Quebec…I’m In Love…Again

When I was younger, images of the classic fly-fisher casting a graceful rhythm of neon fly line would tickle my imagination and fill my head with visions of gently flowing streams and perfectly silent afternoons.

I would close my eyes, comforted by the imaginary yellow glow of the sun warming my eyelids and I’d imagine that it was me who was standing up to my knees in the crisp river romantically waving my fly rod, tantalizing trout with tiny flies and tempting Mother Nature to shatter the silence with the crashing of a tail.

Oh… fly-fishing seemed so romantic to me.

Enjoying nice weather on the Petite.

As the years passed and I was able to trade my conventional tackle for fancy fly gear, I could hardly wait to actually experience this fantasy.  Ecstatic, I would finally live my dream!  Me on a serene river’s edge; unfettered and free …just me and, hopefully, the fish.

My romantic expectations rivaled any Danielle Steel romance novel….. Looking back now, I chuckle at my naiveté.

Whatever made me think that fly-fishing was going to have fewer people and less distractions than a typical day on the water with my gear rod was totally wrong and I, unfortunately, was in for a rude awakening.

Most of the local rivers were busier than ever and, now with a fly rod in tow, the distractions only increased.  You see, in addition to the regular hustle and bustle of hard-core fishers, suddenly all types of anglers were increasingly chatty and eager to swap lessons, stories and gear reviews.

This was great, but I had more peace and quiet when I carried a bait rod …

I soon came to realize that socializing on busy rivers was all part of the norm, and I welcomed the knowledge and smiles that were directed my way, glad to be making new friends.

Regardless, my fantasies of what fly-fishing entailed were definitely skewed and I concluded that though it was indeed romantic in its own right, it certainly was not the glorified ‘River Runs Through It’ experience that I had once envisioned it to be.

Naturally, as the years passed and my list of favorite rivers increased (along with equally exciting adventures), I inevitably found majestic fisheries that were everything I had ever hoped for and more; right here in my home province of BC.

Huge steelhead, towering mountains, roaring rivers and not a single other angler in sight; this was the dream that had tantalized my imagination all those years before!  But in BC, although there are unique fisheries that are at their prime when the weather is ideal, a typical checklist for BC “big game hunters” includes multiple clothing layers, a fully stocked sink-tip wallet (optional), large weighted flies, and serious wading skills.

While I wouldn’t trade this fishery, including the necessary checklist for any other, there was still something missing from the fantasy that had possessed me over the years.

As time passed I began to accept that there was simply no such thing, and that I was just a dreamer seeking to find the unicorn in a horse…a young and wishful thinker.

This was all about to change….

July 2009 found me on a plane heading to a province I’d heard about for so many years (and admittedly, cursed while enduring the mandatory high school French classes required in high school).

I was on my way to Quebec and although I had no idea what to expect, there were three things that I definitely did know:

1.   Recently bitten by the Atlantic Salmon bug, I had developed an obsession, not only for their chrome, acrobatic and sleek bodies, but also for the skilled and artistic flies traditionally tied to specifically target these wondrous creatures;

2.  Quebec was famous for it’s Atlantic Salmon fishery, and that

3.  I should probably remember some of that French I had “learned” in high school so as to avoid any cold shoulders from the locals… oh, oh….

I was scheduled to fish some of the most famous rivers in the Gaspe Peninsula, all of which held monster wild Atlantic Salmon. Joining me on this trip was Fly Max Films cameraman, Tim Myers.  Together the two of us were on a mission to capture some amazing footage of the elusive Atlantic Salmon for an upcoming episode of our new show, Fly Nation.

We were staying at the Salmon Lodge in the Grand Cascapedia Valley and were eager to get settled in and prepare for our first day of fishing.

We rolled into the lodge (which we later found out was built in the 1800’s) late in the evening and the dark masked our surroundings.  A bright light shone on a small cabin’s front door and the number on the quaint white building told us that this was our new temporary home.

The black of night engulfed the view from our cabin and it was impossible to get even a glimpse of our surroundings.  With no expectations of what Quebec looked like; I certainly had no clue that I was about to be ruined forever!

Morning came fast and the sun warmed the room.  It was time to go fishing!

Stepping out into the daylight, I stopped for a moment to take it all in.  We were right on the Grand Cascapedia, on a bluff overlooking the wide river and plush evergreens from a bird’s eye view.  My God, it looked like BC!!!  It was incredible!

The next week consisted of fishing multiple rivers; the Bonaventure, Grand Cascapedia and Petite Cascapedia were all on the docket list.

