Connections: Medicine and Fly Fishing

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Richard Formato, one of the top fly fishermen in the country, the other day about his new project which coincidentally is just the kind of thing we're all about here at VMFF (ie. fly fishing and medicine).

In case you haven't watched the Outdoor, Versus, or ESPN Outdoors channels at all, you may not realize what fishing shows consist of.  Most of what you can find out there consists of close up shots of huge fish hauled in using the "newest and most technologically advanced" lure the world has ever seen.  In my opinion, fishing just hasn't translated to the big screen as well as other sports.  Televised golf, for instance, has been able to capture some of what golf is about: slow panning shots of a fairway, the hushed voice of a sports commentator describing how smooth a back swing is, the close in views of a golfer as he intensely examines the subtle curves of a green, the quiet applause of spectators acknowledging a job well done.  Fishing shows, on the other hand, have missed the point.  Case and point: Bill Dance


Fortunately for the fishing community, I think Richard Formato may have a way to help turn things around.  Richard has just recently begun putting together a show about what fishing is really about; trying to show how therapeutic it can be to be out on the river making long deliberate casts to captious trout.  For example, in the trailer for the show, The Healing Stream (watch it here), Richard helps an Iraq veteran learn how to use fly fishing as a way to help in the healing process.  They also pull in what looks to be like some pretty decent brookies.  (On that note, I'll have to figure out where they were filming so I can plan some future excursions.)

Screenshot from The Healing Stream's trailer

Hopefully in the near future, we'll get to watch more of Richard's work and see more about how fly fishing can be an effective form of therapy.  Keep on the look out for more about this and help spread the word!

Another Connection Between Medicine and Fly Fishing

Okay, connections between fly fishing and medicine don't happen that often.  But when they do, man they are exciting (at least for a nerd like me.)  Last time we reported on a connection, it was about the EPA study that found 7 pharmaceutical drugs in fish sampled.  That was sort of stretch.  It wasn't like they said in the study that fishermen should practice catch and release because of these drugs... although they should.


But this time, we actually have a video for you made by Dr. Szlyk from Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA.  If you can't tell, I'm excited about this video.  I mean, it's the proverbial hat trick with regards to our blog:  1.Fly Fishing 2.Medicine 3.Virginia. (in case you couldn't tell from our uncreative blog title.)  I don't know who Dr. Szlyk is but I think I can safely assume that he's awesome at fly fishing...and at surgery using the da Vinci surgical robot.  




This video also begs the question, when is Renzetti going to jump on this bandwagon?  I mean, come on. Their MOST expensive fly tying vise is ONLY $939.85.  Seriously.  That pales in comparison to the $1.3 million price tag on a da Vinci robot "fly tying vise".  


Finally, I need to give credit where credit is due.  I didn't find this obsessively searching youtube for videos (despite what you may believe, I do study sometimes).  Rather, I found it courtesy of Moldy Chum.  

"Who dat" Waldner's Saints Spoon Fly

You have heard me talk about my friend Rich Waldner and his awesome spoon flies before, but now there is a collectors "Who dat" New Orleans Saints version available from Uptown Angler. Just to reiterate what I've told you all before, if you are fishing for Redfish anywhere on the gulf coast the Waldner Spoon is absolutely essential gear for a couple of reasons. First off, it's as weedless as any fly gets. I've fished Rich's spoons through some very tough grasses and it does wonderfully. Secondly, it's a tough fly (all epoxy and wire) so it will last for a very long time. Thirdly, the action is unbelievable. The spoon wobbles like crazy and will make fish turn to bite it, but it will not spin and tangle your line. All said, this is one awesome saltwater fly. Now all you Saints fans out there can show your pride and bag some serious reds at once. Let's see them win the big one today! Geaux Saints!

New Year Resolutions

Everyone is making resolutions; Ridiculous resolutions that inevitably fail by the time February comes around. So instead, I thought I'd make some that may actually have a fighting chance of coming to fruition (this, of course, all hinges on whether we'll have time to fish while busy on clinical rotations). Here are mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/captkodak/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

1. Catch another gar. After I reeled in one of these prehistoric monsters last summer, I became OBSESSED and went on numerous occasions out to the Rivanna with the only goal of pulling in another to ensure the first wasn't just a fluke. I even bought heavy duty gloves to make sure I wouldn't lose a finger or two while trying to get the hook out. Alas, I received some head turns but never a solid bite. So by far the top thing on my list is to snag one of these guys again.

