Colorado Fly Fishing by The Flyfisher Group

Fur and Feathers!

Winter is a great time to bust out the old vise, fur, feathers and do some fly tying.  After a long fishing season fly boxes get depleted!  While on the river you might have also dreamed up some new fly pattern ideas.  I have always found it helpful to tie with some sort of project in mind.  Maybe you are getting ready for a trip (hopefully to some place warm with big salt water fish).  Now is a great time to talk to outfitters and guides in your chosen area of travel, their recommendations regarding fly patterns are invaluable!  Remember you don’t need to have exactly what they request, just make sure your flies are tied on appropriate hooks and are similar in size, color and weight and you should be on your way to catching  fish.  The beauty of fly tying is the ability to be creative and supplement new materials when necessary.

Now is also a great time to begin fly tying or learn some new techniques.  Techniques like tying parachutes or spinning deer hair intimidates many tiers, but with a little practice they can be mastered by anyone.  In my experience the easiest way to improve your fly tying is to get some tips from an experienced fisherman or take a class.  Then practice makes perfect, find time to tie one fly a day utilizing the new knowledge or technique and you will be on your way to tying better flies in no time!  The colder months are also a great time to rebuild and organize boxes.  After yet another guide season, it looks like my nymph box is ready for a little re-building!

For more information on fly tying classes and clinics contact: www.anglinguniversity.com

Our instructors are well versed in all areas of fly tying and can help both the beginner and the expert improve their skills.

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

 

Fly Fishing for Wild Steelhead!

Wild steelhead should be on every anger's bucket list.  Spey rods, 8 and 9 weight single handers, big flies, big fish and big water all add up to the experience of a life time!

I ran across this video on The Drake website this morning: http://vimeo.com/31807161

The video showcases photographer Joey Macomber’s adventures as he chases wild steelhead on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.  The video has some great footage!  Wish I was working a big steelhead run right now!

This year we are traveling to The Olympic Peninsula with Joey from February 19^th – February 25^th.  For more information please contact:

 

Tyler Bowman                                                                          

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

It’s Finally Arrived!

If you fly fish or tie flies, you are probably in some way affected by the events of this weekend.  Maybe you are losing your fishing buddy to a hunting trip.  Maybe you are losing an employee to the field.  But don’t worry, everything comes around and most likely after this weekend you will find yourself with a bunch of brand new and magnificently colored pheasant tails!  The fly tying possibilities are endless!  And there is just no substitute for the real wild deal!  You just can’t buy feathers like this in the fly shop.  Nope you’ve got to know somebody!  And keep in mind it is illegal to exchange money for wild bird feathers.  So if fly tying is your fancy, you best hope someone in your life is heading to Eastern Colorado or Kansas for opening weekend, Saturday November 12, 2011, of pheasant and quail season!

Due to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pheasant and quail populations on the eastern plains are becoming quite sustainable.  The CRP program encourages farmers to turn highly erodible cropland into native grasslands, shelter belts, and riparian zones, thus creating better habitat for a number of different species.  Plus the program provides hunters with ample public access.  For more information check out:

Pheasants Forever: http://www.pheasantsforever.org/

Quail Unlimited: http://www.qu.org/ 

Colorado: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/SmallGame/Pages/SmallGame.aspx

Kansas:  http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/License-Permits

Tight Lines and Good Shooting,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

 

 

 

 

South Platte Park – Proposed Enhancement Plan

By the time the South Platte reaches South Platte Park below Chatfield Reservoir the river has been damned countless times and the river and adjacent lands are no longer functioning as a natural system.  The river and surrounding ponds hosts a good deal of fish and wildlife including good populations of Bass, Trout, and Carp.  South Platte Park is the only section of the South Platte in the Denver metro area that has not been engineered and channelized. 

Ecological Resource Consultants (ERC) has proposed an enhancement plan that will:

• Provide for 2 miles of channel improvement designed to function at low flows.
• Create 11 separate riffle/pool/glide features.
• Create bank stabilization in key locations and areas of concern.
• Construct multiple cobble bars.

These days we are seeing more and more evidence that the South Platte through downtown Denver hosts a fair population of sizable trout and various other species.  Such stream improvements would inevitably enhance the river system as a whole. 

The project is in the earliest of phases and is planned to be presented to the Littleton City Council and South Suburban Board of Directors on December 6, 2011. 

For more information on South Platte Park please give this link a look:

http://www.ssprd.org/southsubnew/facilities.asp?tl=5#58

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

 

 

Check It Out – The Flyfish Journal

As fly fishers we are very fortunate to have a great deal of quality literature and media surrounding our sport.  From classic books like Gary LaFontaine’s Caddisflies to guide books like Pat Dorsey’s Guide to the South Platte River, to modern periodicals like The Drake and quality films from Beattie Outdoor Productions we really do have a lot of amazing resources at our finger tips.  Media and literature creates a dialogue between fly fishers around the world, sharing places, techniques, gear, and fly patterns.  More importantly, such media highlights conservation topics and helps provide awareness for streams and ecosystems in jeopardy.

One such publication on the rise is non-other than The Fly Fish Journal.  The magazine highlights work from Fly fishing’s best writers, photographers, conservation organizations and guides.  The magazine is light on the advertisements, leaving more important room for words and photographs.  The journal focuses on destinations, issues from across the globe and is quickly becoming one of Fly fishing’s premier voices.

Stop by your local fly shop and pick up a copy or check it out at:  www.theflyfishjournal.com

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

Catch More Fish on a Consistent Basis- Part 4

10.    When first arriving at the river don’t go charging into the river. Slowly approach the water and take a look around. Often times the biggest fish may be tucked up next to the bank. If you leap before you look you will miss the shot at what could be the biggest fish of the day.
11.    Make the most of your first cast. Your first cast will likely be your best shot at a fish when you arrive at a new section of water. Plan out the cast, be in the best position for the cast and focus on fly placement. Once you make the cast don’t lose focus. Be ready to set the hook.
12.    Switch things up. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Find a fly in your box that you haven’t used in a long time. If you have been fishing in the deep runs all day, target some fast riffles. Try a dry dropper rig.  Strip a streamer. Switch it up.

to be continued....

Scott McCaslin

A Few Tips for Sight Fishing Success

Winter is here and the key to your success in hooking trout lies in your ability to effectively sight fish.  The fish are not actively feeding this time of year and are not likely to move very far to eat your fly.  This time of year, hooking fish goes hand in hand with finding fish, rigging correctly, and getting good drifts that require no effort on the trout’s part.  Here are a few tips to help you out:

1. Invest in a quality pair of polarized glasses.  Look for fish moving and flashing as this is an indication of a feeding fish.
2. Set up your nymph rig with flies you can see!  Try San Juan worms, eggs, or brightly colored midges and mayflies as a point fly.  By using flies you can see under water, you insure that your drift is deep enough and in the fish’s viewing lane.  You can also view your flies in relation to the trout.
3. While drifting your flies, train your eyes to watch the fish as well.  Set the hook anytime you see a fish open its white mouth, move, or flash.  It could be eating your fly!

Sight fishing really is not the great voodoo depicted by many magazines.  Simply work on finding fish and then train those eyes to monitor both the fish and your flies.  With a little practice and good pair of glasses you will be a sight fishing master in no time!

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com