The Stimulator is a very well known fly pattern, especially in North America – and certainly in Montana, where I think it’s impossible to find a fly shop that doesn’t have it in the trays. It might even be hard to a fly box without a Stimulator in it. It’s a very versatile fly and of course not only effective in the US, but on trout everywhere.
Small is always a matter of context. A small pike fly is infinitely larger than a small trout fly, but no matter the context, small flies are often important to have, often even the deciding factor between and take and a refusal.
Continue reading “The small stuff”
A century ago it wasn’t uncommon, in fact it was the norm, to fish for salmon with huge hooks. Size 2/0 was a small one and when hauling from boats, size 6/0 up to 8/0 were used. Although the rods were long and made of green heart and the lines heavy, I doubt they could cast an 8/0 salmon iron from the bank. On the other hand, a certain Alexander Grant made a witnessed 65 yard spey cast with a double handed green heart rod. So who knows?
Continue reading “Tubeflies – big and small”
You remember mr. Wicked Trout? Our good friend, Stefan Larsson. Dry fly fisher par excellence, rock ’n’ roll bass player and singer, whisky connoisseur and in the trenches in the fight against dams on his home rivers in Älvdalen in Sweden.
There is fly fishing – and then there is fly fishing. There are fly fishers – and then there are fly fishers. One of those is our good friend, Peter Alexandersson from Sweden. Peter is the definiton of an all rounder. From trout on dry fly to extreme fly fishing for flounders and coal fish on the inhospitable open waters around Lofoten in the north eastern part of Norway. Lofoten is what Peter calls a dream destination for flounders, coal fish and cod.
And Peter went, of course.
Follow along. Over to Peter…
Hi everyone,
I was kindly asked by Mo & Søren at Ahrex HQ if I would like to do a blog on how I fish for sea trout here in Scotland’s saltwater. The answer was simple yes. The team at Ahrex are out of this world and have looked after me so much since I became part of their overseas Pro Team, so it was a no brainer for me!
My name is Billy Scott, I fell in love with these fish many years ago when I caught my first sea trout as a wee boy. I never thought way back then that it would take me on this journey today. I’ve fished many places in Scotland for over 35 years in the saltwater and have had an absolute amazing time, even the ones I’ve hooked and lost, I remember as if it was yesterday.
Continue reading “Scotlands Brackish Water”
It may seem convenient to buy loose feathers in a bag, instead to buy a whole hide. But if you go through what’s in the bag and sort the feathers, you discover that the percentage of usable feathers is often quite low and not infrequently you end up without the feather you needed. Of course there is a higher price for a whole skin compared to a bag of feathers, but a whole skin has so many benefits that outweigh the investment.
This artickel is written by Håkan Karsnäser.
The question is not how to fish, but why you do it. The author and his fishing buddies do it out of necessity. It’s more important than life and death to them to escape the human world, step in to water and wave a stick. Left on the shore is their misery and worries. Standing in the water they find freedom, healing and occasionally a fish.
Battles are lost and won with tongue in cheek and always celebrated with mountains of cake and an endless stream of fresh espresso coffee. To the band of brothers it’s more important who you fish with than how big the fish is; except for the ones lost.
You may not learn a lot about catching more and bigger fish, but reading these stories is like holding a mirror up in front of yourself getting a little wiser. The small why is a big one.
The question is not how to fish, but why you do it. The author and his fishing buddies do it out of necessity. It’s more important than life and death to them to escape the human world, step in to water and wave a stick. Left on the shore is their misery and worries. Standing in the water they find freedom, healing and occasionally a fish.
Battles are lost and won with tongue in cheek and always celebrated with mountains of cake and an endless stream of fresh espresso coffee. To the band of brothers it’s more important who you fish with than how big the fish is; except for the ones lost.
You may not learn a lot about catching more and bigger fish, but reading these stories is like holding a mirror up in front of yourself getting a little wiser. The small why is a big one.
Spring is here! Håkan Karsnäser’s home waters are finally opening as the ice breaks. Here are some thoughts from Håkan on his favourite and most important flies for the early fishing.
Continue reading “Flies for cold water”