Slowdown, Relax, And FISH!

Slowdown, Relax, and FISH!  That's my advice to all you.  I know that you didn't as for my advice but I'm giving it to you anyway.  Step away from the everything that crowds your day and find time to fish.

The other day I got home from a trip I took my own advice.  I dropped my stuff right inside the front door, grabbed my fly rod, and hit the pond. This is only the second such trip for me in as many months due to the heat and the snakes and it has been far to long.
Now with the kids back at school and the temperatures coming back to levels more tolerable I feel the tug of a gill on the line bringing me back.  Even the snakes have started to come out of their aggressive mood and retreat back into the tall grass.

For my trip to the pond on this overcast day, I started off like I usually do with a few fancy flies and buck tail streamers.  Unable to hook into any of the still lethargic fish I again grab one of my Junkyard Wood Dowel bass bug and gave it a few casts.  Once again this little bug strikes hard.

I don't know what it is about this little bug but the bass really love it.  I have caught big bass and small bass, bream, sunfish and crappy on this little guy and it is now my go-to little bug.  Today the big boys stayed away down deep in the cool waters of the pond but I did manage to hook some young bass that where cruising the grass beds.
After the bass I decided to have a little fun with the small sunfish that were darting back and forth, probably dodging the same bass that had took my wooden dowel.  I tied on a #14 caddis and gave a flick of the fly out to the edge of a small grass bed.  The result was possible the smallest sunfish I have ever got on a fly.  The tinny catch might be considered bait in most circles, and the truth is I have cast larger flies than this guy, but for me it was the most memorable of the day.

The Smallest Sunfish I Have Ever Caught

After a few hours, a few fish, and the falling of a few raindrops, I pack it in and head home happy and my hand smelling life fish.  My wife might not like the smell but for me there is no better proof of a good day on the water than the sweet smell of fish on your hands.  You can get beat down by hassles at work and the endless amount of chores that always need to be done at home but if you take the time to hook into a few fish on a solitary stretch of water, all those stresses seem to disappear for a little while.   My advice: Go out and get that fishy smell on your fingers and enjoy yourself!

Back With A Brown

    After a lengthy absence from the worlds of fishing, blogging, and painting I am back.  When I started this blog I did so with the idea that it would get me out on the water more as well as drive me to do more painting.  It has accomplished both of those key goals better than I could have hoped.  In fact it has done it so well that when the hot weather rolled in and the summer began to fill with one family activity after another, I began to feel that this blog was more of an obligation than a hobby.  I began to resent the fact that I had to do a post or do another painting.  I began to get the feeling that the whole thing was becoming a little less fun.  For a guy that has always enjoyed fishing and painting, this feeling was a sure sign that I had to step back and get some time away from the internet and the self induced pressure of producing fodder for the blog.

    So for all of you that noticed my absence or missed checking out my new paintings on a weekly basis, I have returned.  Hopefully with the temperatures starting to decline I can even get a few fish on the line.
    As for this painting, you can no doubt tell its a fall colored Brown chasing a Caddis nymph.  I painted this the other day for a charity auction being held early next year.  Its a 8x10 watercolor and gouache on cold press paper.  I am told it will be paired with a guided fishing trip down here in the South East.

    As a reminder to those that would like a wall hanger of your own, I am actively looking for new painting projects.  The number one question I am asked when people talk to me about doing a painting for them is 'How much will it set me back?'  As with most art, the price is rarely fixed before a work is created but I can tell you that I try hard to keep it affordable for the average joe.  Its not a Walmart price but things of quality usually don't come at their prices.

    Typically my original works range in price from $110 upwards to around $230 depending on size and subject.  A few larger painting have been priced higher but most of the works I have created for this blog fall between those two prices.
    Now I'm off to the local bass pond for a little flicking of the fly.  Hopefully those big bucket mouths will be eager to test me leader.

