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We Are Marshall

The Zanesville Times Recorder is reporting thatThe Thundering Herd of Marshall University will be sponsoring a team which will compete in an upcoming national fly fishing tournament.

"The College of Science and Career Services is sponsoring the Team Marshall Fly Fishing duo of Brady Hanson and 1973 Marshall graduate Greg Hall in the 2010 Harman's North Fork Invitational. The tournament is being held Thursday through Saturday at Harman's Cabins on the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River in Grant County."

Hardcore Kayak Invitational: October 3rd, 2009

Our friends from the Hardcore Kayak Fishing Team are having their first annual Hardcore Kayak Fishing tournament on Lake Wylie, October 3rd. With 28 anglers competing in the tourney, which is sponsored by The Great Outdoor Provision Company, it is sure to be a competitive event.

1st Annual Hardcore Invitational Kayak Fishing Tournament is ON. Tournament is Oct. 3rd and will be held rain or shine, north end of Lake Wylie on the beautiful Catawba River. Launch will be at 7:00 am. We will launch and have "weigh-in" and prizes at "Bobby`s" beside the Hwy 27 bridge in Mt. Holly. $2 launch fee per angler. Tourney will run until 1:00 pm. This is a CPR (catch, photo, release) artificial only, 5 bass limit tournament.

Entry is $35 per angler with 100% of the proceeds donated to the Mt. Island Wildlife Stewards. This is the first kayak fishing tournament in the Charlotte area . Invitations extended to Hardcore Kayak Fishing Team members and affiliates, fishermen from www.ncangler.com, and some special invitations such as media, NC Wildlife Federation anglers and Great Outdoor Provision Co. fishing team members. We are trying to keep it limited to 25-30 anglers.

The Hardcore boys are true to form, even when it comes to big time fishing tournaments, making us wish we were still within a weekend drive of this excellent event . For example:

We are not a kayak/outdoor retailer with the ability to "schmooze" factory reps. We are not (nor will we ever become) a big, recruiting, "pay $25 and get your T-shirt" type organization. We are only trying to help in our area and have absolutely nothing to gain.

For 10 years kayaking has been the fastest growing outdoor sport in the country. It is still fairly pure and affords us a sense of community. Let`s get together and enjoy what kayak fishing is today.

The following spells out their excellent way of thinking:

"Let`s think about it`s roots and consider how to keep it pure.
Remember Nascar started with a bunch of good ole boys running shine. There is a
revolution going on in fishing and we are the insurgents. "

America Cup Standings

This week several North Carolina Fly Fishing Team members are competing in The America Cup being held in Frisco, Colorado. The America Cup is a fishing rally where anglers can choose their water each day. Anglers fish rivers for two days of the three day event with the final day being devoted to still waters.

NCFFT member and angler behind The Granddaddy Fly Fishing Experience, Michael Yelton reports a strong showing for the boys from down South as they go up against teams from as far away as Australia.

Day 1 Team results

Eugene Shuler & Chris Lee 29820 pts.

Kevin Lowe & Ryan Harmon 29240 pts.

Adam Boehlk & Steve Bowka 20060 pts. (Team Blue Quill Angler)

Chris Lee is the individual leader with 16720 pts.

Follow all the competitor's progress at http://www.theamericacup.com/scoring.html

$10,000 Purse for '09 Rumble in The Rhododendron

There are a few things in life that we are proud of: The Editorial Offspring, the fact that we married well, the time we came up with the word "viewbicles" to describe cubicles located near windows, and more recently the time we came up with the name for the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team's signature competition, "The Rumble in the Rhododendron." Now we are proud to announce that this year's event will have a one of the largest purses in competitive fly fishing.

$10,000 CASH PURSE AT STAKE FOR CHEROKEE FLY MASTERS TOURNEY

CHEROKEE, N.C. (September 26-27, 2009): A $10,000 cash purse is at stake for the second annual Rumble in the Rhododendron Fly Masters Tournament on September 26-27 in Cherokee, N.C. Presented by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Fisheries and Wildlife Management in partnership with the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team, the top three teams in the two-day, two-person competition will have the pleasure of splitting the prize money with $5,000 going to the first place team, $3,000 going to the second place team, and $2,000 to the third place team.

