All New Trout Nut.com

 I logged into Trout Nut recently because someone asked me for good resources for aquatic insects. Well, when I did, I noticed that the site looked different than I remembered. 

I looked it over a little and the coolest (in my opinion) new thing is the new Streamside Feild Guide. Here I just put in a date (my birthday) and Ohio for the state. It brings up a seasonal guide of what insects I might see on the river during that time of the year. You can select from several species of insects and also select from nymphs, duns, adults, etc. Super easy and helpful!

I am really excited about this feature and look forward to using it to teach people about the world of aquatic insects and how that information can help them to be a more successful fly fisher. I'm also just a bug nerd. Head over to www.troutnut.com and give it a look!

Don't Move Rocks!

Hey Everyone,

I saw this video today and thought it was eye opening. I have seen several Hellbenders in my day and never thought much of them until a couple years ago. I was up in the smokies with some friends on a backcountry fly fishing/tenkara trip. My buddy Jamie came running to me to tell me about a huge salamander that he had just seen. I told him what it was and that it was an awesome sign. I had seen something online that the wildlife resources commission wanted people to report any Hellbender sightings, so as soon as we got back I did just that. I know they are an ecological indicator species and started to think about how beautiful that particular stream was. I started to realize that every time that I had seen a hellbender, the fishing on that stream was exceptionally good. So you may not be a salamander fan but you're probably a trout fan since you're reading this site. So this just goes to show you that if you help to protect Hellbenders you end up protecting everything else.

Here is that cool video.

 

The Last Dragons - Protecting Appalachia's Hellbenders from Freshwaters Illustrated on Vimeo.


See you on the trail,
Lance

What Do You Eat?

Hey Everyone,

I was just recently up in the Appalachian mountains for the first ever Appalachian Tenkara Jam. There is a ton of good water up that way but some of the best streams to fish are off the beaten trail so to say. I don't know about you but there is something about hiking back into the high country and catching some eight inch brook trout that is just plain fun. I understand that some folks like big fish I mean who doesn't. However, to catch the only native salmonidae to eastern North America in its home water is a real treat. The only issue is that some of this water can be quite remote and require a hike to get to. I always recommend or advise that when headed into the back country that you go prepared. If you read just a couple post back I covered some simple gear that you may want to bring. I, however, did not mention food. I was in a rather health based grocery the other day and stumbled upon their "bar isle". It was kind of like an organic, protein, super bar mecca. I'm sure any seasoned hiker or backpacker has some favorites that they bring with them as do I but what do you look for in a bar? Be aware that not all bars are created equal. Some are full of sugar and are nothing more than glorified candy bars.

Here is a little list of some things to look for in a great back country bar. I understand that some folks have dietary restrictions so you may have to add to this list.

1. Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the main fuel source for the muscles and brain. Carbohydrates are pure energy and get used up by your activity. If you are hiking all day or participating in other strenuous activities like running from bears, you will want an energy bar in the high carbohydrate range, around 40 grams.
2. Protein. This important nutrient provides the high amount of energy you need while hiking and fishing and keeps you feeling full longer. Energy bars that are high in protein are great snacks when hiking or partaking other activities that aren’t extremely intense (example marathons). Nine grams of protein is plenty high, but you can easily find ones with well over 20.
3. Calorie count. Calories are units of energy that will result in sustained energy throughout your back country trip. Although not the healthy way to go for day-to-day activities if you are replacing a meal with your bar you may want to find one with 300 calories or more.
4. Price tag. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few different bars, the price may be a deciding factor in your final decision. The price of energy bars can get steep, so if you are interested in saving money compare its nutritional content to its cost.

Now if you read any web site you will see that most of the advise is for people that are doing the normal everyday things work, gym, home, kids practice, etc. The thing that we need to remember is that we are hiking, climbing, fishing, and running from bears just kidding. We may not however be eating normal meals that day so although these bars may be the bad kids for normal folk, they are just right for us adventurers. I should ad that bars are not the only choice and there are some foods that are fairly easy to pack, don't weigh much, and are great sources of the above mentioned. If you have a favorite bar or a cool home made recipe share it with us it may just be the next big thing.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Cold Weather Fly Fishing

Hey Everyone,

It's obvious to everyone that winter is here. Its even been rather cold here in southern Appalachia. With that being said, I thought I would share some tips on dressing and preparing your wader bag. Now I may be insulting the intelligence of some of you. However, having worked in the outdoor industry for several years has taught me that there are still plenty of people who don't know.