Fall River Bamboo - A Day Of Beautiful Things

  The moment I got the Outdoor Bloggers Traveling Fly Rod made by Fall River Fly Rods I wanted to go out and fish it.  Like a kid on Christmas morning, I tore into the tube eager to get a look at the grass that was inside.  It was a thing of beauty!  Every inch hand crafted and perfect.  As a guy that loves the art of such things, I held it in my hands in awe of the time and skill that went into making it. Unfortunately that was all I could do because the next day I left on a series of business trips that took me away from any chance of using this piece of art for nearly a week and a half.

   Throughout my travels my mind kept drifting back to that Fall River bamboo creation waiting for me at home and the fish that I catch once I got there.  It was an agonizing period of time and when the day finally came for me to fish it all I could do was worry about two things; One - would I catch any fish with it, and Two - Would I break it?

    This past weekend I awoke crazy early - 4am in an effort to beat the heat.  The forcast called for another record breaking day of 100 degree plus temperatures and I felt that if I had any shot to catch fish, I had to do it early.  Starting on a section of the upper Chattooga River (that's right - The Deliverance River - The same river that is in that classic movie staring Burt Reynolds) I began to test out the legs of this one of a kind fly rod.
    First off, the past recommendations on fishing any bamboo rod were dead on.  This fly rod loads great but you need to slow down and take your time.  Like a zen master practicing his morning exercises on the banks of a quiet stream, you need to just savor the feel of the grass in your hand and let the rod do the work.

    After a few short minutes I got the feel of the rod and began to hook into a pool of rainbows.  One after another, these fish fell  victim to the bamboo and the midges dangling at the end of my 5x tippet.  None of these bows were any big test for the strength of this rod which was fine by me.  As I stated earlier, my biggest fear was breaking this beauty.  After wearing out the pool I hiked up a feeder stream and hooked into a few more nice colored bows before taking a side trail back to my car.

    Even at temperatures reaching into the 100's, this area of the country is stunning.  Carefully weaving my way between towering oaks and overhanging magnolia trees, it is amazing the life and beauty you find hidden on the forest floor.  I have always loved the mountain magnolias in bloom.

    With its huge flowers, and a great tree for shade, these trees are the perfect hiding place for a spider to weave his web.  I found this big guy on the end of the bamboo after I inadvertently swiped the rod through his web.  After taking a moment to get a few picks and study this guy, I let him back into the forest.  His web however was another matter.  Back at the car I worked for all of ten minutes to get the sticky webbing off the rod and fly line.  This stuff was so tough I briefly contemplated using it for tippet material.  I pity the poor sparrow that might have flown into this guys web because that bird would be hard pressed to escape.
    Once the web was cut free, I packed up the rod and headed for my real reason for fishing the Chattooga in 100 degree heat.  The Red Eyed bass!!

    I accidentally hooked into one of these last year while fishing for rainbows and I was fascinated how a bass could live next to trout in such cool, fast water.  After further research I couldn't wait to try my hand targeting these uniquely southern Bass.  I remembered that this bass fought as hard as any brown I had ever caught.  It never went into any aerial jumps and I was sure it was a massive brown until I got it close and saw it was a bass.  My initial disappointment turn to wonder and has now developed into a quest, and with the Fall River Bamboo Fly Rod in hand I headed out with those red eyes in my mind.

    The latest edition of my favorite fly fishing magazine had advice on fishing Redeyes and I used the info to my advantage.  Targeting a large rock exposed in the current, I took my time and dropped a #12 wolly bugger about two feet directly behind the rock and in the slack water the bass is known to lurk.  Immediately from the deep rose a dark shadow and took the bamboo and me on a nice little ride.  Believe me when I tell you that what these bass lack in size (they are not known to get much over four pounds and even that would be big), these river bass make up for in fight.  I suppose living in the cool, swift moving water breeds strength.

    I am calling it right now, these redeyed bass are going to be a fish people will travel for.  They might not reach the heights of the Yellowstone Cuts but in the south, I would take these bass over any small or bucket mouth.  They are now on my radar and I am hooked.     

