trout

14 posts

A Deep Dive on Thread – Fly Fishing 97 Podcast

I am a podcasting machine apparently. I was back on the Fly Fishing 97 podcast this time not talking about me and the shows I’m going to but all about fly tying thread and how I think it is the most important tool in your fly tying arsenal. We dive […]

Stillwater Flies and How to Fish Them

I’ve been going around Oregon speaking at fly fishing clubs. Where I have been covering topics like searun cutthroat, euro nymphing, fly fishing off the jetty, and much more. Recently while speaking at the Santiam Flycasters in Salem, Oregon they recorded my talk about stillwater flies. I don’t have much […]

Diamond Lake Trip Report 2023

The blog doesn’t have a lot of trip reports but I thought the fly fishing community should have a modern report on Diamond Lake.   I was recently out at Diamond Lake to do some fishing with a buddy of mine. It was a great trip that you’re here to […]

How to Prepare for a Fly Fishing Competition

This year I’m going full bore into the fly fishing competitions scene. Last year (2022) I dipped my toes into it and participated in a couple of comps in Central Oregon on two stillwater venues, Crane Prairie Reservoir and Paulina Lake. This year’s season will have competitions in Oregon, California, […]

Control the Boat or Fish the Front?

Most anglers interested in competitive fly fishing only think of rivers when they think of a venue for a competition. This isn’t the case at all. Rivers play a massive role in the competitive scene and are integral to the success of an individual or the team, but there is […]

Why Hook Choice is Important – Part 2 (Final)

The other other factor that goes into hook choice is the shape. This can be inconsequential or it can matter a lot. To me when the stakes are the lowest is when you are tying nymphs and you are tying to get the shape correct for just aesthetic purposes. It […]

Why Hook Choice is Important – Part 1

As a fly tyer who geeks out hard about tying, materials, and flies it would be totally justified to think hooks would be top of mind for me when deciding how to tie a fly. Hooks are the foundation to every fly tyed, but criminally overlooked, especially when it comes […]

My First Fly Fishing Competition

This past weekend was my first fly fishing competition. I’m going to go over the prep work I did for this comp, gear I brought, gear I wish I had brought, how fishing went, my mind set, and the results of the comp. I’m hoping this is the first of […]

Euro Nymph: Tying an anchor fly

As a competent euro nympher you need to adapt to different waters. This means when you encounter deep runs, fast water, and steep rivers, like the West Coast and Rocky Mountain states offer, you need to have the right flies for the situation. For me it is having a diverse […]

Garrett Bird

Casting Air Resistant Flies

As the industry changes it looks like the trend for bigger and more audacious flies is sticking around. I’m definitely part of the movement to go big with the flies. Tying and fishing deer hair flies and poppers on 4/0+ hooks isn’t your typical fly. Fish eat them and especially […]

Middle Fork of the Willamette Trip Report 2/23/20

I need a wading jacket The Middle Fork of the Willamette is one of the most under fished trout fisheries in the Willamette Valley if you asked me. There are others, but this is up there. I never make any sense to me. It’s not far from population centers like […]

Five Fly Tying Instagram Accounts to Follow

I love seeing other peoples fly tying work.  It offers inspiration and motivation.  Instagram an excellent source of fly tying inspiration. Be sure to follow Garrett and Garren on Instagram and here are some other accounts that are recommended to follow. avkrokar – Mathias Aberg Mathias has some amazing trout […]