BLOG & RIVER REPORT

tip of the week: when to cast off of your off-shoulder. tip of the week: skate mend tip of the week: 3 tips for succesful hopper fishing tip of the week: (ssff) start slow finish fast when casting a fly rod. what is mending? here's an explanation and how to mend your fly line tip of the week: line management (loop slack) tip of the week: mend more! tip of the week: fishing the water wheels behind boulders tip of the week: when to use mow hybrid sink tips. tip of the week: fish a small dry/emerger as a trailing fly to a bigger dry. tip of the week: create a gameplan to strategically target feeding fish tip of the week: speed and depth with nymphing tip of the week: maximize fishing with friends tip of the week = float down then fish up tip of the week: float your sighter material when fishing esn in winter. tip of the week: fish your flies in their natural setting tip of the week - "keep it tight" tip of the week - fishing day prep tip of the week: laying for cold weather tip of the week: trout spey hook set. tip of the week - the when and how of fishing emergers tip of the week - identify which dry fly fish are eating/timing tip of the week: casting position tip of the week: trout spey... don't forget you are fishing tip of the week: fish the riffle tip of the week - skating your dry flies where are the fish? answer = f.e.e.s. the "why" of mending and when upstream vs. downstream casting strategies for wading upstream vs. downstream hopper dropper // understanding how it really works boulder slicks // how to read water in trout streams reading trout water // secondary seamlines back wide... forward tight. fly casting tips crafting loops, knots, and other thoughts on gear reading trout water and fishing color changes my favorite strike indicator rig a better approach on trout what not to do while trout spey fishing generate more strikes on dry flies how to build a multi purpose fly fishing outfit learn to skip cast with an intentional tailing loop how and why to high stick nymph diy euro leader // complete buildout with video cross leading larger flies // tj hooker nymph streamer hybrid fly super simple beginner nymph setup // less tangles and snags!

September 5, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: When to Cast off of your off-shoulder.
The off-shoulder cast is your go-to move when fly fishing gets tricky—whether it’s battling wind, dodging obstacles, or just needing to sneak up on those ultra-finicky fish. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of casting techniques: handy, versatile, and a little bit cool. Now go out there, dodge some branches, outsmart the wind, and get after those fish!

We teach these techniques and more through our casting courses in our University of Fly Fishing.

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August 15, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: Skate Mend
By mastering the skating technique, you can improve your fly’s visibility, create a more enticing presentation, and manage your line more effectively—all of which increase your chances of a successful catch. This approach is especially valuable in fast, choppy waters where traditional techniques might fall short. So, next time you’re on the water, give skating your trout flies a try and get ready for some crazy eats.
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August 6, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: 3 Tips for Succesful Hopper Fishing
Successful hopper fishing relies on presentation, precision, and movement. By presenting your hopper with a noticeable plop, drifting it right against the bank, and skittering it upstream, you'll create an irresistible imitation of a natural grasshopper. Practice these techniques, and you'll be well on your way to landing more trout on your next fishing trip. Remember to stay patient and observant, adjusting your approach based on the trout's behavior and river conditions. Happy fishing!
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July 31, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: (SSFF) Start Slow Finish Fast when casting a fly rod.
When casting a fly rod, starting slow and finishing fast(SSFF) is essential for an effective and accurate cast. You will want to begin with a smooth, gradual acceleration to load the rod in your back cast, allowing the line to straighten out behind you and finish with a fast stop. As you transition into the forward cast, increase the speed, finishing with a quick, decisive snap. This technique maximizes line speed, ensuring a powerful and precise presentation of the fly.
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July 22, 2024 Joe Rotter

What is Mending? Here's an explanation and HOW to Mend Your Fly Line
Mend, mend, mend, mend. If you've been on a guided float, you've no doubt heard...
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June 24, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: Line Management (Loop Slack)
TIP OF WEEK: I’m suggesting to keep 5-6 feet of loop slack while fishing. Note that this means after the cast is made 😉
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June 17, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: Mend More!
Mending is one of the most important parts of line management. With an indicator, it is even more important as the surface current speed is faster than the current near the bottom where we get our fish with nymphs. Many anglers mend but we are encouraging you to mend more.
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June 4, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: FISHING THE WATER WHEELS BEHIND BOULDERS
Targeting behind boulders in late spring is one of the most productive ways to fish in late spring. The best way to do this is using a euronymphing rig and tightlining nymphs in the water wheels behind boulders.

