Tarpon Fly Fishing Report

 Tarpon Release

Tarpon Candy

Big Pine Key, Florida


Lately most of my anglers have been choosing big tarpon on fly.. Migratory tarpon are still marching the ocean side flats.. Not as many as in May , but still plenty to throw chicken feathers at.. What is nice is all the other skiffs are gone..


Submitted by: Capt. Scott Yetter

Ste-Marguerite River, Quebec Fly Fishing Report

The 2011 season is off with a BANG!

Salmon started coming in as usual in mid June and it just keeps getting better. Water levels are prefect. Light rain over the past few days has kept levels up and the river is running cool and clear!

Situated in the Saguenay region of Quebec, the Ste-Marguerite River is about 530 km from Montreal, 260 km from Quebec City or 108 km from Chicoutimi. Running 100km along the Ste-Marguerite river valley, it has it’s head waters in the Valin mountains and empties out into the Saguenay Fjord.

The Ste-Marguerite is an Atlantic salmon river (Salmo Salar) dating back before 1834. A viable sport fishery has been in place ever since 1860 when the river was “owned” by a private company. Say what one might about the old “fishing clubs”, today, now that the clubs have been disbanded by the government, these waters are some of the best in Canada, thanks in some aspects, to the conservation efforts that were initiated during the club era.

The river is an easy river to fish. 95% of anglers wade and a few drift in canoes. Not a large river for an Atlantic salmon run, most lies are easily fished with short to moderate casts (between 30-60 ft). As the river has a normal water level in a respectable range, sinking tips, lines and leaders are frowned upon by game wardens and guides alike. Also, as it is a salmon river, all lead, metal etc is illegal on the fly and/or line (such as Moser sinking leaders). Multiple fly rigs are also banned.
If you would like to know more about my home waters, drop me a note.

flyfish.quebecr@gmail.com

Tight Lines!


Submitted by: Christopher Chin

Russian River, CA Fly Fishing Report

The past week myself and my scout troop have been kayaking down the russian river north of Santa Rosa, CA.

We fished the Russian River at Alexander Valley campground on 6/23 and 6/24. During those two days we caught, between three fisherman, 16 fish. All the fish were a rare species for the coastal mountains called a whitefish.

Whitefish are a bottom feeding member of the salmon family native to the western half of North America.

The fish hit small nymphes and dries from sizes 12-16. The takes were violent and the fishing fun. I caught 5, my friend Zac 6, and his dad Troy 5. All fish but one were released unharmed, the other was fried for dinner that night. The picture is of Zac with the fish that was cooked.


Submitted by: Jon H.

Ste-Marguerite River Quebec Fly Fishing Report

Lessons hard Won!

A nice day out yesterday. There are salmon scattered up and down the river. Most have only been in from the salt a few days (or hours!!!).

We had good takes in all zones but especially in the #4.

Lessons learned: Check your leader after it scrapes over some rocks and boulders!!! I know, I do check every few minutes for clients, ... but not always for my Girlfriend! After hooking up to a nice 16-18lb buck on a #6 Bomber, ... 10 minutes of good fight and POOF! The 14lb test fluoro tippet up and separates!!!

Such is life and Fly Fishing!!

If you,re in the area, drop in for coffe and a chat. Easy to find me, ... it's the Explorer with the VFG window sticker!

Tight Lines!


Submitted by: Christopher Chin

Ste-Marguerite River Quebec Fly Fishing Report

The 2011 season is off to a fantastic start. Actually, all the Quebec Atlantic salmon rivers are seeing good runs and excellent fishing.

On the Ste-Marguerite, in Central Quebec, the annual run starts in mid-June and our first captures started a week ago. There are currently salmon scattered up and down the the +70km of river. Water levels are excellent and are running clear and cool.

Back on the river tomorrow so more news to come.

Tight Lines!


Submitted by: Christopher Chin

In Honor of the U.S. Open....The Complete Pledge of Allegience

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,

And to the republic for which it stands,

One nation under GOD, indivisible,

With liberty and justice for all."

