TroutLegend

The Georgia based Team DeadDrift leader Corey Roberts has been on a serious tear in the 2012 TroutLegend Ranking Cycle. Capping 5 competitions by April Roberts’ has been in a tight hunt for North Americas’ Top Angler position. Currently in 3rd Roberts has a good margin on Team USA heavy weight Josh Graffam and is bested only by Team USA hot rods Pat Weiss & Josh Stephens. Sitting in the pack with Team USA might have to be something Roberts gets comfortable with though as even his biggest regional rivalries all agree Corey Roberts is possibly the best competitive angler currently walking Georgian soil. Let’s get to know this exciting new TroutLegend leader.

Corey Robert’s 2012 Record as of April 5th:
1st (Field of 24) Chattahoochee MINI 3
6th (Field of 30) NC Upper Nantahala Mini I
5th (Field of 10teams) Numb Toes Big Bows Classic
10th (Field of 32) Southeast Regional for Team USA
2nd (Field of 20teams) Shiver In The River

Hamann: Appreciate you taking the time to do this interview Corey. Your record this season is really quite impressive, but first I’d like to step back and look at how you got into the sport of competitive fly fishing and what drove you to become a part of Team Dead Drift?

Roberts: Thanks Dejon. I started competing in a few local non-fips competitions in 2009 and 2010 and had good results. Team Dead Drift was formed in late 2010 and I was still on the fence about competition fishing and how much I was willing to dedicate to it. Soon after I decided to jump into the SE Regionals 2011 with very limited knowledge of what Fips-Mouche rules were, I joined Team Dead Drift and haven’t looked back. I believe I placed 7th or 8th in that competition and I gained a lot of confidence from that event. It was my first Fips comp and the first time I had ever fished against guys from Team USA and a great learning experience for me.

Hamann: Individual accomplishments are always great, but Team accolades sometimes ring sweeter. Your squad DeadDrift is currently in 2nd place trailing only the defending champs Team NC. Tell us about some of the growth your team has seen through last cycle and to achieve this leader board position?

Roberts: I believe our team has grown considerably over the last year in several ways. First, we all have quite a bit more competition experience under our belt, which I believe is the only way to truly get better in this sport. Learning how to fish under pressure, properly cover a section of water in a specific amount of time, adapt to waters you may have never fished… these are all things that you can learn from fishing competitions.
Second, we’ve got a diverse group of guys that bring a lot to the table and we have added some younger talent that will help carry Team DeadDrift into the future. Two of our newest members, Chase Pritchett and Gabriel Wittosch have a lot of talent and I believe they will help our team tremendously.

Hamann: As newly appointed co-coach with team mate Bob Lux what approach will you take to strengthening your team for the future?

Roberts: Bob and I both are new to the coaching scene, but I believe his experience and my experience combined can help this team continue to improve.
We’re still gauging the level of talent on the team and adding new guys so the process has really just begun. Our approach won’t be much different from other teams… focusing on everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and adding new techniques at each practice. We also will be utilizing one of our newest members, Aaron Jasper’s expertise from time to time with Aaron teaching and coaching a few practices.

Hamann: Tell us about some of the training drills you will or have put your team through? What is your philosophy here and what is your intended outcome when constructing these sessions?

Roberts: Last year, being a fairly new team, our practices weren’t as productive as they probably should have been. We have started a more structured monthly practice routine where we focus on a different technique or approach each practice. We do some casting drills and timed sessions during our practices but one of the more interesting ideas Bob came up with, and I think it’s a great idea, is actually posting up guys in the best holes on a particular beat and another team member then has to fish around them in a timed session. This is a common situation that can happen at any competition.
If there is one thing I’ve learned from fly fishing it is that you can never stop learning. Bob and I intend for each guy to learn something new at each practice that will make them a better angler the next time they’re on the water.

Hamann: Let’s turn our attention to Fly Fishing Team USA for a minute. I hear making the team is one of your major goals. Tell us why?

