tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11084098606788497802024-02-22T22:45:29.106-08:00Bum TroutLies and Montana Fly Fishing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-64756623207133174282015-09-21T17:30:00.000-07:002015-09-21T17:30:56.966-07:00A Miracle - A Farewell<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It has been a long time since there has been any sort of life on this blog. I must admit that I just don't have the motivation, nor the time that I once had for Bum Trout. So today I am write what may be the last post for a long time, maybe ever, because not long ago my world changed forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On Sunday September 13, I welcomed my daughter into the world. In that moment everything completely changed forever in my life. I was always told by my mother that you never really know what love is until you see your child for the first time. She liked to tell me this from time to time, usually it was during my teenage years when I was prone to bouts of reckless and slightly self destructive behavior (sorry mom!). The typical response then was to roll my eyes, and let out a sigh with the obligatory "I know mom." But now, for the first time in my life, I get it. In an instant my life has been transformed and when I look at my little girl all I feel is love and this profoundly deep sense of wonder and gratitude.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I guess when you have your first child it gets you thinking about miracles, wonder, and joy and what that means if anything. And being one of those guys, the ones that can't help but mix spiritualism and fly fishing (this is a fishing blog after-all!) forgive me if I talk about "woowoo" a bit or make my best <strike>lackluster</strike> impersonation of David James Duncan, (by the way if you haven't read The River Why, you should.), but I digress. So how does this miracles, and wonder junk apply to fly fishing? Let me stumble over-myself here and try to explain, as I see it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Magic</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fishing has always been and will always continue to be an integral part of my life. It is one of the few things that creates clarity, peace, focus and shakes the dust off of everyday life. When I was a kid fly fishing seemed like some kind of crazy voodoo-magic-sorcery. Talk about technique and gear and all that junk all you want, I still think there's a little magic tucked away in this sport of ours somewhere. Has to be right? As Norman Maclean put it, we fishermen experience "spots of time," moments that stick with us, forever frozen like snapshots in our minds. Like when I caught my first steelhead on a dry fly. Or when that monster cutthroat materialized from under a cuttbank to sip a green drake a this spring. Or the time a 23 inch rainbow that sipped my trico spinner on a few years ago in less than a foot of water. Those moments that stick, the magic ones, the ones you never forget. it's a good part of what keeps me coming back to the water, again and again and again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Faith</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fly Fishing offers us limitless opportunities of hope, to believe in the "unseen" if you will. That is what faith is after-all right? Fishing offers us a chance to connect with a world incredibly foreign, yet inexplicably and infinitely connected to our own. Every cast, every drift is in some way a small act, and test of faith. A belief in what may happen, a belief in the unseen. It is that feeling at the start of everyday of fishing. That "this could be the day" kind of feeling. Faith that the long drive, grueling hike, dive down the bank, or thorn-filled bushwhack will be worth it. Faith is what keeps us casting, changing flies, stepping down the run, lacing our boots up and taking another pull on the oars. It's the faith that at some point we will find our-self connected with something, wild and beautiful. Faith that a fish will eat our fly, eventually.</span> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Wonder</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Holding a wild and beautiful trout still holds the same wonder for me today as when I was five years old. It's hard to explain in words but every-time after I release a buttery brown in spawning colors, a brilliant technicolor cutthroat, or a startlingly colorful brook trout, I feel that sense of wonder, like what just happened has to be to good to be true. And it's not only the fish mind you. It could be the mountains, clouds, a blizzard hatch of caddis, the sight of a male Western Tanager, the calls from a Sandhill Crane, a herd of elk crossing the river, an entire hillside exploding with the color of the spring Balsamroot bloom. Whatever it is, fishing offers me more opportunities and occasions to experience wonder than anything else I have ever done. Moments when you stop thinking, analyzing, judging, worrying, criticizing and just think "wow!" That's wonder. </span> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Gratitude for I'm not sure what, to the river, the mountains, the world in general, or to something bigger perhaps, something beyond our perception. Call it god if you will. All I know is that most of the time when I'm fishing I have this feeling of gratitude. It can come after landing a big fish, but more often than not I find myself stopping in my tracks, looking at the mountains, perhaps covered up high with a fresh dusting of early fall snow, the cottonwoods and larch trees just starting to turn, the light breaking through a mid afternoon squall and not a soul in sight. It hits me, alone in this moment, knee deep in the Bitterroot river, this feeling of gratitude, of being apart of this spectacular moment in the universe. Here I am a speck, a tiny grain of sand, separate, distinct, but somehow connected and a part of all that surrounds me. If I but stop and allow myself to be present in the moment, to be thankful, to be gratitude. During the hustle of my daily life I rarely afford myself the time to be grateful, fishing allows me these moments of gratitude and I'm thankful for it</span>. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Miracles</b></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If all you are out there for is to put "meat on a hook" then in my humble opinion you're out there for the wrong darn reason. If I ever get to a point where I lose my sense of wonder, gratitude, and love for it all. If I stop experiencing those great moments as small miracles, then that will be the day I quit fishing for good. I pray that never happens, in 22 years of fly fishing, it hasn't yet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So where am I going with all this? I believe most fly fishermen somewhere in some small part believe in this stuff. Thousands of hours standing in wild trout streams has a way of changing you that way. Think about every time a trout takes your dry fly,
this is no small miracle, and act of grace if you will. I mean, why in
gods name would a fish eat something so ridiculous as feathers, hair,
and something that equates to that of dryer lint tied to a metal hook?
The easy answer is that trout are dumb. Yes, maybe they are just dumb.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But I'd rather believe in miracles. The greatest of which (in my life) happens to be 6 lbs. 10.5 oz. and is named Eliza, she has her mothers good looks and a healthy dose of attitude. I pray that she grows up strong and happy and whole. That she experiences wonder and joy. That she knows she is loved. I hope she comes to enjoy the sport that I love so much but I'll forgive her if she doesn't, and even if she fishes with bait.... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you, and goodbye.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sincerely,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Robert</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-48777078523660550332015-01-25T20:17:00.001-08:002015-01-25T20:17:08.147-08:00Streamer Class at Freestone Flyshop<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I will be teaching a streamer class again this year at Freestone Flyshop in Hamilton, Montana on Saturday, February 7. The class begins around 9:00am. I will be tying some of my favorite proven patterns and then sharing all that I know about catching large predatory trout on streamers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You can <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/883584455025924/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular">sign up for the class on Facebook</a> or by contacting the shop. Phone: 363-9099 or email Jeff at jeff@freestoneflyshop.com to register. While you're at it, check out the shop website at <a href="http://freestoneflyshop.com/">freestoneflyshop.com.</a> Space is limited so sign up soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hope to see a few folks there.</span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-75421461225149523212014-06-12T19:01:00.001-07:002014-06-12T19:01:57.365-07:00Catching Fish on Our Terms<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was casually checking the Headhunter Fly Shop blog <strike>the other day</strike> a few months back, mulling through one of <a href="http://www.headhuntersflyshop.com/" target="_blank">Scumliner's </a>recent articles <a href="http://www.headhuntersflyshop.com/not-all-anglers-want-to-be-dry-fly-anglers/" target="_blank"><i>"News Flash. Not All Anglers Want to be Dry Fly Anglers."</i></a> that got me thinking about this topic in earnest. Clicking the link will take you to the article. After that you can come back here, or not. It's up to you. You just might get swallowed by the Headhunters website after all.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do You Like Sneaky Stuff?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Back? What does catching fish on our terms mean? Simply, catching fish how and when we want to. In my humble opinion there's a prevailing sense in our sport that dry fishing is the ultimate, high art way to catch trout. Many folks would agree with that statement but it's when you start dissing on the other disciplines I think there's a problem there. True, personally I would rather catch fish on dries or streamers than on nymphs but that's just me. There's nothing wrong with indicator nymphing or anything else for that matter. It's my opinion that fly fishing is fly fishing, plain and simple, and as long as you're not San Juan shuffling, chumming, or snagging fish I could care less which method you prefer to use. </span> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwing the Big Bugs?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This brings up an interview I recently heard on an <a href="http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/" target="_blank">Ask About Fly Fishing Internet Radio</a> podcast with steelhead guru Dec Hogan. He was discussing why in the heck we choose to swing for steelhead when we could nymph them up a lot better. Or for that matter, why not just chuck bait and catch every fish in the river? I guess the answer lies in the fact that many anglers reach a point where it's not important how many or how many big fish we catch. It's that we want to catch those fish the way we want to, on <u>OUR TERMS</u>. We just want to do what makes up happiest.