Paul Arden - Monday, September 30, 2019
It’s been an interesting year this one on the lake. Very little has occurred in the sequence it has on other years! For example the “Spring” season offered very few “babies fishing” for Giant Snakehead. In previous years this has been prime-time to catch trophies.
Andy Dear - Sunday, September 29, 2019
Over the years I have been known to try some crazy exercises to aid in mastering whatever pursuit I may be engaged in at the time. Back when I was heavy into playing the Guitar, I engaged in all kinds of crazy practice regimens to aid in my knowledge of the fret board. And, I know I am not the only one who refuses to admit or discuss all of the ridiculous things I've done in desperation to improve my golf game. Fly casting has been no different, and to be honest I cant believe I am about to put my lunacy on display for all to see by sharing this particular technique with the entire world......read on.
Mika Lappalainen - Friday, September 27, 2019
They say that Finish man don’t kiss or talk. It might be true but at least I fish and write. I’m sitting upstairs in Guidecenter when writing this. And it is all because of my lovely wife (and of course Peter who owns the place). It happened about two weeks ago, Satu wanted to talk about something. Her tone was really serious and I thought that I have fucked up something once again. ”Honey, do you want to go fishing for few days?” What, we were just two weeks ago together so what is going on….. ”Well, I thought that if you want go just by yourself, you don’t have to look after anyone if you go” This is exactly the same when you bring flowers and your wife is WHAT….. why you bring flowers… You might know or then not. But I won’t say no when having offer like this. ( Now I know that Satu wanted to be alone without me messing the house but I’m still fine with that)
Martyn White - Thursday, September 26, 2019
With the massive typhoon hitting Tokyo last weekend, I didn't get out to fish. Luckily that's the extent of how it affected me, others weren't so lucky and are still cleaning up or waiting for electricity and other services to be restored.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, September 25, 2019
During the past days I was teaching fly casting, fly fishing for Sea trout as well as guiding for asp. In between I was fishing for asp myself.
Paul Arden - Monday, September 23, 2019
Following on from Mika’s page about how to measure fish by length, I thought I would write something about how to measure them by weight. It’s interesting how we are a little bit different in this regards. Certainly when it comes to trout, continental Europeans and strange people from the USA measure fish by length (cm and inches respectively). In the UK, NZ and the rest of the world we tend to go by weight. This is not a new thing by any means; books I’ve read written hundreds of years ago in England had authors measuring fish by weight.
Andy Dear - Sunday, September 22, 2019
In last week's Front Page I laid out the architecture for my latest "casting course". As I described, the use of 2x4 lumber has really accelerated the learning curve to better accuracy and precision. However, the layout is only the beginning. Finding creative ways to utilize the layout is really where the fun begins.
Viking Lars - Saturday, September 21, 2019
Traits one could wish for in every fly, and indeed anything in life when I think about it. In order to keep this to less than a Ph.D.-thesis I’ll stick to the flies. More specifically an sedge-fly I tied earlier this year.
Mika Lappalainen - Friday, September 20, 2019
It might sound that it is no big deal how to measure the fish. In the long run it does matter how you do it. It will protect fish, you can release fish earlier or faster. And it is saving your time to fish more. Why you want to measure fish? One wants to measure all of them, maybe because of photo, there might be mininum size to take etc. Many reasons and all of them are fine. During the years I have learn something and I will share it with you. You might know it all ready but if not I hope you find some useful tips.
Tracy&James - Thursday, September 19, 2019
I was away on business last week so there was no fishing or casting for me. I was visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico where I lived for a short time a while back. It was here that I first cast a #5 weight over 40m assisted by the thin air (the city is around a mile high) and the steady winds that funnel past the mountains. This was in the days of casting the MED on noodles such as the TCR#5 and while I was still improving my distance casting pretty rapidly. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go out for a practice on this trip, I’d have been interested to see how far I’d cast these days with a more honed technique and a much stiffer rod.
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Anglers in South Florida have been whining about the weather for weeks now, or at least those that I know. The entire summer has been rather uncomfortable, first mostly wet but lately just damn hot. The other day a weather announcer on TV noted that the daytime high temperature around the Miami area hit or exceeded 93 degrees F for 45 days in a row. Recently, of course, we had to deal with Hurricane Dorian. To continue our misery, last weekend we were in somewhat of a shit-weather sandwich. We had another tropical system growing into a hurricane (Humberto) right off our Atlantic shores (more bad news for the Bahamas) and another big storm brewing to our west in the Gulf of Mexico. This time of the summer is not called the “mean season” without cause, but geez, give us a break! If it was not for teaching, I would not have touched a fly rod for over two weeks.
Paul Arden - Monday, September 16, 2019
It’s been an excellent trip to Europe. 1/2 Ironman in France, week’s family holiday, Stuntman Ronan’s wedding in Ireland, catching up with Peter and threatening to shoot my lawyer in Hungary and now a couple of days of casting and by the time you read this I’ll actually be back in Malaysia.