Roberts: I believe that Fly Fishing Team USA consists of the best all around competition fly fisherman this nation has to offer and the world for that matter, and my goal is to someday reach that same level. Guys like Josh Stephens, Chris Lee, and Randy Hanner from Team USA have always been willing to offer advice and encouragement and I appreciate every bit of it. I’ve competed against many of these guys now and I feel like it has made me a better fisherman. When you fish against great fly fisherman like Devin Olsen and Lance Egan it’s easy to see that they are the best and that’s what I strive for as well. I’ve still got a lot of work to do to get to that level.

Hamann: I believe the evolution of any great angler comes from courageous introspection. From having the guts to put yourself against the crucible of competition and focused training. With this in mind, could you analyze your strengths and weaknesses for us as any coach might one of his players?

Roberts: First, I guess I would say one of my strengths would be staying focused on the water. I’m usually able to put mistakes aside and move on to the next fish without much hesitation. Another strength would be adapting to different types of water. I’ve always loved to travel and I fish waters all over the country every year, I think this has helped me to not get to comfortable with one piece of water and enables me to adapt better.
My weaknesses, one is definitely lake fishing. We are very limited in the southeast when it comes to lakes that support healthy trout populations. I have fished some lakes outside the region here and there but still have a lot to learn when it comes to the lakes.
Another weakness would be PBR! Does that count?

Hamann: Let’s flip gears for a second. With a limited array of great trout waters in Georgia why in the world do you think this great state has become the new hot bed for competitive fly fishing?

Roberts: Atlanta has always been a major hub for fly fisherman, snow-skiing you name it. Hell, the largest snow skiing club in North America is in Atlanta. Go figure! No seriously, people travel a lot these days and fish waters all over the country and the world. Georgians are no different. With that said, we have hundreds of miles of wild and stocked trout water in north Georgia. I know one thing for sure, a lot of the credit goes to guys like Ben VanDevender and Derek Geldhauser for forming Team Dead Drift and getting everyone’s interest peaked. Now, we also have Team Trout Slayer in Georgia, which has helped provide even more great competition. It seems like every weekend now there are competitions, clinics, fundraisers, and I can remember just a couple years ago there were maybe two competitions a year. Our season does start earlier than most, so by May our competitions will start winding down a bit until fall.

Hamann: With such a rich competitive circuit in your region do you think a top level angler needs to look elsewhere? What I mean to say is do you think an angler can accumulate all the skills they need to compete at the highest level purely through local competition or must they travel?

Roberts: I know I do and it has made me a more well rounded fly fisherman than say someone who only fishes the water out his/her backdoor. Within a 2 to 3 hour drive from my home in north Georgia I can be on just about any type of water I choose. I also enjoy traveling out west to fish. It’s definitely a different experience than here in the southeast and constantly testing your abilities only makes you a better angler.

Hamann: Look out brother! Here comes your product placement opportunity. Do me the favor of making it something you actually do use and trust though? How about your favorite go-to rod to begin with? What is it? Why do you like it? What’s the action? etc

Roberts: Finally an easy question. Cabelas CZN 10’ 4wt. This has been my rod of choice for over a year now. It is a well balanced, medium fast rod with a sensitive but sturdy tip. It throws bwo’s to big stones with ease and will handle about any fish you tangle with.

Hamann: 2nd product is all yours…

Roberts: I’d say the products by one of our biggest sponsors Sage & Rio. I have always been a huge fan of Sage rods and just recently purchased the Sage One 10’ 6wt and it has become my go to rod for lake fishing. I have also used Rio lines and Rio fluoroflex plus tippet for quite sometime now and love it.

Hamann: And the third…

Roberts: Simms waders and boots. I haven’t found a pair of waders yet that are indestructible, but the Simms G4’s are damn close!

Hamann: Touching on the travel subject; you’ve traveled extensively to some exceptional waters including Patagonia? Tell us about some of your favorite trips be they on salt or fresh water?

