Fly Fishing

June 1980 marked my third year fishing the Battenkill and also the third year of my fledgling fly-fishing career. The previous fall, I had acquired my first bamboo rod after having spent the summer cutting lawns and saving up to earn the asking price for the rod, $175. It was a 7 ½ foot 5-weight Orvis Midge characterized by a rich brown coloring brought out by the hand flaming process. . .

Casting for Recovery is hosting its Spring Online Auction to raise money to fund their programs for women who have or have had breast cancer. This year, the organization will run 46 retreats in 33 states, incorporating counseling and educational services. These events are staffed by trained facilitators, including a psycho-social therapist, a health care professional (e.g. physical therapist, nurse), as well as fly-fishing instructors and river helpers. The attendees pay nothing because CFR believes there should be no barriers to participation.

I’m excited to be heading down to Townsend, Tennessee, next weekend for Troutfest Great Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing Exposition, which will be held May 13-15. A bunch of my heroes will be there–Lefty Kreh, Bob Clouser, and Joe Humphreys in particular–and I love small-stream fishing for wild trout and have never sampled the Tennessee version, which I hear is some of the best. . .

Wade Fellin with a fine New Zealand brown trout. photo by Craig Fellin

As far as fly fishing goes, Wade Fellin has lived somewhat of a charmed life. Having grown up at a fishing lodge in southwestern Montana–his dad, Craig Fellin, started Big Hole Lodge in 1984, before Wade was even born–he’s been immersed in the sport since toddlerhood. (See the picture below.) But the kid has not just hung out at the ranch. Wade is pursuing a law degree at the University of Montana while. . .

Is it a caddisfly? Is it a Hendrickson? Is it a stonefly? Do you really care, since the fish are willing to eat it?

Mike’s Thin Mint is pretty much my take on a steelhead Soft-Hackle. Just as the Girl Scout cookie called the Thin Mint is irresistible to me, the fly version seems irresistible to steelhead. When wet, the Senyo Laser Dub lies back across the body, . . .