Fly Fishing Elitists - Enough Already by Troutbitten

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Troutbitten recently offered an honest take on an old issue: fly fishing has suffered under the weight of its own elitism for far too long. That baggage touches nearly every corner of how people approach the water—from tackle choices down to internal debates over flies and tactics.

As Domenick put it:
"How is fly fishing any better than fishing with gear? It's just not... So fish what you like, and if you don't like how somebody else does, I'd say keep it to yourself."

He also pointed out how arbitrary the boundaries become once anglers start picking sides:
"That elitism—that 'I'm better than you because I have a fly rod in my hand' crap—has sadly carried over and infested every microcosm of the sport... It's ridiculous, because we're all just anglers."

I’d take that a step further: species carries the exact same baggage. You see the same tribal camps, some way too passionate for me, that form around warmwater bass and panfish, stocked rainbows, wild browns, or wild brook trout—often with some groups even claiming their pursuit is somehow purer, tougher, or more legitimate than the next. At the end of the day, it's just fishing. Go have fun.


𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘
1500+ articles about fly fishing for wild trout in wild places.
https://troutbitten.com/

𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧...

Paflyfish Eastern Fly Tying Jamboree 2016

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The Paflyfish Eastern Fly Tying Jamboree is a fun day to get out doing some fly tying with members from the site. Attendees will be able to share in the day tying some of the their favorite flies and also learn from others.

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Everyone is invited to attend and watch the demonstrations, get tips from the tyers, and have a great time. We particularly encourage beginner tyers to attend, and we'll have beginner instruction set up at a table.


All skill levels are encouraged to attend.

Date: Saturday, February 6, 2016
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Slatington, Pennsylvania

We hope to cover many categories including:
- Catskill style dries
- parachute style dries
- comparadun and hairwing style dries
- emergers
- imitative nymphs
- attractor nymphs
- terrestrials
- wet flies
- streamers

Things for you to bring:
All Tools and materials to tie your chosen demo fly. A tying lamp and any extension cords you need – there are an ample number of outlets on the walls behind the tying tables.
Bring any food or drinks you'd like to, but save room for dinner! We'll provide spring water on ice.
It's a good idea to get there and set up your tying gear before 10AM. We'll have access to the hall at the LGNC at 9AM, so please be ready to start tying at 10AM.

We'll also be holding a raffle at 5 PM of donated tying materials and fly fishing gear. Any donations to this raffle are welcome, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, as a "thank you" for allowing us to use their beautiful facility for this event.

We'll be heading over to Riverwalck's Saloon after the event for drinks and dinner. Directions to Riverwalck's Saloon can be found here: http://riverwalcksaloon.com/

Looking forward to a fun and educational day, meeting new PAFF members, and seeing old...

David Weaver's "Scud"

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Great list. This may go without saying, but when you practice casting, tie the yarn to the leader, which is then tied to the fly line.

Fly lines don't fly the same way without a leader.

Streams or ponds with panfish can be a great place to work on your casting. Picking line up off the water is different than picking it up off the law, and the sunnies are usually happy to hit a dry fly.

Paflyfish 2016 Spring Jamboree and 20th Anniversary

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Twenty years of anything is always fun to recognize and Paflyfish is beginning our 20th year online starting December 2015. One of more popular events off the site is our annual Spring Jamboree that will be occurring May 20-22, 2016 at the Seven Mountains Campground in Spring Mills, Pennsylvania.

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The Jamboree is our annual spring meet-up when members from the site get together to fly fish, tie flies, camp and share a few stories. We have folks coming from all parts of the country like: Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida. During the weekend we are fly fishing over some of Pennsylvania's finest streams including Penns Creek, Spring Creek, Little Juniata River (Little J), Fishing Creek and plenty more in the region.

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This year is a certainly special with us celebrating our 20th Anniversary. As we have done over the past five years, we will be holding the weekend at Seven Mountains Campground.

Please contact them if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins and campsites.