    After a few more hookups and great fights I dabbed the sweat as best I could on my already soaked shirt and watched a large cottonmouth swim past me with a look in his eye I didn't much care for.  Shortly after hooking into a beautiful sunfish I started the long hike back to the car.
    Overall it was a day filled with beautiful things.  The Fall River Fly Rod was amazing and by far the best looking and relaxing fly rod I have ever fished with. ( If you are in the market for some sweet grass you need one of these rods.)  The river itself never disappoints with its steep walls, waterfalls, and swift cool water.  The flora and fauna was amazing and especially the hat trick of sorts (that right--- I called a bow, a bass, and blugill a hat trick) was a perfect addition of to a scorcher of a weekend.
    I would like to thank the Outdoorbloggernetwork and Fall River Fly Rods for giving me a chance to fish this beauty.  It is now on to its next angler to try his hand at fishing grass and I challenge him to have half the fun I did while it was in my hands!  FISH ON!!

Dream Fly Rods and Reels

   I recently got to thinking of what would be my ultimate gear list.  I don't usually do that but I have this unbelievable bamboo Fall River Fly rod staring at me from across the room (More on that in another post) and it got me thinking about my dream fly gear.  Or to be more precise 'dreaming of my bucket list of fly gear'.
   After nearly eight years of fly fishing and collecting gear I still haven't brought myself to spend a whole lot on my gear.  My current list of rods and reels currently occupying a corner of my garage is a motley crew of low end graphite rods, a 40 year old glass rod that is willowy, and a few nicer Tenkara rods.  By far my favorite is a 5/6w rod custom made for me by a friend and labeled as "The Flying Dutchman".  I do love that rod.

    My reel selection is another gang of misfit Southbend rejects off eBay, Cortland, and various other lower end reels that perform when asked to but don't do much for the aesthetic value of the fishing outfit.  My best reel is a mid-range Ross fly start that usually is partnered with the 'Flying Dutchman' and a 6w line.
  All that being said, I do not believe that a more expensive fly fishing outfit will ever yield you more fish.  I can just as easily not catch fish on a $1,500 outfit as well as I can't catch fish on a $100 setup.  Fishing has little to do with the brand of gear being used and more with the skills of the fisherman and the conditions of the water.  However I know that we all have a few pieces of gear we would like to have if we had the choice and truth be told fishing with a higher end setup is often easier and less frustrating.  Anyone who has ever had the drag on their fly reel suddenly break free and watch as thirty feet of fly line and backing gets ripped off the spool by the current while you are trying to battle a 14in brown knows just what I am talking about.

    While surfing the web the other day I came on a few pieces of gear I would love to have.  Over in England Hardy reigns supreme, or at least it use to, so what would be better than that classic piece of machinery.  I found a few at the North East Tackle Supplies and the Fly Depot other online sites that would fit the bill.  The G Loomis rods aren't as old as the Hardy but boy do they make a nice rod.  I got the chance to look these over at the SE Fly Fishing Show and had to wipe the drool from my chin.

 Anything from Abel would be killer but the limited edition ones rock.  Way out of my price range but seriously they rock.  I found this one with a killer red fish on it and.... well what can you say.  Sweet.  Maybe someday they will put my art on a killer reel of theirs..... Now that would be a Dream Piece Of Gear!!!

    What would be your Dream setup?

Painting Browns

After a very hectic few weeks my wife and I sat outside on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the peace and quiet of just being home.  With a beautiful sky and the soft breeze rustling the trees my wife settled down to enjoy her new book and I broke out the paints.  It has been over a month since I had picked up a brush and I struggled to get back in the groove but eventually it started to come back.

