ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT! 

That’s right!  We’ve teamed with Casters Fly Shop and are heading to Southwestern Virginia.

Date: April 24th and 25th, 2010  (there are only two spots  left so don’t delay!)

Price: $625.00 per person (includes two full days of guiding/instruction, all meals and accomodations on Saturday evening in a private and quaint home on the river).

Guides: April Vokey and David Hise

To Reserve Your Spot Contact:

casters@castersflyshop.com

828-304-2400

Join us for one of these days and get ready for a day of fun, laughs, and tight loops!

Check out http://www.troutpredator.com/ and stay tuned for a very up close and personal interview that the guys worked up the courage to ask.

Please email me at april@flygal.ca for more information or to book a spot.

With Spring around the corner we are trying to get you ladies geared up and ready for the season, locked and loaded with your fly rods and smiles!

Join us in Chilliwack, BC on Saturday May 15th, 2010 for a dry land clinic that will have you fully comfortable with your fly rod and excited to hook into some fish!

Date:  May 15, 2010

Where:  Chilliwack, BC

Time:  11:00-3:00

Cost: $100.00 (lunch included)

Details:  This is a great workshop for women looking to meet other female fishing buddies, as well as women looking to partake in unique and unforgettable entertainment.

Our womens fly-casting workshop is a dry-land clinic, including both a theory and a hands-on session.

For those of you who have excelled past the beginning stages of casting and are looking to improve your distance or fix your bad habits, please contact us at april@flygal.ca to book an individual lesson.

Please contact april@flygal.ca to reserve your space.

Maybe this year you could have your shopping done BEFORE Christmas eve.

In all seriousness though, Fly Gal in now offering Gift Certificates of all denominations readily available for immediate distribution.  You can even order and then print them out yourself….  How’s that for quick?

Gift Certificates are good for one year from the issue date and can be applied to all Fly Gal merchandise, courses (yes even the traveling kind), guided trips and custom fly orders.

We are currently in the process of adding several new items to our catalogue.  Here’s a sneak peak at some of our new product that is ready for Christmas purchase.

Please contact april@flygal.ca to order.

Our new custom hand-crafted leather fly wallets (with hand-cut horn buttons and wool interior).   $130.00

Knit cap with visor.  Keep her head warm and still look hot!   $19.99

(Front)

(Back)

Fly Gal Fitted Zip-Up Hoody (*New in pink/black).  We also have these in White/Turquoise (not pictured).  $44.99

Flex Fit Fly Gal fitted hats.  If pink’s not your thing, then green or yellow are always ready as a backup.   $24.99

*New!  Military style fitted hat.  Available in colors below.   $24.99

Fly Gal Logo Decals (available in blue, pink, white, black, lime green and purple).  $3.00

Don’t underestimate the thoughtful gift of custom flies (designed and tied by Ape)….

A custom order for a New York steelhead bum.

So as if you don’t already have enough shops flashing their sale lights at you tempting you to shop, here I am encouraging you to do the same; only not in shops of potpourri and sales clerks and certainly not in a mad rush of chaos on Christmas Eve.

Happy Holidays, Happy Steelheading!

Ape.

If you’ve read my first Iceland Blog, you’ll know that I have fallen in love with Iceland, it’s Atlantic salmon, and it’s hilarious residents (Rabbi).

So, a month later I teamed up with fellow Fly Max Films (www.flymaxfilms.com) hosts and brothers Naoto and Yoshi Aoki to head back to the “land of ice” to fish our asses off and capture it all on tape.

These pictures should tell the story…..

**Photos all taken by Yoshi and Naoto Aoki.

So, all I wanna know is….who’s coming back with me next year?

Email me at april@flygal.ca for more info.

BC Steelhead make me ogle too…

Well, Fly Gal is proud to announce that we have teamed up with Nicholas Dean Lodge (www.nicholasdean.com) in Terrace, BC to offer some of the most memorable steelhead (and salmon) trips in the country!

Nicholas Dean is a fabulous lodge, fully equipped with a gourmet chef and top notch guides.

The Skeena and Copper Rivers are only two of their licensed world-class rivers and I am proud to associate my name with theirs.

I will be guiding with Nicholas Dean Lodge and am taking bookings NOW.