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Big Nasty Stuff?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thinking back to steelhead again. Why swing? There's a lot of reasons out there to justify it. Purists might argue that a floating line and wet fly combination is the only method fitting of such an amazing creature. Plain and simply though, it comes from a mindset that you're going to catch that fish the way you want to catch it. Most hardcore steelheaders that only swing, I believe, would agree with the notion that when you catch a fish it's because you deserved it, you worked hard for it, you earned it. For some, that one fish and the consequential feeling of achievement and satisfaction it brings, means more than anything, more than twenty gear or nymph caught fish. I get it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After many years involved in this sport, I've come to the conclusion that there's almost no wrong way to fly fish. This craft of ours accommodates every style, every method, every age, and (almost) every personality type. The fact of the matter is that you should do whatever brings you joy. If fishing a double nymph rig under an indicator brings you joy, then do that. If ripping six inch long streamers on a sink tip brings you joy, then do that. If throwing a size 24 trico spinner on a 3 weight with a 20ft. leader brings you joy, then do that too. Fly fishing should bring you joy, whatever that may look like. There's no better way, no worse way. There may be the more technical and challenging way (think dry or die and/or streamer junkie guy) but it's not better. Hey, but if it makes (dry or die and/or streamer junkie guy) happy then that's what he should do, plain and simple. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do What Makes You Happy. Get out and Fish.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There's a hatch, a run, a technique, a fish, a spot in the world for everyone and everything. So go do what makes you happy. Catch those fish on your terms, how you want to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And if you really just like to catch a lot of fish,<strike> use bait</strike> learn every discipline, technique, method, fly, and rigging combination you can, and figure out when and where to use it. Oh, and swing soft hackles occasionally, you just might catch every fish in the river. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Feel free to leave comments and tell me how I'm totally wrong about all this. </span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-38868550917046193622014-06-02T20:28:00.001-07:002014-06-02T20:28:47.958-07:00New Boat Smell<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A month or so I sent my old Riken Dodger raft affectionately known as the "Gray Whale" down the road. The "whale" was a good old boat for me and logged literally hundreds of days on the water over the last few years. A lot of good memories were made, and a lot of great fish were caught out of that old raft. For being twenty years old it only ever had one tiny leak, that's right, one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All things come to an end however and it was the right time to sell her. I'm happy to say that the whale has found a good home and I hope the new owners get as much enjoyment out of that old boat as I did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the flip side I recently got a brand new ride, a 13' NRS Otter. Needless to say I am excited to get it out on the water. In the meantime I'm enjoying the new boat smell in my garage, kind of a chemical smell however. I think it's probably killing some of my brain cells... Oh well. I don't need many anyways.</span> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Gray Whale</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hlyHUl_biL7X4kmys9NKZ6oGtQ1jYtVqizuVMtNu3qAJroIfe5cURU7ezqbih_wEIMVHvqXtxFtVM08J_jIfDTu3MIefM-_opUbU4uzBHgwHMh3R1lHtZ-hFN5ycx8JB7nTZbuX3v07e/s1600/IMG_1322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hlyHUl_biL7X4kmys9NKZ6oGtQ1jYtVqizuVMtNu3qAJroIfe5cURU7ezqbih_wEIMVHvqXtxFtVM08J_jIfDTu3MIefM-_opUbU4uzBHgwHMh3R1lHtZ-hFN5ycx8JB7nTZbuX3v07e/s1600/IMG_1322.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Finished Product</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-31504354009913653582014-06-01T19:50:00.000-07:002014-06-01T19:50:01.543-07:00I'm Still Here<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am alive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blogs tend to go through a hibernation period every once and a while. However just like the grizzly bears here in Montana, after the long slumber I'm once again up and running, and ready to spread more nonsensical misinformation about fly fishing through the intellectual wasteland known as the inter-web. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just like the proverbial phoenix in Igor Stravinky's <i>Firebird, </i>Bum Trout will too rise from it's own ashes and once again take it's place as one of the most <strike>preeminent<i> </i></strike> mediocre fly fishing blogs on the planet. Self-aggrandizing aside, it feels good to be back, to have time to be back. Teaching, school, coaching a high school sport, tying flies, and teaching saxophone lessons has left the blog feeling thoroughly neglected. I did however have one or two of you out there ask where the heck I was and when, if ever, I was ever going to post again. To those folks, thank you for caring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyways, two months later here I am. I promise to post some more this summer. Some new stuff is in the works. Promise.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sFHQsdGfgOo/U4vk596SJoI/AAAAAAAAFvI/h_7HqS7VVvI/s1600/innet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sFHQsdGfgOo/U4vk596SJoI/AAAAAAAAFvI/h_7HqS7VVvI/s1600/innet.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBqqC5I4TJA/U4vlraYxrsI/AAAAAAAAFvQ/ZinqA35jgYM/s1600/covershot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBqqC5I4TJA/U4vlraYxrsI/AAAAAAAAFvQ/ZinqA35jgYM/s1600/covershot.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Bitterroot Brown From a Few Weeks Back</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-28936336892024877462014-03-03T09:43:00.001-08:002014-03-03T09:43:21.271-08:00Small Fish Are Cool Too.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think a large part of many an angler's life is spent in search of the next "big" thing. The next "big" hatch, secret Shangri-La stretch of water, or next big fish. It's true, fly fishing folk are the kind of people with their heads always in the clouds, daydreaming about that next big steelhead, tarpon, salmon, or kyped out slob of a brown trout. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We regale to each other, stories of that time on River X where we "slayed them," all on dries, and they were all big fish. We are always in search of that next adventure or new piece of water. We make big proclamations every year such as; "I'm definitely going to go to Silver Creek this summer" or "I'm not missing the Salmonfly hatch on the Big Hole this June." Sometimes these prophecies come true, sometimes they don't, but at any rate, we never stop dreaming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I digress. The point I was out to make when I started writing this was that small fish in small water are cool too. I mean, what if that next "big" thing happens to be that beautiful meadow on a tiny mountain stream a few miles up that bumpy dirt road?</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwXANsa8uOBuWAdCOo9AiZqHLQPGq-JLwjXsoGcgbW5ybPjcJGbQmq-ynBzkN1bCfQDnTcDGIbu9EAjkNTWmnkgmhkYMMt3T_aJpyOHUfs4NCWngPQO4gxB76a-sJYaMQuJOJx2BfEa1h/s1600/IMG_4372v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwXANsa8uOBuWAdCOo9AiZqHLQPGq-JLwjXsoGcgbW5ybPjcJGbQmq-ynBzkN1bCfQDnTcDGIbu9EAjkNTWmnkgmhkYMMt3T_aJpyOHUfs4NCWngPQO4gxB76a-sJYaMQuJOJx2BfEa1h/s1600/IMG_4372v2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Often I find myself plotting on how, when, and where I'm going to catch more and bigger fish. I spend money I don't have on food, gas, licenses, flies, and fixing flat tires in order to get to big famous rivers with their (if you read all those fly fishing magazine articles) supposedly never ending supply of big fish. Don't get me wrong, I love a good adventure, and I REALLY love to catch large trout. Who doesn't after all? </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However no matter how many big fish I catch, and all the big rivers I fish, my first love will always be for throwing dry flies on small streams for beautiful, clean, and (mostly) small fish. I can't really even explain why I love this kind of fishing so much. All I know is that by the middle of July, all I want to do on my days off is grab my Tenkara rod, and run up the nearest trail into the mountains. Small mountain stream fishing for me is like coming home, I feel like a kid again, it washes the dust of life away. Plainly and simply, I can never get enough of it.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaaGdZoYR6D1C5PcOoucjKVml2fKTnq3RoIewFReKMf-YE8avQrvBlKkv1KIBaWE1AOPnz_ZpD8W49xkMzED-BaN9Uqt1Qlvcl54o21rqOUgKIJttuf4C4lADewAFsrcuB6RzCELa4_6r/s1600/IMG_4460v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaaGdZoYR6D1C5PcOoucjKVml2fKTnq3RoIewFReKMf-YE8avQrvBlKkv1KIBaWE1AOPnz_ZpD8W49xkMzED-BaN9Uqt1Qlvcl54o21rqOUgKIJttuf4C4lADewAFsrcuB6RzCELa4_6r/s1600/IMG_4460v2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The small fish that are found in these mountain streams never cease to amaze me. From the fiery red of a pure blooded cutthroat's slash, to the shocking Technicolor shades of a wild brookie, to the leopard spots of a wild rainbow, these fish are simply gorgeous. Pure and wild. Missing are the shredded fins, washed out colors, and beaten down bodies of a hatchery trout, or the ripped lipped, missing mandible, hooked-scarred-been-caught-100-times tailwater fish. These small stream trout are fresh, bright, clean and 100 percent wild. I'd rather catch one of these six inch fish than a 20 inch trout that looks like it's been through World War II any day.</span> <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uzn9vMCiccs/UxS6c_tTvtI/AAAAAAAAFbQ/ENblCFDta30/s1600/IMG_4443v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uzn9vMCiccs/UxS6c_tTvtI/AAAAAAAAFbQ/ENblCFDta30/s1600/IMG_4443v2.jpg" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Folks that claim to be above catching small trout are okay with me. Less competition for me, less pressure on the fish I love, I'm cool with that. You can have your drift boats and big rivers when it's one hundred degrees outside at 2pm during those dog days of summer. I'd rather be standing in an icy mountain stream catching six inch cutthroats, alone, unbothered and unencumbered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If your goal is to have your face up on the <a href="http://www.moldychum.com/moldy-chum-photos/" target="_blank">Slab of the Month</a> page on <a href="http://www.moldychum.com/home-old/?currentPage=3" target="_blank">Moldy Chum</a> this may not be your kind of fishing. If however you want to be alone and feel like a nine year old all day, this may be your thing. Small fish are cool, and as I would argue, the most amazing of all.