Rick Hafele
Rick Hafele is a professional aquatic entomologist who has studied the aquatic insects in all of the states and provinces from Alaska to California, and from the Pacific Coast through the Rocky Mountains. He is the co-author of An Angler’s Guide to Aquatic Insects and Their Imitations (with Scott Roederer, Johnson Books, 1995), The Complete Book of Western Hatches (with Dave Hughes, Amato Publications, 1981), and most recently Western Mayfly Hatches (with Dave Hughes, Amato Publications, 2004). He is also the long-time Entomology columnist for American Angler magazine.
In 2003 Rick completed a four series set of fly fishing videos titled Fly Fishing Large Western Rivers. For more information, visit Rick’s Web site at www.laughingrivers.com.
Author Articles
Nymphing No-Nos
SOMETIMES KNOWING what not to do can be more important than knowing what you should do. Over the years I’ve made my share of mistakes and seen others fail at nymph fishing only because of a few simple missteps. Below are five simple no-no’s that if avoided I believe will greatly improve your nymph fishing success. #1: Don’t be afraid to use small...
Spring Tactics
Spring tactics depend entirely on the spring situation, and you’ve noticed as well as I have that conditions vary across as wide a range in spring as in all the other seasons added together. You’ve got to be prepared to fish anything from a tiny midge or BWO mayfly hatch on smooth water to nymphs and streamers deep in water that is blown out...
Patterns & Tactics for the Evening Rise
THE SINGLE CONSTANT that cuts across evening rises is seemingly abrupt change. Trout are doing one thing, you’ve figured it out, and you’re catching them fine. Then suddenly what you’ve been doing ceases to work, and on account of accumulating darkness, it’s almost impossible to figure out what has happened, and what to do about it. Close...
Anatomy of a Hatch
THERE ARE FEW PHENOMENA on a river that excite fly anglers more than a strong hatch. In fact, many fishermen describe their trips to the water more in terms of the insects than the fish. Consider a trip I made to the Missouri River last summer. When someone asked how the fishing was, I inevitably described it by saying, “Well, the morning started with an...
