The Joy of Fly Fishing in New Brunswick

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeWhether it’s a fly rod, which is my choice, or a spinning rod, which I use in places the fly rod just won’t work, it’s all fun when you’re trout fishing here in New Brunswick. Stocks are plentiful in most places and there are still plenty of 2 and 3 pound brookies just waiting for the stealthy fisher to entice them.

One of my web design clients, Big Paw Outfitters owner Kevin Caissie dropped in yesterday and was telling me how the Atlantic salmon fishing was doing in the Main West Miramichi River. He and his clients have been having a blast.

That was awesome to hear but one thing that really caught my attention was the size of brook trout they caught. I know there are a lot of salmon and I enjoy fishing for them but my heart has to go to the brook trout. Their beauty just can’t be beat and they fight like there is no tomorrow.

So many people I talk to tend to think there are only small brook trout in the brooks, streams and rivers here in New Brunswick but they are dead wrong.

What it comes down to is the fact so many fish where every one else fishing and those spots tend to get over fished but if they would take their time and go to spots that are a little off the beaten track they would find a lot more and bigger brook trout.

An important key to catching brook trout in brooks and streams is stealth. If you can see the trout you can be sure they can see you, unless…

… you are really stealthy and keep low, don’t cast a shadow across the water and keep the noise, especially your feet, quiet otherwise you will alert that 4 pounder behind that downed tree.

One of my favorite fly fishing TV programs is Sport Fishing on the Fly. I see from their website they are starting a new season which is great because I get bored with re-runs.

I read a post earlier today on the FlyFishing Fanatic’s website about using throat pumps on fish and then later in the day I was watching SFOTF and as Brian Chan, the king of Chironomid fishing, was using a throat pump on trout. It made think that perhaps I should have my own post on throat pumps.

I have seen people murder the poor fish as they cram the pump in their mouth and down their throat right into their stomach. A few tips can avoid this.
I have watched Brian Chan use a throat pump dozens of times and it’s an important skill that every fly fisher should learn to do correctly. I have learned from watching SFOTF is why and how to use a throat pump on a fish. I know how to do it correctly now thanks to Brian Chan, the king of Chironomid fishing.

Why use a throat pump in the first place?

You can scan the water and turn over rocks to see what is available to the fish at any given time but it doesn’t mean that’s what the fish are feeding on. This is where a good throat pump will come in handy but it has to be done correctly or you will cause harm or even death to the fish.

How to use a throat pump on fish.

Take a minute and think about someone sticking a throat pump down your throat. What precautions would you want them to take?

Before the main points start I feel that I should mention, because so many forget, wet your hands before you touch your fish.

1. Don’t use a throat pump if your fish is smaller than 12-14 inches or 30-35cm. Always keep the safety of the fish in mind.

2. Make sure that your pump isn’t damage and that it has no burrs that could harm the fish.

3. Put your pump in the water and so it’s wet.

4. Squeeze the pump and hold it. Then gently slide the pump into the throat, not the stomach, of your fish. Be careful not to enter the stomach.

5. Once in the throat you can slowly release the pressure on the pump bulb and then you can remove the pump with the same care you used putting the pump in.

At this point you are done with your helpful fish so give it a little kiss and a thank you and release the fish.

Having a glass container to put the contents in will allow you to see them a lot better than just putting them in your hand. For this reason I carry a little vial with a cap on it.

Now you can see what your fish has been seeing and eating.

Time to change up that fly I guess.

If you are looking for great prices on flies and don’t have the time to tie your own look at our fly fishing supply site.

Image via WikipediaIn fly fishing, it is very important to an angler’s success that he starts with the proper equipment. He/She may purchase or own the finest fly fishing equipment in the world, but when it is assembled and put into use, it may prove to be a very decided handicap.

To guard against this, it is important that the individual items of tackle be properly balanced one with the other. Unbalanced equipment has been responsible for more difficulties and failures of beginners than any other single factor. Poorly matched equipment is what allowed me to out fish my fly fishing buddies, well until I helped them pick their next rod, reel and line. Then I actually had to start working a bit harder to beat them.

