The Secret River | Gary Borger

My first encounter with the secret river occurred in the summer of 1956, just after my twelfth birthday. It was early

morning, and I had walked to a new  section of the large trout stream near home. It was a long walk, but I was an initiate fly fisher, and I set out in eager anticipation of using my newfound skills to finally conquer the big browns that I knew inhabited the stream.

 

I was slogging along in the shallows at the edge of a long riffle, headed for a big, downstream corner pool. My oversized hip boots (“He’ll grow into them”) slipped and slid on the rocks, and I moved slowly, afraid of twisting an ankle. Suddenly, right there in front of me, was a truly big brown trout. We saw each other in the same instant, and the fish’s reaction was as startled as mine. It blasted out of the inches-deep water into the heavy flow of midstream, as I cast furiously after it. I later understood that it had been in the shallows hunting Isonychia mayfly nymphs that were hatching at that time of year.

 

Advance 30 years, and my wife, Nancy, and I were fishing near Twizel on New Zealand’s South Island. The evening was mild beneath a deepening blue sky, and the fish were rising. Nancy fished a long riffle and was into fish immediately. I headed up to the long pool above. Standing at stream edge and scanning the quiet, dark surface,  noticed a big nose poke out about 40 feet upstream, close to shore. It was an easy cast. No trees behind, and none overhanging the water. The 4-weight line settled quietly to the surface. But that was the end of quiet. The water erupted as several big fish tore out of the shallows in panic. Foolishly I had not thought that other fish could be in the secret river.

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What’s New in the Tying Game?

If you’re like me, you spend an unhealthy amount of time looking at fly fishing gear. Though you may not need that new seal disc drag fly reel or the matching blue backing, you still look, nonetheless. Those of us who tie tend to fall into the same routine, clicking that “What’s New” category in fly tying, to see the latest and greatest in the fly tying world. We do this knowing we probably won’t deviate far from the pheasant tails, hares ears, caddis, and simulators that overflow our boxes. Yet, these days, it seems like there are new products to be excited about; and unlike rods, reels, waders, and boots, fly tying materials often don’t break the bank.

In the Spring 2021 issue, Dana Harrison reviewed some newly released fly tying products to see if they live up to the hype.  Following are a few patterns he tied up in the process.

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How To Use Sinking Leaders

In this episode of RIO’s “How To” series, RIO R&D Product Manager Chris Walker explains how to fish sinking leaders. Sinking leaders (or VersiLeaders in the RIO stable) are great additions to a floating line to turn it into an instant, and temporary sink tip. Chris explains the difference between sinking leaders and sinking tips, how to attach the right amount of tippet to a sinking leader, and runs through the RIO portfolio of sink rates and VersiLeader options.

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First Venture to Salt | Jordan Oelrich

“Eighty feet. Two o’clock. Go!” The cadence of my heart increased until I thought it was about to beat through my chest. With a tarpon visible against the cream-coloured bottom, I was told to make a backhand cast into a stiff crosswind and drop my fly on a target the size of a dinner plate. Right.

But they say even a blind horse finds water once in a while and my white Tarpon Toad whistled through the air and landed precisely where I had intended, with slightly more authority than I would have liked. The tarpon now had a tantalizingly presented fly resting less than three feet from the tip of its beak. Strip, strip, pause. Both my hands were shaking uncontrollably. The fish swam slowly towards the fly but decided this was not to be my lucky day, then it exited the wind-blown flat. Game over.

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Using A Sighter When Fishing A Tiny Dry Fly

This week’s RIO Fly Fishing Tip is bought to you by RIO ambassador Rob Parkins. In this video, Rob talks about the different types of dry fly floatant there are, and when to use each one for different fly types.

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Fly Fusion Cast Like a Pro Series: Accuracy

Fly Fusion Field Editor Jeff Wagner and fly-fishing icon Bruce Richards cover various topics in this informative fly-casting series that is packed full of cast-changing tips.

In this Episode Bruce Richards discusses tips to improve your fly casting accuracy so you can land your fly right on target.

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Fly Fusion Cast Like a Pro Series: #5 Substance & Style

Fly Fusion Field Editor Jeff Wagner and fly-fishing icon Bruce Richards cover various topics in this informative fly-casting series that is packed full of cast-changing tips. In this Episode Jeff Wagner discusses how grip, arm position and stance can impact the performance of your desired fly fishing cast.

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