There are still several spots open for this Fall season, and we are booking steady for next year.  Please contact me directly at april@flygal.ca to answer any of your questions or help you to plan the steelhead trip you’ve only ever dreamt of!  I’d love to guide you into that fish of a lifetime!

The following bonus offer is on now….

Any clients to pay a 50% deposit for a 2010 fishing trip prior to October 1st, 2009 will be booked in at the 2009 rates (which I may add are more than affordable!)

Stop talking about it and do it!

Talk to you soon,

Ape.

Alright!  A quick update on fly-casting schools and fishing trips that may be near you….

Tulsa, Oklahoma

August 29th.  10am-4pm

Five Oaks Lodge.

Ladies intro to fly-casting course.

Lunch Included

Email april@flygal.ca for prices and additional details.  Waders not necessary.

Mountain Home, Arkansas

October 10th.  10am-4pm

Ladies intro to fly-casting course.

Lunch Included

October 11th.  10am-4pm

Open to all (yes guys, you too)!  Advanced and beginning casters welcome.

Lunch included.

Call the Mountain River Fly Shop at 870 435 6166 to book.   Waders not necessary.

British Columbia, Chilliwack

September 19th and 20th.  Women’s full weekend and overnight on the water retreat.

Inclusions:

Two 8 hour days on the river (learning to fly-fish and fly-cast, while fishing for salmon in the Fraser River).
Shore side Barbecue on the river each day.
Accommodations at The Fraser River’s Edge B&B  www.fraserriversedge.com
Breakfast (Saturday/Sunday) and dinner (Saturday).  Welcome cocktail and appetizers on Friday night.
Jet boat transportation to and from the fishing site and a scenic jet boat ride up the Harrison River.

Bahamas

March 20-27th 2010

South Andros, Bahamas.

This is a week long ladies only Bone Fish trip in the Bahamas!  Get ready to meet some amazing new fishing buddies and have fun that only ladies can!

Email april@flygal.ca for more info.

Patagonia

February, 2010

Stay tuned for exact dates and further details.

This is a week long fishing trip open to everyone and guaranteed to be one of our top sellers!

Contact april@flygal.ca for more details.

As previously published in Chasing Silver Magazine

*Note- all flies are designed and tied by April Vokey.  For more information on purchasing any of these flies contact april@flygal.ca

British Columbia is world famous for its majestic rivers and legendary steelhead.  A truly unique fishery, B.C. is home to steelhead twelve months out of the year where they are pursued by determined anglers who brave all the accompanying elements; icy guides, subzero snow storms, rugged hiking and treacherous wading are all factors that the serious angler will endure.

Matt Moisley knows what I’m talking about.

The arrival of West-Coast steelhead tends to be most abundant as the weather begins to cool down, typically drawing the fish deeper into the pools and often times easing their aggression.
To stay in the game, seasoned anglers rig up their Spey rods with sink tips, and tie obnoxious flies to help coax the fish to bite.

Brrrr.  Ape with a double striper.

I remember the first steelhead I caught on one of my own fly patterns.  The breeze was cold and fresh snow laced the felts of my wading boots.  This was my favourite time of year.  Freezing temperatures kept a majority of anglers indoors, allowing us diehards to menace the rivers in true steelhead bum fashion.

Never a huge fan of nymphing or dead drifting, I always loved the concept of swinging a fly.  By casting towards the opposite bank and allowing my fly to sweep intrusively through the current, I was able to cover a maximum amount of water.  Working my way through the run, I would envision an aggressive buck tickled by the teasing feathers of my fly before lunging forward to attack.  Every step I made felt like one step closer to an epic battle.

Working the run (Michael Davidchik photo).

I had spent the entirety of my pre-season evenings behind my vice, stocking my fly box in preparation of this much-anticipated fishery.
I had always been drawn to the art of tying flies.  Such a male dominated sport, I got a kick of how incredibly feminine steelhead flies tended to look.  Popular flies with names like Showgirl and Cotton Candy, provoked me to take advantage of my creative side and display my ‘girly’ traits through my fly-tying.

Ape at the vise.

So there I stood with an overloaded fly box that looked like a foam lined candy store.  I sorted through my flies until an aesthetically pleasing pink and blue intruder variation, stood out from the rest.  I tied it on and cast it into the seam.  Half an hour later, it was “fish on” and I had landed myself a heavy wild buck.
It was at that moment that my love for the feminine pink pattern secured itself as my favourite and, to this day, remains on the top of my “preferred flies” list.