To the executives and producers of NBC golf coverage, this is the Pledge of Allegiance. Not the edited version you used in the intro today.

Order The VFG Nymph!

One of the hottest flies we've ever tied to the end of our leader is now available! This fly has enticed trout from Colorado to California and many places in between. Typically used as a dropper below a dry fly, the VFG Nymph has worked on Rainbows, Browns, Brookies, and Apache Trout.

The VFG Nymph is tied in amber, brown, and olive in sizes 14 and 16. We will add more colors and sizes in the near future. The VFG Nymph is available for $1.25/each plus tax and shipping.

You can make your purchase in the VFG Store and use PayPal to complete your order.

Highland Lakes, CA Fly Fishing Report

Highland Lakes, CA


Finally got my photos of fly fishing at highland lakes last summer uploaded. I know they are low quality but they were taken on an old film camera and had to be scanned in.

Fishing Info:
Place: Highland Lakes, CA
Fish: Brook Trout
Number of Fish: 10+ (Don't remember exact amount)

We fished at Highland Lakes for several hours on two different days. All the fish were caught on stonefly nymphs except for one on a mayfly imitation. The most were caught in early afternoon. The fish ranged from 8-13 inches, not bad for brookies. Enjoy the photos.


Submitted by: Jon H.

Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

Co. Wexford, Ireland.


Salmon Tails and Trouty Evenings.

The power of that salmon and the vision of its tail are burned into my memory for life. Working my way down a run last evening on the Slaney, a nibbling sensation coupled with an increase in weight similar to when your hook becomes weeded transferred up the line. Lifting my rod, to free as I envisaged the hook from underwater weed, in unison I was hit by an arm wrenching tug and the vision of a silver scaled, black spotted wrist and large forked tail of a very angry salmon, who proceeded to swim at a rate of knots across the river. My reel screamed and I instinctively palmed the reel to control the run.

On reaching the far bank salmo salar now doubled back and positively fizzed back to its lie while I winded like billyo in tandem with walking backwards against the current. The fish then decided to swim up the channel to my right and sulk a rod length from me. A slight rest then like greased lightening the salmon tore downstream, rounded the gravel bar that I was fishing off before proceeding to run the shallower channel to my left where again it sulked. Gathering my wits I scanned for a slack out of the main current to guide the fish towards, fully aware that my six pound sea trout cast would have to play this fish very carefully.

Without warning my now fishy companion turned and swam purposefully towards Enniscorthy before turning and swimming upstream to again sulk a rod length to my right. I could feel the tail working in the current manifesting as a throb throb in my heavily curved 9' 6" weight six rod. Applying pressure on what was a serious fish, that as yet other than the tail I had not seen, even though attached by six pound gut I was confident that there could be a positive out come. Then in a second, four minutes after our interaction commenced, it was over. A slight nod, a millisecond of slack line, and the fly, a size 10 butcher fell out.

Gutted, no. Disappointed, yes. Due to catch and release rules the salmon was going to be returned, however to have graced the bank, calculated its approximate weight, and taken a photo for posterity would have been great. The half pound brownies tempted during a spectacular rise of sedges being no compensation for the loss of that great fish. A special moment none the less, one for the long evenings over a wee drop....


anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

Order The VFG Nymph!

One of the hottest flies we've ever tied to the end of our leader is now available! This fly has enticed trout from Colorado to California and many places in between. Typically used as a dropper below a dry fly, the VFG Nymph has worked on Rainbows, Browns, Brookies, and Apache Trout.

The VFG Nymph is tied in amber, brown, and olive in sizes 14 and 16. We will add more colors and sizes in the near future. The VFG Nymph is available for $1.25/each plus tax and shipping.

You can make your purchase in the VFG Store and use PayPal to complete your order.

More Reports From An Irish Angler

Wexford, Ireland.

