Sunday Classic / The River Is Full Of Want
By Louis Cahill
“I DON’T DESERVE THAT FISH. I DON’T DESERVE THIS DAY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL RIVER. I DON’T DESERVE TO FISH WITH THESE GOOD MEN.”
I wade out into the rushing water of the Dean, farther than I should. The cold of the water grabs me around the waist. The current tugs at my footing. I feel the pebbles washing out from under my feet as they slide softly downstream against my will, looking for a home. I gather my running line and tuck it under my index finger, then I lift my thirteen-foot rod high into the air, anchoring my fly in the swift current in front of me. The wind blows and a cold mist creeps around my glasses and down my neck. I sweep the rod round, making a big D loop, watching the rod, keeping it loaded, then draw the butt back hard to my chest. I roll the grip clockwise so that the guides face upstream and watch the bright green running line draw shapes in the air against a backdrop of dark clouds, like a kid writing his name with a sparkler on a summer night.
The line disappears through the guides and nearly a hundred feet away I see the splash as my weighted fly meets the river. I mend the line and tell myself that my feet will find something solid as I step with the rush of water, once, twice, three times. On the horizon, just over the big log jam, I can see the silver band of salt, the Pacific. Below the next run and the next, maybe four-hundred yards. The river hasn’t far to go and it’s impatient, running like children to the tree on Christmas morning. They call this run Instant Backing and I know that if my fly finds its mark, I’ll see why. I carry my rod tip upstream until I feel the weight of the river on my line. Slowly I swing the fly, I feel the strength of the water, I wait for the pull, I stare into the river and I want.
***
The Atlantis Restaurant, in Cherry Grove, South Carolina, between Myrtle Beach and Cape Fear, is a stark little beach town pancake house. It is completely unremarkable. Shabby, in fact, but it has always been special to me. Every year, on my family’s Labor Day beach trip, my father and I would slip out to the Atlantis while everyone else was asleep for breakfast. He would have eggs, over easy and bacon and I would have pancakes. Since I was little I loved having breakfast out with my father. Just the two of us in the quiet of the morning. Our complicated relationship worked well, within the simple framework of breakfast.
My father has been gone a long time now but I still find walking into that pancake house comforting. For that reason and to share my memories, I took my wife there a few years back. I got more than pancakes.
The Atlantis is an odd place at best. It doesn’t suffer from any sort of interior decoration, let alone design. The walls are glossy white with blue trim. There are a few photos from some foreign country, maybe Greece, and an aquarium next to the register containing nothing but water and a few turtles. There are some hand drawn signs with a vaguely religious theme. My favorite is a dolphin with a voice bubble that says, “I love Jesus!”
The employees seem to be from somewhere far away too, but I don’t think it’s Greece. There is a young girl, sixteen maybe, who seems particularly distant. Thin and strawberry blond with freckles she has, what combat veterans call, a thousand yard stare. Not vapid exactly but not entirely present. She waits on my wife and me that morning. After my wife orders the girl turns to me. “I want pancakes,” I say smiling. “Really?” she replies as if truly puzzled. After a long pause in which she stares at me as if I were a painting in a museum, she asks,
“What’s it like to want?”
I was completely unprepared for such an existential question before I’d even had my coffee. Not that coffee would help me find the answer, but it does make me a nicer person. I consider the question briefly, on several levels ranging from, “is this the meaning of life” to “are you out of your fucking mind” before deciding on my answer.
“You know, it’s like when you want a tip.”
The pancakes are tasty, in spite of having surely been spit on and I want to think that I’ve put that question to bed, but I haven’t. Far from it. That annoying little teenager had done something to me. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. “What’s it like to want?” For the next few years I carry that question around in my head as a litmus test. I conjure up every blown decision in my life, every misstep that lead to unhappiness and asked myself, “why did I do that?” The answer is always the same. Want.
I look around me and suddenly I see it everywhere. Want. It’s like the air we breath. We are all consumed by want. It’s like the strings on a marionette, once you see them you can’t blot them out. They’re all you see. That little red-headed waif in the apron had looked right through me and knowing only that I like pancakes had said, more or less,
“Here’s your problem, stupid.”