Lets start with layering. Some of you may have switched to neoprene waders by now and that is a good idea. However, if you are like me and prefer breathable waders you have to insulate them some how. I see a lot of guys who simply pull their waders over their jeans, but when its below freezing, you should consider a pair of fleece wader pants. Not only are they way more comfortable, but they are a much better insulator. If you pair these up with a nice pair of mid calf wool socks and you're good to go. I know everyone is a little different but I have fished in eleven degree weather with ice floating by with this setup.

Now for the top half. It's the general rule to start with a base layer of a synthetic material which will dry faster if it gets wet. I tend to ignore this rule and wear a t-shirt instead. The next layer is what I consider the warming layer. I prefer a nice thin fleece shirt as you will see me wearing in many of my fishing photos. I follow this with one of two outer shells if need be. On colder days in which there is little to no chance of rain I prefer a windproof fleece jacket. For those rainy days there is one item that no fly fisherman should be without, the wader jacket. The nice thing about layering is that you can wear any combination of these items to suit your needs. You can accessorize as you see fit with a beanie and or wool gloves. 

The wader bag.
When its this cold out it is a good idea to toss a few extra items into your wader bag as well. If you accidentally take a dip your going to be in real danger of hypothermia which could ruin your day of fishing. For that reason you should have extra change of of clothes starting with another pair of socks. If you happen to have a second pair of wader pants you should pack them as well. If not you can bring that pair of sweat pants that probably have the name of your favorite football team down the leg. Its not about looking cool if you have to change into them, its about getting warm. Don't forget another top. Perhaps the matching sweatshirt. Its also nice to have a warm lunch while on the water. That is why I like to toss one of my trusty old jet boils in the mix. Not only can you cook some Ramen, but if you need it you can make a hot cup of spiced cider in just under two minutes.

I know this may be redundant, but I hope that at least a few of you get something out of it. If anything, you might remember to pack that second pair of socks.

See you on the trail,
Lance

What They Look Like - Trico

Hey Everyone,

With the weather cooling down and the rain finally subsiding, the fall fly fishing season just around the corner, and I'm sure you all are ready to get back up to those trout streams. The trout will be starting to fatten up for the winter and Brown and Brook trout will be feeding heavily to get ready for the spawn. The question is what are those trout feeding on? Everyone knows about the plentiful spring hatches but most forget about the few insects that hatch into the fall months. One of those insects is the small Trico mayfly, Tricorythodes Stygiatus to be exact. These little olive colored mayflies are one of the few mayflies that can hatch into October. Because of this many people mistake it for the blue winged olive. While BWO's are small as well, they don't get much smaller than a size 18. However, the smaller Trico can be as small as 28. Male Tricos emerge throughout the night and are not known to be important as duns. They molt into spinners and await the hatching of their mates. The little olive females emerge in the morning. In the summer this happens at first light, but it occurs later in the day as the weather cools down. Female duns can be important to trout, as can the nymphs as they rise to emerge. The female emergence can be fun to fish, but its action rarely compares to the spinner fall.
Tricos return as spinners soon after emerging, sometimes within a few minutes and sometimes a few hours. There is a widespread misconception that Trico duns molt into spinners in mid-air. This is physically impossible. Tricos must land to molt, but some of them take off again before the dun shuck has completely detached from their tails. This give the impression of a mid-air molt The mating spinners gather in very tight swarms rather than roaming the full width of the river.
After mating, the males fall spent and the females fly to shore to rest while squeezing little green balls of eggs from their abdomens. They return in about half an hour and fall on the water to drop the eggs. Just remember that when imitating this little mayfly, getting the hook size right can be very important.
Next time you're on the stream you will be able to recognize these little guys (and girls) and will get to enjoy some crazy small dry fly action. Who knows you may join the ranks of the 24 / 24 club.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Catch and ?

Hey Everyone,

I talk to a lot of fisherman everyday. Everyone knows that I am a die hard fly fisherman and although you can fly fish for just about anything, I do talk about trout fishing a lot. One of the things that I hear all the time from catch and keep guys is "well after being caught trout will die anyhow". I always try to explain the facts to them. Although I don't really think what I say is going to change the way they fish anyhow. I almost always catch and release as keeping fish is not the reason that I'm out there. However, I am not against some trout cooked over a campfire. Here is a really well written blog article that kinda argues for both sides Is Catch and Release Over Hyped. If you're a catch and release fisherman and want to know more, here is some really cool info that I have collected from various sources on the subject of practicing catch and release and why mortalities occur and how to help prevent them.