Huge Mossy Creek brown caught by Shane from Mossy Creek Fly Fishing (photo courtesy of MCFF)

2. Catch more brown trout (big ones). This may sound picky but really it means a lot more than it seems. Practically the only place to find decent brown trout around here is Mossy Creek. From our past posts about Mossy, you'll know that it's always a challenge to fish out there and going home skunked is a very real possibility. So this year, how about we pull in some of those famous monsters that the guys over at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing seem to pull in regularly.

3. Float the Jackson. Hopefully when I'm stationed in Roanoke in August I'll have some time to hit up the nearby Jackson River. From what I could tell from our quick visit just below the dam, the river is loaded with healthy fish and ideal water temperatures to ensure good fishing year round. Let's just hope that if I do float it, that I don't meet any angry landowners with shotguns.

4. Successfully fish the Shad Run. Okay last year I went out and tried my best to fish the Shad Run down near Richmond. This year, I think I'll play it smart and wade the Rappahannock instead. Also I'll probably need to get a sinking line and some properly made shad darters. Hopefully this time my trip will be more like Gordon's from Albemarle Angler as seen in the video above.

5. Catch more fish than Rich. Hey, I at least had to have something realistic on here right? Rich, you just been SERVEDDDD.

Gear Review: Fishpond Double Haul Chest/Backpack

As central Va digs its way out of the blizzard of 2009 and prepares for Christmas, I thought I would tell you a bit about one of the latest additions to my gear. I bought the Fishpond Double Haul Chest/Backpack in late september, and it has made a huge improvement in the organization of my tackle. Overall, I've been impressed with the pack's size. It's not so big that I'm tempted to take my entire collection of flies and outerwear, but it will accommodate the essentials for a day's excursion. I can hold one or two fly boxes with extra leaders and tools in the chest pack, and the backpack has space for water, light raingear, and food. I even managed to pack a sweater in there with my rain jacket on one manic weather day.

Other features include a built in D-ring to attach a net, multiple daisy chains for accessory attachments, and the option to wear only the chest pack. I mentioned earlier that the chest pack has enough room for fly boxes, but if you are a true minimalist only fishing small dry flies and nymphs you could easily just use the built in zip-down platform fly box. This is definitely the coolest/most useful part about the Double Haul and it's the envy of everyone I fish with. The platform stays suspended by parachute cord attached to the inside of the pack when it is zipped down. It let's you peruse an assortment of approximately 50 flies hands-free while you tie one on. Also, the foam pad is attached with heavy duty velcro so it can be replaced when it eventually wears out. Great thinking, Fishpond!

The only downside to the pack that I have found is that it will tug a little bit on my shoulders when I attach my net. That makes for slightly sore shoulders at the end of the day, but I think the improved organization is worth just a little pain. The soreness might also be because I have to tighten the straps down all the way to fit my frame. Even when I crank the straps all the way down, the harness is still a little loose . I'm only 155 lbs. and with the amount of girth they allow in that harness it seems like this pack was designed for someone 190+.

I hate to add to the commercialization of Christmas, but if you are looking for an excellent gift for a fly fisher this year, this will do the trick. I hope that everyone out there is staying warm and safe out there right now. Let's hope the water comes down quickly after the run off so we can start fishing again!

What do you do when you have no time to fish?

Answer: Watch movies of other people fishing.

Unfortunately we don't have much anything to report.  Water levels are still low here in Charlottesville and the temperatures haven't dropped enough to make fishing in the park worth it, leaving us with nothing to do other than study.  It's times like these that make me wonder if fishing guides sit around in the winter complaining and wishing they were training to become doctors instead.  For some reason, I doubt they do.

So instead of a fishing report this week, here's some of the videos that have helped me through the past week of playing catchup in pharmacology:

By far the best short flick on fly fishing out there on the web, Todd Moen's video, Alpine Bass.  I stumbled upon it in Catch Magazine Issue #6.  Enjoy.


Found this video of great foam fly action on the Simms website:


And finally, this video, "7 Minutes of Mayhem", shows off some amazing baby tarpon action off of the yucatan peninsula.  Using a blunted hook, the fisherman hooks and unhooks (purposefully) numerous tarpon.  Sick nasty.

