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.

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.

Hamann: Robbie, just wanted to thank you out right for being a great source of sage advice and friend to the League over the last few years. If you don’t mind, let’s jump right in. Take us way back if you will to the origins of competitive fly fishing in England? How old is the sport really? Are there origins even older in neighboring countries?

Bell: I would at the outset like to thank you for inviting me on here as it is a great honor for me to follow in the footsteps of all these fantastic anglers.

Well now I suspect the origins of Competition Fly Fishing in England would be at the same time as in the rest of the world. That would be the first time two anglers were on the same piece of water! Being a bit more serious the origins of competition fishing will be lost in the mists of time. There would almost certainly be competitions amongst members of Clubs and Angling Associations or just groups of friends that have long since disappeared.

I am very proud to be a member of the Ellem Fishing Club which is recognized as the Oldest Fishing Club in the World and they held their first Competition in 1829. However it is only in recent years that it became “Fly Only” as up until then most fish were caught on a fly rod but using the “Upstream Worm” technique.

The oldest National Fly Fishing Championships first took place on the 1st of July 1880 on Loch Leven in Scotland. Members from seven Scottish Clubs took part. A Mr. McGregor was the first winner and the famous PD Malloch caught the heaviest fish at 2 lb. 51/2 oz.

Hamann: When would you say we entered the “modern age” of competitive fly fishing globally?

Bell: Well the first International Competition took place between England and Scotland in 1928 and in 1932 Wales and Ireland joined in.

The early Internationals were always held on Loch Leven and such was the prestige of the Competition that England’s first Captain was to be HRH the Duke of York. However state business forced him to relinquish that post and W.H. McCreath became England’s first Captain. He was from my hometown of Berwick on Tweed and it is maybe of some interest that his son H.G. McCreath is currently the President of the Ellem Club having been a member of the club for 78 years!

However, the first Fips Mouche World Championships in Fly-Fishing took place on the 3rd of October 1981 and was held Lake Echternach in Luxembourg. The winners were the B team from Holland with Luxembourg A and Belgium A in second and third place. Obviously the event has grown from then to the event we see now.

Most likely one of the major turning points was in 1990 when the World Championships were held in Wales. This year was probably when modern techniques and flies really kicked in. The Polish team blew the field away with their “Rolled Nymph “ technique. I believe it still really grates them that this method is now almost universally known as Czech Nymphing.

Hamann: This is a 2 part question. Could you first take us, in detail, through the architecture of English Competitive Fly Fishing? From small weekend clubs to how your National Teams are chosen and organized?

Bell: Well there is a major difference between the English system and the Scottish system for Loch Style. I live on the border between England and Scotland and have fished in both systems.

In Scotland you have to be a member of an Affiliated Club and then to finish in the top 3 in that club to enter the National Championships which consist of heats, a semi-final and then the National Final.
At one time only the Club Champion was allowed to enter and a club might have as many as 20 outings during the season to decide the champion who could enter the National the following year!

In Scotland the top 18 anglers will then go forward to the Home Internationals the following year where they will fish in either the Spring or Autumn International against England, Wales and Ireland.

In England there is not so much of a club system and anyone can enter the regional eliminators where a proportion will progress to the National Final. The exact number is determined by the number of entrants to the individual regionals and the total number of entrants to all the regionals. We normally have 100 in the English National Loch Style Final and the top 28 will qualify for the two Home Internationals of the following year. There are 14 in each team.
At one time only the top 20 qualified and the top four anglers were carried over from each of the previous Home international.

Scotland still has a carry over system to make up the 28 needed for the following year.

For our Rivers Home Internationals both Scotland and England have similar regional competitions with a pro rata qualification to the National Finals where the top five anglers make up the National Teams. You still need to be in a club in Scotland and some have eliminators to enter their regionals

For the World Championships the systems are again different.

In Scotland another governing body is responsible for these teams and they have recently set up a league system where the top anglers from the 1st Division make up the World team. There is also a promotion and relegation format between the 1st and 2nd Division.
There are around five competitions a year in these leagues.

In England the World Championship Team is picked behind closed doors and this inevitably leads to discontent. There was a system where English results are put into a “League Table” but this was only used as a guide. When England won the World Championship in Scotland in 2009 it was not the top five who were in the team although it was some of them. However this did cause a lot of grief as some anglers were denied a realistic chance of becoming World Champion. Nowadays the league table has disappeared from the website and I can only assume that the team is totally picked by a committee. Although I am sure they will still have access to all the results. Now it is not my place to recommend how anyone chose their World Teams but I do know that any system that is not based solely on results (matters of discipline excepted) will cause resentment. This can lead to politics and splits and Scotland now has two separate Governing Bodies for Competitions which is in no ones interest.

The Stillwater Bank Internationals are a recent addition to our competition scene. The English National Championships started about 20 years ago and before they were granted International status they were a revenue generator so multiple entries to the regional qualifiers are allowed. The top six in the National Finals now make up the teams for the Home Internationals.

The whole system as you can see is a bit of a mish-mash but it is just the way it has grown organically.

Czech System.

My good friend Milan Hladik has supplied me with this information and I have condensed it down to give the gist of it. Some of the forum members will know Milan from the Czech Nymph Masterclass where he is now the principal organizer. He was also the Chief Organizer for the European Championships in 2011.

The Czech system is run over a two year cycle and there are first and second divisions with a promotion and relegation system.

Points are awarded with regard to the prestige of the competition and the number of entrants.

Winning the world Championship would give you 50 points 2nd 49 points 3rd 48 points and so on.

Winning the European Championships would give you 50 points. 2nd 49 points 3rd 48 points and so on.

A First Division competition win would be 30 points and second division 24 points with pro rata points for the lower positions.

Open competitions get 30 points for the winner if more than 40 entrants and 25 points if more than 30 entrants.

An interesting point is that competitions in other countries also count and some of the Czech Anglers are regulars in John Horsey’s Lexus competition where good points are available.

A running total is kept on a Czech website and an anglers best seven results are counted.

Around 190 points are usually needed at the end of the year to qualify in the top 14 anglers who go forward to another set of competitions in the following year.