Roberts: My trip last year to Patagonia with Patagonia Unlimited was an incredible experience. We based out of a small town called Rio Pico for two weeks and fished everything from no name lakes and spring creeks to famous waters such as the Rio Corcovado and the boca of Lago Vintter where world record Brook trout lurk just waiting to annihilate a huge streamer that passes by. We had 100 fish days and we had days where you might not get a bite. I landed some of the biggest fish of my life, I learned a lot and definitely plan to go back soon.

Hamann: I hear there’s one river that is noted as the most technical in the SouthEast; what is your relationship with this waterway and how has she sculpted you?

Roberts: You must be referring to the South Holston. I am by no means an expert on the Holston but I have fished it about as much as someone who has a full time job in Georgia and plans on keeping it can. I can remember the first trip I took there back in the late 90’s. My skills were very limited and I was always reminded with every trip that I had a lot to learn. The fish in the South Holston are very well educated and will not accept a presentation less than perfect, which makes it tough but very rewarding. The population of wild browns in the Soho is amazing with close to 5,000 fish/mile. In my opinion it’s the best river in the southeast and one of the only rivers where the fish rise 365 days a year.

Hamann: So, what is slated to happen on April 28th and how do you think it will affect your competitive angling pursuits?

Roberts: I will be marrying my lovely fiancé Hallie Mansfield. Hallie has always been my biggest supporter and I believe she will continue to push me to achieve my goals in life and fly fishing.

Hamann: Thank you again for setting the time aside to do this interview. It’s been really exciting to see the explosion of interest and talent in your region and some of the great anglers, including yourself that are starting to evolve there. In closing, leave us with some thoughts on what competitive fly fishing means in your life?

Roberts: Before I started competing I was always looking for ways to improve. Competitive fly fishing has helped me improve tremendously over the last couple of years and I know that I’m still learning new things everyday on the water. Its brought my fishing to a higher level and also surrounded me with people that love the same thing I do… fly fishing.

In the Summer of 2010 Centre County, Pennsylvania resident Pat Weiss had never entered a formal competitive fly fishing tournament in his life. By the Spring of 2012 Weiss had catapulted himself on to Fly Fishing Team USA and secured a spot as the 15th top ranked competitive fly fisherman in North America. In this interview Weiss shows us how a talented “split-shot nymph’r” trained in the school of Joe Humphries could transition to one of the most venerated up-and-coming stars in the competitive fly fishing community in just a few short years.

Hamann: Pat, this is my first chance to interview a team mate for the “Behind the Leader Board” series, a unique honor, but don’t think that means I’m going to take it easy on you. As always let’s jump right in. As I laid out in the introduction you were relatively unacquainted with competitive fly fishing just a few years ago. What was your introduction to comp fishing and when did the light bulb turn on that this was indeed a calling for you?

Weiss: Two years ago, I got a call from a friend of mine, Greg Glitzer who had agreed to join a team of guys for the America Cup Fly Fishing Tournament in Colorado. This squad turned out to be part of what is now Team Freestone, a major player in the TroutLegend league standings. Being totally unprepared for what I was into, I got my A** whooped in my first session, but I knew this was something I was going to learn about and do more of. By the end of that comp, I was “hooked”.

Hamann: Was the transition to fips-mouche format fairly easy for you?

Weiss: Not at first, because I tried to do it without the right tools. I tried to make leaders from line that I use on tip-ups for ice fishing, tried to weight flies without Tungsten beads, used sub-par hooks, and only had a 9’ rod. It was a mess. It was very hard to make the financial commitment needed to make a real run at this thing. It’s still hard; at times I feel it’s my biggest limiting factor. Other things must suffer because of it and that’s just not cool, but it’s an addiction that shows no sign of fading. Once I started using the right tools, the transition became smoother. I still have so much that I’m trying to figure out, it’s a work in progress, and always will be. Nobody knows it all, nobody.

Hamann: Tell us about your job. Do you think it gives you an edge in the angling world?

