Need a new image?

The tools to alter and transform images used to be for the highly trained artist and illustrator only. Today that's all changed. Image "toys" are very accessible and pretty simple to use. You can make movies, slideshows, calendars, screen savers, magazine covers and more. All you really need is a computer, a digital camera and a USB cable to be in business.....and the digital camera and cable are optional to some degree. The post image is an example of an underwater digital photo that's been run through a watercolor filter (Microsoft Photo Editor). Then I Hockneyized the image to get the Polaroid effect. Lastly I took the Hockneyized image and ran it through Framer to add the stamp frame. Take some of your fishing images and give these toys a try....just for fun. Who knows, you may find a marketable use for your pictures or at the very least discover some creative ideas.

Way Upstream
Copyright 2007

Aquatic Hitchhikers

I had lunch with a fisheries biologist recently. The main topic of conversation was aquatic hitchhikers. A big portion of the discussion was about felt soles on wading boots. I find myself in a fair number of these discussions now. The reason - there is a problem. Invasive species (Didymo, New Zealand Mudsnails, Whirling Disease and others) are spreading quite fast. How much is by fly fisherman and felt? It's complex. Even if you use rubber soled wading boots you can transport organisms (laces, gravel guards, boot linnings). With that said, it does appear as though felt can add a lot of disease transporting capability.The biologist explained the various gear soaking solutions, timelines and such required for safe disinfection. The practice of disinfection is routine for biologists but I suspect not for a large number of fisher folk. How close is this issue to you? Do you know the disinfection procedures? Do you practice gear disinfection?Let me know your thoughts on the issue of aquatic hitchhikers and felt.

Photo courtesy of Moldy Chum

Hoppicator

I saw this pattern in Fly Fishing Life Magazine. It seemed brilliant to me so I asked Mikey Wier for a Way Upstream story. Here are the words and some of the pictures that he sent:

"The Hoppicator has been a great pattern for me. I’ve been developing the system for a several years now. I usually fish it in conjunction with weighted nymphs. The main premise is to get away from using lead or tin weights, foam or yarn indicators. I don’t like the weights because they are just more litter than needed and often tangle on your line if you overhead cast. I stopped using indicators because they scare spooky fish around here in some of our technical catch and release fishing areas. Now I just use the Hopper Dropper or Super Hopper Dropper as I call the heavier set up for all my trout fishing and even some steelhead fishing in heavy water. The system is just as versatile as traditional indicator fishing, as far as depth and weight adjustments. You just have to be slightly more perceptive about the current flows and actual river depths when choosing the right fly combo. I usually use a heavy “bomb” fly like my double tungsten Jawbreaker or Tungsten Caramel Caddis Pupa to get down deep. I then use a dropper of something smaller like my Mint Chocolate Crawler Nymph or Butterscotch Sprinkle. This system also really came in handy for the Team USA competitions. The rules call for no weight or indicators so most people just dry dropper or Czech Nymph. That’s great for some water but some places require the kind of long dead drift you can only get with an indicator. My Hoppicator set up conforms to the Team USA rules and no one else had anything like it. It won a couple beats for me. Many of my trout patterns, including the Hoppicator, will be available soon from Idylwilde Fly Company." Photos by Mikey Wier

Tip Tip

Here’s a very simple tip for the tip of your tippet.
Always remember that it’s important how you snip it.
Angle your clippers when clipping your tippet
to have the best chance of threading the eye once you've nipped it.

Make your mark

Your guide has just seen a sign. "Fish at 11 o'clock...moving west...50 feet...cast!" If you have your wits about you, you'll find the clock and compass positions, estimate the distance and throw. If you don't you can be frozen, wondering which way is west and how far is 50 feet. Here's an easy step that will help you learn to gauge distance on any type of water. Mark your fly line with a permanent marker at the 30 and 60 foot measurements. These marks will be visible to you every time you fish. You will become very familiar with that first mark because so much fishing happens within the 30 foot range. These marks not only help you calculate line distance out but also distance in. When you are gaining line on a fish you'll be glad to see these measurements coming back onto the reel. Go ahead, make your mark.