This is a set of 5 competitions which reflect the upcoming World Championships with a balance of river and lake sessions.

After these the scores from these 5 competitions together with the previous years points are added together.

The first three positions are guaranteed entry into the World Championships and the next three almost always make up the team and the reserve. The next six competitors make up the second team and take part in the European Championships. The Team Coach does have some discretion to make minor changes between these two teams with regard to specific venues but this is seldom if ever used

This is a pretty comprehensive system but it is open and transparent and so there are no arguments and anglers have to be consistent over a two year period to make the teams.

All the Czech Competitions follow a strict set of rules. They are mainly Fips Mouche or an adaptation but could be something like British Loch Style rules. For the more serious competitions they will have controllers but many of them will be angler controlled.

River competitions are on fixed beats but they often sacrifice time to increase rotation with some sessions as little as an hour. This will help even out the luck of the draw.

Hamann: If you are able, can you give us a sense of how the English National teams are financed? Is there any funding from the government?

Bell: There is little if any government funding for the teams.

The various nationalities rely on entry fees as their primary source of income and sometimes there is some sponsorship money but not often. Some companies will offer the teams goods or a discount but that is generally it.

There has recently been some movement for the teams to organize some fundraising themselves. Particularly by the Scots. They have been organizing some Bank Fishing Competitions through the winter which are open to everyone and members of the teams come along to support it.

I personally think this is the way forward.
Any government funding is someone else’s tax bill…………

It would be easy for the Angling Bodies to draw up blueprints for small groups of team members who are local to each other to organize fund raising with competition and or tuition days.

Hamann: What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of your national competitors and organizing body?

Bell: With regard to the organizing bodies I think some of my answers above will point out the weaknesses.

Of course the vast majority of officials are unpaid volunteers and I respect that. However that does not preclude things from being done better. Entries for national competitions in England are declining and are probably half of what they were 20 years ago. There are almost certainly a number of reasons for this but in England one of them may be the lack of a totally clear route to the World Championships.

I also think it is becoming harder and harder to qualify for even our Home Internationals. Even though numbers are declining every one has access to the internet with all the information and videos etc. There are literally hundreds of Guides and Instructors in the country these days. Many people will have more disposable income so the technical developments in rod and line technology are open to almost everyone. Magazines have all the latest techniques and flies and these flies are quickly brought to market by top companies like Fulling Mill and Highland Flies. You can fish to a very high standard these day without ever having tied a fly!

I think the strength of our competitors is the long history and tradition of Competition Angling particularly in Loch Style.
I think one of the weaknesses is that we had our first full Fips Mouche competition in 2010 apart from when the World Championships were here.

Also our River Internationals only go back to 1992. The qualifiers and National Final for these are also held on a roving basis rather than a beat basis which probably stops us from progressing in river techniques which dominate the World Championships.

I have some sympathy with this method as we are only allowed one shot at qualifying for the final and it is a one day fishing final so you do not wish to be hamstrung from the outset by a bad draw.

Hamann: Is fishing access an issue in England? Or would you say there are ample river and lake opportunities available to anyone.

Bell: Yes and No is the answer to that one.

We have probably the best Lake organization of anywhere in the world. Places like Rutland and Grafham have 50+ identical boats and engines with all the facilities that go with them. There are also plenty of smaller venues throughout the country with more than 10 boats on them.

Scotland has the Lake of Menteith with a fleet of 30 boats and again there are also many other smaller venues with boats.

There are also numerous small water venues where bank angling takes place. This is the biggest part of fly-fishing in the UK now and there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. It can be easy on a stocking day but these fish may see tens of thousands of flies in a week! They soon wise up.

Access to Trout fishing on Rivers whilst different to North America is easy and reasonably priced in the North of England and Scotland.

However it is generally limited and expensive in the South of England.

Salmon Fishing in Scotland can be ridiculously expensive but can be obtained more reasonably in the smaller and less well known rivers.

Hamann: What about wild vs. stocked trout venues in your country? Would you say the primary venue might be a stocked, “put & take” lake situation? What is your personal preference and how do you think the norm in your country affects your anglers progression?

Bell: Well as I have said the vast majority of fly fishers in this country now use small put and take fisheries. It is not hard to see why. Everything is put on a plate for you. Easy and safe parking, a log book with flies and methods that are working, friendly staff, refreshments and meals available. You can fish with friends and easily make friends amongst the regulars and you have the opportunity to watch and learn from other anglers.

With regard to an anglers progression then it is a fact that a very large percentage of our anglers start on these small waters and never get past them. However many of the venues do have competitions such as Winter Leagues and Charity Events and this does encourage those who are minded to move on.

Personally I like all fly fishing. In fact I love all fly fishing!

The best fishing of all for me is good wild river fishing but as we all know rivers can be very cyclical, unpredictable and often inconsistent.

Stillwaters as a general rule are more consistent and as you get older boats with a good seat become ever more appealing! A good box for sitting on a bank comes a close second……..

Hamann: It’s no secret. English competitors are very proficient lake fisherman. There is no doubt a well rounded competitive angler must be both proficient at lakes and rivers. What would you say are some of the conceptual differences an angler must adopt when transitioning from being a river angler to both? And what do you love about the Stillwater sport?

Bell: Most of my Stillwater fishing is for stocked rainbow trout and that is the case for the vast majority of stillwater competitions in this country.

With that in mind I think for a start you need the right tools for the job.

It has taken up until the last few years for North Americans to embrace our longer rods both in Salmon fishing as well as Trout fishing. I personally think that 10 foot 8 weights are the tool for the job. It is what Iain Barr uses…….and it is what I used in Canada last year.

Within reason there is nothing you can do with a 6 weight that you cannot do with an 8 weight but it does not work the other way around.

If you cannot get your point fly 35 yards away with only a couple of false casts you are already behind the 8 ball. I was going to say LBW but only a few will understand that as it is a cricket term!

Casting Distance is one of the keys to successful Stillwater angling be it bank or boat.

I often see a lot of girls rods talked about on Trout Legend. Get yourselves some proper mans rods!………. J

In all seriousness you do need at least a 10 foot 7 weight and around 15 lines or more.
Preferably 3 identical rods and 3 identical reels to go with them for bank fishing competitions

I also think that at times Rivers are easy to read.

