Paul Arden - Monday, July 31, 2017
It's time to vote for your choice of the Hot Torpedo entries. We had 10 entries in the first eliminator from all around the world. Voting is open via the Facebook.com/Sexyloops page and the Board. Links are next! Good luck to all :-) Voting is open for two weeks. Remember every owner can enter Round 2. The winner goes through to the final eliminator to win a Custom Built HT Fly Rod.
Matt Klara - Sunday, July 30, 2017
We are fortunate today to have access to perhaps hundreds of fly fishing shows via the internet. Awesome new films are coming out every week. There are many young and talented filmmakers out there taking advantage of amazing improvements in camera technology. I’ve been fortunate to befriend a couple of these young guys, and one thing they have all marveled at to me is how the modern camera and editing technology has made it possible to create Hollywood quality films at a budget attainable to those not fortunate enough to have access to Hollywood quality budgets. But that wasn’t always the case. During my formative years, when I was really getting into fly fishing, you had to turn on cable TV to catch one of a handful of fishing shows. And as a fan of fly and light tackle angling, the show that really got me fired up the most was the Walker’s Cay Chronicles.
Viking Lars - Saturday, July 29, 2017
I am by far a traditionalist. I fish carbon rods, space age reels, plastic fly lines, the best nylon leader material I can get, tie my flies with synthetics (as many as possible) and so on. It may be a professional trait (I am an archaeologist), but despite the above, I still hold a deep respect for and interest in the way things were done before today. Not only 10-20-30 years ago, but also 50-100-300 years ago. I have no holy cows (yes, one, I'll mention it later) and I will change and tweak anything if I think it performs better from it.
t.z. - Friday, July 28, 2017
It´s an exploration. Going into “driftwood mode” just observing what will happen next was a good idea First I was in the Trondheim area for a few days and met a really interesting “old man” who had many manshit things to share. A former specialist in “combat in extreme cold climate” and quite a nature person. Not a military person as one generally would suspect. Rather the opposite. He reminded me a lot of Mike Connor in a way. We went fishing together too, which for him is - as he has put it - part of the daily life economics. He and his family are relying on gathering food from their farm and the nature around. It made a lot of sense to me - regardless their economic status - these were some of the most generous people I ever met. It was a fantastic week, which resulted in mackerel on fly. I travelled on via the mountains and met real bad weather. It was not very fishable let alone fun to ride the motorcycle in rain and temperatures a few degrees above freezing. This forced me much quicker up north than I had planned.
Tracy&James - Thursday, July 27, 2017
Only a day to go until the start of the Game Fair casting comps in Hatfield House, Herts. The BFCC will be running #7, ST27 and 55g Salmon overhead events plus 15ft single Spey. All tackle will be provided, though you can bring your own 15ft (max) outfit for the Spey Championship.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, July 26, 2017
While Paul in his Monday front page shared some fine thoughts about the pursuit of chasing fins all year round, I indeed was doing exactly that all week long. I pretty much feel the same about fly fishing being the best that I can do in live. Besides having my mind tied up into fly fishing every day (mostly every hour), I am not so much trying to spent as much time fishing as possible but catching as much intense moments as possible. Now that Paul said to not yet have peaked (or be anywhere near to) in increasing his fly fishing skills I have to admit that I did peak in some fishing moments.
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, July 25, 2017
This FP most probably belongs in the “Manshit” section, but since I did not get out to fish last weekend I don’t have any recent fishing experience to draw from. I wanted to fish, actually had planned to do so, and had the perfect opportunity. My “editor” was out of town and all I had to do first were a few things on the homeowner list. So, on Saturday, after mowing the yard and scrubbing the kitchen floor - something that had to be done according to “she who must be obeyed” or… well, lets not go there… I began packing up the van. It was then that I found the leak, or more accurately, the evidence of the leak. The top gasket around the van’s back door had a problem, which is not good during the wet summer of South Florida.
Paul Arden - Monday, July 24, 2017
I don't know if other pursuits have the same sort of all-encompassing meaning of life. I know for some life is about the pursuit of money, and while it's handy or essential even to have some, having more than you need seems to me like a waste of precious time that could be better spent fishing, instead of working. In fact when I have any amount of money in the bank I think to myself, "Paul, slow down man, you're working too hard!" Not that this happens too often you understand, and that's because I have this work ethic distraction well under control.
