Sunday Classic / Tenkara, the new Bamboo
A GUEST POST BY TIM HARRIS OF NORTHWEST-TENKARA.COM
Fly fishing began in both the west and east with a long supple rod, a fixed line, a leader and a fly.
This is how Dame Juliana Berners, Issac Walton and Japanese commercial fisherman fished. Time went by and man created the reel and split bamboo rods which were shorter and lighter than the old greenheart long rods. Fiberglass and then graphite replaced split bamboo and modern fly fishing as we know it came into being.
Then a backlash started, a move toward the vintage. Many fly fishers, myself included, began embracing the bamboo rod again and waxing poetic about the lovely reed, its natural beauty and soft feel. I fished bamboo rods for years on small streams and rivers and figured that this would never change.
Then came a real move back to the past, back to days before the reel was invented and people fished with a long rod and a fixed line. I discovered tenkara. Tenkara is a traditional form of fly fishing that began in the mountain streams of Japan. It was used by commercial fishermen to catch their daily load of trout, char and salmon found in these streams. Now tenkara is catching on in the west and seems to be the hottest thing since the bamboo renaissance.
Tenkara is fly fishing in its most minimal form. A modern tenkara rod is
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / High Country Cuts
How about some high country fly-fishing for cutthroat trout?
Take a wade with Todd Moen, of Catch Magazine, and Heather Hodson, of United Women on the Fly, as they wades Heather’s favorite home waters in search of cutthroat trout and solitude. A beautiful film, almost as relaxing as a day on the water.
Read More »There’s No Holding Bob Back
Stay focused Bob. It’ll all work out.
See more of Bob and the angling art of Andrea Larko on Etsy.
Read More »United We Fish
The America I live in is not divided.
If you watch the television, listen to the radio, or, God forbid, go on Facebook, you might think we Americans have nothing in common but our dislike for each other. I don’t believe that’s true. I believe we have a great deal in common. Specifically, I believe that we, the G&G community, have a deep and profound love of our amazing public lands and waters. I have said many times our public lands, above all else, make me proud of this country.
We also have in common our duty as citizens to participate in our democracy. I grew up in a time when this was something to be proud of, and I still believe it is. We Americans who love the outdoors have a loud voice, as long as we are united. It is our duty to stay united. Not to let the uproar of the day divide or distract us.
OUR PUBLIC LANDS LITERALLY ARE AMERICA. ONLY WE CAN PROTECT THEM.
Happy Independence Day from Gink and Gasoline!
Read More »Lamson Cobalt Saltwater Fly Reel Review
The Lamson Cobalt is a big game fly reel with a pedigree.
I’ll be honest, I’ve always thought of Lamson as a trout reel company. I don’t mean that to be dismissive, but I think of them as making great trout reels and, for saltwater reels, I never really thought of them at all. The demands placed on saltwater fly reels, by both the elements and the fish, are so extreme that they are almost a thing unto themselves. When I heard that Lamson was making a serous saltwater reel, I was instantly interested.
From the very beginning, the buzz about the Cobalt was pretty exuberant. When I got my hands on one for the first time it was immediately obvious why. This reel is lovely and elegant on the outside but a beast to its core. A thoughtful design and an inspired execution.
Everything about the Cobalt is top quality. It’s not a budget reel. It’s built to last and to dominate strong saltwater species, season after season. I feel confident saying that. I come from a family of machinists. I grew up in a machine shop and I know good machining when I see it. The fit and finish on the Cobalt is as good as you will find and the materials are top quality, down to the titanium fasteners.
There is a ton of cool tech in this reel. Below is a video in which Tim Volk talks about the Cobalt in detail. I’ll hit a few of the highlights I especially like.
Dual Axis Machining
One of the first things I noticed about the Cobalt is its sleek design. Clean and elegant. No edges to punish line or hands. Not even a counter balance. Lawson achieves this by machining the spool so that it balances perfectly with the handle. The operation is smooth as silk. It might not sound like a big deal but when that reel is screaming, you’ll appreciate it.