You know where the fish are going to be, well at least some of them.

In still waters they could me anywhere and in stocked Stillwaters in some places and not in others.

I would probably think that Stillwater fishing is to a larger extent more of a three dimensional game than rivers.
Not always but generally more.

It is also often about the decisions you make rather than out and out ability. Of course good anglers will be more consistent but information about where and how can really level the playing field or tilt it in your favour.

Iain Barr may arguably be the Worlds Best Competition Loch Style Angler but most anglers on our competition circuit will have beaten him on the odd occasion. Even me!

Hamann: How has the culture of competitive fly fishing shaped the evolution of gear offered in Europe and vice versa?

Bell: Well I think it the same as in other fields. Motor racing has brought about things like ABS and traction control and competition fly-fishing has pushed the envelope of fishing tackle.

Companies like Airflo have brought about innovations like the Di-7 and 40+ plus lines.

Rod makers like Greys have brought in the11 foot 3 weight.

Leeda were the first company to bring in the cassette reel and many have followed suit.

I would think it fair to say that this has been in the most part from demand from competition anglers. Mind you that is not to say “recreational” anglers have not played their part.

I also think it probably works both ways. Things like the 11 foot 3 weight allow anyone to fish a long French leader easily.
Cassette reels allow quick and easy and cheap line changes for anyone.

Hamann: What are some your favorite European publications covering competitive fly fishing?

Bell: Well there are not really many magazines that extensively cover competitions these days. It used to be a big part of them many years ago but then virtually died out in print.

Up until recently even a National Final would not make the news section however it is coming back a little bit.

The best general magazine in the UK is Fly-Fishing and Fly-Tying. However for novices Trout Fisherman is good for at least a few years

Hamann: I know it’s a bit cliche, but what are your top 5 favorite lake patterns? What about your top 5 favorite lines?

I was a mentor for the USA team in the run up to the World Championships being held in Scotland in 2009.

I answered many e-mails from the team members and Lance Egan asked almost this very question.

This was my reply.

”Lance asks for my top five flies…..

That is an impossible question………..

Thanks Lance!……….Ha Ha

What I can do is give you my top five groups and then try an narrow those down to a few of my favourites.
The groups would be;
Boobies
Hopper/Daddies (UK Style)
Buzzers
Nymphs
Lures.

Now I know that covers almost everything except wet flies (I have some of those as well) but I could not envisage going out on a Loch without all of them.

One of the main things about Loch Style fishing is that you have an opponent in the boat with you. Obvious yes, but it does have consequences that a river session does not have.
Now I have to once again put in the proviso that I am not trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs and as I do not know that much about all of you I would rather be blunt than miss something out.

Not easy for an Englishman…..
Good job I am half Scottish! J

So to get back to the point there you are in a boat and your partner, Iain Barr has just had 2 fish in 2 casts on a Pink Booby.
What do you do?
Well the only answer I know is to strap on a Pink Booby…… (and the same or nearest Fly line if you have it.)
What if you do not have one…..
Well you could ask him for one!
Knowing Iain as I do he would give you one but he would wait till he was 8-0 up!
The thing is that you cannot have 5 favorite flies and you cannot have even five favorite groups.

What you can have is a system.

You cannot have all the flies in all the colors and all the sizes………..and then have them all again with a red head!
So If we take Boobies, I have in my box most of the colors and the named boobies such as Cats Whisker and Viva Booby in size 10 and a few repeats in the favorite colors such as Peach and CW in size 12.
That way if my partner starts catching on Pink Booby even if it is a bit different to mine I can then put on something similar.
Now my system with nymphs is the same.
I take a few patterns such as Diawl Bach, Cruncher, PTN, Hares Ear, and I have them in different colors in 10 and 12 with a few 14‘s thrown in.
It is the same with Hoppers (UK) I will have around eight colors in 10 and 12 with a couple of them, say Black and Hares Ear in a 14 as well.
The same type of thing would apply to the other groups. What I am trying to achieve is to have a range of flies that will cover a range a scenarios including some thing similar to anything my boat partner puts on.

You cannot have everything but you need something for each of the ballparks.
Just as an insight I will list a few of my favorites in each group.

Boobies
Peaches and Cream
Pink Straggle Fritz
Cats Whisker
Cocktail Coral
Orange Fritz
Cormorant

Nymphs
Cruncher
Olive Cruncher
Black Cruncher
Diawl Bach
Red Headed Diawl Bach
Red Holographic DB

Buzzers
Black Buzzer 1
Black Buzzer 2
Black Buzzer 3
Olive Buzzer
Bloodworm

Hoppers/Daddies
Real Daddy (foam)
Black Hopper
Olive Hopper
H.E. Hopper
Orange Hopper

Lures
Cormorant
Red Bodied Cormorant
Pearl Bodied Cormorant
Cats Whisker
Viva

So Gentlemen there we are; the basis of a system that hopefully covers the fishes bases but also your boat partners bases.”

My current favourite lines are Fast Glass, Floater, Di5, Di3, and Di7

Hamann: Just as in the States with the conventional Bass circuit there is an in depth culture of competitive fishing not oriented around trout and the fly in England. Could you give us a snapshot of this world? What is Course Angling? Do you think these other divisions compliment or contradict competitive fly fishing and do you see many “crossovers” from sport to sport?

Bell: Well Coarse Angling is by far the biggest sector in fishing in England. Not Scotland though but it is increasing there.

Basically it is the catching of Coarse fish. These would be mainly Roach and Perch. Bream, Chub, Rudd, Gudgeon etc. In recent years Specialist Commercial Carp Fisheries have become increasingly popular. I suppose it is a bit like our small water fly-fishing in that everything is laid on and it is so convenient. In the south of England these fisheries are very popular and many a trout fishery has been converted to Carp. One of the reasons for that is that Carp are able to withstand the rigors of catch and release in the warmer temperatures of summer which trout are not.

Some of our best Fly Anglers started off as Coarse Fishermen. Indeed Brian Leadbetter who was the first man to win the Individual WFFC for a second time started as a coarse fisherman. I think some of the things they appreciate more than us is depths and presentation.

