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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

Harvest Your Own - Ducks and Geese

Jason G. Freund

Sep 18, 20205 min read

Harvest Your Own - Ducks and Geese

With waterfowl seasons just getting under way, it is a great time to think about harvesting waterfowl feathers for fly tying. It is easy...

2,190 views0 comments

The "Average" Trout Angler (and what it means for management)

Jason G. Freund

Sep 15, 20205 min read

The "Average" Trout Angler (and what it means for management)

Fisheries managers have a difficult task and they are NOT going to keep everyone happy. Just get online for a while and look at social media

117 views0 comments

Part 3 - Project Clouser - Colors and Shapes

Jason G. Freund

Sep 11, 20206 min read

Part 3 - Project Clouser - Colors and Shapes

Colors ultimately, are pretty simple - a light belly and a darker top - the rest is really up to you and what you are imitating.

3,237 views0 comments

Hotspotting - the Lake-Linkification of Fishing

Jason G. Freund

Sep 8, 20205 min read

Hotspotting - the Lake-Linkification of Fishing

Hotspotting. I will not do it and neither should you! Does it matter? Absolutely.

386 views0 comments

The Magic Minnow

Jason G. Freund

Sep 6, 20203 min read

The Magic Minnow

highlight the pattern because it is quite effective and fun to tie and being a Swedish pattern, many of anglers are unlikely to know it.

610 views0 comments

Part 2 - Project Clouser: Tying Methods

Jason G. Freund

Sep 4, 20204 min read

Part 2 - Project Clouser: Tying Methods

With any of these different ways to attach materials to the hook, there is a lot of flexibility in the what the final fly will look like.

1,068 views0 comments

Fishing the Internet - How to Find Fishing Spots and Improve your Success

Jason G. Freund

Sep 1, 20207 min read

Fishing the Internet - How to Find Fishing Spots and Improve your Success

The internet is a wonderful thing (most of the time). For the angler, there is a wealth of information. I'll concentrate mostly on the where

401 views0 comments

The Mangrove Muddler

Jason G. Freund

Aug 30, 20202 min read

The Mangrove Muddler

The images below are a Mangrove Muddler tied by George Close that has been sitting above my tying bench for a decade or better.

619 views0 comments

Part 1 - Project Clouser: Materials

Jason G. Freund

Aug 28, 20208 min read

Part 1 - Project Clouser: Materials

While the original Clouser Deep Minnow is a bucktail fly, there are tons of other materials - natural and synthetic that can tie a Clouser.

4,950 views1 comment

What is a Trophy Fish?

Jason G. Freund

Aug 25, 20204 min read

What is a Trophy Fish?

Ultimately, it is different for each person and it is whatever you want it to be. For the experienced angler, a Brown Trout or Smallmouth...

3,442 views1 comment

Project Clouser - On the Versatile Clouser Style of Fly

Jason G. Freund

Aug 21, 20204 min read

Project Clouser - On the Versatile Clouser Style of Fly

There is little question that the Clouser minnow style is one of the most popular, successful, and versatile fly tying styles.

1,738 views2 comments

COVID, Fishing, and the Future

Jason G. Freund

Aug 18, 20205 min read

COVID, Fishing, and the Future

Let's face it, 2020 has been a huge shit sandwich. That said, there are some interesting things that have come out of the response to the no

113 views0 comments

Catch and Release Fishing and the Internet

Jason G. Freund

Aug 13, 20205 min read

Catch and Release Fishing and the Internet

There is probably no more divisive thing in the fishing world than how anglers handle their catch and what they decide to keep. I have...

109 views0 comments

Fish Photos Bore Me

Jason G. Freund

Aug 11, 20202 min read

Fish Photos Bore Me

Yes, this is totally personal opinion and your opinion probably varies from mine. And it is fine that you're wrong..but fish photos bore me.

143 views0 comments

The Scientific Fly Angler - What to Expect

Jason G. Freund

Aug 9, 20203 min read

The Scientific Fly Angler - What to Expect

I'm doing this for fun, if it stops being fun, I'll stop posting or do it a lot less. I'd love to see lots of (constructive) comments

52 views1 comment

In Praise of Smallmouth Bass (and why they are not trout)

Jason G. Freund

Aug 9, 20207 min read

In Praise of Smallmouth Bass (and why they are not trout)

So many of us fly anglers got into fly fishing for the trout. Historically, that is where fly fishing got its start and when most people...

1,420 views0 comments

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.

190 views0 comments

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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