies through the drift. Never let the flies “get ahead” by sliding under the rod. This introduces slack which nullifies the effectiveness of this technique, which depends on maintaining a tight connection between the flies/weight and the indicator.
• The line should remain in a 45 degree angle to the water during the entire drift; i.e., the angle formed by leading the rig should be 45 degrees. When the rig passes you, then you can let it swing through the remainder of the drift.
• If the leader is moving through the water at the same speed as the top water current, you are probably getting fly drag on the bottom—which is just as bad as drag during a dry fly drift. This is caused by the fact that, due to friction created by a rocky bottom, the water flows more slowly on the bottom than on top. Slow the rig down by adding weight. Yes, you will hang up and lose flies from time to time—but you need to be on the bottom where the fish live.
• Watch the in-line indicator* carefully. If you maintain your tight connection during the drift, the indicator will tell you what your flies are doing. If the indicator hesitates, or otherwise moves in an unusual manner, execute a strike motion. Don’t second guess—i.e., don’t rationalize that the hesitation was caused by a rock, stick or other debris. Just react.
• Don’t strike by raising the rod tip; this takes the flies out of the water and, potentially, into the overhanging vegetation. It will also cause tangles and lost fishing time. Proper strike technique is to flick your wrist downstream and at the water. This keeps the flies in the water and, to boot, moves the flies faster than an upward motion due to the parabolic action of the rod, and its need to fight gravity.
• The short line technique is entirely visual; if you are waiting for the “feel” of a strike, you are missing 80-90% of the strikes. If you keep a tight line with the proper angle back to the flies, your indicator will tell you the story and when to strike.
• If you are not ticking bottom and occasionally hanging up, you are not down deep enough. Add weight in small increments to deepen the drift, and/or slow it down.

If you are interested in booking a guide trip with Bill, here is his contact information:

Bill Carnazzo
Spring Creek Guide Service
(916) 295-9353 (C)
www.billcarnazzo.com
bcarnazzo@ftcnet.net

Recommended Guide: Andras Outfitters (NorCal / So. Oregon)

A robust Upper Klamath half-pounder!

This season, I had the wonderful opportunity to fish the Upper Klamath River with Jim and Rachel Andras of Andras Outfitters. Based out of Ashland, OR, Jim Andras offers guided fly fishing trips on the Upper Rogue, Upper Klamath, Lower Sacramento, and Trinity Rivers.

I have fished with many guides during my travels and can truly say that Jim is top shelf, as he is a consummate professional that knows his craft well. In addition, I appreciate guides like Jim that work hard to get his anglers into fish... often, he would jump overboard and hold the drift boat in position for me to effectively present my flies. While, in other runs he would make multiple passes (by back rowing upriver!) to cover the water systematically. This extra effort DOES make a difference in the outcome of a day of fishing. Needless to say, I lost count of the number of fish that I hooked that day with Rachel and Jim.

Finally, Jim Andras is just plain "good people"... in addition to guiding well (knowledge, skill, "mojo", etc.), he is a pleasant and enjoyable person to spend a day of fishing with. He has guided around the globe and has numerous interesting stories to share about his life of guiding.

So, if you are looking for a variety of northern California or southern Oregon winter/spring fishing options, I highly recommend Andras Outfitters for guide trip services. For Jim's contact info, CLICK HERE.

Rachel and Jim Andras

Instruction: Spey and Switch Rod Class on the Lower Yuba River

Ryan Miller casting a "wedge" (photo by Andy Guibord)

Ryan Miller of Northern Waters Fly Fishing is offering a spey and switch rod class on our local fishery, the Lower Yuba River in Northern California.  He is offering two dates for this class, and yours truly will be assisting with the November 22nd class.  So, if you have interest in learning how to cast these rods and fish flies on the swing, please read below for the details and Ryan's contact information...

Spey and Switch Rod Instruction on the Lower Yuba River

These classes will be held on the Lower Yuba River and will be dedicated to exploring the world of spey casting and utilizing spey techniques. Learn everything from how to hold the rod to properly working a run. We will show you how to select rods, reels, lines, tips, flies, spey casts and water. We will dive into Skagit, Scandinavian and long belly line applications. If you do not own a two-handed rod, no problem, we will show you how to do everything on a single-handed rod.

Two Class Options:
November 8: 5 anglers max cost is $100 per person (instructor: Ryan Miller)
November 22: 10 anglers max, cost is $75 per person (instructors: Ryan Miller and Keith Kaneko)

Students will be taken on a first come, first serve basis and ability does not matter.

Both classes will start at 9am and end at 5pm.

