(Part 4) Top products from r/flyfishing

Sure those can help, nothing about casting has changed per se, but there you may find modern instruction to be a lot less rigid. There's been more of an awareness in recent years that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I used to dabble in competition distance fly casting, for example, and I was told on many occasions that an open stance cast (like Lefty teaches) could never deliver a fly more than one hundred feet. I would just strip off the line, lay the fly down at 105 feet or whatever, and ask them to explain again why it was impossible. They couldn't -- they were all operating on received wisdom.

The machine I described was invented by Bruce Richards, who ran the Scientific Anglers fly line lab for many years, and Dr. Noel Perkins of the University of Michigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Casting_Analyzer

That machine helped show that a good caster makes the fly rod behave in the same way, even if the caster himself may stand a little differently or drop his shoulder a bit more, etc. Humans have different physiques, so biomechanically there is more than one way to make the rod do what we need.

The best casters in the world are all built like fireplugs and tend to cast directly over their shoulders, so they can maximize the strength of their back and chest muscles. That is the traditional method of casting, but personally I question whether the way they do it is required to make those massive casts or if it is just confirmation bias. The only time I ever stood on a podium and made a distance cast in competition with those guys, I think my best shot was 108', and Steve Rajeff (the best caster ever) used the same set up to throw 112' and win the tournament. I am absolutely nowhere near as good a caster as Steve Rajeff, and what that suggests to me is that style doesn't matter; it's just discipline and experience that count. Rajeff happens to be in the over the shoulder school, and is also the best caster in the world, but there's no telling what he might have been if he had decided to cast the way Lefty teaches for his whole career instead.

I'm probably overkilling on the explanation for a guy like you who is just starting out, but the takeaway is that you can learn to cast in several different ways and all will work. I think Lefty's is the fastest pathway to success.

One more excellent book once you get going: "Troubleshooting the Cast" by Ed Jaworowski. I think every angler should own this book and I believe it to be the most effective written tool in existence once you take the first step past 'rank beginner'.

https://www.amazon.com/Troubleshooting-Cast-Ed-Jawrowski/dp/0811729427

Great book full of easy to understand diagrams.

Last thing, here is a piece on ten common mistakes and how to fix them:

http://www.itinerantangler.com/blog/podcasts/2016/01/13/ten-most-common-casting-errors-and-how-to-fix-them/

Observation is your best friend. Learn to recognize what's on/in/under the water. Check out Handbook of Hatches by Dave Hughes for a good basic guide to what trout eat and flies to match them. The Mayfly Guide by Al Caucci (PA fishing legend) is more specific but a beautiful little book. Trout Streams of Pennsylvania by Greg Landis is a great guide to our wonderful state's streams and often gives specific advice regarding what hatches may be found on a particular one. Edit: No Hatch to Match by Rich Ostoff is a great guide for all those times that there aren't bugs on the water.

I'm also in SE PA (Philly) and would be happy to meet up and wet a line. Drop me a PM if interested.

Start here: 49.637572, -114.492626

This is the start of highway 40 - the Forestry Trunk Road. Locally, it is called the 'Trout Highway'. For almost the entire stretch, it is Crown land (which is essentially public access, but God Save the Queen and all that noise), except for the times when you are in practically pristine provincial or national parks.

https://www.amazon.ca/Albertas-Trout-Highway-Fishing-Forestry/dp/0968860303

At the start, it is probably one of the busier sections in Alberta, but gullible cutthroat trout are worth being around a few extra people.

As you go north of the Trans Canada highway, you enter the area of Alberta's wildly underrated brown trout streams. The scenery is just as good, but brown trout are not as easy to catch. But with the practice acquired on the first leg of the trip, you will be prepped.

And as you get close to Highway 16 (also a trans-Canada highway, but not THE Trans Canada highway), the quarry changes from browns to fully native rainbows (often called athabows) and grayling. And bull trout.

Local fly fishing legend wrote this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Trout-Streams-Alberta-Guide-Fishing/dp/0921835175/ref=pd_sim_14_1/130-1085907-3153402?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APRVCGD6QTPB5RDTC3PG

It breaks down the fishing based on the river basins, which is why the species change.

This drive is filled with breathtaking scenery. Once you are as far north as you would like. On your drive home, you can hit all the big rivers. The Bow River being the best spot to hit in Alberta. Or take Hwy 16/Trans Canada back to Vermont. It is pretty dry between Alberta and Ontario in terms of trout streams, but once you hit Ontario, there are hundreds of angling options, even without a boat.

But you have to be aware that Canada is not as cheap as US, even considering the difference in our dollar. Anything that is a 'vice' has a pretty big tax on it, like booze. You will find food to be about the same price.