Pollak Vineyards

This weekend, my parents came up to Charlottesville to visit and go winetasting. We made the fortunate decision to visit the relatively new, Pollak Vineyards. By far, they had the best wines I've ever tasted that have come out of Virginia. We got to taste 9 wines all of which were solid. Even their Rosé tasted decent, and I HATE all Rosé. After the amazing wine tasting, we asked if we could throw a line in their pond and were granted permission. In my opinion, some of the best bass fishing can be done on private ponds and their pond didn't disappoint.

I hooked my dad up with my favorite bass rig for a spinning rod: a size 2 Gamakatzu EWG with a green pumpkin or watermelon Gary Yamamoto worm. Pretty much immediately he caught a largemouth. Thirty minutes later he had caught six bass, most of which were fairly big. I chose to try a Gulley Worm, something I had just picked up from Albemarle Angler. I'm not going to lie, I thought there was little chance a worm made of chenille would be as successful as a plastic bait in catching bass but it did the trick! I pulled one bass in on it and then lost the worm to what felt like a HUGE bass that broke me off at my Ox leader. I think I'll have to start tying more of these gulley worms. I'll post directions on how to do so in the near future.

I highly recommend everyone take a trip to Pollak. It's going to be the best vineyard in Virginia once people catch wind of how great it is. For now the prices for wine are still low, lower than what you'd find at other wineries. Hopefully, they'll continue to let people fish in their pond too... just be sure to ask nicely.

Late Night TV Host Conan O'Brian's Attempt at Brownlining

As I was fervently avoiding studying for the Pathology final, I tuned in to Conan last night and was delighted to see that he and his buddy, Andy Richter, decided to take a trip to the Los Angeles River. As you will see in the clip below, they attempted (a very generous use of the word) to fly fish.

Not one of his best gigs, but I enjoyed the fact that they even thought to include a second or two of them trying to throw lines.

Reminded me that I also saw some Hollywood fly fishing a while ago on the new show, Kings. Never actually see the actor throw out a cast but whatever river he's "fishing" looks phenomenal.

Apparently Sperm Whales Enjoy Fishing As Well

Just saw this video from Nat Geo and thought it was amazing. Researchers found that sperm whales, in order to get an easy meal, will approach cod fishing lines and shake them to release the hooked fish.

I guess I'm thankful I'm not fishing in deep oceans. I'd be furious to lose a fish because a whale outsmarted me.

Virginia Fly Fishing Festival This Weekend

I know that if I were a sane person, after the physiology test on Saturday morning I would head straight back to the library to start cramming for the human behavior exam on Monday. Instead, I'll be heading to the VA Fly Fishing Festival over in Waynesboro (it'll be located where the South River tag is on our Google Map). For anyone else crazy enough, it should be a great chance to meet others who are interested in fly fishing. I know that the guys from Albemarle Angler will be there as will the Trow Brothers from Mossy Creek.

I'm particularly interested in listening to what Capt. Cory Routh has to say about flyfishing from your kayak which will happen around 1 pm on Saturday. Cory is the author of the book, Kayak Fishing: The Complete Guide, which is a book I definitely have wanted to get my hands on now for a while. That reminds me... I still need to figure out how to put my fishfinder on my kayak.

I'm also interested in checking out the flyrods and reels from the local company, Fly Fishing Benefactors. From what I've read, such as this great review of the San Juan rod from Steve over at Switch Fisher, it sounds like they make great stuff for amazing prices. If what I've read is true, I'll most likely be leaving with a new rod just in time to get used to it before my trip to the Catskill Mountains in two weeks.

Weather forecast for Saturday is perfect. Hopefully I'll see some of you out there.

Finally a Connection Between Medicine and Fish

I'm pretty sure we raised a couple eyebrows at the Mulholland Society meeting in which the fate of our proposed medical fly fishing club was to be determined. I can just imagine the issues brought up... "What does this have to do with medicine?" "How will this help them get into competitive residencies?" "Who has time to fish when the USMLE 1 is only a year away?"

Thankfully they approved us, either out of pity or confused intrigue. But now, it appears we finally have some solid connections between medicine and flyfishing.

According to Scientific American, a recent study by the EPA and Baylor University researchers has found the presence of 7 pharmaceutical drugs in fish taken from rivers in Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, West Chester, and Orlando. The drugs include norfluoxetine, diltiazem, and carbamazepine. So if you're feeling depressed, having seizures, and have high blood pressure... and you can't afford to hit up the pharmacy, why not go fishing?

