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Search Results for: Hays
Picture of the Day: South Andros ‘Cuda
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A few years ago, I headed to South Andros in The Bahamas with my buddy Sandy Hays to chase bonefish on the extensive mangrove flats at the southern tip of the island. After a couple days of fantastic fishing, I told Freddy I’d like to catch a barracuda. We had to motor around a bit, but Freddy kept passing up fish until we found one big enough for his liking. On the first cast, the ‘cuda charged across the flat and hammered my fly. After one screaming run that featured three jumps, the fish settled into a tug-of-war before finally coming to the boat. Click “Read More” to see an up-close-and-personal head shot of this specimen.
Read MoreTying the Parachute Ant
The Parachute Ant is among the most productive terrestrial dry-fly patterns you can carry. On the freestone mountain streams of Vermont, where I fish for native brook trout, this ant pattern is killer. The fish love it, and it’s easy to see, whether it’s floating in foam, a riffle, or a dark shadow under a bush. And since I mostly fish after work, a small fly that I can see in low light is a big advantage.
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Tuesday Tip: Look Before You Fish
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One of the more common mistakes that guides see is an angler stumbling into a river before taking a few minutes to figure out what’s going on. Observation is an undervalued tool, and too many fly fishermen skip this first step because they assume that they know what’s happening on the water. Maybe they fished the same spot yesterday or perhaps a guy at the local shop explained. . .
Read MoreTuesday Tip: On-the-Water Checklist
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Before you cast to that rising trout, take the time to inspect your fly, knot, and leader to ensure you’re giving yourself the best shot to land the trout. photo by Sandy Hays |
Tropical Dreams Redux
Today’s the day it finally hit me: I’m sick of winter. With a foot of snow still on the ground and tomorrow’s high expected to be in the teens, fishing season still seems a long way off. Feeling sorry. . .
Read MoreHow Sandanona Saved Me
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The final straw was my last shot of the 2010 Vermont grouse season. I’ve never been a good (or even mediocre) shot, but for the first time since I had moved back to the Northeast almost a decade earlier, I had gone the whole season without downing a single bird. I was determined to rectify the situation on that cold day before New Year’s Eve.
But after an hour of fruitless hunting, I was ready to give up and started walking back toward the car along a logging road. I remained alert, but hope was certainly waning as the last gate came into view. Suddenly, the whirring of wings bursting into flight sounded from a pine tree to my left, . . .
Read MoreIn the Loop 9.24.10
Robert Humston, a biology professor from Virgina’s Washington and Lee University, has been studying the
impact of stocked trout in reservoirs on the Commonwealth’s native brook trout. His findings so far are fascinating: it turns out that the stocked trout may actually help…