Fish that are caught and released may die for several reasons, but the two primary causes are stress and wounding. Stress results from the fish fighting after being hooked. Internally, the physical exertion causes an oxygen deficit in the tissues, forcing the muscles to function anaerobically (without oxygen). This causes lactic acid to build up in the muscle tissue, and then to diffuse into the blood. Lactic acid acts as an acid in the blood, causing the pH of the blood to drop. Even slight changes in pH can cause major disruptions of the metabolic processes, ultimately killing the fish. If the fish is quickly released, its blood pH usually returns to normal and the fish will be unaffected. Some fish, after a long tow, may appear to live once released, but the imbalance in the blood chemistry may kill them as late as three days after being caught. In most cases, the means of preventing this type of mortality is to not keep the fish in action for a long period of time, unless the intent is to keep it.
The other primary cause of mortality is wounding by the hook. Injuries caused by hooks can range from very minor to lethal. The degree of injury is dependent on the location of the hook wound. Higher mortalities will occur in fish that are hooked in the gill or stomach areas, while lower mortality's occur in fish that are hooked in the lip, jaw, or cheek areas. Baited hooks are more likely to result in a gill or stomach hooking that artificial lures. Treble hooks, for obvious reasons, will result in more puncture wounds and subsequently higher mortalities. Barbless hooks facilitate release and decrease "out-of-water" time, but for reasons yet unclear, may not significantly reduce mortality, especially when used with bait.
There are other kinds of physiological stress that can lead to higher mortality's in released fish. Fish may not be able to adjust to changes in pressure or to higher surface water temperatures. Also, when a fish is handled or comes in contact with dry surfaces, such as landing nets or dry hands, its mucous layers – commonly called slime layers – may be partially removed, presenting an opportunity for bacteria or pathogens to invade the skin.
  
How to prevent fish mortalities

• handle fish as little as possible and release them quickly - do not fight fish to exhaustion
• minimize or eliminate the time fish are out of the water - as little as 30 seconds of air exposure causes delayed mortality of released trout
• consider using only artificial lures - their use is mandatory on some waters
• use barbless hooks if you plan to release most of the fish you catch
• when a fish is deeply hooked, do not try to remove the hook - clip the leader instead
• during the warm summer months when stream temperatures are elevated, do not fish for trout if you plan to release them - these fish are already stressed and additional handling may kill them
• likewise, do not fish for trout in spring holes when water temperatures are in the mid 70s or higher (especially if you plan to release them)

I hope this sheds some light on the subject and helps you out.

See you on the trail,
Lance

A Return to Our Youth

Hey Everyone, 

It's warming up everywhere and with that water temperatures are rising as well. If you remember an older post I wrote it explained that when water temperature rises it ability to hold oxygen decreases. Water levels also drop (although this year has been a exception - understated I know) With that being said, its this time of year that I leave the cold water streams alone (unless they are at a reasonable altitude) and switch my focus to warm water titans. With all of the great trout fishing and feeling the powerful runs of steelhead its easy to forget how fun catching bream can be. I don't think there is any illusion as to how hard these little warm water titans can fight. Sure its fun to hook into a nice large or small mouth but bream are usually a bit more abundant and easier to catch. I also think that hooking a pumpkinseed or long ear reminds us of our youth. I would imagine that just about every one of us started our fishing passion with one of these little guys on the end of our line. Besides, spending the time sweating in the sun keeps your skills sharp for fall when the need to lay a dry fly just to the right of that rock is so much more important. I really hope that everyone finds the time to get out and spend a little time being a kid again.

See you on the trail,
Lance

A Little Get Away

Hey Everyone,

I have been wanting to fish this stream for about a year now. It's very remote and not an easy steam to get to or even fish. I mentioned it to some friends of mine a few months back and they thought is sounded like a fun trip. I helped them get geared up for their first backpacking experience and let them know that nothing about it was going to be easy. It was a tough hike in and maybe a little more than they expected but in the end everyone made the climb in had a great time. We spent three days climbing boulders and fishing. I have rarely seen a river or stream with such a thriving population of brook trout. It was great fishing to say the least. Its rare now days to find a spot so untouched and wild and I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to experience it. I hope you all enjoy the pictures although they truly do this beautiful area no justice. The fast riffles and steep grade made drifts hard to manage but with a long tenkara rod I was able to hold the fly in the soft water longer. Also being able to collapse the rod made it quite handy for climbing over the house sized rocks to the next hole. In fact is was working so well that by the end everyone had used it and it was unanimous that it was the perfect technique.

