Hybrid Party Specials

     Since, we have everyone excited about the fishing season and have shown off some new lines, here is a great incentive to buy a new line.  We will be running the above program during our Hybrid Party.  This is a great chance to save some money and prepare for the spring and summer.  We will also offer 10% off tying tools, material, and flies.
     Please join us April 7, from 6-8 P.M. for one of our favorite nights of the year.  Please don't forget to RSVP to shop@bestgear.com, 871-3474, or via Facebook: Hybrid Party on Facebook 

Thanks.

Delamere & Hopkins
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208
513-871-FISH

Mon-Thurs  10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun  11-5

D&H Travel Evening- January 26.

Please join us Tuesday, January 26 beginning at 6:30 for review of a few great travel opportunities, including the South Holston River Lodge, El Pescador Belize, as well our traditional Bahama and Montana trips. 

SOUTH HOLSTON RIVER LODGE

 

Join us in Belize!

How would you like to experience world-class saltwater fly fishing, amazing accommodations on the ocean, breathtaking turquoise water, incredible guides and some of the friendliest people you would ever hope to meet?  Well...if it sounds like your kind of trip, then join my wife and I as we go back to Belize this coming September, 2016!

I have been fortunate to travel to many exotic locations to chase awesome fish and this trip was by far the finest saltwater adventure I have ever taken, and it was one of the cheapest! The US Dollar is a tremendous value in Central America so it was just the best of all worlds. I will post several blogs about the adventure and some photos. Please give us a call for details on this trip. From beginner angler to expert fly caster, it is a perfect location to relax, unwind, and fish! And by the way, its less than three hours from Atlanta, Georgia. Easy to get to, affordable, and as picturesque as we have ever seen.  See you in Belize!
Brian & Julie Barnard

good morning of fishin'

Delamere & Hopkins
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208
(513) 871-FISH
shop@bestgear.com
Mon-Thurs 10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun 11-5

early morning fishing on Thursday

Brookville Fishing Report

      Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of fishing with Dale Fallat at Brookville. Dale was a bit new to the sport, but seemed to really enjoy the process and experience.  Fishing was a bit tough, but Dale was a trooper.  Water was very low; maybe 2 feet.  Some of the places I know usually hold fish were almost out of water.  After some trial and error, we found a spot where many trout were stacked up and looked like they were feeding on midges. (There were several 18+ fish sitting in this spot).
        I switched the rig to a dry-dropper rig with a very light, red chironomid and within a few casts we were into a nice Brown trout.  I did not realize it at the time, but not only was it Dale's first trout on the fly, it was his first fish on the fly!

Cumberland Tailwater 8/23/15

      My Dad and I were able to get down to the Cumberland River tailwater this past weekend for a day and had a good time. We stayed with a customer, Bob, who had a great cabin on rainbow run with a nice boat ramp and he joined us in the boat for the day.  It was great to have him with us since he has been fishing down there for around 30 years!

Drummin'

          Despite the rain today, Nick and I got out to a small stream off the Ohio to fish. We hammered drum all day like it was our job, as well as some white bass and smallies. The highlight of the day were the drum. Sight fishing in clear water for big fish is hard to beat. Every drum we got was in less than 2 feet of crystal spring water. Clousers and wooly bugger variants were primo.

Tight Lines,

Alexander Helmicki 

Delamere & Hopkins

Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208 
(513) 871-FISH
shop@bestgear.com
Mon-Thurs 10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun 11-5

Little Miami Guide Trip

I had a trip on the books for the Little Miami for this past weekend and water was obviously VERY high due to the annoying amount of rain we have been getting.  Thankfully the East fork had a sudden drop in discharge and we were able to head over there for the morning.  It was 100% worth the trip. In the first hour or so we had caught 3 hybrid bass and then we went on to catch smallmouth up stream.

Jeff was bending over my Sage one 6 wt. on these hybrids in fast water. 

South Holston Fishing Report

   A few guys stopped by the shop today to pick up flies before heading down to the South Holston in Tennessee. The conversation really made me look forward to heading back down that way October 12-16. I took a look at the lodge website tonight and found this fishing report:

"South Holston River 7.8.14

Summer time and the ‘fishin’s’ easy. Well, maybe not necessarily easy, but it’s been pretty darn good here on the South Holston River. We have some high water! With the recent rains, the TVA should be running water for the next little while. What does this mean? Well, not much low water, and that’s great for this time of year. The high water allows for some of the best dry fly fishing from the drift boat that we will have all year. The time is now, my friends. High water sulphur season is officially in full swing. Hooray!

Nymphing? Excellent. And will continue to be good to great all summer long for those that simply want to go out and catch a bunch of fish.

For those who want heads instead? Sulphurs have been around and will continue to be around daily. Almost like clockwork. Yep, for those who love the dry fly, this is definitely one of the best times to be here.

Beetle Fishing? Yes, we have a great terrestrial bite here on the South Holston and Watauga Rivers. Typically an early bird thing though. Think about being on dawn patrol. Interested? We can do it.