I do hear about a number of fishermen coming over to fly-fishing from the coarse world and this may be because fly-fishing is a more continually active form of the sport and suits the less patient angler!.

Hamann: In the States we have Army teams in other sports, but not yet Fly Fishing. Could you tell us a little about the British Army Fly Fishing Team?

Bell: Well it was all started by Andy Croucher who some of you will know. The Soldier Palmers is the organization for fly fishing in the British Army and this has been going for a good number of years. In 2005 when Andy was the Secretary he started thinking about having a trip abroad for some of the members. He found out that if there was a competition involved the Army Sports Lottery Fund would give the serving members a small subsidy. He then started looking around for a competition and came across the first website for the 2006 USA National Championships. So basically Andy blagged a place in the competition and the British Army team was born.
I think the organizer were glad to have us as perhaps we added an extra dimension to this competition which was in its inaugural year.

We must have behaved ourselves as we got invited back the next year. This is also when we met the Canadian Team and we got invited to their Championships as well but because of date clashes we were unable to take them up on the offer until 2010.

Hamann: You’ve signed on as a “hired gun” to two Canadian National Championship squads in recent years. Who did you fish with and can you share some of your experiences on the way to your Team Medal finishes?

Well I think Hired Gun is a bit strong but I will take it as a compliment………….. J

In 2010 we accepted the Canadians long standing invitation and our team consisted of Andy Croucher as Captain together with Graham Lumsden, Pete Mumford, Ronnie Christie and myself.

The competition was partly cancelled because of the wind but we had a fantastic time in the town of Roblin where everyone made us so welcome. We were lucky enough to win a Bronze Team Medal which was the icing on the cake. The end of term party was simply outstanding and I think we were the gold medal winners in the beer stakes.

By 2011 Andy and Graham had left the Army and Ronnie Christie was in Afghanistan so it was not possible to send a team over.

However one of the Canadians who was on my sector in 2010, David Forgeron told me his wife’s family was from Whitehaven in England and he might look me up when he was visiting in 2011.

So David came and stayed with me for a few days and I guided him for some River and Loch Style fishing. Over a couple of beers in the evenings he forced me into agreeing to return in the Autumn for the Championships in Quebec. I then contacted Randy Taylor to see if there was a place available and there was. Randy said I could fish as an individual and if a team was short of a man I could join them.

So I stayed with and practiced with David’s team the Dredgehogs but as it turned out one of Randy’s team accidentally eliminated himself by fishing a venue too close to the competition and so I took the slot in Equipe Airflo. As you will be aware the we won the Gold Medal but they would have still won it if I had been placed last in every session.

I was lucky enough to come second but quite rightly could not receive the Silver medal as I was only a guest. The Quebec experience was different from Manitoba but will always be one of the great memories in my fly-fishing life. I hope to get an invite back this year.. In 2011 was lucky enough to fish with Todd Oishi, John Nishi and Philip Short as well as Sunny Van Der Kloof but also to meet up with many people from the year before.

Hamann: What is your take on the Trout Legend League? How have you seen it evolve over the last 2 years and where do you think it can go?

Bell: I think the Trout Legend League and Forum is fantastic.
I think it is significantly responsible for propelling North American Fly-fishing into a position where it can seriously challenge for WFFC Team Medals in the near future.

I remember talking to Eddie Pinkston after the 2007 USA Nationals and he and I were of the same opinion that the USA would never win a team medal. This was not because of the ability of individual anglers but because of the lack of a National Competition structure.

We could both see brilliant American anglers around us but as they improved so did the anglers from other countries and we could not see the gap significantly closing. I think Trout Legend has changed this and I am sure Eddie would agree. A National structure is now emerging and your WFFC Team is now being pushed forward by hundreds of anglers and not just by a few well meaning and enthusiastic people.

I think Trout Legend will continue to grow and the only problem I can see coming is finding someone or some group to take over when you decide to pass on the reins.

Hamann: From “across the pond” can you offer some outside advice to the competitors and organizers on how we can improve our North American competitive scene, stock of anglers, and competitions?

The biggest problem the USA faces is the sheer size of the country. Canada has even more of a problem in that respect and a small relative population to boot. The way around that maybe to organize State competitions. I am sure the possibility of becoming Colorado, Montana or North Carolina Champion would have a great appeal. I think the next logical move would then be to have Interstate competitions between neighboring states.

I also think at entry level competitions keep the rules to a minimum.
Other than that just keep progressing the way you are.

Hamann: Recently there has been some discussion on whether the Trout Legend League should develop it’s own set of rules governing play or stick strictly to the Fips Mouche rule book. What are your thoughts on this matter?

Bell: Well to save some typing here is what I said on the thread at the time.

“In the UK up until a couple of years ago there were no competitions that were fished to Fips Mouche Rules.

Even now there isn‘t even a slack handful.

Now I am not trying to tell anyone how to run their competitions but would perhaps make these points.

At the lowest level of your competitions every single rule you have in place will reduce the numbers of anglers who enter.

At the top end of your competitions every deviation from Fips Mouche will make it just that bit harder for your representatives to step up to the world stage.”

I honestly believe that you must encourage newcomers both young and old into competition fishing and easy, relaxed competitions are the way to do that. The enthusiastic amongst them will move on to the more serious levels as full blown competitors and if that is not for them perhaps as controllers and officials but you have to get them in the first place.

Keep all your major competitions at or near full Fips Mouche regulations.

Hamann: Well thank you again for taking the time to do this interview. In closing could you leave us with some thoughts on what competitive fly fishing has meant in your angling life?

Bell: Well I did not get into fly-fishing until well into my thirties and competitions until my forties.

Fly-fishing and competition fly-fishing is now a major component of my life.

My wife Margaret says I have three loves in my life; Trout, Grayling and her and she is not sure of the order……………!

I just love it. I like the taking part and on the odd minor occasion the winning but the most important part is the people.

My best fishing friend was a person I met by being drawn in a boat with him for a Loch Style competition on Rutland which is 250 miles from where I live. I also treasure the people I have met in Canada the USA and Czech Republic. I cannot begin to imagine my life without fly-fishing and competitions are a major part of that.

