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The Scientific Fly Angler

Naturally Curious

Welcome to The Scientific Fly Angler

Naturally Curious

About The Scientific Fly Angler

Jason G. Freund

Welcome to my COVID project.

This page explores fly fishing and fly tying from an mostly - but not entirely - scientific point of view. Expect a random collection of fly tying, fish and stream ecology for the fly angler, and well, whatever I feel like posting at the time. From time to time, I will branch out from fly fishing into fisheries management and science.

This website and blog is for fun - not profit. I'm coming at you from Wisconsin's Driftless area but am hoping to interact with anglers from around the world. It is not necessarily a blog about Wisconsin but we are shaped by our experiences.

Send me an e-mail if you have question, comments, ideas for posts, etc.

STAY IN THE KNOW

Match the "Hatch" - Streamer Style - Emerald Shiner

Jason G. Freund

Jun 4, 202310 min read

Match the "Hatch" - Streamer Style - Emerald Shiner

For the warmwater angler, there is probably no more important minnow to imitate than the Emerald Shiner. I highlight a number of patterns.

648 views0 comments

Forage Fishes of Cold and Cool-water Streams

Jason G. Freund

May 21, 202311 min read

Forage Fishes of Cold and Cool-water Streams

This post is full of information for those wanting to know more about fishes likely to be encountered in trout streams.

1,541 views1 comment

Project Muddler Minnow: Playing with Materials

Jason G. Freund

Apr 23, 202311 min read

Fly Tying Materials

Project Muddler Minnow: Playing with Materials

The beauty of the Muddler is that it is a highly adaptable palate which you can shape to your wants and needs. I explore some options here.

1,367 views0 comments

Soulful Flies

Jason G. Freund

Apr 9, 20234 min read

Soulful Flies

What exactly "flies with soul" are, I don't know, but much like pornography, what I know them when I see it/them.

238 views0 comments

Project Muddler: Woodchuck Muddler

Jason G. Freund

Apr 5, 20234 min read

Project Muddler: Woodchuck Muddler

There are TONS of variations on Don Gapen's original Muddler Minnow - the Woodchuck Muddler, as best as I know - is a Wolf River original.

255 views1 comment

Project Muddler Minnow: The Original and a Bunch of Variations

Jason G. Freund

Apr 2, 20236 min read

Project Muddler Minnow: The Original and a Bunch of Variations

Don Gapen's Muddler Minnow is a classic that has evolved and been reshaped into the fly we typically see today.

2,104 views0 comments

Fishing Wisconsin's Trout Free Zone (Guest Author - Perry Palin)

Jason G. Freund

Mar 22, 20238 min read

Fishing Wisconsin's Trout Free Zone (Guest Author - Perry Palin)

Join Perry Palin for a tour of Wisconsin's Trout Free Zone (TFZ) which is maybe not quite so troutless.

545 views2 comments

Project Terrestrial - The Classics (Part IV)

Jason G. Freund

Mar 19, 20238 min read

Terrestrial prey

Project Terrestrial - The Classics (Part IV)

The classics work. I like foam flies - but there is a time and a place for non-foam terrestrials. Here are a number of classics to consider.

656 views0 comments

Choosing a Fly Tying Vise

Jason G. Freund

Mar 12, 202312 min read

Choosing a Fly Tying Vise

Tons of links, videos, and, of course, opinions about what to look for in a fly tying vise - which is a very personal decision.

12,965 views0 comments

Tying the Life Cycle: Midges

Jason G. Freund

Feb 27, 20237 min read

Aquatic macroinvertebrates

Tying the Life Cycle: Midges

Chironomids (midges) don't get enough respect - true flies are diverse and important for the fly angler - not just those fishing lakes.

2,222 views4 comments

Tying the Life Cycle: Stonefly

Jason G. Freund

Feb 13, 20236 min read

Aquatic macroinvertebrates

Tying the Life Cycle: Stonefly

Of the major aquatic insect taxa, stoneflies are the least important here in Wisconsin, however there are times and places where they shine.

1,753 views1 comment

Tying the Life Cycle: Caddis

Jason G. Freund

Jan 30, 202310 min read

Tying the Life Cycle: Caddis

While mayflies get most of the attention from anglers, year in and year out, I catch more fish on caddis dry flies than on mayflies.

5,595 views0 comments

Tying the Life Cycle: Mayflies

Jason G. Freund

Jan 16, 202311 min read

Tying the Life Cycle: Mayflies

No insects are more associated with fly fishing than are the mayflies) so we will handle tying their life cycle first in this series.

4,169 views3 comments

Tying and Fishing Small Flies

Jason G. Freund

Dec 26, 20226 min read

Tying and Fishing Small Flies

From a friend, "It would be interesting to get your insights in small patterns where it enters the realm of ridiculous or impossible".

738 views4 comments

Fly Tying 101 - How to Get Started in Fly Tying

Jason G. Freund

Nov 28, 20229 min read

Fly Tying 101 - How to Get Started in Fly Tying

I think the best reason to tie your own flies is that tying flies makes you a better, more observant fly angler.

5,088 views5 comments

Smallmouth Bass Books

Jason G. Freund

Nov 14, 202210 min read

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass Books

I review 3 very good books on Smallmouth Bass by Karczynski and Landwehr, and books by Bob Clouser, and Tim Holschlag.

841 views1 comment

If you can catch fish in Wisconsin...

Jason G. Freund

Nov 7, 20226 min read

If you can catch fish in Wisconsin...

I heard from several other anglers that if you can catch fish in Wisconsin, you can catch them anywhere - and they were right!

366 views3 comments

Figuring it Out: Familiar Trout Streams

Jason G. Freund

Oct 3, 20227 min read

Figuring it Out: Familiar Trout Streams

I will share my approach to familiar waters - specifically Driftless trout streams - based on my experiences in this post.

239 views2 comments

Book Review: The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies

Jason G. Freund

Sep 23, 20227 min read

Book Review: The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies

Picking 50 flies to represent the history of fly fishing is certainly a daunting task. The author does an admirable job.

854 views0 comments

Why not Wisconsin? Fly Fishing Edition

Jason G. Freund

Aug 22, 202211 min read

Why not Wisconsin? Fly Fishing Edition

Why not Wisconsin? You are hard-pressed to find a state with the diversity of opportunities and access that Wisconsin offers the fly angler.

838 views1 comment

Fishing Rod

Contact

Thanks for your interest in The Scientific Fly Angler. For more information, feel free to get in touch and I will get back to you soon!

Driftless Area, WI

jason.freund4@gmail.com

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