Ontario Fly Fishing Steelhead Fly Fishing Brook Trout Fly Fishing Salmon Fly Fishing

Opening Trout Season - Fly Fishing Ontario For Trout

2011-06-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Well, its been a couple of weeks since the season opened. I was out for 5 days including the Monday-Wednesday after opening weekend and had a blast fishing the creeks with a crew I fish with every opener.

I've been busy as heck since, and finally have time to toss up a report.

2 of us headed up on the friday to set up camp and get things ready for our stay. We hiked a couple of rivers that day and watched a few fish rising to BWOs, which got us pumped up for the following morning.

A few shots from the trip.

Hatches are really starting to come off now. Another couple of weeks and the mayflies will be out in full force! Can't wait for that!

June Trout Fishing In Ontario

2011-06-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

I had the last week off, and headed up to Grey/Bruce for my annual pilgrimage to the area. Beautiful as always!

I left Guelph in the sweltering heat last Tuesday. It was just as hot when I arrived. Luckily I had cold beverages in the cooler waiting for me. B)

The river was surprisingly low when I arrived. There were countless smaller fish willing to come out and play, which is fine and dandy, but I like big fish! When the water is low and clear, the big guys hunker down and hide in some pretty tight spots making it a game of lucky casts into tight cover. When I heard the forecast for Saturday, I was pretty pumped!

Tha Riva

Tha Riva - Almost as misty as my mind on the first morning at dawn :unsure:

Lets start with the bugs....

There were at least 5 species of mayflies out and about. Hatches were pretty consistent throughout the days with sulphurs, grey foxes, green drakes and more coming off. Most evenings had decent spinnerfall events happen between dusk and about an hour after dark. A couple nights it just got too cold and the bugs, as well as the fish, disappeared.

Grey Fox Duns

Grey Fox Spinners - These made up the heavy spinnerfalls. Thousands of bugs in the air. I wasn't able to get any decent shots of the clouds of bugs unfortunately.

Then my favourites. Giant Green Drakes. These massive mayflies are a key indicator of a healthy stream. They've been on decline in many streams in southern Ontario for a long time now. Fortunately Grey/Bruce still has a very healthy population in most rivers making for some awesome surface action!

Green Drake Duns

Green Drake Spinners. When these flies molt into their spinner stage a couple of days after hatching, they look entirely different. The change they go through rivals any other mayfly species in my opinion.

I did manage a few shots of these guys flying around. They're hard to miss!

Aside from the mayflies, there were plenty of stones, caddis, cranes, dragon and damsel flies as well.

Mottled Stonefly

Damsel

Cranes doin tha deed!

The fish were plentiful. As I mentioned, the conditions were hot, bright and tough to start, so we'll start small I suppose. :P

They might be small, but they were loving mouse flies when there were no bugs on the water

I'm not sure why, but the brookies were not as plentiful as other years. Pressure on the stream may be on the rise, not sure though. Its pretty secluded water, and I don't see many people in here. I blame the slightly warmer water temps this year.

Bigger flies were producing bigger fish. During the low light of dawn and dusk I was tossing some pretty big trout streamers. Zoo Cougars, Matuka Leeches and a couple of Sculpin patterns were what produced larger fish...

Once the storm hit on Saturday, the river rose a good 6 or 8 inches, and muddied up a bit. Always a good thing when you are near big browns.

Getting at the bigger fish requires a very loud, violent retrieve of the streamer alot of the time. I spent a couple of days filming and fishing with Ken Chandler a couple of weeks back. The knowledge I gained from those couple of days chasing brookies and huge browns paid off on this trip. I've been fishing streamers far too slowly and too deep the last few years. These fish all came up off bottom to hit the fly about 6-8 inches below the surface.

Oddly enough, this fish nailed a streamer in some fast, broken water at noon on one of the brightest days.

Its actually kind of a funny story. I had my cousin and his kids up for a night. The kids are all fly fishing maniacs. Thing is though, they're not quite at the point that they can cast big streamers yet. We keep them on dries, nymphs and buggers when they come out.

So when I pulled out a giant streamer, Shaylin looks at it and she says "what is this, some kind of joke?" Me and Justin had a good chuckle about that, but the first cast brought the big guy up to her amazement and she wanted to try it. We gave her a mouse to use though.

This one was a beast. Crappy shot as the fight wasn't very long and he was still full of energy and wanted to get back to where he came from. I was lucky to get this picture actually, he flopped and disappeared as I bent down to lift him up and move him back into the water.

I gotta stop there though....its painful being back in the city. I'll be back up soon though! Chasing big fat browns, and Musky within the next couple of weeks.

Fly Fishing with Trout Streamers

2011-06-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

Aside from using dry flies and nymphs, there is one method of fly fishing that always trumps those two methods with trophy sized brown trout. The method consists of using very large flies to intrude on big brown trouts territory. Using trout streamers gets right down to the nitty gritty of it all. Short, heavy leaders are required, and sink tips can be the norm when using these massive flies.

Streamers can be employed to represent a large number of aquatic and land based animals. These can include imitations of minnows, mice, leeches and a variety of other creatures that fall in between. Trout streamer flies used to imitate these species can generally all be used in a similar way using similar techniques.

Trout Streamers can be looked at in two different ways. Imitators and Attractors.

Imitators mimic a specific species of bait fish, leech or the fry of various gamefish. Crayfish are another common imitation streamer pattern.

Attractor style streamers are used to get right in the face of large trout. Big trout, and in particular big brown trout are very territorial. Because of this territorial behaviour, fishing with streamers for giant trout is a method that assures you will weed out the smaller fish.

Bingo Bango 2010 Ontario Fly Fishing Trailer

2010-02-27T07:53:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

Mad Fisher Productions released the newest trailer for Bingo Bango Fishing Adventures.

Mad Fisher Productions - The Newest Fishing Portal

2010-02-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

Finally we've set up the parent organization for the vast network of fishing websites in our collection. Mad Fisher Productions (http://www.madfisher.ca) gives you a portal for a large amount of angling information.

Some of these websites are regionally based in Ontario. The information found on those sites such as Ice Fish Ontario and Fly Fish Ontario are dedicated to bringing you the most up to date information for fishing in these areas, taking the guess work out of your fishing trips in Ontario.

Other sites in the network such as Daily Fishing Tips and our fishing show, Bingo Bango Fishing Adventures offer a wide range of fishing information for fishing addicts everywhere. Expert advice for fishers of all ranks and walks of life.

Check out Mad Fisher, and be sure to bookmark it and return often for updates, tips and videos from our network of expert fisher people.

Trout Fishing In Ontario - Early Season Fun

2009-03-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Its been a long, cold winter......thats what Andrew Hunter of Andrew Hunter and The Gatherers says anyways, and I'd have to agree with him. Especially considering winter in Ontario means an extreme lack of fly fishing opportunities. That, couple with several feet of snow makes things very difficult for the weary fly fisher to clogg through the season. But, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. And it seems things just might be alright.

The cold winter has allowed some development on the Fly Fishing Ontario website though. The site has taken new form, and there have been a number of additions. One of the most interesting additions is the Fly Tyers Almanac. This is a fly pattern section dedicated to patterns that are useful in Ontario. Sure, they'll be useful elsewhere as well, but the focus is on the patterns, and we even tell you what Ontario rivers to use em on!

