Frying Pan Delight...

Half way up the Pan just a bit ago yielded some great results - both on the surface and below. A beautiful day on spectacular water... Check Taylor Creek's site for updated reports. Enjoy!

Perfect Post-Drift?!?

Photo props to the Chum.

Red Gold Wins Big In Telluride!

Red Gold took home both the Audience and Festival Director's awards at Mountain Film in Telluride - way to go boys!

"At the headwaters of the Kvichak and Nushagak Rivers in Bristol Bay, Alaska—the two largest remaining sockeye salmon runs on the planet—mining companies Northern Dynasty and Anglo American have proposed to extract what may prove to be the richest deposit of gold and copper in the world, perhaps worth as much as $600 billion. Talented Telluride filmmakers Ben Knight and Travis Rummel (previously at Mountainfilm with The Hatch and Running Down the Man) spent more than two months in Bristol Bay, documenting the tension between native fishermen who oppose the dam and mine officials who say they will build a “clean” mine that will leave the salmon’s habitat untouched. Mountainfilm is thrilled to host the world premiere of this exquisite film that goes beyond the conflict, offering a portrait of a unique way of life that wouldn’t exist if the salmon don't return with Bristol Bay's tide. "

AFFTA Hires Gary Berlin As President

Berlin, who most recently was head of the International Hunter Education Association, has been tasked with establishing a new AFFTA headquarters in the Denver, Colorado area. "The process to hire a new president began over 4 months ago. More than 65 names were considered for the position with over 35 résumés reviewed to narrow down the list of candidates." Berlin replaces Robert Ramsay, who resigned in March.

Full press release:

Denver, CO: The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) announced today that it has hired Gary Berlin as the trade association's president. A former human resources manager and Area/District Wildlife Manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the recent head of the International Hunter Education Association, Berlin brings nearly thirty years of experience in the outdoor arena as well as proven non-profit association leadership skills. He received a Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management from Mesa College in Grand Junction, CO and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver. Berlin, a lifelong Colorado resident, will begin his tenure on July 1 and will be establishing a new permanent home for AFFTA in the greater Denver area. Read more here.

World Trout Video

Felt Soul Media teamed up with author / artist James Prosek and Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia to make a short film highlighting the efforts of World Trout to protect native trout and salmonid species throughout the world. The story is told through Prosek's words and artwork with a backdrop of streams and native brook trout near his home in Connecticut. Watch the video here.

Thanks MidCurrent!

World Trout

World Trout Initiative®

Trout around the world are at the mercy of human impact. Overfishing and destruction of habitat due to logging, war and global warming are all contributing to threaten trout populations. Humans, though, may also be trout’s saviors.

We are fortunate to have special individuals and groups working tirelessly to preserve indigenous trout. Artist/Author James Prosek had illustrated this point with a story about his first trip to the Zeta River in Serbia-Montenegro to search for the rare softmouth trout. After 3 weeks of searching and finding absolutely nothing, he thought the trout was extinct. Reports from locals, including the president of the local fisheries club lamented the loss of the softmouth trout. A tip about a single man protecting these fish in his local, spring fed tributary prompted a scientific team to return. Because of this single man’s passion, the team discovered hundreds of fish. As a side note, with the commitment by the University of Lubjiana that is the recipient of revenues from World Trout, this scientific team has become Balkan Trout Restoration Group, with the mission to try to save the softmouth trout.

In 1999, on a trip to Yellowstone James Prosek and Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard met. Hearing the stories of James’ efforts to catch various trout around the world and the dramatic challenges these fish are facing Yvon was motivated to try and help.

Since conservation efforts require organization, money and a positive political climate, the decision was to make this initiative simple and place the money into the hands of the actual groups working to protect the fish. By telling a compelling story and providing the angler and interested parties with a call to action, we felt we could make something happen.

World Trout Mission
The mission of World Trout is to identify the individuals and groups that protect native fish, to tell their story and to support their conservation efforts.

Read more about this exceptional program here.

When Drag Is Desirable

Another excellent technique piece, thanks to Midcurrent.