Grand Cascapedia

The Grand Cascapedia is one of the larger rivers in the Gaspe Peninsula, and it’s extensive history of angling legends and epic fish battles make it one of the most famous Atlantic Salmon rivers in the world.  If I could land even a single fish here, I was going to be one happy girl.

This was the first of the three rivers that I was scheduled to fish, and I was chomping at the bit to get at it!

One of the most traditional rivers in the province, the Grand Cascapedia is “private” and requires the use of a guide and a special license.  Its water is gin clear and when the fish are there, they are easily visible.  True to form, it was utterly remarkable.

My guide, Clement, had me put on a dry fly (a Bomber) that made casting a sink tip seem easy.  Equivalent to the size of a small bird, the wind caught it mid-cast, making a violent “whooshing” sound as it pushed through the air.

Damn!  This thing was hard to cast and there were fish rolling nonchalantly in front of me in a pool of stagnant water.  This wasn’t my first time attempting to trick fish in unmoving still water.  I knew the likelihood of hooking one of these fish without the aid of a current was highly unlikely, and true to past experiences, try as I might with Bombers, Green Highlanders, and even the notorious Frances…. I couldn’t pay a fish to move.  It was time to try the next pool.

Working down to a very frustrating stagnant pool.

The next spot we arrived at was more my speed.  A long stretch of structured water, the river opened up and a welcomed current flowed gracefully.  “Hello lover”, I sighed and headed down the path.

Clement stopped me.  “Avril”, he motioned.  “This way.”

He pointed at a large canoe (26 feet long to be exact), and pulled it out into the current.  He got Tim and me to jump in while he assumed his position at the bow and we waited for him to pull out the oars and prepare to row.  Instead he grabbed a long pole, stood tall and began ‘poling’ us down the river.

I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I may as well have been fishing the flats for Bonefish!  Apparently, this poling tradition was a longstanding method and I was beginning to understand why.  Clement could see everything from where he stood, and the boat ride was smooth and slow without the obnoxious clanking of oars or splashing of water.

This dude was stealth!

Clement looked at me seriously and drew my eyes to a dead tree, which lay rotting in the water.  Sure enough, on the other side of the trunk were two salmon, their noses pointed forward, swaying in rhythm to the smooth current.

“Cast on top of them”, Clement instructed me.  I was a fumbling mess.  My nerves kicked in and the intrusive sound of the Bomber wasn’t helping.  Thirty casts later we had no choice but to move on, and the three of us settled on breaking for lunch.

Tim and I fiddled with cameras and talked about the upcoming afternoon while Clement set up lunch complete with a small table and chairs.  It was a lunch fit for a King, with only a couple of things missing – an orchestra of violinists serenading us and, of course, my “Mr. Right”.   Clement held out a bottle of Merlot and offered us each a glass.  We chuckled and politely declined.

Our first day ended with smiles and tired eyes.  Although I hadn’t hooked “my” Atlantic Salmon, nothing could dampen my good mood and I fell asleep with visions of jumping fish and thoughts of just how I lucky I was.

Bonaventure

The Bonaventure has always sounded like a Mexican fiesta to me.  The name just sounded fun and the pictures I’d seen of it carried as much character as its name did.

Unique rock floors and the clearest water I’ve ever seen in my life; I questioned if I had just found my new favorite river.

Our guide for today was a man named Roddy.  Nothing short of entertaining, Roddy had me laughing the entire day.  Whoever said that the French take themselves too seriously has yet to meet this man.  He and Tim poked jokes from behind me on the bank and I had to focus hard on landing my casts accurately.

Unlike the previous day, I was fishing a wide run with standard swinging techniques.  A dry line, long leader and small black Atlantic Salmon pattern had me casting a tight loop effortlessly and it swung through the current just barely submerged below the surface.  If this thing actually worked, I just might consider tossing my sink tips in the trash.

Cast, swing, step…. cast, swing, step….  Just like at home.

I had made it to the middle of the run when suddenly the soft loop I held in my rod hand was pulled taut and my fly was attacked by a scrappy salmon!  Instinctively I set the hook and the battle began. Jumping, running, rolling, that salmon fought for its life and I desperately prayed that the fly wouldn’t come loose.

As usual, I knocked on the cork of my rod, a superstitious habit I’ve developed over the years when fighting a fish I couldn’t fathom losing.  Soon enough, the silver bullet of a fish succumbed to the fight and Roddy helped me land it in one swoop of a catch and release friendly net.

Even if I wanted to wipe the stupid smile off my face, it was permanently pasted on and I was grinning like a proud child.