Fly Fish Ontario TV, which provides a variety of free fly fishing videos has seen some additions as well. Most notably, the last few episodes of Bingo Bango Ontario Fly Fishing. There are also a number of instructional fly fishing videos as well, incuding some really neat fly fishing bug videos. Mike Barrett, the fella that provides the lovely soundtrack for Bingo Bango is currently touring Eastern Canada with Andrew Hunter and the Gathers. Check out Mike's website for tour dates near you!

Grand River Spey has announced the next date for the Grand River Spey Clave. May 30, 2009 there will be a bunch of spey junkies gathering in a small park in Paris Ontario. Features at this event include the world renowned spey casting instructor Simon Gawesworth, as well as local Spey Champions Neil Houlding, Peter Charles, Courtney Ogilvie from BC, Bruce Kruk also from the west and many other appreciated casting instructors. Free BBQ lunch, free coffee, free demos......its all free so come on out and enjoy the day!!

Get ready for opener, fill up those fly boxes and patch the waders 'cause ya'll got less than 40 days until its time to hook a trout!!

There is a support group for over worked, cabin fevered fly fishers located here: Fly Fishers Annonymous

2008 Ontario Fly Fishing Highlights

2008-12-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

The 2008 fly fishing year is coming to an end! AHHHHHHHHH!

I thought I'd post some photo highlights of this past season for ya'll!

More to come as a new years treat!

Getting your kids into fly fishing!

2008-12-17T05:06:00.000-08:00

For me it wasn’t very difficult to get my kids interested in fly fishing. They seem to be drawn to anything that I am interested in. I love how I can spend quality time with my kids doing something we both love (though not much real fishing for me). From the time that they could first walk and talk my children have enjoyed fishing and watching me fish. For them it was sitting on a dock or at a pond and doing the old worm and bobber thing at first. Catching tons of sunfish, rock bass, catfish and even the odd smallmouth or largemouth bass. These were great times indeed, but not quite my idea of really fishing. Then we started fishing some of my favorite creeks for resident rainbows, browns and brookies. This was even better, but somewhat difficult for the little ones. At times they would get bored and some of the spots were pretty rough trekking for the kids. This past summer was when it all really started, when the transition was made to fly fishing.

I have three kids, a daughter who is 7, and twin boys who are 5. They can be a handful when it is just me and them. They are all very well behaved, but being kids they have a short attention span. They have to be constantly stimulated, which is why fly fishing is the perfect thing to introduce them to. It is a very visually, physically, and mentally active sport. It keeps you always moving and watching and doing something.

Now keeping in mind the ages of the kids, they did all get into some small trout with a bit of assistance. Fly fishing is definitely the sort of thing that takes one on one time when teaching it to a younger child. You need a very large area where you won’t disturb or hook another person. You also need to be very patient. It is surprising how quickly a child can learn something new. It will still take them many years to get tying, casting, wading and doing everything for themselves, but when it happens I will have a whole crew of fishin’ buddies.

I brought my kids to the spring Spey Play Day, where they first got a chance to play with my fly rod and they loved it! One of the guys there told me about a game to play with the kids in the backyard.

You place some hoola hoops around the back yard and practice aiming your cast with the fly rod. You can make it easier or harder and put point values on different hoops to make a game. The kids will play this for hours. It’s also really good practice for me.

I only let them use my old beater rod with a broken tip, and a piece of yarn instead of a fly. This is for obvious reasons until they get better, and are ready for their own rods.

Favourite Ontario Steelhead Flies

2008-12-16T04:41:00.001-08:00

These are some of my 'go to' flies for fall and winter Steelhead in Great Lakes Tributaries:

Wooven Stonefly

Shellback Caddis Larva

Hex Bugger - CBinWindsor of Fly Fish Ontario

Northern Casemaker (Caddis Species)

Materials List: Fly recipes and Patterns for Ontario Steelhead Fly Fishing

Chilled to the bone, Steelhead in Ontario in December

2008-12-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

Well, myself and fellow FFOer Tim Smyth got out for the day on Saturday. It was a beautiful, sunny day, although quite chilly at about -2 c. We decided to get out anyways, as its nearing the end of the season for most areas that are fishable by the fly.

We got down to our little river at about 9:30 or so, and were greeted by crunchy snow, and shelf ice 3 inches thick. There were places to fish, but those that we usually looked forward to arriving at were covered in quite a bit of ice, so we had to change up tactics a little and try some new things.

The day didn't see much action aside from one very brief hookup, and a couple of fish we spooked while walking the trail along the bank.

A couple of shots from the day:

Fly Fishing Christmas Gifts For The Serious Fly Fisher

2008-12-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas gifts for the fly fisher

Here are some gift ideas for the serious fly fisher on your Christmas shopping list.

• Clearwater II Trout Outfit, 8’6”, 4-piece, Tip-Flex 9.5 fly rod for 5-wt line, 3 oz. This is the perfect outfit for spring trout fishing on smaller streams and rivers. It comes complete with, reel, backing and Clearwater line, and a case for easy transportation.
• Gallatin Lanyard, These are perfect for someone who doesn’t already have one. You can buy just the lanyard, or you can get it fully loaded with forceps, an assortment of tippets, tippet spool holder, mini fly box, and fly fisher’s snips.
• Original Super Tac-L-Pak Vest. This vest is available in a range of sizes, and in tan or olive. With 31 pockets it will hold all the gear you could need on the river.
• Pro Guide 3 Waders. This is the perfect gift for a fly fisher with old bulk waders. These are light weight, and comfortable too.
• Tri-Spectrum HVO Glasses. Perfect for sight fishing, these glasses are available in three different lens colors. With these you will be able to spot more fish, and protect your eyes from the sun, and any poorly aimed flies.
• Shooting Star 1510-4 Spey Rod, 15 ft, 10 wt, 10 ¼ oz. A great spey rod for a beginner. Perfect for salmon and steelhead.
• Zero G Freshwater 648-2 Fly Rod, 8’6”, 2-piece, Mid-Flex 5.5 fly rod for 4-wt line, 2 ¾ oz. This rod is perfect for dry-fly fishing, for accurate clean presentation.
• Special Edition Mitey Mite Bamboo Fly Rod, 5’, 5wt 2-piece. Perfect for the collector of fine fly rods.
• Frequent Flyer fly rods. These come in a number of weights and sizes. They are perfect for the traveling fly fisher, as there are 7 pieces.
• Henry’s Fork II Premium Wading Shoe. These durable wading shoes offer superior support and the exclusive speed-lacing system, the perfect gift for a fly fisher.
• Renzetti Presentation Vise. This pedestal vice with total versatility in every rotary function makes fly tying easier. It is adjustable from 4/0 to 32 hook sizes.
• Renzetti Visual Backdrop Plate. This vice accessory, will make it much easier to see what you are doing. It also makes the perfect back drop to photograph your latest patterns.
• 14-piece Wasatch Set. Comes with 14 of the essential tying tools to make tying easier and more productive. Comes in a Velvet-lined maple box for great storage.
• Orvis Premium Fly-Tying Kit. Includes 360 degree vice, 7 essential fly tying tools, and a complete selection tying materials.
• Orvis Fly-Tying Guide. You can give this and many other books and DVDs with many patterns, to the fly fisher on your list.
• Minox Leica M3 Digital Camera, 32 MB internal memory, 1.5” color monitor, and 5 megapixel resolution. This light weight, compact camera is perfect for putting in your fishing vest.
• Under Wader Fleece System. Keep warm in your waders with this thermal fleece designed to use with your breathable waders.
• Multi-Tip Spey Line System Fly Line. Four fly lines in one. This system includes floating running line, and four interchangeable tip sections, all in one wallet. Available in a range of weights.
• Superior Comfort Boot and Wader Socks. Designed to prevent bunching, These socks offer maximum comfort and are available in heavyweight, or midweight.
• Fly Fishing Vacations. You can send your fly fishing get away to Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe, or many other destinations. You could also arrange a trip locally with a guide.
• Casting Lessons. Lessons with a certified casting instructor are ideal for anyone with beginner to intermediate abilities.
• Pliers, Forceps, Fly boxes, Tippet, Scissors, Tying material, Hooks, Bead and Cone heads, Multi-tools, and other smaller items make perfect stocking stuffers.
• Gift Certificates. If you don’t know what your fly fisher wants or needs, a gift certificate to their favorite fly shop, or fishing store works too.