I, on the other hand, am feeling pretty healthy so I'll just stick to the catch-and-release with barbless hooks. Unless it's crappie. For some reason, I have no qualms catching and keeping crappie. Perhaps it's the name.

Pic courtesy of UpNorth Memories - Donald Harrison

The River Why

So I just finished reading The River Why and thought it was fantastic.  It's no wonder that it is considered the second greatest book about fly fishing after A River Runs Through It.  Rich and I have gotten into a debate about whether or not having a spouse who fishes is a good thing.  Personally, I think it would be a good thing.  Then they'd understand why you love heading off to the river every weekend (even though you'd have to occasionally have them tag along with you). 

But if the significant other is anything like the actress, Amber Heard, who plays the role of Eddy in the cinematic version of The River Why, then I think that only helps to support my opinion.  

That's right.  Another great flyfishing book is being turned into a movie.  It's already in the post-production stage, so hopefully it'll be out by this fall.  And with Gus being played by that kid from the tv show, "Friday Night Lights", and H2O being played by William Hurt, it sounds like the cast is pretty dead on what I'd expect the characters to be like.  

Let's just hope they don't butcher it and that these actors have been taught how to properly mend the line and roll cast. 

To check out photos from the movie and production information, check out the movie's website, http://www.theriverwhy.com/.

photos via the river why

Mr. Rapidan Himself

Rich has successfully caused me to spend hours this week thinking about fly fishing instead of physiology and neurology. Okay, actually it's probably my fault.

More importantly, however, is that he keeps mentioning some great flies. First the Kreelex and now another favorite of mine, the Mr. Rapidan. And just how the Kreelex was designed by a local fly fishing star so was the Mr. Rapidan.

Harry Murray, owner of Murray's Fly Shop in Edinburg, Virginia has created several versions of this successful attractor pattern (meaning that it is a general pattern and doesn't necessarily match a specific hatch). Also, Harry's quite the expert on smallmouth bass fishing. In fact, I read his book, Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass, from cover to cover several times before I realized that he was also the creator of the Mr. Rapidan. The man has invented so many successful bass flies and trout flies that I'm pretty sure he's already reserved himself a spot up in fly fishing hall of fame next to Norman Maclean and Izaak Walton. So if you want to talk to a real expert (I've yet to meet him, though I plan to stop by his shop next week so I can ask him a couple questions about floating the Shenandoah for smallies) feel free to head over to his shop, check out his blog, or even some of his Youtube videos...

So why is the Mr. Rapidan such a popular fly for use up in the mountain streams of the Shenandoah National park? I think the reason is because it can cover several different types of hatches. The wild brookies in the park are, in my opinion (Rich may disagree), enterprising in their eating habits. I think this is mainly due to their living situations. With briskly moving water pushing through small pools, these fish don't get the luxury of being picky eaters (like those damn cats who eat fancy feast...god, I hate cats.) Granted, there is some selection going on. To be successful, your flies need to be at least the same size as the other flies that flow past these fish and ideally look vaguely like them (meaning they have all of the appropriate vital signs... a wing, hackle that imitates legs, tail, etc.). But everything other than that is pretty much fair game for these brookies.

Last year I even experimented with using differently colored wings and body dubbing (absurd colors like bright blue and pink) and was still able to catch fish. But still, in my opinion, I've been way more successful with the Mr. Rapidans and my number one favorite, the Elk Hair Caddis. So be sure to stock up on the successful dry flies that Rich mentioned in his post and also, in my opinion bring some Adams, Parachute Adams, and Royal Wulffs. And of course we'll be posting more details on these flies as we find time to.

Finally, for those of you who enjoy tying your own, get your hands on some yellow calf tail and check out these fairly straightforward instructions.

photo courtesy of Rob O'Reilly via Hipwader

A River Runs Through It Online!

One of the best movies ever made in my opinion is now available online for free (just a couple commercials to deal with).  A must-see for those who are into fly fishing and even those who aren't.  For those who aren't, you'll probably want to start fly fishing after watching this:

From Crackle: A River Runs Through It

 

"Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters." 

- Norman Maclean

Fish with Rich

Sorry to break it to you, but this post is not exactly the ego trip you are expecting.  Since I'm stuck in the library this week I'm going to blow off steam by telling fish stories.  Here's one about Rich Waldner.  He's the best fishing guide in Southern Louisiana and the reason that I have such a cool fishing hat.

