There are a handful of names synonymous with competitive fly fishing in the United States and Lance Egan is certainly one. For more than a decade he has been medaling at everything from Regional Casting Competitions, and highly publicized televised events, to National Championships. In this unique interview Lance takes us behind the doors of not one but four trips to the World Championships, his favorite gear picks, and a whole lot more.
Photo: Vladi Trzebunia & Lance Egan in Finland.
Hamann: So many questions so little time. Let’s jump right in: The first half of your career you engaged in many casting competitions. With the benefit of hindsight do you feel these prepared you for fips-mouche competitive fly fishing? Now that there are a few more fips events on the annual map what would you tell new competitors regarding casting vs fishing events?
Egan: Casting comps gave me a lot of confidence and helped me learn to calm my nerves. I’m not sure they prepared me for fishing comps, but they certainly made me more efficient. By casting accurately to likely water I can minimize the amount of time my flies are in poor water and maximize their time in productive water. Also, distance can play a big part on lakes or in windy conditions. During the final session in Finland I shared a boat with Yann Caleri, a highly skilled Frenchman. We fished hard, each challenging the other to out think, out work, and out fish the competition. I believe one of the factors that helped me beat Yann on the lake is my casting ability.
I would tell newcomers to competition fishing or casting to practice hard and enjoy! Both events are great fun and are very challenging.
Hamann: You’ve been to four World Championships with four very different angling topographies: Portugal, Finland, New Zealand, and Scotland. Tell us a little about how these different squads prepared for those competitions and some of the hurdles, setbacks, and keys to success you encountered?
In Portugal we had very little intel, and our practice sessions were producing no results. This was my first WFFC and I was as dedicated as ever to give it my all. After “practicing” on fishless waters for a week I was very disheartened. I remember George Daniel and I tying flies with Vladi in our hotel room the night before opening day. We were conversing about what patterns to fish. Since we hadn’t caught any measurable Trout as a team during river practice we were convinced it would be best to fish patterns in which WE have confidence. This “confidence fly factor” helped me win a WFFC session in my first worlds! Portugal ended up well with Team USA finishing in the top ten, and George and I qualified for the Finland team by finishing in the top 25. Luckily the comp water was much better than the practice water. By staying the course and fishing with confidence Team USA was able to scratch out a respectable finish.
In Finland we had a bit more intel, but we were fishing for Grayling, which most of the team hadn’t caught before, or those that had were mostly taken in high altitude alpine lakes. We had an extra 5 days or so of pre-fish time as well as 3 local guides, all of which are accomplished WFFC comp anglers. Fishing for Grayling on the Simo was very tough. Confidence was not terribly high, but we did feel like we were learning quickly and figuring out some tricks that might help come comp time. As the comp rolled on it was another “don’t blank” kind of event. If you landed a fish in each beat you placed very well. When all was said and done Team USA had posted its highest finish yet at the world level (6th) and I was lucky enough to be top rod for the USA which was a measly 27th individually.
New Zealand was different. First, it was NEW ZEALAND! The WFFC were to be held at a real fly fishing destination. Second, we were able to go over early and pre-fish the comp water before it closed to competitors. This helped me wrap my mind around each of the venues, and solidified the techniques and patterns necessary to maximize my catch. Team USA was quite confident going into the NZ worlds. We were out to better our top Team finish and really gel as a team. Although we fished hard and worked exceptionally well together we took a step back in our Team finish. Coming in at 8th place we were consistent on the rivers but the lakes proved to be difficult overall. During one of the lake sessions I shared a boat with Andrew Dixon of England. The English are well known for their lake prowess, and Dixon had me down two to nothing nearly halfway through the session. This lake was not producing many fish, so just landing A fish would help your score immensely. I started to realize I’d better turn it on and didn’t let myself get down. I rallied back and beat Dixon late in the session. Never give up on a session or a comp, things can change in a hurry and it only takes a few seconds to do so. NZ was an awesome experience and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to participate.