Merry Christmas and Happy Fishing!

Bingo Bango Fly Fishing Season 1 Episode 3 - Stoned Flies and Hammered Ties

2008-12-07T07:13:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

The season finally of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing. In this episode, 5 weary men go headfirst into steelhead, brown trout and salmon fishing in Southern Ontario.

The Frustrations of Steelhead Fly Fishing

2008-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Whether you are float fishing, fly fishing, or chucking lures with a spinning rod steelhead fishing can sometimes be a fruitless labour. On the scale of being a bumbling idiot fisherman to being the guy who has clovers in his pockets and a horse shoe up his ass I fall somewhere in the middle. Some times I catch fish some times I don’t.

For steelhead it seems that timing is one of the key factors. When the fish are moving into the river everybody has a more productive day. If you know when this is than you will be far more likely to hook into a nice big steelie. The fish will run depending on the temperature, the water level, water clarity, and other factors. You have to be at the right place in the right conditions to have a better chance. It can be aggravating trying to plan a fishing trip that is far from home and hoping the climate factors are in your favor.

Another major piss-off when targeting trout can be those dirty salmon. The steelhead trout enter the rivers after the salmon have mostly already been there. Usually by the time the trout start to run the salmon that are still in the river are nasty! They are on deaths door step, and are missing much of their skin. I don’t know how many times it happened this season that I hooked a salmon while I was fishing for trout. When I land the salmon I don’t even want to touch the thing. This seems to happen more when I’m fly fishing than when I’m floating or spin fishing. I have yet to catch a photo worthy steelhead on my fly rod.

It is quite common to be fishing in a nice pool with a few other fishermen around, spending a while in one good spot patiently waiting for a fish with little action. When out of the blue someone walks up and nails one right beside you on their first cast. How frustrating! Then five minutes after landing the nice shiny trout, they catch another, and another…It must feel pretty good being one of those guys, I wouldn’t know. The key to catching fish in a spot where you know they are in the hole but are being picky with what they eat, is having a variety of bait in many different sizes and colors. If you happen to find out what is working on that particular day you can be the guy that walks up to a hole and starts catching fish right away.

When it comes to fishing there really isn’t too many frustrating things, after all it is called fishing and not catching.

Justin Barrett is the host of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing, Ontario’s number 1 web based fly fishing show.

Steelhead and Salmon Fly Fishing Season in Ontario

2008-10-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

I figured it best to finally get this report up. Last week, the Bingo Bango Fly Fishing Folks were out filming episode 3, which is very appropriately titled 'Stoned Flies & Hammered Ties'. The 3 days we were out were great! We managed to hit two rivers, the Saugeen and the Bighead. Beautiful rivers by any standard!

Here are some shots from the trip......a sneak peek at episode 3 of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing

We started fishing on Sunday, it was pretty chilly, and there were a few other folks around. That all changed on Monday and Tuesday when there wasn't a soul on the rivers!

Justang, the host of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing ties into a large Chinook.

You can see the anguish on his face after forgetting to loosen the drag a little.......SNAP!!!

Tim into another Chinook

This next fish did something that I've never really seen a Chinook do with such determination.....you'll have to check out the episode of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing when it airs in a week or so.

Nice fresh fish!

And contrary to popular belief, Paul managed to get himself into a fish as well........small, yes......but a nice little brown in a giant river!

I managed a decent steelie to end off monday night at dusk.

And of course......Scotch, beer and flies......what more could you ask???

Neil Houlding Spey Day Radio Interview

2008-10-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

Neil Houlding, certified casting instructor and local Ontario guide was interviewed on Dave FM (107.5fm) on October 15th, 2008. He spoke of the history of Spey fishing as well as getting people interested in the sport.

Listen to Neil Houldings Radio Interview

Spey Play Day with Neil Houlding and Others!

2008-10-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, its that time again. Randy Wilson has organized yet another Spey clave that should prove to be the best one yet. Here are the details:

Date:Saturday Oct.18,2008.
Time:9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M or whenever
Place:Bean Park,Paris Ont.
A complimentary (free) BBQ lunch with beverages is provided.
The entire event is free.

This is designed to be a Play Day to give people plenty of time to try out plenty of different rods.If you are contemplating making the jump into your first spey rod this is a great chance to find out what style of rod might best suit you.

At present we will have rods and ProStaff from Snowbee,Guideline, Sage and Redington.Hope to have a few additions to the list before the event.The ProStaff are available to answer any questions and offer help with casting as well so please take advantage of this. Look forward to seeing everyone!!

Steelhead will be coming ino the river at this time so be sure to bring your gear and get a little fishing in if you like.

9AM-10AM
Meet and greet with fresh brewed coffee and donuts(Timbits)
10AM-11AM
Neil Houlding-Spey casting demo of Skagit,Scandanavian and traditional techniques
11AM-1PM
Play time to try out rods and get casting help.A BBQ lunch of burgers,fresh smoked sausage on a bun and beverages will be served
at 11:30 AM
1PM-2PM
Rick Kustich seminar on Fly/Spey Fishing for Steelhead
2PM- whenever
More rod play time and instruction

Pro staff and rods from Loomis,Scott,Sage,Redington,Guideline and Snowbee are available through out the day so please take advantage of them. The day is planned to offer as much time as we can for people to experiment with rods.

In addition to these great instructors, there will be a couple of free draws happening. Members of the Fly Fish Ontario Community (www.flyfishontario.ca) also have a chance to win a really neat prize in a raffle. Fly Fish Ontario members can find out more at the Fly Fish Ontario Forums

Websites for more information:

www.flyfishontario.ca
www.grandriverspey.ca

Hope to see you there!!

Coaster Brook Trout Caught in Credit River Ontario

2008-09-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

CRAA President John Kendell posted some very exciting information on the CRAA website yesterday about a coaster brookie that they lifted at the Streetsville dam.

Original Post:

Today CRAA, working with Mark from MNR lifted a coaster brook trout, about 3.2 pounds or 18 inches at the Streetsville fish ladder. This is the first brookie we have ever seen and it was high fives all around! Wouldn't it be amazing to add these guys to the mix of fish in the river!

We also lifted a few more browns. To date CRAA has captured and transported 20 migratory brown trout up the river.

Under the brook trout you will see a grilse Atlantic salmon that I caught below the dam as well yesterday.

2008 is proving to be a very exciting year. Record steelhead lift, record Atlantic return (since at least 1870's) and now a coaster brookie. Plus transporting brown trout and steelhead in the fall.

