Saturday, December 24, 2022

Seasons Greetings!

 


Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from all of us at Mad River Outfitters.



We hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all, and fishing with you all in 2023!

Thanks again for your support of a small, family owned business like Mad River Outfitters. We truly appreciate it.


Brian, Andy, Pat, Linda, Ryan, Katie, Paul, Dev, Ben, Steve, Sam, Patrick, Cristina, Roger, Judy, Josh, Bella and Rogue



Mad River Outfitters/Midwest Fly Fishing Schools/Ohio Fly Fishing Guides/Mad River Travel

833 Bethel Rd.

Columubs, Ohio 43221

www.madriveroutfitters.com

Friday, December 23, 2022

Friday Flies: Soft Hackle

Friday Flies: Soft Hackle



Soft Hackle tied by Ryan Ratliff

Soft hackles, swinging, and trout keep me mentally stable in the winter time.  I would love to be fishing for bass, but when the water temps drop into the 30’s this can be a lost cause.  My second love is the simple, methodical, and mentally relaxing act of swinging a fly.  Although we would all love to be fishing…shorter days and icy guides often lead me to more time sitting at the vise than standing in the river.  There is something about tying a simple soft hackle fly that I have always enjoyed.  I am not sure if it is the ability to replenish the box quickly or that it does not take much prep or thinking.  Maybe it is my admiration of classic looking flies also.  

Color has long been something that has intrigued my curiosity.  Light spectrums are way over my understanding, but it is hard to deny that fluorescent colors get the attention of Rainbows and anadromous fish.  I guess you could swing a bright colored egg, but that does not set well with the fly tyer in me.  Typical or classic soft hackles do not usually contain the bright colors to trigger the response that I am looking for from the fish.  Why not go beyond just adding a hot spot?  Why not add contrasting fluorescent colors to a classic pattern?  Take all of this into account and thus a colorful take on an old standby came to life.  Play around with different fluorescent materials and colors to give this pattern your own flair.  Let us know what you come up with and how it is fishing on your home waters!

Below is our step-by-step on how to tie the Soft Hackle pictured above. The full list of materials can be found below.

Step 1: Place the Daiichi 1530 size 6 in the vise.


Step 2: Start your chartreuse thread back on the bend of the hook and wrap forward to where the flat part of the shank starts.  Whip finish and cut thread.


Step 3: Coat chartreuse thread with a UV resin of your choice. Cure the resin making sure that it fully cures.


Step 4: Start Fl. Fire Orange thread where the chartreuse stops.  Wrap thread all the way up to the hook eye and back to the chartreuse thread.



Step 5: Tie in a strand of Saltwater Flashabou in Pearl.  Make sure to lay a smooth base of thread wraps forward almost to the hook eye. Place a half hitch on the hook and put the thread over the bobbin cradle.



Step 6: Wrap the Flashabou forward to the half hitch and tie off at that point.  


Step 7: Coat Flashabou evenly in UV resin. Cure UV resin thoroughly.



Step 8: Apply a thin noodle of dubbing to the thread. Wrap dubbing into a tight ball. Make sure to leave a hook eye length of space by the eye.




Step 9: Select, prep, and tie in a hen saddle feather of the appropriate size. Wrap feather forward with tight side by side wraps. Continue with wraps until the collar is slightly denser than a usual soft hackle. Tie feather off, whip finish, and trim thread.






Step 10: Apply Z-Ment and your done!



Friday, December 16, 2022

Friday Flies Monthly Giveaway

Friday Flies Monthly Giveaway



Tying season is here and we WANT to see what everyone is tying up! There is a strong fly tying community on Instagram and we thought organizing monthly giveaways would be a great way to stay connected. We hope these giveaways continue to grow the community and bring inspiration to your tying!

On the first Friday of the month, we will announce the giveaway prizes. You have until the last Monday of the month to submit the flies you tied during that time period. The winner will be announced on the last Friday of the month. Below are the rules and guidelines for the giveaway:
  1. Post your fly/flies (no limit to number of submissions)
  2. Tag us in your post (must be following our account)
  3. Use #mroflies
The shop crew will determine the winner each month. This month’s winner will be announced on Friday, December 30th.

This giveaway is open to fly tyers of all skill levels. Happy tying and have fun!

Follow us on Instagram for more updates!

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Staff Holiday Gear Gift Guide

MRO Staff Holiday Gear Gift Guide!



