Orvis Recon, Too Good For The Money
“I don’t know what the conversations were like at Orvis when this rod was being developed but I’d be shocked if no one expressed concerns that it was too good for the money.”
I’m not sure what I expected from the Orvis Recon, but it wasn’t what I got. Honestly, up until a couple of years ago I didn’t think much about Orvis fly rods. I owned one years ago. A nine weight that I bought for a trip to Alaska. The rod was fine, but what saved me was the service. I broke the rod days before my trip. I walk into the Orvis store and walked out with a new rod. I’ve had a lot of respect for Orvis customer service ever since.
When it came to rod action and performance, I guess I always thought of Orvis as a little old-fashioned. That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. I now own 4 H2s and fish them all the time. When Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass I fell in love again. The new Orvis rods are clearly to be taken seriously. Still, when I heard that Orvis was bringing out a mid-priced rod made in America, my expectations were somewhat limited.
I guess I expected a medium action trout rod that wasn’t too inspiring. After all, what could you expect for $425? It turns out the answer is, something pretty awesome! The Recon may be middle of the road in price, but in every other way it’s way out front. A fast powerful action, light weight, beautiful finish and sweet hardware. It only feels like a bargain when you’re paying for it.
I have the 9′ 5 weight. It’s a very
Read More »Sunday Classic / Dos and Don’ts For Guided Fishing
“I have done enough guiding with enough people of all types that I sometimes cheer for the fish.”
My friend Kirk Deeter, writing on the Trout Unlimited blog April 25th, threw out the bold headline: “Guides: Gatekeepers or Profiteers”. There’s no mystery where Kirk stands on the subject. He goes on to write, “I think the sun rises and sets on the fly fishing world where guides collectively say it does. They are stewards of their rivers. They are the innovators, and the teachers. And a good guide is, for fly fishing and trout conservation, worth his or her weight in gold.”
I agree with Kirk completely but it’s apparently a controversial topic. Not everyone loves fishing guides and it got me wondering why. Most of my friends are, or have been, fishing guides. I am not, but I hear the stories and I remember having a few rough days with guides back in the day. I mentioned it to Kirk and this was his response.
“You ask a great question here. Let me put it to you this way. I have done enough guiding with enough people of all types that I sometimes cheer for the fish. Seriously. You can say I said that. On the other hand, nothing lights me up more than sharing a passion with someone who gets it, appreciates it, and really shows some genuine class and enthusiasm. A great guide and client team should be like a Bwana and his tracker… two people on one mission… bound by respect.”
I reached out to a few more friends in the guiding business and asked them, from their perspective, where things go wrong. I decided to make a list. I figured, like Rodney King said, “why can’t we all just get along?”
People hire guides for a host of different reasons but they all want the same thing, a great day on the water. Unfortunately, some days end with neither the guide or the client feeling all that good about it. Malfunctions in the client-guide relationship can spoil what should be a positive experience for everyone. Fortunately these malfunctions can be easily avoided. With that in mind, here is a list of dos and don’ts for your day of guided fishing. Follow these simple guidelines and, even if the fishing is slow, you’ll walk away feeling like you got your money’s worth.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Take The Kids
This weeks Shout out is all about taking the kids fishing.
Cameron Mortenson over at The Fiberglass Manifesto gets to thinking about how he, and just about everyone else, can do better by their kids. It’s an inspirational piece for busy parents.
CHECK OUT, “PARENTS, WE CAN ALL DO BETTER”
Meanwhile, over at Stalking The Seam, Steven Brutger is getting down to brass tacks on how to make winter fishing with the kids a success rather than a tantrum, on anyone’s part. It’s great advice that will keep you and your kids out making memories during the colder months.
CHECK OUT, “WINTER FISHING: WITH KIDS”
Read More »Maven Fly, Fly Fishing Gear For Women, By Women
Quality you can feel, style you can’t help but see.
Women’s fishing clothing is a tough market and one too many fly fishing brands ignore all together. With women being the fastest growing demographic in fly fishing, it’s nice to see a company like Maven Fly taking it seriously.
This is the nicest women’s specific fly fishing clothing I’ve seen. It’s stylish, technical and feels extremely well made. The line is still fairly small but it’s an impressive start. Maven Fly is definitely a brand to keep your Eye on.
In this video Lise Lozelle shows is a few on the cool offerings from maven Fly.
Read More »Covering a Hatch Starts with Carrying the Right Flies
By Kent Klewein
Have you ever been standing in the river watching a big hatch unfolding with rising fish all around you, but for some reason you can’t get the feeding fish to eat your flies?
Covering and owning a hatch starts with you first carrying the right fly patterns. When you know you’re going to encounter a specific hatch on the water, always carry multiple variations (colors, sizes) and stages (nymph, emerger, dun, spinner) to make sure you’re covered. Trout can get really picky during selective feeding.
This very situation happened to me last year running a guided float trip during an intense sulphur hatch. There was yellow everywhere, and fish were in a feeding frenzy, but the trout wouldn’t eat any of my sulphur patterns I tied on for my clients. Even my CDC go-to patterns that always work, were shunned by the feeding trout. I finally found a sulphur pattern after my seventh try that the trout consistently liked, and it saved the day. It ended up being nothing special, just a dun with in a slightly different color shade. The remainder of the float trip all I could think about was how important it was that I had so many different sulphur imitations on hand. It would have been a long quiet drive back if my clients witnessed an epic hatch with perfect conditions, and we ended up striking out on the water.