Andy Dear - Sunday, September 15, 2019
When I started fly fishing back in 1996, it would be an understatement to say I became obsessed with casting. I purchased books, watched videos, and spent thousands of hours on the local football field honing my technique. Because of the casting attributes that saltwater sight fishing demands, I have developed a lot of drills and exercises over the years to sharpen those skills. One of which was demonstrated by Carlos Azpilicueta right here on Sexyloops in 2004. You can find it under the Fly Casting exercises titled "Andy's Game"
Mika Lappalainen - Friday, September 13, 2019
Last day of August, fishing season is ending on main rivers. It is also nature’s day in Finland. Normally we go fishing on Kitka or Kuusinki on last day. I made last casts just before season is ending at midnight. This year we ended up to do something we have been talking about often this summer. We use to spent night over in our lake now and then earlier years…. then we grow up and got old. Or just get lazy. I was rafting on that day and Satu packed things what we need, some cooking stuff etc.
Tracy&James - Thursday, September 12, 2019
Following on from last week, we have been monitoring the progress on the recovery of the Bahamian islands through friends on FB and on the news channels. I am astounded at the disorganisation that is being reported whereby the parts of the islands that were not been badly damaged, where some of the islanders are still living, have received little relief or support from the government over a week since the hurricane. Instead I am in awe of the many fantastic stories of the people of the Bahamas stepping in and helping each other, sending support via planes and boats and evacuating friends and family away from the devastation.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Not too long ago every summer we had hundret thousands of large mullet migrating into the Baltic sea in order to eat plankton. Since three years now they don't come anymore!
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Last week, a nice young woman came into the shop and asked about a flyline for chasing Golden Dorado back in her home in Argentina. She seemed pretty well informed as she rattled off a series of manufacturer’s current lines. I gathered up those that were on the shop’s shelves and laid them out on the counter for her appraisal. She said she was looking for a line to use on her 8 weight rod.
Paul Arden - Monday, September 9, 2019
What a crazy week it’s been. I landed in Ireland on Friday and visited Michael Rebholz in Donegal the day before the wedding for some Bonker Spey casting and generally just to hang out. We had a great time sharing casting and teaching theories. Wonderful. And that was basically the last time I slept!
Andy Dear - Sunday, September 8, 2019
One of the more vivid memories of my younger days fishing in saltwater is fishing off of a lighted pier at night for Speckled Trout. Back in those days, we used live shrimp, and occasionally a gold or silver Johnson Sprite spoon. When I started fly fishing in the early 1990's I realized very quickly that one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a summer evening is with a 5wt. rod and a size 4 Clouser Minnow on a lighted pier. When the tide is right, and the bait is around, the action can be really fast and furious, and to put it mildly, it's a TON of fun.
Viking Lars - Saturday, September 7, 2019
For a while now, I’ve ben working on an article on the current state of affairs when it comes to line ratings. It’s a subject I that’s been annoying me for quite a while, because there’s something rotten. I’m at the point in my article where I need to talk to some industry people, so if your’re Simon Gawesworth, Jerry Siem, Jim Bartschi, head of design at SA (for some reason i can’t remember his name), please get in touch - read below if you want a bearing on what I’m going to ask you!
Mika Lappalainen - Friday, September 6, 2019
It is saying in Finnish. Google translate will give result ” When the constants run out, the means are put in place” or “when the means run out, the Constituents are introduced”. Finnish is difficult. Google should know everything but I’m not sure if translation is even close what this “Kun keinot loppuu otetaan konstit käyttöön” means. Or if you got idea what it means. But…. it is probably something almost every fisherman has done or guides at least. You probably know “ace up the sleeves” or “I have something in my back pocket”. These two are just kindergarten stuff. Kun keinot loppuu otetaan konstit käyttöön is much more, it really measure what you know or if you are able to intergrate your skills.
Tracy&James - Thursday, September 5, 2019
I imagine by now that everyone has seen the pictures of the devastation that hurricane Dorian has wreaked on the Bahamas, particularly Abaco, Grand Bahama and their surrounding cays. The scale of the destruction from this slow-moving, category 5 storm is quite enormous and hits home with Tracy and myself as we know Abaco quite well from a number of visits there. We recognise the now flooded streets and roofless buildings, particularly around Marsh Harbour, that have been cropping up in FB videos of the aftermath.
Bernd Ziesche - Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Last week I still fly fished for asp before starting to Denmark on Saturday hosting a trip for coastal Sea trout fishing.
Gary Meyer - Tuesday, September 3, 2019
I am writing this a few days ahead of time as come Monday I will possibly be without power and internet. South Florida has been sweating the approach of Hurricane Dorian. During the past week there has been a sense of panic across the local area and all kinds of emergency preparations took place both privately and at the State and municipal level. The good news, for us at the very southern end, the storm now seems to be taking a more northern track that will spare the bottom of the state from full hurricane force winds. But for quite a few days it seemed like we were in the crosshairs.
Paul Arden - Monday, September 2, 2019
It’s going to be a great year for Belum Fly Fishing. I’ve just ordered a brand new D-Max 4x4 for airport pickups (hell my current truck struggles to get from Gerik to the lake and back - and sometimes doesn’t!) and a new custom 25x7’ jet boat, with cabin, toilet, shower, holding tank, full roof, solar powered fridge - the works.
Andy Dear - Sunday, September 1, 2019
The heat in South Texas is always scorching through July and August, and this summer has been no different. Jack and I have laid off fishing the last few weeks, mainly because the bite has been turning off very early, and the remainder of the day is spent trying desperately to coax something into biting from the depths where the water is still cool.