A few of Robbie Bell’s credentials:
Member of the Game Angling Instructors Association (GAIA)
Full England International Fly-Fisher
Team Gold and Individual 2nd Canadian National Fly-Fishing Championships 2011
Team Bronze Medal Winner Canadian National Fly-Fishing Championships 2010
British Army Fly-Fishing Team Coach. USA 2006 and 2007 Canada 2010
Competition Manager England International Bank Team 2010 Gold Medal
Czech Republic Fly Fishing Team Guide. World Championships Scotland 2009
USA Fly Fishing Team Mentor. World Championships Scotland 2009
England Fly-Fishing Team Loch Style Guide. Scotland 2005 and 2007
England Fly-Fishing Team Rivers Guide. Scotland 2004
Jiri Klima Czech Nymph Masterclass. Czech Republic 2007
Multiple Club Champion on Rivers and Stillwaters
Occasional Tackle Consultant for Hardy/Greys and Sonik

Hamann: Thank you again for taking the time to entertain these questions. As always I like to jump right in. What was the impetus to write this book and what does “Dynamic Nymphing” mean to you? Also, all though you don’t find the word “competition” on the cover all of the material discussed is extremely pertinent to the competitive angler: what do you hope it will bring to that community?

Daniel: Thank you for the interview. My passion behind the book was to write a broad perspective on nymphing. As much as I enjoy fishing the Euro methods, I understand there’s other nymphing tactics that suit unique stream conditions.

In order for success to occur, I believe anglers must implement a wide range of tactics throughout a season. Also, variety is the spice of life and utilizing a range of tactics, keeps my interest peaked everyday on the water.

Also, I think in very simple terms (well, at least that’s what I believe) and I wanted to express my basics views on what many anglers believe to be complicated strategies.

I hope readers understand I’m not advocating a “new” or “revolutionary” tactic. For example, Czech Nymphing is a form of Tight Line Nymphing that has been practiced for eons. However, these “euro” tactics are simply improvements (progress…if you will) to an already solid foundation. For example, improvements in long rod technology, sighters, curly cue (spiral) indicators, tungsten beads and specialty hooks are significant advances in nymphing. All I’m attempting to do is share with readers the small advances in nymphing that will aid their successes along the stream.

Hamann: Many competitors self impose a strict regimen of fishing only by comp standards. After so many years in the game what is your take on this? Do you think it’s essential to fish fips-mouche style 100% of the time?

Daniel: If you’re really set on becoming a good competitive angler, you first have to possess confidence with the enforced rules. For me, that meant spending a good 6-8 months practicing only with the Fips rules. However, at some point during this strick regiment, I felt I needed to position myself outside these rules and look in.

Meaning, I actually began to use manufactured suspenders (aka indicators) and spent time with some great indicator-fishers, which eventually provided me with insights as to how to fish the dry dropper. This thought process only occurred to me when I stepped away from the Fips format, which provided me with a fresh look at tactics.

Also, I enjoy catching fish and that means I’m usually open to most tactics (except for bait fishing) to get the job done. My current passion is throwing large articulated streamers, which is a big no-no in international rules. I think sticking strictly to these rules takes away many of fly fishing’s enjoyable avenues to catch fish.

Hamann: Just skimming through your book it’s obvious you’re not a “one man show”. So much of the book pays homage, in photo and writing, to the many great teachers and friends you’ve met along the way. Tell us a little about some of the most influential voices who brought these techniques to life for you?

Daniel: Yes, I have had so many great mentors over the years. One key to my success was to surround myself with anglers who are better than I was. Humility was one of my best teachers. You can’t be afraid to be outdone by another angler…it’s inevitable so you should embrace it.

First and foremost is Joe Humphreys – the man who took the time to spend a few moments to teach a youngster. I really owe Joe a lot for building a strong foundation and more important for giving me encouragement. It’s amazing what a little encouragement can do!

Second, I want to give credit to many of my teammates who shared their knowledge with me during my 7 year stay with FF Team USA. One thing Joe Humphreys always stressed to me was to “give credit where credit is due.” I’ll be honest when I say that I learned the most from Lance Egan. The guy is one of the most solid (all around) anglers on the globe. However, there are so many guys including Loren Williams, Devin Olson, Josh Stephens, Pete Erickson, and Brett Bishop that also shared some great tips. A man who always fishes alone fishes lonely waters.

I like to surround myself with those who aren’t afraid to disagree with me. Engaging yourself in deep conversation really makes you think why you do what you do. This is the only way you grow as an angler and as a human being.

Hamann: The section on your flies coupled with the photos is almost worth the price of the book alone. I knew you were a nut for weighing flies but the detail you dive into and the care you take in organizing your fly boxes is quite impressive. Tell us a little bit about why this is so important and how this aspect of your game has evolved over the years?

Daniel: Besides lengthening the cast to provide my nymphs additional time to gain the bottom or changing rod tip angles during the stop (i.e. modified tuck casts)… weight adjustment is my third adjustment. I’m not going to go into great detail about my organization system but sum it up in one sentence – my nymphs are organized according to weight, in small increments. This really allows me to micro manage the weight used during the drift.

Hamann: Speaking of great photography. I see much of the photo work attributed to you and your wife. Could you tell us a little about your photo gear? Is this just a perfunctory adjunct to producing a book or more of a hobby?

Daniel: I own a Nikon D90-a good entry level camera that served me well during the last year of the book project. Before that, I utilized the original Nikon D100, which also captured usable images.

I actually love photography but have to admit that I have a lot of work to do before calling myself a photographer. My editor, Jay Nichols passed along some great tips that allowed Amidea and myself to capture usable shots. Also, I have a younger brother who lives in West Yellowstone and has become a good photographer. This has motivated me even more to travel out west and spend time learning from him. Becoming a better photographer has become one of my top goals for 2012.

Hamann: I was a little surprised to find a good portion of the book dedicated to casting technique. Do you think many competitors overlook the importance of effective casting when they get “Close Nymphing Blinders” on?

Daniel: Maybe a few competitive anglers! I wanted to really break down every split second before, during, and after the cast. There are so many subtleties in casting and the presentation so I wanted to break it down to the very core.
photo by Hallie Mansfield

Hamann: Now that it’s obvious this book will be a great success what plans do you have for your next project?