***
The Dean River is moody, the kind of river that kills fisherman, at least one that I know of. It’s fickle and has a temper, not like the elder rivers where I’m from, that found their channels long ago. The Dean is young and impulsive. This week it has leapt from its banks, coming up six feet the day my group arrived. It has
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / S.C.O.F. 17 DTH
SCOF is back with the 17th issue of southern fried goodness.
#17 is chocked full of attitude with dangerous smallmouth floats, permit videos, redfish flies and lots more. Still my favorite online mag. If you’re not a SCOF reader, get with the program!
GET SCOFED HERE!
More good stuff is headed your way.
The Orvis Down The Hatch Film festival is on the road with dates in Denver, Nashville and Atlanta. Get your tickets early, they always sell out!
Atlanta Oct 22
Nashville Oct 28
Denver Oct 29
Get the details here.
Read More »Rising Tools, The Best Value In Fly Fishing
There are few products in fly fishing that I’m as excited about as Rising tools.
Everything these guys make is clever, well designed, rugged and flat out cheap! Their nippers, for example, are the best I’ve ever used. Better than $100 nippers and they cost $12! I honestly don’t know how they do it.
I’ve been using Rising tools for the last couple of years. I commonly carry a Rancher, a Crock and nippers. I use them in saltwater and fresh and they all work like the day I got them. I have one of their boat nets and even a flask. Everything you need for a productive day of fishing!
READ MY REVIEW OF RISING TOOLS HERE.
BUY RISING TOOLS HERE.
AND WATCH THIS VIDEO TO SEE WHAT’S NEW FROM RISING.
Read More »Faith and Steelhead
by Tim Harris
I just returned from my first real steelhead trip to the Deschutes in a couple of years.
I had to miss out all of last two summer seasons due to illness though I did manage a few days last winter where I actually hooked up several fish and landed one nice hatchery fish.
Now I’ve got the steelhead sickness again, it is time though to break out the floating line and the switch rod and begin to swing Streetwalkers across the currents. I’ll get up before dawn and head to the river in the early morning, rig up and wade out just as it begins to get light. Then begins the methodical, meditative practice of cast, mend, swing, and step until I am at the bottom of the run and I pack up and go to work. The cast is meditative too – strip, lift, swing, create the D loop, and let it rip. Mend once, maybe twice. Swing slowly. Take one to two steps down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
All the while you are keeping faith.
Read More »Fly Rod Grip – Keep it Consistent
A COMMON MISTAKE THAT I SEE WITH MANY OF MY FIRST TIMERS IS THEY FAIL TO KEEP A CONSISTENT FLY ROD GRIP WHEN THEY’RE FIRST LEARNING HOW TO CAST A FLY ROD.
Without notice, they often shuffle their rod hand around on the cork, which ends up altering their grip slightly from one cast to the next. Probably the most common grip movement I see with my students is they reposition the thumb during the casting stroke. To be more specific, they slide their thumb off the top of the cork to the side of the cork, and it causes problems with casting form, makes it more difficult to abruptly stop the rod at the end of the back cast and forward cast, it seems to make it harder for anglers to feel the fly rod loading, and direct a cast to a designated target. I’m always quick to point out the thumb grip position error, but I’ve yet to come up with an explanation of why it comes up time and time again with my beginners. Perhaps it’s feels more comfortable to them, and maybe when I see the thumb sliding off to the side of the cork I should take it as a clue for me to suggest students to try a true v-grip or palm out fly rod grip instead. Regardless of why it happens or how I proceed with my instruction, the most important point that should be heard loud and clear to all newcomers, is good fly casting form and accurate fly presentation all starts with a fly rod grip that’s consistent from one cast to the next. I like to think of a proper fly rod grip as
Read More »Sunday Classic / Western Fly Guide for Eastern Anglers
I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME BY EASTERN FLY ANGLERS HEADING OUT WEST FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT FLY PATTERNS THEY SHOULD STOCK UP ON BEFORE THEY LEAVE.