Well it’s that time of year again and Christmas is fast approaching. Shopping for the fly angler in your life can be a little overwhelming as there are so many different things to choose from. So to help give you some ideas, we asked everyone at the shop to name one of their favorite pieces of gear and how it helps them make the most of their time on the water. Here is what everyone came up with!

Pat: Fishpond Dakota Rod & Reel Case

For me, success on the water begins and ends with good organization. The Dakota Rod/Reel Case from Fishpond allows me to carry all the rods, reels, and spools I need. Whether guiding day to day or on a week long fishing excursion, this bag has been one of my most used and trusted pieces of gear for 15 years. I can’t imagine doing what I do without it! Check it out here.

Ryan: Tenkara USA Rhodo Rod

Some of my favorite places to fish are also not the easiest to get too. The Rhodo from the folks at Tenkara USA allows me to pack a rod into those hard to get to spots without worry. This rod is a ton of fun, whether targeting big panfish on flies or introducing a first timer to fly fishing. Check it out here.

Andy: Loon Trout Pliers

I chose the Loon Trout Pliers because they are small and well built. These pliers will cut small trout material as well as larger braid and bite tippet. The wide opening jaws make it easy to crimp barbs as well as some light rigging. The main selling point for me was the price, a great pair of pliers that don't break the bank. Check out the Loon Trout Pliers here.

Katie: FisheWear Kaleido King Dry Bag Backpack


The FisheWear Dry Bag Backpack is my go to whether I am personal fishing or guiding for Smallmouth. The straps on this pack are heavy duty and have a lot of padding. This helps for those long days walking the river chasing Smallmouth. When I am guiding out of my raft, it fits perfectly under my seat and holds the gear and fly boxes that I need for the day. It's a very functional bag, with the bonus of having a fun fish pattern! Check out the bag here.

Steve: Sage Spectrum LT


The Sage Spectrum LT is my reel of choice for any situation. This reel is amazingly durable because of its machined aluminum frame, so I have complete confidence in its performance for years to come. If you are looking for a workhorse reel with a fantastic design, look no further than the Sage Spectrum LT. Check it out here.

Paul: Echo Boost Fresh


The reason I picked the Echo Boost Fresh is because I have the capability of throwing smaller dry flies while also having the capability of fishing with larger terrestrials. I like a rod that can do several tasks on the water. Its overall look is amazing and you get a high performance rod without breaking the bank! Check out the Echo Boost Fresh here.

Ben: Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Sling Pack


For me, the top priority when it comes to solo fishing trips is maximizing my mobility on the water as well as accessibility to all my gear. This pack is the best that I have used for both of those priorities. The Thunderhead Submersible Sling Pack has excellent capacity, is lightweight, and totally waterproof. This is THE bag for day trips. Check it out here.



The Simms Pro Nippers feel great in the hand, stay super sharp, have a magnetic fly threader and a built in split shot pincher. These are my most used piece of equipment on the water second only to my rod and reel. I just wish I got them sooner! Check it out here. 










Mad River Outfitters

833 Bethel Rd.

Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363

admin@madriveroutfitters.com

Friday, December 9, 2022

Friday Flies: Leggy Boi

"Leggy Boi" 


Big shout out and thank you to Mike Schultz and the crew at Schultz Outfitters for developing this pattern and continually pushing the boundaries of warmwater fishing and the patterns we use. 

The Leggy Boi can be tied in a limitless amount of color variations and color combos. Try not to get caught in the generic white colorway. Often times the more adventurous you get with different color combos, the more fun the outcome. With nearly endless colors available in feathers, brushes, props, and rubber legs, you are only limited by your imagination. 

Mike has a great video tutorial on his YouTube channel for this fly (as well as countless others that I highly recommend watching). It is full of great tips and tricks as it pertains to both how he ties and fishes this incredible fly. 

Below is our step-by-step on how to tie the Leggy Boi. The full list of materials can be found below.

1. Select one or two marabou plumes and tie off the back. Try to keep the length generous as you want this fly to move and swim as much as possible.


2. Take one full strand of legs and fold around thread creating a pair and tie in on either side of hook. Repeat on other side of hook.


3. Select two hen saddles near the top of the saddle where you will find the smaller feathers. Tie the feathers in and wrap up the remainder of the shank as you would on a Feather Changer (see Feather Changer tutorial video here) and tie off.