First Quebec Atlantic Salmon.

My trip was made and it was only the first fish of the trip!

Petite Cascapedia

The next couple of days were to be spent on the Petite Cascapedia and we transferred to a new lodge called Camp Malencon.

This truly unique lodge is right on the Petite.  We were greeted by an extremely friendly and gracious French woman, who made sure that we had enough food to feed an army and showed us around our new ‘home’.  The place was huge and fully equipped with a stocked kitchen and sunroom.  I could live here quite happily for the remainder of my angling days.

Naturally, I was under the impression that the Petite was a “petite” version of the Grande and that the fish would likely be smaller.  Boy was I wrong!

The water gleamed a dazzling blue, its beauty far surpassing the expectations I had formed based just on pictures of this river.  It was tropical, though the cool breeze and evergreen-lined embankment reminded me that I was in Quebec, not the Bahamas.

We arrived at the most spectacular run I had ever seen (no exaggeration there).  Clearer than a premium martini, every detail of the bottom of the pool was visible, as were the schools of salmon swarming the hole.

I could hardly contain my excitement as I tied on the heaviest fly my guide, Pat, had in his box.

Just…. can’t…. reach… Errgghh!  I mended and cast as far upstream as I could.  I simply couldn’t get my fly down to the bottom of that pool. I had my eye on a legitimate 25 pounder and was intent on at least turning his head.  I held my breath as my fly skimmed his nose…

Out of the corner of my eye, a looming dark shadow caught my eye.  It was over twice the size as the fish I was casting to, and his silhouette was frightening.  There’s no way that ‘thing’ was a fish!  It wasn’t even possible… was it?

I’d heard stories of dog sharks making their way into the rivers from the ocean, stalking salmon and disturbing the peace, but the way this fish moved was about as fishy as could be and I knew it was no shark.

I started shaking.  The fish was moving at a leisurely pace, but sure enough it was moving in my direction!  I lost all composure and turned to my guide in shock.  His face said it all; this fish was as big as I thought it was and it was nothing short of monstrous!!

I felt like an awkward schoolgirl again, watching the hot senior of the basketball team walk by me in the hall, hardly breathing as I waited for him to even glance in my direction.

As was expected, this scaly “hot senior” made his way past me without a care in the world…or even a glance in my direction.  I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking.

I looked across the river at Tim and the camera pointed in my direction.

“Did you see that!!!”  I yelled over.

“Oh yeah”, he said with the smugness of an uptown pimp, “I got it all…”

Caught on tape; this is one moment I do indeed wish to share.

How could such a beautiful place have gone under my radar for so long!?  I set up my rig with another monster Bomber, eager to take a fish on the surface.

The sun shone brightly and I took off my jacket to enjoy the heat.  Could this be real?  Warm weather, picture perfect water, gigantic fish, dry flies, tight loops and no one around to distract me?  I thought back to all the times I had sought such sanctity; only to head home at the end of the day disappointed and discouraged.  I remembered the fantasy that I had so long ago lost hope on.

Had I finally found it?  Had I finally matched the picture that I had created in my mind when I first entertained the thought of fly-fishing?

As a salmon broke the peace and smashed my fly, I knew I had found my answer.

On my final day of fishing we opted to spend a half-day on the Grand Cascapedia, taking one last shot at the fish of a lifetime.

Our guide, Glenn took us to a long stretch of river that was wide and rocky with overhanging trees and slippery wading.

Glenn pointed to the far bank and matter-of-factly said, “Cast there”.

I looked to where he pointed.  It was a long haul, and I’d left my Spey rod back at the lodge.  Suddenly my single-hander and I felt very small tucked between the boulders with a strong current pushing at my thighs.

Each cast, neared backing and I started to cramp.  My guide showed no sympathy and he pushed me to throw further.  I was beginning to like this guy.  He kinda reminded me of me…. with his “no pity… we’re fishing” sort of demeanour.   He meant business.

We looked at each other as a drop of rain fell from the sky, melting into the river around us.  More soon followed and the sound of thunder bellowed from above.

He looked at me.  “You know”, he said, “we usually wrap it up about now…lightening and fly rods don’t seem to go well together…”

A weather change on the Bonaventure.

But I was determined and I couldn’t let the rain bully me into leaving my last shot at hooking a beauty in the Grand.  I turned to him and grinned to let him know that I wasn’t budging.  He smiled and we continued to cast that ridiculous line as far as I could towards the other side of the river.

As quick as it had started, the rain stopped and the sun smiled through the clouds again.

