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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

Project Terrestrial: A Terrestrial Fly Box (Part VII)

Jason G. Freund

Aug 4, 202410 min read

Project Terrestrial: A Terrestrial Fly Box (Part VII)

This is the culmination of Project Terrestrial - these are the flies I tie, buy, and fish in the Driftless Area.

330 views1 comment

Project Terrestrial: Sunken Terrestrials (Part VI)

Jason G. Freund

Jul 21, 20245 min read

Project Terrestrial: Sunken Terrestrials (Part VI)

This is a minor tactic - at least for me - but it might be worth a try when all else fails.

348 views5 comments

Cicada Hatch 2024: A Guide to Biology, Finding Them, and Fly Patterns for Catching Fish

Jason G. Freund

Feb 25, 20248 min read

Cicada Hatch 2024: A Guide to Biology, Finding Them, and Fly Patterns for Catching Fish

Cicadas are big, clumsy bugs that are really poor flyers and run into things quite regularly - this includes the water's surface.

4,423 views0 comments

Embracing Weedy Streams

Jason G. Freund

Aug 13, 20238 min read

Embracing Weedy Streams

Learn how to embrace - not curse - weedy streams. There aren't many other choices if you want to fish Driftless mid-summer trout.

298 views0 comments

Project Terrestrial: All About Hooks (Part V)

Jason G. Freund

Apr 17, 20237 min read

Project Terrestrial: All About Hooks (Part V)

There are a huge diversity of hooks for terrestrials. I use Tiemco as the standard in this post but you will find a ton of options.

1,633 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.

661 views0 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.

242 views2 comments

The When and Where of Fishing Terrestrial Flies

Jason G. Freund

Aug 15, 20229 min read

The When and Where of Fishing Terrestrial Flies

If I had to pick a month of days to fish for pure enjoyment and often a great challenge; it would be from mid-August through mid-September.

1,263 views5 comments

In Praise of Traveling Light and Shirt Pockets

Jason G. Freund

Jul 25, 202210 min read

In Praise of...

In Praise of Traveling Light and Shirt Pockets

Not every day is a "throw a fly box in a shirt pocket, grab a hemostats, and go" kind of day but it can be a great way to challenge yourself

163 views1 comment

Crowdsourcing an In-the-Film Terrestrial

Jason G. Freund

Jun 13, 20226 min read

Crowdsourcing an In-the-Film Terrestrial

This my attempt at figuring out how to tie a summer / fall terrestrial for once the fish have become a bit more educated and picky.

285 views0 comments

In Praise of Andrew Grillos' Hippie Stomper

Jason G. Freund

Feb 21, 20224 min read

In Praise of Andrew Grillos' Hippie Stomper

The Hippie Stomper is the perfect Driftless terrestrial, no exaggeration. It is as if it were created for the Driftless (it wasn't...)

2,978 views0 comments

Angling Entomology: How much do I need to know? (and do I need to know Latin?)

Jason G. Freund

Aug 2, 20217 min read

Angling Entomology: How much do I need to know? (and do I need to know Latin?)

The answer to that question is no, but you can learn as much - or as little - as you want to know and learn.

904 views0 comments

Project Terrestrial: To Foam or not to Foam (Part III)

Jason G. Freund

Jun 25, 20219 min read

Project Terrestrial: To Foam or not to Foam (Part III)

Foam is a great and versatile tying material that is particularly well-suited for high floating flies.

995 views0 comments

Project Terrestrial - Part I: Ants, Beetles, Hoppers, and Crickets, oh my!

Jason G. Freund

May 14, 20217 min read

Project Terrestrial - Part I: Ants, Beetles, Hoppers, and Crickets, oh my!

Why terrestrials? Aside from terrestrials being fun as can be? Do you really need more than that? OK - then let's dig into the why...

663 views0 comments

To Dry and Dropper or Not?

Jason G. Freund

Apr 13, 20216 min read

To Dry and Dropper or Not?

Conventional wisdom states that "it is a 2-for-1" so you may as well fish the dropper...but it can be such a pain in the ass!

532 views3 comments

My Driftless Bakers Dozen Fly "Concepts"

Jason G. Freund

Mar 9, 20218 min read

My Driftless Bakers Dozen Fly "Concepts"

I figured I would do a Driftless Dozen as a conversation piece. These are my choices - at least when I wrote the article. What are yours?

5,442 views1 comment

Aquatic insects in the spring, terrestrials in the Summertime

Jason G. Freund

Jul 9, 20203 min read

Aquatic insects in the spring, terrestrials in the Summertime

Experienced trout anglers know this idea well - in the spring and fall, aquatic insects are key. In the summer, terrestrials are key.

214 views3 comments

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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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