4. Insert second 15mm shank into your vise and tie in the prop material. Here we happen to be using the 1" Translucy Brush trimmed down slightly. Wrap the brush forward until you are a little past half way on the shank and tie off.


5. At this stage we will select two full length strands of rubber legs. Fold in half as we did previously and tie down. Repeat this step on the far side of the fly as well. 


6. Finish the remaining shank by selecting two more hen saddles and wrap forward to the eye. This time you want to make sure you grab feathers that are a little bigger than the previous pair as to begin building shape and taper to the fly.


7. Insert hook and attach the two shanks, either with a shank or by using articulation wire. 


8. Repeat the same steps as we did on the previous section. Tie in 1" Translucy Brush, wrap forward a little beyond half way and tie off. Trim down a little so that the prop is not at full length but bigger than the previous shank. After this tie in two legs folded in half on both the near and far side of the hook. 


9. Once the legs are tied in, you will select two more hen saddles, slightly larger than before. Tie in and wrap forward covering the remainder of the shank.


10. After the first hook is completed you will insert the 25mm shank into the vise and repeat the steps exactly as we did in previous sections. Only difference here is you will be building two stations on this shank instead of one. The prop on the first station will be the 1" Translucy Brush but left at full length. The second station you will switch to the 2" Translucy Brush but trimmed down to be a little longer than the previous station.


11. Insert the Ahrex SA280 hook and before attaching the previous section, slide the Slotted Tungsten Bead up onto the hook then proceed to attach the previous section. 


12. As we did on previous shanks, attach the 2" Translucy Brush and wrap 3/4 of the way up to the bead and tie off. Select three large hen saddles. If you do not have anything wide or big enough for the task, feel free to use bigger schlappen feathers as a substitute here. After this step you can go right to the EP Crustaceous Brush or add an accent color first, totally up to you.


13. Tie in the EP Crustaceous Brush and wrap forward all the way up to the eye of the hook. The amount of wraps and density is completely up to you and what you want out of the fly. Comb fibers out as much as possible. Begin to trim down and shape the head to your likening.  





Have any questions on tying this fly? Give us a call at 614-451-0363!

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Black Friday/Cyber Monday at Mad River Outfitters


Black Friday/Cyber Monday made easy! 

* Spend $100.00 or more, get a $20.00 Gift Card

* Spend $250.00 or more, get a $50.00 Gift Card

* Spend $500.00 or more, get a $100.00 Gift Card

* Spend $1,000.00 or more, get a $200.00 Gift Card

Plus......additional savings throughout the store-

* 40% OFF Selected Simms items
* 40% OFF All FITS Socks
* 40% OFF All BUFF products
* 40% OFF All Tilley Hats
* 30% OFF All Wingo Products
* 30% Selected Howler Brothers items
* Up to 40% OFF on other special, discontinued and closeout merchandise storewide

Check out the SALE page on our website for a complete listing!


Applies to in-store OR online purchases.

Online orders received between midnight and midnight, EST, on Black Friday, November 25th, 2022. All qualifying purchases during the 24 hour period will automatically receive the Gift Card in the order shipment.

In-Store purchases during normal store hours on Black Friday, November 25th, 2023. Gift Card will be issued at the point of sale.

***This promotion will also run for online sales on "Cyber Monday". Midnight to Midnight EST on Monday, November 28th.

Watch the video on how to easily use MRO Gift Cards on our online store:





                                                             


Thank you for supporting a small, locally owned family business this Holiday Season!


                                                                 Mad River Outfitters

                                                                       833 Bethel Rd.

                                                                Columbus, Ohio 43214

                                                                       614-451-0363

                                                        admin@madriveroutfitters.com

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Flip Pallot "Fly Fishing School Weekend"

Mad River Outfitters and the MIdwest Fly Fishing Schools are proud to present:



Flip Pallot Fly Fishing School Weekend

featuring Flip Pallot and Brian Flechsig

January 27th- 29th, 2023

held at Flip's house in Mims, Florida


You should plan on arriving in Orlando during the day on Friday, January 27th and renting a car. The festivities will begin around 6:30 at Flip's house in Mims so give yourself enough time to get from Orlando (or Daytona), get situated in your hotel room and grab a quick bite to eat.  


Friday night, the group will meet at Flip's house around 6:30 p.m. for check-in and meet-and-greet. Around 7:00 p.m. we'll have an official orientation and go over the plan for the weekend. We'll then have some more Frigate Reserve Rum, tell some stories and wrap things up around 9:00 p.m.