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May 29, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: When to use MOW hybrid sink tips.
When spey fishing the most important aspect, beside the fly, that we need to change up is our tips. Many times, we can just change up the sink-rate on our tips but there are plenty of occasions, when we need to switch all together to a floating tip or... a hybrid.
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May 21, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: Fish a small dry/emerger as a trailing fly to a bigger dry.
You will basically fish this like a dry dropper and drop the smaller fly that you can’t see. Fish the bigger dry that you can see and look for an eat around your bigger dry or for your bigger fly to go down and then SET. THAT. HOOK.
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May 1, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: CREATE A GAMEPLAN TO STRATEGICALLY TARGET FEEDING FISH
Tip of the Week: WAIT! Then make a game plan to strategically get after actively feeding fish.

Want to become that confident, self-guided angler? Check out our University of Fly Fishing where we teach all of these tips and skills to help you become the angler you aspire to be.

We’ve all been there. Or at least we wish we’ve all been there. You walk or float into a run and witness a handful of large trout actively feeding on top! What you do next matters.

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April 25, 2024 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: Speed and Depth with Nymphing
It's always critical to pay attention to speed and depth when targeting trout. However, when nymphing we must hunt for fish in the correct speed and depth AND work our flies at the right speed and depth. We teach all of these skills in more in every single FISHALONG ADVENTURE COURSE.
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April 15, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: Maximize Fishing with Friends
When fishing with other anglers, use the divide and conquer approach by using different flies, different set-ups, different depths to find what is working best. Once you find what is working, make the alteration and have at it!
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April 8, 2024 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK = FLOAT DOWN THEN FISH UP
THE TIP: Whenever possible, float past the fishy seam and give yourself plenty of space to anchor on the inside, well past the head of the run. Then fish up that seam to the fish, finishing at the head.
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December 15, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: Float Your Sighter Material when fishing ESN in Winter.
The tip here is to float your sighter on an ESN setup rather than transition to an indicator set-up. Your sighter material is now a 2-3ft long indicator that floats on top of the water 😉.
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November 30, 2023 Jason Harwood

Tip of the Week: Fish Your Flies in Their Natural Setting
When you are choosing a certain type of fly to use, think about where this fly lives and hatches and fish it in that type of water.
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November 16, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK - "Keep it Tight"
When swinging a fly with a two-hander, we need to try and stay in contact with our fly as much as we can. This can be difficult when mending our line to achieve proper depth. Work to find the balance between slack and contact so that you can properly present the fly and yet stay in contact enough to detect a grab.
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November 10, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK - FISHING DAY PREP
If we take just five minutes to check the below 4 items, we can set up a much more successful fishing day.
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November 3, 2023 Joe Rotter

TIP OF THE WEEK: LAYING FOR COLD WEATHER
With too many clothes, you'll be hot, sweaty claustrophobic, and grumpy. Trust me...I know. After many...
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October 26, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: TROUT SPEY HOOK SET.
Can’t trout set when Spey Fishing. You need to let the trout hook themselves. So the question becomes, “What is the best way to help them hook themselves?”
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October 12, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK - THE WHEN AND HOW OF FISHING EMERGERS
Take a very close look at how the fish are feeding and if you identify they are feeding just below the surface, fish an emerger pattern with whatever technique suits your fancy.
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October 5, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK - IDENTIFY WHICH DRY FLY FISH ARE EATING/TIMING
Take inventory of how a fish eats and the timing of the fish eating to catch more fish on dry flies. If it's a splashy eat, try a caddis or bug that skitters and skates. If it's a subtle eat and just sipping, try a small mayfly.
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September 28, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: CASTING POSITION
It can be maddening when you are getting lots of eats but missing hook up after hook up. Many times it is all about your fishing position. Setting the hook on fish that are eating directly down river of you will not result in many hook-ups.
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September 22, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: TROUT SPEY... DON'T FORGET YOU ARE FISHING
Concentrate on casting and swinging a fly 45-65 feet from you and manage your line so that the fly starts to rise up and move directly in front of where you believe fish are holding.
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September 14, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK: FISH THE RIFFLE

When looking for where trout live and hold, we often look for spots that provide cover and can hide a fish. We don't think about the broken surface water of a riffle. A riffle provides cover as well as other elements that create spots for fish to hold and feed... bugs and oxygen.

