Expo photo recapitulation

Hutch Hutchinson demonstrates how to properly fix 'your buddies' casting techniques.

There are not many things that will make a fly fisherman yearn for water more than standing in the warm sun on a beautiful day bombing casts with a bad-ass new Orvis HELIOS 5wt switch rod.... in a parking lot. No, I didn't buy one, nor could I have afforded one even if the crazies overtook me and forced me to take out my credit card at gunpoint, which doesn't even work anymore now that B of A has decided I was living a little too much like a good American, it was just fun to pretend.

But I suppose if you are not going to spend a wonderful spring Saturday on the water, then hanging out with a great group of fly junkies telling war stories, watching tying demonstrations, snapping photos and learning better and more efficient ways to make the local water inhabitants bow to their sensei is the next best thing.

Emerson "Chief" Craig sharing some of his 30 years worth of White Mountain trout fishing knowledge

 There was no poll, but I would bet a coke that the popular vote of the day would have gone to Emerson "Chief" Craig and his talks about techniques, tips and tactics for fishing Arizona's White Mountain trout lakes. Fly fishing since the tender age of ten and targeting fish in and around the Wt. Mountains since 1973, Chief is truly "the man" when it comes to ruling these waters and I am sure that every person who was fortunate enough to hear his talk will cast with greater confidence when fishing these waters from ice-off till winter's return, myself included.

Another highlight was the demonstration of Mike Leed's improved grass frog. Tied on a Waddingtin shank with a top-side looped weed guard, and a upturned TroKar 1/0 drop shot hook attached to the leader with a 2 foot section of weed-slicing 30lb PowerPro braided line, I cannot imagine running into any problems dragging this frog across even the nastiest of weed beds.

It still looks like a heavy bitch, but losing the rabbit zonker legs for feathers might help a bit. Still, don't think you will be throwing this on anything less than an 8wt. Mike uses a 10wt, which helps get these surprised fish out of the weeds and into the boat.

A thank you should also go out to Dave Brown for his talks surrounding fly fishing in BC,  and John & Cullen Murphy for their presentations on the guiding and services they provide, as well as some great fish porn helping make this event the best it has been in nearly a decade. Great job, gentlemen.

I should have been paying attention, but I was too busy playing with my camera to tell you where Cullen caught that large fish.

The Future

See more photos.

-Alex

Colorado Sportsmans Expo

Oh god it was amazing! So many booths about fly fishing, camping, bird dogs, hunting, and other random shit I don't care about. Yes the food was over priced, but that is expected. Saw and Met Lefty himself at the fly casting demo, and he taught me shit I would have never thought of. Best of all I got 2 packs of Airflo Ridgeline for the price of 1! Thanks to Hook fly shop. And big thanks to John Kirk who ran the show and Michael Gracie, they got me free tickets. And my dumb ass forgot to put the damn card in my camera so...... no photos.

Bla bla bla,

I am fucking bored right now and haven't posted in a few days or a week, I can't remember, so I am just rambling.

Oh yeah! I am going to Seattle WA on the 13th of Feb. to visit my friend for her birthday. I thought when I am up there I will do some fishing. Does anyone have any tips or anything that I can take up there with me? I don't want to spend the money on a guide. I find it more rewarding to guide myself. But if I don't catch fish I might feel stupid that I didn't get a guide. All you anglers who live or fish Seattle area please throw me some tips, trick, and flies to use.

I am Neptune God of the Sea!!!!!

I just heard that on Family Guy. I have done nothing but watch TV all day, too cold to fish, too lazy to do anything else.

-Kyle