• How to Plan a Fly Fishing Trip

    I’m starting to think about next year’s fishing trips and wondering where to go. I thought you might benefit from my thought process on how to plan a fly fishing trip. This map is one I created back in 2019 to show where we have fished during our Fly Fishing Road Trips. If you’re a…

  • Atherton No.1 Dry Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Atherton No.1 dry fly. John Atherton (1900 – 1952) was an artist by trade and incorporated his impressionistic art into the flies he tied. The hackle of the Atherton No. 1 are all mixed colors to create a life-like fly imitating the real insects. Interestingly, he didn’t…

  • Rio Trout Leaders

    What brand of leader do you use? There are a lot of good manufacturers to choose from, including Trouthunter, Umpqua, Scientific Anglers, Orvis, and the one I’ve been using for many years – RIO. I recently purchased a different RIO trout leader, the Powerflex Plus to see if I like it. Besides leaders in today’s…

  • Doc Spratley Wet Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Doc Spratley Wet Fly. This is a fly I used at Pennask Lake in British Columbia back in 2007. We stayed at Pennask Lake Lodge with friends who were members there. Yes, it was a few years ago. According to Flies of the Northwest (1979) by the…

  • Atherton No. 2 Dry Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Atherton No. 2 dry fly. I’ve highlighted a couple other Atherton flies recently, the Atherton No. 5 and Atherton No. 3. John Atherton (1900 – 1952) was an artist by trade and incorporated his impressionistic art into the flies he tied. The tail, body, and hackle of…

  • Atherton No. 3 Dry Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Atherton No. 3 dry fly. I posted my first Atherton dry fly last week, the Atherton No. 5. John Atherton (1900 – 1952) was an artist by trade and incorporated his impressionistic art into the flies he tied. The tail, body, and hackle of the Atherton No….

  • Odds and Ends

    It’s time for another odds and ends post because I have several topics rattling around in my head. The end of October is a time of transition for me. The dry fly fishing opportunities are fewer every day I’m on the water and I hear the vise calling my name. I hope to catch up…

  • Atherton No. 5 Dry Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the John Atherton No. 5 Dry Fly. John Atherton (1900 – 1952) was an artist by trade and incorporated his impressionistic art into the flies he tied. Interestingly, he didn’t name the flies, choosing instead to number his dry flies from 1 to 7, representing lighter to darker…