I just got done reading through the comments on the Trout Underground, following Tom Chandlers post about Simms Fly Fishing announcing direct sales.  It’s going to be a hot button issue and I will be interested to see how it goes.  At this time, I really can’t say that I have a black and white opinion on the subject.  It does seem to me that an inevitable change is underway; good or bad, right or wrong.

I am currently a fly shop employee in Montana, a Simms Guide Ambassador, and a Fly Fishing Outfitter/Guide in Alaska.   I am proud to wear Simms waders: Made in Montana.  Without them, my 120+ days on the water would not be nearly as pleasant. Over the years, many of my clients have moved toward Simms waders.  They have learned from my experience, and now their own, that Simms waders are simply the best.  I have toured the operation in Bozeman and met many of the good people involved in the company.  If you think the waders are expensive, you should see how much labor goes into each pair.  The materials costs are huge and the operating cost of the specialized machines is very high.  Simms is the only manufacturer in the USA making Gore Tex waders.  They employ a great crew of people in Bozeman, Montana.  Most of those people are outdoor lovers and fly anglers.

I have previously worked at a fly shop in Colorado and have visited and supported shops around the country when traveling.  I expect that as most manufactures move toward direct selling, the small, specialized shops in towns and cities will fade away.  Key destination shops should remain strong and survive by selling lots of flies, running guides, and fulfilling on demand needs for gear.  They will be the focus of hands on retail and the outlet for showcasing gear in the future.  I don’t believe the fly shop is going away, I just believe there will be fewer choices.

It is my hope that Simms will continue to strive to make the very best fly fishing products and that those products will be available in fly shops.  It is also my hope that we will always have fly shops to visit, see new gear, talk the fishing flap, and catch the fishy vibe.

For more on the debate, visit Angling Trade.

Moose Calves on the Kenai

Today a fellow walked into the Big R Fly Shop and started looking at bonefish leaders and saltwater flies.  “You must be going someplace warm.” I said.  “Yep, I’m headed to Christmas Island.” He looked through the flies and then bought a couple spare leaders that he probably won’t use.  I’m sure his tackle is already organized and ready.  I think the reason he was in the shop today was to enjoy the build up.  The next best thing to being on a fly fishing trip is planning to go on a fly fishing trip.  Once the dates are on the calendar, the wishing takes a backseat to the anticipation and planning.  Fly Fishing Travel.  It can feel pretty awesome.

Kenai Rainbow Release

This is the first part in a series of posts I’m going to run about what to expect if you are planning on Kenai River fly fishing.  June is several pages deep in the calendar, but I’m already feeling the pull.  The smell of new growth over last years decay.  The chorus and energy of the mating birds. The rush of snow melt waters. The hope of big strong fish; residents of the river and anadromous chromers from the North Pacific.  It can feel pretty awesome.

Our regular season opens on June 11.  It is a great time for a crack at some big post spawn rainbows.  The females are usually in recuperative mode, but the big males are on the prowl.  They can be aggressive.  Sculpin and eel like patterns might provoke savage attacks.  I have seen OX tippet pop like 6/0 tying thread on the bite.  Active chrome rainbows are on the hunt for migrating salmon smolt, or grazing through clouds of  last seasons fry.  They want to eat and its up to you to provide something that looks tasty.  They will reward you for the effort.

Wild Salmon are delicious

Sockeye Salmon bound for the Russian River are moving through and beginning to concentrate in the Upper Kenai.  The run usually lasts through the month, with the peak likely between the 15^th and 25^th.  Early run sockeye arrive chrome bright, fight like demons, and are exceptionally tasty.  They sometimes surprise us while we fish for rainbows.  Tangle with a Russian River chromer on a trout set up, and you are in for some fun.

King Salmon are moving through the Lower Kenai and Kasilof Rivers.  They are typically bright and full of fight.  While we don’t focus a lot of effort fly-fishing for Kings, we do chase them occasionally.  Some of our guests fly fish for trout and sockeye for a few days and then opt for a gear trip to try and land a big King Salmon.

