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Thursday 30 May 2013

Switch Rods--My Fave

I own a couple spey rods and a couple switch rods.  The switch rods are definitely my preference.  They do the job of the full spey rod with more feel and more delicate presentations.  This is important for my favourite quarry--summer steelhead.  My absolute favourite is the Sage 7119-4.  Check out what Jeff Putnam has to say about switch rods by following this link.


Tying Tips?

Hank Patterson branches out from fly fishing to fly tying.


Italian Trout

Don't worry the stereotypes aren't true.


Chilean Trout--Pro Photographer Edition

Val Atkinson is one of THE GUYS in fly fishing photography.  Check it out--in 1080 p would be my suggestion.


Stripper Clip Anyone?

Practice

Took up spey casting quite a few years back.  The best thing to do to get better is definitely to practice--despite what Iverson might think.  This video cracks me up.  It's a remix of Iverson's rant, Jim Mora, Joe Namath, Dennis Green, and others.




Monday 27 May 2013

Saturday 25 May 2013

Vantage Point Demo Reel

Gregory Packs Flash Sale

Flash Sale $57.98, Retail $90
Gregory packs have defined quality, comfort, and fit for the past 30 years. It’s hard to imagine that Wayne Gregory first operated the now hugely successful company with little more than a sewing machine and a Volkswagen van. Party on, Wayne.

Click through to The Clymb today if you're interested in packs, paddleboards, socks, apparel, bike helmets, hats, sunglasses, and more.

Link:  The Clymb

Solitude

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Rooster Party

Not Cogburn this time people.  Check out the wash down near the end.  Classic.


The Rooster Party Beard Chronicles 2013 from Marc Crapo on Vimeo.

Los Roques

Lefty on The Strongest Fish He Ever Caught

PC comment of the day:  "So ugly the tide wouldn't take 'em out"



Lefty Kreh from Jay Cavallaro on Vimeo.

Fly Fishing Comedy Break


Steelhead With Curtis

Some great long casts and steelhead hookups.



Fishing for Steelhead with Curtis Ciszek from Poler Outdoor Stuff on Vimeo.

Norwegian Atlantic Salmon--Orkla River Edition

Sight Fishing Patagonia



Friday 17 May 2013

Playin' a Player--Dry Fly Steelheading


What’s a Player

Spring has sprung.  Which means the best time of the year is almost upon us, summer run time.  If in your summer forays you can get a steelhead to come up multiple times, you’ll have found what many steelheaders call....a ”player”.  What can you do to turn a riser into a player?



Playin' a Player--Dry Fly Steelheading from Fly Fishing Fantasies on Vimeo.

Try, Try Again--But Not Too Hard

The first thing to do is to make the same cast again.  Sometimes this will do the trick.  If not, try working a little above the rise, a different angle, or a little below the rise.  Don’t move too far below the original rise point or you may line the fish and put it down for good--especially in unbroken, glassy water.

Switch it Up

The next thing to try is changing flies.  This serves two purposes.  First and foremost, it gives the fish a different look that may spark some interest.  Secondly, the fish gets rested a little while you tie on a different pattern.  I remember a fish that took a run at my buddy’s fly a couple seasons ago.  The fish wouldn’t solidly take any of his other offerings.  He even went back to his tried and true pattern a couple times with no luck.  We carried on down river and as we passed the same run on the way out he dropped the original pattern over the fish and it hammered it on the first cast.  The calamity that followed happened so quick that we didn’t get the camera set up in time.  The fish screamed through the tailout and ran the rapids below to the next pool.  In response to the line pouring off his reel during the fish’s long sustained run, my buddy leaped off the greasy log jam into chest deep water to try and follow but the fish eventually unbuttoned him in the pool below.  The moral of this story seemed to be that resting the fish was key.  It’s often worth a try.  At times you can just stop and have a sandwich before trying the fish again.  The fish may take immediately after it has been given a little rest.








Have Confidence

When you do change fly patterns, the pattern you tie on should be another one you have confidence in.  Smaller, darker, and more drably colored are all good suggestions made by many past writers.  If you don’t have many patterns that you’ve had success with, fish a fly that others have confidence in and act like it should work until one does.  Every fly that catches somebody a steelhead caught that person their first steelhead at some point.

Work the run the same way you did earlier with this new fly.  Again, avoid spooking the fish by moving too far downstream.  In the video, I worked the run for almost three minutes before the fish rose again.  It eventually rose a second time and shut down a second time.  When I switched to a third fly, the fish took solidly on the second cast.  In the end, this fish didn’t make it to hand but if you learn how to play these players, some otherwise missed fish surely will.

Fly Fishing Fantasies’  2012 dry fly steelheading video release, Paid in Full, can be purchased at flyfishingfantasies.com or your local fly shop.

B is for ...

Bow n Arrow Browns--Pyrenees Edition

Caught myself unknowingly smiling while watching this.  Love the tight quarters, big browns, and alternate tactics.



5 ans from Bearnishfly on Vimeo.

Thursday 16 May 2013

Thursday 9 May 2013

Rage

Although the curse words are different, the intonations seem to be universal.  Check out the lost fish at about the 2 minute mark for what I'm sure is another language's version of "cheese and crackers".



Fyrsti veiðidagur ársins/First fishing trip of the year from Snævarr Örn Georgsson on Vimeo.

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Shark vs Orca

With a good dose of help from the zebras, Sharks win over Orcas (Canucks).  Bitter!

Sage Technical Packs

I have the chest pack from this line of packs.  I love it but I'd love for it to be able to attach to the shoulder straps of the backpack to take the strain off my neck during long outings.  If this was incorporated, I'd be looking to get a backpack chestpack combination in short order.  These packs don't get heavy in the rain and do a great job of keeping your important stuff from the elements.  The backpack also looks to have a well designed waist strap and shoulder straps for comfort during long days fishing.  The only two real players I've seen in water proof backpack chestpack combinations are Sage and Simms.  From a distance I'd give the edge to Sage in the strap comfort category and I'd give Simms the edge in the chestpack to backpack attachments.


Sage Technical Bags & Packs from Far Bank on Vimeo.

Damocracy


Far From The Noise--Tasmania Trout