Currently, the Rumble is the only fly-fishing tournament to award this much prize money. The only other tournament to ever offer such a hefty cash purse was the nationwide "Fly-Fishing Masters" series produced by the Outdoor Life Television Network (OLN) from 2004-2006. The grand prize was $50,000, which was split among the top three finishers. The event consisted of four regional qualifiers and a final round in varying locations, but both the television channel and national tournament were cancelled.

The Tribe

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Fisheries and Wildlife Management have sponsored the event since its inception and have embraced the opportunity to promote its fishery through this tournament.

The Tribe is very proud of their fishery and intends to make this tournament a premier event to attract world-class anglers, said tournament spokesperson Christopher Lee, who is also a member of the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team. A large purse should attract a lot of angling talent from across the country.

Following last year's tournament, the Tribe was also introduced to Curtis Flemming and is now the title sponsor for Fly Rod Chronicles. Several episodes will be dedicated to the Tribe's fisheries program.

The Competition

As for the competition teams will compete in distance and accuracy casting on day one with the top 15 teams advancing to day two's fishing rounds. In addition to the coveted prize money, other factors make this competition unique. For starters, the team aspect, in addition to the event being televised, adds a much higher level of challenge according to Lee.

"You have to partner with someone you trust can produce under the pressure of TV cameras and big cash payouts," comments Lee, who himself has participated in numerous tournaments across the country.

Furthermore, the event is set in the beautiful Ravensford Valley where anglers often find themselves fishing among wild elk and other native wildlife. Participants will equally enjoy fishing the well-stocked, catch and release waters while surrounded by the majestic beauty of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

More Info

For more information the second annual Rumble in the Rhododendron Fly Masters Tournament, please visit www.RumbleintheRhodo.com or call 828-421-0172 or 828-269-6529. For more information on the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team, please visit www.flyfishingteamnc.com. The tournament is sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Fisheries & Wildlife Management, the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team, "Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Flemming," Davidson River Outfitters, Cortland Fly Line, The Granddaddy Fly-Fishing Experience, John Hancock, and William Joseph

Yelton Places 2nd in Bass Bug Classic

Yelton poses with a largemouth bass caught on Lake Lure. Photo by Brandon Potts

A couple of guys we know from North Carolina went all warm water on us and ended up bringing home a prize.

Congratulations to Michael Yelton (of the NC Fly Fishing Team) and Paul Thompson (that guy who has won like all the Total Outdoorsman events ever held). Two quality fellows!

CHATTANOOGA, T.N. (JUNE 24, 2009): Michael Yelton of The Granddaddy Fly-Fishing Experience in Lake Lure, N.C. finished second alongside teammate Paul Thompson of Marion, N.C. in the first annual Chattanooga Bass Bug Classic, a two-day tournament fly-fishing for bass on the Nick-a-Jack section of the Tennessee River. Held on June 18th and 19th, anglers were scored on the total weight of bass caught over the two-day period, and any fish in possession had to be more than 15 inches long to comply with Tennessee state laws.

Yelton and Thompson brought in a total of seven bass for a live weigh-in totaling 13.8 pounds. The winning team, led by tournament founder and director Mac McGaee along with teammate Frank Duff, scored a total weight of 23.3 pounds.

Yelton, who is also a member of the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team, enjoyed fishing for bass as opposed to trout, which is more common in fly-fishing tournaments.

"This was a great change of pace, I think most anglers don't believe that you can fly-fish for bass and have much success,"said Yelton. "This tournament proves otherwise. I look forward to seeing bass fly-fishing tournaments grow."

The second place team received a prize package of $350, a fly rod and reel, fly line, and an original hand-painted fly-fishing portrait by Paul Puckett, who donated three paintings to the cause. Proceeds from the invitational tournament were donated to the Chambliss Children's Home & Shelter to exclusively fund the organization's fishing program for children.

Yelton's next stop on the fly-fishing tournament trail will be at The America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament to be held August 22-28, 2009 in Summit County, C.O. Six anglers from the North Carolina Fly-Fishing Team will be represented at the invitation-only tournament. The winning team will receive a cash purse of $2,000. To learn more about Michael Yelton and The Granddaddy Fly-Fishing Experience, please visit www.granddaddyflyfishing.com.

People: Competitive Fly Fisher Gordon Vanderpool

This might well be a picture of North Carolina's current rising star in the realm of competitive fly fishing. Fly fishing guide Gordon Vanderpool, of Turning Stones Fly Fishing, LLC and a member of the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team has been on a roll of late. Gordon finished first in the casting portion of this year's Rumble in the Rhododendron and first in the Lake Lure Olympiad Fly Fishing Masters a few weeks ago. This weekend he took top spot in the first round of what amounts to a FIPS Mouche rule equivalent of a pick up contest on the Nantahala River. Congratulations Mr. V.

