"The leaves seen through my window pane remind me that it's time to move my life again. November sun is felt by none, a chilly breeze has blown my thoughts to what's to come." - WSP

Photo by: David Cannon

“In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.” - Ansel Adams

October!

By: Matt Wilson

The month in general brings a party-style buffet of awesomeness to sportsmen from coast to coast. College and Pro football is in full swing, MLB World Series, archery season opens in several states, rednecks loving on NASCAR, fat kids loving on Halloween, and anglers loving the start of the Brown trout spawn.

Hormones start to rage in these spawning fish due to shortened days and decreasing water temperatures. The key ingredient during the spawning season is light. Egg development in female brown trout is stimulated by the shortened daylight hours of the fall season. According to the Wild Trout Trust, a typical female Brown trout will produce 900 eggs per pound of her body weight. From the same source, mortality rates among first year trout is typically greater than 95%. With these astronomical odds, keep a wary eye as to not wade into any redds (trout spawning areas) during your next fishing trip on your local river.

In many cases, spawning browns can be seen individually or paired in very shallow, riffled water. This is prime time to capitalize on the opportunity to catch these vulnerable browns while they’re in a very aggressive and agitated state. Presentation trumps specific fly patterns. The same brown that would only take a tiny sulphur emerger back in the summer is likely to accept larger, more suggestive offerings during the fall spawning season.  Wade slowly and take the time to scout out the riffles, runs and pools you typically cannonball into and speed fish. Be patient and persistent- it will pay off.

The wild brown in this video ate a weighted squirmy worm last week below Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee tail water.

Good things,

Matt Wilson

Tomorrow's Fishing Tactics

Discussing the next day's fishing tactics this past Summer

Chattahoochee Sunset

Jones Bridge - Photo by: Matt Wilson

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master” Ernest Hemingway

Photo by: David Cannon

Who's Ready For Fall Fishing?

Photo by: David Cannon

She's A Keeper

How do you know that your wife really understands what you enjoy?  She gets you a grooms cake like this one at your wedding.  Yep, that's a cake.  

"It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope"

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope."  Dr. Seuss

Crab Pattern Sunrise in the Low Country

Waiting on the tide to flood in the Low Country 

Tie One On This Weekend!

Tie one on this weekend! www.waltersflyrods.com

“I had seen a little and knew a lot. Now I’ve seen a little more and know a lot less.” - Micah MacAllen

Walters Fly Rods in Action - Gary Long On The White River, Arkansas

Gary Long checking in again from the White River in Arkansas with this excellent Brown Trout caught using his Walters Fly Rods setup.  Thanks Gary for the excellent photo!

We love seeing our products in action.  Submit your photos using your Walters Fly Rods products to info@waltersflyrods.com

The Chattahoochee Fly Rod and BT12 Fly Reel

The Chattahoochee Fly Rod and BT12 Reel.  Photo By: David Cannon

Walters Fly Rods are now available at Cohutta Fishing Company

Walters Fly Rods are now available for purchase at Cohutta Fishing Company in Cartersville, GA

Catch and Release

Matt Wilson releases a nice rainbow.  Photo by Ken Hardwick 

Walters Fly Rods are now available at Rivers and Glen Trading Co.

Walters Fly Rods are now available at Rivers and Glen Trading Co. in Augusta, GA

Lunch Served On A High Tide

What A Skunk Teaches Us

By: Matt Walters

Yep, I admit it, I got skunked while fishing for a couple hours the other day on the water.  This is an occurrence that has not happened in a while.  My saving grace was that I hooked a fish, but was not able to bring it to net, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

My immediate thought was what in the heck am I doing wrong?  Second thought was, what will I tell my buddy upstream and thirdly what great explanation/excuse can I use to make myself look better. 

Let's face it, we've all had bad days on the water, some worse than others, but when it comes down to it, how bad can a day on the water be?  Sure, you have a streak of good fishing days, weeks, or even years going and suddenly the bottom literally drops out from underneath you.  Whether it is Mother Nature's fault or there was too much fishing pressure or possibly the fish just weren't biting, you name it as there are a ton of great excuses out there, but the fact remains.

In that moment as I made my last cast that day I accepted defeat and went on my way.  Yes, it's frustrating and yes it makes you question your tactics and skills, but it isn't all that bad.  

I told my Dad later that same day that I hadn't caught a fish in a rather depressive tone and he said sincerely with a smile on his face, "well it's better than a swift kick to the ass."  I laughed for a little bit and realized, he's right.  Here you are on a beautiful stretch of water with excellent scenery doing what you love and something as small as not catching a fish can ruin it for you.  

This got me to thinking, is it only about the fish or is about the experience while out there?  I had to back up and think about my Dad's comments.  I think we as anglers get caught up in numbers and catching (for good reason, it's fun) that we forget to stop and smell the roses along the journey and actually realize our surroundings, the landscape, the birds, and other species we encounter while fishing.  I'm not saying that catching fish does not bring the ultimate joy, but we should allow ourselves moments during the day to just sit on the bank and breathe it all in.

The next day I headed out again with a refreshed attitude of enjoying the entire experience and ended up landing a few decent fish (nothing spectacular), but "it was better than a swift kick to the ass."

Happy 4th of July from Walters Fly Rods

Hope everyone has a great Independence Day