What percentage of dry flies to wet flies they should pack, what sizes, and should they pack streamers? The questions go on and on. I get most of the email inquiries from eastern anglers that are fixing to make their summer trip out west during the peak of the terrestrial season. For those that know me, you know that I’m the type of fly fisherman that carries gear for every situation on the water at all times, for the simply fact that I can’t stand being under prepared on the water. Here’s the truth though, if I’m making a trip out west during the terrestrial season, I usually lighten my load significantly and I only carrying the fly patterns that I think I’ll be fishing the most. If I’m going to be making a trip WY, MT, ID or CO I’m going to pack less nymphs, more dry flies and streamers. Colorado is a little more tricky, in which nymphs can play a larger roll than the other western states I mentioned, but if you travel their during the peak terrestrial season, my packing suggestions should work just fine.
Why do I lighten my load this time of year, you ask? Because the trout generally are easy to convince to rise to the surface and take a dry fly this time of year, and when they don’t want to rise to the surface, they almost always will devour a streamer. It’s not rocket science, the fish are optimistically looking up since a large portion of their food is found floating on or close to the surface during the summer months.
Let’s say I’m traveling to Jackson, WY in August, which is probably the most popular requested area out west that I receive questions about. Below are the fly patterns I will stock up on.
Dry Fly Box (Go Big, Many of these patterns suck up real estate)
Comments: I always pack a extra plano tackle box to hold all my extra flies. Each evening I will replenish the flies out of this box so I’m stocked up for the next day’s fishing. If I’m not witnessing a hatch or fish taking smaller insects on the water, I generally start first with a big beefy dry fly that floats like a cork. Bigger is usually better this time of year out west. If I only had one dry fly I could take, it would be a Chubby Chernobyl. They grab the attention of fish quickly, and are very good at bringing fish up from the deepest of pools, fast moving water and out from undercut banks. That being said, if the big foam and stacked deer hair isn’t working, don’t be afraid to bench them and tie on a smaller dry fly like a size 12 parachute hopper, 12-14 parachute adams, 12-14 stimulator or a size 14 foam beetle. These have worked wonders for me on some of the smaller tributaries, and they have their place when fish are shying away from big profiled dry flies.
You hear a lot about fishing a hopper/dropper nymph. It works well, but sometimes you can even do better if you opt for tying on a small dry fly or emerger off the back instead. I’ve seen a size 22 bwo emerger off the back of a Chernobyl fool the biggest fish in the river on some of our past trips. Be prepared for PMD and Yellow Sally hatches. And even more importantly, always be ready for spinner falls when your out west. When it happens, trout can become keyed in on them and will ignore all other offerings. Never leave home without a good selection of rusty and trico spinners.
14-10 Parachute Adams
14-10 Orange/Yellow Stimulator
18-12 Tan Elk Hair X-Caddis
14-12 Parachute Purple Haze
Saturday Shoutout / Help The Bahamas
I dreamed about the Bahamas last night.
I dreamed that I was fishing the flats with one of my favorite Bahamian guides when we were pulled over by authorities in a shiny new patrol boat. I was taken into custody and sent to an alien processing center. I think it’s fair to say that, in spite of the recent good news on the future of Bahamian fishing regulation, I’m still a little stressed about it.
The reality in the Bahamas is quite different. Many of the family islands were devastated by Hurricane Joaquin. Families who rely on the bonefishing business are struggling just stay housed and fed. This is the perfect time for us, the sport fishing community, to show exactly what kind of people we really are. It’s time for us to help.
Perhaps the worst thing to come from the recent controversy over Bahamian fishing regulations is that a lot of foreign anglers have been left with the feeling they are unwanted. I can assure you that’s the furthest thing from the truth. The Bahamian people are a joy and they truly appreciate the folks who visit and fish in their country. The harsh, anti foreign regulation which were proposed, were really the work of one man. We should not punish all Bahamians based on his hateful nature. Don’t boycott the Bahamas. In fact, let’s take it a step further and help them rebuild.
THERE ARE TWO GREAT RELIEF EFFORTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW!
Oliver White, owner of The Abaco Lodge and Bair’s Lodge has started a Fund Me campaign and is matching donations up to $10K. Let’s help max this donation out ASAP.