My biggest warning is that you might not ever want to leave. :)

I don't live in Portland but I spent a month there in August and fished as much as I could. My impression was mostly "wow there is a ton of water here!" I especially enjoyed the Santiam River (both North Santiam and Little North Fork) about 1.5 hours from Portland. The Clackamas and its tribs like the Collowash also offer some great fishing quite close to Portland. My best advice would be get a book on the area (this one seemed to be the most thorough when i was researching: http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Eleventh-Edition-Madelynne-Sheehan/dp/0916473163/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382722585&sr=8-1&keywords=fishing+oregon), and just start trying places.

Fishing in Maine is always good, heck the state was built on salted cod. Locally there isn't a ton for freshwater, the Royal and Saco are close and produce. Saltwater wise your options are endless, get a nice 8-9wt for Stripers in some of the tidal estuaries. The real gem of Maine is the entire rest of the state. There are endless amounts of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams that will all fish, most within a quick drive of the "city." Look for the fly fishing only rivers in when you buy your license and you will get a good idea of where to fish. Personally I enjoy western Maine, the Rangeley region is basically Fly Fishing Mecca. Do some research on Carrie Stevens or Fly Rod Crosby and you'll know what I mean. Basically Maine gave birth to fly fishing in America as we know it.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_G._Stevens

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornilia_Thurza_Crosby


Edit: I was thinking about this a bit more, as I'm sitting here drinking my coffee with this level 3 kill storm outside. Just about every winter I read "We Took to the Woods." Its not so much a Fly Fishing book (though they do fish a ton), its more of a treatise about Maine that every newcomer to the state should be given as required reading. Plus if you do read it, you'll get the inside scoop on one of the all-time best places to fly fish in the country, so I'm making you do a little leg work.

http://www.amazon.com/Took-Woods-Louise-Dickinson-Rich/dp/0892727365

Probably heresy for this sub, but my favorite cheap disposable travel rod is a Daiwa Mini Spin. Load it up with some 2-4lb mono, put some clear casting bubbles, some nymphs, wetflies, grubs and some Roostertails in the case and leave it under your vehicle seat until that day you want to catch some small trout or some bluegills and don't have your better rods.

I had one of these for years back when I used to backpack and forgot how much I used to like it until it got gone. So, I ordered another. I like the size factor that will fit in a backpack, bicycle pannier or under a car seat without even noticing it. And I like the price. And screw the purists. I'll take fishing flies with a casting bubble over not fishing any day.

Streamers are more work, hands down. To be efficient you need to cover a lot of river. Fishing streamers is a ton of fun however, particularly large ones. I usually fish big ones (sometimes trailing a bugger or smaller zonker) with a full sink line. All in all if you're interested in streamer fishing, I highly recommend this book. I own it and have read it a few times at least - the knowledge can be applied to other aspects of fishing too.

There are some great books out there that will help you. I really liked this one - https://www.amazon.com/Fishermans-Guide-Maine-Kevin-Tracewski/dp/0892725966/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0892725966&pd_rd_r=1JXNEKW94T2E4K1YFEBM&pd_rd_w=4Zisd&pd_rd_wg=z9IQp&psc=1&refRID=1JXNEKW94T2E4K1YFEBM

If you're ever interested in lake, pond, river, or stream fishing for bream:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sunfishes-Jack-Ellis/dp/1558213562

Great read, lots of good information.

Do yourself a favor an go buy a copy of Lou Tabory's Inshore Fly Fishing. Pretty much everything you need to know is in there.

A good book to read, that discusses this is Landon Mayer's book, How To Catch The Biggest Trout Of Your Life (on bacon reader so grammer Nazis please overlook) I've read this book numerous times and learn something new every time I pick it up.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0974642762/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1374606499&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY190

Since he's in BC I'm sure he's a huge steelhead fisherman. If he doesn't have the bible, he probably should: https://www.amazon.com/Steelhead-Fly-Fishing-Trey-Combs/dp/155821903X

John Gierach wrote an informative and highly amusing book on this: Fly Fishing Small Streams. It's ~25 years old now, but fortunately, neither small streams nor successful techniques for catching fish in them have changed much - nor shall they, we hope.

Tenkara would be another slippery slope to contemplate....

Get "Fishing Oregon's Deschutes River" by Scott Richmond. Lots of details about floating and fishing the river.

https://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Oregons-Deschutes-River-Richmond/dp/0963306715/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

[Here's a book if you can find it locally] (http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Angling-McCall-Idaho-Streams/dp/0970052006#)



[More stuff] (https://www.google.com/search?q=mccall+site%3Aflyfishingboise.blogspot.com&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS495US495&oq=mccall+site%3Aflyfishingboise.blogspot.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.2222j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8)

Read this, then read it again, then go nymphing.

https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishers-Playbook-Systematic-Approach/dp/1462858074

It's not specifically on dry flies, but the book Theodore Gordon on Trout covers the birth of American dry fly fishing by one its pioneers, albeit briefly. This series is meant to be an introduction to classic fly fisherman and authors. The more seminal work is more expensive: Complete Fly Fisherman Notes and Letters.