Citing the sudden appearance of Proliferative Kidney Disease, a serious illness that impacts both whitefish and trout, this morning Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks closed the Yellowstone from the Park’s northern boundary to Laurel, Montana, which is near Billings. The closure affects all water-based recreation (fishing, wading, floating, tubing, boating, etc.). When we spoke to FWP chairman Dan Vermillion on Tuesday, he indicated that numerous dead whitefish had been spotted on the river near Livingston. Afterwards, the U.S. and Wildlife Service Fish Health Center in Bozeman released the results of tests showing the presence of the disease.
Montana FWP Closes Yellowstone from Park to Laurel
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How to Tie a Cinnamon Flying Ant
Tim Flagler shows how to tie a hi-vis Cinnamon Flying Ant in this week’s featured tying video. Terrestrials are a great choice during the waning hatches of late summer and early fall. This pattern is fun to both tie and fish.
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How to Tie the Foam Beetle 2.0
Tim Flagler demonstrates the steps for tying an improved version of a classic fall pattern, the Foam Beetle 2.0. As Flagler says, “this one uses very thin rubber leg material, as opposed to hackle fibers, to represent legs, and I really think they help. Like all good beetle patterns, this one lands on the water’s surface with a nice little plop and floats right in the film with its iridescent peacock herl underbody shimmering below.”
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How to Tie a Vanilla Iso Parachute
The Vanilla Iso Parachute, a variation on the Iso Iso Baby, is the focus of this week’s tying video by Tim Flagler. Flagler innovates with a soft foam parachute and shows the steps for effectively locking it into place. “I’ve only fished this pattern a couple of times but have done remarkably well with it, despite very tough low and clear water conditions,” says Flagler.
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How to Tie a Puff Daddy Blue-Winged Olive
Matt Grobert shows how to tie a Puff Daddy Blue-Winged Olive in this week’s featured tying video. “This is one of those times where it really pays to be picky about materials,” notes videographer Tim Flagler. “Matt starts with high quality natural dun CDC feathers and takes it a step further by culling a thin stemmed short feather from the herd. The thin stem will allow for more wraps around the hook shank and thus a fuller, more floaty CDC collar.”
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How to Tie a Holy Grail Caddis Emerger
“For those of you seeking a weighty, truly effective, do-all caddis emerger, your quest might well have ended,” says Tim Flagler of the Holy Grail Caddis Emerger. Tim demonstrates the steps to tie this versatile pattern and adds tips for attaching and positioning the bead and partridge fiber legs.
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On Yvon Chouinard and “the Death of the Outdoors”
In The Bullseye, Todd Wilkinson offers his perspective on a recent New Yorker magazine piece that profiles Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia. Wilkinson has been an environmental journalist for 30 years and is the author of the recent award-winning book Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, An Intimate Portrait of 399, the Most Famous Bear of Greater Yellowstone and Last Stand: Ted Turner’s Quest to Save a Troubled Planet.
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How to Tie a Bird of Prey Caddis
The Bird of Prey Caddis is the subject of this week’s featured fly tying video. As Tim Flagler notes, “This is one of those patterns where all the materials work together really well to add movement, realism and general fish-catching goodness.”
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How to Tie a Barr’s Emerger BWO
Tim Flagler shows how to tie a BWO version of the Barr’s Emerger in this week’s featured tying video. Says Flagler: “These little guys work incredibly well, especially when trout aren’t quite ready to commit to taking high-riding dun imitations. There’s no reason not to carry them year-round.”
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Bill Curtis Passes
Long-time south Florida fishing guide and pioneer of saltwater fly fishing Bill Curtis passed last night, according to friends. Curtis was considered a legend by many of his peers and clients. He was most likely the inventor of the poling platform, and the had broad influence over flats skiff design, flats fishing techniques, and flies and tackle. “He was many things to many people,” Chico Fernandez told us this morning.
According to photographer Pat Ford, “Bill was 91 and died peacefully with his daughter in Crystal River of congestive heart failure on October 24th. He worked at Bass Pro Shop till June when his age made it difficult for him to drive.”
Read more about Bill in a profile excerpted from Tideline by Andrew Steketee and Kirk Deeter on MidCurrent.
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How to Tie an Egg Sucking Leech
The Egg Sucking Leech is one of those “save the day” patterns that sometimes works when nothing else will. This week Tim Flagler demonstrates the simple steps for how to tie one on size 12 a Lightning Strike SN1 long-shank hook, and shares tips for creating a well-formed tail with marabou.
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How to Tie a Peg’s Midge
The Peg’s Midge is featured in this week’s fly tying video. As Tim Flagler notes, ” at this time of year, often what appear to be emerger rises are actually trout taking adult midges on the water’s surface. Trout get their top jaw just barely out of the water for only a split second to take the adult midge. It can be very difficult to see this with the naked eye.” The Peg’s Midge is a perfect choice for imitating those tiny flies that appear in late fall.
