General Info: Weather Patterns

While the weatherman may not always offer the most reliable forecast, anglers should always be prepared for the worst. As the locals say, "if you don't like the weather now… wait a few minutes." The weather can dramatically change in the mountains, so if you are far away from your vehicle you should be prepared with a rain jacket and plenty of water. High mountain peaks are notorious for hiding storms until they store enough energy to surpass the peaks and rapidly charge ahead.

Anglers should always leave the river and set down their rod when lightening is in the area. Your nine-foot graphite fly rod can quickly transform into a deadly lightening rod. No fish is worth risking your life, so head to low ground or leave the area altogether.

Many anglers follow weather patterns in an attempt to predict the quality of fishing. While science is yet to prove what exact factors produce a hatch, we can confidently say that dry fly fishing is usually most productive during overcast days. However, we have fished enough to know that you will never catch a fish sitting inside waiting for the perfect weather conditions.

General Info: River Etiquette

As more people join the sport of fly fishing, the rivers will continue to be more crowded each season. A little common courtesy will help everyone have a more enjoyable day on the river. Even with the crowds, there is plenty of productive water for everyone to fish.

Ask First

If another angler is fishing a run you should give him or her ample room to fish the entire run. In a case in which there are consecutive, productive runs you should ask an angler if they mind you fishing ahead of them.

This simple courtesy may seem elementary; however, when fish are feeding it is very easy for anglers to become over-excited, and as a result of their eagerness they forget that other anglers may be in the area.

Float Traffic

In the last decade, drift boat and raft traffic exponentially grew. The increase in traffic can create a dangerous environment on the river. White water rafts are running into fishing boats with an alarming frequency; and kayakers seem to think they own the river for “play boating.”
River law and etiquette says that the down river vessel has the right away (just like a car on the highway); in turn, it is the responsibility of up river boats to slow and/or maneuver accordingly to avoid the down stream vessel. The only exception to the rule is when kayakers are intentionally stalling in a rapid to play boat. In this circumstance, the kayakers are required to move out of the rapid to allow the up stream traffic to pass safely. Common sense!

Buyers Guide: Technical Clothing

Comfort is key! A day on the river is best spent in comfortable clothing. New materials and advanced coatings create clothing that will keep you on the water during any weather pattern. New material blends feature quick dry technology and sun protection. Some manufacturers even offer shirts treated to repel biting insects. Custom-tailored designs offer strategic ventilation and specialized tapers for added comfort during extreme conditions and extended periods of casting. While colors may be a fashionable trend, we suggest you choose neutral colors to help camouflage your approach when stalking weary fish.

Technical fishing pants feature dry fast materials to keep you comfortable even when you wade a little too deep. Some pants are designed with a swimsuit lining for anglers who prefer to wet wade. Other models feature zip off legs that convert the pants into shorts. While many of pants have numerous add-ons, many anglers prefer a minimalist approach because fly line always seems to snag on any loose clasps.

As simple as it may sound, be sure to equip yourself with a baseball hat or bucket hat. Besides added sun protection, a hat will protect you from errant casts and help you see fish better.

During the winter, proper layering is the key to staying warm. Appropriate layers will help whisk away moisture from your skin while also holding your body warmth in to keep you warm. WindStopper® polar fleece will not only keep you warm it will also stop the wind.

Buyers Guide: Wading Gear

The increased popularity of fly fishing has benefited the industry by placing an emphasis on both comfort and function. This new trend is most evident in the advancement in wader technology. Neoprene waders, commonly referred to as Rubber Pants, are old technology. Today, the fly fishing industry overwhelming prefers breathable, lightweight waders. Not only are these waders more comfortable, they are also more functional during various fishing conditions and locales.

Gore-Tex®

Top of the line lightweight waders feature Gore-Tex® linings for increased comfort and breathability. The Gore-Tex® lining helps wick away moisture to keep you cool during the summer and warm in the winter. Moderately priced lightweights use a waterproof coating to mimic a Gore-Tex® membrane.

For Winter Conditions

Many anglers believe neoprene waders will keep them warmer during winter fishing; however, using proper layering with lightweight waders will keep you warm and comfortable even in the coldest temperatures. Similar to modern ski wear technology, lightweight waders use your body heat to keep you warm.

Fitting

When fitting lightweight waders, you should have enough room to comfortably crouch to land a fish or be able to traverse a fence. Be sure to have enough room throughout the waders to add extra layers for more warmth.