Daniel: I have a few projects that will keep me busy the next five years 

Hamann: Let’s turn our attention to your Team USA credentials for a moment. I believe one of the most impressive accomplishments in American Competitive Fly Fishing to date was your back to back National Championship wins in 2007 and 2009 (no national in 08’). Please, without brevity, can you walk us through this incredible showing?

Daniel: Limited skill and a good bit of luck go a long way. I had a great group of teammates that shared great information with me in 2007 and 2009. What I remember most during those two comps was my ability to stay calm when things went wrong (e.g. getting a rough beat or dropping a fish).

The key to sustained success is not thinking about past accomplishments. The only thing that reminds me of past accomplishments are the few medals in my house. My advice to current competitors is to never get hung on past performances. I see a few of the new guns strutting their stuff after a good finish at a regional qualifier. Their arrogance reeks and these are normally the anglers that rarely continue to improve. Confidence is a necessary tool in any aspect of life but I have no time for arrogance. The presence of arrogance creates an information barricade.

I’m not a competitive person by nature. That is, I never went into a competition saying to myself, “man, do I really want to kick this guy’s butt today.” That would have ruined it for me. Instead, I consider myself pretty laid back in comparison to many in the competitive circuit. All I had working for me during those years was the will to do the best I was capable of doing…nothing more. What I lack in skill…I make up for in work ethic.

Hamann: I’m sure you must cherish your multiple trips as a member with the Fly Fishing Team USA World Squad. Can you highlight some of your fondest memories including your 5th place finish in the 2006 World Championships held in Portugal?

Daniel: My fondest memory was during my last session on the Mondego River. This was the river that proved to be the most difficult for all competitors. It was a large, warm, and slow moving body of water with few holding spots for trout…it reminded me more a warm water fishery.

I think I was ranked somewhere like 8th or 9th going into this final session. Up to that point, I felt good with my performance but knew I was about to face my most difficult venue. I had Vladi and Anthony watching, which helped immensely. The river is actually classified as a tail-water but temperatures were pushing 70 degrees. Water generation would occur without warning. A few trout were caught during non-generating but many were caught just as the river was rising and you only had about 25 minutes to produce before the river was blown out. There were very few likely holding spots for trout in this large expanse of water so you had to be at the right place as the water begun to rise.

I fished my beat for over two hours without any signs of a trout, although I did manage to land several course fish. With only 30 minutes left, I was fishing the lower half of my beet (400 yards long) when Vladi began yelling “the water is rising.” As soon as I hear these words, I ran 100 yards up the middle of the river to the one likely holding spot and began to work the water. Within 25 minutes, I landed two trout and then the river was completely blown out. What I remember most during Portugal was the last 10-15 minutes of my last session on the Mondego River. At that point, the river was completely blown but and it was getting to be late evening. The river flowed through a beautiful valley filled with small villages and terraces spread over the landscape. The soft evening light highlighted the entire valley and I just had one of those moments when I thought to myself: “wow…what an experience!” I ended up 5th, which is respectable but what I remember most was the last 10 minutes of that session. In fact, the only photo of Portugal I have is the shot taken from the top of the mountain (from my hotel window) looking down at the spot in the valley I finished my last session.

Hamann: This might seem like a minor question, but I’m curious. Do you end up using your “home flies” at World venues? Or do you find, when the beat bell rings are you are using almost exclusively flies you’ve tied on site?

Daniel: Absolutely! As I’ve gotten a little older and perhaps wiser, I have become a minimalist and have found most trout patterns will work anywhere around the globe. Of course, the team would learn about a particular “local” pattern but most often I use confidence patterns.

Hamann: With the advent of incredible resources like the TroutLegend Forum and your Book it seems there are no “secrets” anymore. No secret flies, no secret leaders, no secret techniques. Do you believe this to be true?

Daniel: I would agree with that statement 97% of the time. However, I’m sure there are a few tightly held secrets out there.

Hamann: I recently saw a statistic that said 175 Individual World showings have originated from European countries and 3 from the Americas. Why has there historically been so much “suckage” on this side of the pond and do you think we’re gaining any ground on our European competitive counterparts?

Daniel: In my opinion, up to 6 years ago…the US has sent few qualified angler over the pond. In my opinion, so many of the top Euro competitors are guys who compete on a weekly basis. Literally, the Euro countries are smaller where competitors can meet and compete against each other on a weekly basis. The key is repetition. You can practice by yourself all you want but only anglers can replicate the pressures of competition in that setting. This is changing with the formation of regional competitive teams. I think you’re going to see a better US showing in the future.

Also, teams like France, Czech Republic, Slovakia and several others have strong youth programs. The US Youth Team is making some noise and there is now a group of kids that can transition into the adult team.

Hamann: You recently had a short stint as Head Coach for the USA Adult Fly Fishing Team, but then resigned. What is your view of where this team has been and where it needs to go?

Daniel: There is no doubt that FF Team USA possesses the best group of competitive anglers. One of the team’s biggest challenges is gaining support from both the public and fly fishing industry. I believe creating a transparent organization is the first step to gain support. That is, when FF Team USA says the board has made a decision…who is the board? If this truly is America’s team then the public needs to know who is making these decisions. Somebody needs to be held accountable.

That is, when Team USA says that three anglers will be hand picked – who is hand picking the team? If I were an angler looking to spend thousands of dollars traveling to make the team…I want to know who is deciding my fate.

Also, the team needs to develop another National Championship committee. This was a huge task Jack Dennis was able to accomplish in 2006 & 2007. Unfortunately, this group dissolved after only two years. Ideally, this group would organize all regional qualifiers along with the nationals rather than the actual competitors, which is the case for some of the 2012 events. Competitors need to focus on competing – not organizing events. This group would also be responsible for uniting hosting clubs/ff groups across the country to bring about greater awareness for FF Team USA. In my opinion, this was one of Jack’s greatest contributions to FF Team USA – he demonstrated that creating such organizations could happen. For example, he formed a group of volunteers from Fresno, Kalamazoo, Bend, Salt Lake, Cody, and Boudler – all within a two year period. Unfortunately, I failed to accomplish such a task during my brief tenure as coach. I hope whoever is in charge takes their job serious enough to think of forming a similar structure. It’s a huge task but it needs to be done.