Weiss: I’m a Fisheries Technician with the PA Fish and Boat Commission; I work with sportsmens clubs that raise trout for stocking into public waterways within the state. I get to do some cool things like assist with electro fishing surveys, but I don’t really think it gives me any kind of edge when it comes to competition. Now if I brought a backpack electro fisher to a comp, then we’d be talking some serious advantage!

Hamann: You live only a short drive from the waterway I frequently call “The Trout Laboratory;” a phenomenal creek that has active feeding fish 365 days a year. Tell us how Spring Creek has shaped you as an angler?

Weiss: Well I can tell you that it had a hand in my stellar G.P.A while at Penn State! I did manage to graduate somehow despite Spring Creek. It is a great place to observe ultra-pressured, wild fish and how they react to different conditions and situations. It has also helped me learn how to read water. When I would fish through an area and catch a bunch of fish, then walk through it and spook twice as many as I caught, I knew I had a lot to learn about where, when, and why trout hold in certain places. Despite the pressure, they will often let you get fairly close to them. I would spend a lot of time just watching how they feed, how they react to each other and what they did when they were spooked. I still do.

Hamann: Many competitors work years trying to obtain a spot on Fly Fishing Team USA – meanwhile you hit the squad on your first shot. Tell us about your experience with the team up till now?

Weiss: I’ve worked with members of the team at both regionals this year and it’s been great. Not only from the competition aspect and the sharing of ideas, but the camaraderie. It’s been a lot of fun, I really enjoy it. I can’t wait to work with the rest of the team in the near future.

Hamann: Has competing and communicating with some of the best anglers in the nation evolved your game?

Weiss: Yes, I think it has in terms of the finer points of competing. Things like preparation come naturally to the seasoned anglers on the team, but it’s still new to me. I learn a lot by just watching and asking questions off the water. It also helps when guys like Loren Williams and Josh Graffam offer advice on things like lake flies, or offer you their actual flies! Thanks boys!

Hamann: All right, let’s talk some actual gear and techniques. Many competitors are often taken back by the absolute simplicity of your flies. Tell us about your philosophies of fly design and is there more than meets the eye that just scans over your boxes?

Weiss: To be brutally honest with you it stems from two things, a lack of patience at the vice and a lack of money. I have never had the patience to tie hellishly elaborate flies, so I just quit doing it. I also never had the money to buy the materials even if I wanted to. Because of those factors, I tied with what I had. I “acquire” many of my materials the old-school way, I hunt and I trap. I also blend a lot of my own dubbing and dye a lot of my own feathers and fur; mostly because I find it hard to buy the color shades that I want. Does the exact shade matter? Probably not, but I’m tying these things for me, so I’m going to tie them the way I want them. I have found that color, size, and profile are essential for a productive fly. This was nothing groundbreaking, Central PA legends like George Harvey, Joe Humphries and Mark Belden had been preaching it for decades all I did was buy in to the theory. I always did well with basic, clean patterns, so I never changed. I’m not big into bling.

Hamann: Rods. What length and action do you prefer? Have you found that “one” great nymphing rod yet? If not, what attributes are you still seeking?

Weiss: I like a 10’ 4wt rod for most general applications, I also prefer a faster action than most, I’m currently using a Sage ONE. I really like most things about it, but it’s really a dry-fly rod (and a great one at that!), so the weight balance isn’t always ideal for me when nymphing, but it’s the best I’ve handled to this point. I’d actually like to find another rod that was as forgiving, but with a faster action. To me, a fly rod is a tool and each tool has its application. You can remove a bolt with a pair of pliers, but it works a whole lot better if you have a wrench or a socket of the proper size.

Hamann: Leaders. I know you’ve been jumping around a bit as far as leader design and theory over the last year – what are your findings?

Weiss: I think I’ve gone around in a giant circle and I’m back to where I began. See above “wrench” analogy. It’s my white whale; I’ve gone through hundreds of yards of leader materials in the last year or so. As a matter of fact, I tied 4 new leaders before this interview; we’ll see how worthless they are tomorrow!

