Alone Summer 2014 edition

Nothing beats spending sometime alone and stalking a fish. You spot it, kind of laying around doing nothing. Take a couple of cast, not budging, then like a light was turned on she swims up into a new spot and starts to fin back and forth. A cast or two, still not interested. Change flies, cast too short, next one too far to left, next cast bam! Fish on!

Gear Basics Part 2

Waders, stocking foot or boot foot? My choice stocking foot. The wading shoe is a much better fit than the one size foot. As for wading shoes some like to have studded hard rubber, some wear felt although due to didymo they have grown out of fashion. Slipping on rocks is equally unfashionable, but some of the newer rubber soles stick up to a point. As they wear, so the traction disappears and time for new boots or resoled. Next must have item a wading staff, anything from an old ski pole to a fancy telescopic walking stick. Safety is a must and even a casual dunking in cold water could turn life threatening. So take no chances carry a staff! Another must have is a belt, it will keep those waders from filling up with water in the event of a dunking. Filled waders won't pull you to the bottom contrary to popular rumors, just get you wet and miserable. It will be difficult to move in filled waders and as you wear yourself out there lies the danger.

The Rules!

There will be a chapter outing to Connetquot in August, so for hose who will attend and would like to do the one fly challenge then here are the rules:
1. one fly barbless
2. weighted or unweighted
3. the winner will be determined by the total length of all fish caught
4. tie breaker will be on number of fish caught
5. in case of no fish caught, based on the most creative fly used.
6. no tippet over 6X allowed
7. near misses will count if the judges think it's not a fish story
Prizes optional

One Fly Challenge

OK, I'll bite! Pick a fly and put a few in your pocket and go fishing. One fly no cheating! Put your results in the comment box!

Gear Basics

So let's start at the beginning, rod and reel, line and leader and what to haul you stuff around the stream in! Last week I started to think maybe I needed a new vest, not that my old vest was that old, not enough pockets and places for stuff. So I went online and pursued the options, finding nothing that really caught my eye, I took another look at my old gear. A chest pack from the 90's and an old vest from the 80's. I will admit the stuff I had in the 70's I long since discarded but I do have an old photo of me in a vest and a very nice vest at that ...plenty of pockets.

I did like the chest pack, more like a fanny pack with a detachable harness (I wore it as a fanny pack most times) and my old Orvis vest from the 80's still has a lot of character. When the weather gets warm I prefer no vest, just a box of flies in my shirt pocket and my waders turned down at the waist. Simplicity is always the best answer, realizing that you may never be able to carry every fly you own and better selection of what to bring may actually improve your fishing skills.After all it is all about the skill part sometimes, most times its not about the fly but the size and presentation. So all this talk about gear is just talk, sells a lot of product for the people who make the stuff, but does it help you catch fish?

Losing My Touch Part 2 1/2

Seems like I'm a little out of sync not just one thing everything! Can't even get the coffee right, fish takes my fly and I'm in the off position. Beautiful waters, plenty of bugs, rising fish and my leader tangles up. Catch a nice trout pick it up and drop it breaking off my fly...my last pheasant tail at that. I just planned a small vacation that doesn't involve fishing. Say it aint so Art! Alas, even I need to take a break, so it's off to Maine sea shore to do whatever Mrs. Flick says. I did put my foot down for a late summer trip up to the Ausable and I do have a conference scheduled later in the year for the high desert of California (Joshua Tree) but that's ahead. Now back to making up more pheasant tails.

Summer Awaits!

The calender has advanced and here we are at the beginning of summer. Time to shed those extra boxes of early flies, large beadheads and those big bugs for a slim down mix of tiny midges, olives and ants. Tan caddis with a dropper of a WD-40 will rule as the weather warms. Early starts and evenings will be best! Bring on the RS2 and the zebra midges! Got 7X!!

Trip Recap!

Jeff with a 20-20 fish, my brief survey has him with the prettiest fish and the most fish. Brother Don has the ugliest fish.

The rest of us, well we did well enough!

Furled Leaders part 2

Changing of the Guard

After a long rein as president the post fell vacant in last nights election, All other positions were filled and a couple of new (somewhat) folks stepped up to accept a larger role in our chapter. Good luck to all and thank you George for your dedication and time spent over the years.

There was a slight ground swell to write in old Art for president, but being physically unable to attend it wasn't feasible.

Gone Fishing Report

Seems like everyone caught some fish, even Art who was plenty tired after a couple of sleepless nights. My inability to function left me with a lot of missed, broken off and misplayed fish. Tangled leaders were the order of the day and evening. At one point I was so tired that I miss strung my rod and in the dark couldn't tell why my cast only when a couple of dozen feet instead of yards. Oh well, that's fishing! The big fish of the trip goes to Don Flemming for what looked like a three or four pound sucker! I will post the trophy catch later!

Gone Fishing

Art has gone fishing and will return next week. Hopefully with new pictures, videos and stories!

Happy Doug

Nice rainbow!

West Branch

Reports are the levels have greatly improved, plenty of bugs and fish!

Furled Leader Part 2

Made my first furled leader from thread, wow talk about one slip and you have a mess. Trial and error; need to run the drill a little longer, need to figure a better way of hanging them up to furl and got the weight thing down. Also need to work on the finish, loop knot or weave a loop? Working with mono a bit easier but again one slip and a rats nest. The bottom line is this is the lost art of angling: making your own flies, building your rod, and making leaders. Reverting back to the old methods can be just a form of rebelling in the digital age.how to make furled leaders

Frustration Pool

Every river has one, the spot where anglers go to die, aimlessly changing flies trying to coax rising fish to take our pathetic flies. Never quite getting what is hatching and guessing at presentation. And just when you think you have everything dialed in, they stop feeding!

Spent an hour at my own frustration pool this morning and maybe it's all in my head and again plenty of rises but no takers. As I walked back down stream to toss a few in some familiar but unproductive pools ( at least this season) a fish rose repeatedly against a swamp willow not once but three times. Gave my fly a look and on the next toss gave it a better look, but alas nothing. Frustration mini pool?

Take home message is every bush, log, weed bed hold fish we probably walk by 99% of the fish and fishable water. The familiar old pools can be reassuring and productive, but so are those little spots we never waste a second on. Don't be lazy!