A pretty typical fly seen hanging out of most of my fish’s mouths…..

The beautiful thing about fly-tying is that the tyer can showcase their creativity and originality through their invented patterns.  As long as the fly appears to come to life in the water (which is the reason why Ed Ward‘s attractor pattern, the ‘Intruder‘, became such a big hit in B.C. several years ago) or is a reasonable imitation of a natural aquatic species, the tyer can create countless unique and efficient concoctions.

Different lighting and water conditions are all important variables when it comes to steelheading.  I make sure that at all times my fly box consists of a variety of flies suitable for all conditions.
Dark, bright, small and big flies all have their own unique purpose.
I find myself fishing dark flies when the water is murky, and bright ones when the water is clear.
The size of my fly usually depends on the level of the water, however I find that typically low and clear rivers fish best with smaller patterns.

But it’s not always that simple.  Different strains of steelhead sometimes require different tactics.  Different levels of aggression, time of year, genetic build are but a few contributing factors.
Some fish occasionally throw a wrench into my standard approach, keeping me on my toes.  Though you’ll never hear me complain, for it wouldn’t be fishing if it were any other way.

With this, I give you five of my favourite creations.

*=Note

*I  prefer to tie most of my flies with a trailing hook.  This allows me to replace any dull or broken off points by simply switching the hook, rather than disposing of the fly entirely.

1)    Snip off four or five inches of thin wire, thick monofilament, running line or     something of the sort.
2)    Folding it in half, lay each end on either side of the shank and wrap the thread     over the wire, winding it upwards.  The tie in point should be where the hook     shank begins to curve.
3)    Fold the wire back over and secure it with multiple downward winding wraps of     thread.
4)    Clip any tail ends.
5)    After completion of the fly, use wire cutters to cut the main hook near the bend     in the shaft.

Sugar Pop

Materials:

Pink thread
Silver oval tinsel
Krinkle Mirror Flash
Blue polar bear (or dubbing of choice)
Blue eared pheasant (dyed blue)
Pink rhea
Pink teal
Silver mini flat braid
Pink tinsel
Blue Flashabou
Jungle cock
Kingfisher

Tying Instructions:

1)    Tie in a strand of silver oval tinsel and wrap it up the hook five times, creating a     tag.
2)    Dub in the under fur of blue polar bear.
*Any dubbing will work, though I find that polar bear shimmers the best in the     water, and is the most efficient in preventing the rest of the materials from     collapsing.
3)    Tie in the tip of a single blue eared pheasant feather.  Fold both sides of the     feather fibres rearward and continue to wrap the feather several times until it fans     over the dubbing.
4)    Peel off a side of a rhea feather and tie in the tip (*if rhea is unavailable, marabou     or ostrich can    make a great substitute).  Make several wraps until it fans over the     blue eared hackle.
*You can stack the rhea if you prefer, though it will not result in the same     fullness.
5)    Tie in a strand of Krinkle Mirror Flash on either side of the hook.
6)    Peel a pink teal feather and hackle it over the rhea.
7)    Attach silver mini flat braid, pink tinsel, and blue flashabou.
8)    Wrap the mini braid forward, ribbing it with the tinsel and flashabou.
9)    Repeat steps 2-6.
10)    Pluck two small secondary feathers from a jungle cock cape and tie them in as     cheeks.
*Use flat-nosed pliers to pinch the stems to prevent them from rolling.
11)    Lay a kingfisher feather over the jungle cock, again flattening the stem with flat-    nosed pliers.
*The tip of a blue saddle feather makes a decent substitute.
12)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.
*Clear nail polish works just as well (your wife will understand.)

Burnt Orange Prawn

Materials:

Black thread
Gold oval tinsel
Golden pheasant tippet
Orange seal dubbing
Red seal dubbing
Gold Mylar tinsel
Orange blue-eared pheasant feather
Black rhea
Dark orange ring neck pheasant
Tragopan

Tying Instructions:

1)    Tie in a strand of gold oval tinsel and wrap it up the hook five times, creating a     tag.
2)    Tie in a single golden pheasant tippet.
3)    Pre-cut a piece of gold Mylar tinsel and select an orange blue-eared pheasant     feather.  Fold the feather fibres rearward, in preparation of step five.
4)    Dub the orange seal fur in a dubbing loop.
5)    Make two turns with the dubbing loop, securing the ends of the Mylar and blue-    eared pheasant with the wraps of the dubbing loop.  Let them dangle freely, while     continuing to wrap the dubbing loop forward ¾ up the hook.
6)    Rib the tinsel forward through the dubbing, using a pin to free any flattened fur.