I am lucky enough to know Rich through my father, the two are old friends from their Marine Corps days.  This connection has earned me first-class accommodations in the "trout room" and "bass room" of the late, great "Camp Waldner."  That's the Ruebism for Rich's home built on stilts alongside the levy of the Mississippi River.  As if staying in a treehouse isn't already cool enough, listening to Rich's 95 year old father (Buck) tell stories of fighting railroad bulls and stowing away in freight cars adds that extra element of danger... but then those are tales for another day.

Capt. Rich at the helm during sunset on the marsh

He calls his guide service "Fish with Rich," but in reality it's almost unfair to use the term "fish" since it implies that you might not catch anything.  Aboard Rich's boat, you are basically guaranteed to catch beautiful fish each time you step onto the casting platform.  It's almost like he can smell the redfish, speckled trout, and bass from miles away and then pole you right to them.  Yes, I said pole you.  Rich has this incredible Dolphin Renegade with such a shallow draft that he can silently maneuver it in mere inches of water with a guide pole.  We catch fish on flies Rich invented and still hand-crafts.  Some of his notables are Waldner's Terminator Crab, Waldner's Mardi Gras Mama, and Waldner's Spoon Fly, which has been fooling massive fish by the boatload for years.  Check out the proof on his website.

Fishing for Louisiana reds is a far cry from fishing my home waters, the mountain streams of Virginia.  These reds range from 3 to 30+ pounds and are found in brackish water (where freshwater meets saltwater).  Basically, I am talking about big time fish in big water.  My blogger profile picture shows me with a 10 pound red I caught with Rich back in 2004.  It took a good 10 minutes to tire him out and land him.  Don't get me wrong, I love fishing for brookies at home, but fighting a redfish is something else.

Rich pulls in a nice red at about minute 2:10

So now you know where I got that stylish ball cap inscribed with my (Capt. Waldner's) name and something about my family's connection to him.  Fishing with him is an awesome experience, and I suggest you dial him up if you are ever visiting New Orleans.  By all means you should do yourself a favor and spend a day on the water fishing with Rich.

Welcome to the Virginia Medical Fly Fishing Site

I probably shouldn't start another blog for fear of wasting even more time but I feel like there is a definite need for better information about fly fishing in Virginia.  Don't get me wrong, there are some great sites like that of the Trow brothers over at the Mossy Creek fly fishing store and the Albemarle Angler has started doing a better job updating their posts to their website.  But there are several things that I thought were missing.  How does one get to the Rapidan's upper reaches by car?  Where should I go that is near to Charlottesville so that I can throw a line out during my lunch break?  What techniques work the best at each river and when?  

Thus, my co-founder, Richie, and I started the Virginia Medical Fly Fishing Club (yes we're med students).  And to help with information organization, I've decided that this would be a helpful site to make.  So I thought I'd start by explaining how I got to this point.  (Hopefully if Rich is down with blogging, he'll explain how he got here too)

A good size brookie pulled out of the Rapidan River

First, let me say that I'm not an expert in the field of fly fishing.  I'm constantly learning and I think that the best thing about fly fishing is that you have to be constantly learning.  If you're not learning, you're just catching fish, not fishing.  So anyway, here's some background on my experience thus far...

I started fly fishing about two years ago when a good friend of mine convinced me to tag along with him to the lower reaches of the Rapidan River.  I'm sort of a leech for information and therefore I love to start new things/hobbies/passions due to what I pick up from others.  (My poor parents have had to see me through several changes in musical pursuits throughout the years... not an inexpensive habit)  But I digress.  After watching my friend, Scottie, deftly hook about 20 brookies in the first two hours out there, I decided I wanted to be as proficient as he was.  

So after that, I started researching fly fishing.  I went to local stores and asked stupid naive questions until I was able to figure out how to tie on tippet to a leader and distinguish some of the most famous dry flies patterns.  I went out to the rivers in the area (with a cheap pair of rubber hip waders I got from Dick's Sporting Goods and a 5 wt. my dad lent me).  In those first months, I think I caught at least one hundred tree branches and zero fish.  But that made me want to fish even more.  I can't stand not being good at something.  Finally, after about 6 months, I started catching brookies at the Rapidan.  I thought I had mastered fly fishing because I was able to catch fish consistently on one of Virginia's most famous rivers... Boy, was I wrong.

That's enough for today, I'll finish explaining in my next post.  Again welcome to the site.