The effect of fires on fishing

With seemingly the whole western United States on fire I think we need to look at what kinds of effects these will have on the fishing for these lakes, streams and rivers that are in the fire areas.

With the increased run off it looks like it could be some dark times for fishing in a few of our favorite spots. 

The flash flooding that has occurred has further disturbed the water. I am hopeful that next year there will be a lot of grasses and an increase in the amount of insects that they can eat. I"m afraid for the eggs and the fry that are going to be laid in the fall and the spring. However I am sure that the DWR is up for the challenges if they have the appropriate funding. 

I'm continually hopeful that fishing will continue to improve in Utah.

Fly Fishing Gifts

Its that Time again. Time to take out all the Christmas decorations and get people some stuff that they may or may not use. If you're like me you want to be able to spread that joy of giving out longer and have them enjoy the gift you got them. I know that I love to fish and I would love to take people out on the rivers with me so I started by getting some simple fishing equipment for them. There are some great inexpensive equipment that if they decide they don't enjoy it as much as swinging a golf club then you won't feel too bad. I have personally bought a scientific Anglers set up that was about $20 and while its not a great reel its good to teach people with. I would recommend moving on to a better set up if they find they really enjoy it.

A few of my fly cases.

I also have found that people that already fly fish may not have all the cases that they need for flies. I know that is how it is with me. I found myself using any container that was no longer in use being recycled into a fly case. the problem being that I always made a mess looking for a fly in them. another great gift is just some fly tying supplies like some hackle or even some foam or foam cutters. If you have some one that already enjoys the sport. Then I found the modern cases and I have loved it. Just a few ideas for this holiday season to help spread the love of fly fishing.

A good case for larger flies and lures. 

While the compartments are good at keeping different flies apart it can be difficult to get the smaller ones out without dropping a few.

This foam square is great to have to keep your most used flies right where you can get them while on the water.

The foam inserts make it easy to organize and find flies.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a great holiday. Thank you to those who have made this country free and protected us from enemies both foreign and domestic. I am thankful for this great nation and the ability to share with people my passion for fly fishing. Enjoy the day and Happy Holidays.

Utah Fishing and Hunting License App

Here is a screen shot of home screen. Its very easy to navigate.

There is a new Utah Fishing license app that you can download on iphones and androids. I will be doing a review of both of them on here. I have down loaded them and initially I'm impressed with the feel and look of the app. it has a really clean design i would just like it better if the back button, on my phone not the one on the app, worked to go back to the previous screen. I liked the fishing information and the license download and purchase options. 

I really enjoyed looking at the different types of fish. Game fish, non game fish, and protected categories.  The game fish has both a picture of a typical fish of the named species and also the state records of the fish. This is a very nice set up i just wish it showed a few more pictures of the fish. 

The display of the name and then a picture of the fish followed by the angling record. 

On the hunting tab it has a bit more to go over. the greatest thing about this is the Walk-in Access finder and the guide books. The tricky part about this is that the app does have licenses but you'll still have to have your tags for large game and special draws. In both the Fishing and Hunting app if you choose the walk-in access it will take you to another site. I would like it better if it was all in app but this is a great improvement to not having an app for either hunting or fishing and being able to have your license on your phone instead of always putting it in a pocket and forgetting which one.

Hunting Tab 

Been away for a while

I've been away for awhile and the fishing here is still great. I'm now on Pintrest posting flies and other fishing ideas. look for me @rasczack. There a lot of really great flies on there and I'm really impressed with the new materials that people are using for the flies. I just recently posted a fly that is being used in France. I am looking forward to making a few and seeing how they do here on the Provo and Weber rivers. Let me know how the fishing is doing out there. Remember if you don't have your line in the water you can't catch a fish.

Pheasant feathers

I have just received a whole bunch of pheasant feathers and I can't wait to start experimenting with even more fly patterns made of of this wonderful birds feathers. I think I have about 10 pounds worth of feathers right now from all over the bird. What a great gift from a big pheasant hunter that's a friend of mine.