***Update*** Another article on Mr. Vanderpool

NC Fly Fishing Team Website Live

The excellent anglers with the NC Fly Fishing Team have launched a new website. The site contains information about the team and their conservation and education activities as well as competition information. It is a snazzy looking site that would make a great spot for potential sponsors to show their support.

The North Carolina Fly Fishing Team is a group of Fly Fishing Enthusists that formed in 2006 as a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a competitive fly fishing team to participate in regional, national and international events. The Team also strives to participate and coordinate educational and conservation efforts aimed at teaching and preserving the valuabl e angling resources in North Carolina.

We are particularly proud to be associated with the team although we are not quite sure why a group of such excellent fishers let us tag along. Be sure to check out the photo gallery and promo video. The team has already had some success in Fips Mouche style competition so we are expecting big things in the future.

Their next big test comes this weekend at Lake Lure, North Carolina's Olympiad Fly Masters.

Pisgah Fly Masters Results

NC Fly fishing team member Chris Lee reported in from this weekend's Pisgah Fly Masters with the results.

Here is the top 10:
1 - Josh Stephens
2 - Chris Lee
3 - Brian Horner
4 - Simmons Welter
5 - Forest Marshall
6 - Ryan Harmon
7 - Michael Yelton
8 - Paul Thompson
9 -Gordon Vanderpool
10 -Eugene Shuler

Many of you may recognize some of the names on this list. Josh Stephens is a member of the current Fly Fishing Team USA. Paul Thompson is the three time winner of the Field and Stream Total Outdoors man Challenge. Shuler is the founder of the North Carolina team and Lee, Harmon, Yelton and Vanderpool are all NC Fly Fishing Team members. Don't let anyone tell you that the Carolina's don't produce some top sportsmen.

2009 Pisgah Fly Masters

If you are the competitive fly fishing type and would like to test your metal against some of the nations best fly anglers, there is still time to register for the 2009 Pisgah Fly Masters which will be held March 21st and 22nd. More details are revealed in today's Asheville Citizen times.

The event, in its second year, takes place March 21-22. The late registration fee is $75.
The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, a free-to-the-public learning facility operated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission near Brevard, hosts the event. Davidson River Outfitters sponsors it.
“We’ll take registrations up until the competition starts,” said Emilie Johnson with the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and a tournament organizer.
The Pisgah Fly Masters challenges anglers’ casting skills off-stream on Saturday, March 21, with the 10 finalists moving on to a catch and release competition on the river on Sunday, March 22.

Our money is on the anglers from the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team.

Rumble in the Rododendron: Day 2

Day two consisted of two three hour sessions of fishing. Here are a few of the photos.

Rumble In the Rhododendron 2008

The Rumble is over and the team of Paul Thompson and Kevin Howell have taken home the top prize. The N.C. Flyfishing Team and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation did a great job hosting the two day event.

The new Cherokee catch and release water was stocked full and was a big hit with the competing teams. Just to give you an idea how full of fish the stream was, the winning team of Thompson and Howell landed 112 scoreable fish in a three hour session. They were fishing a beat that had been fished just three hours earlier.

Due to lack of Internet access, all we were able to post were crappy camera phone photos during the event. However, don't worry I have about 400 better quality photos of the event and will be posting more shortly.

Road Trip: Rumble In the Rhododendron

You won't see many anglers allowing us to take photos of their fly boxes at this weekend's first annual "Rumble in the Rhododendron" fly fishing competition. We somehow talked this angler into showing us his stash at a previous competition and it gives some real insight into how much time these guys have to spend at the vise to be successful.

Depending on Internet connectivity. we will be blogging live this weekend from the event located on the Cherokee Indian reservation. If you plan to attend be sure to stop by and say hi to the guy in the FlyfishMagazine.com shirt.

This Weekend: "Rumble In the Rhododendron"

Don't forget that this weekend is the first annual "Rumble in the Rhododendron" two man fly fishing tournament. The tourney, hosted by the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team in conjuntion with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, has a purse totaling $6,000 with the top winner bringing home a cool three grand.

