The brook trout jumps clear out of the river for the size 12 Stimulator skating across the surface. My line goes taut, and soon I bring the trout to hand—a 17-inch beauty that’s thick enough to go two pounds. Although it’s small for this otherworld called Labrador, it’s also the first trout of a weeklong trip, and since I hail from the Land of the 10-Inch Trophy Squaretail (aka Vermont) I’m not yet acclimated to the absurdity of the place. I consider the trout a moment longer, and then slip it back into the water. You’d better bring a pretty big net when you head into the Labrador bush in search of native brook trout.
Read MoreFly Fishing
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Blog celebrates a rich angling heritage stretching beyond a century, with timely articles, tips, photos, videos, podcasts, and the latest fly-fishing news. We keep you informed about the things you want to know, from improving your casting technique to the art and science of tying flies.
Friday Film Festival 06.10.11
Welcome to another edition of the OrvisNews.com Friday Film Festival, in which we scour the Internets for the best fly-fishing footage available. This week, we’re pretty trout-centric, featuring New Zealand browns, Argentina rainbows, and Arctic char (okay, technically not trout) from Sweden. For you salt lovers, there’s a long film on fly fishing in Belize that will have you checking flights to Punta Gorda. While our West Coast compatriots. . .
Read MoreCoffee and Rod Testing
As I walked up to the office yesterday morning, I saw the guys from the rod shop carting long cardboard boxes to the picnic table on the lawn. I knew that this could mean only one thing: a morning rod-testing session.
The product developers, others in the Rod & Tackle division, and the folks who actually. . .
Read MoreA Giant Fish Story
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the camera. Hey, if you don’t have a fish of your own, it’s your only option, right? |
EDITOR’S NOTE: Zac Kauffman—the Outdoor Operations Manager for Morrison’s Rogue River Lodge in Merlin, Oregon—sent us this story by his 14-year-old son Alec, who had written it for Ms. Coleman’s 6th period Language Arts class. As Zac wrote, “It does seem to capture the child’s excitement about fishing.” We couldn’t agree more.
Tying the Clouser Minnow
Saltwater action on the Atlantic Coast is heating up, so it’s time to stock up on baitfish patterns for stripers, bluefish, and false albacore. Perhaps the most famous fly for the salt is the Clouser Deep Minnow–created by Susquehanna River icon Bob Clouser, named by Lefty Kreh, and mutated into hundreds of forms by other tiers. This version, by New Jersey angler and tier Brad Buzzi, is fairly beefy and durable and should work for. . .
Read MoreOf Blue Damsels and Bamboo Girls
Tom Rosenbauer is out this week, and he asked me to stand in for him and read a story I wrote for American Angler some time ago.
This story is appropriate for this week as we are promoting the Graceful Rise exhibit in Manchester, Vermont, opening next week. Click here for more information.
Click the play button below to listen to “Of Blue Damsels and Bamboo Girls”. Go to orvis.com/podcast to subscribe to future episodes
If you cannot see the podcast player, please click this link to listen.
Of Blue Damsels and Bamboo Girls
Tom Rosenbauer is out this week, and he asked me to stand in for him and read a story I wrote for American Angler some time ago.
This story is appropriate for this week as we are promoting the Graceful Rise exhibit in Manchester, Vermont, opening next week. Click here for more information.
Click the play button below to listen to “Of Blue Damsels and Bamboo Girls”. Go to orvis.com/podcast to subscribe to future episodes
If you cannot see the podcast player, please click this link to listen.
Quest for a Snakehead
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I have wanted to catch a northern snakehead (Channa argus) since I first heard about their introduction into the Potomac river around 2004. I didn’t give much thought as how to go about catching one on a fly or even think it was possible until I saw a photo of one caught during the 2010 shad run by Trent Jones–who works at Orvis Clarendon and is a fellow member of the Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders, our local Federation of Fly Fishers club. From then on, I was dedicated to catching one of these elusive fish.
Read MorePic of the Day – A Beauty
Steve from Elizabethton took this great shot that captured an array of colors, both of the trout and the rocks and water. What’s the most beautiful fish you ever caught?

Tuesday Tip: Setting Up Your Terminal Tackle
Setting Up Your Terminal Tackle from Zach Matthews on Vimeo.
Back in January, we featured a video by our friend Zach Matthews, editor of The Itinerant Angler website and host of the podcast of the same name, about how to set up a trout reel. Now he’s back with a new video focused on the other end of the setup: the terminal tackle. If you’re new to the sport. . . Read More