For questions and/or enrollment, contact Ryan Miller:
Email: rhmiller@gmail.com
Phone: 530-913-8312
Website: www.northernwatersflyfishing.com/

Presentation: Deneki Outdoors (Sept. 26th) - Alaska West, BC West, Andros South, & Chile West

Famed Dean River Steelhead...

Angling On The Fly and Deneki Outdoors invites you to a free presentation by owner, Andrew Bennett, of Alaska West, BC West, Andros South, and Chile West. Andrew will be conducting a four-part presentation to cover each destination. So, if you want to learn about destination fishing options in Alaska, British Columbia, Bahamas, and/or Chile, please join us for this very informative presentation. The format of this presentation will be "a la carte"... so you can just sit in on whichever presentation interests you most. Here are the details:

Deneki Outdoors Presentation
Date: Saturday, September 26th
Place: Kiene's Fly Shop (Sacramento, CA)
Cost: FREE!
PLEASE RSVP to Keith@AnglingOnTheFly.com

Schedule:
11:00AM - Chile West (Chilean Trout Adventure)
11:30AM - Andros South (Bahamas Finest Bonefishing)
Noon - BC West (Famed Dean River Steelhead and Salmon)
12:30PM - AK West (Alaska's renowned Kanektok and Arolik Rivers)

Fish Art: Gods River Brook Trout

It is with great excitement and honor that I post renowned artist Flick Ford's latest artwork,... a Gods River Brook Trout. This past September, I had the fortunate opportunity to spend a week with Flick at Gods Lake Lodge in Manitoba, Canada. While I was there with a team to conduct exploratory work for Lake Trout, Flick spent the week hunting for "the" trophy Brook Trout on Gods River... a specimen that would be revered, recorded, and released.

I distinctly recall the day that he landed this incredible specimen. When Flick and, lodge owner, Robert Gates returned from the river that evening, I was greeted with that fishy grin an angler has on his face when they just experienced a "zen moment" in fly fishing. Flick's first words out of his mouth were, "We got it... what an amazing fish!"

The image above is Flick's beautiful painting of the gorgeous and robust Gods River Brook Trout that he landed that adventurous day.

To view Flick's other artwork and publications, visit his website at www.FlickFord.com

On-Location Report: Gods Lake - Final Day

Lake Trout on the fly...

What a way to complete an exploratory trip! Wonderful weather and spectacular fishing for Lake Trout and Northern Pike on the fly. The lake was "glass-out" this morning... no wind! We had great anticipation for sight fishing opportunities for Lake Trout and it all came together for the team. More Lakers migrated from the depths last evening, yielding even larger fish to target today. By the day's end, we each had fishy grins on our face.

I am too tired to write much tonight, so I am going to let the photos below speak for our final day fishing report... Fish On.

Bill with a "girthy" Laker!

Lodge dog "Major" supervising the morning preparations

Morning run for the reef

Jim with one of many Lakers for the day...

Ken with a giant Northern Pike

All smiles after a day of pulling on big Lake Trout and Pike!

Relaxing at the lodge lounge...

Guest cabins

Canada's Gods Lake Lodge Staff

Celebratory steak dinner!
(left to right: Flick Ford, Keith Kaneko, Jim Christensen, Ken Hanley, and Bill Carnazzo)

On-Location Report: Gods Lake - Day 4

Doubled-up Lake Trout with Ken Hanley

Today was an incredible fishing experience at Gods Lake. We had ideal conditions for fly fishing - low wind and overcast skies. And of course, more Lake Trout arrived on the shallow reefs. Our team prospected a number of areas and found Lakers in small pods. Once again, these fish congregate around shallow rocky shoals and/or a substrate of small boulders. In some areas, we even observed Lakers chasing bait on the surface.

Today, Ken and I spent some quick moments studying the bodily characteristics of the Lake Trout. The first thing we noticed is the mouth structure, which definitely represents that of a pure predator - wide jaw and a mean set of teeth. Also, the body markings and fin colors make this fish a thing of beauty. We felt appreciation and honor in viewing a species that is so elusive in the depths for most of its life.

The average size window of these Lake Trout have been 5 - 12 pounds. However, today I did get abused by a Laker that we estimated at 20 pounds plus. It doubled over my rod and, unfortunately, I was not able get a cradled boat-side view of it. These fish give a fight of powerful surges and bulldogging head shakes. We dropped our fair share of these fish today due to their propensity to roll and twist during the fight. They are amazing creatures and it is exciting to fish for them knowing that some Lake Trout of 50 plus pounds have been landed in Gods Lake.

Well, tomorrow is our final day of fishing here at Gods Lake. We are hoping for proper conditions to pursue more Lake Trout, but are happily ready for "plan-B" too... trophy Pike! Check back tomorrow and we'll have more to report!

Bill Carnazzo with his Lake Trout of the day at Gods Lake