Scotland was incredibly different, four lakes and one river session. Most WFFC’s have more rivers than lakes so this venue forced Team USA to find the best competitive lake anglers in the country. Anyone vying for a spot on the Scotland Team really had to concentrate on stillwater. The one river we did fish was known for Salmon, but not for Trout or Grayling. We learned this was for good reason. Trout and Grayling fishing on the River Tay is very difficult since there are low numbers of fish and it is a large river, so much of your beat was often inaccessible. Also adding difficulty was the fact that all the lake venues were closed for official and unofficial practice. This gave the home court advantage to the Scot’s and neighboring countries who had fished the famous Scottish Lochs previously. Team USA worked with our local guide on non-comp loch’s to learn the ways of native Scottish brown Trout and stocked, but not small rainbows and Blue Trout. Going into the sessions relatively blind is never fun, but it forces you to fish confidence patterns and concentrate on the things you do know. The 2009 WFFC was very difficult, and was another “don’t blank” event. I even won a session on Loch Awe (nicknamed Loch Awful) with only two small Trout. Team USA earned another top ten finish landing in 8th place. Not where we want to be, but relatively consistent nonetheless.
Photo: Lance with a November Utah Brown Trout.
Hamann: Now, I know this is a tough question so apologies before hand. With all the preparation, great expectations, and weight associated with representing your country at the largest angling stage in the world; what was your experience falling short of the medals each time? I ask this not to put you on the firing line, but because each angler goes through a similar roller coaster whether it’s a weekend mini-comp or the world championships. What emotions were you feeling? Regret? How did you regroup as a team and within your own competitive mindset?
Egan: I’m a pretty low stress guy, so I haven’t ever felt any weight placed on me to do anymore than I expect of myself. As far as falling short of the medals, since fishing with and learning about Team USA I have confidence that we have sent top notch comp anglers to each WFFC that were fishing to the best of their abilities. Each Team I’ve been a part of has worked together to achieve the best result possible. That said, we have come up short of the medals but we have improved. In my opinion the general American angling public grossly underestimates the talent and commitment of the winning teams in the WFFC. As Americans we assume we are best at most things and many sports we are. So far, fly fishing isn’t one of them. Keep in mind competition angling is still quite new to our country and very new to fly fishing in America. In most of Europe competition fly fishing is what drives their fly fishing market. In America the opposite is true. Most American fly fishers don’t know the WFFC’s exist, or that we field a team to participate. As a WFFC competitor I always keep my sights set on medals, and prepare to fish my tail off and work with Team USA to maximize our results. At the end of each WFFC I’m usually totally exhausted and I like to regroup by thinking of ways I could improve rather than dwelling on what didn’t go as planned. Each WFFC has been a very positive experience for me and I hope to participate in more events in the future so long as I’m still competitive!
Hamann: Congratulations on the new addition to your family. How has the birth of your son changed your outlook on fishing/life?
Egan: Thank you. Mikey is an awesome addition to our family. He is a ton of fun. Autumn and I look forward to many days on the water with him. When the weather permits we have taken Mikey onstream with us. I carry him around in a “baby bjorn” front pack that lets him take in all the action. He is totally enamored with the outdoors and shows some curiosity for the fish! Mikey hasn’t changed my outlook on fishing much, at least not yet. I think when he is big enough to wade a stream my fishing will change. If he is interested in fishing I’ll likely spend as much time as he can stand helping him understand the intricacies of his fathers’ addiction.
Hamann: In a recent interview current Leader Board Top Rod holder Devin Olsen credited you with being one of the people who sculpted his way into competitive fly fishing. It’s truly a unique scenario when you find yourself at the highest level of a sport alongside those you’ve tutored. Can you speak to your techniques for guiding top level anglers? Please know, this answer can’t be too long.
Egan: Devin is a great friend and fishing partner, he is also a very talented angler and deserves to be considered one of the top competition fly fishers in our country.
