Fly Fishing
Eudaimonia
Excellent new short from the Flats Pirate crew. Nice work fellas, looks like a fine place to go fishing. I think the Loop Army Idaho crew needs to plan a trip to Florida!
Clearwater Spey Clave
Loop USA is bringing the Loop Army to hang out at this years Clearwater Spey Clave hosted by Red Shed Fly Shop. If you are able to make it we would love to see you there. Check out the new Loop rods and enjoy a great time with the Army. Rumor has it Shane is bringing the dog tag machine with him. No Loop Army soldier is complete without his set of dog tags! Sept 29, 2012 on the Clearwater. Directions and info available at redshedflyshop.com.
YOU are the Loop Army!
Time to share a few of the awesome photos shared on the Loop Army Facebook page. The Army has been busy around the world as always. Be sure to visit the page and join up! The LOOP USA page is also up on Facebook. Please give it a like also!
This just screams Whoa!!! Hog Brownie shared by Maxwell Dean Robinson landed this pig on his Opti Creek 388-4 dryfly combo. Just sick!
Some custom work on a LOOP Classic. Sir… You’re doing it right.
Tim Pask shows us what 5000 yards of backing looks like. Locked and loaded!
And remember kids…
Loop Army Brown Assault
Bringing the new LOOP Cross S1 rods out for a run
Spring and early Summer were lacking in big trips this year for the North Idaho crew. Mainly due to the fact that most of the guys had been busy or away working. Brandan finished school and headed up to work in N.Dak while Brian was down in the dirty south for five weeks at a time. The remaining few that held over here in North Idaho picked away at the short windows we had on the Coeur d’ Alene river if the water levels allowed it. So when the word was out a few of the guys had time off in June, we rallied the forces for a full frontal assault on the River of Souls LOOP Army style.
This was it… three straight day of fishing with warm weather and a promise of crazy hatches gave me the hope I needed after my last experience on this river (we won’t talk about that). The plan was to leave at around 3am the first morning but a fast moving cold front with some hard core thunderstorms had us keeping a close eye on the forecast. And yep, just as forecast the first day was a bit rough on the wind and rain side of things. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as not more than five minutes after setting up camp we were ripping lips. No hatches to be seen up top but the fish were hungry and the choppy water and cloud cover were probably getting the bugs stirred up.
Match the Caddis attempt number 999
The second day was filled with an absolutely epic Caddis hatch which had Brian Griffith so frustrated I had to keep the camera rolling just in hopes I’d have some crazy John Macenro style freak out on film.
Picking the right pattern pays off during a Caddis hatch
He’d switch fly after fly only to finally get it right, land a fish and then watch as every cast after that was rejected. Another few fly changes and he’d be hooked up, only to find himself digging through the fly box again. It was really impressive to watch this guy take the patience to cast to specific fish until everything came together perfectly. Especially when most of us were staying on the lazy side and nymphing.
Aside from a few stubborn fish it was an awesome trip. I don’t think there was one style of fishing that didn’t work. Dry flies, streamers and nymphs were all great ways way to land a trout on any stretch of the river. Also lost the biggest brown of my life the second day there. Losing that fish was enough to make a grown man want to cry… all the more reason for another visit later this year.
Fly Fishing The Ozarks (with epic casting kid)
As a dad who enjoys seeing his own kid on the water I couldn’t help but love this video created by Brian Wise of River of Life Farm. Combine the great editing and camera work with the amazing casting skills of the little guy in this video and you’ve got fly fishing gold. Worth watching for sure! Be sure to check out his channel for some awesome tying vids too.
Join Brian Wise, head guide at River of Life Farm on the North Fork of the White River, his kids, family, friends, clients, and generally awesome people he fishes with as they fish Winter, 2012.
www.flyfishingtheozarks.com
www.riveroflifefarm.com
Snowy Winter Days
These are the days when you are stuck inside laid up on crutches while its puking snow outside and all you can think about is that big brown gulping down your flies on the river, but know that you can’t go out. You know we all have had these day (except for maybe the crutches part); At the same time you are thinking that you could be on the river with that chance to catch some trout and be all alone on the river. Instead you sit there just thinking about that next nice day where you are able to go out and fish again, and might think to yourself “Might as well fill the fly boxes.” I know this is what I am thinking instead, “I’ll probably be snaggin’ up and breaking another half dozen flies when I go out next, so I’ll attempt to fill my boxes again.”
So you sit inside snowed in with a hot pot of coffee on with your favorite fly fishing movie going and a bare hook in the vise. I decided while I am laid up with a busted femur, I might as well get my fly boxes stocked up for when I am better and can go out to the river again. It is almost worse for me when I am watching a trout bum movie and see them reeling in some pigs knowing that I can’t just grab my rod and walk out the door to the river. Oh well though, it all works out…
I figured I would share with you what I have been doing for the past couple months. We all know that when you start tying and you have a couple buddies come over you will end up tying a dozen for one buddy and then you have to tie for the rest of them. “Oh Brandan, while you are laid up, do you mind tying me up a few?” So of course I do, in return they buy you some material and maybe a couple six packs of Big Sky Brewery’s “Moose Drool.” I mean how could you say “no” to that?
Jurassic Lake, Argentina – The Greatest Wild Rainbow Trout Fisheries In The World
Latest video from Loop Media. All I can say is….Damn! I wanna go!