7)    Wrap the pheasant hackle upwards, alongside the tinsel.
    Secure with thread and trim all ends.
9)    Peel a side of a black rhea feather and tie in the tip.
10)    Dub and wrap the red seal fur up the remainder of the shank.
11)    Hackle the black rhea through the dubbing.  You’ll only need to make two or three     wraps.
12)    Sequentially stack and layer three ring neck feathers, flattening the stems with     flat-nosed pliers.
13)    Tie in a pair of tragopan feathers as cheeks.
14)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

The Five O-Clock Shadow

Materials:

Black thread
Small gold tinsel
Black polar bear
Red ostrich
Yellow saddle
Black mini flat braid
Silver oval tinsel
Red tinsel
Green tinsel
Red polar bear
Black rhea
Jungle cock

Tying Instructions:

1)    Wrap the gold tinsel ten times up the shank, creating a tag.
2)    Stack in a small clump of black polar bear as a tail.
3)    Conceal the bump from the clipped tail ends with  a strand of red ostrich.
4)    Attach a piece of black mini flat braid, green tinsel, red tinsel, silver oval tinsel     and tip of a yellow saddle feather (one side peeled).
5)    Wrap the black flat braid first, then the green and red tinsel, and lastly the yellow     saddle.
6)    Counter rib over all of step five’s materials with the silver oval tinsel.
*This is to slow the wear and tear of the rib during casting.
7)    Dub in the under fur of red polar bear or dubbing material of choice and make two     turns.
8)    Stack the strands of a black rhea feather all around the shank (top, bottom and     sides).
9)    Tie in a pair of jungle cock cheeks.
10)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Purple Whisper

Materials:

Black thread
Gold oval tinsel
Silver oval tinsel
Turquoise silk
Blue rhea
Natural Amherst
Purple marabou
Cerise marabou
Purple ring neck pheasant

Tying Instructions:

1)    Wrap the gold oval tinsel forward ten times, creating a tag.
2)    Tie in the turquoise silk, silver tinsel, gold tinsel and peeled blue rhea feather.
*To peel rhea, pinch the strands at the tip of the feather and carefully pull down.      The membrane should separate from the stem with all its fibres intact.  This gets     easier with practise but is well worth a few casualties to be able to have such a     remarkable hackle, free of the bulky stem.
When tying the peeled rhea onto a shank, wrap the membrane as though it were     the stem of a regular feather.
3)    Wrap the silk upwards and rib the tinsels atop the silk, side by side up the shank.
4)    Palmer the rhea up the hook, laying it directly beside the previously ribbed tinsel.
5)    Pick out a purple marabou feather that isn’t overly plumy.  Choose a stringy     feather over a fuzzy one to guarantee a crisp appearance.
*When buying packages of marabou, take a moment to take the feathers out of the     package and find the package with the least plumy fibres.  These affordable     feathers can often double as rhea or blue-eared pheasant in many patterns.
6)    Tie in the tip of the marabou feather, fold its fibres rearward, and wrap it forward     several times.
7)    Do the same with a cerise marabou feather.
8)    Tie in an over-wing of three overlapping purple ring neck pheasant feathers.      Flatten the stems with flat-nosed pliers to avoid them from rolling.
9)     Tie in two strands of natural Amherst on either side of the shank, and top with a     pair of jungle cock cheeks.
10)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Wizard of Oz

Materials:

Turquoise silk
Silver oval tinsel
Blue-eared pheasant (dyed blue)
Blue-eared pheasant (dyed purple)
Bright green ostrich
Jungle cock
Blue ostrich
Purple silk
Hammered silver tinsel
Blue tinsel
Gold tinsel
Green synthetic dubbing
Golden pheasant