I’ve been blessed with some great friendships that have developed because of comp angling. Sharing info or bouncing ideas off of another trusted comp angler can be very productive. I have several Team medals from various North American competitions cluttering my fishing room because of this sharing of knowledge and teamwork.
I do a little guiding now and then and really get a kick out of helping someone who is honestly interested in learning more about ways to improve their fly fishing. It doesn’t get much better than seeing someone’s fishing skills dramatically improve in a few hours. The elation and excitement they show can be overwhelming. Because each angler is different it is very difficult to speak to specific techniques to improve one’s fly fishing but….Warning, shameless plug ahead: I can be hired to teach competition techniques. Please email me at lancefish@hotmail.com with questions.
Hamann: Who are some of the greatest tutors that have shaped your game? Tell us about a few of your big learning experiences near and far?
Egan: I’ve been cursed or blessed, depending on how you look at it. I don’t come from a fishing family so I really never had anyone to tutor me. I was introduced to fly fishing by a neighbor who was kind enough to take me fishing, lend me some gear and say “see ya’ at dark”. Needless to say I had very little success early in my fly fishing career. On the bright side I learned the hard way what didn’t work. This helped me eliminate bad water and poor techniques. I mostly found success by fishing often enough to retain the knowledge gained after each outing. As any angler will tell you, time on the water is priceless.
I’ve worked in fly shops since high school and have definitely benefitted from many knowledgeable work associates starting with Dave Curneal and Andrew Benson of Willow Creek Outfitters. They gave me my first opportunity to work in the fly fishing industry and encouraged me to expand my fly tying abilities. Talking fish all day at work lets me constantly ponder the workings of our finned friends. Much info can be gathered from other peoples’ experience on the water.
I left Willow Creek to work for Fish Tech Outfitters. Mickey Anderson, Byron Gunderson, Bryan Jarvis, Jim Gunderson and the gang at Fish Tech taught me a lot about fishing in general but their expertise in stillwater fishing is what I remember learning most. My fly tying skills also improved at Fish Tech because I was surrounded by amazing tyers and I had the opportunity to tie most of the custom order flies. Building “the only one that works” for hundreds of anglers allowed me to learn new patterns and tying techniques that I otherwise wouldn’t have tried.
Currently I work for Cabelas in Lehi, Utah. At Cabelas I’ve been able to work and fish with other anglers who share my competitive fly fishing gene. Ryan Barnes, Devin Olsen, Tanner Tenbrink and others have helped me keep my fishing mind and abilities sharp. We stay quite busy at Cabelas and this allows me to talk to a lot of anglers about gear, rigging, techniques etc… as well as gather precious fishing reports which in turn help me to better understand our fisheries.
Photo: Egan testing his Sage Z-Axis 697-4 on a Scottish Loch Rainbow.
Hamann: Working in a Cabelas I’m sure you can’t help but be a gear junkie in some form or another. What are some of the new pieces of gear you would highly recommend to other competitors – anything from hooks to boats.
Egan: I am definitely a gear junkie. My current favorites include:
Sage Z-Axis series rods. For moving water the 4100-4 is my fav. The 390-4, 496-4 and 5100-4 are also quite nice depending on the characteristics of the waterway I’m facing. For those looking for river sticks at a lower price check out the Cabelas CZN in the 10 foot 4 or 9 ½ foot 3 weight. They aren’t the same performers as the Z-Axis, but they are a third of the price. For lakes I favor the 697-4 Z-Axis.
Reel wise I’m a fan of products that will last. Reels I can count on in competition. Ross Reels and Lamson Reels are my current favorites. My fav’s are the Evolution LT and Litespeed.
