Winner Winner

I have been on a long dry spell. What kind you may asking? A non-winning contest dry spell. Yes i'll admit, I am a contest junkie. I have been very lucky to win some great fly fishing and tying gear the past few years. Last week, AvidMax on Facebook held a fly tying contest in which they were looking for the most creative fly you have ever tied. It did not take me long to know which fly I needed to enter. I won 3rd place in the contest, which scored me the Tacky Dry Fly Box. This will be a great addition to my arsenal. I must give credit to fisheatflies for helping me with the pattern. We both tied roughly the same fly that evening, incorporating lots of synthetics and bucktail. I fished the pattern on a lake known for big tiger muskie, but never even saw one that day. Regardless, the pattern sits on top of my tying desk where hopefully someday it will pierce an esox predator.

Don't Hotspot Utah's Wild Places

It upsets me to see an article from a nation wide fly fishing magazine talking about one of Utah's best kept secrets. I'm grinding my teeth as I read about and see pictures of a particular lake that I have fished before. Orvis guru Phil Monahan goes on a cutthroat slam in Utah and travels to my neck of the woods seeking bright colorado cutts. Here is my message to you Phil: Dear Phil, please do not talk of secret fishing places in a national magazine for others to see. I understand that you were highlighting the new Utah cutthroat slam, and it's importance in conservation and awareness. However, as a local angler and someone who wants special places to remain that way, it was upsetting to see this area brought to light on a national scale. You wouldn't want others showing off your secret spots would you? Or are you just interested in making sure Orvis keeps you on as editor of OrvisNews by pushing great content? Regardless, know that you have upset many locals here in Utah, and you should think twice before talking of special wild places that are seemingly becoming more out in the open with social media. From: Your fellow Utah angler.