Fall Fishing

Its that time again. Its cooling down and that means its time to Try to get that Big Trout that you have been looking for. They are getting ready for the winter and Just wanting to eat as much as they can before the food starts to dwindle. The browns and brookies are getting for the spawn so they really aggressive on the feeding right now. Personally I love to fish this time year not just for the chance to catch some really great trout, but also to enjoy the changing colors and the beauty of the canyons and rivers. I would recommend using nymphs, streamers, and mouse patterns. The fish are going be turning on each other as food a bit more as it continues to cool and so anything that looks like a baitfish is going to be great. Have some fun and enjoy the fall fishing.

Lunch break fishing

One of my favorite things about living here in Utah is how close the fishing spots are. There are even places you can fish on your lunch break.
A lot of these are the small community fishing ponds or even the rivers going through the valley. I would even recommend for people to fish little cottonwood river in Murray Utah right next to Intermountain Medical Center. Its right next to main roads but it also has a nice park and walkways up and down the banks. For the community ponds I head over to Kidney pond or over to the Sandy fishing pond. Its not far from city hall and south towne mall.

What a great day to be out fishing

The weather has warmed up and it is a great day to be out fishing. Ants are going to be the go to fly right now. For some reason trout love them. I would also recommend having some unweighted foam beetles. Get out and enjoy this great weather and fishing while it lasts.

My Favorite Fly-fishing Reel

I have to say that my favorite fly reel is an antique automatic that was my great-grandfathers. What makes it even more unique is that I still have braided nylon fly line that is still good on it and I have more stashed away.
The reason I love to use it is first that it means a lot to me to have it. Secondly, I like to play the fish while holding the line rather than reeling it in like I was bait or spinner fishing. I know that you can't do that if the fish is too big but as I don't do it with salmon or saltwater fishing I think I'm ok. I also really like to use the bamboo rod that he had as well. They are well balanced together and work great for me. I may not be able to cast as far as I would with newer equipment but as I am on smaller streams and rivers with a lot of cover I don't need to.

For Our Nations Heros

I have started a petition to allow disabled vets to hunt and fish for free. They have sacrificed and paid for it with more than money. Let them enjoy this nation that they worked to defend.

http://www.change.org/petitions/allow-disabled-veterans-to-hunt-and-fish-for-free

Hints from a guide part II

How many flies should you carry?
This is something that people really need to look at before each day fishing. That being said there are some guidelines that can help you stock your fly box for success on every trip. Also I am going to go over some ways to save your flies if they get smashed and the hackle isn't sticking out anymore and how to keep them working until you loose them on the river.
First when it comes to how many flies you should carry on a trip, unless you are a dry fly only type, you should carry 3-4 times as many midges and nymphs as you do dry flies. The reason for this is simple. You tend to loose more nymphs and midges than dry flies because of getting caught up on different subsurface obstacles like weeds, logs, rocks and you could loose it fighting a big fish. With the dry flies you are less likely to loose them that way because you have them on the water rather than under the water.
So when you're out and using your nymphs make sure you have enough of them and various sizes of each.

If you feel like you are unable go match the hatch and your starting to become frustrated you may want to just start pounding the water with wooly buggers. Its not as pretty or as satisfying as matching the hatch but it will save your day and allow you to catch fish and enjoy the day on the water.

If anyone is looking for any other tips or tricks for fly fishing go ahead and leave it in the comments or email me and I'll address it in another posting.

Fly of the Week

This week we are going to show a great summertime pattern that I love to use. I have caught more trout on it during the summers here than any other dry fly. I have several sizes that I like to carry. This is the Elk Hair Caddis.
Recipe:
Hook: size 10-20 dry fly
Thread: Tan
Hackle: palmered reddish to dark brown
Wing: cream or bleached elk hair

ISE

I spent the day at the International Sportsmans Expo and I really enjoyed it this year. I wasn't there as a exhibitor just a casual looker and there for fun. I have to say that the expo has continued to grow year after year. My favorite parts were, of course, the fishing demos, equipment vendors and the guides. My sons on the other hand was the dock dogs, the baby bears and the fishing pool.
Of the various fishing tackle suppliers I think I was most impressed with a small lure company that operates right out Utah here. Kokanee Creek Tackle Company makes some really cool lures using the latest in ultraviolet and glow in the dark technology on their lures. Their web site has a store for you to look at what they have as well as some tips on how best to use it.
Hope you have a great ready of the weekend and good luck out there.

