WFS 364 – Fly Fishing Pennsylvania with Tess Weigand – Women’s Fly Fishing Team

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/364

Presented By: Zoe Angling Group, Range Meal Bars, LakeLady Custom Rods, Jackson Hole Fly Company

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Tess Weigand, Partner at the Feathered Hook fly shop/lodge, is here to break down fly fishing in Central PA.

Tess shares the story of how she got into the Women’s Fly Fishing Team (USA) and what it felt like competing in her first tournament.

She also shares a bunch of tips on euro nymphing, dry and wet fly fishing, and techniques for drifts and drags.

Fly Fishing Pennsylvania Show Notes with Tess Weigand

03:40 – George Daniel was on the podcast in episode 055

05:40 – Tess had a degree in Agricultural Science but decided to work for a fly shop, The Feathered Hook. She became a guide there and now she’s a partner at the lodge.

09:45 – Springtime is the best time to fish for brown in Central, PA. There are a lot of different insects that hatch during that time.

21:25 – Tip 1: Keep putting consistent drifts over that fish in a way that’s safely not going to spook them. Tip 2: Don’t mend over the fish unless you know you’re not going to move that fly. If you have drag, let it drag through. That’s going to disrupt that fish’s feeding behavior more so than mending over them and moving the fly that looks unnatural.

28:45 – For leader, Tess uses Hends micro leader

36:10 – Joe Goodspeed from Thomas and Thomas was on the podcast in episode 193 where we talked about euro nymphing rods and tips

42:00 – For rod, she uses the T&T Contact 2 – 11 foot 3 wt when she’s guiding. But her favorite is a Contact 2 – 10 foot 3 wt.

47:00 – Hardy Perfect makes a great cassette reel system

48:40 – Tess tells the story of how she got into the Women’s Team

52:10 – The first World Women’s Fly Fishing Championship was held in Norway – Tess shares what it’s like to join her first tournament.

58:55 – Tess encourages women who fly fish to reach out to her if they want to learn more about joining the Team USA

1:00:40 – Tess talks about what makes their lodge unique at Penn’s Creek 

1:12:15 – Mollie Simpkins connected me to Tess – Mollie was on the podcast in episode 355

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/364