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Sleeping in the Dirt Mag
Etsy Finds
The editorial trophy wife says I have a serious "container fetish," so it's no wonder I was drooling over two items on the craft site Etsy.
$245 gets you this great looking Handcrafted portable fly tying station.
This portable fly tying desk will hold everything you need and will go from home to motel to fishing camp and everywhere in between. Made of hardwood plywood with walnut reinforcing on the corners and edges, this is one rugged desk. The left half of the case houses two removable drawers which are drilled with different sized holes to hold all your tools, a slide out thread tray with room for twenty spools, three drawers for tools & such, and a large open bin for large items.
This sweet looking custom collectible fly fishing knife: $450
Full tang construction, clip point, 440-C stainless, 3 3/8" blade, 7 1/2" overall, black ash burl scales, brass trim, mirror finish, fly engraving with 24k gold accent. Black walnut display box
Belgian Shotguns
My 12 gauge Belgian Browning along with some Huns
When it comes to good old field grade O/U Shotguns I think it is tough to beat the Browning Superposed.I have the pleasure of owning a 12 gauge with 26 inch barrels choked ic & mod. I bought the gun for $800 from a Canadian Tire store in Calgary 14 years ago.
Prior to my Side by Side kick it was my "go to" gun for everything including Waterfowl, now it sits
in a Safe in Canada and is mostly used as a client gun .
If I was to purchase another O/U it would be a 20 gauge, for a number of reasons it would have to be a Superposed.In my opinion they are right up there with "Funky' old side by sides as they are no longer
made in field grade models , besides the funky aspect Belgians are great gun makers.Case in point
while serving in the Canadian Army all our 7.62 Assault Rifles (FNC1 & FNC2) where manufactured by Fabrique Nationale the same company that built the Superposed . When we converted to M16's the Platoon support weapon ,the Mag 58 General Purpose Machine Gun and Section Support weapon the 5.56 SAW where and are still manufactured by F.N. So on that note it is safe to say a Belgian built shotgun is going to have few if any mechanical problems.
Although one can still purchase a new Belgian Browning via a custom order Browning wants a lot of money for one. I have been drooling over a few on internet sites that are in the $2500 -$3000 range which considering the quality of these fine guns is well worth it .
Not to get off track but There are a lot of Belgian Side by Sides out there too. ,lots of 12's and a surprising amount of 16 gauge guns also at reasonable prices .
.Last week Lee Kennedy showed up for his hunt with a 20 gauge Superposed , what a gun.
For a field grade shotgun the wood was fantastic, the gun pointed nicely and it had a straight English stock which is something I have never seen on a Superposed.This gun confirmed that if I ever "needed an O/U this would be it .
The 20 gauge with an English stock
Lee's 20 Gauge & a male Mearns Quail
Covering a nice point with a nice gun !
Quote of the week: Free as price point
The December 2009 issue of Angling Trade Magazine provides a review of Chris Anderson's book, "Free, the future of a radical price" and how it relates to the fly fishing industry. It gives us our most recent quote of the week:
"Which gets us to fly fishing… where
we’re still hanging no trespassing
signs on rivers and charging rod fees
to fish, then wondering why the sport
doesn’t grow. And we’re still assuming
that people will pay to read how
to tie a blood knot, or fish a streamer.
And the hot free deal in many shops
is getting a “baker’s dozen” 13 flies
for the price of 12. Wow."
To get the context check out the entire review on the Angling Trade Magazine website. The magazine also has an excellent editorial by Kirk Deeter.
Tungsten Shell-Back Shrimps
Deep pools, big fish, small flies
Often limited on hook size by regulations, big streamers or bugs are often no use. So I have tied some heavy streamer style flies - but in a #14 hook. Should be fun to try:
Hook: Partridge BIN #14
Thread: Hends Grall, dark olive
Tail: Downy fibres from Coq de Leon feather - tied around the hook
Wing: Olive Zelon
Ballast: Dumbell eyes
Thorax: Hare, tied in split thread
~Dave
A brownie, picking at drifting nymphs:
However, I feel that anticipation for the start of the trout season that I have always done - the onset of spring and the reminder of early season nymphing blending into superb hatches of up-wings or caddis; fish showing all over the surface of the stream with the evening crescendo.
The winter months are also a time for replenishing the fly boxes, tying up favourite patterns and even adding a few new ones to try on the trout. There is something very pleasing with sitting at the vice and tying a fly that you have planned for specific river or even a certain pool or run. You can almost imagine tying it on the leader, making the cast and letting it fish through the pool. Exciting.
I have struggled to make it to the river recently. But when time has allowed, I've been getting the boxes filled with rows of neatly tied flies, all in preparation for coming trips.
~Dave
Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea
Range to target..one ping only..