Tournament features a one day fly casting tournament. Cast your own fly rod of anylength up to a 9’ 5wt rod, to various targets placed at realistic distances for a combinedteam score.The top twelve placing teams will advance to Sunday’s fly fishing portion of thetournament. In the first round of fishing on the Oconaluftee River in Cherokee, NC onthe new Trophy Catch and Release Section, both anglers on each team will catch andscore as many fish as possible from their beats in a three hour session. Each beat willhave an assigned judge who will measure and score fish.

The top 6 placing teams from the first fishing round will advance to the final round offishing where they will again catch and score as many fish as possible from their beat in athree hour session. Trout in the section of water include; Rainbow, Brook, Brown,Golden and Trophy!! A sure bet for a barn burner!This is strictly a catch and release tournament, all flies must have the barbs removed.Entry Fee is $150 per team.

If your team advances to the fishing rounds EACHfisherman must purchase and have in their possession a Catch & Release SpecialUse Fishing Permit ($20.00) “Good For 1 (one) Full Year From Date of Purchase” andpurchase and have in their possession a 1-day ($7.00) Tribal Fishing Permit. Each participant receives an event shirt and gifts from our sponsors. For more information and to pre-register visit www.rumbleintherhododendron.com orcontact the NC Fly Fishing Team at 828-497-0172.This event is organized by the NC Fly Fishing Team with assistance and support ofvarious federal, state, and local agencies.

This is a competition in the style of FIPS MOUCHE so the rules do not allow for strike indicatiors or split shot. FlyfishMagazine.com will be on hand to provide full coverage of the event with daily updates.

Inside Scoop: New N.C. Trophy Trout Water

We here at FlyfishMagazine.com recently got a hold of a tidbit of insider information about a new trophy trout fishery that will be of interest to Carolina fly anglers. North Carolina Fly Fishing Team Director and Rumble in the Rhododendron organizer T.E. Shuler reports:

The Rumble in the Rhododendron Fly Fishing Competition will kick off the opening of the new Catch and Release section in Cherokee October 18th.The section will be fly fishing only, catch and release. and will be open year round. Rules are specific that you must be using a fly rod, fly reel, fly line and leader, with a fly made from natural and synthetic material. This will eliminate guys using a fly and casting bubble on Zebco or the guy using a cheese worm on a fly rod.

It is a 2.5 mile stretch of the Ravens Fork starting at the confluence with the Oconoluftee River and running up the Ravens Fork for 2.5 miles to a place known as Stoney Curve, which is close to Myer's store.The section will be clearly marked with plaques with regulations posted.To fish this section you will be required to purchase a Special Use Permit (word is that this will cost $20) which is good for one year from the date of purchase, and a daily Tribal Fishing Permit for each day you wish to fish the Tribal Enterprise Water.

The water will be stocked with a mind boggling amount of fish. Everything from Rainbow, Brown, Brook, Donaldson Strain Rainbows, to Golden Trout. And yes there will be plenty of trophy proportioned fish. With what I know about the section, I wouldn't step in there with nothing short of a 5wt. The water will patrolled around the clock by Tribal Game Wardens particularly assigned to just the Catch and Release Section, so would be poachers beware.

This is a momentous effort by the Cherokee Fish and Wildlife Management. They are offering to the public something that would normally be completely private, or cost $100's a day to fish for a fraction of the cost. They are very serious about conservation, preservation, and stream restoration. They are currently conducting studies on many levels with their fisheries and surrounding tribal waters. The things they are currently doing, and have planned for the years to come is truly amazing.

For literally dozens of years The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, who's tribal lands reside in the mountains of Western North Carolina, have long been know for their operation of a successful put and take trout fishery. Anglers who purchase a tribal fishing license gain access to some of the most heavily stocked trout waters in the state. Up until now this fishery has received limited attention from fly anglers and had for the most part been the domain of the meat fisherman. My very first trout fishing experience came on these very waters fishing with night crawlers and corn on opening day of trout season.

While there are no allusions that these won't be "pellet fed pigs" as we sometimes call fat hatchery trout, in my opinion the tribe's move to open a catch and release fishery that is managed for trophy trout in what was once pure put and take water is a bold step and one that will be a big draw to the area and just might open a large door for more anglers to try the sport of fly fishing.

For more information in the near future see the Cherokee Fish and Wildlife Website. If you are interested in taking part in what may very well be this year's largest fly fishing tournament in the Southeast check out the Rumble in the Rhododendron website for more information. Our informants have also told us that the original purse of $2,500 for this event has been increased a substantial amount. More on this later.