As if on cue, my line tightened mid swing and the water exploded with a jumping salmon.  “Yes!”

Sometimes the fish that mean the most are the ones that make you work the hardest.

Grand Cascapedia fish….mission accomplished

My trip to Gaspe was truly my most memorable trip to date.  The weather, lodges, guides, fish, rivers, privacy….

Everything I had ever dreamt fly-fishing could be came to life during that week as I sought the pull of the notorious Quebec Atlantic Salmon.

True, private water is always helpful when it comes to seeking refuge, though it was the Quebec experience as a whole that sealed my opinion of this flawless fishery.  Days like these are the reason I started fly fishing in the first place and to find a love like that is not to be taken lightly.

This is a spectacular trip, and I highly recommend it for anglers wanting to learn what all the fuss is about and experience the thrill of hooking an Atlantic Salmon.

The prices are no more expensive than any other fishing lodge and the experience will stay with you for life.

Contact the Salmon Lodge at http://www.thesalmonlodge.com/ for more info.

Southwestern Virginia Ladies Learn To Fly-Fish Weekend- Only 2 Spots Left!

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

New York! Who’s Coming?

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.

Iceland Teaser

A quick teaser from our Iceland trip earlier this year….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYpL4fo_36I

Check it out!

Keep your eyes open for the show, Fly Nation, a Fly Max Films production.

Mountain River Fly Shop Ladies Learn To Fly-Cast Follow Up

Last weekend I headed over to the Mountain River Fly Shop www.mtnriverflyshop.com to visit with friend Steve Dally, do a little fishing, and teach a ladies learn to fly-cast class.

The women were fantastic, Steve was a hoot and fishing…..well, you can call me the rainbow queen, but I’m still waiting to catch that damn brown trout!

A short photo recap (photos by Steve Dally).

Everyones favorite….knot tying.

So serious!

Daughter teaches Mom…

Mom pouts.

Who says learning to cast isn’t fun!?

She was a natural!

Can hardly contain the excitement!

You go girl!

If you can control a stick, you can control a fly rod.  Rid of intimidation from the start.

Thanks ladies!  You were all amazing!

We will be having another ladies learn to fly-cast class on November 7th.  There are only several spots left, so don’t wait too long to book!

Contact Steve at the Mountain River Fly Shop at 1-870-435-6166 to reserve a space.

Hope to see you soon,

Ape.

Flies For Fins Finale!!! Help Me, Help You, Help The Fish!

When I first launched Fies For Fins earlier this year, the response from people was tremendous!  Flies from all around the world made their way into my mailbox and I couldn’t help but feel inspired….

Japan, Ireland, Oregon, Denmark, Newfoundland….You name it and there were flies sent from there!

People were kind and donated not only their flies and other cool product, but their time and best wishes as well.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to these people (even though it has kept me busier than hell!)

In fly sales alone we have made over $3,000 (exact specifics to be announced when I have collected all payments from the shops).
So as the steelhead season in BC’s lower mainland slowed to a halt, I felt it was only fair to the shop owners to pull the FFF boards from their stores and add their remaining flies to my ever increasing stock here at home.

Aware that getting people to buy the flies may prove to be a tricky task, I’ve gone about it in a way that I feel anyone would be foolish to resist…..

Here’s what I’ve done:

I have arranged all the flies into “goodybags”, pre-packaged and ready to be shipped!  All proceeds from these bags go to the Steelhead Society of BC for habitat restoration and other improvements….

The goodybags are arranged into several different categories….

10 for $10.00 (though you may find one or two extras thrown in there).  These flies are basic steelhead flies and are ready for you when you are!  This breaks down to less than $1.00 a fly, plus you’re helping out a good cause.  Seriously, how can you go wrong here!?

10 for $20.00 (again, you may find one or two extras).  These flies are damn goodlooking steelhead flies.  Intruder variations and all sorts.  The material is worth more than what these are going for.

10 for $30.00 These steelhead flies are pimped!  If you don’t pick up these ones, I will.

10 for $15.00 Atlantic Salmon (Double Pronged) Flies Traditional Atlantic salmon patterns (ex. Green Butt Skunk) that are beautifully tied (warning: these are double hooked so beware of your local fishing regulations.)

I need your help to clear out these flies!  They are beautifully tied and looking for a good box… I’ve packaged all bags fairly and more than affordable; I’m not in the business of trying to piss people off  : )

All you have to do is:

1)  Mail me a cheque (or money order) made out to the Steelhead Society of BC.  The address you can send it to is:

47075
Quarry Road
Chilliwack, BC
V2P 7X5

Canada

2)  Make sure you let me know where you’d like your order mailed to as well as a contact number just in case if I need to reach you.