When Drag is Desirable

by Tom Rosenbauer

Excerpted from The Orvis Guide to Prospecting for Trout: How to Catch Fish When There's No Hatch to Match, Revised Edition (The Lyons Press, January 2008, 208 pages)

IMPARTING MOVEMENT TO A DRY FLY is one of the most effective and exciting ways to fish dry flies, but it must be done under the right circumstances with special techniques that distinguish movement given to the fly by the fisherman from ordinary drag. Insects on the surface of the water move, no question, but when insects move they do it without creating a V-shaped wake that drag usually creates. When you purposely give movement to a fly, it should look like a skater gliding across the surface rather than a swimmer doing the crawl. If this is done properly, a skated fly will draw trout from six feet away, fish that might not be induced to take any other fly. It's more an active technique that you should use like a streamer fly to provoke strikes than a passive technique where you pitch a fly to a trout's suspected position and wait for him to inhale your fly. Read more...

Anglers All Gets Busy!

Our friends at Anglers All in Littleton, CO, have been hard at work installing 12 new solid oak "self-serve" styled fly bins, allowing for increased inventory - read LOTS of new flies. Be sure to check out the many unique "life-cycle specific" locally designed patterns. On top of that, new rod and wader racks will allow for expanded inventory and styles. The shop is looking great folks! Make sure to stop by and check out the new look and new items.

Guidewater Vest - The Modern Classic

I had the opportunity to test this vest last year for a full week in Wyoming. After field testing and dialing in the functional elements, the final edition is the best vest I have worn for both wading and drifting. I enjoy wearing a vest in a boat simply to keep things close and the boat deck clean, and the Guidewater's fit and capacity makes it the perfect all-day companion. Innovative design and technology applied to the fishing vest concept blurs the distinction between jacket, vest and pack. The Guidewater Vest offers curved-zipper organization “panels.” This departure from convention improves the visibility of, and access to, vest contents with one, single-handed motion. The angler-designed storage system allows for customized organization of fly boxes, tippet material and tools. The Guidewater Vest also features stretch nylon and mesh construction, front and back snap storage, padded shoulder support, attachment points, removable fly patch and rod holder.

Ideal Uses

• River and stream trout
• Salmon and steelhead
• Chasing the beach blitz

Fabric
Main body: 5.5oz doubleweave stretch-woven polyester with Deluge DWR

Pocket face: 4.59oz stretch-woven polyester(88%) and spandex(12%) with DWR
Mesh: 4.6oz high durability polyester mesh

Features

• Full-length curved zipper panels provide increased content visibility and easy access
• Stretch fabric and mesh combination for comfort, breathablility, light weight and low moisture retention
• Back pocket custom snap storage capability
• Padded shoulder support
• Multiple external attachment points for retractors or hemostats
• Multiple internal storage and attachment capability
• Removable ripple foam vertical fly patch
• Built-in rod holder
• Brushed mesh handwarmer pockets

The Traveling Angler...

What is the perfect combination for traveling anglers these days? With additional charges at check-in for extra bags, the common site of a duffel, dry bag and pack may not be so fun any more. One option is to carry everything in one place - simple, efficient, ready to go.

The Freightliner Max holds pretty much every 4-piece rod tube and a few 3-piece tubes as well. Sure it's big, but when you consider boots, waders, jackets, vests and all the layers you might need in the Pacific Northwest, the Rockies or beyond, you just might fill it up.

Details

• Almost twice the size of the Freightliner, main compartment holds load; zippered end compartment holds shoes and quick-access items; interior mesh pocket holds toiletries; light-colored lining makes things easy to find
• Smooth-rolling 80-mm wheels provide plenty of clearance; impact-resistant skidplates; molded bottom pan resists abrasion and protects contents
• Two-position retractable handle; haul loops at either end; external compression straps; ID tag
• Exclusive fiberglass battened supports keep bag standing
• Heavy-duty YKK® zippers have storm flaps and lockable sliders
• Upper: polyurethane-coated 1,680-denier ballistics cloth nylon with DWR (durable water repellent) finish. Bottom: molded foam and ballistics cloth. Lining: polyurethane-coated 420-denier nylon pack cloth with DWR finish
• 4763 g (168 oz)
• Imported.

Get ready to roll, can the additional bag charge and spend the coin on some extra #22 gray RS2's....

Need A New Lid?

Absurdly cool. You'll spend the night coming up with a new handle for when you're wearing this lid. The newest addition to a long line of great caps from the Reel Pure posse. Stylized logo is hard to beat - glareproof - and hey, it's ventilated. VENTILATED! Crazy. Get one here.

The Riverwalker...

Wading into position

From our man at Way Upstream. Love the fact that my reclined position along the Reef made it into the "Lunch Photo." I needed it that day!