This is another fantastic example highlighting how the Credit River is becoming a cleaner, healthier river due to work by CRAA, MNR, CVC and other groups.

John

Attached Image

Fall Mayflies

2008-09-27T10:22:00.001-07:00

A couple of shots of mayflies that I've taken over the last couple of weeks. I haven't identified them yet, so if you know what species they are, let me know!

Brook Trout Fly Fishing in Ontario - Brookie Heaven!

2008-08-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Me and Justin headed up to our favourite little brookie and brown stream over the long weekend......again. We try to get up to this place at least once a month during the warmer months to get away from the city and have a little peace. Unfortunately, the place is becoming a little too popular now. Just a couple of years ago, we'd go entire weekends without seeing a soul. Now it seems that anywhere you can stop on the road, a car is parked. Oh well.......we're now considering making a 20 minute hike into the bush up there and simply camping away from the road and the other folks.

Our campsite:

We usually don't bother to bring a tent......just our foam mats for crashing beside the fire after a few glass of 12 year old singles.

The creek:

This one stays very very cool all season long. A good 10 kilometers or so of the stream are still densely coverd in trees, and it is entirely spring fed, so it takes quite a bit of heat to bring the water temps up. One of the other streams we like to fish was far too warm when we showed up, so we had to pass it by. Not a huge deal though.

Here are a couple of the tiny tiny feesh we got into over the weekend. It was non stop pretty well the entire time we fished. Everything on dries........

And this fella was all suited up in his fall spawning colours, but was very reluctant to have his picture taken....

Twas a good trip!!

Hope ya'll had some fun over the long weekend!!

For more Ontario Fly Fishing Reports visit The Fly Fishing Ontario Forum and sign up for your free membership to unlock all of the features!

Over and Out!

Hellgrammite Larva and Stonefly Nymph Fly Fishing Video

2008-07-30T06:53:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

This video takes a look at a hellgrammite larva as well as a stonefly nymph. These are some of the largest aquatic insects in Ontario.

Bingo Bango Fly Fishing Episode 2 - Small Streams and Even Smaller Brookies

2008-07-22T08:46:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

Join the Bingo Bango fly fishing crew for some interesting fly fishing on small streams in southern Ontario. Justin is back with his Fire side Diaries, the nightly recap of fishing events throughout each episode.

Dry and Dropper - Caddis larva, pupa, elk hair caddis fly

2008-07-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

This video takes a look at some caddis larvae and pupae (the real thing!) as well as showing a great method (the dry and dropper) to use the next time you are out on the river.

The dry and dropper method is very useful when you can see rising fish but aren't sure if they are taking emergers, taking flies right off the surface.

Hendrickson Dance - A Great Mating Dance of Hendrickson Mayflies in Early June

2008-06-23T08:01:00.001-07:00

Here's some video of a great mating dance of Hendrickson Mayflies. They're a little hard to see in the video, but once you see them, its pretty thick!

This Link may allow you to view it a little better:
Hendrickson Mayfly Mating Dance

And a few photos I got of them as well:

Most Useful medicinal plants worth your garden space

2008-06-22T06:11:00.001-07:00

This article gives descriptions and medicinal uses of plants garden plants in medical situations to cure a large list of illnesses and problems that a lot of people face daily. Let us give stuck into all the medicine plants and medicinal plants!

read more | digg story

Green Home Hints and Tips website

2008-06-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Myself, and my partner Kerry have begun a new blog at www.greenhomehints.com

The blog shows easy ways that you can make a difference in your lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint.

Moving into the hot, dry summer months, there are many things you should consider to reduce your energy usage!

Any tips you may have are appreciated.

The Green Drake Mayfly

2008-06-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Green Drake Mayfly

The Green Drake is one of the largest mayflies to hatch in Ontario. Its habitat range is minimal due to pollution in our waterways. Fly fishers anticipate this hatch as fish are very willing to come to the surface for these meaty treats.

Click here for The fly fishing fly pattern for the Green Drake Dun

Small Stream Fly Fishing Tactics - Skating Dry Flies in Log Jams - Video Tutorial

2008-06-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

Skating Dry Flies In Log Jams Instructional Fly Fishing Video

Small stream fly fishing - Skating dry flies in Log Jams is a very successful method of fly fishing on small streams. This is tutorial on how to do just that!

Grand River Spey Clave

2008-06-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

Well, after several months of planning, and many many helping hands involved, the Grand River Spey Clave held at Bean Park in Paris, Ontario last Saturday was a tremendous success!

Randy Wilson began planning this event when there was still snow on the ground. Attendance shattered that of other similar claves in Ontario. There were about 100 people in attendance, great food, great coffee, door prizes, and best of all....great people!

Spey Casting Instructors:

Courtney Ogilvie kicked off the day giving demos of casting techniques and correcting errors and bad habits in spey casting. Courtney made the trip from BC to attend and demonstrate in any aspect of spey fishing. He was on hand to give free demos, one on one style so that attendees could get the most out of the short time they had with him.

"In this time of impersonal relationships and greed it is refreshing to find characters of genuine care and values. Ogilvie Outfitting as committed to providing only the most memorable experiences and Top Quality products in the world of Fly Fishing; Bar None! - Courtney Ogilvie" Courtney can be contacted at: www.ogilvieoutfitting.ca

Neil Houlding, a certified FFF casting instructor from Cambridge Ontario was out to give a demo on casting and outfitting yourself for spey fishing, particularly spey fishing on great lakes tributaries in Ontario. From chasing big Spring trout on dries to Steelhead in the dead of winter Neil can get you into the thick of it. A well versed guide equally at home pitching spoons for kings or spey for steel.Neil can be contacted through www.flyfishontario.ca

A very special thanks goes out to Randy Wilson! Randy, without your dedication and efforts this event would never have been so successful!

Visit: www.grandriverspey.ca for upcoming events!

Caddis Flies - Life Cycle

2008-05-22T05:18:00.000-07:00

Caddis Flies of
Ontario

Caddisflies or sedge-flies

(Order Trichoptera, from Greek trich, "hair", and ptera, "wings")

Caddis are small moth-like insects that have two pairs wings. They are closely related to Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) which have scales on their wings, and the two orders together form the superorder Amphiesmenoptera. Caddisflies have aquatic larvae and are found in a wide variety of habitats such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, spring seeps, and temporary waters (vernal pools). The larvae of many species make protective cases of silk decorated with gravel, sand, twigs or other debris.

Many species of caddisfly larvae enter a stage of inactivity called
the pupa stage for weeks or months after they mature but prior to emergence. Their emergence is then triggered by cooling water temperatures in the fall, effectively synchronizing the adult activity to make mate-finding easier. In the Northwestern US, caddisfly larvae within their gravel cases are called 'periwinkles.'

"Caddis Larvae" (photo - D. Barrett)

Caddisfly pupation occurs much like pupation of Lepidoptera. That is, caddisflies pupate in a cocoon spun from silk. Caddisflies which build the portable cases attach their case to some underwater object, seal the front and back apertures against predation though still allowing water flow, and pupate within it. Once fully developed, most pupal caddisflies cut through their cases with a special pair of mandibles, swim up to the water surface, cast off skin and the now-obsolete gills and mandibles,
and emerge as fully formed adults. In a minority of species, the pupae swim to shore (either below the water - see figure - or across the surface) and crawl out to emerge. Many of them are able to fly immediately after breaking from their pupal skin.

