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The Chuck Caddis
Watch as Tim Flagler ties the simple, yet elegant, Chuck Caddis
It's that time of year on a lot of western trout streams — the annual "Mother's Day" caddis hatches are upon us, and it's time to start throwing dry flies at hungry trout. Caddis patterns come in all shapes and sizes — some are a little more artsy and impressionistic, and others appear more practical…
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Prepping for high-country angling
For backcountry anglers, now is the time to make sure your gear is ready
One quick glance at the high peaks of the Caribous is all any backcountry trout angler in my neck of the woods needs to come to the realization that it’s going to be a while. Snow cornices still grace the tops of Red Ridge, and Fall Creek is running dirty. Getting up high to the…
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Shiney Hiney Caddis Pupa
Tying the Shiney Hiney Caddis Pupa
The caddisfly life cycle is an important one for trout anglers. Caddis, in every stage of their lives, make up a significant portion of the average trout's diet. But, in recent years, I've take to fishing less with patterns that imitate the adult bugs — Orvis' Tom Rosenbauer pointed out to me that bigger trout…
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Gila trout recovery on Mt. Graham
The effort to restore Gila trout in their native range continues to move forward
By Nate Rees Gila trout are one of the rarest trout species in the United States, making them a focus of Trout Unlimited’s restoration work on native, southwestern trout. They are only found in Arizona and New Mexico earning them a spot on the federal Endangered Species List in 1967. But they were re-classified as…
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Atherton No. 2 Nymph
Tying the Atherton No. 2 Nymph
Well-known fly pattern creator John Atherton wasn't much for literal imitation when it came to tying his flies. Instead, he was the discipline's answer to impressionist painters—nothing looks exactly right in an Atherton creation, but nothing looks too out of place, either. Thankfully, trout often seem to look at flies the same we tend to…
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Fly fishing tips from north of the border
Fly-fishing tips from our friends up north
I love to fly fish in Canada. From the spine of the Rockies to its boreal forests, the Canadian north rivals any fishy locale on the planet, and fly fishing is a great way to get to know the waters of this region. The folks at The New Fly Fisher — anglers like Mark Melnyk,…
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The final eight: how to tie some great trout flies
Eight flies, one tournament. May the best fly win
The TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown is in its final week, and the tournament is down to its final eight flies. Not surprisingly, given that most of us learn to fly fish for trout before we branch off and try to tackle other species, like bass and pike, or saltwater critters like bonefish and tarpon,…
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