Fly of Week

It seems like spring has already sprung so I'm pulling out a great fly that works on some really stubborn and pressured trout. Its the grey gnat. It works great for anyplace that has the little grey gnats and mosquitos. It's great for being a dry fly but also can work like a nymph.

Recipe:
Hook: size 24-16 dry fly
Thread: grey
Hackle: grey palmered
Thorax: grey dubbing
Tail: grey hackle fibers
Wing: grey hackle fibers upright and divided
Good luck and tight lines.

Fly of the Week

The Muddler Minnow. A great streamer for trout as it imitates the sculpin a favorite meal of large trout. It can be fished right along the surface and even used like a jig to test the deeper waters.
Recipe:
Hook: streamer sizes 2-14
Thread: 3/0 brown or black
Tail: matched Turkey quill slips
Overwing: matched Turkey quill slips
Body: Gold tinsel
Collar: Natural deer hair

Fly of the Week

This week we going back to a nymph style of fly. This week its the San Juan Worm. It is a great fly that can be used while nymphing or on a drop rig with an attractor.

Recipe:
Hook: scud hook sizes 10-18
Thread: matched to body
Abdomen: Ultra Chenille color of your choice and if you need it weighted some ultra wire coiled around the shank.

Tying tip: make sure you use a lighter to singe the tips so they narrow down to a point and look like a real worm. Don't do it too long though.

Some Hints from a Guide

There are a lot of things to remember while you are on the water looking for fish on a river that you're unfamiliar with. Here I have some tips to help you land some fish while you're out on your first trip to a stream or river. I'm sure that you've noticed that some people are able to get on the fish quickly no matter where they are fishing or how many times they have been there. I have to tell you that its all about reading the water like you would a book. Those currents and features will let you know where the trout are hiding in the water.
The first thing that you should do when you get to your fishing spot, even before getting your equipment out is go scout the stream. By that I mean you go and look at the water from the shore. Look at how it moves and where the rocks and trees are. Also look for any rises, they will give you a good perspective on what the fish are eating those days that you don't see the fish rising I have four sayings that will help you remember where to look for the fish. These work on all waters even the "featureless" rivers.
1. Foam is Home
When you have foam gather in a specific spot it shows that the water is moving slower there and that is where the fish will hide. Think of it this way the trout want to put as little effort as possible and get the biggest return possible on what they eat. So they are going to hide and eat wherever the water is slowest.
2.Rocks Rock
Rocky bottoms and large rocks slow down the water and provide lots of places for the trout to eat.
3.Wood is good
Drift wood that has settled into a spot also provides places for trout to hide and eat. Also the places with the most wood can shelter large brown trout during the day so remember where they are so you can go after the browns at night.
4.Made in the shade
Trees during the warmer months provide great food places for trout. The insects that fall into the water provide a plentiful food source and protect the trout from the sun. Trout don't like to be out in the sun too much because their delicate skin will burn.
These are just a few tips to help you find the trout and have a great day fishing. Good luck out there and lets go get some fish.

Fly of the week

We have another fly of the week here today. We have gone through a few of what I consider the best flies for anytime of year. Today I am going back to a nymph but its a large nymph that I think is well made. It is a Two bead stone fly.
Recipe:
Hook: 7999 size 8-12
Thread: black
Abdomen: black dubbing
Thorax: black tungsten bead Ribs: gold wire
Wing case: Turkey tail Legs: black hackle Head: tungsten black bead

Fly of the week

This fly has caught more fish and different types of fish then probably all other flies. This week its the Wooly Bugger. A fly for almost all conditions and waters. The biggest difficulty can be choosing the colors, the size, and the speed that you strip them. I have caught some of my biggest Brown and Rainbow Trout on these.
Recipe:
Hook: 5263BL, sizes 4-16 yes I do tie them that small.
Head:bead; size and color weight of your choice, or none.
Thread: to match abdomen or contrast. You can also add some flash if you want.
Rib: Gold wire if desired
Abdomen: Black chenille, white chenille, Brown chenille
Hackle: black or colored to match abdomen, palmered.

Tips: personally I like the black unweighted version as I can fish it like a leech or a small bait fish. I have also had good luck with a black and pink coloration on it as shown below.