We are hoping to plan more activities specific to new fly fishing anglers. I am working on casting lessons, fly tying and even a few trips out on to some of the waters in the area. There are a lot of members on the site that will informally help folks out who may not be familiar with the area. Just check the forums and don't be afraid to ask for some help.

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The pavilion is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu...

Hank Patterson and the CuttyRainBrown Trailer

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Here's the latest from our favorite fly fishing guide Hank Paterson. Here's the trailer for his feature film! Hank Patterson & The Mystery of The CuttyRainBrown! To learn more get over to HankPatterson.com Snap It!

Fly Fishing Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday Deals 2015

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Some great fly fishing deals can be found this time of year and several of our sponsors have provided offers for members on Paflyfish starting today. Be sure to check these deals out while the offers last.

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Montana Angler Fly Fishing
A special offer a 10% discount on our Madison River Lodge package valid if booked between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This would only be valid to folks that mention the "Paflyfish" site special.
Call today at (406) 522.9854 or visit the website here


Trident Fly Fishing
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Deals starting today
• Buy any cheeky reel, get a free line + Cheeky folding knife.
• Buy any full price Winston rod, get TWO free fly lines.
• SA Fly Line Sale
• Hardy Zephrus and Wraith, get TWO free fly lines.
• 20% off Orvis outfits. Starts Deal starts on 11/27
• Save 15% on Lines, Leaders, Tippet - Deal starts on 11/29
Most deals end midnight Tuesday 12/1.


Cutthroat Furled Leaders
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We offer ultimate dry fly furled leaders, nymphing furled leaders, spey leaders, tenkara leaders, and big bug leaders. Cutthroat Furled Leaders has the following deal going for Turkey Day / Black Friday. Sales runs from today to the 30th of November. Save 25% off everything, plus FREE Stuff!!! Your Fishing Buddies Get some great Leaders, you keep the free swag for yourself...
• Spend $30.00, get a free...

Fly Tying Instructions - Son of Sexy Walt's

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Our friends over at Tightline Productions offer up a video instructions on tying Son of Sexy Walt's fly fishing opportunities. I'm a big fan of the Walt's Worm on Spring Creek in Center county and other spring feed streams Looks like a fun fly to try this winter.



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Trout Unlimited - The Way of a Trout

Steelhead Jam Report 2015

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Part of the Lancaster crew arrived in Erie Thursday morning around 930. Elk was chocolate milk so we headed over to 16 mile. The winds were howlin and the waves were capping at 4-6ft out at the beach. We made our way up and found some fish. Jeff made contact with his first steelhead which surprised the heck out of him and promptly came unbuttoned. He was pretty stoked. RickinPa and I each landed fish and it was a good start.

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Friday we met up Friday morning at Follies with FarmerDave and Mucka. Pumpkin whoopie pies were on point and we headed down stream. Mucka ran a clinic on water reading and approach. RickinPa would join in and stick a few older fish. Some chromers but not many.

We headed back to Follie's to find PatrickC's truck in the driveway so we hooked up with him. Patrick had 4 fish in that morning on lower elk so we rolled out. we went to lower Elk and found some fish. Jeff caught his first fish just as that sinking feeling of self doubt was creeping in. He landed a nice lake run brown. After that boost of confidence he picked up the example Mucka set in the morning and started putting on a show. We lost count of how many fish he hooked and landed. He was pretty much shell shocked by the end of the day. Everyone caught multiple fish in multiple spots and it was a really great day. Almost everything was fresh chrome. PatrickC was being a spot-snatcher so I had to follow behind him and pick out a few of the leftover stragglers left in his wake, that guy covers some ground, no camping out with Patrick.

Friday at the Avonia we saw Proformance, moose , art and farmerdave. unfortunately it was packed and we couldn't sit together. next time dudes!

Saturday was a zoo. Mucka, StreamerGuy, Jeff, and I explored some more remote waters higher up on elk and we were rewarded. And for a second day in a row Jeff put on a freakin clinic. dang newbies! Jeff was reading water...

