When I began to flyfish for trout in earnest some 40 years ago, I was living in Virginia. At that time, most anglers were fishing The post Parachute Fly Patterns, Why So Effective ? appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

This interesting blog, “Fishing in Second Hand Bookshops”, was forwarded to me by Tony Ormon, a Kiwi fly fisherman. He is an avid fly fisherman, The post Fishing in Second Hand Bookshops  appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

In part one of “What is the Future of US Trout Fisheries”, I discussed the role played by fishery managers, the “Restore the Natives” programs, The post What is the Future of US Trout Fisheries, part two appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

I find it difficult to contemplate the future of US trout fisheries. Several years ago, Chris Wood, president of Trout Unlimited (TU.org), raised a red The post What is the Future of US Trout Fisheries, part one ? appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

I work part-time at an Orvis fly shop, and was told that the new Helios fly rods would arrive in early March. It was hard to imagine that they could be much better than the H3 rods, Orvis’s best selling fly rod ever. But Orvis was touting the new Helios The post the Helios Fly Rods appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

Over the years (? centuries), what makes nymph patterns effective has been a moving target in the minds of anglers. G.E.M. Skues, generally regarded as the “father of nymphing”, incorporated the elements of dry fly imitations in his initial patterns. In his 1921 book, “The Way of a Trout With The post What Makes Nymph Patterns Effective? appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

Roughly twenty-five years ago, I acquired my first REALLY GOOD fly rod, a 905 Thomas & Thomas (T&T) Paradigm. I say acquired, because I won it at a TU fundraiser auction. At the time, dry fly enthusiasts worldwide fished this rod. I absolutely loved its feel and hidden power. For The post Return of the Thomas & Thomas Paradigm appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

This August, fishing buddy Reid and I decided to go to the St. Joe River in the Idaho panhandle. I had previously read about the St. Joe in the Flyfisher’s Guide to Idaho, by Ken Retallic and Rocky Barker. But it was an article by Henry Ramsay in the June/July The post Fishing the St. Joe River in Idaho appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

Montana’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), has documented a steady decline of trout numbers in its famous southwest streams since 2011. Hardest hit are the Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Ruby rivers, which have reached historic lows, especially of brown trout. While studies are ongoing, no readily reversible causes The post Should Montana Become a Smallmouth Fishing Destination? appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more

Orvis released a new wet-wading boot this spring, the Pro Approach Hiker. I don’t enjoy fishing with crowds, so I spend most of my time walk-wading, i.e., hiking a good distance. While breathable waders offer a vast improvement over the old neoprenes, they still get hot and heavy when hiking The post Product Review: A New Wet-Wading Boot appeared first on Simpson Fly Fishing ..read more