Matt Klara - Sunday, July 23, 2017
It’s hard for me to believe that it would ever be the case, but have bonefish become an overlooked and underrated game fish to pursue on fly rod? Let me make my case.
t.z. - Friday, July 21, 2017
OK, I have to admit I am wimp. Camping in a tent with a few degrees above freezing in rainy weather isn´t exactly my cup of ice-tea. The fishing sucks too in such conditions. Not an insect, apart from the annoying mozzies and no-see-ums in sight. well, no-see-ums aren´t visible either - they just itch. All that and no fish put´s me off … off as in “renting a hut”. Hut´s are nice really. Warm shelters with cast iron stoves. I like these old cast iron stoves. They are very cool, cool as in warm. So one can sit inside, enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the storm outside ... and watch the wildlife. Yesterday I had a visit of Thelma and Louise, two moose cows. They stayed around the house for quite a while. However, they seemed very careful and always checking what´s going on. Maybe there was a bear or a wolverine after them?
Tracy&James - Thursday, July 20, 2017
The next few weekends are busy with casting events for Tracy and myself, plus other members of the BFCC. This weekend we are attending the Devon County Show near Tiverton. Here we will be running a couple of free to enter competitions, probably a trout distance and accuracy event, plus Mark Surtees will be on hand to provide expert tuition. We’ll also be joined by Matt Tonkin who is currently leading the race to become the BFCC British champion for this year. I’m presently in second place, not mathematically out of the running but I think I would have to win almost all the events at the last meeting of 2017 in order to overtake Matt. This year the club changed how the champion will be decided – an individual’s best two results in each discipline count, for example if someone comes 3rd, 1st, 4th and 2nd in the #5 trout distance event over four meetings then they will score 3 points (1 + 2, with the 3 and 4 being discarded), obviously the lowest points scorer wins.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, July 19, 2017
A fair number of fly fishermen asked me about important details on fly fishing for carp lately. I'd like to share the essence to answer most of these questions now.
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Does tying you own flies drive you crazy? Just how important are fine details, say like antennae on a shrimp fly? They sure make the fly look better to the human eye, but do fish even have the visual acuity to see these details? In particular, what about eyes on the flies, painted or otherwise imparted the the creation on the vise? Just about every saltwater fly, for sale, in a flyshop that is supposed to represent a small fish has some gaudy eye. Usually these eyes are disproportionate to the real thing, and many times they are visually enhanced with reflective materials or lense-like clear coats. But do they make the fish more likely to attack?
Paul Arden - Monday, July 17, 2017
It's been an eventful week for me. Flavio has returned to Switzerland after a fantastic 8-week stay on Temenggor Lake with me (and he's seen a lot more of the country besides, as well as Thailand and the Maldives). For the final three weeks he was concentrating on Giant Gourami. Having lost three, Flavio finally landed one early one morning. And then to prove that it wasn't an accident, he caught one on his own that was stumping mid-morning.
Matt Klara - Sunday, July 16, 2017
I wanted to share this fishing story from a recent outing, just because I don’t think this sort of occurrence gets as much attention in the angling literature on the internet as it should. It happened just like this...
Viking Lars - Saturday, July 15, 2017
Red has been gaining some momentum as the main colour in salmonflies in Denmark the last few years. I've been meaning to tie up some of my own for a long time, and I finally got around to it a few days ago. Even though red is relatively new as a "popular" colour, I do remember my old friend, Peter Terndrup,
t.z. - Friday, July 14, 2017
HOLY MACKEREL English language is funny, so is fishing. Fishing started originally as a means of gathering food. Seriously — who would have thought of that nowadays. Seriously - one comes across enough people who thing fish one wants to consume should be bought in a shop. Beste wrapped in plastic or already “smoked” and canned. Bon appetite ….
Tracy&James - Thursday, July 13, 2017
Last weekend, we ran another BFCC Meeting. This one did not have a great turn-out in numbers, perhaps due to the very hot weather and so many other events going on in the area, including a fishing competition at the local reservoir. However with regards to running a hard fought casting competition then it can be said that we had a great day. The pending WC in the UK next year has encouraged the serious competitors to attend more BFCC Meetings and improve by competing with some of the best in the UK. It’s fantastic to watch and you can pick up lots of tips to help your own style.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, July 12, 2017
We all know the situation in which we see a fair number of fine fish in front of us but for some reason fail to hook up any of them! As a guide I often was forced to find a solution to catch...
