Fly Fishing

Drew Price with his personal-best longnose gar, which measured 48 inches long. photo courtesy Drew Price

The first time I ever saw a longnose gar, I was a child visiting a public aquarium, and I was mesmerized by the fish’s unusual shape and elongated mouth. Lake Champlain has a sizable population of Lepisosteus osseus, and when I first started seeing them hanging out in shallow bays, I knew I had to figure out how to catch them on the fly. I did some research and then got to work figuring out the best way to deal with their myriad teeth and bony mouths. Now, when conditions are right, . . .

The proverbial dog days of summer are upon us—often a time when people think fishing is slow, with not many obvious insects for trout to eat. On the contrary, the dog days of summer aren’t dog days; they are terrestrial days! Now is the time to start stocking your fly boxes with terrestrial dry flies for August and early September fishing. Here are 5 trout-approved terrestrial patterns that every angler. . .

The maker of the incredible tarpon-from-a-float-tube movie “Tapam: a fly-fishing journey”, Daniel Göz, has turned his attention to one of Norway’s last great wild-salmon rivers, the Gaula. His new film—made in partnership with Anton Hamacher and with support from Orvis—is called, appropriately enough, “Gaula: The Movie.” Here’s the first trailer, which shows some remarkably sophisticated cinematography. I can’t wait to see the finished film.

Orvis Rod & Tackle product developer Shawn Combs with a fine Louisiana redfish. photo by Tim Daughton

On the way to the International Fly Tackle Dealer show in New Orleans, Tim Daughton and I had an opportunity to test our new Hydros Redfish line in a real bayou setting. After a couple airplanes and rental cars, we showed up to the Cajun Vista Inn, about a half an hour south of the city. We set off in the morning, dodging gators in search of clear water. One “almost sunk the boat” experience later. . .