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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

Fly Tying 101: All About Fly Tying Hooks

Jason G. Freund

Dec 1, 202410 min read

Fly Tying 101: All About Fly Tying Hooks

It all begins with the hook...this post is a beginner's guide to understanding hook shapes and sizes and gives some points on what to buy.

285 views0 comments

A Baker's Dozen Smallmouth Bass Fly Patterns

Jason G. Freund

Nov 17, 202413 min read

Smallmouth Bass

A Baker's Dozen Smallmouth Bass Fly Patterns

These are my choices for the 13 most indispensable Smallmouth Bass fly patterns - from topwaters, to streamers, to bottom bouncers.

607 views1 comment

Stimulate Their Lateral Line: Make Fish Feel Your Fly

Jason G. Freund

Aug 11, 20246 min read

Stimulate Their Lateral Line: Make Fish Feel Your Fly

Anyone that has cast a spinner for trout understands how trout respond to vibration. Not only do they react, they react violently.

242 views0 comments

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.

335 views5 comments

More Fun with AI: Fly Fishing the Badger State edition

Jason G. Freund

Jul 7, 202410 min read

Artificial Intelligence

More Fun with AI: Fly Fishing the Badger State edition

I play around with AI - lots of fly fishing images - some are quite "unique" - like the pink squirrel flies.

239 views1 comment

Building on the Basic Woolly Bugger - Flies You Can Tie with Techniques You Learned from the Humble Woolly Bugger

Jason G. Freund

Mar 10, 20245 min read

Building on the Basic Woolly Bugger - Flies You Can Tie with Techniques You Learned from the Humble Woolly Bugger

Now that you have mastered the Woolly Bugger, there is a wide world of tying open to you! Here are some of patterns to try after the Bugger.

469 views0 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.

4,363 views0 comments

Intro to Fly Tying - The Woolly Bugger

Jason G. Freund

Jan 28, 202410 min read

Intro to Fly Tying - The Woolly Bugger

There is no better fly to begin your fly tying journey than the venerable Woolly Bugger - there is a reason it is most people's first fly.

5,314 views0 comments

Imitating Forage Fishes for Big Predators

Jason G. Freund

Sep 10, 20239 min read

Musky fly fishing

Imitating Forage Fishes for Big Predators

This posts begins with fish body shapes, moves into data about what large predators eat, and then moves into how to tie baitfish imitations.

605 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.

1,473 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.

1,323 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.

1,565 views2 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.

244 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.

2,013 views0 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.

639 views0 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

Economics of Dry Fly Hackle

Jason G. Freund

Jun 27, 20229 min read

Economics of Dry Fly Hackle

What about the economics of fancy chicken feathers? First, whatever you buy today, it is likely to be the best hackle you've ever bought.

2,857 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.

275 views0 comments

The Fly Designs of San Marco

Jason G. Freund

May 30, 20227 min read

The Fly Designs of San Marco

Fair warning, this post is geekier than most I write but if you do choose to read on, you may learn an interesting bit of evolutionary bio.

160 views2 comments

Fly Tying to Save Money

Jason G. Freund

May 16, 202212 min read

Fly Tying to Save Money

Can you save money by tying your own flies instead of buying them? Absolutely! But what is the fun in that?

2,396 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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