Tying Instructions

1)    Tie in turquoise silk and silver oval tinsel.  Wrap the silk forward half an inch and     rib the tinsel on an angle atop the silk.
2)    Tie in the tip of the dyed blue blue-eared pheasant and fold both sides of the     feather fibres rearward, while wrapping it forward.
3)    Stack the green ostrich, spreading it evenly around the diameter of the shank.
4)    Tie in a pair of jungle cock cheeks.
5)    Conceal cut off ends with a strand of blue ostrich.
6)    Tie in the strands of purple silk, hammered silver tinsel, blue tinsel and gold     tinsel.
7)    Wrap the purple silk towards the hook’s eye, and rib all three tinsels upwards on     an angle, making sure they’re wrapped side by side.
8)    Dub in a small amount of synthetic green dubbing.
9)    Repeat step three.
10)    Repeat step two with the purple blue-eared pheasant feather.
11)    Repeat step four.
12)    Tie in an over wing of two overlapping golden pheasant feathers.  Flatten the     stems with flat-nosed pliers to avoid them from rolling.
13)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Fly Gal has teamed with two different lodges in both Terrace and Smithers, BC.  To book a trip on some of the world’s best steelhead  rivers, contact april@flygal.ca

As previously printed in the Canadian Fly Fisher magazine (2008).

I have a confession to make.

I’ve always been a sucker for a woman casting a fly rod.

I can’t help but watch in awe as she casts effortlessly into the cool breeze, gently throwing mends upriver, concentrating on her fly’s presentation before stripping the line back in and preparing to cast again.  I try so hard not to stare but, the truth is, I just can’t help myself.

Ade you’re sexy as hell babe!

Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch a tight loop cast from just about any angler, man or woman, but there’s just something different about a cast kissed with a feminine touch.

Ape throwing one out there.

Hello ladies, please allow me to introduce myself.
My name is April Vokey and I’m an avid angler and fishing guide in beautiful British Columbia.  Like so many of you, I’ve been bitten and deeply infected by the fishing bug, and, quite willingly, I allow it to consume my life.

Mathew Moisley photo.

My fascination with  fishing began when I was a little girl.  Never having the luxury of a father or grandfather who was really serious about fishing, the origins of my obsession with the sport has always been a mystery both to me and my family.

Nevertheless, my parents, always huge supporters of quality family time, were more than happy to take my sister and me to spend the day at the water, picnic basket and mini fishing rods in tow.  Although, as children, we had great fun casting worms and wedding bands, it wasn’t until I was old enough to drive, that I was able to take myself fishing and truly learn the ways of the river.

My first car; the Blue Beast (Buick Skylark).  This thing got me to the river and back and was the most reliable fishing buddy I had for a long time.

Getting started was intimidating.  I had a lot of questions and, with no one to answer them, I made my way to the library and took out every book I could find on different species of fish and methods of catching them.

I learned how they fished in the UK and the habits of countless ocean-dwelling creatures, but remained fairly ignorant about fishing in the Lower Mainland, B.C.  For this, I had to seek help from somebody with experience, so I headed to my local tackle shop.

The guys in the shop were more than helpful and provided me with knowledge about the river that I was interested in fishing, making sure that I was properly equipped.  They set me up with affordable gear, drew me detailed maps, and explained the basics of proper river etiquette.

Off to the river (Damn, BC is awesome!)  Aaron Goodis photo.

Little do they know it, but that was a day I will never forget.  Barriers dropped, and fears were forgotten, as I was welcomed with friendly faces, sincerely interested in showing me how to grow in the sport.  In return, that shop gained a loyal customer, never too proud to ask for advice and always eager to share her reports and experiences.

It is a relationship I strongly urge any aspiring angler to commit to.

As my days on the water accumulated and the years passed, a natural progression began. I found myself being lured by the beauty of the art of fly-fishing….. I longed to cast that fluorescent line with ease, my body flowing gracefully and my fly taunting unsuspecting fish as it swung across the current.

It has always seemed romantic to me, a classic sport as old as time, consisting  merely of a patient angler, several trusted flies, fly rod, spooled reel, and sheer appreciation of the tranquil surroundings and therapeutic songs of nature.

I never could, and never will for that matter, wrap my head around why such a poetic pastime has for so long been pursued primarily by men.

April Vokey photo.

Aaron Goodis photo.

Andrea and Jenna ready to rock ‘n roll (Trevor Welton photo).