Fly Fishing in Wexford, Slaney Sea Trout.

In Ireland we call them white trout, in Wales they are termed sewin, colloquial names for a migratory species much loved and revered by game fishers world wide, the sea trout. In the week that a new local record for the species was set with a 13.lb 5.oz fish on Lough Currane, Co. Kerry, I made my first of many evening forays to the River Slaney. Sea trout run the river from mid June to mid August but with reports of sea trout in the system below Enniscorthy an early visit was hard to resist.

The Slaney is showing its bones but there is certainly enough water to allow sea trout make their way up. For sixteen consecutive years I have fished my chosen stretch and seen the catches diminish to the point where two years back I didn't cast a line once. With the nets off returns hopefully are on the way back, time will tell. This evening is perfect if a little bright, I rig up a floating line with a butcher (size 10) on the point and a kill devil spider (size 12) on the dropper. My rod is a favourite 9' 6'' Daiwa Whisker Fly (the original two piece) taking a six weight line. Walking downstream to a wide gravel bar which pushes the current to the right hand bank creating a deep steady gut I position myself and wait for the sun to set.

Large olives and sedges fill the air and four swans keep me company, small trout slash at flies and I am itching to cast. However I wait, it's dusk now and my surroundings visually lose their natural sharpness while my senses become more acute. A silver bar clears the water not fifty metres from me, they are here. I commence fishing extending my line to cover the water. A few small brownies and parr take the kill devil as I work the seam. "On the dangle" I start to strip and bang the rod arches over and a bright, fresh sea trout spends the next thirty seconds more out of the water than in. Running to and fro, upstream and down, after a couple of minutes and still full of life I grasp the fish in my hand. Three quarters of a pound and smelling of the sea, sweet.....

anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

Fly Fishing Report From An Irish Angler

Co. Wicklow, Ireland.


Sometimes it's not just about the fishing, being there is enough. After weeks of interminable wind Ireland's weather appears to be settling down and a day on the lake seemed like a good plan. Lough Dan looked fantastic in the early June sunshine, but talk about the sublime to the ridiculous. Last week the water was a maelstrom of wind and waves with even an eye witness report of a waterspout tracking its way up the lake, eventually collapsing "as described to me" in an explosion of water falling out of the sky. Today Lough Dan is mirror calm with just occasional zephyrs wafting down from the surrounding hills to ruffle the surface.

Meeting Dan and Gary on the beach we set out and crossed the lake to fish a drift along the boat house shore. On arrival we observed a hatch of sedges with trout rising everywhere. Happy days within five minutes three fish graced the boards, trout typical of the water heavily spotted, dark backed, and yellow bellied. Then whatever breeze was there died, the sun came out beating down from an almost cloudless sky and the trout retreated to shade or deeper water.

From then on the fishing was slow, trying different methods Gary found some success tying a buzzer three foot below a klinkhammer which he casted into shady spots along the shore. It was fun to see the dry fly suddenly disappear as a trout sucked in the nymph pattern below with occasionally a fish rising to the klinkhammer. Improvisation was the key as standard methods were ruled out by the mirror calm surface.

A crowning feature of the lake is a secluded beach created by deposition from the Inchavore River, made up of fine granite and quartz pebbles with mature birch trees providing shade it is a beautiful spot to haul up and have a picnic. Today we met and chatted with Sean Byrne of Lough Dan House B/B, and three of his patrons from Australia, Canada, and the USA respectively. Out walking and enjoying the scenery they headed off eventually following the river up the valley.

With lunch over and having said our goodbyes to Sean and his group we climbed aboard and headed to some more shady spots, the trout played hard ball for the afternoon but hey that's fishing, we were out on the water enjoying each others company in a beautiful unique location, heaven....


anirishanglersworld@gmail.com

What I Did On My Summer Vacation....So Far

Fly fished then Black River Crossing area on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Caught 10 smallmouth bass and bluegills on an olive woolly bugger.

Joe W.
Tucson, AZ