Your standard parahcute style dun with a small nymph dropper off the back will not always work. Below are some examples of other fly pattern options for rounding out your fly box and owning a hatch:
Read More »Sunday Classic / 4 Tips For Capturing Better Release Shots of Your Fish
Your best shot at capturing a good photograph of you and your catch, is first having someone along with you that’s competent with a camera in their hands. But even a world class photographer will tell you, it’s extremely difficult getting those picture perfect photographs, if the person handling the fish has no clue what their doing. Some of my favorite fly fishing shots to look at are catch and release shots, because there seems to be something extra moving about capturing the release of a fish in a photograph. Problem is, release shots are often some of the hardest photographs to pull off on the water. You have to have satisfactory light and adequate water clarity, but even with both of those, much of your success will ultimately be determined by the cooperation of the fish your shooting. Below are four tips for capturing better release shots that Louis and I have learned through trial and error over the years. Followed correctly, they should increase your chances at getting that perfect catch and release shot.
Tip 1: Choose a Calm Stretch of Water for the Release When Possible
Fast moving water isn’t optimal. If you can find a nice eddy or a calm stretch of water close by, you’ll find it much easier to photograph a nice release shot. In most cases, slower moving water will provide you with better water clarity for showcasing the fish below the surface during the release. I’ve also found it’s much easier to handle and keep the fish in proper position in slower moving water.
Tip 2: Keep Your Catch Calm and Relaxed
Don’t be in a rush to get the shot. Keep the fish in the water and in the net until it has calmed down before you move forward with the release shot. This is especially true if you land the fish quickly. A hot fish generally will swim off so fast, it will be hard for the photographer to time and get the best shot. Your goal is to release the fish at a speed that lets the photographer shoot multiple shots. This will increase the chances you end up with the perfect photograph.
Tip 3: Use Your Arm For Better Control and Timing the Release
One of my best tricks I’ve learned over the year
Saturday Shoutout / Venturing to Cuba
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
When President Obama announced new policies on relations with Cuba recently the fly fishing community just about wet itself in unison. For as long as I can remember Cuba has been whispered about and rumored to be the ElDorado of saltwater fly fishing. I’ve spent a fair amount of time on Google earth day dreaming of the day that border would open.
It’s certainly not unheard of for anglers to skirt the rules and get a little fishing time in Cuba, but it could be that very soon it will be as easy as running down to the Bahamas. There are still more questions than answers and as many rumors. I was glad to see this piece from The Venturing Angler. It may help answer a few of your questions.
Check out “A New Course On Cuba And Fly Fishing”
Read More »Nautilus’s New Silver King Is A Winner
The new Nautilus Silver King fly reel does not play.
If you’ve been reading Gink and Gasoline for a while, you may have figured out that I love Nautilus reels. Owner, Kristen Mustad has become a good friend and in an industry full of really smart people, Kristen is one of the smartest. His designs are works of art.
Winner of best fly reel in both Saltwater and Freshwater categories at IFTD, the new Silver King fly reel from Nautilus is a serious piece of fish fighting machinery. The five inch spool delivers 14 1/2 inches per turn of line pickup and it’s the lightest reel in its class, ever. The new dual carbon fiber sealed drag is phenomenal! Super stout with the finest adjustment I’ve ever seen in a fly reel.
The Silver King is loaded with features but there is an elegance to its design and proportions that is hard to explain. The feel of this reel in your hand has to be experienced. It feels like it was Taylor made for the hand. It’s a thing of beauty.
In this video Kristen introduces you to the Silver King and just for fun we look at some of the amazing Nautilus custom finishes, including one Kristen calls, “Your Mother’s Thong.” Only from Nautilus.
Read More »The Checkered Flag Has Flown in The Fly Shop 500!
The votes are in and you, the G&G readers, have picked the Fly Shop Of The Year!
It’s January 1st 2015 and the Fly Shop 500 has come to a blazing close. The competition was hot and heavy all the way to the finish line, with roughly 7000 votes cast! We are thrilled with the response, the enthusiasm of our readers and the choice you have made.
Although every fly shop in the US was invited to enter free of charge or obligation, not all shops did. I feel 100% confident however, that the outcome is spot on. As I have gotten to know more about the contenders, it’s become clear that the cream has risen to the top. So many absolutely great shops entered, but only one can be the best. I just glad that you had to choose and not me!
We are proud to announce that the winner of the Gink and Gasoline Fly Shop 500 and Fly Shop of the Year is…
Read More »Landlocked Stripers on the Fly
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
Time for me to get excited about layering up and getting on one of my local reservoirs for some landlocked stripers on the fly. The fall and winter months are great times for both numbers and big fish if you’re willing to battle the cold. Dropping water temperatures get baitfish schooling up and very active, and you’ll find schools of hybrid bass and striped bass following their every move. It sounds easy right? Tell me that again when the alarm clock is ringing at 4:00am and it’s twenty degrees outside.
For best results you’re going to want to get on the lake early, well before sunrise. You will find your best opportunity for breaking fish is the first three or four hours of the day. Once the sun gets high on the horizon the baitfish and the striped bass usually go deep. Even with full sinking lines you’ll find it hard to effectively present your fly in the strike zone when fish are deep. Long points close to deep water or flats and humps surrounded by deep water are hotspots for stripers and hybrid bass driving and abusing baitfish. Sometimes stripers will
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