Speak Softly and Carry a Small Stick

4" brook trout everywhere will be quaking in the riverbed with my new small stream rig.

Like many of my outdoor gear projects, this one started on a silly whim. I had this magnificent reel - a Bozeman Reels SC - that was basically sitting unused. I purchased a 325 size, with the misguided idea that I'd use it on my Scott G2 905/4. Not sure what I was thinking - since that rod already has an excellent Abel Classic reel on it. Plus, I live in SE Michigan and gas is nearly $4 a gallon. How much dry fly trout fishing can I do?

Then I got to thinking. With a family place in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I have access to some nice small water spots. And my Dad just LOVES fishing this backwoods stuff. I've also got a few spots in the Lower Peninsula that I like. Maybe it's time for a cool shorter 3 weight?

As I'm starting to ponder the possibilities, I notice on the Bozeman web site that the SC is now available in a smaller 223 (2-3 weight) size. Hmmmm. A quick e-mail with them and we work out an exchange (my 325 was never even cast). Very soon an SC Series 223 is in my hands. And what a perfect little reel it is. All the goodness of the SC325, just in a smaller package.

Now for a rod. Already own a Scott A3 856/4. Nice stick, but I want something lighter and shorter. Need to be able to handle it back in the bush and want something that makes a 6" brookie feel like a steelhead. My Dad had cast the Hardy 'glass rods and liked them. I see that Echo has a new line of glass rods - they've always had good value for the price. But glass (often) is SLLLOOOOWWWWW. And I suck at slowing down my casts.

And then I found it. The new Orvis Superfine Glass in a 7' 3-weight configuration. Soul from fiberglass, speed from graphite. Perfect! The more I read a few online reviews, the more excited I am about this stick. Everyone calls it "shockingly fast" but remarks it has the feel glass is known for. Sign me up. A quick test cast, and one is procured.

Line is easy - when you have a top-notch shop like Schultz Outfitters handy. With all the new market introductions, keeping up with fly lines is a full-time job. I find that line knowledge is a really valid way to assess a good shop. Bonus points if they're clued in on spey lines. My selection is a Rio Perception. Great all around presentation line for trout fishing.

A very competent rig. But sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. That's the case here. This rod and reel look and feel like they were made for each other. The classic looks of both blend beautifully. And the reel weight and size are just right to balance the rod. From the instant I slip the reel into the seat, it's all good. Everything is in holistic harmony. Yeah, seriously, it's that good.

I'll be headed to the UP in a couple of weeks. Dad and I have an Atlantic Salmon date booked with Brad Petzke of Riversnorth. But before that I'm sure we'll put in some time on the small water. I'm sure I'll have much more to write after that. Can't wait!

-Sean-

Clickety Clack

I love click-pawl reels. There's some primal connection of man to fish about them. I love the sound as you strip off line or a fish runs. They just have this immediate and tactile quality that's hard to truly describe. From talking to other fly anglers, clickers seem to be a love or don't proposition. The Hatch guys mostly look at me like I've lost my low-tech mind.

Currently, I own a bunch of clickers for a variety of sizes and applications. From larger models on full spey rods, down to a small reel for my 4-weight trout rod. Each has unique and distinctive features that set it apart from the others. The common thread? I love them all. I think I picked up this mantra from my guns - I don't own any guns I don't love. I've had a couple, and when I sold them, I felt better. Same goes for my clicker reels.

I own clickers from Abel, Bozeman Reel, Kingpin, and The Spey Company (Speyco, to most). Speyco occupies a special place for me. But it's hard to put my finger on exactly what it is that I love about Tim Pantzlaff's reels. If I was pressed, I suppose it would be simply Soul. Tim's reels have soul that is unlike anything else on the market. It's in the feel in your had. The purr of the clicker. The wide range of customization options he offers to make it "your" reel. Some of my other reels have smoother machining/polishing (I'd have to give that to Kingpin, with Abel a close second). Or are more "classic" - the Bozeman SC probably gets that honor. Speyco combines soul with bombproof construction. These things are just built. You talk to Tim for just a few minutes and it's clear that this guy knows how machinery is supposed to work. And his reels reflect that knowledge in every aspect. Top-notch bearings. Everything fits together exactly as it should - rather like a finely crafted firearm.