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwpIjR1NAlPsxzoi53Vfn5kWi1dylUcgTHGF0kGLZxzij0lrEyW76nve1P3NkKZ7zd2jMnxFua8l3JxfLCWtMhQivUfQXM4W_BeXSS_8WAIrPr-C4VCz_ptFsQjpcl-NItWwGuAL4DRpx/s1600/IMG_4471v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwpIjR1NAlPsxzoi53Vfn5kWi1dylUcgTHGF0kGLZxzij0lrEyW76nve1P3NkKZ7zd2jMnxFua8l3JxfLCWtMhQivUfQXM4W_BeXSS_8WAIrPr-C4VCz_ptFsQjpcl-NItWwGuAL4DRpx/s1600/IMG_4471v2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hXowm1KHHvo/UxS6aKdy3sI/AAAAAAAAFbI/gylzjfkHFyg/s1600/IMG_4439v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hXowm1KHHvo/UxS6aKdy3sI/AAAAAAAAFbI/gylzjfkHFyg/s1600/IMG_4439v2.jpg" height="640" width="544" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-52222327004478454602014-02-21T21:59:00.000-08:002014-02-21T21:59:00.445-08:00Montana Fly Fishing Magazine - February/March 2014 Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The latest issue of the Montana Fly Fishing magazine in now live. I'm proud and happy to say that this month's cover shot happens to be one of mine! You can also read some of my thoughts on nymph fishing in this month's issue. I'd like to once again thank the good folks at </span><a href="http://threeforkspublishing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three Forks Publishing</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for giving me this great opportunity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My half-baked theories and ramblings aside, there is a bunch of stellar content in this issue featuring: </span><a href="http://www.bozemanreel.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bozeman Reel Company</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.traysermediagroup.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Austin Trayser</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.freestonephotography.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matt Guymon</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.i9studios.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Korey Kruitbosch</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, and </span><a href="http://www.crosscurrents.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taylor Todd</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> to name a few. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Clicking on the link will take you there, and as always, it's free to all. </span><a href="http://www.montanaflyfishingmagazine.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Montana Fly Fishing Magazine</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpF6ZQs146F9wkxi36g4w5zAOx2jGi9fYTxNukuvjAYHMdT1ZHwFoXV9VAaqILJ6R4q0SjPk7GMNOIPwunk-Dkr0UZDCCAsWMLizppcz1crvpe6e02NOzxYJDVYXzz6x-I7FxNLespS_U/s1600/montana+fly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpF6ZQs146F9wkxi36g4w5zAOx2jGi9fYTxNukuvjAYHMdT1ZHwFoXV9VAaqILJ6R4q0SjPk7GMNOIPwunk-Dkr0UZDCCAsWMLizppcz1crvpe6e02NOzxYJDVYXzz6x-I7FxNLespS_U/s1600/montana+fly.jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-53695879600283381122014-01-31T08:48:00.003-08:002014-01-31T08:48:20.119-08:00Mind Blowing Friday Film<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quite possibly the most amazing footage of feeding fish I have ever seen.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/85147880" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-78096186684048482112014-01-17T09:44:00.001-08:002014-01-17T09:44:09.064-08:00What Gives Me Hope<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chock up another victory for the masses. Clink the link to read the whole story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.krtv.com/news/montana-supreme-court-affirms-stream-access/" target="_blank">www.krtv.com. Montana Supreme Court Affirms Stream Access</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Montana Supreme Court once again did the right thing and upheld our right to access OUR rivers and streams. Hopefully this decision will put to put the kibosh on any future challenges. We'll have to see. You can sure of one thing however, if there is something good out there that everyone loves, someone will try to ruin it. As long as there stands to be a boat load of money to be made (by the select few) by privatizing water in this state we will have to remain vigilant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Until then, we can celebrate this victory and thank the folks at <a href="http://www.plwa.org/" target="_blank">The Public Land and Water Access Association</a> for defending our right to access rivers and streams such as the Ruby River. Something that Montanans have been doing since we were a territory. I think we should also applaud the Montana Supreme Court for seeing through the shabby arguments of James Cox Kennedy and his"we'll do anything for a buck" band of lawyers. Sorry for the soapbox diatribe, I just get fired up about this stuff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's great when the good guys win one. I guess there is hope for the world after all.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-unmBT4IRMlc/UtlrKt9W3XI/AAAAAAAAFQY/krgY2g_GcB4/s1600/root+november+evening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-unmBT4IRMlc/UtlrKt9W3XI/AAAAAAAAFQY/krgY2g_GcB4/s1600/root+november+evening.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It belongs to everyone.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-53984621482340825652014-01-02T18:26:00.001-08:002014-01-02T18:26:20.074-08:002013 - A Year in Pictures<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2013 was a mighty fine year. My wife and I bought a house, adopted a dog, I fulfilled the dream of becoming a fly fishing guide, and of course had some wonderful days on the water with friends and caught some beautiful fish.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's looking to 2014 and another great year. Below is <strike>my best</strike> an attempt at an end of year post. I didn't feel like writing much so here is my year in pictures.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--as5hxx8AeM/UsYWubUBcAI/AAAAAAAAFJk/LIDwH1w36kw/s1600/aweseomrelease.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--as5hxx8AeM/UsYWubUBcAI/AAAAAAAAFJk/LIDwH1w36kw/s1600/aweseomrelease.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B96gFOZkfoI/UsYWfld8HrI/AAAAAAAAFJg/ObPE2vZDQ-Q/s1600/3-9root.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B96gFOZkfoI/UsYWfld8HrI/AAAAAAAAFJg/ObPE2vZDQ-Q/s1600/3-9root.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent many days exploring my home river. The Bitterroot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vdxNHcRgtAw/UsYXJ12rQjI/AAAAAAAAFKA/epDiDXD4Kbg/s1600/brokenhandbrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vdxNHcRgtAw/UsYXJ12rQjI/AAAAAAAAFKA/epDiDXD4Kbg/s1600/brokenhandbrown.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did not let a broken finger keep me down.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi4iBwqTltKfgVF0ukWPObySqySVTnPQ4KoHFvwU8gM1aa8wtJ4X4UJSZhGQQKSG8hej-S9ni9dyU2XE2EW5n3wND6xWdZUVHxfr6yhQoCYwDCa4Ulej0YzFKFWgCAZFQl5VS5w8WB1ZQ/s1600/chunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi4iBwqTltKfgVF0ukWPObySqySVTnPQ4KoHFvwU8gM1aa8wtJ4X4UJSZhGQQKSG8hej-S9ni9dyU2XE2EW5n3wND6xWdZUVHxfr6yhQoCYwDCa4Ulej0YzFKFWgCAZFQl5VS5w8WB1ZQ/s1600/chunk.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOHwmnBhIjk/UsYYejveexI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/O6jRNbO-rl8/s1600/wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOHwmnBhIjk/UsYYejveexI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/O6jRNbO-rl8/s1600/wings.jpg" height="450" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Experienced some great hatches</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSuLU9ZP8jzgJjhZfczMDbi_5B8ylAXeJeJtqXq_RzIUG15b-tWSmqHOWcrgs8fVL6zHn6JyBAjmYYHTuX-DzF_CdqLNJVLR2UmbLJ0q9c-pBVog3lxj7esgfPkn6xKuc2NQU_mLezaRt/s1600/mayflymacro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSuLU9ZP8jzgJjhZfczMDbi_5B8ylAXeJeJtqXq_RzIUG15b-tWSmqHOWcrgs8fVL6zHn6JyBAjmYYHTuX-DzF_CdqLNJVLR2UmbLJ0q9c-pBVog3lxj7esgfPkn6xKuc2NQU_mLezaRt/s1600/mayflymacro.jpg" height="352" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPoJIegPJLnlhcljPuV9SEx03AbHCtaeM6FKUvlHiIwuA0HooGm_vM3U4JvqzuqrJ_NwQQcidbJK0E_O92A1xkubVePZY31bnWxwTFm3o4tHJO4v69T-gMbMsAqjSRAg58Qfl50DcB9d9/s1600/doubletrouble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPoJIegPJLnlhcljPuV9SEx03AbHCtaeM6FKUvlHiIwuA0HooGm_vM3U4JvqzuqrJ_NwQQcidbJK0E_O92A1xkubVePZY31bnWxwTFm3o4tHJO4v69T-gMbMsAqjSRAg58Qfl50DcB9d9/s1600/doubletrouble.jpg" height="406" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had some amazing days on the Mo' with friends</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rVHDG28I1Bg/UsYX1WeLYOI/AAAAAAAAFLI/PTw32_oPMHo/s1600/intheboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rVHDG28I1Bg/UsYX1WeLYOI/AAAAAAAAFLI/PTw32_oPMHo/s1600/intheboat.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc3f71W_8m4/UsYXOn3RJBI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/QulUQGGkerk/s1600/boatcamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc3f71W_8m4/UsYXOn3RJBI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/QulUQGGkerk/s1600/boatcamp.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floated the one and only Smith River.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v37XEkunw7A/UsYXrci2WzI/AAAAAAAAFK4/lO4vxIg-lrc/s1600/cliffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v37XEkunw7A/UsYXrci2WzI/AAAAAAAAFK4/lO4vxIg-lrc/s1600/cliffs.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6N4TRNzMRkE/UsYYZJj_kkI/AAAAAAAAFMI/UpRqiKh-kxU/s1600/smith2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6N4TRNzMRkE/UsYYZJj_kkI/AAAAAAAAFMI/UpRqiKh-kxU/s1600/smith2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUI9QQ1Omo4/UsYYFgPv-QI/AAAAAAAAFLk/1wAh1a3Adgc/s1600/mefishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUI9QQ1Omo4/UsYYFgPv-QI/AAAAAAAAFLk/1wAh1a3Adgc/s1600/mefishing.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QDCfDmcDpY/UsYXL9FRUuI/AAAAAAAAFKI/S1LydghqcBk/s1600/carp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QDCfDmcDpY/UsYXL9FRUuI/AAAAAAAAFKI/S1LydghqcBk/s1600/carp1.jpg" height="568" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had a few stellar days of carp fishing.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKCuoQGb9lU/UsYXU_XQr1I/AAAAAAAAFKY/7-Rh_do9uS4/s1600/carpcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKCuoQGb9lU/UsYXU_XQr1I/AAAAAAAAFKY/7-Rh_do9uS4/s1600/carpcloseup.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-V4cZxapX8/UsYXCMoKbpI/AAAAAAAAFJ4/LrASQNBlYfw/s1600/IMG_9015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-V4cZxapX8/UsYXCMoKbpI/AAAAAAAAFJ4/LrASQNBlYfw/s1600/IMG_9015.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Experienced many amazing Montana summer days.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL62D31uCENnEq0VfEBNSAHoYyqnuQOl5LaxnQKLgy0G5mURR771V28rgJ107VpGlFE5hlyT2DxV6IU4NCjx_KCu_BLuq1DQi_N5oSqujAxfnel0IIFvUCAIe_9EIs09GSLRfGtrZaqyF/s1600/IMG_9053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL62D31uCENnEq0VfEBNSAHoYyqnuQOl5LaxnQKLgy0G5mURR771V28rgJ107VpGlFE5hlyT2DxV6IU4NCjx_KCu_BLuq1DQi_N5oSqujAxfnel0IIFvUCAIe_9EIs09GSLRfGtrZaqyF/s1600/IMG_9053.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eyw2MlV4Ud8/UsYYGf-KxsI/AAAAAAAAFLo/1kPLyv-12Dw/s1600/northforkoftheblackfoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eyw2MlV4Ud8/UsYYGf-KxsI/AAAAAAAAFLo/1kPLyv-12Dw/s1600/northforkoftheblackfoot.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nQTDszVwV5jT7nwA1Dq7P3u5wmSG70wBQhyphenhyphenz_cd00BB4GLBPX-XVoJto3xtOyuUla65rivr0hpSo8_85LclFUgyezjF4t0wpbJI-wym6PbdWhY6WtJ4kaYoV05VWcZ2aOab06fSsIcoY/s1600/steel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nQTDszVwV5jT7nwA1Dq7P3u5wmSG70wBQhyphenhyphenz_cd00BB4GLBPX-XVoJto3xtOyuUla65rivr0hpSo8_85LclFUgyezjF4t0wpbJI-wym6PbdWhY6WtJ4kaYoV05VWcZ2aOab06fSsIcoY/s1600/steel.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught my first Steelhead on a fly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIK2dx94XQ56awr5qNIZA_HL9-MbEmm2-RB4xcELnRZaHe4AbVXgR5an58XqK98YiIy8pSedostjfWYItLq2-8HiFKakaP5E7IcncePudi5BPfxg90TzJAqo2d66OnQ7Q6LUpsEVrJUCt/s1600/hells2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIK2dx94XQ56awr5qNIZA_HL9-MbEmm2-RB4xcELnRZaHe4AbVXgR5an58XqK98YiIy8pSedostjfWYItLq2-8HiFKakaP5E7IcncePudi5BPfxg90TzJAqo2d66OnQ7Q6LUpsEVrJUCt/s1600/hells2.jpg" height="636" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got to experience the incredible scenery and fishing in Hell's Canyon.</td></tr>