Kyle Telleen with a 30# King

While swinging or drifting for a King with fly on the Kenai River is possible, flying to smaller streams or hitting a roadside attraction like the Kasilof River, Anchor River or Deep Creek is a good bet for action.

Perfect Early Summer Day

An added bonus during June are the long “daylight” days (almost 20hrs on the Solstice).  You can fish a typical full day and have plenty of time for added sightseeing or other activities.  You can also fish until you drop.

I’ve done lots of driving the past nine days.  I’ve been Montana road tripping, sans fly fishing.  Given the really nice weather for mid-winter and the constant travel through trout country, its been trying at times.  The current landscape is reminiscent of mid-November and it seems like we’ve been in some sort of time warp.

Last Friday morning, I left for Bozeman with my daughter.  She had a music scholarship audition at MSU right in the middle of the day.  Despite the possibility of squeezing in a couple hours on some trout water, the day was about Keeli, and she was not dressed for winter fishing.  I didn’t even bring it up.

On Saturday, I drove South again, headed for Butte.  Kyle had 2 hockey games scheduled.  They were spaced perfectly to avoid any chance of a quick outing on some trout water.

This Friday after school and work, I was again on the road for Bozeman.  Kyle had a game at 7am on Saturday, with the following games at 1:30 and 4:30.  After game 1, I sent Kyle off with another family to cruise the town, while Erin took a nap.  Shortly after 9 a.m., I had my window to sneak on some water.  I had a 4-piece 5wt hidden in the back of the rig under a pile of hockey gear.  I quickly pulled my waders on over jeans and entered a slice of the East Gallatin, just minutes from our hotel.

The air was still 22 degrees.  An icy slurry of slush cakes rode the currents. On some runs, shelf ice forced me to walk right up the middle of the channel.  As I crossed one shaded riffle, my boots squished through a grey netherworld of anchor slush.  Conditions seemed a bit arctic, but I knew the warm sun would do its thing.

My goal was to probe a particular hole with a tight line Czech style drift.  I set up my  leader with a brace of flies and flipped a few drifts.  The trout were strong and required a bit of finesse around rocks and ice chunks.  A tiny purple zebra midge on 6X was the ticket.

Paul Bloch from the Big R Fly Shop had given me some intel and it was a lock. Thanks Paul.  All I needed was a little hit of fishing to round out a great hockey weekend.

Winning is fun!

The Great Falls American’s Pee Wee Hockey Team gets a WIN!

From the Tenkara USA Blog:

“Tenkara is a fad and it won’t last long”, Lefty Kreh, the legendary fly-caster and face for TFO (a fly-fishing company) told me this morning as we walked toward the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show here in Marlborough, MA.”

Well, that’s an honest opinion from a fly fishing legend.  Right or wrong, its one Legendary Fly Fisherman’s opinion.  That opinion is ironically reaching many people with little knowledge of what Tenkara is about.  That comment will likely promote more interest in Tenkara, simply because Lefty said it.  Tenkara will owe Lefty big time.

I began fishing with a cane pole; moved up to a Zebco 202; dabbled with hand lining; actually caught some fish with my bare hands; fell in love with spinning reels; got way into bait casting, started building rods, picked up an old bamboo fly rod; bought a graphite fly rod;  bought more graphite fly rods; and now I’ve got a handful of spey rods.  I think one of the best things about fishing is that there are so many ways to enjoy it.  We can choose the best or easiest technique or try something more challenging; with the goal being to catch a fish a certain way.  There are many ways to be rewarded.

I don’t expect we’ll be seeing any Tenakara angling on the upcoming episodes of Buccaneers and Bones even though Yvon Choinard is a Tenkara fan.  I’m a big fan of YC and if he’s made room for Tenkara, then that’s saying something.  Tenkara is just one more way to exercise a fish under the right circumstances.  Heck, Tenkara even has a yearly Summit. I’ve heard of fly fishing shows and spey claves, but a summit sounds pretty serious; even kind of elitist.  While these guys may not be for reel, I think we will be hearing from them for awhile.