For the longest time, my friends and family thought I was losing my mind.  Seeing me endure long drives and freezing weather, they knew there must be something extremely unique about this sport that I  continued to stubbornly pursue.

Typical scene of a BC canyon wall.  Looking back now, no wonder my parents freaked….

Even my little sis, Dana, began to understand what all the fuss was about (Steve Morrow photo).

I suppose it was inevitable that I would eventually find myself agreeing to bring some of my close girl friends out with me to share the experiences of a day of catch-and-release fishing on the river.  The outcome proved to be something I’d never experienced before.

As an angler who had always preferred to fish solo or with capable male fishing buddies, I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t slightly concerned as to how the day would unravel.

April and Nicole (Marcel Saring photo).

The truth is, I was completely taken aback by how incredibly enjoyable our time together on the water was.

With conversation not varying much from that we’d exchange over a cocktail on a girls’ night out, we easily lost track of time as we enjoyed our freedom and surroundings—hiking along the river bank, searching for that single adrenaline-packed moment.

It was much like taking a yoga class or a cleansing hike with a close friend—the adventure, movement, relaxation and concentration of fishing provided an escape from all the accumulated stresses of work, home, and life in general.  Spending time on the river with these patient, energetic and persistent women, it didn’t take me long to conclude that having a woman fishing buddy was the link that had been missing for me.

Guide Kate Taylor knows what I’m talking about.

Soon, I began to get phone calls and emails from other friends and acquaintances and, before long, I was taking women of all ages with me to experience a sport which so many of them had an interest in but were too intimidated to try.  These women included co-workers, relatives, friends of friends and guiding clients.

My girl Ashley.

Client Sheila.

It’s such a shame that intimidation prevents so many women from participating in fly fishing.  Afraid of lacking the strength and the skills necessary to be a successful angler, a vast majority of women opt to stick with sports more suitable to the physicality of a woman.  This is truly unfortunate, as there is nothing further from the truth than this major misconception.  In actuality, it is a fact that women are better casting students than men.

Giving a lesson.

Ask any reputable fishing guide or casting instructor, and most will agree that women do indeed learn more rapidly than men.

This is not meant as a put-down of the opposite sex, but rather as an observation of how each sex absorbs instruction and how easily they apply it to the task at hand.  Enthusiastic and open-minded, women sincerely listen to constructive criticism, immediately focusing on improving their faults.  Please note that this is not always the case when receiving instruction from one’s significant other, as that can often cause more harm than good.  You all know what I’m talking about!

Women tend to have a more gentle stroke, controlling the fly rod with careful movements, taking special precautions not to overpower it, the way most men do so regularly.

Maintaining the rod tip’s proper path in casting is crucial, and women are more apt in applying that unexaggerated, delicate motion, in which the tip is prevented from being forced too far back or too far forward on either side of the angler, enabling a sweetly loaded rod which delivers a beautifully timed, tight loop. With the realization that brute strength plays no part in the process of becoming a great caster, the intimidation factor is soon overcome and forgotten about completely, being replaced with the joy of perfect, effortless motion.

Right Shannon?  (Rod Vanderlinde photo)

As a firm believer in equal opportunity and a fishing buddy to both men and women, I have spent countless days on the water with a wide ranging assortment of anglers.

Over the years, some days have proven to be undeniably frustrating, and others, unbelievably picture-perfect.  However, my favourite days are just indescribably……..girly?

Yup!  With bright pink hats and manicured nails, I am self-admittedly a ‘girly-girl’.  I’m simply a woman who likes to play in the water, rather than a diva or a feminist—a serious angler in touch with my feminine side, who spends all of my free time chasing fish in the hope that they, in turn, will chase my fly.

You can be certain that there are more of us out there than you might think there are, and with time, as each woman begins to break through the subtle barrier of what has been up until now a ‘boys only club’, we are slowly finding each other and establishing our own niche.

Sarah Exton is feisty with her red nails!

Although it’s only natural that there will be days when an intense conversation with a female fishing companion is the last thing you wish to engage in while angling, I strongly encourage all women to make some effort to get to know other fellow female anglers in their area, as these fishing relationships do have a lot to offer.  If meeting a stranger isn’t for you, don’t give up, chances are that one of your close girlfriends or co-workers are probably interested in having you take them out for a day or two.  Whether it be meeting someone in your area, or introducing that lovable but completely novice friend who wants to accompany you (remind them that instructional magazine articles for beginners are not gender specific), your local tackle shop should be able to assist you.