When I was a kid I heard stories (intended to be taken with a grain of salt) about German U-Boats that made their way up North Carolina Rivers...but imagine seeing this on your next brownline expedition.
Famous for fibers
Valentine's Day in Boise?
HI FIVE KENNELS
Bruce working with a 7 month old Pointer
For the last four years Bruce & Jenny Minard owner's of High Five Kennels , have been dodging the snow shovel in Michigan and exchanging the Grouse Woods for the Mearns woods .
Bruce is really into the Cover Dog trials which to me makes a lot more sense than All Age Trails because Cover Dog Trails are conducted on wild birds , you don't need a horse besides endurance the dogs running in the trails have to be pretty darn smart .
Bruce's goal in his breeding program is to produce smart ,stylish Setters and Pointers with lots of drive. Bruce only has three litters a year, he is busy working dogs as opposed to operating a puppy mill ,he keeps a couple of pups and rest are sold to Hunters and Cover Dog Folks who tend to hunt a lot also.
When Bruce leaves AZ he heads up to Kansas and puts some more polish on the dogs then he heads back to Michigan and gets ready for the trails to start in the Spring.
Lee Kennedy and I had a visit with Bruce and Jenny,both of us where impressed with his dogs and his dog knowledge. Down the road I am sure you will see a few of Bruce 's Pointers on my string.
Bruce has 30 Dogs strung out
Patagonia's World Trout Initiative Grants
Eight Global Grassroots Groups Receive $75,000 for Fish and Habitat Enhancement
Ventura, CA (January 12, 2010) Patagonia, Inc, the outdoor gear and technical apparel company announced today their World Trout initiative has issued eight grants totaling $75,000 to global grassroots groups whose diverse efforts to protect and enhance fish and their habitat around the world exemplify the philosophy of World Trout.
Grant recipients include the Wild Salmon Center at $10,00 for their Koppi River Salmon Diversity project; Pacific Rivers Council at $8,000 for their Umpqua River Legacy Program; Truckee River Watershed Council, who’s efforts on Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Restoration received $15,000; Takshanuk Watershed council was allocated $10,000 for completion of their water rights reservations initiatives; Bahamian-based Friends of the Environment was the recipient of $8,000 for their sustainable crawfish campaign, Henry’s Fork Foundation’s film, Watershed, which is about impressive hands-on projects completed over the past 25 years, was allotted $3,000 to help distribute this informative film to anglers and other grassroots groups in the hopes these efforts can be replicated; Bonefish and Tarpon Trust’s research on critical tarpon habitat received $15,000 and Italian group Societa Valsesiana Pescatori Sportivi was sent $8,000 for enhancement of their threatened grayling habitat.
World Trout was founded by Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard and author/artist James Prosek, who believed that immediate, hands-on action through local grassroots groups can begin to address multiple threats facing our fish and their habitat. Educating the public about these groups’ efforts and raising money to support their vitally important activities was the goal. As a result, original artwork by such renowned artists as James Prosek, Tim Borski and Alan James Robinson, has been used to create unique t-shirts, with $5 from the sales of each shirt set aside to fund these groups. Since 2005, World Trout has successfully generated over $400,000 that has been allocated to 30 local grassroots groups.
Because of increasing requests for support and the significant amount of dollars that have been raised, Patagonia has made the World Trout Grant application process easier. Go to www.patagonia.com/worldtrout and the grant guidelines in the lower left corner will walk you through the process. "This grant process allows us to receive applications from groups worldwide, allowing us to react more rapidly to fund those working tirelessly to protect and enhance fish and habitat," noted Bill Klyn, Patagonia’s international fishing development manager.
About Patagonia
Noted internationally for its commitment to product quality, Patagonia’s Environmental Grants program has contributed over contributed over $35M to grassroots environmental activists since the program began in 1985. Patagonia, with sales last year of $315M, is noted internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism. Its Environmental Grants Program has and its Environmental Internship Program allows employees to work for environmental groups while receiving their full paycheck. Incorporating environmental responsibility in to product development, the company has, since 1996, used only organically-grown cotton in its clothing line, and is noted world-wide for using recycled soda bottles in many of its polyester fleece garments.
www.patagonia.com
About Patagonia
Noted internationally for its commitment to product quality, Patagonia’s Environmental Grants program has contributed over $35M to grassroots environmental programs since it first began back in 1985. Since 1993, Patagonia is noted world-wide for using recycled soda pop bottles in many of its polyester fleece garments. Raising the bar even further, our Common Threads Recycling Program takes back ours and our competitors’ polyester underwear and specific Malden Mills fleece, along with organic cotton t-shirts, to be recycled into new fibers. The company has paved the way for others to get on the garment recycling bandwagon. In addition, Patagonia initiated the Footprint Chronicles, a unique, transparent insight into the impact a product generates from its sourcing of materials until it is delivered to our warehouse. For further information on these programs, visit www.patagonia.com/recycle.
travel companion,ipad
For All The Bamboo Purists....