Hamann: I’ve watched you follow 5 really good anglers up a river and take 3 or even 4 times as many fish right in their footsteps. What I’ve noticed is you fish at a very steady, I’d almost say slow pace and really cover each spot thoroughly before moving on. Can you tell us about this “pace”?

Weiss: It’s the pace that the old-timers who fish minnows here in PA move at. They can fish behind a bunch of guys on opening day and pull fish from where there was seemingly nothing. They used to do it to me when I was a kid, so I copied them.

Hamann: Tell us about your regional squad Team Freestone? How do you benefit as an angler from being part of a regional Trout Legend team and what do you try to give back?

Weiss: Team Freestone is a blast! We’ve got such a varied group of people that share ideas and like to have fun. Being part of the team has helped me so much in the last year, being able to ask questions about things other guys (and gals) were using helps shorten the learning curve. What more can you say about people who call you up and offer any and all of their gear for your use at the SE regional, or give you their entire lake box, rod, reels and net(this happened twice! Thanks Mark and Andy!). It’s also a great benefit to have like-minded people to practice with throughout the year. I try to reciprocate as best I can. My fly boxes are an open book; I share the leader du jour, etc. Sometimes it probably isn’t an equal trade, but I usually bring High Life to our outings so that equals it out in my book.

Hamann: Do you think Team Freestone has a shot at winning the Trout Legend top team in 2012/13 or do you think Team NC will sweep the title again?

Weiss: Oh, we’ve got a shot, believe that.

Hamann: You just took 1st at the SE Regional in North Carolina and then 2nd at the NE Regional in Pennsylvania – decidedly 2 very different venues. Do you change your tactics when you travel? How do you adapt to varying waterways?

Weiss: I try to stay flexible when going to new places and let the water types and fish tell me what to do. If I find water types similar to what I’m used to around here, Ill approach it in a similar way, but if it isn’t working I’m not afraid to change completely. Practice is very important for me; it helps me gauge the mood of the fish.

Hamann: So, you made Fly Fishing Team USA in your first year of competing. You’re dominating the Trout Legend Premier League in your second! What’s next for Pat Weiss? What are your immediate and long term goals in the competitive fly fishing world? Do you hope to go to the World Championships?

Weiss: I want to see the USA on the podium at the World Championships. I want to compete at the World Championships. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to medal at the World Championships, who doesn’t? I almost don’t like saying that in a public forum like this, because I don’t want to sound arrogant, but you asked and it’s the truth. Go big or go home right?

Hamann: Thank you for taking this interview. I’ve learned a great deal practicing with you over the last year and am honored to call you a team mate. Despite your success and incredible skill set you’re still a down to earth regular guy and I really respect that. In closing, can you tell us how competitive fly fishing has transformed your angling life? What does competitive fly fishing mean to you?

Weiss: Well Dejon, thank you for providing the forum and the arena for so many competition anglers on this continent and abroad. And also thank you for inviting me to join the team formerly known as Trout legend, it happened at just the right time for me, it really was one of my many lucky breaks over the last 2 years.
As for competition angling: it has forced me to re-learn what I thought I already knew how to do. I fish more now than I used to, and I used to fish A LOT. I now hit the water with the intent to either accomplish some goal or try something new. I find that now I can spend 4 hours on 150 yards of crappy water that I used to walk past. This competition thing is a great big learning experience and I like that. Water that I know like the back of my hand seems brand new and I like the process of learning it all over again.

In the history of North American competitive fly fishing there have been only two individuals to win Medals at the Fips-Mouche Adult World Fly Fishing Championships: Donald Thom of Canada and Jeff Currier of the United States. I caught up with Mr. Currier recently to discuss his achievement in the world of competitive fly fishing.

Hamann: Jeff, wanted to thank you again for taking the time to do this interview. Looking through your blog (http://flyfishingbum.blogspot.com/) you’re a busy man flying around the world fishing incredible destinations, so let’s jump right in. Quick recap: your bronze medal was earned at the 2003 World Championships in Spain. Could you walk us through the team you traveled with and a recap of the venues?