On Saturday, we'll convene at 9:00 a.m., again at Flip's house and get the ball rolling. The morning session will include discussions on Rods, Reels, Lines and Flies, as well as general techniques. We will also have a discussion and presentation on Advanced Fly Casting Techniques, that will of course be applied later in the day.

Lunch on Saturday will be from Noon- 1 p.m. and will be basic sandwiches and fixins. We will then head over to Titusville, about 20 minutes away, to the Renzetti Inc. Factory and Facility. We will be given a one hour tour of this amazing company and get to see the behind the scenes on how their vises, tools and accessories are made. Special thanks to Lily and Andy Renzetti for making this possible!!!

We will then head out back of the factory, into their field there,  and spend the rest of the afternoon in a hands-on, advanced fly casting clinic. Flip and Brian have promised to "blow your minds" and promise to make you much better fly casters! You'll want to have an 8-10wt rod rigged up for this. Around 4:00 p.m., Flip will conduct a "Fly Casting Final Exam" to ensure that you come away from this weekend a much, much better fly caster and can continue to improve, based on what you have learned.

This "exam" will include a video of you casting with Flip coaching and will be sent to you after the class. A keepsake memory from your experience with a legend!

***Please note that this will be an extremely "advanced" fly casting class. It will be assumed that all participants are good casters and well versed at double hauling and the like. This class is designed to make very good casters into very excellent casters. 


The day will wrap up there at Renzetti around 5:00 p.m. and you can head back to your hotel and enjoy some supper and the evening.

Sunday morning we will again meet at Flip's house at 9:00 a.m. We will start the morning with a detailed class on proper leader building and knot tying. We will also touch on some other subjects such as properly hooking, playing and landing fish and more. We will also try to squeeze in an hour of Q & A and open discussion to make sure that you get your questions answered by these two veterans. Lunch will again be provided around Noon, and will be grilled up by Flip and Brian on Flip's famous Traeger grill and will most likely feature some game that he harvested himself. This will certainly be a celebratory meal!

After lunch, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. we will close the school, take some group photos and dismiss the group.


You can then head to the airport or back to your hotel, depending on your travel arrangements. 


***If anyone is interested in doing some fishing while in Florida, on either end of the trip, Brian and Flip have mentioned that they would be happy to put you in touch with some good local guides. Just let us know and we'll be happy to pass along the information. 


Included in this trip: Happy Hour and Orientation on Friday night, School, Lunch and Renzetti Tour on Saturday, School and Lunch on Sunday. All school materials related to the Knots and Leaders Class. 

Not Included in this trip: Transportation to Mims, Florida, Lodging, Rod and Reel Set-Up for the Fly Casting Clinics


Click Here learn more or to register for this very special event!



"Brian and I will transform you into better fly anglers.......period. And......... a ton of fun will be had along the way"- Flip Pallot

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Very Special Guest: Blane Chocklett

 Blane Chocklett at Mad River Outfitters

November 11th and 12th, 2022


Mad River Outfitters is thrilled to announce very special guest Blane Chocklett. 
Blane began fly fishing in 1985 on a 
 small mountain stream not far from his home in Blue Ridge, Virginia. Eight years later, he started his own freelance guide service. In 1996, Blane opened Blue Ridge Fly Fishers, a full-service fly shop located in Roanoke, Virginia.

Through the years, Blane has supported the sport of fly fishing by serving as a member of the American Fly Tackle Trade Association's (AFTA) Dealer Advisory Board and by consulting with several fly fishing pro staffs. Blane has been featured by many outdoor writers in books and magazine articles over the years

Since 1998, Blane has served as a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. Through his Hybrid SeriesTM and other innovative designs, Blane crafts traditional and synthetic tying materials to achieve the subtleness of flies and the strike-generating action of conventional lures. He is most known for the Gummy Minnow flies and most recently the Game Changer flies. Today, Blane operates New Angle Fishing Company and specializes in float trips on three of Virginia's premiere rivers: James, New and Jackson rivers. Blane also serves on the Temple Fork Outfitters advisory board and helped them to design the new BC Big Fly rods.

Blane will be around Mad River Outfitters all weekend and will be teaching some clinics which are listed below. Register online and please call us at 614-451-0363 if you have any questions.


Blane Chocklett at Mad River Outfitters
 

Friday, November 11th:

 

7:00- 9:00 p.m.- "Designing and Fishing Flies that Trigger Strikes" Program with Blane in the shop- $10.00 per ticket

 

Register Now!

