River Talks to Me
Ayato Otsubo tells the story of mastering the art of fishing to become an accomplished guide…with the help of an unassuming mentor. The film, River Talks to Me, is a Stimmes Awards finalist. Vote your favourite today! Winner will be announced October 8!
Fly Fishing 2020
Short and sweet, Josh Nelson takes us on a “best of” trip through his 2020 fishing adventures. Watch all Top-12 Angler’s Choice Stimmies Awards films and vote today!
A Journey Upstream
This is the story of two seemingly unrelated fish that help us understand the connectivity within our environment and the importance of a healthy Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the country, and Maryland’s crowned jewel. From striped bass in the main stem of the Bay, to brook trout in the far reaches of the watershed, Maryland has a lot to offer. My brother and I are young anglers and we feel a responsibility to fight for the health of these places because the future of these resources are in our hands. After spending time in these places we’ve found that the more time we spend in them, the more we know about them, and the more we know about them, the more we’re willing to fight for them.
Watch all Top-12 films and VOTE for your top pick for the Stimmie Awards today!
The Day I Disremembered
This is a story of Chris Hanson’s unique past and present and how he refocused his life with a new found passion on the river. The Day I Disremembered is a tale that must be watched to be believed. Don’t miss the chance to watch all the Stimmies Awards Top-12 picks. Watch and vote now!
Cutthroat and Couloirs
A multi-sport day in Rocky Mountain National Park- skis in the morning, cutthroat in the afternoon. The only thing in the way are the hordes of tourists…Now’s your chance to watch and Vote Today!
The Diamond River
Filmmakers Chris Walley & Pierre Joubert take us dry-fly fishing for yellowfish in Africa! Smallmouth yellowfish are usually caught with heavy nymphs, right on the bottom. In this short film, we introduce a part of a river system where the fish have adapted to feed predominantly on the surface.
Make sure to watch all Stimmies 2021 Top-12 finalists and VOTE today. Winner will be announced October 8th.
Privilege
Time is our most valuable asset that we possess, once spent, we can never get it back. Like fatherhood, spent wisely, it will return tenfold. Being a father is a privilege, and one not taken lightly for Quinn Styles. Join Quinn and his son Jack as they spend the day fishing for brown trout, spending their valuable time together!
Vote for your favourite Stimmies Awards Film today!
End of the Line | Intruder Alert!
If you have picked up a copy of the Fall issue of Fly Fusion, you are already enjoying the artful tying of Irene Vucko (@speygirl)! Well, here’s one more bonus pattern along with the full recipe so you can try your hand at tying a few beauties for your fall fishing!
Freestyle Spey #3
Hook: Salmon Wet Fly
Thread: Purple Textreme, 6/0
Tag: Fine Oval Silver Tinsel
Tip: Purple Glo Brite Floss
Tail: Golden Pheasant Crest, Chartreuse
Butt: Peacock Herl
Body: Rear Half: Charcoal Floss
Front Half: Blue Pheasant Rump, palmered over 50/50 blend of Charcoal Seal dubbing & Purple Ice Dubbing
Rib: Medium Oval Silver Tinsel
Collar: Teal Flank, Purple
Wing: Grizzly Hackle Tips, Blue
Shoulder: smaller Purple Pheasant Rump, Jungle Cock
The Guide Issue
The latest edition is headed to mailboxes as we speak! Keep an eye out for your copy arriving in the next week or so. Here’s a little peek into what you can expect from this issue…
LL's Perdigon Torch | Landon Lacroix
LL’s Perdigon Torch
Hook: Daiichi 4647 Size 16
Bead: MFC Slotted Tungsten Lucent Bead-Orange
Thread: Uni 6/0w-Doc Blue
Tail: Calftail-Orange
Body: Veniard Stripped Quill-Orange
UV: Solarez Bone Dry
Wingcase: Solarez Thick/Hard and Solarez UV Fly Finish-Black
Featured in “End of the Line” in the Summer 2021 issue of Fly Fusion
Fly Fishing Sucks
Sometimes the best way to say something difficult is just to say it. So here it goes. Fly fishing sucks.
It’s actually really hard. The visuals presented in fly-fishing films and Instagram photos are quite misleading. Sure it looks inviting, but there’s so much you don’t see…like how many mosquitoes and black flies the angler had to swat away while holding that prize trout at just the right angle, which is only slightly out of the water (like only one third of the fish). And you also have to position it at the perfect angle, with one hand holding the fish’s tail just slightly outstretched and the other arm, bending only slightly at the elbow, holding the fish’s body nearly fully extended. There’s a reason it’s called “angling.” It’s so complicated. And if you have really large hands and are naturally “big boned” then you need to really question whether or not you want to take up fly fishing at all. Trout appear smaller when held by large people, which will not make for enticing social media images.
Bio Bot | Jake Vanderweyden (@theflyfiend)
Hook – Firehole Sticks 516 #14-16
Bead – 3mm Slotted Tungsten
Thread – Olive UTC 70D
Tail – Coq De Leon Med Pardo
Body – Olive Hareline Turkey Biot
Rib – Olive UTC Ultra Wire
Thorax/Collar – Natural CDC/Hares Ear
Featured in “Best Ties for Summer Flies” in the Summer 2021 issue of Fly Fusion