3)  Include $2.00 on that cheque amount for Shipping and Handling.

4)  Order as many packages as you’d like (note: you’ll only need to pay the $2.00 S&H fee once).

5)  Smile because you’ve just done your part in helping out and your fly box just had a makeover!

AND THAT’S JUST THE FLIES!

I have scratched my head and pondered about how I could sell off some of this unbelievable product that has been donated (for the record, we are still looking for product donations if you’d like to contribute an item).

So, after months of pondering, I think I may have finally figured it out….

I am announcing an auction!!!  A silent auction, that is….

Via Facebook!  Starting right now, I will have an active silent auction on the Fly Gal group page of Face Book!

Items will be pictured under an auction album and then the rest is up to you!  Start bidding, and the highest bet at the close of the auction will win (Oct 29th).  Again, all proceeds go to the Steelhead Society of BC.

Some of the items currently on Face Book, ready to be auctioned off are:

A Loop Classic Burgundy 811

Fish Pond Pack

Art Lingren Custom Flies

Recycled Waders Gear

Bug Slinger Apparel

Fly Gal Apparel

…and much more to come!!!

This auction and fly offer closes on October 29th.  This is a win-win-win situation and not a single helping hand goes unappreciated!

Please try to limit emails unless you are looking to donate an item for the cause (in which case I will add to the album for bidding opportunity).

If you would like to donate an item, we would love to have your help!

S&H fees may apply….

Thanks to all!

Good luck!

Ape.

Just Another Week In The Office….

And what an office it is!

Fishing has been great so I thought I’d share a few pics….

The pinks are here!

April Vokey photo.

Tom on the Fraser (Jeff Reed photo)

Jeff releasing a beauty (April Vokey photo).

Worst fish face ever (I’ve never seen a fish with Angelina lips before).

At the lake (Jeff Reed photo).

Jeff Reed photo

Mr. Jeffrey from Montana himself  (Tom Jull photo).

Marianne with her first ever fly caught fish (Lorie Drummond photo).

Leath Strench photo

Leath’s first day ever fly-fishing!  She rocked it!  (April Vokey photo)

Relaxing at the lake with not another single soul around to bug us.

She was on a roll!

Shelley and her first fly caught salmon (April Vokey photo)

While writing this blog, the cackling of half-drunk ladies from the other room keep me chuckling….We’re at the Fraser River’s Edge B&B where we had an extremely successful day on the water at our Women’s Weekend Retreat.

Stay tuned for the full story and accompanying photos!

See you on the water!

Ape.

Remember All Those Steelhead Photos You've Been Ogling?

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.

Fly Gal Contest Winner!

Thank you ladies for all the wonderful photos and stories that each of you took the time to share with me!

Each of you is truly an inspiration to me and other ladies of the sport and deserve to be recognized as “bad-ass women of fly-fishing”.

Choosing a winner was harder than hell, though with careful deliberation I feel that the woman I’ve chosen to take this contest down has worked damn hard to get to where she is today!

Congratulations Pat Horn of Missouri!

Here’s the story as told by her hubby….

“My bride of 32 years is Pat Horn.   No silicone here!  hahaha!   As a matter of fact this special lady has quite a story behind her.   She is three years out from breast cancer.   A mastectomy, reconstruction, chemo and radiation.   Like I said no silicone, as she opted to use part of herself in the reconstruction  ; )     I had somewhat introduced her to fly fishing and she liked it.   I had read where she could apply to Casting for Recovery http://www.castingforrecovery.org/ she did and was accepted the following Fall after her treatment.   What a deal!   This turned her into something else. It was good for her mentally, physically and secured me a fly fishing partner forever. We both are volunteers now for the CFR cause and helped out with the retreat last Fall.
Attached are some photos of Pat. One of her with a local farm pond’s surplus for dinner which she helps clean. A series of shots from our vacation last week where she caught at a small stream in Utah. Pat said as she set the hook “Give me the net, I can do this myself”.
Ape I am a lucky man.”

Marty and Pat Horn

Thanks Pat for being you!!!