Hank And The Bait Fishers Part 1

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Hank teaches three bait fishermen a few of his fly fishing "methodologies" and "philosophies." What an awesome opportunity for these gentlemen to learn from the best. Snap It!

My Montana Trip September 2015

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I’m fairly new to fly fishing and found the paflyfisher.com site about 4 years ago I began reading everything on the forums, posting questions and taking advantage of what the site had to offer. I attended my first newbie jam in spring of 2012. Then a brush up jam that summer and another fall brush up the same year. Since then I have been attending the mini jams and have attended the main jam the past two years. In this short amount of time I learned so much, met many people who spent time answering questions and taking time to show me how to fly fish.

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So this past winter I felt I was ready to plan a trip to Montana. Not that I would consider myself an accomplished fly fisher, but still thought I was ready to fish Montana with some success. Searching our forum for information on where to go and when to go it seamed like July was the best time to go but I couldn’t make this July and I found hints of information that were saying fall was also a great time to go. So fall it was. Now knowing when I could go it was time to find a guide service. I did more research on our forum and the internet and decided on using our very own site sponsor “Montana Angler Fly Fishing”

My experience with Montana Anglers was perfect right from the beginning. In August I filled out their web form and was immediately contacted by Brian McGeehan, the owner of the guide service. We spoke about my fishing experiences and what kind of trip I was looking for. Within 20 minutes I booked my trip on the phone for late September. We confirmed and finalized all the details with a couple emails, including my lodging. A coupe weeks prior to the trip I was contacted again to confirm everything, make sure I had any questions answered and to obtain my guides name and contact information.

On September 27th I left for 3 days of guided fishing in Montana. I stayed in the Murray...

Rainbow Trout Spawning at the Huntsdale Hatchery

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Every year the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) raise and stock over 3,000,000 trout across the state. With over a dozen state run hatcheries across Pennsylvania, hatchery managers oversee the process fertilizing, hatching and rearing of trout before they are stocked into hundreds of lakes and streams.

James Wetherill is the manager at the Huntsdale Hatchery and takes us through the process of raising rainbow trout from spawning to fingerlings.



The Huntsdale Hatchery has a visitors center with visitor hours daily, 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
195 Lebo Road
Carlisle, PA 17015
Phone: (717) 486-3419

Stonecats for Warm Water Anglers

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In a recent stream report I indicated using a "stonecat" fly. For many PA FFers, this is an unusual pattern and not typically associated with trout fishing. Local river folks who fish bait for smallies, however, are very familiar with this critter.

The term "stonecat" is actually a misnomer and refers to a madtom found in western PA. The fish we have in the Susky/Potomac watershed is actually the marginated madtom. However, local folks have always called marginated madtoms "stonecats." Afishinado will tell you that locals in his home stomping grounds around Wilkes Barre call 'em "catties." They're a popular live bait.


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Stonecat​

Marginated madtoms are a shy, mysterious, largely nocturnal little catfish and many river anglers have never seen one. Bait fishermen often get them by seining weedy riffle areas at night or carefully feeling for them under rocks with their hands. Bass eat 'em like candy and, in my opinion, really key on the image of a stonecat. I love 'em, and stonecat flies are go-to patterns for summer bass for me, especially in clear water.

The fly I was using is one of a series of flies I've designed utilizing paint and craft felt. Like many of my personal patterns, it is realistic and detailed.

A much easier stonecat pattern would be tan or light brown sculpin wool for the head, a tan fur or chenille body, and a long tail of tan marabou. Tie a dumbbell weight Clouser style under the head so the fly swims hook upward and trim the head flat. Rubber band whiskers add a nice touch. The key, however, is to keep the fly very slender and very long.

Marginated madtoms are usually 2-5" in length and have a paddle like tail with a black edge; body is usually pinkish yellow on the ventral, light brown on the...

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