Fly Fishing Rod

To fish with a good Fly rod is to really enjoy fishing. It is much easier to learn with a good rod than with one of an inferior quality. This is no commercial plug to encourage the sale of expensive fly rods, but just a word of warning to prevent any possible or unnecessary discouragement because of using a rod that would be decided handicap to a competent caster.

Fly Fishing Lines

This item of fishing gear must be selected with some careful considerations if anglers are expecting to enjoy fishing or casting.

This is because the size and weight of fishing lines made by various manufacturers are not entirely uniform, that is, the diameter of the line by one manufacturer may be slightly larger or smaller than a line by another manufacturer even though both bear the same size marking.

The Leader You Choose To Use

The leader is also a very important item, and unless it is selected with care and consideration in comparison with the size of the line, the caster will have trouble in making it extend straight out from the line when casting.

The chief function of the leader is to serve as an invisible connection between the line and the lure.

Fishing Flies

The flies may range in size, from the tiniest used, which might be number 18 or 20, up to flies tied on number-2 hooks or larger. The heavier flies you create the more wind resistence. It also requires the use of heavier equipment or more power on the part of the caster during the back cast and forward cast.

I prefer to tie my own trout, salmon, bass and pike flies myself. It saves me time and it’s so cool when you catch that lunker on your own creation.

fly reels

The fly reels may be automatic or single action, but in any event, it should be larger enough to hold the usual 30 yards of fishing line without crowding it on the reel spool.

The fly reel should weigh from 1 ¼ to 1 ½ as much as the bare rod. The reel itself is of no specific use in casting or fishing except as a storage place for the line.

Consequently, the entire equipment should always be in good condition. Other wise, achieving success in fishing is impossible.

Tying your own flies can be very rewarding and relaxing. It also has another benefit in giving you something to do if you are unfortunate to live where the rivers are frozen in winter, or fly fishing is closed for some months each year.

The tools are simple. You could make most of them yourself, however it would be best for beginners to buy at least a fly tying vice. There have been over the years quite a number of different vice types manufacturered. In my opinion, the cam type of vice is the easiest to use. This is a vice that has a cam lever to open and close the jaws. It’s adjustable to various angles and hook sizes. Quick and easy to open and close.

The next thing to get your hands on are some hackle pliers. These are also a cheap spend, but really worthwhile. They are a little difficult to make a pair yourself.

Apart from these items, you’ll need a pair of curved scissors with sharp points and another set with small straight blades. You probably could also do with a needle that is pushed into a stick. This is for fixing hakkles that have been inadvertantly wound under. You can also use it for putting laquer onto the finished head.

What sort of hooks should you use? My advice is to not fall for the trap of using any old hook. Buy proper fly hooks. These have a tapered shank and are usually hollow ground. These are lighter than normal hooks, a real advantage in dry flies.

The tapered shank lets the head, especially the eye of the fly be tied tighter and smaller. When you consider the work involved in tying a fly, why waste effort on the wrong hook. If you make a mistake, all you need to do is cut the fly off the hook and start again.

Something you could consider these days is the opportunity of actually buying a complete fly tying set. These sets cost only around $50 or so. They have vices, scissors, pliers, hooks and all the feathers and fur you need to get started. Some even come with videos or DVD’s.

Whichever way you go, it is a cheap way to spend many an hour, in preparation of catching your next bag of fish. The satisfaction of catching your next trout on a fly you tied yourself is imeasureable.

General salmon information and fishing tips:

1. Generally, the best times of the day are during the times when there is low light and so too, on cloudy days. On bright and sunny days, salmon will usually collect and assemble deep in the holes.
2. Take note that salmon do not feed while in the river. When they do strike, it is a behavior that is learned. Salmons are known to be predatory and aggressive when in the lake, up until they go into the river.
3. Set the hook by yanking downstream with your rod three times. To get a better set, pulling on the line with your free hand can help. Sometimes, when you lift the rod straight up, it will pull the fly out of the mouth of the salmon.
4. In order for the hook to go through the thick jaws of the salmon, you should always sharpen your hooks.
5. Fishing with a partner can be enjoyable and at the same time help each other to spot a salmon. While one is fishing, the other can be high up on the other side of the bank observing the reaction of the salmon and where exactly they are. Polarized glasses are very helpful when doing this and would bring satisfying results.
6. Finding a good hole where there are many salmon inside and you can fish there for the whole day!
7. Your weight as well as the length of the tippet should be adjusted so that it matches the holes depth and the depth of the fish. Your weight should not drag, but should only touch the bottom every now and then. Note that a tippet that is three feet long will set the fly six inches up to two feet off the bottom.
8. By adding a foam indicator at the top of your fly, you can get your fly higher in the water column.