High water. Slick bedrock. Cobble like greased bowling balls. Riverwalker Wading Boots built their reputation in the most demanding wading conditions. They feature great flexibility, fast dry times and are lighter weight than most of what's out there in the water. Notched flex zones allow for more natural foot movement and a polypropylene insole/shank offers stability. But don’t let the comfort fool you—these are tough boots for serious wading. Details: molded EVA midsole, synthetic leather and polyester, 100% recycled, high filtration mesh uppers and protected lacing. Riverwalkers come in three sole choices: resoleable felt; tungsten-carbide studded; and sticky rubber. Engineered to accommodate neoprene stocking-foot waders. Felt • 1,108 g (39.1 oz) pair, Felt/Studded • 1,213 g (42.8 oz) pair, Sticky Rubber • 1,037 g (36.6 oz) pair

Fabric
Strong, lightweight, 100% recycled, high-filtration polyester mesh, synthetic leather upper, with nylon/spandex neoprene in tongue and polypropylene insole board. Full-length molded EVA Rockstopper midsole

Features

• Wide last is engineered to accommodate a neoprene foot wader without constriction
• Tough, durable, quick-drying materials and construction
• Padded ankle support
• Sculpted flex zones for improved flexibility
• Compression molded EVA midsole and polypropylene insole/shank combination provide excellent torsional rigidity, support, protection from stone bruising; creates a stable platform without sacrificing flexibility
• High-filtration mesh keeps out more sand and silt and drains quickly
• Protected lacing loops with two speed lace hooks at the top
• Padded insole for comfort and arch support
• Stout, reinforced toebox and heel counter
• Molded rubber toe bumper provides abrasion resistance
• Sole designed to hold fin straps for float tubers and kickboaters
  

Outsoles:

Felt: Long-wearing, polyester wool felt sole is bonded to a rubber carrier and stitched on for added insurance

Felt/Studded: Felt soles studded with tungsten-carbide tips embedded in a dual rubber layer to prevent wobble. The felt is also stitched on for added insurance

Sticky Rubber: Star-patterned sticky rubber sole provides excellent multi-directional traction and no grit, mud, debris or snow pick up. This outsole can also be customized into a "studded" bottom with several after market solutions.

All outsoles can be resoled

Color
Marsh Green synthetic leather with Sage Khaki mesh

"Lunch" photo by Brian Bennett
"Turned tail" photo by John Frankot

The Boulder Creek Enhancement Project

CALL TO ACTION: The Boulder Creek Enhancement Project (also known as the Rogers Park Project)!

This is from everyone at the Boulder Fly Casters. The Rogers Park Project will result in significant habitat improvement and a quality fly fishing experience. Please learn more by visiting the BFC website.

Prove that you care by donating any amount towards the completion of this project in 2008/2009. We have raised about 60% of the $235,000 needed by successfully securing a DOW grant. We need your help to fund the balance. Over 20 years ago the BFC made the Boulder Creek Path happen. It's time to step up again.

Members of the Boulder Creek Enhancement Team unanimously adopted this graphic as a centerpiece for the project. There will be a series of limited edition prints available as well as other merchandise. If you have an interest find out more about the BFC's plans for this vital stretch of Boulder Creek by going to the Boulder Creek Enhancement Project page.

Boulder Update!

So, as we head into spring full force, we are starting to see great fishing conditions on both South Boulder Creek and Boulder Creek. The weather has been warm, and fish have been coming to the surface, especially on the inside corners of faster moving water. Recently, the box I reserve almost exclusively for the Frying Pan has produced some winners for me on these streams mid-day. Any gray pattern in the size range of 16-20 has produced fish, and the browns seem particularly hungry right now.

On South Boulder Creek, which is running at about 125 CFS right now, some of the pools are running deeper, and without switching to a true nymph rig, I have resorted to the old standard with great success - a #14 stimulator in orange or yellow with a #18 Copper John or bead-head hare's ear dropped about 20 inches below. This combo has worked well for the suspended rainbows in these pools, and this rig allows for an easy switch back to the single dry in stretches of shallower water. Enjoy!

Welcome...

Welcome to RMPFF. As the new Patagonia Fly Rep in Colorado, New Mexico, and southeast Wyoming, I wanted to create a resource for anglers, retailers and industry partners. Please visit this site for updates and reviews of Patagonia products, but also for updates to my calendar, industry events, retail success stories, tales from on the river and fishing reports as well as industry news. I look forward to meeting you in my travels and wetting a line! All the best...