 With the Wisconsin browns still fresh in my mind I went to work trying to recreate their stunning colors.  Of course no painting or photo can do them justice but I gave it a shot.  This 8x10 painting only took me ninety minutes to complete and it showed, but while working outside one needs to work fast to overcome the fast drying action of the sun.  This PlenAir style is always rougher than the more finished product of working in a studio but when one wants to paint just to do something while enjoying the fresh air, it is a satisfying past-time for any artist.

  One additional benefit of completing a painting is such sort order is that I have additional time to fire up the new grill I got for fathers-day.  That's right, you can be jealous, I got a new grill.  As my loving wife knew before she surprised me, I prefer the cooking power of good old fashion hot coals to the gas powered grills so prevalent today.  But this isn't your dads kettle grill.  Its got a small propane charcoal lighter for starting the coals, and adjustable rack for heat and an easy to clean tray to remove the spent coals.  In short, this thing is sweet and I can almost guarantee that the butcher-shop is going to get a fair amount of business this summer.  Grill ON!

Day 2 In Southern WI

The Browns Amazing Color

Our day two on the southern Wisconsin streams did not start well for me but it ended with some stellar fishing.  Truth is, much of the day could not be expressed in words but luckily I have the pics so for this post it is pretty much just going to be a picture show so enjoy.

That mess of a fly is a large beadhead hairs ear

I nice Brown right after the release

This spring spilled right into a pool that held mountains of trout

This trout got hooked on a large red BeadHead Brassy.  I hooked quite a few on these # 12 flies.  After I lost the last one of these flies I had in the box with a bad back cast into five foot tall grass I switched it up to a smaller brassy which the trout never even looked twice at.  I eventual whipped out a white and red #14 Prince Nymph which hooked a few but by far the best luck came with the good old #12 red.  It wasn't till later when I was looking through the pics that I noticed the ribbon of blood running down the trouts mouth.  The way it looked in the pic it appeared that the Nymph was coming to pieces but I assure you this lovely brown was released relatively unharmed.  A little blood never hurt anything.

Besides the nymphs which the browns eagerly took, a few nice trout took to the air in search of the dries.  After trying many flies in the box I came to the realization that my box of dries just wasn't deep enough in the smalls.  I only had four or five dry flies under size 16 but as you can see from this little guy, 18,20, ans 22 sizes were what the trout really where after.  Next time I will come to the river prepared.

My buddy hooking yet another

In the end we caught a ton of fish, had a great time, and created some killer memories that will last with us a lifetime.  I was sure glad I made the trip, hurt hand and all.  If you have never fished in the southern area of Wisconsin before and you have the opportunity, TAKE IT!  I have never seen so many fish in so many miles of water.  We never really hooked into any huge monsters but we saw them and I know they are there.  Maybe next time I'll coax one to bit but for now I am satisfied with the amount I have hooked.

 After a long day we had a beer and took the opportunity to rest and eat a picnic table placed stream-side in memory of an angler you once stalked these same waters.  I could not think of a better tribute to that angler who I never knew than to pass on a place for future anglers to rest and reflect on a stream he obviously loved.  I drink a toast to you.

An IL & WI Trip Filled With Fish, Family, & Blood

Wisconsin Brown

It is hard to compress a few weeks of vacation in Illinois into one quick post so I'll spare you the details of my sister-in-laws wedding, the family stuff, the various places we went and people we saw, and I will pretty much stick to the fish I caught.  I will warn you however that this is one very long post.

Its worse than it looks!

My first few days was faily uninteresting.  I fished the Mississippi river and caught some white bass, saw about four large Northern Watersnakes swimming the shore line and spent my mid mornings biking nearly 100miles on The Great River Road, a section of which spans from Savana Illinois to Moline.  Unfortunately on my fourth bike ride, and the one on which I had been planning a longer 60 mile round trip ride, I took a 90 degree corner at about 20mph that happened to be filled with loose gravel.  A long and painful story later, I spend six hours in the ER getting gravel removed from my hand and stitches put in.  My first investment when I get home will be a pair of bike gloves so this kind of pain wont happen again.