In checking out Tenkara USA, I’m behind their ideals:

“Tenkara USA will open the doors to many outdoor enthusiasts and backpackers who like the idea of fly-fishing but have always found western fly-fishing too complex or intimidating. Tenkara USA is dedicated to small-stream conservation, and committed to the Planet through the 1% for the Planetintiative. Tenkara USA  will donate at least 1% of its sales to the environment.”

As far as Tenkara goes, its pretty simple and that’s kind of the point.  These guys seem pretty harmless.  If all goes well, they will take over the market and everyone will move to smaller waters and focus on diminutive trout.  I will have all the casting room I need for double hauling 8 weights and swinging 2-Handers.  Can you hear my drag scream?  Tenkara…Tenkara….

What other bloggers are saying:

Roderick Hawg Brown

Unaccomplished Angler

Wind Knots & Tangled Lines

Field & Stream

Troutrageous

Fontinalis Rising

Eat More Brook Trout

Owl Jones

Tenkara Fishing Blog

Perfect Trout Spey Reel

In the Big R Fly Shop in Great Falls, Montana, we carry Nautilus Reels.  It was there I saw the FWX 7/8 for the first time.  Every few days, I’d open the case and play with it.  That’s pretty much how I choose a reel.  After I hold it a few times, I can tell if its the one.  I figured I’d play with the Nautilus until sometime this spring.  When I could stand it no longer without a fly line, I would likely get one.  Then low and behold, I received a package in the mail this past week.  In the package was the perfect trout spey reel along with a card from Paul and Johne.  Paul and Johne are two of my long time guests in Alaska and we’ve shared some memorable days on the Kenai River.  They must have decided I needed a nudge to continue putting them on fish or maybe they felt bad about the gifted Ross Canyon 3 that I’d had stolen a few years ago.  In any event, thanks very much guys. You were Spot On!

I set up the reel in the shop last week. For backing, I loaded the spool with 125 yards of 50# Spider Wire Stealth Braid.  Its super slick, super strong and packs down tightly on the spool.  It will also slice through the water easily if a big fish should run it out there.  To my backing braid, I looped a 33 meter shot of 30# Loop LTS flat nylon Shooting Line.  The LTS shoots incredibly well and adds little bulk to the reel.  It also slices through the water easily, which is great when a fish is already towing a skagit head and heavy tip.  I tie a non slip loop knot at both ends of my LTS.  To the terminal side, I added an Airflo Skagit Compact 390  grain head with a length of 22.5′.  To the Skagit head, I loop any of the tips in the Medium MOW series from Rio.  The 10′ tip with 7.5′ of T11 is my favorite for most trout spey conditions.  To my MOW tip, I loop on 3-4′ of 12# Sunline FC Super Sniper.  Then I tie on the fly du jour with a non slip mono loop.

Tying the Shop Sculpin

After launching it all with a Sage 6119 TCX…

The Nautilus FWX 7/8 is incredibly light in the hand and a pleasure to fish. With my backing/running line set up, there is plenty of spacing for a skagit head on the spool. I had a chance to get the drag pulled, and it was buttery smooth. This was the first time I’d tried the Skagit Compact 390 and it worked perfectly on the Sage TCX 6119. I have used the TCX now since last April and it is my go to 2 handed fly rod for trout spey swinging (*swey). The Nautilus really polished off the package.

*swey: Swinging and spey casting with a switch/spey rod between 11 and 12′ as described by Dave Henry of   2 Handed Trout.

Windknots & Tangled Lines

Howard Levett from Wind Knots & Tangled Lines has called for bloggers to:

Write a synopsis of your fishing timeline.

My earliest fishing experience was in the summer of 1969.  My father was going to law school at Michigan and working as the director of Camp Copneconic in the summers.  We were out on a pontoon boat that had been christened Freddy the Turtle in honor of me.  Hmm…maybe I was not a cute baby.  Anyway, someone handed me a cane pole and I lifted the line up to inspect the hook.  I was thrilled and exclaimed “I caught a worm!”  Any sunfish that came after were anticlimactic after the worm.  A few days later, I was on the camp pier with my mom waiting to get picked up for another worming adventure.  The captain came in a little hot and hit the pier, knocking me into the water.  I bobbed up turtle style, with a bloody forehead.  I have a scar to this day.  It was the first of many fishing related baptisms and several more scars.