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September 8, 2023 Jason Harwood

TIP OF THE WEEK - SKATING YOUR DRY FLIES
Fall on the Yakima is absolutely stunning! September and October are quite possibly THE BEST two months of the year to fish. Learning to fly fish and just getting out on the water even if you know a little, can be intimidating. We are here to build your confidence. Our whole course catalog is available in the Fall.
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August 18, 2023 Jason Harwood

Where are the Fish? Answer = F.E.E.S.
Here we give you a quick acronym to help you find where trout feed. “Pay your F.E.E.S. to find the fish.” Once you start to use the F.E.E.S. system to grid off a stretch of river, you will no doubt better your odds at finding the fish.
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July 20, 2023 Jason Harwood

The "Why" of Mending and When Upstream vs. Downstream
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Red's Fly Shop (@redsflys Do you...
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May 31, 2023 Joe Rotter

Casting Strategies for Wading Upstream vs. Downstream
Are You Casting Dry Flies Correctly? Right now its spring time and the small streams,...
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July 26, 2022 Joe Rotter

Hopper Dropper // Understanding How it Really Works
I didn't understand how a dry/dropper or in this case a "Hopper Dropper" really worked....
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July 18, 2022 Joe Rotter

Boulder Slicks // How to Read Water in Trout Streams
It's probably no "hot tip" that boulders are a good place to target when fishing...
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July 13, 2022 Joe Rotter

Reading Trout Water // Secondary Seamlines
I've personally found trout to be much easier to catch if I understand where they are holding...
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July 8, 2022 Joe Rotter

Back Wide... Forward Tight. Fly Casting Tips
As you begin to generate a longer, straighter, and more efficient cast you'll need to...
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June 25, 2022 Joe Rotter

Crafting Loops, Knots, and Other Thoughts on Gear
Most guides start out super poor and broke, needing to make the most out of...
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June 23, 2022 Joe Rotter

Reading Trout Water and Fishing Color Changes
You can't catch fish if they aren't there. Believe me, I have tried. Before I met...
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January 12, 2022 Joe Rotter

My Favorite Strike Indicator Rig
Hinged New Zealand Style Indicator Rig I have modified this rig over the years, but...
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December 15, 2021 Joe Rotter

A Better Approach on Trout
The Angler is a Predator Trout are scared. All the time. The Osprey, Heron, Otter,...
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November 4, 2021 Joe Rotter

What NOT to do While Trout Spey Fishing
Stop being like 90% of the dummies out there trying to cast to the other...
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September 27, 2021 Joe Rotter

Generate More Strikes on Dry Flies
Generate More Strikes by Twitching and Skating Your Dry Fly One thing that makes fly...
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August 30, 2021 Joe Rotter

How to Build a Multi Purpose Fly Fishing Outfit
Every angler wants a well built and balanced outfit. We posted a recent video on...
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July 10, 2021 Joe Rotter

Learn to Skip Cast with an Intentional Tailing Loop
I sincerely hope a few of you READ this short article in addition to the...
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June 25, 2021 Joe Rotter

How and Why to High Stick Nymph
High-Sticking is a very common, and intuitive strategy anglers use in waters that have whirlpools,...
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June 4, 2021 Joe Rotter

DIY Euro Leader // Complete Buildout with Video
You can easily do better than a factory tied Euro Nymphing Leader. While these are...
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June 4, 2021 Joe Rotter

Cross Leading Larger Flies // TJ Hooker Nymph Streamer Hybrid Fly
Last week we reviewed "What Big River Trout Actually Eat" with a video featuring crawfish, stonefly nymphs,...
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June 4, 2021 Joe Rotter

Super Simple Beginner Nymph Setup // Less Tangles and Snags!
Before you scroll down and click the video, consider these thoughts. Your setup should be...
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