Reviews | Idaho Fly Fishing | Teton Valley Lodge

Apr
17

Fish Baseball

by Matt Berry

So what happens when you want to go fishing together with a couple of your buddies? Do you end up rowing the whole day? Try Fish Baseball. This is not quite as gruesome as Bunny Baseball made famous in Mud Lake Idaho in 1981. However, both make perfect sense.

The rules are simple. Either fishermen, front of boat or back, each get three fish or two strikes. Then they rotate to the rowing seat. It is very simple and fun. It keeps you on your toes. No one wants to miss two fish rather than catch three. Competition takes place when both fishermen have two fish on their tally. The race is on to get the third fish. If you get it first, you only have a short while to wait for the other guy to catch his one fish to make three.

Give it a try.

0 Categories : Reviews

Apr
17

Keep it Simple

by Matt Berry

Gadgets and gizmos are part of fly fishing. Everyone likes great gear. I love the Outside Gear of the Year Issue. I make sure to read everyone and drool over the next great thing. If I am honest, I like gadgets way too much. One place I have trimmed back on though, is my clippers.

Here is fishpond’s version of the clipper. Pretty cool looking. They even come in different colors. They are not new to the landscape, however, I had not had a pair until recently. These babies are pricey, selling for $20 with replaceable teeth and a cool design. You think that for $20 you could use them on all kinds of tippet. Not so. Try to cut the improved clinch with 2x off your fly. Not gonna happen.

Now take this little beauty I bought at Corner Drug in Driggs. It was all of .79. Even if it wears out after one season, I can buy one a year for the next two decades. Hey, I can even do some personal maintenance on the river. Bonus.

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Apr
7

Do You Carry a Spare Rod?

by Matt Berry

A few years ago while staying at my in-laws, I really needed to get out and do some fishing. I ended up driving two hours to a spot I wanted to fish. Excited, I quickly rigged up and threw on my backpack and proceeded to hike about a mile to a secluded spot on the river. After fishing about 30 minutes I figured out the magic fly and hooked up on a very nice cutthroat for the river I was fishing. While landing the fish, my rod broke in half.

Of course I had always been taught to keep an extra rod while fishing. Of course I did not follow that rule and was left without a rod. So, after traveling two hours and hiking a mile, I headed back home to my in laws, disgusted with myself.

I never break the rule of having an extra rod now, I can tell you.

Don’t have a spare rod but know you need one? Just want a new rod for the summer? Right now you can buy a used Sage Z-Axis 690-4 or 691-4 from us for $370 with free UPS shipping. We also have one TCR 690-4 for sale. Act now, quantities limited. You can never have enough fly fishing rods.

1 Categories : Reviews

Mar
24

Fishing Waders on the Mend

by Matt Berry

If you fish chances are you have some old fly fishing waders lying around that have used up all their life on the river and are just collecting dust.

You have to check out this site and see what this guy is doing with repurposed waders. You will be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that”. Very cool.

0 Categories : Reviews

Feb
17

Size Doesn't Matter as Much as You Think

by Matt Berry

While your tippet is one of the greatest tools, often it is the first to be blamed for your not catching fish. Tippet could be the most underestimated piece of equipment. Today’s tippet material is fantastic, and there is none better than RIO Fluoroflex Plus.

Guiding and fishing many rivers of the west, I have found that tippet size is critically undersized by many fishermen. Nearly all summer long I use RIO Fluoroflex Plus tippet. Yes, it is expensive, however, the benefits are well worth the price. I have listed some tips below.

Fly Selection and Presentation - These are by far the reason you catch a ton of fish or very few fish. Tippet size is rarely the reason.

Tippet Size – I have three basic sizes of tippet in my bag: 2x,3x,4x all are RIO Fluoroflex Plus. I don’t even own a spool of 5x. I use 2x when streamer fishing and on large dry flies. I will also use it if I am fishing large nymphs like girdle bugs. 2x can be used all summer long on the South Fork of the Snake for instance. When fishing large dry flies like stoneflies and Chernobyl ants, I use nothing else but 2x. I will then tie off a dropper from the big dry with 3x. When fish are rising on small dries, I will use 4x for the dry and often tie a dropper off using 4x. Sizing down for the dropper can save you flies. If the bottom fly gets caught on a rock or tree, you will usually only lose the dropper if you size down your tippet.

Health of Fish - We are all concerned about the health of the fish. What better way to care for them than getting them in and off the hook as fast as possible. When you use heavier tippet you really help the fish. They recover quickly and are back in the water fast.

Catch More Fish – Larger tippet sizes mean you lose less fish. Losing less fish means you lose less flies. Better for the fish and better for you.

Save Money – You will save money on flies using a heavier tippet. You can put that savings toward the purchase of your more expensive tippet material.

Use the biggest tippet you can get away with. The fish will thank you.

1 Categories : Reviews