After my father graduated from law school, he decided to remain a camp director and we moved to Camp Warren near Virginia Minnesota.  I got right after the panfish of Half Moon Lake.  I was shore and dock bound as a 4 to 6yr old, but I sure wanted to get one of those big bass I’d sometimes see.  Several years later, we moved on to Wisconsin and I never got a hand on one of those bass.

When I was 10, I went back to Camp Warren as a 2 week summer camper.  I remembered those bass.  I spent every non-structured moment down on this dock at the end of camp.  The dock was adjacent to a big reed bed. There were sometimes boats tied to the end of the dock.  I was standing in the boat, working a hula popper with my Zebco 202 when it happened.  I caught a 5lb bass.  I managed to wrestle the beast up and lip him.  Then I lunged from the boat to the dock, missing my mark as the boat bobbed and knocking my wind out on the side of the dock.  I skinned up my legs on the rough wood and floundered in 2 ft of water thinking I was dying.  The bass went flying, bouncing down the dock before splashing into the lake on the other side.  After catching my wind and realizing I was going to live, I slogged back to the cabin covered in blood and weeds. Before I could tell my tale, my counselor grabbed me and I got to spend the evening in the camp infirmary.

The next morning after breakfast, a cry went up from the water front detail.  A 5lb bass had washed up dead on the beach.  No one had ever seen such a fish and no one believed me when I claimed I’d caught it the day before.  It was the first time I realized that there are many doubters in this world and that lots of people just don’t understand those of us possessed by fishing.

Most of my formative fishing years came about at Camp Manito-wish on Boulder Lake.  At first, I used a big old inner tube with a snorkel and fins to explore South Bay.  I could spot fish and then jig them up with a Mister Twister on a hand line.  I was sight fishing for rock bass, crappie and walleye.  Once a big musky came in and attacked a little walleye I’d hooked.  I aspirated water through my snorkel and about choked to death.

During the school year, we lived down in Milwaukee.  I hated being away from camp, but made the best of it by fishing Lake Michigan.  It was the early 80s, and trout and salmon were being poured into the great lakes and getting big and fat on Alewives.  I started out fishing from Klode Park in Whitefish Bay.  It was a long walk from home, but I was optimistic.  It took several trips before I hit the water (temp and wind) just right for beach angling and landed two big lake trout.  After dragging them up a mountain of stairs from the beach, and over a mile down Lake Shore Dr toward my house, their tales had lost several inches.  After a few similar trips, I developed a strong catch-and-release ethic.

Back at camp, by age 12, I was checked off to take out my own canoe.  I’d paddle around the adjacent bay to our cabin when I was not biking over to Nichols Lake for panfish/bass or swimming around and chasing fish in the Manito-wish River.  By 15; I had a little motor boat. Soon after, I caught my first 32” “legal” musky on a brown bucktail. The entire lake was now my playground and Musky became my passionate objective.  Boulder Junction Wisconsin is the self proclaimed Musky Capital of the world.  By 17, I got a bigger motor and bought a 1973 Yellow Chevy Chevelle from my uncle.  When I was not playing Dukes of Hazard on the logging roads, I’d tow my boat (with the Chevelle) to other lakes in the area and chase musky.  A good friend’s dad sent us off on a trip with a real musky guide that summer and unknowingly set the stage for my future inability to get a “real job.”

I played football freshman and sophomore year, but once I had a driver’s license, I realized that I could quit begging my parents to drive me to fishing locations and drive myself.  My parents put up a few small battles, but then realized that I was a hopeless case and figured time would be better spent on my sister who was interested in horses and not fishing.