Fly fishing tips:

Chuck-n-duck is the most familiar and easiest, method in using a Fly rod to fish for salmon.

Popular four line formulas for chuck-n-duck:

The River Guide

100+ yards of 30 pounds backing
20 feet of Amnesia line
100 feet of shooting line
3-6 feet of Maxima monofilament (6-8 lb. test)
20 feet of Maxima monofilament (12 lb. test)
Swivels and weight

The Simple Set-Up

100+ yards of 30 pounds backing
10 feet of Maxima monofilament (12 lb. test)
100 feet of shooting line
Swivels and weight
3-4 feet of Maxima monofilament (6-8 lb. test)

The simple and cheap Set-up

100+ yards of 30 lb. backing
100 feet of Amnesia line (15 lb. test)
20 feet of Maxima monofilament (12 lb. test)
Swivels and weight
3-6 feet of Maxima monofilament (6-8 lb. test)

The combo

100+ yards of 30 pounds backing
100 feet of shooting or Amnesia line
3-12 feet of Maxima monofilament (10-20 lb. test)
Swivels and weight
4-10 feet of Maxima monofilament (2-12 lb. test)

Recreation is an important aspect in the life of human beings. Anglers represent the major group of leisure seekers, and have a determined advantage over the other groups who make use of nature’s wonderful creatures and elements for food.

Consequently, the popularity of fishing in many areas had continuously dominated the society. That is why along with its series of activities, people now realize the need for fishing lodges especially in places where fishing activities seem to never end.

Among all fishing lodges available in the industry today, the Alaska Fishing Lodges are among the most treasured and most popular fishing lodges in the United States.

The Alaska Fishing Lodge provides its customers full customer service satisfaction with their wide array of fishing activities and endless strings of fishing fun.

Normally, Alaska Fishing Lodges are made up of logs; sturdily build to provide each angler optimum convenience and comfort. It is known for its spacious interiors, creatively decorated with the right embellishments, thereby, setting the mood for fishing and wilderness.

In addition, because it carries the true Alaskan heritage, Alaska Fishing Lodges offer services and products that can be afforded by anyone. With its affordable rates, the place is inhabited by people, who mostly want to enjoy life and fishing but cannot afford to buy the pleasures in expensive beaches and lodges.

Best of all, Alaska Fishing Lodges are perfectly located in areas where the waters are abundant with the different species of fish. Usually, these lodges are situated in a place where trout, northern pike, and grayling mostly inhabit the waters.

On the other hand, most Alaska Fishing Lodges are built big enough to occupy 16 guests, in which each guest can avail of personal and individualized services.

Moreover, this type of lodge also houses a place where king salmon are abundant especially during the months of June and early part of July. Most lodges also provide a wide variety of fishing equipment, from rods to tackles and lines.

With all these beautiful features present in every Alaska Fishing Lodge, there is no better place to enjoy fishing and the wilderness like what this particular lodge can offer.

Staying in an Alaska Fishing Lodge is, indeed, an ultimate fishing experience.

Oh man, 89 days left until I can go fishing again.

I woke up this morning, after a night of dreaming about fly fishing with friends, only to see another foot of the white stuff. Who the heck is ordering this stuff?

Don’t get me wrong, I love snow and it doesn look beautiful when it’s still white, but I’m going nuts here.

One way I pass the time is tying my own articficial flies for trout, salmon, bass and pickerel. The only thing is…

… I want to be casting with these flies, not sticking them in styrofoam blocks until spring.

I think that perhaps a fishing trip to some place warm and sunny, like Florida, would be nice and would help to ease the tension building in my fly casting arm. If I were to do that without taking my wife, even though she doesn’t fish, I would most likely have to stay. I won’t say anything smart about staying.

I will be so happy once my wife retires and we can begin our life of adventure travel which will of course include plenty of fly fishing.