Hamann: Put simply, what do you think sets a very high level competitor apart from a true champion who finds the podium again and again?

Daniel: Great competitors acknowledge their weaknesses and focus a large part of their training to improve. I always heard guys like Lance, Loren, and Devin talk more about their weaknesses they planned to work on.

Hamann: What are your thoughts on the TroutLegend Fly Fishing League? And do you think you’ll ever enter the competitive circuit again?

Daniel: Frist, I appreciate the fact that the site demands users display their real names and appreciate the site is clean. I see very little bashing on this site. Strong opinions are fine as these qualities bring about richer conversation but pure rudeness only breaks apart human relationships. So thanks to Mr. Hamann for his efforts to unite anglers.

As for competing again…No. One thing I will give myself credit for is the ability to focus. When I competed from 06-09, my entire world revolved around FF Team USA. My focus was so intense that I sometimes neglected other aspects in my life.

When my daughter was born in Feb 2009, I was competing for FF Team USA, Head Coach for the US Youth Team, writing Dynamic Nymphing, travelled and spoke to 20 fly fishing organizations along with my normal 45 hours a week job at TCO and trying to be a husband. I was totally burnt out by the end of 2009 and even back in 2008 I knew I didn’t have the time necessary to stay at the top. So before the 2009 Nationals, I told my wife that I was going to win Nationals and retire on a high note. My plan actually worked.

I just don’t have the time needed to compete at a high level. This was evident during my 2009 and 2010 performance in the Worlds. I was wasting my time and taking a spot from someone who could better perform the job.

Also, I realized there are more important things in life than a fly fishing competition….money in the bank, funding a few ROTH IRA’s, and spending time with my family.

Hamann: I hope I’m not spilling the beans here, but I’ve heard rumor you’ve signed on to Coach the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team this year? Team NC dominated the TroutLegend League last year taking home the much sought after Top Team of North America Trophy – what do you hope to bring to this all ready stellar squad?

Daniel: I thought I was done (at least for a while) coaching competitive fly fishing when I resigned from FF Team USA. However, I got a call from Paul Bourcq one day after my resignation to discuss the opportunity to work with the NC FF Team. I ran a clinic last fall for this group and was impressed with the organization. In fact, while driving home I called Amidea to tell her how impressed I was with NC FF Team and the excitement I felt from all team members. I love people who have a “synergy” mindset and knew this was the most organized competitive team/organization in North America followed in second by the US Youth Team.

Long story short, it didn’t take me long to decide I wanted to be part of this organization. Everyone wants to be part of something that is bigger than they are and the NC FF Team is exactly that. They have an active board, a non profit status, funding, great community support, and an excited group of anglers. Tough to say no to that.

Hamann: People are starting to see the competitive scene “Blow up” in the last year. As of this writing there are all ready 30 competitions on the schedule for the current 2012/2013 cycle and an estimated 70-100 comps may clear before the cycle’s end. Reports tell us World leaders like the Czechs and Brits engage in competitions nearly every weekend of their open season. Still, recent stats show us our National Fly Fishing team members engage in only a handful of competitions each year at best. Do you believe a competitor can excel at the World or National level without the rigor of regular competition?

Daniel: If you read Michale Phelps book “No Limits,” Malcom Gladwell’s “Outliers,” or any number of self help books, you will see that there’s a parallel between time spent working on the skill and the level of success. The Czechs do compete on a weekly basis and you can see how honed they are while competing.

I think the US has more than enough skill to strike a medal this year but I know the current team would have a better chance if they fished on a monthly basis. The physical distance that separates current team members and the lack of funding is hurting this team.
All I’m saying is if you put the top five FF Team USA anglers into a similar Czech system (competing every week) – they would rock it every year. Fly Fishing Team USA really has all the talent needed to strike gold – if the talent is developed.

Hamann: When one drives up to the TCO Fly Shop in State College PA they will see a huge billboard poster of you guiding your wife. Would you be so kind as to introduce your family to us? How has your wife guided you over the years?

Daniel: My incredible wife of 10 years; Amidea has been with me since 1996 and has never looked back. She was the one who encouraged me to travel to the first US qualifier in Bend, OR. Amidea is also the one who supported my decision to spend weeks away from home and spend some of our discretionary income to travel with FF Team USA. She actually loves to fish and it was tough for both of us when I traveled to Europe and she couldn’t go. There was a 4 year period when we didn’t take a single fishing trip together due to all my vacation time being put towards Team USA. As an old saying goes, “Behind every good angler is a great women” and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

We also have a three year old daughter and a one year old son. Amidea and I don’t really care if they ever take up fly fishing but we want to immerse them in the outdoors…something so many kids today never take part in. It’s amazing to see the difference in both their attitudes when they spend an hour outside playing as compared to watching TV inside.

Hamann: What are your dogs names?

Daniel: Helios and Madison.

Hamann: I hear you just moved to a place right on the banks of the famed Big Fishing Creek in Centre County Pennsylvania? How has this creek shaped you as an angler?

Daniel: We bought an old foreclosed farm house. Most people told us we were nuts due to the amount of work needed. But time goes fast. We bought the house in July and now plan to move in sometime in March. Amidea and I have spent every spare moment working and planning its resurrection. The long time frame allowed us to pay in cash for all the improvements rather than taking a loan. I hate to be in debt to anyone.

Fishing Creek is where we felt the most at home. When we first got married, we rented the second floor of an old farm house across from the Federal Fish Hatchery in Lamar. At that time, I spent nearly 100 days a year on BFC. All I will say is that BFC taught me patience.

We loved the area and enjoyed taking walks along the stream everyday and we told each other that we would eventually find a house in the Valley. We bought a house in Lock Haven and made it our home for almost 8 years but we always kept an eye open for the right place. After four years and several real estate agents…we found our home.

Hamann: Thank you again for taking this interview. Would you leave us with some thoughts on what competitive fly fishing has brought to your life and how you hope it will evolve in this country?