A local angler, Radine, who has blessed me with a smile on more than one occasion.

A day of fishing with a female friend is like nothing else, as it forges a bond that only another woman can fully comprehend.  Women speak the same language, and with this advantage in communication, we are able to teach and learn from each other with great ease.  Accepting each other’s flaws and idiosyncrasies, there is an inherent comfort level between us that makes the day so special.

As in Sex and the City (only without the sex and without the city), we giggle as we hike, discussing relationships and life, never fretting about how much we are sweating or how often we have to use the bushes as a bathroom.  It’s a perfect partnership.

A day of fishing full of laughs, girl talk and serious misbehaving….

We hurt from laughing the next day.

Alright Fly Gals, unite!

Stay tuned for a chance to win a free hoody in part 2 of ‘For The Fly Gals’.

Ape.

Every so often in a woman’s life, there is a calling to do something a little crazy (ok, so maybe it’s a little more regular than every so often)…..

Women acting crazy?  Nah…… (What the hell am I doing in this picture anyway?)  (Brian Niska photo).

See, I believe in living life with no regrets, staying true to yourself (and your heart) and living every single day as though it were your last.  You never quite know when your time will come, and you can be damn sure that you don’t want the last thoughts that run through your head to be thoughts of regret.

Sometimes it takes one of these to make you realize just how important those things are…

Head-on at 200km combined speed on the freeway.  Courtesy of a drunk driver who opted to drive after a late night party.  I was heading to the lake to go fishing, trailer and boat in tow….

3/4 ton Chev takes on my little Toyota.  Poor thing didn’t stand a chance….

My accident from last year that opened my eyes.  The result?  Appreciation!
Always find a positive through the negatives, no matter how hard it may be at times….

Remember that fishing is not about the race to the river, nor about the mere bite of the trout.  Life is about enjoying these experiences as a whole.  Treat each day as though it is your last and savour every raindrop, cool breeze, laugh and moment.  Savour your friends, your family and yourself.
For in a world when each breath you take may be your last, believe me when I tell you that these are the things that you will wish you had taken the time to cherish and the time to love.

Dana Vokey (my little sis) taking it all in.  This girl’s the epitome of appreciation.

Anyhow, enough preaching.  Let me get back to my point….

So when my heart called me to spend some time away from BC and venture into the unknown terrain of the South, I opted to get a little crazy and take the leap.
So long as the steelhead weren’t running, I was quite content chasing after trout and bass in good ‘ol Arkansas.

Colby and I found a cute place to stay on a small Spring creek and arranged to teach and aid the clients of Spring Valley Anglers www.springvalleyanglers.com to help them improve their angling and fly tying skills.

Two happy clients in Arkansas (April Vokey photo).

We packed our bags (and kennels) and temporarily relocated to the land of Southern drawls and ‘sweet tea’.

Heading down South.

Naturally, as word spread through friends of mine, stories of the White River found their way to me and began to plague my mind.

The White is famous for its gigantic brown trout, and I was itching to see one.  I had never managed to land a brown, and still had yet to see one in person.

Thankfully, word had also managed to spread to the notable guide and writer, Steve Dally of Mountain River Fly Shop www.mtnriverflyshop.com

Steve is an Aussie who found himself relocating to the USA almost a decade ago.
Perhaps he understood what it feels like to be the “new kid in the neighbourhood” because he sent me a welcome invitation to try and break my brown trout curse.

Steve is one of those witty people who’s able to balance an intelligent sense of humour with just the right amount of dry sarcasm.
This is the sort of guy that I could find myself getting along with…..
We booked a day to hit the water.

Steve Dally working the motor.  (Rebecca Dally photo)

Steve maintains a fantastic blog called Splashes With Fishes www.splasheswithfishes.wordpress.com
I thought I’d let him tell you how our day was in his words….

In the words of Steve Dally…

The cast splashed down deep into a nook in the bank, right where it needed to land.
The mass of wool, marabou and steel composing itself into something fishy enough to attract the interest of the Lord of the Eddy.

Ape casting a fly the size of roadkill, and a sink tip that would make BC steelheaders blush (Steve Dally photo).