Maine Striper Fishing 2010: Start Planning Your Trip Today!!!
Happy New Year Everyone!!!
As a way to kick off the New Year and New decade, We at Super Fly Charters would like to offer all our customers a $50.00 discount for any trip booked before April 1st, 2010. This our small way of saying thank you to everyone that has helped to make our business a great success.
I'm looking forward to having you all back aboard this season!!!
We'll once again be chasing Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna and other species...dont Miss out on the action!!!
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com
In Colorado These "Ice Guys" don't mess around
I haven't really seen too much fish through the ice bit Nate saw himself a beast of a pike as I was pulling in my good 14 inch bow, and a fat little fart he was. Normally I do not go for "Bait Dunkers", "Bait Chuckers" or what ever the hell you want to call them. Obvious fact is you can't throw a fly on a frozen lake when there is 20" of ice.
Chris on Saturday comes into the royal tavern after sending me these photos on my cell phone about the 9lb. pike he caught and thought he was the man.
After tossing a 10 inch mud dog on his tip up in his new secrete hole I would agree.
So Chris and I are sitting at our friends house, Jake and Sina, The German couple as I like to call them, Watching the Vikings and Saints game. I thought Farve was going to make his last trip to the Super Bowl instead the last pass he throws had to be a damn interception. Anyway enough of that rambling, Chris and I go outside of a smoke when his phone rings. After all day of bragging about his 9lb. pike his head drops, his voice has a bit of a stutter, and his skin turns pale. His Ice fishing buddy, Andy, just tells him that he pulled a 20lb pike out of the same hole! Chris, I can tell is kicking himself in the ass a bit for watching the football game instead of fishing this hole again. But what are you gonna do? who would think over 30 lbs of pike would be sitting in the same hole? So a total of 7 pike caught in the same hole in 2 days, I think that is a good way to start 2010........
Kyle - who needs to do some ice fishing.
Animas River, CO Fly Fishing Report
The Animas is low and cold. Some slush on cold mornings but mid day disappears. Fishing has been fair to good with fish eating midges and caddis nymphs deep in pools and pockets.
San Juan worms and eggs also catching some medium sized fish. Don't forget streamers- bright flashy yellow patterns producing fair to good.
Profile of the Firehole River, WY
Something to smile about?
Chuck Furimsky, owner/operator of The Fly Fishing Show may well have something to smile about. We accosted him in the halls of his Somerset, NJ event and found out a few interesting facts about the fly fishing show scene.
How was attendance this year? According to Mr. Furimsky, Friday set an all time record for the Somerset show (which is his largest event). The packed house we saw on Saturday seemed to further back this up. When asked if he thought the strong attendance was a sign of an impending economic rebound he replied rather that people saw the $15 admission price for the show and over 60 fly fishing programs as a great value (a message that is front and center in this year's marketing material).
What about the whole AFFTA / Nielsen trade show drama this year? Mr. F just shook his head and indicated that he had pitched a Florida show proposal to AFFTA but couldn't get any traction with the AFFTA board (the same folks who had previously decided to go head to head with his consumer show in the Denver market). A big revelation about his proposal for the Florida show would have given free hotel rooms to the dealers. Something we have to think would have made it almost as popular as if they had given free rooms to the media types.
From our own point of view, the show felt successful. The dealers we spoke to seemed happy with the attendance, booths were packed, Lefty Kreh was in the house, and the cash registers appeared to be ringing sales. We even saw a few freshly purchased fly rods leaving the building. Lots of folks were giving show discounts and one rod company even offered our pal Pete a code to use if he wanted to purchase online later. Laissez les bon temps rouler? Maybe.
Thanks to Mr. Furimski for taking time to answer our questions. Just in case you ever thought being a fly fishing show mogul was easy, when we met up with Mr. F he was on his way to repair a wireless microphone and wondering why the local Goose Patrol hadn't gotten rid of the geese.
Fly fishing show NJ Edition
The Fly Fishing Show
Moisture and the Nikon D90
Paul covering an Okie Point
Sharing Ideas
Here's a couple of patterns I discovered on a forum a while back. Tied by Mick Wilkes ("Sabsman") they epitomise my interest in fly dressing: simple but highly effective.
Proof that they work... I'm sure Mick won't mind me posting a photo of his success:
Mick has kindly sent me some photos of the step-by-step. Take a look at his blog: Mick's Fly Fishing Diary. It showcases some enviable fishing and success.
~Dave
Post Your Fly Fishing Reports
Click on the link below to learn how to post your fly fishing reports with the Virtual Fly Guides.
Found in the Urban Wild
Snow, ice and freezing rod rings
In more than extreme conditions, David did manage to winkle out a fish. Not the biggest grayling in the world... but a grayling nonetheless!