Other bad-asses that deserve mention:

Geneviève Fournier from Quebec

“Hey April,

These are three photos of fishing on the Alness River in Scotland. I
feel like silly connecting this story back to a guy, but this is the
first time I ever felt like a bad ass fishing chick.  I was living a
broad in Spain and I had left my boyfriend back at school. He was my
fishing buddy.  He was there when I caught my first fish, he helped me
pick out my first rod and he gave book after book about the the rivers
in Utah. When I found out, I no longer loved him, this first thing I
did was escape. I was shocked to find the only place I wanted to be
was on the river.  On a whim I decided to hop on a plane and ended up
in Evanton Scotland, a tiny town with two pubs and a fly shop, forty
five minutes outside of Inverness.  It was my first time using a spey
rod and my first time fishing without him. When I got on the river and
my guide handed me a 15 ft. 10 weight Rod. I looked at it and was
thinking to myself, “How the Hell am I going to Cast this thing?”  But
once I experienced the sheer power of the rod, I knew I was hooked.
After fishing three days sun up to sun down in the freezing rain, I
got my first Atlantic Salmon! The hunt, the struggle and the victory
left me in tears.  I don’t think I’ll ever have a more joyous moment
than pulling in my big beautiful hen out of the Alness river!

Thanks,
Christin Aucunas”

Ashleigh Paulk with a beautiful trout from Spring Valley Anglers www.springvalleyanglers.com

Anna Riggs teaching a new generation of fisherwomen the joy of the sport on the White River in Arkansas.

Jenefer Smalley (she’s one of my favorites)

“So This BAD ASS Beauty was caught off shore Lacey off Langara Island in the Queen Charlottes.  So PIMP!! (as Yos would say!!)  This was one of the best days of my life!  It was a dream come true to catch and release a Tyee!

Hooked line and smashed her it was all me!  I’m a DIE HARD Bad Ass man and I would love that hoodie and street cred haha!!

I’m relatively new to fishing. All it took was two summers in the Charlottes with the boyz workin hard, fishen hard, gettin ragged on for farmin fish…then proving myself with my Tyee and many other incredible Salmon.  I now own a 5 pound test fly rod which I have put to the to good use and caught some lil beauty’s on this summer.  I have found my true calling/passion…through fishing.  I’ve heard you speak and share your passion. There’s nothing like the challenge and pay off of a successful battle and release.

UPness,

Smalley”

Jeanette Lark

“Hi April,
I hope I’m not too late to enter the contest. My name is Beth Godin. I live and fish in Vermont. Not only am I a bad ass fisherwoman, but my toy poodle is too! (See her behind me in the carp photo!) No…she is NOT Musky bait! Don’t get any ideas!  : P

I have the great fortune of being engaged to a fly fishing guide and been “used” (oh poor me!) as a scouting partner. We fish for many “unusual” (well unusual for VT) species such as gar, carp, bowfin and sheephead. I really enjoy the sightfishing aspect of targeting these fish and I don’t think I’ll ever understand why anyone would just sit in a boat or on a bank waiting to feel a tug…how boring!  Fly fishing engages all my senses and many interests. From photographing and viewing other wildlife, to getting a fun and good workout rowing the canoe around. And of course having fun adventures with my fiance. We plan to go to Belize for some flats fishing for our honeymoon! I almost am more excited about that than the actual wedding!

And I agree with you…I’m not at all against fishing bikini babes either. You can catch some nice bass in a bikini top…and man, does it feel much more comfortable on a 90 degree day on Lake Champlain than some fancy SPF infused expensive shirt! Ventilation flaps? So what…You get some extreme ventilation in a  triangle top!

Tight lines (and tight knots on those bikini tops! Wouldn’t want to pull a Janet Jackson while fighting a big carp!)
-Beth”

Terry Polk

“This is my Mom who is an amazing woman all around, but who really shines on the water…She sent me my first rod when I was living in Colorado and I was missing the water, never realized that the best fishing is a long ways away from the Chesapeake Bay sometimes. Anyhow her and her husband travel pretty much every chance they get to hike and fish.  She says, the best thing about trout fishing is that trout live in the most beautiful places in the world and we get to visit when we fish.

I’m attaching a couple photos of her in Idaho and Oregon where she has a little fishing cabin. She is the real deal and outfishes the boys a lot of the times we are out. Well, there you go!

Hope you like these, regardless of whether she wins or not.  Oh and she just called and wants me to add that not only is she a mother, she is now officially a fishin’ grandma. The last one is a pic of the family, me, my lil sis, my mom and stepdad fishing the Wallowa near Hells Canyon in Oregon.

Skoal!

Martin”

Sarah Exton is a hard-core angler who travels the world in pursuit of fins.