Daniel: Competitive fly fishing has taught me that you learn more from your losses than you do your victories. While I really despise losing, I also know that learning from my past mistakes will increase the chance of success down the road. Doing this interview actually forced me to look at my journal, where I noticed 4 times the wording for my less desirable outcomes than for any top finish. For me, a loss created a greater sense of humility -something all of us could use a little more of these days.

Overall, I think competitive fly fishing will continue to push boundaries and hopefully lead to improved tactics. I say “improved” because I don’t like to call these Euro tactics “new” because the origins of Czech Nymphing date back to England when Skues decided to look at subsurface presentations. Skues was a true revolutionary – going against traditional thoughts. Instead, these Euro tactics are improvements to an already developed system. This is why I call it progress, rather than revolutionary.

The idea of competitive fly fishing is to make the most out of your time on a given piece of water. That is, catch the most fish in the least amount of time. This teaches efficiency. Lets face it, life is crazy in this day and age. People are busier than ever before and have less time on the water. Most anglers have a limited amount of time to fish. So why not look to competitive fly fishing to learn a few lessons in time management?

The recreational angler can quickly apply any of the skills and lessons learned from competitive fly fishing. I really believe the development of tungsten flies, colored mono, jig hooks and the development of long rods has increased the success rate of most anglers. Fly fishing has been around for a long time and so much has been written on the subject. There’s really nothing radical or different these days. Instead, there are what I call “small steps forward”- small but measurable improvements and competitors are always looking for that microscopic detail. I think any angler would like to know how to catch one or two more fish every time out.

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.

Devin Olsen strode to an almost 2000pt gap victory as the Top Rod of the North American TroutLegend Premier Fly Fishing League 2010/2011 Ranking Cycle.  Olsen finished 7 competitions “In The Points” with no less than three 1st place finishes, two 2nd, and one 3rd:

America Cup 2011 – 7th Place (875pts)

USA Nationals 2011 – 2nd Place (2000pts)

USA OR Regional 2011- 1st Place (808pts)

USA NM Regional 2010 – 1st Place (760pts)

N.A.L.S Chesterfield 2010 – 2nd Place (240pts)

America Cup 2010 – 1st Place (3250pts)

USA CO Regional 2010 -  3rd Place (380pts)

 
Check out an interview with North America’s highest ranked competitive fly fisherman back in December of 2010:

http://troutlegend.com/player/behind-the-leader-board-devin-olsen/

Geldhauser: Without a doubt, the biggest key to our success is our desire to compete in as many events as possible. We believe there is no substitute for experience, and are fortunate to be able to compete against some of the best fly anglers in the country on a fairly regular basis, all within a short drive from home. We share all our experiences with each other, and work hard towards the collective goal of making the best it can be.Hamann: Team DeadDrift’s top 5 performers in the 2010/2011 cycle were: Corey Roberts (1825 pts), Bret Nelson (1199pts), Joey Walraven (912pts), Mark Adams (861pts), and Jamie Sullivan (504pts). Which of your team mates do you feel might be your rising stars and big performers in this cycle?

Geldhauser: Corey is ridiculously consistent, and is poised to help lead our team into the 2012/2013 cycle. Bret and Mark gave DeadDrift our first win, and always seem to be in the hunt at the end of the day. I expect big things out of Joey in the future, he is an excellent angler, and has had some very solid performances in his short comp. career thus far. I would keep an eye on Seth Sullivan, Scott Brown, Pat Brechbill, and Jamie Sullivan to do big things this year as well.
Hamann: What kind of techniques and flies brought home the win for you at the “Chattahoochee Winter Mini Series I”?

Geldhauser: Nothing crazy, standard winter nymph patterns with a little junk food mixed in for good measure. That section of the “Hooch” is a large tail water, and can sometimes be a little overwhelming to folks that aren’t familiar with it. The key to that comp. was locating the fish. Once you found where they were holding, you generally could pick up a few before they shut off. The river is 60+yds wide in many areas, so you really had to put your work into finding fish.

Hamann: Did you feel some added pressure to perform well on your home waters?

Geldhauser: Absolutely. This was the first comp. I’ve attended that was in my own “backyard”, so I think I was putting pressure on myself to do well. Fortunately it went away after I scored a few fish, finishing towards the top of my first flight.

Hamann: Where do you feel your strengths and weaknesses lie as a competitor? What are you concentrating on this year?

Geldhauser: This year I’m focusing more on relaxing, not overthinking everything, and attacking each beat/flight/comp. with as much confidence as possible. One of my biggest weaknesses seems to be my preparation before each flight. I often find myself in a rush to get everything rigged, and in its place, before time begins. Hopefully this will be an easy fix. I would say my attitude, and the ability to apply lessons learned are some of my greatest strengths.

Hamann: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. As we wrap up, what plans does DeadDrift have for the upcoming cycle? And could you leave us with some thoughts on what competitive fly fishing and being a part of the TroutLegend Premier Fly Fishing League means in your angling life?

Geldhauser: Continued involvement in the fly fishing community, sending our first squad to the Americas Cup, and finishing the new cycle with a top 3 team ranking are among the most important goals we set as a team.

Before I discovered comp. fishing, and the TroutLegend Premier Fly Fishing League, I felt as though I was getting stale with the fishing I was doing at the time. I had no idea there was so much I could learn, and so much I have to learn about fishing. Having the ability to converse with so many top quality anglers, across North America is amazing. Being able to compete against these same anglers is even better. It has been the spark I needed to re-energize my drive to become a better angler.

Most Photography above provided by Hallie Mansfield Photography:

http://www.halliemansfield.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hallie-Mansfield-Photography/143119032417617

And now announcing the official winners of the 2010/2011 TroutLegend Ranking Cycle. Team NC and Devin Olsen take Top Team and Individual awards respectively by a very large margin.

Awards are being minted as we speak.

Congratulations to all the ranked competitors.

(BRONZE) Callaway Gardens Loch Tourny – December 3. Pine Mountain, GA, US. For more info: HERE

(SILVER) Winter Stonefly Classic – December 17-18. Brevard, North Carolina, US. For more info: HERE

LEADER BOARDS RESET FOR 2012/2013 CYCLE