Sunday Classic / New Treatment for Casters Elbow
Ok, it tennis elbow but it might as easily be casters elbow. If you’ve spent much time on the cork end of a fly rod you’ve felt that burning in the elbow. Probably while you were fighting a big fish. That’s when it usually gets me. This came up while fishing with a friend who like me plays guitar pretty regularly. When combined with a couple of days a week fishing it’s a recipe for pain and suffering.
I did some research and came across a new gadget for the treatment of tennis elbow that’s pretty effective. It’s called Flex Bar. It would be tedious to explain how to use it but this video, although goofy as hell, gets it across. It’s pretty simple. You can buy one of these online for $15 or so but I made my own by cutting off a piece of a foam pool noodle from Wal-Mart. You have enough foam left over to tie some stupid big Chernobyls in crazy colors. If you do, please send photos.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Tobey Fishes With Thoreau
JON TOBEY OF “GO INTO THE LIGHT” HAS BEEN READING, AND FISHING.
It turns out the Jon shares his home water with Henry David Thoreau. And what he has learned from Thoreau about this place is quite enlightening. It’s also a riveting perspective on action and consequence. Would you be surprised to know that Thoreau was calling for the removal of dams in 1849 and warning of how they would irrevocably change the environment?
Like Thoreau, Jon is a concerned angler and a hell of a writer. Take a few minuets to wade with he and Thoreau in the waters of the Concord and Merrimack. You may learn a thing or two.
THOREAU’S A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS
Read More »Innovative New Rods From Tenkara USA
IF YOU HAD TOLD ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT TENKARA WOULD BE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF FLY FISHING IN 2014 I’D HAVE SAID, “WHAT’S TENKARA?”
I’m not sure anyone other than Daniel Galhardo saw it coming but tenkara has spread like pink eye in kindergarten. And with good reason. Tenkara fishing is a blast. I’ve been doing it for a while now and it has legitimately changed the way I think about some of my fly fishing.
In addition to being fun, tenkara is also a great introduction to fly fishing. I shortens the learning curve and let’s the angler focus on the fundamentals of presentation. I firmly believe that anglers who start with tenkara will be better fish catchers than those who start with traditional gear.
This year Tenkara USA introduced a couple of new rods who’s lengths are adjustable to accommodate a variety of fishing conditions. I have fished both and I own the Rhodo. They are great rods and the length adjustment works flawlessly.
My prediction is that Tenkara USA rods will be the hot item for Christmas this year. I can’t think of a better gift.
In this video Daniel will show off the features of the new Rhodo and Sato rods.
Read More »Look More and Fish Less on Small Streams
When I’m not in my drift boat on the river I’m wading fishing on small streams. Most large rivers don’t provide much sight-fishing opportunities for the fly angler unless they have low enough flows, clear enough water or plenty of rising fish. On the contrary, almost all small streams offer great sight-fishing opportunities for fly fisherman. Fly fishing small streams over the years, I’ve learned that if I take the time to look over a spot thoroughly before I fish it, I usually have much more success. Spending just a couple minutes studying a section of water allows me to break it down into pieces, figure out where the most likely trout lies are and I often will even spot a fish or two in the process. Blind casting will catch fish, but
Read More »Surface Tension
IT’S ALL ABOUT BREAKING THE SURFACE.
I’m always reluctant to talk about my photography. Somewhere, deep inside, I suppose I think no one is interested but I keep getting requests asking me to talk about my photos so I guess I should. I thought today I would talk a little more in depth about an image I love and why I love it.
My fly fishing photo library contains almost 400,000 images. That’s a lot to get your head around. Think of it this way, in my office there is a safe containing over a dozen external hard drives. Each holding between two and six terabytes of data.
There are a great many different kinds of photos in there. Hero shots, scenics, moments of epic timing as well as failed experiments, half baked ideas and photos of my drunk friends. Some of them puzzle even me and I live with the uneasy idea that the best photo I ever took may be just lost in all of that data.
One thing seems to be true about this mountain of work. The cream does rise to the top. Over time certain images just continue to catch my eye. Some I love at first sight, but others I fall in love with over time. I find that those are the images that end up meaning the most to me. The ones that take time to love and understand.