The fly sashayed its way out into the current with a BIG shadow below and astern, and closing. It was at about this time I lost my guide cool.

“Strip April, Strip, Faster!  Strip, Strip Strip,” echoed across the water in an Aussie accent….

It would only be later that we got the giggles, as we were both intent on that fish; the one we were after, tracking the fly out further and further, into the current, and right up to the stern.

Here I thought it would have turned away, but now it followed all the way to the rod tip. This brown was not boat shy.

How big? I’m a chronic under estimator when it comes to fish in the water, but it had mid-20s length and big girth; probably 10+ maybe more, it doesn’t really matter.

April’s eyes were huge, and words were coming in a rush. “I didn’t know trout could be so predatory!  Wow they aren’t like rainbows at all.”

And this wasn’t the only monster brown we would meet.

I knew of the April Vokey internet sensation, Simms calendar pin up, fly fishing ubiquitous “hot chick”, television presenter, and the subject of a popular Face Book group “I want to fish with April Vokey”.  All other opinions were based on a few photos, gorgeous though they are.
Since I’d heard she was going to be in the area, I started a little research which lit a fire to get her connected to a White River trophy brown.

April and Colby on their way to ‘the spot’ with Steve.  (Steve Dally photo)

Far from an internet creation, the real April Vokey guides in British Columbia, running rivers and offshore. Here was a person crazy enough not only to go trout fishing just after emerging from the hospital with screws and plates in her foot (courtesy of a major car wreck), but heck doing it out in the back of beyond, and lugging a film camera.

Here was a fish-rat crazy enough to cast monster streamers in the Arkansas humidity all day long for a crack at a trophy brown.

She casts better than I do single handed, and I’m trying to work a trade for her to teach me Spey.
In short as they say April’s  “bonafide” and a kindred spirit.  Even better, she and my lovely wife Becca hit it off a treat; to the point where April could harass me about my word selection when that monster brown chased that fly.

“If only we could get him to stop asking me to take my clothes off…”  April joked, referencing my continual demands of “Strip, strip, strip…”
The girls were shaking with hysterics, and I’m scrambling to defend myself. Ratbags the pair of them.

Poor Steve getting picked on by the girls….

Sometimes it’s the friends you make on the water that overshadow everything else.

April and Colby share a romantic Titanic moment.

But I badly wanted to get her her first brown trout, and a big one at that. We fished hard in all the zones that had been producing, for a handful of rainbows, a few better smacks and quite a few trees.

No animals were harmed in the making of this blog.  (Steve Dally photo)

Then as the day faded I picked up a stick to try and help focus our efforts, running a big Zoo Cougar, trying to stir up a fish.
It was then that I found an aggressive feeder; a big yellow slash shining gold as it missed my fly.  We retied the yellow Zoo Cougar onto April’s rig and ran back upstream for another pass.

Damn, I was thinking, it’s gone as we floated over the zone.
It was then that I heard April say softly, ”I’m on”…

Her 6wt bent hard. It had to be a brown, head down and doggedly pushing towards the tree line. She held that effort and we worked the fish to the middle of the river.
I took a breath at this point, thinking now we had a good shot, when mysteriously everything went slack. Those big browns have mouths of bone and a secure hook set is hard to achieve.

Last fly, last run, last light (Steve Dally photo).

That’s fishing.

Nope I didn’t come away with a pic of “The April Vokey” holding a big brown, but Bec and I had a really cool couple of days fishing, yakking and laughing with April, Colby (her St. Bernard/Coonhound cross), and her friends Adam, Phil and Dalt.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a tower of midges!?

Do you have any idea how many of those got stuck in my lip gloss?

There’s always a shot at another big fish-  oh yeh she’s coming back and we are due, but kindred spirits are a greater treasure.

Steve Dally
________________________________________________________

Thanks Steve!  We love you and Becca too!

I will be teaming with Steve and the Mountain River Fly Shop to put on a ladies learn to fly cast workshop on October 10th and 11th.  I will also be at the Arkansas Conclave Oct 2, 3, 4.
Stay tuned or contact me for further details.

For regular blogs by Steve, check out splasheswithfishes.wordpress.com
And for regular reports on the White and the Mountain River Fly Shop, check out mountainriverjournal.wordpress.com

Special thanks to Gary Flippin for letting us borrow his boat rimshoals.com