$2,500 for Grabs in "Rumble In the Rhododendron"

The North Carolina Fly Fishing Team, in conjunction with its sponsors and various state and local agencies, is pleased to announce the inaugural "Rumble In the Rhododendron." The rumble is a two man team fly fishing tournament to be held in the Western North Carolina Mountains October 17th - 19th with a purse of $2,500. The event will be televised on The Sportsman's Channel by the show Fly Rod Chronicles which is hosted by Curtis Fleming.

The tournament features a day one fly casting tournament. Cast your own fly rod of any length up to a 9' 5wt rod, to various targets placed at realistic distances for a combined team score.The top twelve placing teams will advance to Sunday's fly fishing portion of the tournament.

In the first round of fishing on the Delayed Harvest Section of the Tuckasegee River, both anglers on each team will catch and score as many fish as possible from their beats in a three hour session. Each beat will have an assigned judge, judges will measure and score fish.The top 6 placing teams from the first fishing round will advance to the final round of fishing on the Oconoluftee River in Cherokee on the new Trophy Catch and Release Section, where they will again catch and score as many fish as possible from their beat in a three hour session.

Trout in the section of water will average from 5-10lbs!! A sure bet for a barn burner!This is strictly a catch and release tournament, all flies must have the barbs removed.

Entry Fee is $250 per team. Each participant receives an event shirt and gifts from our sponsors. For more information and to pre-register visit www.rumbleintherhododendron.com or call 828-421-0172

Here's your chance to test yourself against your fellow anglers and possibly bring home some cash.

PS. Catchy name isn't it? We helped with that part and will be covering the event via FlyFishMagzine.com.

Youth Fly Fishing Team USA 4th in Portugal

Reports from the world of competitive fly fishing bring news of a strong showing for Youth Fly Fishing Team USA as they place 4th at the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships. North Carolina's own Caleb Boyle was among the strong individual finishers placing 15th overall.

Visit Caleb's website http://www.calebboyle.com/ or the Team USA site http://www.usyouthflyfishingteam.com/ for more info.

Congratulations Caleb.

photo: USYouthFlyFishingTeam.com

Blobs...Steroids for Fly Anglers?

Photo Via SportFish.co.uk

When our NC Fly Fishing Team goes up against some of the UK's finest anglers they might want to check their fly boxes for "Blobs." According to an article in the Telegraph the blob shaped flies, which look nothing like natural insect life are so effective that traditional nymph fishers are crying foul.

Traditionalists claim that the brightly coloured "blob" trout lure is unsporting and should be banned. They accuse its users of adopting aggressive tactics, with the new breed of fishermen described as "yobs with blobs".
The highly effective, ball-shaped blobs, made from various fibres, promote an aggressive, chasing reaction from trout when pulled quickly through the water. Unlike traditional flies, such as "nymphs" or "daddy-longlegs", they do not resemble a living insect.
Purists argue that blobs, which are permitted in major contests, give an unfair advantage over conventional methods and make trout fishing too easy. England fly-fishing champion Chris Ogborne was so opposed to them that he left the England team, and says he has received hundreds of letters of support.

Here is a link to a video where a still water nymph fisher takes a thrashing from the blobber lobber.

We are a few hours late posting this one so check out posts from Tom at the Trout Underground and New Zealand's Tony Bishop of Bish on Fish about blobber fishing.

How is this any different than drifting a Y2k bug on Arkansas' White River?

Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge

The guy behind the curtain over at the Southeast Fly Fishing Forum, Eugene Shuler, just qualified to compete at the regional of the Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge. Eugene had the best overall score at the qualifier shooting air rifle and bow as well as casting to targets from the deck of a bass boat using a bait caster.

Congratulations Eugene! Now if we could only get him to wear a FlyFishMagazine.com patch on his fishing vest. If he wins the entire event we plan to buy the naming rights to his SUV.

Eugene Shuler Wins Inaugural Pisgah Fly Masters

Eugene Shuler takes the overall winner's trophy at the 1st ever Pisgah Fly Masters held this past weekend on the Davidson River. To take the win Eugene had qualify on a casting course and score three fish during the second day's fishing totaling 63 inches.

You may know Eugene from our coverage of the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team which he helped form or from the Southeast Fly Fishing Forum which he sponsors.

Congratulations to Eugene! Read more about it via this article in the Citizen-Times.