“Hey April,
My name is Stormie Tench.  I live in Northeast Georgia.  I have only been fishing for about a year now.  My boyfriend got me into the sport.  The photo that I have entered into the contest was a picture that was taken the first time I went fly fishing.  Although, it took half the day for me to even hook one of the rainbow trout, and it wasn’t the biggest fish, I was so proud of myself!  The feeling of hooking onto a fish is so awesome!  It is very exciting.  I enjoy this sport and want to continue learning all the techniques.
-Stormie”

Caca Zarif-Pires

“Hey April,
Robin from Portland here!
Hope you are doing well, here is a picture of me on the Deschutes that
my husband took.  It’s always been one of my favorites.

Robin Healy”

Danielle Will- Simms Field Testing Coordinator

“I am super proud to be a fly fishing woman. I am competitive in nature (usually just against myself) but I drive along the rivers, watching people fish and 99.9% of the time it’s all men. Ever hear the song, “Anything you can do I can do better”? Well that songs starts up in my head and I get excited. I get excited that hell yeah I can do that just as well or better.

I am super stoked on more and more women joining this amazing sport and will do my best to push the development of new and improved WOMEN’S products.

By the way-ever going to make it to Bozeman one of these days?”

“One look at my picture and you might not think that I qualify as a “bad-ass” angler, but I can hold my own, even at the age of 49 and standing all of 4′11″ tall. (I’m sure I would never get a job as a model at that height!)

Mini Fly Gal….

My girl Rebekka!

Ginger Rowe

“I wish this was a better pic, but here she is…. your bad ass girl!   She is my sis, and she is the one who got me into fishing!   If it weren’t  for her, I never would have picked up a fly rod! Like I said, not the best pic but she IS BAD ASSSS!”

Shannon Beall of BC.

“As for being a bad ass I am soooo not but…  I am happiest with a cold wind
at my back and ice forming on the guides.  They don’t call me “Blue Toes”
for nothing!  Love ya girl, can’t wait to catch up, Shannon.”

“Hi April,

This was taken of my first steelhead fishing trip up at the Salmon
River in NY in February.  I had been having a bad couple of weeks due
to a miscarriage and a cut in hours at my work, but my husband, an
avid fly fisherman, insisted that we continue with the trip.  It was a
great idea — being on that river, hooking several steelhead and
bringing in a few, I was able to take my mind off of current events.
I was very proud to land this one — the biggest fish of the day.

As I said before, my husband is a big-time fisherman, and going out on
the rivers with him has been a great way for us to spend time
together.  I’m still getting into the sport, but each fish I catch
brings me a little closer to being a true “flygal” myself.

Thanks,
Alicia Michels”

True Fly Gal Susan, who is about as bad as they get!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PHOTO OF HER HOLDING THE BOAT WHILE THE BOY STANDS BY!

Caitlin Patrick

“These pictures are from my trip to Alaska to fish on the Agula Pak river off of Lake Nerka. The trip was amazing, spending 8 hours a day on the river, I caught lots of fish and had a great time with my guides, especially Nick and Isaac English.

The first picture is with a 22in grayling. Caught with an adams.

the next two were a 19in grayling caught on a nymph.

The last picture is a 22in char caught with an eight weight and a streamer, put up a good fight.”

Val Young fishing the morning midge hatch while waiting for
her coffee.  She is no slouch with the flyrod either and will outfish
the boys on most days.

The wonderful, fish crazy T-Bird (Teresa VanWinkle).  This gal is beyond kick-ass!  Her fly-tying skills speak volumes and she fishes more days than most.  Damn you’re hot T-Bird!  Keep rockin’ the nails baby!

My guide from the Queen Charlotte Islands;  Sumiko Sakiyama.  Sumi’s my favourite guide so far!  If you’re heading to the Charlotte’s anytime soon, look for Sumi…she’s guaranteed to make your trip excellent!

“Hey April!!!   I am entering this photo because it is something a little different compared to fishing in waders! I am a salt water fishing guide in the Queen Charlotte islands, ten hour days in all sorts of weather hunting the elusive chinook salmon.  This day it was blowing 30-40 northwest, we are actually sitting in a 17 foot boston whaler waiting for a chinook bite! These days are pretty crazy, fighting the water and when you do get a fish on it can get pretty interesting when the fishing guide can barely even stand in the boat!   I am super proud to be a “bad ass fisher girl” because I am able to spend time with people from all over the world, share that amazing adrenaline filled feeling of landing a giant salmon and show them a piece of BC that holds a special place in my heart.  And to top it all off, I am just a little girl in green Hellys!”