 Bear!

 The Crew

 Steven working a run while Jamie is way down in the lower pool

  A friend came to visit

 

I have several more photos but don't want to bore you with a excessively long post. Just thought you'd like to see some pretty country and untouched water. 

See you on the trail,

Lance

Golden Bonefish

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to remind you that Carp on the fly is just around the corner. I haven't seen them yet but they will begin their spawning runs into creeks and rivers starting next month and continuing through June. After that you will be able to see them feeding in the shallows out in the lakes. If you have a Canoe, Kayak, or shallow draft boat you will be able to sneak up on them. Its been a long winter and spring fishing those trout streams so try to remember to strip set and not trout set. I recommend using a 7 or 8 weight but if your crazy like me try a 5 weight as long as you have a solid reel and watch your drag scream!

See you on the trail,
Lance

Winston-Salem Fly Fishing Show

Hey Everyone,

I had a great weekend attending the Winston-Salem fly fishing show as part of the Tenkara USA team. I was really happy to see the interest in tenkara here in the east. The booth was bustling for most of the weekend. I'm not going to bore you with a type up of the weekends events. However, I will share one experience and an observation.
I was walking in on Sunday before the show sipping my coffee and day dreaming when I hear "good morning" from my right. I look over to see Bob Clouser looking at me. Containing myself, I returned the greeting with the added standard coffee cup lift and continued down the hall. I was thinking about how cool that was when I entered the hall and see Lefty Kreh standing there. We also exchange pleasantries. If that wasn't cool enough I was later walking the booths, as all of us do, when I hear "how are you?" I look to my left and sitting there is Dave and Emily Whitlock. I couldn't believe there wasn't a line or crowd (as there usually is). We talked a bit about his art as we flipped through some prints. I know for some that might not seem like a big deal but as a kid from a small town in western NY, I spent many days in front of the wood burning stove reading articles about these guys, never imagining I would ever meet them. I was really impressed with how kind and approachable everyone was. I guess that is just one more reason that I love fly fishing. Its not only the time on the river, and cool gear, but every person you meet is as friendly as the last no matter how well known they may be.

Here are a few photos I managed to snap. I didn't get many because we were fairly busy.

 The crew at work.

 Jay "Fishy" Fullun showing us his Kabari box

 Loften Deprez at 15 hes already an accomplished tier. Tying up some Sakasa Kabari

 Daniel Galhardo explaining the method behind the madness

Tom Sadler (Mossy Creek Fly Fishing) showing off a Tenkara rod

As I said I had a great time. I can't wait to hang out with everyone again.

See you on the trail,

Lance

The 25

Hey Everyone,

Well I'm sure that soon enough we will all get our fill of new years resolution blog post. They will be filled with reflections on this past year and the inevitable video montage. I know that I have been guilty of this in the past as well. So, I decided that instead of boring you to death with "this has been a great year" and "this is what I'm going to do" I would let you in on a little challenge that I have been doing for a year now. I call it the 25. It came to me one day when for no good reason I thought it might be fun to catch a carp on a fly rod. Well it was awesome! So, I decided to see what else might be fun to catch. I looked up all the freshwater game fish and made a list of the ones that I thought would be the most fun and within reasonable distance to catch. I have to admit that it has become less of a list and more of an adventure for me though. Its amazing the places you will end up like a crystal clear pond in New York state full of black and white crappie. Or to hike in three miles through the woods in June to find that slack water where you saw a long nose gar the year before. I have typed up my list here so that you can try your luck, skill, patience, what ever you call it and see if you can catch the 25.

Shad
American
Hickory

Bream
Blue Gill
Flier 
Green Sunfish
Pumpkin Seed
Red Breast Sunfish
Red Ear Sunfish
Spotted Sunfish
Warmouth

Crappie
Black
White

Bass
Large Mouth
Hybrid
Red Eye
Small Mouth
Spotted
Stripped

Trout
Brook
Brown
Rainbow

Long Fish
Chain Pickerel
Longnose Gar
Muskellunge

Carp
Common Carp

Obviously you can add to this list or you can create your own. Either way let me know if you take up the 25 fish challenge. And if you know a good spot and want to try and catch one on my list with me...well I say lets fish.

See you on the trail,
Lance

p.s. You can click on each fish for a little more info about that species.