"Caddis Pupa" (photo - D. Barrett)

The adult stage of caddisflies, in most cases, is very shortlived,
usually only 1-2 weeks, but can sometimes last for 2 months. Most adults are non-feeding and are equipped mainly to mate. Once mated, the female caddisfly will often lay eggs (enclosed in a gelatinous mass) by attaching them above or below the water surface. Eggs hatch in as little as three weeks.

"Caddis Adult" (photo - Bruce Marlin)

Caddisflies in most temperate areas complete their lifecycles
in a single year. The general temperate-zone lifecycle pattern is one of larval feeding and growth in autumn, winter, and spring, with adult emergence between late spring and early fall, although the adult activity of a few species peaks in the winter. Larvae are active in very cold water and can frequently be observed feeding under ice. In common with many aquatic insect species, many caddisfly adults emerge synchronously en masse. Such emergence patterns ensure that most caddisflies will encounter a member of the opposite gender in a timely fashion. Mass emergences of this nature are called 'hatches' by salmon and trout anglers, and salmonid fish species will frequently 'switch' to whatever species is emerging on a particular day. Anglers take advantage of this behavior by matching their artificial flies to the appropriate fly.

Article Sources:

Dave Barrett

Wikipedia

Photo Sources:

Dave Barrett

Bruce Marlin

More at: www.flyfishontario.ca

Bingo Bango Fly Fishing - Season One Episode One

2008-05-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

Finally!!! The first episode of Bingo Bango has hit the webwaves!!

Episode One of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing takes us through southern Ontario on opening weekend. Join the fly fish Ontario crew for some great Brook trout and Steelhead action on some beautiful southern Ontario streams!

Here's the link to the first episode:

Episode 1

and here's the link to our channel on Blip.tv where you can find our show archive as well!!

Bingo Bango Fly Fishing - Blip.tv

We are also looking for guests to appear in upcoming shows. If any of you folks are interested, just shoot an email to: videos@flyfishontario.ca.

Future episodes will be focused on the following:

Fly Fishing for Small Mouth Bass
Fly Fishing for Carp
Fly Fishing for Pike
Fly Fishing for Musky

with many more to come!!

Enjoy!!

The First Dry Fly Action Of The Year!

2008-05-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

The weather was great......the black flies were thick!!!

Luckily however, really the only fish we brought to hand were caught on dry flies. Mostly smaller fish in the 7 to 10 inch range, but who's complaining??

Hendrikson duns were the main dish for brookies, browns and rainbows over the weekend, with a couple taken on LBWO's as well.

I had my father in law with me, and he had never touched a fly rod before. He fishes with us, but this time I wanted him to get into some trout on flies. And that he did!!

I taught him how to skate a dry across the surface, and it wasn't long before he had some fish coming to the surface for his offering.

Just little guys, but not bad at all for a first timer!! Congrats Bill!!!

Into the afternoon, some of the older fellas were needing a beer, so myself and my cousin Justin headed upstream into the jungle for what we hoped would be some better action with a chance at some bigger fish.

We headed downstream to a pool that we like to fish on this river. The river is tiny.....only about 15 or 20 feet wide at its widest spots. Its full of absolutely impossible logjams and makes for some very technical, short line fishing. We reached the pool, and the air was full of hennies, LWBOs and midges. Needless to say, it wasn't long after sitting there that we saw the first rise, then another and another.

We probably took about 20 fish between us in that pool, with a couple bruisers coming out for a little sip as well. We werent ready for the big guys, and the excitement caused us to rip the fly right from their lips each time before they had a chance to clamp down!

I did get one shot of a pretty little brown though

And here's a shot at one of the bridges of the last bit of the hendrickson hatch we managed to hit

Can't wait for the major hatches to begin up there!!!!!! B)

High Stick Nymphing Revisited

2008-05-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

A while back, I posted something regarding an extremely useful method of nymphing. We figured a little video tutorial might be useful for people interested in using this method.

Kurtis Robinson shows us how to use this highly effective method of nymphing. Keeping your line short and your rod tip high in the air are key factors in successful high stick nymphing. Heavy nymphs are usually a necessity when using this method. Drifts are short, and the fly needs to get down deep very quickly.

Right click and "save as" to download this video (WMV 4.2MB)

Absolutely Horrible Decision In Ontario

2008-04-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

This is pretty sad. More and more streams disappear every year. Many rivers are already flowing very very low.......and ts April.

Ontario renews Nestlé permit to extract groundwater for sale

MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT

From Friday's Globe and Mail

April 18, 2008 at 4:19 AM EDT

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has renewed a controversial permit granting a unit of Nestlé Canada Inc. the right to continue extracting up to 3.6 million litres of groundwater a day near Guelph to sell as spring water.

The application for the permit by the food and beverage giant prompted thousands of letters of complaint to the government and has been a focal point of local opposition to the water bottling industry.

Environmentalists had been seeking to have the permit withdrawn, or scaled back, and objected to the government's practice of giving water away for free to those who have permits, including bottling companies that then sell the water they take.

While the ministry doesn't charge for actual water removals, it does levy modest cost-recovery fees to defray expenses for issuing and overseeing its permit system.

"I'm disappointed that they did not reduce their volume, nor did they address the whole issue of giving a public resource away to a private enterprise for free," said Mark Goldberg, co-founder of Wellington Water Watchers, a local activist group.

The province levies a one-time $3,000 processing fee on complicated water permits that need a scientific evaluation. Beginning next year, it will charge an additional fee of $3.71 for every million litres permit holders withdraw, or $13.36 a day if Nestlé takes its full allotment.

"The quantity is outrageous and the fees are ridiculously low," said Jode Roberts, a spokesman for Ecojustice, formerly the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, a legal adviser to Wellington Water Watchers, which has estimated that if Nestlé bought municipal water in Guelph it would pay about $2,700 a day.

The province released a statement yesterday saying it had issued the permit for a two-year period "with strict conditions to protect existing water users and the natural environment."

Nestlé said in a news release it was disappointed the province didn't agree to give it a five-year permit, as it had requested. Nestlé has owned the site, located in Aberfoyle, since 2000.

Although the ministry said studies show Nestlé's water extraction isn't affecting others in the area or local surface waters, it decided to grant only a two-year permit and is requiring the company to perform further monitoring to verify the finding of no harm to the local environment.

The company's pumping has exerted enough pressure to cause surface water in a creek near its site to be drawn underground, but Nestlé has maintained that the effect is of no consequence because it hasn't affected flow rates of the stream.

Fly Fishing Folks

2008-04-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Its pretty neat that there are people so dedicated to fly fishing, that they really enjoy sharing their experiences, tips and stories with the world. Over the last while, I been lucky enough to find several such individuals who are promoting fly fishing all over the world in a wonderful way.

I thought it'd be proper to mention a few of the best ones here:

Steve Dobsons Fly Fishing Blog - Steve Dobson has been a fly fisherman for thirty years or more and a catch and release advocate for almost as long. Through his time on and off the water, he has developed two tools that not a single fly fisher should be without. You can learn much more about these toys at www.dobsonclip.com

Southern Ontario Fly Fisher - Mister Anchovy brings some great stories, reports and best of all, great fly patterns and recipes for fly fishing in Ontario.

Old Smuggler Fly Fishing - Old smuggler is located in Argentina. The blog is in spanish, but provides some serious information about fly fishing in Argentina. Check it out if you plan to head there, or have a look at some of his incredible fly tying abilities!!