Here’s the tricky thing. Time is not a luxury that photographers enjoy. Time is more of an adversary. Here’s what I mean.
Read More »Sunday Classic / Keep Your Rod Tip Off the Water for Longer Drag-Free Drifts
Are you finding yourself struggling to get long drag-free drifts on the water?
If the answer is yes, you may be holding your rod tip too close to the water during your drifts. When your rod tip is positioned too low, you’re putting unnecessary fly line on the water that you in turn have to manage in order to maintain a drag-free drift. As soon as this unwanted fly line hits the waters surface, it’s immediately subjected to the surrounding currents. Depending on how fast the current is at your feet, the less time it will take for it to be pulled downstream and begin effecting your drift. Eventually all the slack will be pulled out in your fly line and your drag-free drift will be compromised. There’s of course a happy medium though, on rod tip position. Too high, and anglers will find it difficult to effectively mend and set the hook. I generally tell my clients to keep their rod tip at least three feet off the water’s surface.
Here’s a simple drill to help you understand
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / TFM’s 12 Days of Christmas
Get some free stuff from TFM!
Tomorrow is the start of The Fiberglass Manifesto’s 12 days of Christmas giveaway. This is the coolest gear giveaway and Flyfishing. TFM will be giving away something bad ass every day. All you have to do is email to win. Get over there now to get in on the good stuff!
TFM’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Read More »New Partnerships, New Products from Fishpond
FISHPOND IS AN IDEA FACTORY!
The thing I love about these guys is, they never stop innovating. This year is no exception and the best example may be their new Co-Lab products. Fishpond has partnered with Chaco and Voormi to develop new products unique in fly fishing.
Best of all Fishpond’s heart and wallet are in the right place. A significant portion of the sales of these products goes to the Western Rivers Conservancy. That’s a win all around.
Check out this video to see the cool new products and watch me pour water all over our friend Kara Armano!
Read More »If It Looks Offensive, Fish It!
By Justin Pickett
Does a trout fly have to “be something?”
I was once approached by a man on a local stream after I had brought a nice male Rainbow Trout to the net, and immediately he asked the age old question, “What’d he eat?” I removed the fly from the trout’s kyped jaw and held it up for the older gentleman to see. The look of shock and awe… no… make that shear terror… on his face was priceless.
“What the hell is that supposed to be?!” to which I replied,
“I dunno, but it works!”
The fly in question is the brainchild of a good friend, and colleague, of mine. He fishes it all the time, and has lovingly named it the “Trout Brain.” It is a large, ugly, bulky, pink, flesh-like pattern tied on a partridge hook with a bright, fluorescent orange, tungsten bead. To look at this thing, you’d think that there is no way any self-respecting trout inhabiting the lower 48 would eat it. Hell I’ve had clients and other fishing buddies downright refuse to tie it on their rig. I’ll admit I had my doubts at first as well.
It is definitely a far cry from what you would consider a “traditional” fly pattern, but it has proven to be very effective. Do I know why
Read More »Sunday Classic / My Favorite Bonefish Reel
STILL MY FAVORITE BONEFISH REEL.
BEST OF ALL IT ONLY COST $285
I remember standing on the beach at Andros South watching my buddy Bruce Chard teaching his annual bonefish school. Bruce was illustrating for a first timer what he should expect when he encountered a bonefish. He held the line and let the student feel how hard he should strip set, then he took off running down the beach a fast as he could. The student did a good job of clearing the line and getting Bruce on the reel but I’ll never forget the look on his face when Bruce turned and ran straight back toward him. He stood slack jawed, line piled up at his feet while Bruce and I laughed.
That’s exactly what a bonefish will do to you. They can swim thirty miles per hour and at some point, as they go ballistic and criss cross the flat they’ll head straight for you. You had better be ready to pick up some line in a hurry. The first time it happened to me I struggled. My reel wouldn’t pick up the line and I resorted to stripping it in by hand. My guide told me to, “get rid of that trout reel.” Of course, it wasn’t a trout reel but it clearly wasn’t a bonefish reel either.
The next time I went bonefishing I had to be better prepared. I knew I needed
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