I made many trips up to Port Washington, plying the waters of Lake Michigan and chasing lake run salmon and steelhead up and down Sauk Creek.  Soon forays expanded to Door County and back up to Boulder Lake for late fall, early spring fishing trips with high school buddies.  On one venture, while my buddies were shouting from the dock, I took off to show off warm up the motor.  After making a hair pin turn and heading back for the dock, my prized Johnson motor, motored on past me; disappearing in a trail of bubbles and running full throttle to the bottom of the lake.

Johnson Outboard Motor

Apparently, I had not tightened the bolts securely.

Back in 2012 after a session of clearing out the cobwebs, I’m still stuck in the 80′s Howard.  Thanks for triggering the flashbacks.  I think I’m going to need a part 2.

Last year we were frozen and living with ice and snow.  This year, I’ve already been on the water several times.  Who knows how this winter will play out.  I’m sure there will be some payback.  For now, we are enjoying open water, fishing without gloves, active fish and 357 more days of fishing potential in 2012.

Fin Fetcher

On today’s afternoon outing, Brian “Fin Fetcher” Neilsen had seven eats on a dry fly and he landed several fish on a steamer.  I managed to get several fish while working the Trout Spey and our friend Paul C. hooked up while nymphing with a switch rod.  Strider wondered why we were ignoring the birds.  He found some nice dead stuff to roll in and was able to splash in on Brian and put down some rising fish.  Point taken Strider.

Paul C and Strider

Mark Raisler from Headhunters was out guiding today.  His clients got bent as they worked the drift.

Headhunter

I like fly fishing and its great to be on the water with friends, just taking it easy and catching some fish.  Its already been a great year.

Blogging about Fly Fishing in Alaska and Montana

Going back to December of 2010, I failed to put up a single post.  When the new year rolled around, I decided to become a more regular blogger and post on topics such as fly fishing on the Kenai River, piscine insights, a little humor, calls to action regarding fishery issues, fly fishing travel and a bunch more about fly fishing on the Missouri River in Montana.

In January, I posted some Kenai River Alaska videos about Rainbow Trout and Silver Salmon: A unique Alaska guide story: Some trip details from Missouri River Montana winter ventures: And I remained vigilant about Pebble Mine.

Ice Fish

In February, I posted some sage advice from client and friend Matt Ruck: Some words on the state of the fly fishing industry: And some Tips for Alaska Fly Fishing Success.

In March, I revealed 12 Ways to test your fly fishing guide: My personal encounter with Bigfoot: And why Bananas and fishing are never a good pairing: I’m often hard to reach by phone, so I apologized.

12 Step Guide

April was a busy month. My blog got a face lift thanks to Rebecca the Outdooress of OBN fame. I joined  The Best Fly Fishing State Debate started by Kirk Deter from the Field & Stream Fly Talk Blog and Editor of Angling Trade Magazine.  Kirk even stopped by for a comment.

April means fishing season for real in Montana and Simms Ice Out for fly fishing guides. At Ice Out, I met with Andrew Bennett of Deneki Outdoors and planned some hosted trips in 2012. Join me in Alaska or the Bahamas.

I also provided a guest post on Howard the Cofishers’ incredibly popular Wind Knots & Tangled Lines Blog. He said a bunch of people actually read it.

Islamorada Happiness

In May, I hosted a trip to Islamorada in the Florida Keys to chase tarpon.  We stayed at Roland Martin’s pad next to the Lorelei. I met and drank with some of the colorful guides and anglers from Islamorada and Key West. I even managed a side trip into Bahamian waters. We watched a Coast Guard plane chase a cigarette boat, while our captain started telling us about all the weapons he had on board in case we were attacked by drug runners or pirates.  I caught a big barracuda that burned my fingers and then watched it get vaporized by three sharks, seconds after release.

Kenai River Rainbow

In June, I got back to work living the dream as an Alaskan fly fishing guide for my 23^rd year.  The season started out pretty well with the landing of Troutzilla.  I also began posting over at my Kenai River Fishing Report Page.

In July, we experienced a pretty amazing sockeye salmon run and I got bashed for not posting fishing reports enough.

I got a bit more active in August and managed 8 posts on Mystic Waters and 5 on the Kenai River Fishing Report. It was much easier with a new lap top and WiFi connectivity at the Kingfisher Roadhouse.