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Looking forward to what 2014 has to offer.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-11550476000082120482013-12-28T08:21:00.000-08:002013-12-28T08:21:03.983-08:00Gear Review - Redington Sonic Pro Waders<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">All Bum Trout gear reviews are unbiased, honest, and nobody pays me to say anything. <strike> I wish somebody would though...</strike></span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've learned that you can't make a good wader review after using those shiny new things one or two times. It takes a period of punishment and abuse to judge if a pair of waders are worth one's salt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've had my pair of Redington Sonic Pro waders for roughly six months and have been putting them through their paces. Long days of walking, banging through brush, and duck hunting in freezing temps. Needless to say, I haven't been babying these things. Here's the verdict so far.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Comfort/Fit:</span> </strong></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In very few words, the Sonic Pros fit nicely. Redington went with an ergonomic design with these waders and the results are quite pleasing. The Sonic Pros fit better than any waders I have used in recent memory. There is ample room to layer up if needed yet even when I only have on a thin baselayer and a t-shirt it doesn't look like I'm wearing a trash bag. Got to look good when you're fishing, right? My favorite part of the fit comes from the articulated seams, especially in the knee and seat. I have full range of movement without the binding I've experienced with other waders. I can't understate how nice this is when you are trying to scramble up/down steep banks and jump over boulders.</span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcboLf45_qPium-ydA7myYbqKjc25Bnom_Cavz_XFRgI2t1kqYCbIPI8QpT59ApsiYcLkDqPAInx_6dlJP7U12LjaNZVO2g0wGVK6KoBANxNAaeHuc2PuLddwaOQ_wnrxEwBN2O5jJStU/s1600/redingtonbwspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcboLf45_qPium-ydA7myYbqKjc25Bnom_Cavz_XFRgI2t1kqYCbIPI8QpT59ApsiYcLkDqPAInx_6dlJP7U12LjaNZVO2g0wGVK6KoBANxNAaeHuc2PuLddwaOQ_wnrxEwBN2O5jJStU/s1600/redingtonbwspot.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Stiches</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Features:</span> </strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can't complain with the list of finishing touches on the Sonic Pros. First off, the fleece lined hand warming pocket provides a much needed relief from frozen winter fingers, and the best part? The pocket zips shut. This may not sound like a big deal until you find yourself rowing a boat all day long having your oars constantly snagging in the handwarmer pocket. This used to drive me crazy. The simple addition of zippers fixes this annoying problem.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Continuing on, the Sonic Pros have ample storage for keys, wallets, cell phones, fly boxes, beef jerky, or a small dog or ferret. The external pocket is handy, large, and fully waterproof. The internal flip out pocket is water resistant. In addition, the internal pocket has plenty of places to attach hemostats, retractors, and all those other gizmos you find necessary to carry. Just don't carry one of those ridiculous <a href="http://roundrocks.com/rrcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=743" target="_blank">fish counters</a>. You don't want to be <strong><u>that</u></strong> guy, do you? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The gravel guard lace hooks are different from what I'm used to. I am familiar the metal tab style lace hooks that always inevitably get flattened and never work right again. At first I was leery about the plastic hooks but now I really think they're a good design. The only beef I have with them is that they are a bit of a pain to get hooked on your laces. A task exponentially more difficult with cold fingers. Once hooked however they never come off, and help keep your fly line from tangling around your boots. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The wading belt design is yet another simple but smart feature built into these waders. The addition of a couple extra belt loops on the waders keeps your belt from inadvertently falling off and getting lost (Something I've experienced more than once!). The wading belt is nice and stretchy and extra wide. Something I like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JDagW9x6N7M/UrtQ_v7yWPI/AAAAAAAAE10/-QHBl9KYwis/s1600/interior+pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JDagW9x6N7M/UrtQ_v7yWPI/AAAAAAAAE10/-QHBl9KYwis/s1600/interior+pocket.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Durability/Construction:</span> </strong><span style="font-size: small;">So far so good. After a few dozen hard uses these waders look almost new. I stumbled across a strand of barbed wire a few trips ago and my Sonic Pro's didn't get a single hole in them. Redington says the Sonics are constructed with a 4 layer fabric in the lower leg and seat, and a 3 layer fabric everywhere else. The thicker fabric on the seat and not just the lower leg is a nice feature as this area takes a lot of abuse. So far the sonically welded seams show no signs of wear and the interior double taped seams look as good as the day I bought them. The fabric is treated with Redington's DWR coating for added waterproofing. As of yet it seems to be working, I've managed to stay dry so far. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the Zippered Handwarmer Pocket</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Value:</span> </strong><span style="font-size: small;">Are they worth the $300.00 price tag? In short, yes they are. At $300.00 the Sonic Pros aren't the cheapest pair of waders you will find but they sure aren't the most expensive either. For the money you get a <u>LOT</u> more features than what you will find in most other companies comparably priced waders. For the price, you get Redington's top of line product while with many other companies $300.00 wader, you will only get a middle of the road product. The Sonic Pros aren't made in the USA if that bothers you, but nevertheless the craftsmanship seems solid to my eyes. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MSD6fmzLbhQ/UrtRsp7Ic3I/AAAAAAAAE2I/qUgvXvK5VXY/s1600/gravel+guards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MSD6fmzLbhQ/UrtRsp7Ic3I/AAAAAAAAE2I/qUgvXvK5VXY/s1600/gravel+guards.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Innovative Gravel Guard Hooks</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Overall Impression:</span> </strong><span style="font-size: small;">For what it's worth I am really impressed by Redington's Sonic Pro Waders. <strong>If I had to grade them, they would get a solid A+. </strong>They fit great, are loaded with high end features, and seem to be well build. For those who like to wade fish a lot and are looking for a wader that will stand up to loads of abuse during long days of walking, I wouldn't hesitate recommending the Sonic Pros. I also like the color scheme of these waders, did I mention that? Hey, one has to look good while out on the river after all. Am I right? </span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-15809098686934070762013-12-26T07:40:00.001-08:002013-12-26T07:40:12.817-08:00Montana Fly Fishing Magazine - Winter 2013 Issue<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The 2013 winter edition of the Montana Fly Fishing Magazine is out. As always this magazine is online and 100% free. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm lucky and happy to say that an article of mine is featured in this months issue! I would like to thank the magazine's editor, Greg Lewis for this opportunity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you haven't already checked out Montana Fly Fishing Magazine, click the link below. You'll be glad you did. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.montanaflyfishingmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Montana Fly Fishing Magazine</a> </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-68969438194938027552013-12-21T21:08:00.002-08:002013-12-21T21:08:52.283-08:00Annual Post - Cape Solstice<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The winter solstice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> A day to reflect on your place in the world and the magic of the seasons. Living in Montana we are fortunate to get to experience all four at their best. Spring is full of life, rebirth, rain, hunting morels, and chasing the big hatches. Summer days are, as Norman Maclean would say, are "arctic" in length. Endless, beautiful, full of long hikes, beautiful fish and dry flies. Fall is about golden leaves, hunting season, throwing streamers for big browns, and those fantastically crisp mornings. Winter is snow, skiing, and catching up on everything you should have done when you were fishing the rest of the year! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The winter solstice is always a much anticipated event, the start of the long journey towards spring. In <i>My Story as Told by Water, </i>fly fisherman and author David James<i> </i>Duncan points out how sedentary things, mountains, forests, people, are truly the ones who migrate, travelling along with the equinoctial tilt of our planet. It is in fact the creatures we consider migratory, that actually don't move at all. The following is taken from Duncan's book. <i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the fly-fishing classic <i>The Habit of Rivers, </i>Ted Leeson glimpses this journey when he looks up from his home river at departing Canada geese. He writes,</span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the recognition of autumn comes suddenly, in a moment, so one day you first hear the geese....Bound for the south, these birds seem to me a strange point of fixity...for in a sense they don't move at all. They take to altitudes to stay in one place, not migrating, but hovering, while the equinoctial tilting of the earth rocks the poles back and forth beneath them. The geese remain, an index of what used to be where, and of what will return again. Their seasonal appearance denotes your passing, not their own.