When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to have a good-sized pond with fish in it in the front yard. Furthermore, I had two grand fathers that loved to go fishing, and the pond was as good a place as any. The pond had channel catfish, largemouth bass, and bluegill stocked in it upon creation. We would regularly feed the catfish with pellets, and it had become so regular that at one point dad could pet certain ones on the head. I can’t quite remember how old I was when fishing at the pond became a favorite activity. I do know that around 5 or 6 I had a spinning rod and reel that was my primary weapon of choice.

Details >

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic. Just before we flew out to the Bahamas, we entered the UK Fly Casting Championships in Haverigg, Cumbria. As expected, it was a very windy experience, though the mornings were often calmer and we did get some sunshine. The weather turned out to be very helpful as I managed to break the women's ST27 record. I also extended my accuracy record slightly, though I am hoping for slightly calmer conditions on future trips so I can get this record nearer to my British (BFCC) record.

Details >

I've been back out at the barbel this week and it has continued to be good. We're coming up to a week of public holidays that usually marks a break in my fishing and a switch to float tubing. This year I might stick with the barbel a bit longer.

Details >

Hot topic on social media during past week, what fish can smell. There has been few discussion and posts about it. We all know that fish has amazing ability to scent. Salmon and trout can find their home-rivers with scent. That's mind blowing thought, you come from sea and there are several rivers close by... and they find right one.
 
Discussions were pretty much that when you wade your smell will spook the fish. I don't buy that like that. Yes when you start wading for sure there is different scent going on river. Yet mammals will do the same. Is it scent what will spook fish or something else?

Details >

I might have caught the seatrout of the season this past week. A big one—for this area.

We have a couple of different seatrout populations in Sweden, and I think it’s a combination of genetics, food availability, and salinity depending on where they live. In the area I fish, I’ve heard that the local population tends to grow a bit faster during their first year than other populations—but they don’t grow as big in the long run. We also have higher salinity in the ocean here, while other parts of the Swedish coast are more brackish. It takes energy for the fish to maintain their salt balance, which can make it harder for them to grow really large. But it can also help you find them—they’ll seek out areas with lower salinity and temperatures that help them conserve energy.

Details >

I returned to my practice after a couple of weeks hiatus while recklessly sampling life in NYC and found myself addressing a persistent irritant - a good looking loop formation with a falling (fallen) fly-leg that at the end of the cast rises upward, rolling over weakly. It seems a little different from the tails derived from a concave tip path in that it doesn’t tie knots, so I call it a ‘lazy tail.’ Typically it goes away when I wait a little longer to begin my forward stroke but not always. I considered filming it but first just opened up my stance so I could watch the backcast. I’m not sure why I hadn’t seen this before but I believe that I have never really grooved my backcast. It has been weak even when applying significant effort.

Details >