Enjoy the blogs, and be sure to check www.flyfishontario.ca for great information about fly fishing in Ontario, Canada

Fly Fishing on Opening Day for Trout

2008-04-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

Its almost time! I can feel it in my belly. 9 days to go until opener here in Ontario. I’ve been tracing through notes from last year, and ensuring that my list of good flies for opener are well stocked in my fly boxes.

One thing that really stinks is getting out to theriver for a few days, and realizing that you tied flies that have nothing to do with what is going to work for early season brookies and browns…..especially when its your first day out of the season!

In particular, I like to use micro streamers resembling
the fry that will be hatching in the rivers. This could mean shiners, chub,rainbow, brown and brook trout among other fry that may be present in the system. I usually fish these with the typical across and downstream swing method, but there are other useful ways to present a tiny streamer pattern.

One method that I really like is very similar to dead drifting a nymph. I find that this method works best where there is a moderate flow with very visible current seams.

I’ll start by positioning myself downstream of therun. I then measure out enough line to complete the intended drift plus acouple of extra feet. The extra couple of feet are going to allow me to mend line as the fly drift down stream. Toinitiate the drift, I flick my fly upstream, attempting to place it directly on top of the current seam. Next, I’ll toss a slight upstream mend to allow the fly to sink. I want the fly to be bouncing bottom while it sailsdownstream. I keep my rod tip relatively high in the air to keep line offof the water and to avoid having the fly move too quickly downstream. Early in the season, with water temperatures still very chilly, fish are going to be a little groggy, and often a slow, consistent drift is what is need to initiate a strike. Allowing the fly to drift with the current, and adding the odd twitch seems to be just the ticket for early season brook trout. As the fly get near to me, I’ll set a little line back down on the water to allow the current to pull the fly until it is directly down stream of me. I let it hang there for a few seconds before beginning an erratic, but shortretrieve of the fly. That is, stripping the fly in with one or two inchjerks to imitate the fry trying to fight the current.

With this method, I tend to avoid casting over the main run to fish the seam on the far side. If the stream is small enough, this is very simple to do, but I find with a run any wider that 10 or 12 feet, the fly becomes difficult to present in a natural way.

Find more great fly fishing articles at:
www.flyfishontario.ca

The cure for cabin fever - fly fishing for early season steelhead in ontario

2008-03-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

Cabin fever…..oh yes, it sinks in very heavily come March. Most areas in Ontario are closed to fishing this time of year, but there are a select few that are open year round for migratory steelhead and other species.

It had been a few months since I was last out……sinceNew Years Eve in fact! I really needed to get out and get the arms and shoulders working again. A couple of friends and myself decided on a location, and headed first thing in the morning to the river. The water had a beautiful green tinge to it, and it was running at a perfect level tosneak up on a few steelhead.

Initially, I had been dead drifting a stonefly pattern and had one take……which I very quickly lost in the fast water. I was pleased though…..first trip of the year and hooked a nice steelhead within the first hour……I wasn’t going to complain!!

As the day went on, the fishing was rather slow……the sun was beating down on the river now, and many of the fish we had seen earlier had disappeared into some of the deeper holes.

It was at that point that I decided to tie on a small bead head nymph with a single, bright orange glow bug made of “Mcfly Foam”, and about feet above that an indicator to make things a little easier.

Within just a couple of drifts, the indicator stopped dead in the current. My first thought was that I had hooked up on bottom and I’d have to shorten the distance between indicator and fly. A gently tug on the line proved otherwise. Just as I raised my rod to free my hook, a giant silver torpedo (read steelhead) shot straight out of the water, and
took off like a bolt of lightning downstream.

Amidst all this, as I fumbled with the drag on the reel, I found myself fighting a massive knot in the fly line. I had so hastily grabbed my gear that I hadn’t even checked to see that everything was in order. My last trip with this reel would have been salmon fishing last fall……and the know was probably caused by the last salmon I hook after it peeled out line and caused a terrible mess within the reel that I failed to notice.

So of I went, running like a madman downstream chasing the fish……while disassembling my reel and trying desperately to untangle the mess. It was at about this time that my fishin partner showed up to lend a hand. He got himself about 60 feet downstream of me while I tried to
manouver the fish towards shore.

After a wonderful battle and many long runs…Tim landed her for me. A beautiful shiny steelhead to start the season.

We took a moment to inspect for tags, fin clips or anything. None of either were found. She was wild! A couple of quick shots and she was back in the water to continue upstream to fulfill her
instinctive desires.

For more great fly fishing information visit: www.flyfishontario.ca

Small Stream Fly Fishing Techniques

2008-03-26T08:15:00.001-07:00

Most of the small streams we have in Ontario see far less pressure than the larger, open rivers we have. Casting, accessibility and frustration probably play a large role in why these streams see so little action from fly fishers. Generally, these streams will be about 15 feet wide at their widest, will have terribly overgrown banks and plenty of log jams to hang up on. It takes several trips and many, many lost flies to perfect your ability to fish these streams successfully.

In fishing these streams, you’ll find that casting is virtually impossible….so DON’T do it!! I can’t stress that enough…Do Not Cast like you would fishing larger rivers. Instead, there are a couple of tricks you can master to make fishing these streams a success.

Initially, I like to place myself upstream of potential lies, rather than downstream of them. Use extra caution when manoeuvring through the stream to prevent muddying up the areas downstream of where you are. Move slowly and deliberately. Next, strip out some line, and gradually send your fly downstream, peeling more line out as the fly drifts downstream with the current. Twitching the fly, as well as raising and lowering your rod tip will give the fly some extra motion as it drifts. Guide the fly down current seams, through pocket water, along undercut banks, and most importantly…..straight into log jams! That’s right….with a little practice and patience, you’ll be able to drift your offering straight into a log jam without hanging up every time. Sure, you’ll go through your fair share of flies in practicing this technique, but you will develop the necessary skills to perform the manoeuvre without losing a fly and spooking the hole every time.

Another simple method is dappling. Dappling is similar to High Stick Nymphing, except you have the option of tossing a dry fly around using this method. To begin, position yourself in the stream facing either upstream or down, depending on where you’d like to place your fly. The trick is to have just enough line out to deal with the pocket or riffle you want to tackle. Gently raise your rod, and place the fly ever so gently where you’d like the drift to begin. If using a nymph, twitch the fly around a little as you allow it to settle in a pocket where you think a trout is waiting for a meal. Gently raise and lower your rod while adding the twitching action to mimic a struggling nymph. If using a dry, allow the fly to settle on the surface, and gently twitch and bounce the fly in an attempt to tantalize what lies below the waters surface.

The equipment you want to use on these tiny streams is far different from what you’d likely use on larger rivers. Sure, you could take your 10 foot 7 wt in there, but you’ll likely find more frustration that fish! I like to take along my 8 foot 4wt for these missions. Partly because of the unique situation that these streams present, where light tackle is far better, and partly because a ‘trophy’ fish in these areas will likely be no larger than 16” and rarely over a pound or so. Light tackle makes fighting these tiny gems more enjoyable, as opposed to using a heavier 6 or 7 wt and simply lifting the fish straight out of the water once hooked. I tend to stick with 6x or 7x as my tippet, coupled with a heavier leader in the 6 to 8 pound range. Leaders do not need to be overly long at all. A 5 or 6 foot leader with 1 or 2 feet of tippet material added on should be sufficient for these types of streams.