As for that Watauga River? It’s good too. Not as many bugs besides some stray olives, craneflies and the ever present midge, but the dry/dropper and light nymph rigs have sure been producing quite a few fish. A great change of scenery for those who plan on staying with us for a few days.

We are jukin’ and jivin’ here at the South Holston River Lodge this July. We have a few slots available this month for trips and cabin rentals. Next month too! Let us know how we can accommodate you.

Joe"

If you missed the report from our trip back in May, here is a link to it:

South Holston River Lodge trip- May 2015 

If you would like to know more about this trip, book a trip on different dates or just learn more about the South Holston, give me a shout at 513-871-3474 or via e-mail at shop@bestgear.com

October 2015 SoHo Trip Details

-Luke

Northern Michigan Hex Hatch

          I recently got back from a Northern Michigan fishing the hex hatch. Had a great time....

South Holston River Lodge Trip Report

    Several years ago the folks down at the South Holston River Lodge invited D&H down to visit and try out their operation. When the opportunity to plan a trip came up this spring, I jumped on it. To say the least, I was impressed by the whole experience.

   The fishing was great and the lodge and staff were wonderful.

Montana photos of the week

A stop in Virginia City to wet-your-whistle on the way to the ranch is a must

the Bale of Hay is one of the best bars in Montana

walk and wade on the Upper Ruby River

action on the Ruby

Montana photos of the week

this is the half-hour drive up to the ranch

this water is just upstream from the ranch

this section is about a four minute walk from your bed; nice, deep, dark runs holding fish much bigger than you might expect

"might as well throw a couple more on your plate, you have a big day in front of you!"

South Fork of the Licking River

big crayfish population; look where we found this guy

I have been thinking about fishing the South Fork of the Licking River for many years and just never spent time exploring it.. Ted and I decided to run down there yesterday and see what it is all about.  It is an easy drive from Cincinnati down 27.  We met up with Glenn Thaxton and he provided us with a canoe and transportaion and a bunch of local knowledge.

The stream has many islands that provide a lot of structure to fish.  The air temp and water temp was cool because it went down to about 47 the night before in Cincinnati, so it was probably even cooler out there in the sticks.  The day started off slow and I tried to get them to take top water with not much success.  I switched over to a bead head brown wooly bugger (the exact same fly I used on Friday at the Elkhorn).  I started to swing and strip this streamer with a bit more success, but still not the action I wanted.  I think the water was a bit too cool for any real action.  We stopped for a little snack at the end of and island and then we split up and worked opposite sides of a long, shaded island.  I had enough and switched to an olive zuddler.  No holding back; I brought out the secret weapon.  No mercy smallies!!

I picked up about four fish as I swung the zuddler off the bank in a somewhat tight channel.  At the top of the island there was a set of riffles; very trout looking water.  Above the riffles off to the left was a flat area I was going to walk through to cast to the "good looking water" beyond.  I remembered my rule of casting to the area before I disturb it and BAMMM...this big smallie SMASHED my zuddler the minute it touched the water.  Did I say BAAAMMMM!!!  It ran all over the place and then headed down to the rapids.  I turned him and horsed him in on my heavy bass leader and landed him.  Big fat 15" smallie.  Now that was fun!
The zuddler kept them busy for the rest of the day and I picked up 32 fish with maybe only five being smaller fish.

Montana photos of the week

if this is what a point-and-shoot can make this scene look like, just think what being there in person is like

discussing the plan-of-attack

you know that drop-off just in front of these rocks holds a big brown.  your first cast is your best chance, so make it a good one.  i think an olive zuddler will do the trick.

first trip to the Elkhorn this season

Four us from the shop ran down to the Elkhorn Creek in Kentucky on Friday.  Water level was perfect, but I think the water temperature was a little on the cool side.  Fishing was fine, but the smallies were not slamming the top water.  I found that the biggest fish were hanging in the sunny areas along the banks.  A lot of my normal spots did not produce, but I had success in some new areas.
I landed about 25-30 fish, with only a few dinks in the bunch.  One smallie slammed my bugger the minute it hit the water.

I picked up eight smallies below this riffle section.  One was the nicest of the day for me; he was sitting on the bank in the bright sun.

Smoky Mountains Fishing Trip

  One of our former employees, Fj Crane, is getting married soon so we put together a "bachelor party" of sorts and headed down to Tennessee to fish for a few days. We used Townsend, TN as our base of operations. Townsend is a quaint little community right on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

Montana photos of the week

Madison River

spring creek fishing in the valley

Upper Ruby: this water is just a walk from your cabin

we stay at a working ranch; if you want to ride a horse, just ask

Join Delamere & Hopkins in Montana this coming September 2015!
Click here for all of the details of this years trip.
If our dates do not work for your group, let us know and we can put together dates that work for your schedule.

Delamere & Hopkins
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208
(513) 871-FISH
shop@bestgear.com
Mon-Thurs 10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun 11-5

"Local" Musky Fly Fishing

          Over the past few months my dad and I have been getting into the musky fishing around this area.  We have been testing out a few rivers and streams that have them.  It's a grind, but the rewards are worth it.