My river floating fly lines are all Scientific Anglers Sharkskin in the Ultimate Trout Taper. I prefer the blue heron color. The Sharkskin has its critics, but I’m not one of them. Keep the good stuff coming SA! Sinking lines I’m not a one brand man. I really like the SA Uniform Sink Plus series as well as their professional series or “wet cell”. These two series of lines fish quite different and I find it beneficial to have both spooled up in various sink rates. I’m also using Airflo sixth sense lines in some sink rates. These lines definitely offer better contact than other brands but I have more trouble keeping them from tangling than other brands. The jury is still out on this one… The Cortland Clear Camo and Rio midge tip and deep 7 round out my lake line selection.
Waders and boots are easy. Simms. Any Gore-tex wader Simms makes will treat you well. My current set is the G3 guide model. The Rivershed boot is awesome. I have them in the old aquastealth and the newer vibram sole. Both are nice, but I wish Simms still made it in aquastealth with the FIXED carbide tipped studs rather than the screw in option. They just aren’t the same…
I’m still fishing in an old William Joseph Gear Bag Chest. Think of the predecessor to the confluence. It still works great and I’m incredibly used to where everything is located. I hear the confluence will be available with the magnet closures on the front pack for 2011. This could mean it is time for a new pack.
Smith polarized sunglasses make it easier to see the fish and the structure that holds fish. The styles that fit my fat head best are the Maverick and Riverside. I like the copper lens best for all light conditions.
I’d like to own an aluminum boat and a drift boat, but currently my budget doesn’t allow for either so I practice most of my lake fishing out of an Outcast PAC 9000 pontoon boat. With the electric trolling motor rigged up it is a great craft to explore lakes. Take the motor off and I use it to float some of the larger rivers around my area.
Photo: Lance and his son Mikey fishing Utah Creek.
Hamann: How do you feel your home waters of Utah have shaped you as a competitive angler? How do you choose your practice destinations whether they be on lake or river and how do you attack those sessions?
Egan: My home waters are quite diverse. In Utah we have lots of smallish streams with few large rivers. Needless to say, I’ve spent far more time wading rivers than floating in a drift boat. Since most river competition sessions are spent wading I believe this has benefitted my comp angling. Covering miles of river from a boat is very enjoyable but doesn’t offer the same level of learning that slowly covering water while wading allows.
I spend more days per year on Utah’s Provo River than any other fishery. The Provo is remarkable in that it is literally minutes away from millions of people, yet it still has an overabundance of trout and offers great fishing. Because it is close to so many people it gets a lot of pressure. Pressured fish become difficult to catch and require better presentations to fool large numbers of Trout. I believe the toughness and technicality of the Provo have made me a better angler.
When choosing practice destinations I consider the techniques I’d like to concentrate on and head to places that offer me the best option for the given technique or conditions I’m after. Generally I just go and fish. Trying to learn new water types or find new effective flies. If I’m really trying to mimic a comp I’ll create a beat and work to maximize my catch within its boundaries. Most of the time I just fish…
Hamann: If you were stranded on a deserted Island in the middle of the Ocean what one album would you bring; Bob Marley’s “Legend” ? Just kidding, but you guessed it – here comes the standard fly question. What 12 trusted flies would you take into battle? 6 for rivers, 6 for lakes? A little background or detail on lesser known patterns is always appreciated.
Egan: Tough one….. Probably The Doors, Soft Parade or L.A. Woman, but the Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique would be up there along with any Zeppelin album.
For rivers: Iron Lotus, Frenchie, Tungsten Surveyor, Rainbow Warrior, Corn Fed Caddis, Parachute Adams, and Rubber Leg Wooly Bugger. Oops that was 7. Why not make it 10, Stimulator, Prince Nymph and Rubber Leg Stone. The first 5 are patterns of mine that Umpqua sells. The Iron Lotus, Frenchie and Tungsten Surveyor feature tungsten beads and weighted bodies right from Umpqua. The Rainbow Warrior is available in a glass bead, tungsten bead or tungsten bead with leaded body. The Corn Fed Caddis is a high floating CDC pattern great for fooling selective trout or to hold up a dropper.
