Saturday Shoutout / Skiff Republic Talks To Chico Fernandez
THIS SATURDAY MARSHAL CUTCHIN SITS DOWN WITH ONE OF THE TRUE GREATS IN FLY FISHING, CHICO FERNANDEZ.
Chico talks about how he got started fly fishing as a boy in Cuba and how he, and the sport, have evolved. He shares insights into the nature of fly angling, jazz, Cuban cooking and poling skiffs vs canoes. Best of all there is an audio file as well as the text, so you can hear Chico speak in his own voice.
This was really special for me. There are few people I respect more than Chico Fernandez. In addition to being one of the epic pioneers in saltwater fly fishing, he’s the nicest guy you will ever meet. Take the time to listen to this interview. You’ll be glad you did.
Skiff Republic Interview: Chico Fernandez
In addition this week I’d like to share this great video about the Trout Unlimited, Headwaters Program. This is a great, and important program and this video tells the story well.
Read More »Quality Gear From Finn Utility
ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE NEW GEAR MANUFACTURERS WE SAW AT IFTD THIS YEAR WAS FINN UTILITY.
Finn offers a line of traditional fly fishing packs, cases and luggage with a heavy emphasis on quality. The video doesn’t do them justice. When you touch a piece of Finn gear you feel the quality. The materials and craftsmanship way beyond what we have come to expect in fishing gear.
Owner / designer Ryan McDonald is obsessive about detail. His commitment to quality and passion for natural materials is palpable. The result is a line of fishing gear that’s as much art as utility. Informed by Ryan’s childhood, fishing the rivers of Maine, the design of these pieces calls up visions of a simpler and better time.
All Finn products are made by hand right here in the US, many by Ryan himself. Check out the video to see all of the cool stuff Finn has to offer.
Read More »iPhone Survives 7 Hours Underwater Without Waterproof Case
I’ve dunked my fair share of cell phones in the water since I started guiding. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but my first year of guiding alone, I had to make four trips to the AT&T store for new phones because of water damage. I was notorious for jumping out of my drift boat with my cell phone in my pocket. Thank goodness, back then, I had phone insurance. Other than that first painful year, I’ve managed to maintain a pretty respectable record for keeping my cell phones dry while fly fishing. So when I got a notice by email from AT&T recently to upgrade my iPhone to a 5, for a nominal fee, I took them up on the offer. This time, however, I passed on the insurance coverage to save some cash. At the time, it seemed like a good decision, but those thoughts quickly vanished this past week during a guide trip when I thought I’d safely dropped my cell phone into the front pocket of my waders, but instead lodged it between my waist pack and my waders.
Read More »How To Become A Badass Angler
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS A BAD PHOTOGRAPHER AND A BAD ANGLER.
I got to thinking about this the other day when my brother called to tell me that Leon Townsend had died. I hadn’t thought of him in years. Leon was the man that gave me my first job as a photographer, at the local newspaper in 1978 when I was seventeen years old. He was also the first, and only, person who ever fired me. I honestly didn’t learn much from my time there at The Register and Bee, but firing me was quite possibly the best thing anyone has ever done for me and I will always be grateful to Leon for that.
I had enough pride that being told I wasn’t up to the job stung. It motivated me. I realized that Leon was right. I wasn’t very good and it was on me to make myself better. I have been told many times that I have talent and I have often insisted that I do not. I realized early on, that I would have to work twice as hard as the talented people around me to succeed. What I have, what I learned, is not talent but tenacity. It has served me well. If you want to pay me a compliment, call me tenacious.
In time I became a good photographer and a good angler, and I did it in pretty much the same way. I won’t bore you with a chronology of my photographic career but I will offer you some insight on how I learned, and continue to learn, to fish.
HERE’S HOW YOU BECOME A BADASS ANGLER.