Currier: I fished on the team previously and in Spain we had the best team ever. Not to knock older anglers, but we were young. We could handle long demanding days, tough wading, change flies faster than a speeding bullet and crawl. Crawling was mandatory in Spain. The venues consisted of four rivers and one lake. Three of the rivers were small and crystal clear. In these rivers were small brown trout that were as spooky as any trout I’ve ever met. They weren’t always rising, rarely now that I think of it so you belly crawled along to stay out of view. I’d often spot one then attempt him with a dry first. If he didn’t eat the dry I’d do a dry dropper and by then you had him or spooked him. The fourth river was high and very off color. You just had to Polish Nymph it and pray. I lucked into three fish here. The lake was tough. Some beats were on the shallow end of the lake others were near the dam. You wanted to be as far from the dam and the deep water as possible. I got screwed; I was the third beat from the dam. It was a miracle I caught a fish in my beat.

Hamann: Backtracking just a bit. How did you gain a position on Team USA? What was the organization like at that time? Who were the key players/coaches? Did you win trials/regionals to make the team?

Currier:
Back in the days I got to fish there were no trials. You had to know the right people, such as a man named Walter Ungerman. Walter was a customer of mine in Jackson at the fly shop for years. I had a great relationship with him. When the competition was held in Jackson, WY where I lived at the time, I didn’t fish but I donated a lot of my personal time to help it run. Walter appreciated that and took me to the Poland Championships in 1998 as an angler. That was my opportunity to show I could help the team. I did well and I think the team scored 13th Place. 13th doesn’t sound too good, but it was the best Team USA ever did. I was 20th overall. I earned the right to go again next year and we continued to improve and I continued to get to go. Best of all, we added younger anglers each year.

After I retired from the Worlds, I participated in the first ever regional/nationals. It was held in Oregon and I got 2nd place. That helped me get chosen to come out of retirement for Portugal in 2006. That was my last competition as I never had the funding or time off from work to compete in the Nationals again.

Over the years the key players would have to be Jay Buchner, Pete Erickson and Sam Mavrakis. These guys can fish like you can’t believe. They can tie flies, something I suck at. They are fun. Their not afraid to go out and mingle with the other teams and try to get them to cough up some information that you normally can’t get. And most of all, they were great sportsmen and well respected by all other teams. That’s important. Towards the end of my run, Jack Dennis was coaching. He had some weird fishing ideas at times but he was fun. I liked having him around.

Hamann: Could you tell us some of the back story behind this passage: “Jeff Currier crawled, swam chilly waters cradling netted fish, and risked intestinal illness in an
attempt to reach the pinnacle of his sport.” (Quoted from an article by Michael Pearlman)

Currier: That quote came from an article after winning the Bronze in Spain. I already said crawling was mandatory. Honestly, these were the spookiest hard to see trout I’ve ever found. If you didn’t crawl you didn’t have a chance. The bad news however, you even had to crawl in the water. Sometimes I would be crawling up a riffle. The water would be gushing over the top of my waders dragging me downstream. Occasionally it would get in my mouth. I couldn’t let it stop me. If I stood up I’d spook every fish and there weren’t many fish.

Swimming to opposite banks was something I became well known for. One time the famous Thomas from the Czech Republic pulverized my beat before me. He had it in the morning and I had it in the afternoon. So imagine fishing a piece of water that was pounded by one of the world’s greatest anglers only three hours earlier. You are in bad shape unless you know where Thomas didn’t fish. Of course he fished all the good spots. On big rivers where you could not wade across, you knew the other bank was always virgin. I swam a lot of rivers. And in particular, I swam the muddy Aragon of Spain. This river skunked more people than any other river in the history of the Worlds Competition. I was the fourth angler to this beat and not a fish had been caught. I wasn’t about to fish the same water where everyone failed. You should have seen my judge’s face when I swam across to start. I caught my first fish in about 8 minutes and carefully held up my netted fish in one hand and swam best I could with the other. This action made me take in a lot of water. But I turned around and swam right back. Over the three hour beat I swam two more fish across. I was a drown rat and I did end up with some bad intestinal issues.