 

 
Saturday, November 12th:

 
10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.- Book Signing and Fly Tying Demos- feel free to stop on by the shop!
 

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.- Advanced Fly Casting Clinic with Blane Chocklett and Pat Kelly- limited to 10 students- $75.00

 

Register Now!

 

 
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.- "Tying Game Changer Flies"- fly tying class- limited to 10 students- $150.00

* all materials for the class are included in the price. Must have some tying experience and bring your own vise and tools.

 



Blane Chocklett at Mad River Outfitters

Friday and Saturday, November 11th and 12th, 2022




Mad River Outfitters
833 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-451-0363
admin@madriveroutfitters.com

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Ohio Fly Fishing Forecast 04/28/22

This week's fly fishing forecast is live on the Ohio Fly Fishing Guides blog!

Guide Josh McQueen provides an update on Lake Run Smallmouth, Steelhead, Trout and Musky fishing. Check out the full report over on the OFFG blog!

Pictures from the past week:


Flows have been ideal for streamer fishing on the Mad River.



John L. with a nice pre-spawn Smallie on a recent guide trip with Pat Kelly.




Guide Josh Trammell having some fun with underwater shots of Lake Run Smallies.



Mitch H. with a Rainbow Trout from a recent guide trip with Katie Johnstone.



Another nice Brown Trout caught on the Mad River.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

This NEW Retro Style Fly Fishing Reel is BACK!

 

In this video, Brian Flechsig from Mad River Outfitters talks about Orvis bringing back the legendary CFO Fly Reel and talks about the features on the NEW Orvis CFO Fly Reel. We're seriously excited about this.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

SAGE R8 Core Fly Rods, Here's Everything You Need to Know.

 

Introducing the Sage R8 Core Fly Rods.
The Sage R8 Core Fly Rod is Finally here.

Last week Sage released their highly anticipated R8 Fly Rods. So in light of the launch, here is everything you need to know about the new Sage R8 Core Fly Rods.


Friday, April 8, 2022

Ohio Fly Fishing Forecast 04/08/22

This week's fly fishing forecast is live on the Ohio Fly Fishing Guides blog page!

Guide Josh McQueen provides an update on the Mad River, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead and Lake Run Smallmouth. Check out the full report over on the OFFG blog page or see below for a quick breakdown.

Mad River

Nymphing deep holes with Trophy Nymphs or Pheasant Tail Nymphs has been productive. There have not been any signs of Hendricksons yet. 



A beautiful Mad River Brown Trout!

Rainbow Trout

There have been some midges hatching at the Clear Fork River. Nymphing and swinging Wooly Buggers has been very productive.



A big Rainbow Trout from this season!

Steelhead

There are still plenty of Steelhead in the system. The rivers to the west of Cleveland are starting to get low and clear. The rivers to the east of Cleveland are in better shape and have more fresh fish.



Guide Ben Phipps having a good time with his client up in Steelhead Alley!

Lake Run Smallmouth

A couple lake run Smallmouth have been seen in the rivers. We will start to see more entering the system in the coming weeks!

Click here for the full report.

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Ohio Fly Fishing Forecast - 03/24/2022

New Ohio fishing report!


There is a new Ohio fly fishing forecast video on the Ohio Fly Fishing Guides blog! Guide Josh McQueen provides an update on Steelhead Alley, the Mad River and other local trout streams. He also gives a brief breakdown on what is happening with Musky, Pike and Smallmouth fishing.

Click here to hear his full report.

A beautiful Steelhead from earlier this week!

Fishing in Steelhead Alley has been off to a great start!

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

NEW! Sage R8 Core Fly Rods

 

Coming.....April 5th!




Sage - Emerging This April // Revolution 8


"When we are out on the water, we’re in a different place. We’re more connected, more focused, more in the rhythm of our environment. With R8, we amped up the feel from tip to hand to enhance that state of mental flow and focus for a heightened fishing experience and greater control."


Watch the teaser video here:


Stay tuned here, MRO Social Media and of course www.madriveroutfitters.com for details as they arise.


Sage R8 Core Fly Rods go on Sale Tuesday, April 5th!


833 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363
admin@madriveroutfitters.com

Mad River Outfitters- Ohio Fly Fishing Guides- Midwest Fly Fishing Schools- Mad River Travel