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Back when I began writing this FP for Paul I listed, but then discounted, some of the commonly held “dangers” of wandering around in the mangrove wilderness. Well, it's time to talk about one of the real ones. The heat during the summer in South Florida, particularly along the mangrove coast while canoeing, is arguably as uncomfortable as the bugs, but without a doubt a much more serious health concern. There is no question; you are going to sweat. Hopefully, that will be the extent of your misery as other symptoms are much more uncomfortable. They include sunburn, cramps, fatigue that may last for days, and, unfortunately, heat stroke.
Paul Arden - Monday, July 10, 2017
I think what I love most about Giant Gourami is that there are so many methods available/required to catch them - and I'm still only sight fishing the surface for them. Last week Flavio and I encountered a fantastic rise of perhaps some 30 Gourami running a windlane over a 90 minute period. Our approach was to try to bomb them, intercepting their path and chasing them with the electric motor. I missed one and landed one of 3KG.
Daniela Misteli - Sunday, July 9, 2017
Like lars I also don't enjoy the hot temperatures and sadly my tying room is one of the warmest places in the house. So I moved out in the garden to tie flies, lucky me we don't have a lot wind here in Switzerland so the feathers aren't flying around. And there is another good point: I don't need any UV lamp :) the big yellow one outside is strong enough!
Viking Lars - Saturday, July 8, 2017
It's now July - it's Tour de France-time (which means watching lots of bike racing and tying flies) and fishing in the night. Actually, it's a real Danish fishing summer as the weather is not particularly good (some say it's hopeless summer weather). I don't enjoy high temperatures, so for me, it's perfect. And it's definitely better fishing weather. You can, in fact, still catch sea trout during the day, but nights are usually better (and it's great fun fishing in the dark).
t.z. - Friday, July 7, 2017
Denmark should have the perfect weather in Europe. It´s right in the middle between the middle European oven and the Scandinavian freezer. I am in the freezer right now. It´s sunny and windy during the day and cold (deadly cold in Pauls book. However, it´s much warmer in the very north. So I am heading further north. Last night it was 4 C - plus at least, which is a plus. Otherwise it would have been ice fishing. :-)
Tracy&James - Thursday, July 6, 2017
It’s that time of year when the weather heats up, the sun comes out and the carp start swimming close to the surface – time to go fly fishing for carp. There’s a lovely lake only a few minutes from where we live where there’s lots of wildlife including waterfowl, snakes and deer. It’s a nice way to spend the hot Summer evenings, watching for the carp to start taking from the surface, hoping that it’ll be your fly… and getting frustrated when they take all the dog biscuits instead.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, July 5, 2017
That's where the fish are!
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, July 4, 2017
I was born here in South Florida and grew up playing on the river. I had a boat before I had a bicycle. My family was full of fishermen. It is no surprise as to who I am today. It was “in the cards” as they say. Throughout my whole life I have found my entertainment in the out of doors, primarily as an angler, but not so finely focused on the fish that I did not notice the environment too. And anyone who has paid the slightest attention to the quality of the environmental conditions in South Florida has noticed that things just aint what they used to be. That is putting it mildly.
Paul Arden - Monday, July 3, 2017
I think many would agree with me that fly fishing is very much about moments - I know Ronan would anyway! Here in the jungle you really have to seize these moments because more often than not it's the difference between landing a spectacular fish and catching bugger all. Temenggor really is a one fish a day fishery for me, at least it is if we're talking sight fishing. There have been days with more than one fish of course - I've had two Gourami three times and two to four Snakehead many times, but playing the numbers game really isn't what it's about here; it's about trophy hunting - trophies that appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. It's technically hard, it's exciting and totally addictive.
Viking Lars - Saturday, July 1, 2017
I think we all know that once a fly has caught one or two or three fish, it not only starts to catch better, it also looks better. A little battle worn is good. So that's why (and I didn't invent this, just to make that point) I made myself one of my most used flytying tools many years ago (20 years+). I call it the "500 Sea Trout Teeth in 5 Seconds".