For lakes: Black Mini Leech, Red Krystal Killer, Black Wooly Bugger, Black/red Chronomid, Damselfly Nymph and a Soft Hackle Hares Ear/callibaetis nymph. If we go to 10… Blob, Seal Bugger, Olive/gray Scud and Egg Sucking Leech.
Photo: Lance with a breathtaking New Zealand Stillwater Rainbow.
Hamann: Speaking of flies. As an accomplished fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants do you spend a lot of time these days developing new patterns for competition or have you settled on a few trusted ones? In the scope of effort and technique how much weight do you give to the “fly” as factor for winning competitions?
Egan: On a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being totally the reason for winning and 1 being no factor at all I’d give the fly a 4. Proper technique and approach far outweigh the fly.
I still spend a lot of time tinkering with fly patterns. I think it is fun to see what kind of conglomerations will take fish. In a competition I tend toward my “go to” patterns unless I stumble upon a silver bullet during practice.
Hamann: And not to get too pun oriented, but how much weight do you give to the notion that as an angler’s skill increases they start fishing progressively lighter and lighter nymphs in more situations?
Egan: I’ve noticed a natural progression toward lighter flies as anglers become more comfortable with Euro-style tactics. That said, some still fish heavy flies with great success. I believe it comes down to each individual and their confidence technique or patterns
Photo: Lance working a beat on the Whanganui at the New Zealand 2008 World Fly Fishing Championships.
Hamann: We know you’re all ready a big fan of TroutLegend.com, but what are a few other sources that have helped you refine your technique and knowledge over the years such as Books, Videos, or Internet Sites?
Egan: Books: Presentation by Gary Borger, Czech nymph by Karel Krivanec, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying II by Jaromir Karafiat and Miroslav Machacek. DVD: A Japanese film of the 2004 WFFC in Slovakia.
Hamann: How much time do you spend practicing Loch Style vs River fishing? Do you have any advice for North American anglers hoping to keep up with European competitors in this arena?
Egan: I tend to fish lakes spring and fall and rivers summer and winter. I mix it up a bit all year though. Roughly 60% river and 40% lake. The top fly anglers in the world are good at it all. If you are working toward competing in the WFFC’s make sure you are a well rounded angler.
Hamann: Are you a proponent of the “1 rod/leader to do everything” setup or do you prefer to string several rods more precisely tuned to specific disciplines on river beats?
Egan: I tend to use one rod/leader for most techniques. If I set up additional rods one will often be a duplicate of the first, the other a streamer rod.
Photo: Lance with a New Zealand Rainbow. (Credit George Daniel)
Hamann: Are you one of those devout competitors who fishes nothing but fips-mouche style all the time? What kind of fishing do you like to do just for fun?
Egan: When fly fishing I fish nothing but Fips rules. ( I do a bit of ice fishing and some bass fishing with conventional gear) When I first learned the Fips rules I thought they were very strange and quite limiting. Now I realize that is a common reaction, after all, most Americans didn’t learn to fish utilizing Fips styles and new stuff scares us. Rules I once thought were limiting have now helped me become a much better and more efficient angler. Now I understand the disadvantages many conventional American techniques create.
I like all kinds of fishing, so I consider all of it fun. If I had to pick one type of fishing to do the rest of my life it would be picking apart pocket water on a medium sized stream utilizing a dry/dropper rig.
Hamann: What drives you? I mean, at the root, why do you want to stay on Fly Fishing Team USA and compete on the International stage?
Egan: I’m competitive by nature, and I love to fish. I’ve always been searching for ways to improve my fishing and learn more about the fish in an effort to maximize my catch. I fish to catch fish, not just to go, although I do enjoy just getting out…
I want to stay on Fly Fishing Team USA because I’d like to be a part of the Team that breaks through and Medals at the World Championships. I’d like to help put Americans on the International Fly Fishing map. Just in my WFFC experiences I’ve seen the European’s outlook on us as anglers change. It wasn’t very long ago that the competitors from other countries didn’t worry at all about Americans. We’d get on the bus after a session and no one would ask how many fish we caught because they were sure they out fished us. Now, many competitors will ask us before some of the perennial greats because they have taken notice that we are improving. We aren’t winning yet, but we are getting better. I’d like to be there when we have our first moment of World Fly Fishing triumph!
