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NEWSLETTER #31A -
DECEMBER 2004
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Leland Fly Fishing Travel Newsletter - December ’04
(A)
TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE:
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BUSH STREET “DESTINATION DAY” Thursday, 12/16 – EARLY SEASON AT NORTH PLATT LODGE
FEATURED
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ANSWERS: “Why” and “How” to learn to salt water
fly fish
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WORLD CLASS STEELHEAD: Report on Babine
Steelhead Lodge
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TRIP REPORTS: New Zealand and North Platte
Lodge
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FALL DELTA STRIPER REPORTS
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SECOND DEC. NEWSLETTER COMING FEATURING BELIZE
COUPLES/FAMILY OPTIONS
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FANTASY FISH AND DAYS
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QUIPS AND QUOTES
This is the thirty-first edition of our monthly
newsletter with updates on great fly fishing venues
and insights for our traveling fly fishers. We want
to help you match the right location with your fly
fishing goals and objectives and properly prepare
you to fully enjoy the experience. We’ve been to
most locations and pride ourselves on our ability to
research new sites. One of our services is to
compare and contrast different lodges/outfitters.
Whatever unbiased information on timing and
locations we can provide comes at the same cost to
you as booking direct – i.e., no extra cost.
BUSH STREET SHOP DESTINATION DAY, THURSDAY, DEC 16 –
EARLY SEASON AT NORTH PLATTE LODGE FEATURED
Next Thursday, Nov 16, has been designated as our
monthly Destination Day in the Bush Street Shop.
I’ll be in the shop from 11:00am through the
evening. The scheduled slide presentations will be
12:30 and 5:00 and feature one of the most
productive early season options in the US – the
North Platte Lodge. For the last four years, we
have been sending clients who want a great early
season US trout experience here and the feedback
we’ve received has been very positive. This year,
we are holding some space at North Platte for this
early season period. Openings still exist for these
time frames:
3/17 - 21 (3 days fish)
3/21 - 26 (Easter Special $200 discount - 4 day
fish)
3/28 - 4/1 (3 day fish)
4/1 - 6 (4 day fish)
4/10 - 14 (3 day fish)
Prices - 3 day fish, 1125pp based on double
occupancy and shared guide
4 day fish, 1500 - Easter Special
week, 1300
Personal slide presentations by appointment can be
scheduled on any of our destinations. Let me know
if you’d like to make an appointment and what
destination you’d like me to be prepared for. Drop
in and say “hi” and let’s discuss the exciting
possibilities of fly fishing travel.
“WHY” AND “HOW” TO LEARN TO SALT WATER FLY FISH
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HOW
- In the last few months, it seems I’ve had
lots of conversations relating to the subject of
salt water fly fishing – i.e., the shallow water
flats. The most common question I’m asked is
how difficult is it to learn the skills
necessary to enjoy the challenge. The simple
answer to the “skills issue” is that you should
learn to throw 40-50 feet of line directly into
the wind with a degree of accuracy. If your
“skills” can get that done, you have a good
foundation to build from. How to acquire those
skills? Practice is an important element……. but
you must be practicing the right things. It’s
best to take some lessons to get you on the
right track. To accelerate your progress,
consider taking a hosted trip to a salt water
destination with one of our shop veterans.
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WHY
- Why learn how to salt water fly fish? In
short, there’s an exciting array of electrifying
fish you can pursue in stunning tropical
environments. The size and strength of salt
water fish far exceed the fresh water
varieties. And, most of your salt water
pursuits will involve the “hunt” – i.e., the
extra added element of stalking and sight
fishing. Lastly, learning to salt water fly
fish will make you a much more effective fresh
water fly fisher.
WORLD CLASS STEELHEAD: Report on Babine Steelhead
Lodge
When the Babine Steelhead Lodge decided to go
“public” last year, we were there to negotiate
rights to one of their prime weeks for this season –
Oct 8 – 14, 2005. Below is a condensed version of a
report from a steelheader who has been fishing the
Babine from the upscale Babine lodge, the Silver
Hilton, for years. This year, he moved upstream to
the BSL and here’s his comments:
“This year several of us from Texas fished
the Babine from the Babine Steelhead Lodge for the
first time. Our 8 rods landed 92 fish with probably
twice that many hooked. Biggest fish was a 25# buck
– two weeks earlier, a 43 x 23” buck was taken
estimated at 37 pounds. It is the best river in the
world for trophy class steelhead. The food was
excellent and the guiding good. I would rate my
experience as excellent.”