Beer Tricks and Fly Fishing
It’s a well known fact that as a fly fisherman you never stop learning. Each trip out to the water can bring new chances to improve as you pick up skills passed on through ancient teachings. And once in awhile the tips you find are not always related to casting at fish or choosing a fly. This is exactly what I found out on a recent trip with the guys from the film tour joined the LOOP Army on the Coeur d’ Alene river following the show. While taking a break on the side of the river we learned a very valuable way to quickly prep a beer can for shotgun drinking… and I have to say it was the coolest bit of schooling I’ve had on the river in a long time. I may be soaked in beer but damned if I don’t perfect this art!
It’s Old School
Ah… Sunday night and nothing to do. This is what happens when you get bored and start looking for old fly fishing videos. I messed around looking for some vintage fly fishing stuff, but it was the Youtube search for “old fly fishing” that landed me this gem. Royal Wolf? Check. Chuck Norris 80′s cut? Yup. Plaid shirts… you betcha. Oh and let’s not forget the three guys fishing within 4 feet of each other all casting in different directions. Impossible? Nothing is impossible when you’ve downed a six pack of Old Milwaukee my friend.
Japanese Sea Bass With a side of LOOP
The LOOP Army has no boundaries. It was great watching these guys ripping up some Japanese Sea Bass but I found myself seriously impressed by the night footage of the city. I was lucky enough to visit Japan once and now I’ve got a spot to visit when I make it back again! More vids on their Youtube page… or if you feel lucky (or read Japanese) you can try to dance around the website.
Seasons On The Fly Icelandic Brown Trout Teaser
Check out this teaser for an upcoming episode of Seasons on the Fly.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2721996883800
And for more go to http://www.seasonsonthefly.com/blog/
j lake… thanksgiving
j lake photos from last week
http://issuu.com/looparmy/docs/j_lake_fall_2011?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222
a BACKYARD in NOWHERE
I can’t wait to get a hold of this film. The trailers are just sick! Huge pike, bloody hands, great film work and guns… These Danish boys are kicking ass and taking names. Oh and let’s not forget the outstanding choice in LOOP gear. Joe needs to get this in the shop… fast.
via MoldyChum
Huge Brown “Cowboy Wrangled” by Matt Heron
I posted the pic of this awesome fish caught by LoopArmy friend Matt Heron a few days ago. It’s already as viral as viral can be… and it should be. What an amazing fish Matt! If you have not already seen this (which is unlikely)… please make sure you are seated first. Please hop over and give Matt some congrats on his fanpage!
PUSH
Looks like the guys at FlatsPirate put a ton of work into this video. Worth checking out for sure.
“Follow the Bums of the Flatspirate Crew while they visit fishing locations in South West Florida all the while sharing the love of fishing and their experiences. View some breath taking footage filmed on location in Charlotte Harbor Florida direct from the Flats.”
Colorado Slabs
I first heard about Lee Novotny from my fishing buddy Dom in Colorado. While Dom and I would be chasing browns in some of the streams near Denver he’d tell me about the Youtube videos this guy was putting out showcasing huge bows and browns that were caught up in some of the tailwaters of the Rockies. After getting a chance to see some of these fish in his videos it was easy to understand why he has such a great reputation. Lee is a fly fisherman who has obviously put a serious amount of time in on his local waters. He’s even designed a fly called the Ale Egg that has a fierce reputation of producing huge fish in some of the Colorado rivers he fishes.
Doubts? Check out some of the videos on his Youtube Page. From huge bows, brooks, cutts and bullies… Lee has made it a habit of finding some of the biggest fish out there. Then there are the carp… I still don’t really get why so many fly fisherman still trash talk them. They are probably the smartest and most technical fish you will ever cast a fly to in fresh water. Lee recently put up a nice video of the hunt for his 92cm world record grass carp. Think your average carp is a bitch to catch? Try a grassy… it’ll make you want to rage quit the entire sport.
Lee has been up for Moldy Chum’s Slab of the Month a few times now. Recently with this monster brown! Great work Lee!
Glad that I had a chance to meet Lee and hit the water with him this past summer. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve had the honor of fishing with. Be sure to give his site Thefishfly.com a visit or check out his fan page.
-Scott “Scotty Don’t”
Sweet Mother of All Browns Batman!
Where do you even start a post with a fish like this. I mean look at it… just LOOK!
Not only is this thing just HUGE… but it is also one of the most beautiful browns I have ever seen. Good job Matt Heron for landing the fish of a lifetime. And apparently this was also all captured on film. Hopefully he will let us post or link the footage once he has it.
If you are ever in the Lake Tahoe area and are looking to do some fishing, Matt is the guy to talk to. He runs an awesome fly fishing clinic and guide service out there. Be sure to hit up his site Matt Heron Fly Fishing or check his fan page on Facebook.
-Scott
joe’s looking for a fishing partner……j-lake
calling all able bodied souls Joe’s looking for a couple of rugged travelers for the up coming conference at j-lake
who: our fearless leader Christer Sjöberg , Joe Roope , and film crew
what: fishing lake Strobel “jlake” Patagonia Argentina
when: November 19-26th 2011
give me a call this trip and the people who are on it is a mind blowing week call me at 2087554646
check out this link http://solidadventures.com/jurassic-lake-argentina/
A Nice Morning For a Swim
Anthony promised us some big fall browns on small water this weekend so the guys packed up and got ready for some Rambo style fishing. But sometimes the Bill Dance antics you get on the water overshadow any of the fish you might find. Anthony spotted a nice brown trout in some shallows and was nice enough to let me have a shot at it. It’s when he went in to net the fish that things got really good.
I don’t know how he made it through the rest of the day without dying of hypothermia. He just kept on fishing.
But we’ve all been there right? Just most of us have not been so unlucky as him to have had a cameraman around when it happened. It’s ok Anthony, at least you were not this guy…