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Duncan writes the next passage after noting the sudden change after the first cold snap of the year. If you live in the Rockies you know the one I'm talking about. The day when fall suddenly gives way to winter, when that stream you were fishing days or weeks before suddenly has the appearance of an immovable solid. It is on these kinds of days that you realize that you are indeed the one migrating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Returning home from these surroundings, I found that our house, too sat differently upon the land. The log walls were no longer anchored to solid ground: they cut through the axial stream like a ship's prow. I'd step indoors with a sense of climbing aboard, make tea, sit at the window, watch the mountain world plunge, shiplike, through the slow equinoctial flow. Winter solstice became not a date on the calendar but a destination: something to sail toward, then <i>around,</i> the way schooners used to round Capes Horn and Good Hope. When my daughters climbed in my lap, I couldn't contain my wonder.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We're moving!" I told them. "The house, the mountains, the whole world is sailing. Can you feel it?"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They gazed gravely at the mountains, then nodded with such serenity is seemed they'd always known. And on we glided, deep into winter, out around Cape Solstice, then straight on back toward spring.</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sailing Onwards, Towards Spring.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Duncan, David James (2001). Tilt.<i> My Story As Told By Water:</i> <i>Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-Watchings, Fish-Stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Reflecting Light, From Living Rivers, In the Age of the Industrial Dark. </i>(pp. 57-60). New York, NY. Sierra Club Books. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-46413108517605541092013-12-05T19:55:00.001-08:002013-12-05T19:55:12.440-08:0018 Minutes of Awesome - A Deliberate Life<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Watch.</span></strong><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/59616297" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/59616297">A Deliberate Life - 18-minute IF4 extended trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/silo4">Silo4</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-22510050177653738702013-12-01T08:32:00.001-08:002013-12-01T08:32:27.550-08:00Lackluster Fishing Advice - Things I've Learned About Streamers<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Streamer fishing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's all the rage these days. Walk into any reputable fly shop and you are likely to find dozens of crazy concoctions of fur, feathers, eyeballs, rubberlegs, and god knows what else. There are no shortage of patterns out there to try and attempt to tie. Unfortunately tying more than a few of these patterns require nothing less than the entire </span><a href="http://www.feather-craft.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feathercraft</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> material catalog and a P.Hd in rocket science.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fishing streamers is an awesome way to chase trout and if you've never done it it's sure worth a try. There's nothing quite like it when a big brown slams your fly. It's true, (most days at least) if you want to catch bigger trout you should be fishing streamers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've in no way shape or form a master streamer fisherman, however in the many years I've been working at this technique here are some of the few things I've learned: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>1. Switch up Your Retrive:</strong></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I've found more often than not, it's not the fly you are using but how you are fishing it that matters. A lot of guys are content to as I call it "grip it and rip it," for hours and hours. By grip it and rip it, I'm talking about slamming that fly into the bank and stripping it back to you roughly perpendicular to the current. The timing of the strips is steady like a metronome, strip, strip, strip, etc</span>... <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> While this may be the most effective approach at certain times, often there are more effective ways to fish your fly. <strong>The following are a few retrieve methods that I like to use.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>The Jig</strong>: What's the most effective lure ever created? That answer is easy - the jig. The bouncing, jumping, diving action of a jig is hard to beat. Jigs imitate all sorts of wounded and/or dying creatures, easy targets for predators. Most of the streamers I like have heavy conehead or dumbbell eyes so I can jig the fly. To accomplish this retrieve channel your inner bass fisherman. Twitch the rod upward and then drop it, take up the slack each time with a strip or two. Jigging, at times, can be deadly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>The Strip Pause: </strong>This is somewhat similar to the jig but imparts a little more swimming action to the fly. This may be my<strong> go to</strong> retrieve. I love a strip, strip, pause cadence, keeping my strips short and fast. This gives the fly a darting action similar to how sculpins swim. With this retrieve a lot of fish will chase the fly on the strips and then on the pause, pounce on the fly when it is dropping in the water column. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>The Swing, Dangle and Drop: </strong>Not often my first choice but at certain times, particularly in colder water temps, this technique can be very effective. Also a good choice for fishing the fast/slow current seams that you find in freestone streams. This is basically the traditional down and across wet fly swing approach. When your fly gets to the end of the swing let it hang downstream for a few seconds often a fish will slam it when it is "dangling" downstream. I also like to lift the fly and then drop it when it is dangling. Sometimes that extra little bit of action does the trick. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>The Fluff: </strong>An especially effective technique for fishing from a boat and can be deadly during high water conditions. For this technique I use a floating line and a 9ft. leader. This setup allows me to mend my line and impart a lot of action on the fly without stripping. The reason for this lies in the fact that in high water most fish are pushed tight to the bank to escape the fast water in the main river channel. By casting your fly tight to the bank and then initiating a series of downstream mends you can impart a great jigging action and keep the fly on the bank where the fish are. When you are doing this right when you mend you should be able to see the fly for a second and then it will drop out of view. This technique is also extremely effective for fishing streamers under and around structure such as trees, logs, and rocks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>The High Stick Lead; </strong>a great technique for fishing pocket water, small streams, or in places with lots of structure (logs, rocks, etc.). Think of this almost as Czech nymphing with streamers. By keeping a high rod tip you can "lead" your flies throw tight boulder filled slots or thrgouh channels between the weeds in spring creeks. You can jig and twitch the fly as you lead it through a run. One warning about tight line streamer fishing. Since you have a tight line to your fly you may miss a few fish, try to resist the urge to yank up when a fish eats. Often the fish will hook itself if you can keep your cool and give him a second to eat it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">2. What Flies Work Best? aka Does your fly swim?:</span></strong> No silver bullets here. There are thousands of patterns out there and I'm sure they all work. I will give you a few of my favorites in a bit but first. What makes a good streamer? I believe every effective streamer pattern ever tied has these important elements. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <strong>Materials and construction that let your flies move and breath in the water:</strong> A fly may look great dry but what does it look like when wet?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> - <strong>A realistic profile:</strong> Again, what does it look like when wet, does it look like a sculpin, a baitfish, an old sock?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> - <strong>Flash:</strong> I'm a believer in flash and most flies that I ever have had success with contain at least a few strands of krystal flash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> - <strong>Weight:</strong> I believe streamers should be weighted enough to allow the fly to jig and dive. Medium sized lead dumbbell eyes usually do the trick. A modest amount of weight allows me to fish a fly with a floating line, a sink tip, or full sinking line as conditions dictate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Okay so here are some of my go to streamers.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Karnopp's Space Invader - size 6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">McKnight's Home Invader - size 6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Urchin Buggers - sizes 8-4. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Kreelex - size 6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Double Bunnies - sizes 4-6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Skiddish Smolt - size 4. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sheila Sculpin - size 6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Garrett's Bellydancer - size 4-6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sculpzilla - size 4. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kelly Galloup articulated stuff. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Cheech's leech - articulated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">3. Color matters more than pattern</span>: </strong>A lot of folks are always searching for the killer fly. While some patterns certainly are more effective than others (see above) I think it's most important to have a few patterns that you have confidence in and have them in multiple colors rather than say having twenty different sculpin patterns that are all olive. On any given day or for that matter hour, color can make or break you. If I had a dollar for every time I switched colors and immediately hooked up I would be a man of modest income. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">The big fly doesn't always catch the big fish:</span> </b>This has to do a lot with the water you fish. Knowing what kinds of forage fish live in your water goes along way to helping catch fish. It is my experience that many times a size 6 streamer will outperform a six inch long articulated pattern. Why? The benefit of the smaller fly is that fish will almost always tend to eat it, not just swipe at it or smack it broadside but eat it. If you are only fowl hooking fish with larger flies and/or getting grabs but no hook ups, try switching to a smaller fly. On a piece of water I like to occasionally fish that holds many browns over 20 inches, I rarely fish a fly bigger than a size 6 and I am rarely disappointed by the results. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> It's good to be Impatient:</span> </b>Experience will teach you more than anything as long as you take the time to learn from the past. If I know where a fish lives and I don't catch him on my first or second cast I do one of several things. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 1. Change my retrieve. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 2. Change colors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 3. Change the size of the fly. I rarely will go more than 15 minutes without changing if I'm not getting good responses to my fly. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5BctSesTROg/UprC3mC6FII/AAAAAAAADj8/V8Tg9B-nPe4/s1600/goodbrowncloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5BctSesTROg/UprC3mC6FII/AAAAAAAADj8/V8Tg9B-nPe4/s1600/goodbrowncloseup.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">5. To Sink or Not to Sink?:</span> </strong>Sink tips, full sinking lines, weighted vs. unweighted flies, there's too many options to choose from. What works best and when can be the subject of much debate. What setup I choose to use is largely determined by the conditions and whether I am wade fishing or in a boat. The majority of my streamer fishing is done with a floating line. My second most used setup is a 5ft. fast sinking or extra fast sinking polyleader. I prefer the Airflo Polyleaders (see <a href="http://www.bumtrout.com/2012/11/a-bum-gear-review-airflo-polyleader.html" target="_blank">A Bum Gear Review - Airflo Polyleaders</a>) but companies like Rio are making very similar products. I tie on the end of the polyleader an 18inch section of 1 or 2x tippet and have at it. I have a 300 grain sinking line but honestly I find very few reasons to use it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">6. How the fish see the fly is important:</span> </b>Have you ever seen a bait-fish flee upstream? Me neither. Given the choice spooked and scared fish will almost always run downstream. The reason for this is simple, current. A fish can swim faster downstream than up due to it using the current to aid in it's escape. For this reason I like to fish my streamers running downstream or parallel to the current. Fish your flies directly downstream back to you can be very effective at times.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uVsY01NXCss/UprD8foa2bI/AAAAAAAADkM/y9tsusZL1_E/s1600/hen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uVsY01NXCss/UprD8foa2bI/AAAAAAAADkM/y9tsusZL1_E/s1600/hen2.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">7. Think like a hunter:</span> </strong>Many times you are not looking for a "bunch of fish." Instead you are looking for one or two big ones. I've had days where I've gotten that "bunch of fish" fishing streamers and I've had a handful where those "bunch of fish" are big ones. When you have a day like that simply enjoy it. If you want to be a successful streamer fisherman however, it pays to think like a big game hunter. Where is that trophy going to be holding? How do we get into position without spooking it? How do we make that one shot count? More often than not your first cast through a run is the one that produces so it pays to make it count. Plan your shots, take a few moments to analyze the situation, (structure, current, casting technique) and you will catch more and bigger fish. That I can guarantee. <strong> </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>8. Final thoughts</strong>:</span> If there's a way to summarize what I've learned it would be this. Avoid becoming a creature of habit. What color, size, and retrieve that worked last year, yesterday, or even an hour ago may not get you into fish. Don't get locked into only fishing one fly one way, be willing to experiment, take risks, and do different things. Don't make streamers your back up plan, make it "the" plan once in a while. Instead of nymphing all day try throwing streamers. That first two foot long brown you land will make it all worth it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are just getting into fishing streamers or are interested. Remember you don't need a hundred different patterns. Pick 5 or 6 and have them in multiple colors. Double bunnies and wooly buggers are always a good start and are simple and cheap enough to tie in various sizes and colors. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-63115137679432588842013-11-29T09:07:00.001-08:002013-11-29T09:07:45.858-08:00(Black) Friday FilmsIt must be about winter because the Friday films returns <strike>for at least one week</strike>. This time of year we are always graced with a bevy of new films. Every year's selection of footage helps to pass the time during our long, cold winter days and give us a break from the hours of restocking the fly boxes. Enjoy.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79952560" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/79952560">A Kinetic Loop</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/sharptailmedia">Sharptail Media</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4IeSul1qc6k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/65079211">Simms Shoot Out 2013 - "BENT"</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/montanawild">Montana Wild</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/76627690?portrait=0&color=ff9933" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/76627690">Fish Head: A Colorado Story</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/clearsummitproductions">Clear Summit Productions</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/22528673" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/22528673">SIMMS shoot-out submission.</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/detonationstudios">Detonation Studios</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-18361314728447567352013-11-08T14:08:00.000-08:002013-11-08T14:08:04.181-08:00To Hell's Canyon and Back - Photo Essay<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Several weeks ago I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to fish the mighty Snake River in Hell's Canyon on the Oregon, Idaho border. My uncle has ventured there with friends every year for over a decade, and this year I made it a point to join them. This was my first visit to the canyon and I already am looking for a way to get back there, ASAP. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hell's Canyon stands as the deepest canyon in North America. At one point it's a 6,000 feet from the tops of the mountains to the river. The caynon Is also one of the most rugged and inaccessible pieces of country you could ever imagine. There are only three roads that enter the gorge that I know of, and no cell service or much of anything else for that matter. Yeah, it's an awesome place to say the least. I hope the pictures do it justice even though I know they won't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, and the fishing was pretty darn good to. I forgot how much I love smallmouth bass fishing.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trmvPn3o4Wk/UnxjYGvM5CI/AAAAAAAADao/8WN-Rzh3uq8/s1600/hells1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trmvPn3o4Wk/UnxjYGvM5CI/AAAAAAAADao/8WN-Rzh3uq8/s1600/hells1.jpg" height="426" title="Hells canyon" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XBEMmw7FmjA/UnxjgsEQcfI/AAAAAAAADbA/KJnyG0er9LI/s1600/landingsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XBEMmw7FmjA/UnxjgsEQcfI/AAAAAAAADbA/KJnyG0er9LI/s1600/landingsign.jpg" height="426" title="pittsburg landing" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcphiv1g59PsIrDCup1QRylow9p21WontT-FFYkPIBu5EOdBTpk6hfALC3UroWd5yex93SCjkymwVbnM-FmkMWHD4FXGwFtBN8j8IY2Z7ctakXlvUxxHXax3O3iuSGUBynNtPBUodUWsZ/s1600/bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snake river" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcphiv1g59PsIrDCup1QRylow9p21WontT-FFYkPIBu5EOdBTpk6hfALC3UroWd5yex93SCjkymwVbnM-FmkMWHD4FXGwFtBN8j8IY2Z7ctakXlvUxxHXax3O3iuSGUBynNtPBUodUWsZ/s1600/bass.jpg" height="462" title="snake river smallmouth bass" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JF4yqZ6gOCM/UnxyhSCx1TI/AAAAAAAADcU/3kpd9nFRNtU/s1600/waterspray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JF4yqZ6gOCM/UnxyhSCx1TI/AAAAAAAADcU/3kpd9nFRNtU/s1600/waterspray.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2RJ2KksDDVA/UnxyX9bhIGI/AAAAAAAADcA/4ExTZJn0NgQ/s1600/boatandriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2RJ2KksDDVA/UnxyX9bhIGI/AAAAAAAADcA/4ExTZJn0NgQ/s1600/boatandriver.jpg" height="426" title="snake river hells canyon jet boat" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Med6J-2e9Ss/UnxyYbaZ8SI/AAAAAAAADcE/Nt0aOQ-vpKQ/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Med6J-2e9Ss/UnxyYbaZ8SI/AAAAAAAADcE/Nt0aOQ-vpKQ/s1600/salmon.jpg" height="426" title="snake river chinook salmon" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eswTDSjtKIknZA2e9SNnpSasBvA8KtDzbJiHKEDtegsh5VTb7R2QEWdC8bqAR6kjSNaOkppfx9xB-9hRq2OKPNRxBHgVGJLhlvv17q_vmsuJaNsla9zukz_j7_YJTEB-ZbQLX01nxEIS/s1600/jet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eswTDSjtKIknZA2e9SNnpSasBvA8KtDzbJiHKEDtegsh5VTb7R2QEWdC8bqAR6kjSNaOkppfx9xB-9hRq2OKPNRxBHgVGJLhlvv17q_vmsuJaNsla9zukz_j7_YJTEB-ZbQLX01nxEIS/s1600/jet.jpg" height="640" title="snake river hells canyon jet boat" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DA_lW_gI9mDryR810Pka1A4A4NDHS1c4XJmMZkTi2rkDOs5haUT0pmdd5XdTWXU-mzDlX_Hec1_p2svSAX0_DkV-fvw9VSkE-KURxD2fT-boavwNRciBMl0X8SH79V0hPazGJwl65Rs6/s1600/basscloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DA_lW_gI9mDryR810Pka1A4A4NDHS1c4XJmMZkTi2rkDOs5haUT0pmdd5XdTWXU-mzDlX_Hec1_p2svSAX0_DkV-fvw9VSkE-KURxD2fT-boavwNRciBMl0X8SH79V0hPazGJwl65Rs6/s1600/basscloseup.jpg" height="426" title="snake river hells canyon smallmouth bass" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-awknDJTuUW4/UnxjdNYYmMI/AAAAAAAADa0/jDRokiKA_yM/s1600/hells3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-awknDJTuUW4/UnxjdNYYmMI/AAAAAAAADa0/jDRokiKA_yM/s1600/hells3.jpg" height="366" title="snake river hells canyon" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3MRMGv1i9c/Unx1DD7NGXI/AAAAAAAADcc/w3BjNEOuWVs/s1600/thedrivein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3MRMGv1i9c/Unx1DD7NGXI/AAAAAAAADcc/w3BjNEOuWVs/s1600/thedrivein.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Road Home. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-70533470475355702112013-10-28T19:53:00.001-07:002013-10-28T19:53:36.246-07:00My First Steelhead <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On a fly rod that is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Growing up in Oregon I had caught steelhead on several occasions with plugs and spinners. As an adolescent with a short attention span, I lacked the desire to seriously want to fly fish for them. Like most kids I simply wanted to catch as many fish as quickly as possible and fishing with gear was, and frankly still is the most effective way to catch steelhead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast forward a decade later and I suppose I have a little more patience the closer to thirty I get. Friends had told me how incredible it was to catch a steelhead on a fly rod and particularly by swinging flies. For my hardcore steelheader contacts, the apparently endless hours of casting didn't seem to bother them much. From all accounts, hooking a steelhead on the swing was one of the more difficult things to do but also one of the most incredibly rewarding accomplishments in fly fishing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had to try it. So last week I decided to get myself a Spey rod, make the drive to Idaho, and see for myself if I couldn't just swing up one of these amazing fish.</span> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53sMmaV3OIo/Um2tCjIZzvI/AAAAAAAADEk/W2EUBBHHE1A/s1600/clearwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53sMmaV3OIo/Um2tCjIZzvI/AAAAAAAADEk/W2EUBBHHE1A/s1600/clearwater.jpg" height="328" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided to make the Clearwater River my destination as I would be meeting friends and family a few days later on the Snake River in Hells Canyon (I'll save this for another post). The chance of hooking a big B-run fish over 30 inches didn't seem like such a bad thing either. Since I was starting from scratch and really had no idea what I was doing I made my first stop, the Red Shed Fly Shop in the thriving metropolis of Peck, Idaho. This has to be one of the best shops I have ever been in and reminds me that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Behind the battered wood door and the peeling paint stands what is nothing short of amazing. I almost fell over when I walked in and found the best selection of steelhead rods, lines, flies, and materials I have ever seen in one place. The best part of course has to be the owner "Poppy," and his no nonsense, tell it like it is approach. I appreciate a fly shop owner who tells me point blank, "I'm not going to sell you a bunch of stuff you don't need."</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After stocking up, it was time to hit the river.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Okay, here goes nothing. Time to start casting, stepping down, and casting, casting, and casting some more. I've heard that steelhead are the fish of a thousand casts. I was hoping that this would not be the case for me. If it was the fish of 127 casts I might be okay with that. 1,000 casts? Are you kidding me!?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAoFuuDxPfGVpIYav04Yq5hXXBENHWUC030OUouQjTxPtRBxN07SwYV5Pr-iS9YhVq7NVOcaHbRJSqePbyN9B9gCqkPgxfuN1uv_sms3jEqjdRlfij9ZWzCLrUqGIar3dY1f7soRVA_pA/s1600/flybox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAoFuuDxPfGVpIYav04Yq5hXXBENHWUC030OUouQjTxPtRBxN07SwYV5Pr-iS9YhVq7NVOcaHbRJSqePbyN9B9gCqkPgxfuN1uv_sms3jEqjdRlfij9ZWzCLrUqGIar3dY1f7soRVA_pA/s1600/flybox.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the start of the day my spey casting left a lot to be desired. At the end of the day it still did, however I could at least manage to throw a manageable double spey at around seventy feet. There was nothing in my castsing that remotely resembled the ease, grace and beauty of all of those awesome spey casting videos I have been watching on Vimeo as of late. It also lacked the sweet hip-hop beats soundtrack. <strike>I must just be missing the soundtrack.</strike> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many steelheaders talk of the Zen like trance that swinging for steel produces. A person supposedly obtains some sort of higher state of being while fishing. On closer examination I can see some similarities between the Buddha's stint under the Bodhi tree and standing in an icy river for hours on end casting, watching, and waiting for that one moment of transcendence. Perhaps I need to fish some more because on each cast I just kept thinking, "this time, this time," "eat it, eat it, eat it!" or, "I sure could use a doughnut and a cup of coffee..." I definitely didn't obtain that state of oneness with the universe that my steelhead buddies talk about. Maybe I need to take up winter steelheading?</span> <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-THBTncZUWIE/Um2tMW7mpdI/AAAAAAAADEw/1fSy0G2I8bs/s1600/clearwaterdrifter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-THBTncZUWIE/Um2tMW7mpdI/AAAAAAAADEw/1fSy0G2I8bs/s1600/clearwaterdrifter.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As the sun began to set I started to lose hope that I would get a fish on this day. I stepped into what I thought looked like good water below a riffle corner and began casting and stepping down once again, my purple fly swinging easily across the current downstream of me. A fellow spey rodder joined me a few minutes later working the water at the head of the run. I was starting to get hungry (stupidly I hadn't stopped fishing to eat more than a granola bar all day) and cold (again: I stupidly left my coat in the car) so I told myself "one more cast." As I was making my way to the bank across the Clearwater's greasy bowling ball sized rocks I felt what I thought was a fish take my fly. No way I thought, could it have been a fish? Probably just a rock. Heck, I'll make a few more casts. I worked out the Skagit head, made the only cast I could reasonably throw with any sort of grace, the double spey, mended and waited. A few seconds into the swing I felt a hard jolt, weight, the line went tight. I set the hook and a large fish went airborne fifty feet in front of me. Game on. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2y9bip11sFA/Um2tW4xjeUI/AAAAAAAADFQ/FekA972aRuw/s1600/steel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2y9bip11sFA/Um2tW4xjeUI/AAAAAAAADFQ/FekA972aRuw/s1600/steel.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ten minutes latter, but for what felt like an eternity, I found myself holding my first fly rod, swung up steelhead. A female B-run chromer, over 30 inches and beautiful. There are a few moments in your fishing life that you remember forever. I'm sure this will be one of them. </span> <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHh7EaY-x0s/Um2tVKYxkmI/AAAAAAAADFI/VdqH5CLu4is/s1600/steelcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHh7EaY-x0s/Um2tVKYxkmI/AAAAAAAADFI/VdqH5CLu4is/s1600/steelcloseup.jpg" height="602" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-54393823006186164132013-10-28T07:56:00.001-07:002013-10-28T07:56:15.793-07:00Monday Morning Macro<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Genus Dicosmoecus - aka the infamous October Caddis.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tVpwdFbDzh8/Um56q5u5Y0I/AAAAAAAADFc/TGtBImVpdTw/s1600/octobercaddis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tVpwdFbDzh8/Um56q5u5Y0I/AAAAAAAADFc/TGtBImVpdTw/s1600/octobercaddis.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-29351554751534924562013-10-01T21:50:00.002-07:002013-10-01T21:50:23.582-07:00Trash Fish TuesdayIn honor of the government shutdown. I thought this appropriate. If nothing else I have an excuse to post this <strike>junk.</strike><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOk_QfGuAWhh8vGniLL7L37E6Piik3AMMVb-CtIAnTCpHaNGClDq-1vgAnxD83BUhYZ1CNXyrYSXuS9sHZ70YmtEjLgzSS8SPdPU5kUdFYx6aYW6nBHozH-jaobVBAAXcb7ZdCu-BWW_i/s1600/squack2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOk_QfGuAWhh8vGniLL7L37E6Piik3AMMVb-CtIAnTCpHaNGClDq-1vgAnxD83BUhYZ1CNXyrYSXuS9sHZ70YmtEjLgzSS8SPdPU5kUdFYx6aYW6nBHozH-jaobVBAAXcb7ZdCu-BWW_i/s1600/squack2.jpg" height="370" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Northern Pikeminnow in all it's slimy glory</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-87454190966235567992013-09-09T07:06:00.000-07:002013-09-09T07:06:02.662-07:00Monday Morning Macro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj1E6IMbktGQ1O3Rmvxu74TdNN7pNzyp_UQD1WszqdFC9wrGSvKbL4eL5_4HSrptLdxwGXfpna5FhMGM7yg3hVsZNH65vJoZWd9xOXKvHjVLG-4CPg8tFg-1uV3Z1njk_YABicqHC6RlY/s1600/mayflymacro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj1E6IMbktGQ1O3Rmvxu74TdNN7pNzyp_UQD1WszqdFC9wrGSvKbL4eL5_4HSrptLdxwGXfpna5FhMGM7yg3hVsZNH65vJoZWd9xOXKvHjVLG-4CPg8tFg-1uV3Z1njk_YABicqHC6RlY/s1600/mayflymacro.jpg" height="352" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-47448363150152486872013-09-01T11:43:00.001-07:002013-09-01T11:45:20.999-07:00Grayling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Grayling are awesome. In a year when most of our western Montana rivers are running perilously low and "hoot owl" restrictions have been stifling our fishing activities for the better part of a month, getting up in the mountains is that much more appealing. I like to make the hike to a local grayling filled lake at least once a year, I don't always make it but I try.</div>
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If you've never fished for grayling it's worth a try. Grayling have an unnatural enthusiasm for dry flies and I never get tired of watching them rocket out of 6 feet of water to smash a dry fly. When I arrived at said lake yesterday, cruising fish were gently sipping midges off the surface of the water. What do I do? Throw on a huge red Turk's Tarantula of course. Match the hatch? Grayling don't care about that. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaW4b8aQW3JjYwABfWKnOdUa0BRwI8FOU_8AfIc6xHsxkZzDDbDB4L_-hYwYWd2_4-QFB6rVRmR_IYN0c6W2MXr9WccsVZ3IcOXnZkSFnvcXoZhWV6baiPIHdmlT8Ox-VYG0Rqnm1iwxfm/s1600/dorsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaW4b8aQW3JjYwABfWKnOdUa0BRwI8FOU_8AfIc6xHsxkZzDDbDB4L_-hYwYWd2_4-QFB6rVRmR_IYN0c6W2MXr9WccsVZ3IcOXnZkSFnvcXoZhWV6baiPIHdmlT8Ox-VYG0Rqnm1iwxfm/s1600/dorsal.jpg" height="298" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshwater sailfish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-plvfRcz0_0E/UiLHiLMGOuI/AAAAAAAAC4M/Dhuj41DI778/s1600/fishgrayling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-plvfRcz0_0E/UiLHiLMGOuI/AAAAAAAAC4M/Dhuj41DI778/s1600/fishgrayling.jpg" height="548" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you see him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qdVk_Nw0lTxIwyN37yZ4-PhXZwMOdg0nsZdWrwO-WCdd3pKsIxggEIAi48ormHhR-79ivcDvAdyUx0H9aLMyUa0G616kqAiS4jGyoMnyUKJNlq88Lru54LczWLFvfwv2eyaBD6mLiHHR/s1600/splash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qdVk_Nw0lTxIwyN37yZ4-PhXZwMOdg0nsZdWrwO-WCdd3pKsIxggEIAi48ormHhR-79ivcDvAdyUx0H9aLMyUa0G616kqAiS4jGyoMnyUKJNlq88Lru54LczWLFvfwv2eyaBD6mLiHHR/s1600/splash.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you don't.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzzkj2tWS3-33goG0YukGjF6gITxIUsVMjpHjgfOOlgBTYbHxtqdn2pZNirEUfsi3J4TMYFhD2VOLUZf2KoDHyHo8cPapvDwnFxNQHeAoGEQyuxyJ8rrvWFgru0uABQ9YC2dMEuqGRAOo/s1600/closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzzkj2tWS3-33goG0YukGjF6gITxIUsVMjpHjgfOOlgBTYbHxtqdn2pZNirEUfsi3J4TMYFhD2VOLUZf2KoDHyHo8cPapvDwnFxNQHeAoGEQyuxyJ8rrvWFgru0uABQ9YC2dMEuqGRAOo/s1600/closeup.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3AcrtiWJydIodyAmhbNeH5DoJMA-Iqmt7w-zhHzFgDIe1DTQsJcG5DMIf3-lOqJGooFsamKH_MFd-u9WaKr-GxaA7PA4jTVWSHBJwnm6WfElpB_ZXQoNwlqzBNcJeM8B2l5SRm8hpjUI/s1600/water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3AcrtiWJydIodyAmhbNeH5DoJMA-Iqmt7w-zhHzFgDIe1DTQsJcG5DMIf3-lOqJGooFsamKH_MFd-u9WaKr-GxaA7PA4jTVWSHBJwnm6WfElpB_ZXQoNwlqzBNcJeM8B2l5SRm8hpjUI/s1600/water.