Wading Boots

Once you choose a pair of waders, you need to select a quality pair of wading boots. Your boots should be comfortable enough to hike into a river and to wade extended hours. Besides comfort, your boots need to have ample room for wool socks and room to wiggle your toes to avoid numbing. Finally, the boots need to offer sufficient stability to secure your ankles over unstable terrain and slippery riverbeds.

The sole of a wading boot aids your ability to safely wade various riverbeds. Traditional felt soles are the industry standard and provide traction on all surfaces. AquaStealth® technology is the newest sole for wading boots. This traction technology collects less mud and snow and grips even the slipperiest rocks. Both types of soles can be fitted with metal spikes for even more traction to cut through slime covered rocks; however, metal spikes will ruin the inside of a drift boat, so you need to remove the spikes before a float trip.

Buyers Guide: Flies

The most intimidating part of fly fishing for many novice anglers is the seemingly countless fly patterns available. Cutthroat Anglers alone stocks over 2,500 individual patterns. While there is no "go to" fly for trout fishing, the easiest way to start filling your fly box is to purchase what you need for the day you plan to fish.

When to Buy

We suggest you wait to purchase your flies until you are at a local fly shop. Local shops will be able to provide you with updated fishing conditions to narrow your fly choice to a few specific patterns. If you purchase your flies in bulk before heading to the river chances are you will end up with a majority of fly patterns that will not maximize your hook up percentage.

Build Your Fly Boxes Gradually

Cutthroat Anglers hosts over one thousand days of guided fly fishing trips per year, and less than 1% of our clients arrive with the exact patterns necessary to match the specific hatch they will encounter during their respective day on the river. Until you stock hundreds of different fly patterns in your personal inventory, we recommend you purchase a few specialized patterns each time you fish a new river or an old favorite under new conditions.

The more you fish, the more flies you will compile until eventually you build a respectable collection. Our guides usually carry hundreds of different fly patterns in their vest when they hit the river, and still they will purchase a few local patterns when they travel to a new river.

Buyers Guide: Choosing the Right Fly Line

Trout fishing has two line categories - Double Taper (DT) and Weight Forward (WF). DT lines have identical tapers at each end. This means when one end wears out, you can flip it over and use the other end. WF lines have a long running line section that taper into a much thicker head area. These tapers cannot be flipped over.

Performance Advantages

Each line type has its own performance advantages. DT lines are good for roll casting, and delicate presentation in small line weights. WF lines are typically easier to cast and come in more variations for special purposes. WF variations include, wind-cutters, bass and pike tapers, triangle tapers, spring creek tapers and more. WF lines typically cast better both at short and long distances and present the fly more delicately.

Advanced Coatings and Specialized Tapers

Different lines have different price points. More expensive fly lines feature advanced coatings and specialized tapers. The specific materials and coatings used for a line greatly determine the performance of a fly line. Top quality fly lines will float higher and cast much easier than less expensive lines.

Our Recommendation

On average, we sell WF fly lines 9 to 1 over DT fly lines. Today’s fly lines utilize advanced coatings that result in your fly line lasting longer than lines produced a decade ago. Since WF lines are more versatile, we recommend anglers match the appropriate WF line to their respective rod. Any member of our staff will gladly recommend a line appropriate for your rod.

Buyers Guide: Choosing a Fly Real

Like most fly fishing equipment, you get what you pay for in a fly reel. But the question is how much do you need. Most trout fishermen rarely require a very high-tech reel. The majority of the time, we are using the reel for line storage. Anodized coatings, machined components, sealed bearings, and precision balanced reels are not necessary for the average trout angler. The most important thing is that the reel does not over-spin.

Spring & Pawl vs Disc Drag

There are basically two types of fly reels - spring and pawl and disc drag. Spring and pawl is an old technology and not nearly as adjustable as a disc drag. A disc drag can be finely tuned to specific settings to match different tippets.

The More You Pay…

The more you pay for the reel the more durable it will be. Not only are higher end reels more precisely machined, they are also built with superior materials. Expensive reels usually weigh less, which helps balance your rod and ease casting strain on your arm.

The Demands of Saltwater

Saltwater anglers require high-end reels to combat the corrosive environment and the speedster fish. The necessary, high-end features are evident in the price point between trout reels and saltwater reels. Trout reels range from under $100 to around $500 for the top of the line. On the other hand, saltwater reels start at over $200 and quickly breach $1000 in price.