Hamann: Thank you kindly for the interview. In closing I’d like to ask you a bit of a different question. Since you’ve seen it from many sides what is your take on the evolution and growth of competitive fly fishing in North America over the last decade? How do you see it evolving over the next 10 years? How would you like to see it evolve over the next 10 years?
Egan: Competitive Fly Fishing has come a long way in North America. 10 years ago there were no Team USA trials or nationals. Now we have comps to whittle down to the finest we have to offer. As more get involved the level of competition will improve. I’m amazed at how many Americans are still anti-competition. I understand most anglers don’t want fly fishing to turn into a big money, big advertising campaign. It won’t, simply because the fly fishing industry can’t and won’t support it. The great thing about the WFFC’s is the lack of winnings and the focus on conservation.
Fly fishing competition is not for everyone. Those who enjoy it will pioneer techniques and tackle thus improving the experience for all involved. Just like ski racing isn’t for everyone, but it has helped advance ski technology creating better products benefitting the recreational skier. I hope as American’s we begin to realize fly fishing competition isn’t harmful – that we can take advantage of the innovation, and learning opportunities it presents.
Photo: Egan accepting Gold at the Teva Mountain Games.
Lance Egan’s Track Record:
-International Sportsmans Expositions distance fly casting events:
2001 Salt Lake city, UT ISE 1st place
2001 Best of the West, 2nd place
2002 Phoenix, AZ ISE 2nd place
2002 Salt Lake City, UT ISE 1st place
2002 Best of the West, 2nd place
2003 Pomona, CA ISE 2nd place
2003 Pleasanton, CA ISE 1st place
2003 Best of the West, 4th place
2004 Pomona, CA ISE 3rd place
2004 Pleasanton, CA ISE 2nd place
-2003 ESPN Fly Fishing Challenge
2nd place
-2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games Fly Fishing Event
1st place – Gold medalist
-2004 ESPN Great Outdoor Games Fly Fishing Event
1st place – Gold medalist
-2004 OLN Fly Fishing Masters, West
2nd place
-2005 Teva Mountain Games
Fly Fishing 1st place – Gold medalist
-2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Fly Fishing Team U.S.A. Member
-2006 National Fly Fishing Championship Qualifiers
Fresno, CA 1st place – Gold medalist
Heber City, UT 2nd place – Silver medalist
-2006 National Fly Fishing Championships Boulder, Colorado
Gold medal team
-2006 High Mountain Masters Aspen, Colorado
3rd place team
-2006 World Fly Fishing Championships, Portugal
8th Team, 24th Individually
-2007 VERSUS Fly Fishing Masters
First place team
-2007 National Fly Fishing Championships Boulder, Colorado
Silver medal team
-2007 World Fly Fishing Championships, Finland
27th Individually, Lead Team USA to highest finish ever – 6th
-2008 World Fly Fishing Championships, New Zealand
8th Team, 24th Individually
-2008 Canadian National Championships, Mont Tremblant
Gold Medal Team (Team USA)
-2009 National Fly Fishing Championships Qualifiers
Bend, Oregon 1st place – Gold Medalist
Bozeman, Montana 2nd place — Silver Medalist
-2009 World Fly Fishing Championships, Scotland
8th Team, 35th Individually
-2009 National Fly Fishing Championships State College, PA
Gold Medal Team, Silver Medalist Individually
-2010 America Cup Frisco, Colorado
Gold Medal Team (Team USA), Silver Medalist Individually
-2010 Utah Single Fly Green River, Utah
Most Trout individually (43 Trout), First Place Team (Cabelas)
February 1, 2011
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