John Pettigrove
The prime spots on the lower Dean are full for ’05,
but some space still remains at the BSL for Oct 8 –
14. Call for details.
TRIP REPORTS: New Zealand, North Platte Lodge “Cast
and Blast”
Zoe and Terry Sternberg spent a few weeks hopping
around New Zealand’s North and South Islands with an
itinerary that combined some great fly fishing with
an overall “couples experience.” Excerpts from
their trip report follow (full report available upon
request):
“Our trip was fantastic. Weather varied from warm
and sunny to cold and windy, sometimes in the same
day. We caught some great fish and had a wonderful
time. Needless to say, I’d return to fish with the
guide you recommended and Poronui Ranch in a
heartbeat. I’m hoping to get our kids and their
respected others to NZ so we can share this
together.” See “fantasy fish” section for
highlights.
Phil Dupuis became our first visitor to North Platte
Lodge on a “cast and blast” package – two days fly
fishing and one day bird hunting. Phil’s comment
was “most excellent.” Average rainbow was in the 2#
- 17 inch range with a big fish of 22 inches. There
is just a narrow fall window to book this combo
program and the dates usually fill up far in advance
FALL DELTA STRIPER REPORT – GOOD SEASON!
You may recall last year we reported on Paul Wilms
taking the new record fly caught Delta striper – a
whopping 42 pounds. Paul and fishing friend Mike
Dinega (guide Mike Costello) checked in with an
early Nov. day this fall with over 30 fish taken,
including a 14#, 16#, and 28#. However, just to
prove the delta gods don’t always smile on these
guys they had a tough day two weeks later, working
hard for just seven fish.
Jim Taylor and I had a wonderful late November day
with guide Doug Lovell. We totaled 134 pounds of
stripers released for the day. Most were the 2-4
pound schoolly variety, but we did also have 5 fish
in the 6-7 # range and one each of 8,9,10,11, and 12
pounds. Overall, very good stuff.
SECOND DEC EDITION COMING FEATURING BELIZE
Just not enough room this month so we’re doing a
first – a second newsletter next week. My wife and
I just completed ten days in Belize. While we spent
the majority of our time with our favorite Belize
fly fishing operation, we stayed an extra three days
and checked out two upscale private island
experiences. Both were fabulous - great for
couples, families, and one of them could be an
excellent corportate destination. Worthy of an
in-depth report and next week we’ll report on both
the fly fishing and the islands
“FANTASY STUFF” FOR THIS ISSUE
While fly fishing is pursued for many reasons,
having a “fly fishing fantasy” experience is
something we all chase. Once in a while it actually
happens and this column is devoted to sharing those
special moments/days.
The fantasy stuff this issue comes (as it so often
does) from New Zealand and the Sternberg’s early
season trip. Zoe’s top highlight included chasing a
big rainbow over half mile downstream from where she
hooked it. Terry reports that her guide, Kevin, was
hanging on to her as she waded back and forth,
sometimes in deep water, crossing the stream in the
chase. They did get the photo.
Terry had one of those days that, to my knowledge,
only happen in NZ. Sight fishing the entire day,
hooking over 10 fish, and releasing a combination of
eight browns and rainbows with a collective weight
of over 40 pounds.
QUIPS AND QUOTES
Classic Martin McCord (our favorite long time Belize
guide and friend) quote while poling across a
beautiful 3 foot deep tarpon flat: “If you see a
big log, get ready to cast because there are no logs
on this flat. Just try to find the head first.”
LELAND-FRONTIERS AGENT AGREEMENT
In addition to the many great destinations that we
represent, Leland Fly Fishing Adventures also has an
agreement with Frontiers to represent all their
properties (many of which we already book
independently). If you are considering any of the
destinations that Frontiers offers, please give us a
call as it’s virtually the same process as booking
through Frontiers, and we need the “bonus points.”
And, we may have some personal experiences that can
add to your knowledge and preparations.
Either phone or drop us an e-mail if you have
questions or would like more information about any
of our destinations.
An enthusiastic traveling fly fisherman,
Don Muelrath
Leland Fly Fishing Adventures
888-347-4896
flyfish@napanet.net
www.flyfishingoutfitters.com
e-mail Josh Frazier at
Josh@flyfishingoutfitters.com
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