Productive flies for small stream fishing are plentiful, and you will likely find a couple that suit you just fine after you’ve had a chance to play around out there a little bit. Some of my flies of choice, and some that you should consider starting out with are listed below:

· Nymphs

o Bead Head Hares Ear

o Pheasant Tail

o March Brown

o Small Stonefly

· Dries

o Wulff Patterns

o Elk Hair Caddis

o Any high floating, high-vis hair wing patterns

· Micro Streamers

o Wooley buggers (tied on a size 10 nymph hook)

o Clouser Minnows (tied on a size 10 nymph hook)

o Zonkers (tied on a size 10 nymph hook)

So, there you have it. Small Stream fly fishing techniques simplified. Get out, and get practicing . One last note……fish every inch of any particular lie before moving on. Be sure you have covered every singe inch of water!

Find more info at www.flyfishontario.ca

Day Dreaming

2008-03-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure that having a digital camera is such a great thing anymore. You see, at this time of year, with intense cabin fever firmly grasping the weary fly fisher, all you can do really is inspect what you were up to last season. That usually requires that you check out those great photos you took.....when it was warm, the birds were chirping, and winter seemed like it could never possibly happen. Well, here's a few to tickle the old spring funny bone and get the anxiety pumping even stronger!!!

"The Special Spot"

"Beaver Steelie"

"Grand Sunset"

"Grey/Bruce ~ Beauteous"

More at: www.fishfinder.co.nr

Hexagenia

2008-03-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

The Barrett Hex

This large nymph pattern is excellent for still water fishing, but don't steer away from fishing it in moving water, especially on the swing!

Recipe:
Hook: Streamer Fly #8-12
Thread: uni Camel 6/0
Hackle (legs): short cock, one or two palmered wraps
Wingcase: turkey feather segment folded forward
Back: turkey feather folded forward
Body: tan hares ear plus dubbing
Underbody: short cock (webby section folded forward)
Rib: gold wire
Tail: 2 wild boar fibres
Weight: 1 layer of lead free wire

March!

2008-03-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh, lovely! The sun remains on the horizon for a little longer now, and appears again a little earlier the next day. March is here. It's panick time if you tie your own flies and have been a little lazy over the winter. I have about 30 patterns that I use all season, and I like to start with about 10 of each one...to be safe. Sure, throughout the year you'll be tying flies as hatches occur and you somehow misplace all of the inventory you tied in the off season. But, when you hit the water for the first of the hatches of each species, you probably want to be prepared for whatever the bugs may throw at you at any given time. Fly fishing in Ontario can get quite technical when it comes to 'matching the hatch' due to our diverse population of Mayflies, Caddis flies, dragon flies, etc. This is why I have about 30 patterns that I like to make sure I am well stocked with. Some species may be present on one stream, but not on another. Many species will be present in all systems, and thus you'll go through many more of those patterns than others.

Some of the patterns I keep myself well stocked on for fly fishing in Ontario are:

Dry Flies:
Blue Winged Olive #18-24
Hendrickson #12-16
Grey Fox #12-16
Pale Evening Dun #12-16
Hexagenia #6-10
Grey Drake #12-16
Green Drake #12-16
Brown Drake #12-16
Yellow Stone #8
Black Caddis #14-16
Tan Caddis #14-16
Green Caddis #14-16
Trico #20-26

Nymphs:
Small Stone #10
Large Stone #6-8
Caddis #10-16
Shell Back Caddis #10-16
March Brown #10-16
Maggot #12
Northern Casemaker #10-16
Hexagenia #6-10
Spring Wiggler #10
Parasol Emerger #12

A great place to find recipes is Fish Finder ~ Ontario Fly Fishing.

So Whats The Difference Between Brown and Brook Trout?????

2008-02-25T17:55:00.001-08:00

Brook Trout

The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, (sometimes called the eastern brook trout) is a species of fish in the Salvelinus/char family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters. Though commonly called a trout, the brook trout is actually a char, along with lake trout, bull trout, Dolly Varden and the Arctic char.

The brook trout is native to small streams, creeks, lakes, and spring ponds. Some brook trout are anadromous. It is native to a wide area of eastern North America but increasingly confined to higher elevations southward in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia, Canada from the Hudson Bay basin east, the Great Lakes–Saint Lawrence system, and the upper Mississippi River drainage as far west as eastern Iowa.

Brown Trout

The species has been widely introduced for purposes of sport into North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand. Brown trout have had serious negative impacts on upland native fish species in some of the countries where they have been introduced, particularly Australia. Because of the trout's importance as a food and game fish, it has been artificially propagated and stocked in many places in its range, and fully natural populations (uncontaminated by allopatric genomes) probably exist only in isolated places, for example in Corsica or in high alpine valleys on the European mainland.

Trout Unlimited opposes plans to stock brown trout

2008-02-25T06:35:00.001-08:00

Mark Lamb -- Wed, Feb/13/08

By Don Crosby
Owen Sound Sun-Times
The Markdale chapter of Trout Unlimited is opposed to a proposal to stock the Saugeen River between Durham and Hanover with brown trout.
A proposal from the Big River Group and the Upper Saugeen Habitat Restoration Association - local volunteer angling and conservation groups - is being screened under the class environmental assessment process and Ministry of Natural Resources is seeking public input before proceeding further.
Grey Highlands councillors gave the project their approval without discussion during Monday's regular council meeting.
According to a covering letter sent council, stocking that part of the Saugeen River would increase angling opportunities and other benefits which are part of the management objectives of the regional Owen Sound Fisheries Management Plan.
"We're opposed to it. We're highly in favour of restoring the (native) brown trout in the area," said Bob James, head of the Markdale chapter of Trout Unlimited during an interview Monday.
James said introducing 20,000 brown trout a year for five years from stock taken from the upper Sydenham River won't produce truly wild trout and could adversely affect the trout that currently inhabit that part of the Saugeen River.
Since 1998, the Upper Saugeen Habitat Restoration Association (USHRA) has been involved in a very localized brown trout enhancement project on the Saugeen River near a campground near Hanover. The project involves collecting eggs from brown trout in the upper Sydenham River and raising them in incubating boxes in the Saugeen near the campground. The strain was chosen because it most closely resembles those found in that part of the Saugeen River.
USHRA and The Big River Group want to expand the project to a larger area of the Saugeen River between Durham and Hanover.
Because of the dams at Durham and Hanover, it's believed the fish would remain in that part of the river. The groups plan to use six-month-old fingerlings or yearlings instead of those raised in egg incubators.
James said introducing that many trout with such a narrow genetic strain is akin to inbreeding. His group supports measures that would build up the local population of brown trout, which has a broader genetic pool.
"We should do what it takes to revive the wild population. They survive better," James said.
He recommends reducing the catch limit on brown trout in that area of the Saugeen or implementing a catch and release policy until the existing population builds up. He would also like to see work done to restore habitat, such as efforts to cool the waters in that section of the river during the summer.
"We would like to get a discussion going with the two groups. We think there are more effective ways of restoring the population," said James, who thinks that within three years the local fish population could begin to rebound with the measures he outlined.
The MNR has a 30-day comment period for the project, which ends March 7. If the ministry decides the project requires additional consultation, notices will be issued.
For more information call Andy McKee, fish and wildlife biologist at the Owen Sound office of MNR, at 519-371-8471, fax 519-372-3305 or e-mail andy.mckee@ontario.ca.

