Asheville Fly Fishing Company’s film “A Trip into the Wild,” showcases Winston Pro Staffer, Galen Kipar and DUN Magazine’s own Jen Ripple as they lead an expedition through class III and IV whitewater in the French Broad River section 9, targeting aggressive smallmouth bass on top water flies.
To learn more about Asheville Fly Fishing Company’s multi-day, safari-style smallmouth bass trips, visit ashevilleflyfishingco.com/blog/2018/2/13/smallmouth-bass-fishing-asheville-nc
NEVER in my years as a guide, retail manager or instructor, have I ever heard anyone say that they love rigging rods. Let’s face it, rigging and re-rigging rods, isn’t fun. For me, the experience is so much better doing it “right” the first time. I put the most value in choosing the correct flies and rigging multiple rods that will correspond best with the day’s conditions, which allows me to do less rigging for myself or my clients, and much more fishing. So, in a nutshell, I personally do everything I possibly can to avoid re-rigging on the water, even if I do find myself, fruitlessly trying to force 3x through the eye of a #26 midge larva pattern.
In a rut always fishing nymphs in the winter? Try leaving the bobbers home and dedicate your day to fishing streamers only. You may not catch the numbers you normally would, especially this time of year, but you may be surprised at the quality of the trout you’ll tie into and I’m guessing you’ll have more fun too! Here’s a how-to on catching more trout on streamers during the dead of winter.
When fall rolls around, I hang up the single hand and rig up my favorite summer steelhead rod, the Winston Boron III TH Microspey 5 wt. This rod hasn’t let me down. From being flung off the car going 60 miles an hour, to landing a chrome 12 pound hen, it keeps on bending and deliverers a crisp, powerful spey cast.
Tom Morgan 1941 – 2017.
It is with great sadness that we learned that our friend, Tom Morgan, former owner of the R.L. Winston Rod Company and one of the pioneers in graphite and bamboo fly rod design, died peacefully in Bozeman Montana on Monday June 12, 2017.
Tom was a great man, creative, generous, principled and passionate. In 1976, he moved Winston from San Francisco to Montana to be closer to great trout fishing. And even now, decades later, every fly rod we make continues to incorporate an element of Tom Morgan’s rod design philosophy that to be a great fly rod, it should be a joy to cast. But more than a talented angler and rod designer, Tom’s tremendous optimism, passion for life and resilience were inspiring. He was a role model, a generous and unfailingly supportive mentor, and a friend. We will miss him.
David Ondaatje
Owner and Chairman
R.L. Winston Rod Company
CAN YOU OUTLINE WHAT A TYPICAL DAY MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU IN YELLOWSTONE? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHERE TO FISH WITH SO MUCH GREAT WATER?
First, coolers are loaded and day packs are stocked with necessary fishing gear and supplies like bear spray, raincoats, lunches, waters and extra cold drinks for the ride home. Well before we’re headed into Yellowstone, I always have at least three plans for the day based on the water conditions, desires of the clients and how much hiking they are interested in experiencing. With 2.2 million acres and 2,500 miles of running water, we have several options. If I have not visited a specific location within a week, I keep an eye on recent backcountry reports for the park, and even give the backcountry office a call to see if anything unusual has been reported at the local campsites. Once at the trailhead, we assess all possible scenarios that could affect the fishing. A recent bear in the area sign has sent us on an alternate plan more than once. (more…)