Seriously Sealed Drag
There are some fly reels on the market, at a higher price point, that don’t have sealed drags, and other that kinda do. The drag housing on the Cobalt is rated waterproof to thirty meters. It would be difficult to overstate the importance of that.
Micro Crystalline Anodizing
Micralox coatings are the final word in corrosion resistance. The molecules in the coating are
Read More »Sunday Classic / Guiding Tip: Set Your Client Free to Build Confidence
THIS POST IS FOR ALL THE PROFESSIONAL GUIDES OUT THERE THAT GIVE THEIR CLIENTS EVERY THING THEY’VE GOT EACH AND EVERY DAY. IT’S FOR THE PERFECTIONISTS, WHO TRULY BELIEVE FLY FISHING CAN NEVER BE 100% MASTERED AND ALWAYS SEE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL TEACHING SKILLS.
I’ve taken great pride over the years with my hands on style of trout guiding. When you take the time to explain the little details to your clients, and freely share what’s going on in your head, it really makes a big difference in them understanding the big picture. I’ve always believed catching fish should take a back seat to learning the how-tos of fly fishing. I’ve never seen much value in a client catching fish during a guide trip, if they can’t go out and replicate it on their own without me. It wasn’t until a few months ago, in fact, that I strayed away from my familiar guiding routine of holding onto the reigns.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / The Leader Man
Understanding how leaders function, and how to tie them, leads to successful fly fishing.
The leader is possibly the most important part of your fly fishing tackle. It is, after all, the part of the set up closest to the fish and the part that makes the actual presentation. If you believe, as i do, that presentation is the single most important factor in fly fishing, then you have to recognize the importance of the leader.
Still, many anglers don’t fully understand how their leaders work in the system and simply buy a tapered leader with the picture of the fish they’d like to catch on the package. In reality, you can always tie a leader that will function better than pre-made tapered leaders. Once you understand how leaders work, a world of versatile options is at your finger tips.
I will follow up soon with a more in-depth article on understanding leaders, but for now, here are three great videos from the guy who taught me, Bruce Chard. In these videos Bruce shows you how he ties leaders for bonefish, permit and tarpon. He also covers some of the fundamentals you need to understand to tie leaders that work with your fly line.
Some wisdom from the Leader man.
Read More »Bob Never Gives Up
Bob is no quitter. Look closely at this one.
See more of Bob and the angling art of Andrea Larko
Read More »Trash On The Flats
IF WE CAN FLY FISH FOR CARP, WHY NOT LADY FISH?
I was in the Bahamas last month for a little DIY bonefishing. I love DIY trips. They have a whole different vibe from a guided lodge experience. I’m sure I miss some opportunities fishing without a guide. I may not catch as many fish, or as big a fish but I fish at my own pace and am a whole lot more relaxed. I appreciate a guide who works their ass off for me but it’s nice to just walk the flats, sometimes with my wife who doesn’t fish, and just explore.
This last trip was one of those and it allowed me to do something I really enjoy. Catching a few saltwater trash fish. On a guided trip there is always this pressure to stay on task and boat as many, or as big a specimen of what ever the target species may be. I’m generally curious about all kinds of fish and when I see something different, well, I just want to put a hook in it.
Some guys get really serious about it. They wouldn’t consider casting to a barracuda, for example. I think anyone who doesn’t enjoy catching a cuda on the fly is seriously missing something awesome. I get the whole idea of sticking to the program, and nobody loves catching bonefish more than me, but at some point
Fly Fishing Fast Water Chutes for Trout
There are multiple ways for anglers to fly fish fast water chutes, but most of the time, I find it most effective to wade to the sides of the chutes, and fly fish perpendicular to them. Doing so, it gives me better control of my drifting flies and improves my line management. Positioning to the side of a chute also improves my stealth, because I’m able to present my flies in front of the trout with just my leader, keeping my fly line out of site. Check out the video below that demonstrates how I prefer to fish fast water chutes.
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