Fish Alaska!

In September, I mentioned my love of trout spey and linked to my latest article in Fish Alaska Magazine. I also talked about how awesome the Kenai River is and kept on typing, rowing and netting fish, despite severe net elbow.

The Man

In October, I posted about a guides vacation over to the Naknek River while fishing with Stacy and Justin Crump from Alaska Sportsman’s Bear Trail Lodge. That was a pretty sweet side trip, capping off another great Alaska fishing and guiding season. I’d gladly go again and anyone who would like more information should contact me.

October is my yearly southbound migration time and my post was OBN Reader Approved.  My next post featured a video about the road trip back to Montana.

Save the Sacred Headwaters

November brought about a  new winter job at the Big R Fly Shop and I posted another Alaska guide story that developed an unexpected second part in Montana.  I also got an email from April Vokey, because I voiced my opinion to the Premier of British Columbia about the Sacred Headwaters.

In December, some of my guests made bold statements…I Really Must Protest and If beer, women and fishing aren’t the answer, then you’re asking the wrong questions.

I went back to talking about the summer solstice in Alaska in Kype Magazine (pg 12).

Giant Carp Hole

The year is ending with me staring wistfully at a small disc of water twelve stories below my parents urban condo in downtown Phoenix Arizona.  There are some huge carp down there on the other side of the Phoenix Country Club fence.  Hmmm…

Happy 2012.  Tight Lines, Great Fishing and Good Health.  Maybe we can meet on some Mystic Waters.

Yesterday morning I got up at 5am to wrap up  some breakfast burritos and help my wife and son out the door for school.  Just after 7, Paul Bloch scooped me and we rolled up the Missouri River for a quick trout attack before work at 11am.  It had sounded like a brilliant plan in the shop the day before, but it was 25 degrees and overcast when we pulled out of town. I figured we’d get nothing more than some exercise along with frozen fly lines and extremities.  We only had from sunrise til 10am to scratch our fishing need, but why not give it a try.

Paul Bloch on any given day fishing Montana

Swing...

We made it to work on time, pulling off our waders in the parking lot and throwing on a fresh shirt.  It was hard not to feel a bit smug working the fly shop floor as shoppers talked about fishing “next season”.  It was harder still, not being on the water.  Our outing was made possible by a schedule change.  I usually start work at 7am, but was needed for a later shift due to a big store event.  I work in the Fly Shop, but we have a general fishing, hunting and  sporting goods zone, along with clothing, hardware, tack, farm and boots to name some of our almost everything. We help out in all areas as needed, but have our own areas of expertise.  Not everyone in the store understands the difference between the fishing and fly shop departments.  Its possible to hear over the radios…”Fly Shop, your frozen smelt are in receiving, or Fly Shop, your worms are at the post office.”  Rather than be offended, I embrace the diversity of our unique operation.

Once the big sale began at 5pm, we had lines wrapping around the store.  Some shoppers were in fine holiday spirit and enjoyed the excitement of saving money on some really good items.  Others were harried and a bit short on patience.  While I was helping  a gentleman find the right Leatherman Tool, I overheard a lady on her cell phone….”He’s got this crazy list of things he wants for Christmas including a black bear tied to a tree, not on private land.  I wonder who can arrange that one?”  It took me a moment to register what I had just heard and then I could not help but laugh out loud while she glared at me and moved on, jabbering into her phone.  Good luck with that one pal.

I’ve been getting some interesting emails lately. This was another great closing line. “If beer, women & fishing aren’t the answer, then you’re asking the wrong questions” I posted the line on facebook and my brother-in-law Scott immediately noted that women should be listed first. I’m sure this is in deference to my sister-in-law Lisa and my wife Erin. Scott is a smart guy.

Mmmmmm

Another comment affirmed that beer should be first, because it never complains. I’m not going to touch that one, but I do like beer.

Kate Taylor is a hardcore fly fisher.

Kate Taylor can guide you to huge rainbows on the Naknek River in Alaska and afterward, she likes beer. 

My Happy Place

Any questions?