“Hi April!  Well I saw the contest on your blog and thought I would share my fav of the few pics that I have of me.  I am on the water here in New Brunswick on the Dungarvon with my husband over the July long weekend.   The HUGE smile on my face is because I just busted out a beautiful double spey cast and I  was so  damn proud!  I had been practicing for what seemed like forever and my hubby has been so patient with me since I started fly fishing with him this year. I love to fly fish because it is something g that we do together as a couple, we have been together for 7 years now and just celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary on August 9, 2009. We are already planning our 10 year anniversary trip to Patagonia or Alaska, I can’t wait, and yet I can, I need more practice!  I’ll be learning to tie flies this winter and will be sending in my creations for Flies For Fins.  This chick loves fly fishing so much that my husband now fears he has lost his Meiser!

Kickin’ tail in NB,

Kristy Arnett”

“Hi April!

I decided to send in a picture for your awesome Fly Gal contest. Still enjoy reading your blogs…and thanks again for all the advice you’ve given me!

Photo Attached:

Jessica Ruskin with golden trout, caught in Cherokee, NC. 19 inches and approximately 4 1/2-5 pounds. Caught on a hare’s ear nymph. My husband (who has been fly fishing since he was 10 and taught me to fly fish) and cousin had been attempting to catch this particular trout for hours while I was away shopping with my mother. I met up with them later for some fishing, took 2 casts, landed the fly right in front of this fish, and screamed in delight as I realized I’d actually hooked up with this beautiful trout.  She put up a hell of a fight; I was actually shaking when I landed her.  Please excuse the fact that my husband is in the picture – we forgot to bring the net, so he had to help me land the fish.

I’m proud to be a bad-ass woman of the sport because it allows me to prove to my husband that I can clean house and decorate, have dinner ready every night, dress up in a cocktail dress for a night out, yet still kick his ass out on the river. It gives me a chance to take part in a beautifully creative art form and is quite an amazing stress reliever.”

Jessica Ruskin

Proud Mother Adriana (above) and daughter, Tyla.  While fishing for chub and other little critters, Tyla (6) managed to hook this sturgeon and landed it on super light tackle and 8lb test!

This is a family who truly loves spending their time together on the water!  Check out Adriana’s lodge on the Fraser River at www.fraserriversedge.com

“Hi April,
My name is Caitlin Gifford, Im nineteen and have been fishing since I was
six. My home waters are the Bow River in Calgary AB and thats where I
spotted this brute.
I work in a fly shop full time during the summer and part time while I’m
at the U of Calgary, I literally don’t remember a part of life that hasn’t
been centered around fly fishing in one way or another. As soon as he
could my Dad threw a fly rod in my hands and I haven’t put it down since.
I’m a “bad ass fishing chick” because thats what I was born to do, I talk
fish all day in the shop and fish on my days off. I’ve traveled the world
in the name of fish from Mongolia to Cuba and many more to come. I fly
fish not only for the catch but also for everything in between, the cast,
the fly, the laughs, the eat. It’s my world!
On a side note check out the shop blog at
http://countrypleasuresff.blogspot.com/
for Bow River/southern Ab pics and such.
Thanks and if your ever in Calgary we should hit the river, there’s
nothing better than dry fly fishing for big ass browns on the Bow.

Caitlin”

Kaylin Bickle with an awesome Alaskan rainbow.

The one submerged was my largest GD…32lbs…largest they have caught there…about 40lbs…girl power!

Anyhoo—just enjoy the fish porn…

Cheers,
N”

I am Louise Dunn from Arkansas.  Here are a couple of my photos I am submitting for this contest.  This 22 pound brown was caught at the Bull Shoals Dam on the famous White River.  This is my once in a life time fish!!  Or maybe not.  What a day!!  It was the most thrilling day of my life to cast to this beast and have him take the fly and have the rush of my life when landing him.  Not to mention being the only woman on the river and have all these fly fisherman stand and watch in amazement.  This is my bad ass fly fishing adventure!!
Louise Dunn

PS- I had to just throw in this photo.  One of my favorite fly fishing destinations.  Alaska,
What a week of being in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and to catch these huge trout,  one after another, and to be so fortunate to be fishing with the bears what an adventure!!
Thanks Louise”

Me, proudly teaching two young fly gals at a trade show in Abbotsford.  These two ladies picked it up so fast!  I was beyond impressed!

Well, there you have it folks!  Some seriously kick-ass ladies who help to make the sport more enjoyable with that feminine touch….

Damn, I’m proud!

Hope to see each of you on the water!

Ape.

Ape's Fav Five

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