Because of my crazy crawling and swimming, I won a medal. I gave my body and soul for that medal and it was worth it.

Hamann: Heading into the final lake session you needed to “not blank” to win a medal? Tell us about that scenario? Must have been some heart-thumping pressure.

Currier:
I never felt the pressure. I was expected to fail. Not a fish had been caught in this particular lake beat. Plus, I was American. Americans can’t win a medal – right?
Nonetheless, I just went into the last session feeling confident. Somehow I knew a fish would swim by and he was mine. All I had to do was be myself and I’d catch his ass.

Up to this point, temperatures had been scorching hot. But between the morning session and the beginning of the lake session we had several monster thunderstorms and temps plummeted. Our coach, Ed Opler was waiting for the bus to drop me off at the lake. I got off and he said here’s the lake rod the team has been using. I looked at him like he was nuts. I said, “Ed, Team USA has yet to catch a fish on the lake. They all used that stupid rig. Why in the world would I use it when I absolutely need to catch a fish?” Ed really didn’t know what to say. He smiled and he followed me and my judge a mile walk around the lake to my beat.

Honestly, my body ached. I’d crawled and swam rivers for three days. My stomach problems were kicking in. And it was so cold I couldn’t believe it. I was actually shivering in my wet clothes and waders from my river session in the AM. When we got to my beat I pulled out my 5-weight and tied on a favorite fly of mine, the Thorax Mahogany Dun. Ed looked at me like my hair was on fire. I promised him that if a fish swam by he would not be able to resist the fly.

By the time the session started, it was calm and cold and the sky was thick with clouds. I leaned against a rock on shore in the best looking spot and cast out my fly. I stared at it for a few minutes and recast. Exactly 14 minutes into the three hour beat a 9” trout ate it and in three long strips he was in my net. Ed, me, my Polish friend Vladi and the judge were in shock. Do you believe in miracles?

I still thought I’d get 4th place to Simon Kidd of England. It turns out; our scores were so close it took hours after the competition ended to see who won. Not only that, we were dead tied in points. The over ruling factor was number of fish. I’d caught 27 in three days he’d caught 16. The bronze was mine.

Hamann: What were some of the advanced techniques, gear, flies that you utilized in your victory?

Currier: I kept it pretty simple. I realized right away, it wasn’t fancy flies and special Euro tactics that were needed. In Spain, you just try to get your fly to the fish before you spook them. You will laugh, but I fished a size 16 elk hair caddis with an olive pheasant tail nymph tied by Jay Buchner two feet below. Only once did I Polish nymph to catch a fish. That was on a particular river and I caught two with this method. That gave me 7 that session and a 3rd place in that session.

Hamann: Hindsight is always 20/20, but where did Team USA finish at that Championship and how do you think you guys could have also earned a team medal?

Currier: I believe we finished 5th. We were very, very close.

Hamann: Have you been following the sport of competitive fly fishing since your departure from Team USA? If so, how have you seen the techniques change since those days?

Currier: Yes. I root hard for our current team. When the team is off competing I check results on the internet ten times a day. I get really ticked when the results are late. The guys on the team now are exceptional anglers, and they have plenty of competition practice. That makes a difference. It’s like shooting an 8 ball to win a pool game. You may have never missed that shot in your life. But because of inexperience in competition you miss. The experience these guys have make them very good. I do hear of some new techniques. But I’m not too familiar with them. Now that I don’t compete, I just go out and vacuum rivers for fun with my fundamentals.

Hamann: How old were you when you won your medal? Could you comment on the “energy of youth” vs the “wisdom of experience” in competitive fly fishing?