One Big Stripper Hybrid

Hybrid

A few days later, after convelessing on a couch, my brother in-law made it out to fish the Mississippi before the festivities of our other sister wedding.  If you caught my last post then you will remember this fish and the story behind the catch.  If you haven't read it then flip over and check it out or simply check out the photo.  It speaks for itself.  I will also mentioned that I still remains the biggest fresh water (non cat) fish that I have ever seen.
    After that catch it was on to the wedding and other family events but as soon as that was over I packed the car and headed up to the Driftless area of SW Wisconsin for two days of fishing that areas legendary brown trout.
    I met up with a friend of mine from college and his neighbor and for ten hours we stocked trout up and down this stretch of river that I have only read about.  I was amazed at the amount of trout stacked in this stream.  Pilled up like cord wood in late fall, these wild browns were amazing and for a guy that is use to hunting elusive trout in the low PH waters of the Blue Ridge mountains, these cow pasture and spring fed stream trout were a dream.

A Trout In My Good Hand

    Beautifully colored and extremely selective, these trout behaved unlike any I have ever fished.  I was told that the water levels were low for this time of year and that might have accounted for their reluctance to take my droppers but I still managed to trick a few into taking the hook.
    I also took some time to help a new fly angler land his very first trout.  After watching him cast to some selective trout, I handed him my rod and gave him a few pointers of shooting line and the pin-point casting (neither of which I can claim to be a master of) and then I cheered with the enthusiasm of a school boy when a trout leaped from the depths and took his sedge.  I even clapped my hands, completely forgetting the still oozing wound from the bike accident.   Its amazing how rewarding it can be watching someone new to the sport hook into a beautiful trout on a dry fly.

A New Anglers First Trout On A Dry

From then on we fished for a few hours more and I took some amazing pics both of trout and the landscape.

One of the pics I fell in love with was a pic of a thistle that bordered the stream.  The angle in the background was my buddy who shortly after this hooked into a nice fourteen inch brown.

Thistles On the Stream

In case you are wondering, these thistles hurt every time you run into them in the tall grass.

    Finaly at 10pm wee checked into the hotel and made our way down to the local bar for some Wisconsin beer and some down home cooked meals.  Sharing stories of the day on the water and the past trips we have taken, we all looked forward to the following day.  This Wisconsin trip was only a two day event but it is just to big to cram into a single post so day two will have to wait.  And if you ever get a chance Fat Squirrel and New Glarus's other brew, Spotted Cow, are two great beers you need to try.  If there are only two things you ever try from the state of Wisconsin, do yourself a favor and try the Cheese and Beer..... The trout fishing ain't so bad either.

Big Upper Mississippi Striped Bass

I haven't posted much over the last few weeks mostly due to a lack of things to post about. I have done a fair amount of fly tying, did some fishing and did some art but until today it all just kind of seemed bland.  This morning, with a massive weather system raising the river 2 1/2 feet in 24 hrs and dropping the temps down to a chilly 43 degrees, I met my brother-inlaw on the banks of the mighty Mississippi river just north of the Moline, IL.    We launched the boat with little expectation of catching anything due to the weather but still were eager for the morning on the water.
In the first five minute he had hooked into this hawg and took us on a ride below the lock and dam.  For seven minutes we speculated that he had either hooked into a big channel cat or Mississippi flathead.  What we didn't suspect was that he had hooked into the biggest Mississippi striped bass I had ever seen.  I have fished that stretch of river nearly my entire life and nothing I had ever seen had even come close to the size of that bass.  It was a fantastic catch and I got the video and pics to prove it.
In the end we took the pics, looked around unsuccessfully for a scale, and then let the beast go for another angler to catch.  We never even discussed keeping it and it wasn't till later that I thought what a great trophy that would have made, but me and my brother-inlaw are much alike when we fish.  He still might look down on my fly fishing since he is strictly a spin guy but we two are never late to the water, we beat the sun to the dock, and we simply fish for fun.  The trophies and creel limits are an afterthought and only the pics and memories are what mater. Well done bro.