Read More »Sunday’s Classic / 4 Tips to Get You Roll Casting Like a Pro
You’ve just spotted a big head break the surface on the far bank, gulping down a struggling mayfly drifting in the foam. The excitement of discovering the trophy trout feeding triggers your body’s adrenaline glands, and almost instantly, you feel your heart begin to pound, thump thump….thump thump. With the confined quarters and lacking room for a back cast, you realize your only viable option to reach the fish is going to be with an accurate roll cast. As you quickly try to present your mayfly imitation in the feeding lane, hoping that the big fish will mistake it for a natural, your fly shoots left of your intended target and lands in an overhanging branch above the fish’s lie, immediately putting down the big fish. With the fishing opportunity blown and the disappointment setting in, you find yourself asking, “What did I do wrong?”
As an avid small stream trout fisherman, I’ve lived out this exact situation many times, and felt the disappointment followed by a poorly executed roll cast. It wasn’t until I took the time to understand and learn the mechanics of proper roll casting, that I began finding myself capitalizing on fishing situations that called for precise roll casting. Looking back now on my past roll casting insufficiency, it’s clear I wasn’t at all, alone. There’s many anglers that struggle with roll casting, and that’s why I’ve decided to provide a short list of tips that’s intended to get anglers roll casting like pros.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Anglers Tonic, Unity in the Universe
This week for our Saturday Shoutouts we showcase Anglers Tonic with an informative piece from Greg Thomas about his recent fly fishing trip to the Gaspe Peninsula for Atlantic Salmon. Our second read, is an emotional, yet inspiring series of essays written by Wright Thompson about the famous fly rod builder Tom Morgan, who continues to fulfill orders for his high end fly rods with the help of Gerri Carlson, despite battling Lou Gehrig’s disease. Check them out and have a great weekend everyone.
Read More »Scott Radian Fly Rod
Scott Fly Rods had a great showing this year at the IFTD show in Las Vegas with the unveiling of their new Radian Series fly rods. The series not only took home the award for Best New Fly Rod but it also won Best New Product for 2013. In all honesty, I was really happy for Scott Fly Rods, because I felt like in a long while for a change, a fly rod that should have won an award, actually did. Furthermore, Scott Fly Rods marketing slogan for the Radian Series “Fast Meets Feel” is an accurate and meaningful description that’s truthful. If you don’t believe me, go out and cast one and see for yourself.
The first thought that popped into my head after I cast the Radian, was harmony. It’s an unbelievably crisp casting (fast action) fly rod. The taper design is spot on. When you cast the rod you can feel the butt, mid and tip sections of the rod working flawlessly together. It provided me with a deep feeling of connection to the rod, and gave me the confidence I could hit any target I wanted to with it. A lot anglers claim that a good fly rod should feel like an extension of your arm and hand. Not all rods provide that feeling, but in all seriousness, that’s exactly how the Radian made me feel. It casts well at long and short distances, and unlike most fast action rods, it roll casts pretty damn good. The aesthetics and components of the Radian series fly rods are top notch, providing everything you would expect to see in a high end fly rod, with some added extras. Below is a video with Jim Bartschi who talks in detail about the Radian Series fly rods.
Read More »RIO Fly Line Cleaning Towelette Wipes
Routine fly line maintenance and cleaning is something all fly anglers should get in the habit of practicing. Taking the time to clean a fly line after every 2 to 3 uses will greatly increase the life of the fly line, and it will also keep it performing at its best on the water. Remember, it’s not just the dirt and grime that builds up on fly lines while fishing that degrades the performance and life of fly lines. It’s also the harmful chemical residues that we often involuntarily bring our fly lines into contact with, such as sunscreen and bug repellent that cause the real damage.
Read More »Sunday Classic / The Albright Knot
The Albright Knot is a great knot for attaching a metal bite tippet to your leader. It can also be used to attach the leader to the fly line or any time you are attaching materials of very different size or stiffness. Here’s Capt. Joel Dickey, in the last of his three part series on better salt water knots, to teach you the Albright Knot.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Weird, The Secret Lives of Fish
I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO OFFER UP AN EXPLANATION,
rationalization or even a critique for these wonderful and twisted works of art. I’ll just say that I love them. Especially the ones I ‘kind of’ understand. And I call myself a fishing photographer?
So for today, suspend your catch-and-release ethic and enjoy,
WEIRD THE SECRET LIVES OF FISH.
There are 22 in all.
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