What if I told you there’s a place where you can fish the same waters as Lee Wulff and have a great chance at catching an Atlantic salmon on the fly?
Today, we will dive into the rich history and present-day fly fishing Newfoundland with the head guides from Mountain Waters Resort, Ryan & Les Wentzell and Rod Brophy.
You’ll discover the secrets of fishing the riffle hitch, why you should stay put in the pools instead of stepping down, and even why 4-lb tippet is the go-to at certain times of the year. Plus, learn how to hook a giant Atlantic salmon like Lee Wulff did.
Show Notes with Ryan, Les, and Rod on Fly Fishing Newfoundland. Hit play below! 👇🏻
Find the show: iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Episode Chapters with Ryan, Les, and Rod on Fly Fishing Newfoundland
02:35 – Ryan grew up at the lodge, which his parents, Les and Paulette Wentzell, and two other couples purchased. The 170-acre property was originally owned by Lee Wulff.
05:23 – The lodge is in Daniels Arbor, Newfoundland, a small town with a rich fishing history. After nearly 30 years of operation, Ryan took over the lodge in 2019 and has been upgrading it ever since.
The Riffling Hitch
10:05 – Rod uses surface fishing with dry flies, like bombers, all year long. The riffling hitch creates a wake on the water, which makes it easier to spot the fish. This method is better than just using a regular wet fly.
Rod mentioned that even big fish, up to 40 pounds, have been caught using this technique, and it’s essential for consistent success.
20:17 – Les shares that Lee Wulff flew his float plane from New York to Newfoundland in the 1940s. He explored the rivers and set up fishing operations, including at Portland Creek. When a road was built nearby in 1956, Lee moved on to other projects.
28:11 – Rod shared how you can still fish in the spots where Lee Wulff used to catch fish. Many spots are still popular today. The area also offers amazing trout fishing, especially in nearby lakes.
Fly Fishing Newfoundland
30:02 – Ryan explained how people get to their fishing location. Most folks fly into Deer Lake Regional Airport, about two hours from the fishing area.
Once they arrive, Ryan’s team picks them up, and they can start fishing immediately. Some people drive all the way, but that takes longer with a 10-hour ferry ride from Nova Scotia.
32:52 – Most guests focus on Atlantic salmon, but there’s also great brook trout fishing in the area. They can also visit spots like the River of Ponds and see salmon at Hawke’s Bay. Plus, if you’re interested in cod fishing, that’s an option too.
35:04 – Rod says that catching Atlantic salmon is very likely, even for new anglers. He suggests using a 9 ft 9 wt rod and casting at a 45-degree angle across the river. The key is to adjust to the conditions and pay attention to the guide’s tips for a successful catch.
40:46 – Rod advises staying in one spot for at least an hour when fishing for Atlantic salmon. He explained that fish often settle in large pools, and you might be fishing over 25 to 30 fish in one spot.
Ryan shares a cool story about Henry Green, who fished at their place from 1957 to 2022. Henry was a big part of their history; loved salmon fishing and bird watching.
Check out this video of Henry Green.
1:00:13 – Ryan highlights all the cool stuff to do in Newfoundland besides fishing. Gros Morne National Park is close by with boat tours and hiking.
The “Hitch”
Did you ever wonder how this business of hitching got started? Who invented the riffling hitch? Unfortunately, the identity of the angler who first hitched a salmon fly is lost in the mists of time. But we do know where it was first used and who let the secret out to the world. The riffling hitch is often called the Portland Creek hitch, and for good reason.
Around 1948, the widely acclaimed American fly angling pioneer, filmmaker, and writer Lee Wulff was fishing on the Northern Peninsula. He was working on contract with the Newfoundland government, assessing the salmon and trout fishing potential of this wild and wonderful region, even more remote and unspoiled in those days. It was a grand and opportune tourism gig for a writer.
Portland Creek, still today a top-notch salmon river, was a favorite of Lee’s. A Portland Creek guide by the name of Arthur Perry (He was a good friend of our Family and spent many hours at our home telling salmon fishing stories. It’s no wonder I love fishing. He showed Lee a technique that the locals had invented and by that time, used almost exclusively. They half hitched the tippet around the head of the fly in addition to the standard clinch knot. The salmon, for reasons mysterious still, loved the riffling presentation.
Naturally, Lee wrote about it, and the cat was out of the bag.
The question remains, why did anyone think to put half hitches behind the eye of a salmon fly? You might guess that it was experimental, a quest for better salmon catching prowess, the tinkering of a master angler. Nice storyline, but no.
Actually, it was out of frugalness and necessity. In those days, good hooks were expensive and not easy to get, and the eyes were not formed of metal but rather heavy gut material tied in place under the body of the fly. After extensive fishing and fighting salmon, the gut loop would eventually fray and fail. The fly would be lost, and likely a salmon, unless you had the fly hitched.
Frugal fishing folk did not fancy losing their precious flies. The hand-tied fly was most likely even a bigger deal than the salmon. So, they figured out a way to not accidentally lose their feather and hair creations, and extend its life beyond the limit of a natural gut eye. They would actually double-hitch it. Today I only use a single hitch. Good job, guys.
Nowadays, the Portland Creek hitch, or riffling hitch, is known in every nook and cranny of the fly fishing world. People are typically impressed when I tell them I’ve fished and live on the home of the hitch; a good conversation starter. It’s also used on many other species and with all sorts of flies, including tubes.
– Rod Brophy
Check out their website at MountainWatersResort.ca
For inquiries, you can email Ryan at arwentzell@hotmail.com
or call them at 709-640-8557
Fly Fishing Newfoundland Videos Noted in the Show
Related Podcast Episodes
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Conclusion with Ryan, Les, and Rod on Fly Fishing Newfoundland
That’s a wrap for today’s episode! If you want to book a trip, check in with Ryan now. Feel free to reach out to me as well if you want to discuss setting up your adventure. We’re excited to help you plan an unforgettable fishing experience.
![](https://wetflyswing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/qtq_95.png")
Great job on the show Dave….look forward to chatting again soon and seeing you on the banks of the Portland Creek River @ Mountain Waters Resort, Portland Creek, NL, Canada.