Currier: I was 37 years young. The aches and pains were just starting to hit me. But in the heat of competition I didn’t feel a thing. At the same time, I was becoming a very wise angler. I thought things out well – presentations, the stalk, and what fly would be best. And, my experience allowed me to totally keep my cool. So basically I was at that one time in life where my body could still handle the beating of crawling, swimming etc and I got the bonus of having a clue of what I was doing. A great combo.

Hamann: Have the techniques you acquired as part of Team USA fueled your “recreational fishing” life? Or have you found that leaving those purely competitive focused techniques behind have led to your enjoyment of the sport?

Currier: When I go fishing, I go to catch fish. Sure, the famous line, “It’s just nice being out there”, has some truth to it, but if there’s fish to be caught I need to catch them. At heart I’m a dry fly guy and rarely nymph anymore. But if there’s a half hour left and I haven’t caught a fish, and I know Polish Nymphing will catch me one, I do it. I’ve also noticed that when I fish with friends they kind of gun for me a bit. They want to out fish me. Normally I couldn’t give a hoot, but if they start to do better than me and point that fact out, I step it up and enjoy teaching them a lesson. It’s great fun. People have no idea how many tricks I learned in the few years of World Competition. And if I need to fall back on one I will. I enjoy that in my recreational fishing days.

Hamann: And in that vein, do you think you may compete again some day? Or where some hat in the competitive fly fishing world?

Currier: I doubt I’ll ever fish in the Worlds again. That’s a young angler’s game. Unless it was a mostly lake tournament I probably won’t. However there are other competitions out there. I already do the annual “Bass on the Fly” held in Ririe, Idaho. This has been held for about five years now and I’ve placed in all but one. It’s a one day deal and my blood pumps hard during it. I love it. In addition, last year I fished in the Jackson Hole One Fly and I loved that too. I’ll be doing it again here soon. So the answer to your question is yes. I really enjoy the competitions and perhaps as long as they are convenient for me I’ll be there.

Hamann: With a great deal of time to reflect, what would you say are the key elements, whether physical or emotional, that elevate an angler from just “competitive” to medal worthy?

Currier: You need to be a damn good angler for starters. Once you have that going then you just need to elevate the rest. First you need to be in top shape. A three day, five session competition will brutalize the body. You need to learn to live without sleep. Be a superb swimmer, runner, and build your core – ever try crawling for three straight days? It’s the hardest thing you will ever do. Especially over rocks in cold water. And don’t let pain slow you down. You will be in a lot of pain but that can’t stop you. Standing up just once to stretch your back during a session could scare a fish you need.

Then it’s the kill instincts. In a competition you should never be satisfied. If you caught fifteen fish and that’s enough to win the session, who cares. Catch more. If there’s five minutes left in a session and you see a 9” fish but ten feet further up there’s a 12” fish. Don’t skip the 9 incher and go for the 12. Catch the 9 incher fast then catch the 12 incher. Every fish counts and every fish must be caught. I scored numerous fish in the last minute over the years and in Spain it won me a medal.

Last, there is the mental factor. You must be confident. You must know and expect that you will catch a fish. No matter what terrible beat you have or conditions you face. You will catch one if not more. And you can’t mess up an ordinary opportunity. You can’t get nervous because its competition. If a trout is rising and eating away he can’t be botched. You calm down and get the job done. If you’re netting a fish, you net him. You don’t lose him with a bad sweep of the net or knock him off. These are fundamentals that you are great at. You don’t screw them up just because its competition and you’re freaked out. The bottom line is you can’t make any stupid mistakes. None. Have your head together.

Hamann: Thank you again for the interview. Are there any closing reflections or thoughts you’d like to relay to those currently competing in the North American competitive scene?

Currier: Enjoy it. Enjoy fishing for a meaning. Enjoy working to prove you are the best. And along the journey learn as much as you can. There are so many great anglers out there and if you compete you have the good fortune of being surrounded by them. Every trick you can learn and apply to your own fishing makes you better. Even though your competition days may go away, these tricks of the trade will come in handy the rest of your life.