Summer Reading

   What can you say about a good book that hasn't already been put into words?  Truth is nothing, but since I love to read and I seldom mention books on this blog I thought I would devote at least one entry to the books and authors that I recommend everyone read.  Warning: This Is Not A Fishing Post.  If you don't read anything longer than a 250 word blog post then this might not be for you but if you do occasionally pick up a book, grab a beer, and sit on the deck then listen up.
    First up is my all time favorite books by my favorite author; Ernest Hemingway.  I have read nearly everything he has ever written including dispatches to the Toronto Star newspaper when he was just starting out.  A few of those early writings were even laced with fly fishing the great north woods.  The Sun Also Rises also has a bit of fishing but its mostly about Spain, Bullfights, and a group of ex-pats that go to party.  Great read! and if you don't get it all in the first read then read it again... I have 4-5 times... I'm fairly dense.

 
 If you haven't read any Robert Louis Stevenson then you are one depraved individual.  What kid doesn't like pirates right?  Anything by him is money.
    Then there is the few that go along with him like James F Cooper or Jack London, both of which are great authors even if Cooper can be a bit long winded.  I would also say you are safe with anything that Mark Twain penned. As a kid that spent a whole lot of time on the banks of the Mississippi, his book Life On The Mississippi opened up a whole new world for me when  it came to understanding what this country was like back when Samuel Clemons was a riverboat captain.  Roughing It wasn't that bad either.

    Which brings me to a great work by one of our nations top exploring teams; Louis and Clark.  The Journals Of these two men are a must in any woodsy persons library.  If cant stand reading history (honestly I just worked with a guy that said he hated history....I was dumbfounded) then at least have it as a reference.  I found it fascinating to hear how open and wild this country was only two hundred to three hundred years ago.
    Bartrum is another more dry account of exploring this country before it was made a country and might be interesting to Southerns but L & C would be the most notable and easy to find choice.

    If you are looking for a bit more of a political underlining theme then look know further than Ayn Rand.  "Who Is John Galt?"  If you don't know then pick up this book.  It was written sixty or so years ago but could have been written yesterday.  As a girl Rand escaped the communist revolution and saw first hand was a socialist society can do to the human spirit.  A lot of schools and media outlets shy away from this book because of some of the politically unpopular views but I think every person should at least take a look.  Its a big book - we are talking War and Peace big - but it is much easier to get through than Dickens.

Next is any first hand account of a WWI, WWII, Vietnam, or any war veteran.  Seven Roads to Hell was picked because It Was Amazing.  If you don't read history then you don't understand the sacrifices people went through to make this country great.  I have many first hand accounts on war including many that come in this series of World War II Library books, some of which were written by German Panzer commanders and a Japanese Zero pilot.  Do your country proud and pick up a war biography.  You just might learn something.

 When you are all done with that then relax with some easy reading.  Louis L'amour is one of Americas gems.  If you want an easy read and one that is about real men fighting for what the believe, then pick up any L'amour book.  You will not only breeze through them but they will take you back to the times of Billy The Kid and Wild Bill Hikcok.  If you don't feel like Clint Eastwood after sitting a spell with a Sackett novel then you are one hopeless soul.

 
   If you have read any two of these book that I have mentioned then you might notice a theme.  I like books that feature individuals with drive and determination.  The heroes, be them real or fiction, sport courage and a willingness to do what needs to be done.  You wont catch me reading the Notebook - though I hear its a good book its just not for me - but I have been known to pick up Walden from time to time, but then again there is a man sporting a sort of self sufficiency I hold in great respect.
    If you don't make a pilgrimage to hunt those wild Russian trout that eat duck as an entree - Or if you do and need a good book for the plane ride - read at least one good book this summer.  And no, The Orvis Fly Tying Recipe book does not count even if it is well illustrated.