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How to Tie a Matt’s Midge
Tim Flagler demonstrates how to tie a Matt’s Midge in this week featured tying video. “Matt’s Midge,” says Flagler, “despite its small size, is not too difficult to tie and is a pattern that should be in every flyfisher’s midge box.”
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How to Tie a Nuke Egg
Tim Flagler shows how to concoct a Nuke Egg in this week’s featured tying video. As Flagler says: “The Nuke Egg or Nuclear Egg is an oldie but a goodie. It’s the first true steelhead pattern I ever tied and, if memory serves, that was in the early 80’s. Now, over 30 years later, they’re still easy and fun to tie, and work remarkably well.”
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How to Tie a Steelhead Woolly Bugger
The Steelhead Woolly Bugger is the subject of this week’s featured tying video. As Tim Flagler notes: “I don’t think there’s a fish species alive that won’t take a woolly bugger, and steelhead are no exception. This fly is really nothing more than a beefed-up standard bugger but I do tie them somewhat differently than most people.”
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How to Tie a Steelie Omelet
Tim Flagler shows the steps for constructing a Steelie Omelet in this week’s featured tying video. “For those brave enough to strap on a pair of cleats and battle the ice and snow,” says Flagler, “winter steelheading can be very productive and, if you’re lucky, less crowded.” This is a great all-around pattern for winter steelies.
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How to Tie JC’s Skunk Pygmy Sculpin
JC’s Skunk Pygmy Sculpin is “similar to his Snowflake Sculpin but smaller and not articulated,” notes tier and videographer Tim Flagler. “Fished low and slow, it’s a big fish magnet.” Tim’s guide for tying this great pattern includes tips on working with rabbit fur strips and fitting a sculpin helmet to a hook shank.
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Travis Campbell Moves from Far Bank to Smartwool
Travis Campbell, who has been president and CEO of Far Bank Enterprises for the past eight years, will leave Far Bank and become CEO of Smartwool, based in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Leadership transition at Far Bank Enterprises underscores smart planning, supportive company culture
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA – Jan. 18, 2017 – Far Bank Enterprises, Inc., the parent company of Sage Manufacturing, Redington and RIO Products, announced today that Travis Campbell, Far Bank’s President and CEO of eight years, will become the next president at Smartwool, based in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Smartwool is a wholly owned subsidiary of VF Outdoor, the parent company of The North Face, Timberland, Jansport, Lucy, Eagle Creek, and others.
Larry Barrett, Far Bank vice president of operations and a member of the board at the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, will serve as interim president until a successor for Campbell is named.
“Few opportunities could be compelling enough to lure me away from this wonderful place,” Campbell said. “But those who know me well know the allure of living in a mountain town. The chance to do that, while also experiencing career advancement in the outdoor industry, is just too special to pass up.”
Barrett expressed gratitude for Campbell’s leadership and confidence in Far Bank’s future.
“We have an incredibly strong management team,” he said. “Our company is experiencing record success, and we have every reason to expect that to continue. We can be proud to work for a company that grows leadership talent that companies like Smartwool want to hire.”
The Joshua Green Corporation, an investment company with operations in Seattle, Wash., for more than a century, has owned Far Bank since 1994. The ownership is committed to the company’s strategic plan and fully supports its management team, said CEO Stanley McCammon.
“Thanks to Travis’ leadership and that of the organization’s stellar executive group, the business is in great shape,” McCammon said. “Far Bank delivered record revenue and profitability in 2016, and even better results are expected in 2017. We are full-steam ahead.”
Jay Green, a descendant of Joshua Green and chairman of the JGC board, reflected on Campbell’s path at Far Bank.
“Travis came here as an intern in 2001 and worked his way up to the C-suite,” Green said. “It’s a special privilege to watch a leader grow and develop that way. We wish him the very best.”
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ABOUT FAR BANK ENTERPRISES
Far Bank Enterprises, Inc., is a holding company that has as its subsidiaries Sage Manufacturing, Redington, and RIO Products. Through these subsidiaries, Far Bank is engaged in the manufacture and sale of fine fly fishing rods, reels, waders, fly lines, leaders, tippet material, and apparel. Far Bank is wholly-owned by the Joshua Green Corporation, an investment firm based in Seattle, Wash.
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How to Tie a Rusty Rat
Matt Grobert ties a Rusty Rat in this week’s featured tying video. “It’s a great fly for learning a number of techniques used over a wide range of classic salmon and steelhead patterns,” says videographer Tim Flagler.
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How to Tie Koga’s Bonefish Shrimp
Tim Flagler demonstrates the steps for tying Peter Koga’s Bonefish Shrimp in this week’s featured tying video. “A gifted tier, he’s a fixture at fly fishing and tying shows throughout the country, yet still manages to regularly sneak off to Hawaii and elsewhere to chase bonefish on the flats.”
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