Ice in the Guides

Hey Everyone,

I know what you all are about to say, "guides?". Yeah Ive been using my Tenkara rods so much lately that I felt like I was neglecting my 4wt, and since I got a new Ross Arius for it last year for Christmas I though I should use it. With that being said, I decided to head up to a river that I don't normally fish. It was a nice cold crisp day and I watched my breath in the air as I walked that path down to the river. I could see several nice fish holding in slack currents. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I hooked up. This river had recently undergone a restoration project so with the stream bed disturbance there is very few if any caddis and or mayflies. So, diptera midges are the main food source for these particular fish. I quickly found that anything larger than an 18 was simply ignored. I spent the rest of the day throwing small midge emergers and landing quite a few nice fish. I'm not saying the you need to have a degree in entomology to fly fish but having an understanding of the bugs that trout typically eat can make the difference between a couple fish and a banner day on the river.

Wet Nets,
Lance

What They Look Like - October Caddis

Hey Everyone,

I was on the river the other day and couldn't help but notice a decent October Caddis hatch. If you know much about caddis flies then you know this is a major food source for trout before the winter kicks in. This caddis is usually orange in body color and about a size 16 to 14. Although, this year they seem to be much more pale in the body, I'd say cream colored. For any of you who might want to try tying a nice version of this caddis I have put up some nice photos. I would tie these as an elk hair caddis with either a dull orange with copper wire or a cream body with black wire.

Wet Nets,
Lance

What They Look Like - Midges

Hey Everyone,

If your like me (obsessed with all things fly fishing) you obviously tie your own flies. The one thing that has always interested me was insects. Yes, I was that nerdy kid that caught butterflies in nets and had bug collections. I even attended an entomology summer camp. When I started tying the one thing that I was determined to do was tie simple patterns that had attributes that best imitated the real thing. Ive studied the photos as well as the actual insects that I see on the river. I'm even considering making a small "butterfly net" to carry on the stream. Over the years I have produced several flies and now carry a selection of my best producers. If you are looking for a new pattern or just want to try something new on your local river, I have found some great images of midges since these little guys are not only the most common food source for trout but also the most likely one this winter. I hope you all come up with some great patterns. If they are "must haves" please share.

Wet Nets,
Lance 

A Few Fish of My Own

Hey Everybody,


The leaves have changed and the weather has cooled down. Every year around this time I start getting antsy. The itch to get outside is the worst it been all year. So when I get any free time I head up to one of the many trout streams and spend the day throwing craft supplies at fish.  I love it when I'm on the river in the fall. Seeing my breath in the air as I listen to the water rush over the rocks slowly stalking and walking the edge of the river with a warm cup of apple cider looking for long shadows on the bottom. I still get so excited on that first cast of the day and sometimes catch myself holding my breath on a cast that I'm almost certain will produce a fish any second. Although I'm not sure if I actually smile every time i set the hook and feel a fish on the other end I know for sure my heart does. I always thank every fish and release them back into the water for another angler to catch. Maybe a father with his son on his first trip to the river as I was so many years ago, or a beginner trying to figure out what all the rest of us are so obsessed with, or an old master who has cast more flies than I have ever tied. I guess I am and forever will be a trout bum. I do not care about the size of the fish I catch because, as I have said in the past, I just enjoy meeting every single one of them.

Wet Nets,

Lance

Fishing with Sydney

Hey Everyone,

Well even with all the guide trips I've been doing and work keeping me pretty busy. I did take the time to get up on the water and do a little fishing for myself. I was also lucky enough to be accompanied by a friend of mine Sydney Jenkins and her husband. We met at a familiar spot for me. It was a great day to be fishing. The only issue we had was our shadows were on the water for a half an hour or so. I told Sydney to get as low as possible and showed her where to be and how she needed to present the fly so that her line didn't spook the fish. I have to say that she was an excellent student and did exactly as instructed. It wasn't long before she hooked a fish and started to do so frequently. I had moved up stream and was fishing a tighter hole that I had seen some brookies holding in. That's when it happened. I actually saw the take and also saw the enormous shadow under the waters surface that took her dropper. I told her to be gentle, since we were running 7x tippet. She did really well and just held enough pressure on the fish and didn't try and horse it in. When I netted the fish I cant describe the relief I felt and excitement for Sydney at the same time. I forgot my measuring tape in my rod tote but I'm guessing that her rainbow was anywhere between eighteen and twenty inches. We took a few photos and revived the fish and it swam nice and calmly away. We fished for a few more hours together and landed a bunch more fish. I have to say that it was an epic day to be on the water. I had a great time and look forward to the next time that I get to fish with Sydney although I'm not sure how we can top a twenty incher.

Wet Nets,
Lance