If this sound like a commercial for Speyco, well, I suppose it is. Recently I received my second Speyco - a 3-3/4" Switch model in all black with the Snake Roll handle. This one's for my smallmouth swing set-up on a 6-weight TFO Deer Creek 11' switch rod. As soon as I got it in the reel seat, I knew this was the right call. Swinging for smallies on the previous Ross Evolution LT (a great reel -- my go-to for stripping streamers or fishing topwater smallies) just didn't seem right. Can't wait to hear it howl!

-Sean-

Initial New Product Review: Bozeman Reel SC 325

First, a confession to set the table. I love click-pawl reels. I love the nostalgia. The feel. And the purity. So, I am a sucker for a good one. And I already have some good ones - Abel's Spey and Classic, the Kingpin Spey, and a couple of the Abel Creek series.

I found out about Bozeman Reel through a "friend of a friend" situation. All of their reels are manufactured in Bozeman, Montana. A trout reel from trout country - perfect. While I like their more "standard" reels quite well, what caught my eye was the oh-so-retro SC Series. This is a reel that would have looked just right on Hemingway's bamboo rod chasing brookies on the Fox river in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's the fly reel equivalent of a Parker side-by-side shotgun for upland bird hunting. So, of course, I need one. Well, OK, actually I really just want one. So an order is placed for an SC 325. This will be perfect on my Scott G2 905-4.

As a marketing guy by profession, I'm impressed with companies who consider the full brand experience. And the Bozeman Reels guys have this aspect mastered. The reel comes in a box that looks like it would have been right at home full of Cuban Cohibas. A mahogany tone, with the very chic BR logo woodburned in. Tight. Open up this wonderful box and you find a canvas tent cloth reel cover with an elk horn button. Note to Orvis - watch these guys. Packaging makes a difference and yours is boring.

But how about that reel, you ask? Perfection. True minimalist perfection. The fit and finish are tight. The clicker has just the right balance of tone and smoothness. And, it just feels right. My Abel Creek reels are jewels - super-nice, but a bit blingy. The Bozeman SC is like a perfect marble step in a centuries-old building. Smooth. Solid. But somehow it's almost warm to the touch.

I can't wait to hit the water with it. I've spooled it up with a 5-weight Rio Perfection line. This stealthy line will make this thing killer throwing delicate dries to a sipping trout on a pleasant Summer evening. Thanks, to the Bozeman Reels crew - you seem to have created a winner!

-Sean-

Random Intriguing Outdoor Gear

As the Summer begins its wrap-up, and Fall steelhead and Winter skiing and fishing make there way onto the horizon, lots of assorted (and largely random) gear is on my mind.

Speyco Reels
I've developed a passion for click-pawl reels. I think it grew out of fishing a centerpin in Winter. I love that almost mythical connection from me to that surging fish. No fancy-ass sealed, carbon-ceramic-nanotube drag system. Man vs. Fish, with a little clicker help. I've already got both the Abel Spey and the Kingpin Spey. Tim Pantzlaff's beautifully machined brutish reels really have my attention. No, I don't have a stick that needs one, though maybe the Scott L2H might benefit from a smaller reel. Yeah, that's it...

Scott Radian Fly Rod
Damn you, Scott. I was done buying rods! But I have a deep lust for a super fast 7 weight for all-around streamer fishing.

Rockered Powder Skis
After only a single day on my Volkl RTM 84's, I quickly realized the impact of rocker on ski design and performance. Now my traditionally cambered Line Prophet 100's look sadly outmoded. All the great reviews of the Line Prophet 98 rockered ski are NOT helping.

Next Generation Helmet
It is quickly coming to light that current SNELL/ANSI helmet standards do little to protect your melon from much other than blunt force trauma. Reality is that concussions and rotational damage are being recognized - from the NFL to snow sports - as more serious threats to your health. I haven't done a ton of research on who has them out, etc. but look for more on this blog on the topic soon. I'm thinking it start with my ski helmet, but may later move to the cycling brain bucket.

Bozeman Reels
My name is Sean and I'm a Reel Junkie. There I said it. And as regular readers will know, I'm in love with well-made click-pawl style reels. Over the Summer I ran across this relatively new company. While all of the products look sweet (and 100% made in the U.S.A.), I'm really captivated by the SC Series. Do I need it? Nope. I may just need to admit that I collect reels and call that a hobby.

-Sean-