The Fly Fishing Coach

11/03/2025

Fall trout fishing can be a blessing. Spent a sunny afternoon catching a few trout and not another angler was seen! A Blood Dot egg and a Pink Squirmy is all I needed!

10/31/2025

First time up to the Lake Erie to chase some rainbows! Fish were scattered and water was back to low but I managed to land one anyway! The peach Blood Dot Egg does it again!

10/02/2025

Last week was a hoot! Fellow Fly Fishers International casting instructors met in Grand Rapids for two days to evaluate candidate instructors. Several passed and I was fortunate to test and pass two candidates. Mark McKinnis from Ohio, and Steve Hiller from Texas, passed the rigorous exam with flying colors and are now Certified Casting Instructors!

At the public event “Fly Fest 2025” Friday and Saturday many seminars and clinics on fly fishing and fly casting were provided by some of the best instructors in the world.

09/09/2025

Check out the update put out by my good bud and great guide Travis!

https://hatchrunflyfishing.com/fishingreport

Just in time for your weekend adventures, Our newest bi-weekly fishing report. A short synopsis of what we’re seeing in and around The PA Wilds.
The fishing continues to improve as the water temperatures continue to decrease.

08/08/2025

The White Fly Hatch is currently underway! To take advantage of this situation, gather your seven weight, night light, and bug dope, and head to your preferred smallmouth water. Be prepared to stay late, as these summer mayflies tend to emerge late in the evening. If you're planning to fish the entire evening, ensure you tie on your night fly before dusk. Bass are relatively undiscerning, so consider using a Popper, Gurgler, White Wulff, or Ol Mr Wiggly. Target individual risers, and if a dead drift doesn't work, try twitching the fly to provoke a strike. As twilight transitions to darkness, swing your fly through the feeding zone and wait for the slow stop and steady pressure before setting the hook. Look for areas with a nice tailout or slower currents near suitable daytime cover, as fish often prefer to feed in shallow water over a deep pool. Go catch some fish!

06/25/2025

Ahhh the falling waters and the rising temperatures hit a redline for trout! So quickly shifting my target to bass is on order. For me it is simple! Grab the ole 9’ 7 wt and a handful of Boogle Bugs. Start the ole slow dance around structure! BINGO!

If anyone wants to impove their casting of the bulky,air resistant, but very effective bass patterns give me a shout!!

06/23/2025

Sure it is hot, but the headwaters are carrying lots of water and holding their cool temps! A little brookie fishing under a dense canopy at 78 degrees is much preferable to 88 degrees in the sun at home!

Looks like the brookies are doing well - this guy is pretty chunky for an Allegheny Plateau native!

06/08/2025

Great day learning how to handle the fly rod. We had beginners all the way to veteran anglers all wanting wanting to improve their skills

05/29/2025

Never pass up a cloudy day this time of year! Tuesday was a premier example! Weather was cool so we did not venture out till afternoon to catch the warmest water temps which ended up about 54- 55 degrees! We were rewarded with both sulphurs and green drakes hatching all afternoon.

My fishing partner stuck with dry flies even though the water was quite high and managed to land several rainbows. Most of those fish were found in pockets of slower water and along the edge of the stream with cover nearby! These fish were taking sulphurs with a vengeance as they were the most plentiful fly on the water!

I stuck with tight line nymphing and picked up many fish, including a couple nice browns, that were hugging the bottom in the high fast water.

Don’t miss out on the next cloudy day! GO FISH!