CLICK HERE!
The Abaco Fly Fishing Guide Association is also collecting relief funds. It is important to note that the AFGA is a great, pro foreign angler, group which predates the BFFIA, who have caused such an uproar. Supporting the AFGA is a great sign that we in the sport fishing community look out for the places we fish and the folks who live there. You can find out all you need to know about this fund over at Bonefish on the Brain.
CLICK HERE!
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THE BAHAMAS AS THEY REBUILD. THANK YOU!
Read More »New X-Series Reels From Nautilus
Nautilus raises the bar one more time with this new offering.
Rumors have been flying for a while now about a radical new trout reel from Nautilus. The X-Series reels are certainly radical. Unbelievably light and yet totally ridged. The frame of the reel is a simple X-shaped strut, billet machined and engineered as a torsion box, which makes it incredibly strong in spite of its light weight. It covers just enough of the spool to protect it from damage.
These reels are the perfect compliment for today’s ultra-light weight rods. They have a powerful carbon fiber and Teflon drag system with virtually no startup inertia. Plenty of drag for any species. The X-Series were designed for trout anglers but are available for lines up to 8 weight and all are rated for saltwater.
X-Series Sizes: XS 3.25”2-4wt, XM3.5”4-6 wt, XL4” 6-7Wt, XL MAX 4” same as XLframe but spool is for 8/9 wt
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEE THE NEW X-SERIES REEL.
Read More »Rely On Muscle Memory for Difficult fly Casts
By Kent Klewein I learned a long time ago that most of the time my clients cast better in high pressure situations when they’re relaxed, confident and keep their head out of the game. It’s really easy to think that the more difficult a fly fishing presentation is, the more we should be trying to focus and think about every detail of our cast during the execution. According to many neuroscientists and psychologists who’ve studied why professional athletes choke under pressure, most agree that thinking too much during a task, no matter how routine it may be, can actually decrease your chances for succeeding in high pressure situations. [Psychologist Sian Beilock of the University of Chicago calls it “paralysis by analysis.” Beilock, author of the book, “Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To,” contends that too much thinking at the wrong time can lead to “logjams in the brain” because they’re thinking too much and that ends up overriding their muscle memory.] So the next time you’re confronted on the water with a difficult presentation and you feel the pressure weighing you down, take a second or two to take a deep breath, believe in yourself, and let your trained muscle memory do the work. If you go into a fly casting situation on the water doubting yourself and thinking, “I can’t make this cast, it’s too difficult” chances are you’re not going to make a successful presentation. However, if you throw away all that negativity and doubt, and instead believe in your fly casting skills, more times than not, you’ll pull off the cast without a hitch. Keep it Reel, Come fish with us in the Bahamas! Kent Klewein Gink & Gasoline www.ginkandgasoline.com hookups@ginkandgasoline.com Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter! … Continue reading
Read More »Our Natural Resources Are A Privilege! Treat Them That Way!
By Justin Pickett
“THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON’T TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GIVEN.”
Just yesterday I decided to spend the first few hours of the morning fishing one of my favorite local spots. The weather was perfect and the river levels were just right. I indeed had a great morning, landing several nice fish. I even had the chance to sight fish to a behemoth of a shoal bass, but after many casts and patterns it was evident that he either had lockjaw, or he’s just an asshole. Nonetheless, though, it was a great day.
Satisfied with my morning, and with the temps rising, I decided to string it up and head back to the truck. As I got closer to the bridge, I noticed two gentlemen walking out from the woods, out onto the rocks. I thought it was a little odd of fishermen to show up to fish during the hottest part of the day, but whatever. Once I closed a little more distance between us I realized that they were DNR officers, and then I suddenly got the feeling that they were likely waiting for me.
Once I was in ear-shot I gave a friendly “hello”, and they greeted me back and asked if they could check my fishing license. I quickly made it over and gave them my ID and license as they asked how the fishing had been. Then they hit me with the real reason why they were there waiting for me…
“Sir did you realize that you are trespassing on private property?”
Read More »