Techniques ~ High Stick Nymphing

2008-02-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Below the waters surface is a world like no other. Minnows, leeches and other creatures lurk about, hoping they are not being watched by a big trout. What we are concerned with here however is not a minnow or a leech, but larvae, pupae and nymphs. Streams abound with these pre-flight creatures year round, so its not all that surprising that the diet of a trout consists of some 70-80% nymphs taken below the surface. With different species, different water conditions and water quality, it can seem quite daunting at first to look below the surface for some great action....year round to boot!

I'll start with a method that is referred to as 'High-stick nymphing'. Just like the name sounds, the method employs the technique of keeping your rod tip high in the air while drifting your nymph through likely lies. The method requires that you keep as little of your fly line on the waters surface as possible, and preferably none at all will touch the waters surface. The length of your leader should reflect the depth of the area you are fishing. I prefer to use weighted nymphs before using weight added to the line. I find that adding a couple of shots to your line will take away from the subtle takes usually observed with this type of fishing. Once you've found the section of river you are going to tackle, position yourself downstream of the drift your are attempting. Strip out just enough line to cover the water you are drifting, and gently flip your nymph upstream. As the fly lands and sinks, gently lift your rod tip to remove any slack between yourself and the fly, taking care to keep your fly line out of and off of the water. Now, move your rod tip downstream at the same speed that your nymph and the current are travelling. As the nymph drifts downstream, it will bounce along the rocks and other debris that sit below the water surface. If you see a slight pause or anything abnormal happening with the line, give a gentle snap with your rod to set the hook. Eventually, with enough practice, you'll know just when its a trout mouthing your offering, or your nymph hanging up on the bottom of the river.

more at: www.fishfinder.co.nr

Bingo Bango Fly Fishing Series

2008-02-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

A new fly fishing show is about to hit the www come May of 2008. Several folks living in ontario have come up with an idea that is sure to entertain not only fly fishing folk, but anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. The Bingo Bango Fly Fishing show is set to bring you information about fly fishing in ontario, techniques, fly patterns, etc. through a hilariously driven format that is sure to bring you to your knees in tears of laughter.

Heres the trailer for the 2008 season of Bingo Bango Fly Fishing

more at: www.fishfinder.co.nr

Parasol Emerger

2008-02-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

The parasol is more of a hook-less appendage that you tie onto a nymph or pupa imitation. The fly is able to sit at a set distance below the surface depending on how you tie the fly.

Hook: wet fly #8 -#16
Thread: uni camel 6/0
Stem: poly yarn fixed to monofilament
Thorax: brown hares ear (plus) dubbing
Body: olive hares ear (plus) dubbing
Ribb: silver tinsel

more at: fishfinder.co.nr

Techniques ~ Fishing Dry Flies

2008-02-14T06:03:00.000-08:00

Several methods can be used to fish a dry fly. Dead drifting, skating, and twitching are probably the more popular methods employed when manipulating dries.

Casting upstream and using the current to drift the fly downstream is called dead drifting. This means that the fly is floating at the same speed as the water and anything else that happens to be drifting down the stream on the surface. This is avery effective method to deliver spinner and dun patterns to unsuspecting trout cautiously sipping flies from the surface, and it appears most natural to the fish when drifted in this manner. To keep the fly drifting at the appropriate speed, you'll probably have to mend the line a little. To do this, gently 'flick' your line upstream, to halt any drag created by the current grabbing the line and pulling it downstream faster than the current is moving. This will be necessary particularly when fishing with long casts over several areas where the current may be travelling at an inconsistent speed from one point of the river to the other. You may also want to try twitching the fly as it drifts downstream. This will often result in strikes from otherwise lazy fish that may not notice your fly as it drifts downstream motionless. In performing long casts with tiny flies, it will become increasingly harder to see your fly as it drifts. Try to notice where the fly is, based on where the end of your fly line is and where you expect your fly to be. Use the foam or other debris floating with the current to judge the speed at which your offering is drifting at and try to match that speed.

During your time on the water, you'll probably come to notice flies skittering and bouncing on the surface of the water. This can be a result of different habits of the different species of fly you'll encounter on the stream. This can be imitated by presenting your fly in such a manner that it is skating across the surface. To do this, position yourself upstream of the fish so that you are able to cast downstream towards him. Cast on a slight downstream angle towards the far bank to measure your line and allow the fly to drift downstream while the current pulls it towards you. Once the line is directly downstream of you, gently pick up the line and repeat the cast. This time, as the fly touches down on the water, simultaneously lift your rod tip high in the air to prevent most of your leader and all of your fly line from hitting the water. Now, as the fly begins its drift downstream, follow it with your rod tip held high, keeping a gentle sort of tension on the fly. The effect you are seeking here is to have your fly bounce and skate across the surface of the water as it is pulled downstream and towards you, eventually ending at a point directly downstream of where you are standing. Once the fly has reached the point where it is downstream of you, DON'T be too quick in lifting your line and casting again. Keep the fly in this position bouncing and twitching for several seconds or more before repeating the cast. Always raise your line gently as it will be sitting right above suspected fish, and the loud splash or pop that is created by lifting your fly too quickly will spook them and put them down for a while.

The Elk Hair Caddis - Originator ~ Al Toth

Elk Hair Caddis patterns are high floating, high visibility patterns. Great for novice fly folk because they are so easily seen on the surface, even at great distances. Tie these flies in the colours and sizes that reflect their natural counterparts.

Hook: dry fly #12 -#24
Thread: uni camel 6/0
Wing: Elk Hair
Hackle: short cock
Body: dry fly dubbing
Tail: none

More at www.fishfinder.co.nr

Winterscapes

2008-02-13T04:20:00.000-08:00

Ahh......winter. Doesn't do much for the fishing does it?? At this point, most rivers around here are either closed for the season or frozen over. Rainbow trout continue to migrate upstream at a very slow pace in the frigid waters of late winter. Here they stay until they pair up and begin their annual dance in the tributaries come spring. Here are a few shots from our last day out, December 31st, 2007.

Just 73 days to go until opener!!

More at www.fishfinder.co.nr

Cabin Fever ~ Or Why We Tie Flies

2008-02-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Around the beginning of September here in Ontario, fly folk start to feel a little strange. Its not the lack of rain, its not the late summer heat, its the onset of winter that gets us shaking. For many, winter is a time to allow the rods & reels to collect dust while the ground outside collects snow and ice. This my friends is the time to kick back and review the year that passed. If you were smart this past season, you probably kept some sort of a diary about the wheres and the whens of your success and defeat over the last season. Its time to pull out that diary, pull up a seat at the tying bench and get to work on those patterns that did you well over the course of the year.

For most fly folk, tying becomes an integral part of the picture. I think it has something to do with the self sustaining ideas that fly fishing instills in our psyche. It allows us to become part of the fishes world. It allows a great understanding of what it really means to take a fish from its world, by means of tricking it with a tasty morsel. As you move through your fly fishing years, your style of fishing becomes ever more personal, to the point where you will take that style to the tying bench in order to better your ability to present and mimic the creatures that live below the surface.

Well, its the middle of February, I hope you've been working on filling those fly boxes!!

'The Chocolate Bunny'

Hook: wet fly #8 -#16
Thread: uni camel 6/0
Wing Case: turkey feather segment
Body: hares ear (plus) dubbing
Ribb: wire (gold, brass, silver, etc.)
Tail: squirrel tail

More at www.fishfinder.co.nr

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