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In the old days, those wanting to become a good angler had to be
born into a fishing family, or lucky enough to have been taken under
someone's wing. There was not much information available, and those
having the knowledge, tended to be secretive, and reluctant to disclose
their methods. The learning curve was long. Practice eventually
led to proficiency, but lots of mistakes also accompanied the learning.
How times have changed. Videos, a wealth of printed matter, and
the Internet have really accelerated the learning curve. Now, hungry
for information, anglers, can access info quickly and easily, that
often took us years or decades to acquire.
16 times
Years ago, a fellow came to me wanting to learn how to fly fish.
He had never fly fished, and couldn't take the course before the
next three weeks. He asked if he could do anything in the meantime.
I told him he could watch some videos that I show on course. I gave
him only one video at a time and told him to watch the video as
much as he could that week. Educators say, that you have to watch
something 16 times before it is in the permanent memory banks, so
I said watch this 16 times, until like a Rocky Horror Picture Show
fan, you can repeat every word.
Each week he would show up for the next video. Finally, the weekend
of the course arrived. I don't know if Dave F. was a quick learner,
had an incredible memory, if 16 times had made the difference or
whatever, but he was light years ahead of any student I have ever
taught. Anything I said was no longer a second language, but something
he had seen and heard, well, at least 16 times.
By the end of the first day he was casting as well as anglers
who had fished 10 years with no instruction. On the second day he
was regularly into the biggest fish of the class.
If you are hungry to improve your skills here are some excellent
videos, books or Internet sites to help you.
Fishing videos. These are highly recommended.
The best videos
Fly casting-Fly casting with Lefty Kreh or The Scientific Anglers
Mastery Series with Doug Swisher.
Two videos: Basic Fly-Casting and Advanced Fly-Casting.
Steelhead fly fishing- the three part Mastery Series with Lani Waller.
Flyfishing for Pacific Steelhead. Advanced Flyfishing for Pacific
Steelhead and Flyfishing for Trophy Steelhead.
(All previous issues are stored in the ARCHIVE
for your convenience)
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These are still the best videos ever done and responsible for more
anglers being introduced to the magic that is steelhead. Some footage
on the Deschutes River, but most of the videos take place on the
Dean and Babine.
More Videos
Stream fishing- The Trout and the Stream with Rick Hafele. Rick
an aquatic entomologist, shows you where trout will lie in pools,
runs, rapids and riffles and what the trout's food preferences are.
Invaluable for reading the water and fishing the productive spots
where the trout are and avoiding the spots where they aren't.
Fly-fishing Trout in Lakes- Brian Chan, a BC provincial fisheries
biologist from Kamloops has two videos, Flyfishing Stillwaters Volume
1 and 2. Here Brian shows you the major items in the trout diet,
how to imitate, how to retrieve, what line to use, boat or float
tube setup, and other special techniques. If you know 10% of the
content of these videos you will be ahead of 90% of the rest of
the anglers.
Salmon Mooching- Salmon Fishing Techniques with John Maynard. John
is a salmon guide and shows you how to cut and prepare bait, tie
the knots, boat setup and the important strike and hook set. This
is the best video to learn the extremely productive ways to fish
cut baits.
Fly Tying-The Fly-Tying Techniques of Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh
volume 1 and 2. Originators of two of the most effective patterns
in the world, the Clouser Deep Minnow and Lefty's Deceiver, Bob
and Lefty have been tying and designing flies for over 50 years.
It's not about specific patterns, but the tricks they have learned.
Simple and quick methods to help you tie effective and durable flies.
Above are only a few of the videos available, but they are key
ones. There are many others that are specific to a certain method,
or certain species. Many are just a "me and Joe" went
fishing type of video, where you don't learn anything.
TV
On TV there are a few very good fishing shows. OLN carries BC Sportfishing,
which is getting better and better all the time. Mark Pendlington,
the host, strives to leave the viewer with important info and tips.
Sportfishing on the Fly has good info and usually ends with a flytying
segment of proven patterns. Bob Izumi's Real Fishing is well worth
watching but many of his shows are eastern based and bass, walleye,
and pike are the main targets. I will watch just about any show
that contains fishing, but there are exceptions to every rule. There
is a show called the Dimestore Fisherman. What can I say about the
dimestore? I wouldn't give a nickel? Best watched with the mute
button in hand.
Next week some of the best fishing books to curl up with over the
long winter and some great Internet fishing sites.
More of Bob's photos on the Photo
page
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