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3D8ZdHOTsYE/UiLHmG348aI/AAAAAAAAC4Y/VmnmETqOST4/s1600/skalkaho2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3D8ZdHOTsYE/UiLHmG348aI/AAAAAAAAC4Y/VmnmETqOST4/s1600/skalkaho2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-35241990588013471862013-08-21T16:51:00.001-07:002013-08-21T16:51:35.188-07:00Technical <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wake up. Slam the coffee. On the water at first light. You arrive at the river hoping a few things pan out. If it's calm, the sun is shining, and the water has something to it resembling clarity, you know you have a chance. In this game, to be successful, everything has to work out just right. Once the rod is strung, the real task begins, find a feeding fish, stalk it, get in position, make a pinpoint cast, perfect presentation, and hope that the fish eats the fly.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The fish are big. You are sight fishing. This is likely as technical as freshwater fly fishing gets. No, this ain't trout fishing. You probably guessed it, we're talking about carp here. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These fish are technical</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQa1pAgO55NQ9OGyQhhHOKYu-15T18L1Pn5YGRXEXi1VwkccBtgrxnreczj1Wu8r8IRmmjd47WyEgb0Ijy4a44nD64tNsht_0CNilNOgyEammdyCtw46RilXwE2MryLJvfYhAWCLpmrli/s1600/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQa1pAgO55NQ9OGyQhhHOKYu-15T18L1Pn5YGRXEXi1VwkccBtgrxnreczj1Wu8r8IRmmjd47WyEgb0Ijy4a44nD64tNsht_0CNilNOgyEammdyCtw46RilXwE2MryLJvfYhAWCLpmrli/s1600/sunrise.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn Patrol</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Carp seem to be all the rage these days among a certain group of anglers. There's a good reason for it as I have discovered. They are big, strong, spooky as all get out, and are usually extremely picky about what they put in their mouths. Not easy, but definitely rewarding fishing. As I've read, carp have the some of the best abilities to detect sound and vibration of any freshwater fish. They are also equipped with a formidable sense of smell. Try throwing a freshly tied and cemented fly at them and see what happens! You probably won't like the results. Since these formative experiences, I've stopped cementing all my carp flies. Sunscreen on your hands? Bugspray? Better not touch that fly. If you do, all you may see for the next few hours is the quick snap of a spooked carp blasting away from your fly acompanied by a sudden startling <u>SPLOOSH</u>! All you will be left with is a cloud of silt and more than a few yards of empty water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes. These fish are technical.</span> <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8JPH2TNJXqg/UhLFjbdRhjI/AAAAAAAAC1c/IqUTIGUtkIc/s1600/anselcarp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8JPH2TNJXqg/UhLFjbdRhjI/AAAAAAAAC1c/IqUTIGUtkIc/s1600/anselcarp.jpg" height="640" width="638" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There's no sure thing with carp fishing. Best laid plans can be torn asunder by an unexpected windstorm, rain, hail, or host of other meteorological disasters inevitably bound to hit the wide open prairie at any moment. After all, there's nothing between you and the arctic circle save for a few wheat fields and a few Canadians. This year, incessant surprise thunderstorms muddied the waters for what seemed to be weeks at a time making fishing tough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When I went out, I would spot a fish or two gently tailing in several inches of water, and take great care getting into position as to not spook it. By the time I did get into range, often the fish would be nowhere to be seen. Likely he slid off into slightly deeper water but you would have no idea as to where or in what direction. Blind casting for carp in muddy water you soon learn, is pretty much a waste of time. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3lOe6PNyVs/UhLFy2LKF6I/AAAAAAAAC2M/SpeTPhCXU_s/s1600/carpcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3lOe6PNyVs/UhLFy2LKF6I/AAAAAAAAC2M/SpeTPhCXU_s/s1600/carpcloseup.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When you tell folks that you came all the way out to the middle of the prairie in eastern Montana to fly fish for carp you get a whole bevy of interesting responses. All the way from the mild interest to annoyance, to just plain disgust. Folks give you quizzical looks, stare in disbelief, or ask "What are ya fishin' for?" Sometimes all you get is a laugh and a headshake. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As one gentleman put it when I told him what I was doing, "Fly fishin' for carp!? well ain't that somethin'." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think it is.</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hYRz5KoE8s/UhLFps92DOI/AAAAAAAAC10/yy4KOfjkPVQ/s1600/carp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hYRz5KoE8s/UhLFps92DOI/AAAAAAAAC10/yy4KOfjkPVQ/s1600/carp4.jpg" height="310" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes Even a Blind Squirrel Finds a few Acorns</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Did I mention carp can be tough quarry? Just as you feel like you got a handle on them, these fish quickly humble you. One day I had double digit hookups in the 2 hours I fished. All right I thought, I got this figured out. That success was followed by three straight skunk-fests. Nice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To get these fish to eat requires a pinpoint cast at 30 plus feet. Landing the fly close enough to the fish to get his interest but as to not spook him. Then you have to detect the take, and this is not often an easy thing. Sometimes a tailing fish will turn on the fly, sometimes if you are lucky, you will see the fish suck it in. Often however, all you notice is a brief quiver, flick of the tail, sudden pause, repositioning, or other oddity that alerts you that the fish has eaten something. Many times it's not your fly but when it is... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hold on. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSjZEZinUPU/UhLF_Tqbc9I/AAAAAAAAC2k/S1GMWeyfj5Q/s1600/hybrid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSjZEZinUPU/UhLF_Tqbc9I/AAAAAAAAC2k/S1GMWeyfj5Q/s1600/hybrid.jpg" height="640" width="584" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hybrid (courtesy of John at Carp on the Fly) Strikes Back</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Trout fishing has got
nothin' on this. Well, at least not very often. My hardest day of dry
fly fishing for trout would equate to about an average day of carping.
Though this perception can, in large part, I suppose be contributed to
how lousy a carp fishermen I am. I tell you what though, carping sure
makes you a better, more patient, stealthy trout fishermen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm no expert, but the one thing I've learned is... These fish are technical</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6NP5FdGac4_XNL_aKoN3GBAZlS_vjE9VYMpJAOvMSb3VFDtPaFlplVA8RQXcLG7MtaOHcMH9U0fVcVwozzxZnoVlOu10xAe3bqQW7u2dszVi2IMWNikZYRPcVgxgR4JNqp9CDIE2ySvf/s1600/carpside.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6NP5FdGac4_XNL_aKoN3GBAZlS_vjE9VYMpJAOvMSb3VFDtPaFlplVA8RQXcLG7MtaOHcMH9U0fVcVwozzxZnoVlOu10xAe3bqQW7u2dszVi2IMWNikZYRPcVgxgR4JNqp9CDIE2ySvf/s1600/carpside.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Go get yourself some. Go ahead. Do it. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-77425007867401048932013-08-03T12:51:00.001-07:002013-08-03T12:51:31.155-07:00GuidingSorry for the absence. It's been a busy summer.<br />
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This year, a longtime dream was finally realized. I took the leap and became a bona fide Montana fly fishing guide. Being my first go around I wasn't sure what this summer would hold. However two-thirds through it, I can say I've been having a blast. I've been blessed with some wonderful clients, many greats days on the water, and have stayed surprisingly busy. Remarkably, despite my best efforts, my folks have managed to catch quite a few fish also. After a few months, I can say I am really enjoying this guiding thing. <br />
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I have to give much thanks to my Outfitter/Mentor Jed at Sula Mountain Fly Fishing, and Chuck, owner of Chuck Stranahan's Fly Shop in Hamilton for setting me up and giving me the opportunity to learn the craft. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sp_tDAC3fts/UfrkGTfFAxI/AAAAAAAACyc/yMarxV9vCRg/s1600/IMG_1425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sp_tDAC3fts/UfrkGTfFAxI/AAAAAAAACyc/yMarxV9vCRg/s1600/IMG_1425.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1108409860678849780.post-57459084565547226832013-07-06T08:55:00.000-07:002013-07-06T08:55:02.767-07:00Perfection<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's your definition of perfection? Mine is...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT1bX0TsAfY/Udg8FXFj89I/AAAAAAAACxU/_Wtrzy11ZtA/s1600/stream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT1bX0TsAfY/Udg8FXFj89I/AAAAAAAACxU/_Wtrzy11ZtA/s1600/stream.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing in a mountain stream.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6F29qJKIQZc/Udg8EkumP8I/AAAAAAAACxQ/GZgJEO2-cP0/s1600/tenkara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6F29qJKIQZc/Udg8EkumP8I/AAAAAAAACxQ/GZgJEO2-cP0/s1600/tenkara.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tenkara rod in hand.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WZQxjX0nl-c/Udg7-4dX6lI/AAAAAAAACww/TsPNi9MC5G8/s1600/brindlechute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WZQxjX0nl-c/Udg7-4dX6lI/AAAAAAAACww/TsPNi9MC5G8/s1600/brindlechute.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite dry fly</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opc8zToxNcE/Udg8Bpq7_LI/AAAAAAAACxI/usP4Svuao4c/s1600/fisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opc8zToxNcE/Udg8Bpq7_LI/AAAAAAAACxI/usP4Svuao4c/s1600/fisher.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friend alongside </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ox_e2xuXQiA/Udg8ATd1-9I/AAAAAAAACw8/HKOY2vM26mM/s1600/cutt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ox_e2xuXQiA/Udg8ATd1-9I/AAAAAAAACw8/HKOY2vM26mM/s1600/cutt1.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catching some of the most beautiful trout in the world. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLub9JULNcnlT2_3clNZBIP6bFVyBCEe2z-mFkknob3w_jYWxGm-XedwEhyphenhyphenK2lEYDcp_HviKicElsGqU6z8f4pyzswP31qJE3mMmqKkzjIauF9SWX1YR6vys8PJone5MhtYFrYkr2jkm6/s1600/cutt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLub9JULNcnlT2_3clNZBIP6bFVyBCEe2z-mFkknob3w_jYWxGm-XedwEhyphenhyphenK2lEYDcp_HviKicElsGqU6z8f4pyzswP31qJE3mMmqKkzjIauF9SWX1YR6vys8PJone5MhtYFrYkr2jkm6/s1600/cutt2.jpg" height="346" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfection</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128479027160707381noreply@blogger.com1