Up Power Weekend: Day One

Saturday was decided to be Escanaba Day by Dad and I. The Esky is a river I really enjoy, though I've only fished it a few times. The settings are pretty, and the fish are usually plentiful. Probably doesn't hurt that my first day fishing it I got fish on dries, nymphs, and streamers all within one day.

But first, we needed some detours (hey, you don't want to be out there TOO early). I'm a big fan of Rapid River Knife Works. Handmade, by Michigan craftsmen. I've had one of their Skinner Series knives for a few years and been extremely pleased with it. Recently I noticed some new knives on their web site, so I thought a repeat visit was in order. After making the poor kid behind the count pull out about 87 knives, I settled on a nice elk antler-sided folder (oddly, not pictured on their web site). Like my other knife, excellent quality at a very fair price!

Marble's Outlet, a few miles down the road, is the UP's newest fly shop. Dad had met the owner on the river one day, so we paid him a visit. Owner Jim couldn't have been any nicer. Great guy to chat with. Gave us some solid river intel and showed us around the place. If you're in the area and need some gear, a great place to stop. For a new shop, he had a nice selection of inventory, especially tying materials.

Next we made a stop along the river to check out a smallmouth spot Jim had recommended. Looks solid. Perhaps I'll get back there, though if I'm in the UP, I'm generally more interested in coldwater species.

By now, it's mid-afternoon. Time for a late lunch and perhaps a beer or two. Since we're in the "big city" of Escanaba, that means Hereford & Hops. Food is serviceable, while the beer is actually pretty good. Thirst quenched and belly filled, we're off to the river. Jim's given us some pointers on a stretch we've fished before that's been producing lately.

Now the dilemma - what to fish. On a stretch that I know, I'm partial to taking two rods - one with a dry or nymph rig, and the other a streamer. Streamer is easy - Scott Radian 907/4, Ross Evolution LT III with Rio Outbound Short line. Boom. Done. I really WANT to fish my fancy Scott G2 5-weight. But the wind is blowing hard and picking up velocity. I'm thinking I need the 6-weight advantage to cut the wind. So it's the Scott A4 906/4, Abel Creek Series AC2 standard arbor reel, and Scientific Anglers GPX line for dry flies.

I love my Abel clicker reels AC2 Creek Series shown here.

Now for the disappointment - can't tell you where we were. Yeah, if you know the area, you can probably guess. But if you don't, you're not finding it from my blog. Sorry, but I make it a policy never to reveal spots a guide's taken me to. The best guides spend a ton of time developing their list of spots so they have good water for their clients. I feel very fortunate that a few have been generous enough to share them with me. But I won't post 'em up on the Interwebs. Figure it out yourself, or better still book a day with a guide. In the UP, that's simple - Brad Petzke of Rivers North is THE MAN in da Yoop!

After a short walk, we find the areas Jim had shared with us and set up. Dad's downstream running an stimulator, with a bead-head nymph below. I find some likely looking water and start in with the a similar rig with slightly different flies. Fairly quickly I'm hooked up. And just as quickly, I'm off. After fishing a bit more, I dredge the streamer through the run. Zero. Zip. Nada. Zilch.

Now I'm starting to get puzzled. I realize that  we basically walked up, waded in and went to work. And we're trout fishing. Mr. Trout is now in my head. Am I really in the right spot? What am I throwing and why? Time to sit a spell and have a look at the river.

Glancing upstream I notice a riffle with a nice tail-out. Hmmmm. Time for a walk. After wading out, I start running the hopper-dropper with the stimulator and a pheasant tail nymph below. I grid the water out in my mind and start to work it. It's not long before I have a few refusals. OK, Mr. Trout, now you're WAY up in my head. Good friend and primo guide Jon Ray taught me a simple lesson - trout don't miss. If a trout rose and didn't take your fly, that means there was something they didn't like about it. But, they are looking at my flies. So I'm in the right ballpark. Time for a trip back to the bank and a sit (and maybe a sip of the bourbon in my flask...). I notice some smallish white flies fluttering by occasionally. Ah-HA! the #12 Ephorons that Jim sold us! Re-rig and back out I go. Before long, I've got a mid-teens brown to-hand. I don't get to do it enough, so I do really love getting a trout on a dry fly. A bit later I hit another one. I've noticed that smaller trout seem to show themselves at the surface more readily after you hook them. This one does not. Heads straight for the bottom. Unfortunately, this one breaks me off. Bummer.

On the drive back to the cottage we encounter a MAMMOTH  hatch of bugs. The windshield sounds like it's raining. Wow - had a great day, but sorry to have missed that. A damn fine day in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

-Sean-

Chaos

This year I decided to take the advice offered to me and get in some practice casting the fly rod. My overhead cast isn't all I'd like it to be. Of course, it is possible that hanging around with guys who can throw an entire 100' fly line effortlessly probably doesn't help when setting a realistic expectation.

Yesterday I had a few minutes after eating lunch and needed some "outside time", so I broke out the rod/reel I'd brought in for just these pursuits. While I'm walking to the field, I notice the rod. "854/4" - wait minute, that's not my A2 906/4 that I'd intended to use. It's my 8'6" 4-weight Scott A3. Naturally, I have the Ross CLA 3 with a Rio Gold 6 weight line on it. Predictably, it cast like a 4-weight with a 6-weight line. But it's nice to get outside for a bit.

So last night, I take this rod home, thinking I'd grabbed the wrong one and intending to swap it for the 6. Not so fast, cowpoke...

A few weeks back I went out to my favorite little quiet walk-in spot on the Huron River near my house. Beautiful sunny day, perfect temps, just a bit of wind. An idyllic time to throw some small poppers at a mix of panfish, rock bass, and smallmouth. But from the get-go, my casting is piss-poor. Can't even competently throw a 20-footer. WTF? Is the wind goofing me up? Or am I just that rusty? Net result, while it was a nice afternoon out, no strikes, and I left feeling pretty disappointed in my casting skills.

Last night when I go to stow the 4-weight, I notice a rig hanging in the rod rack. This is the one I took on the aforementioned outing. Well, a 4-weight line on a 6-weight rod suddenly explains a lot...

Today I take 20 minutes to cast at lunch with the 6-weight rod and the 6-weight line/reel. From the FIRST cast, it's ON. Nice clean loops. Solid distance. Reasonable accuracy despite a cross-wind. Just money.

The moral of the story is a simple one. Before you rush out, check your inventory. What rod's in your hand? What reel? What line is on that reel? In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "duh-OH!".

-Sean-

Solo Outing

Fun little float on Sunday afternoon. Perfect day for it - 80 degrees and sunny. No humidity. All systems GO!

As I was going solo, this presented the perfect opportunity to run the kicker motor. I've only done one outing with that and while it went OK, I wouldn't describe it as outstanding. But no one drowned and I didn't lose any key gear.

I've got a nice stretch of the Huron River near home that's good for the float down-motor up strategy. Looks like some decent spots, plus the water's pretty big so flow levels aren't an issue. There are launches at both ends that I can get my Clacka into, so it's a good option. I chose to launch at the upper spot so I could float downstream and motor back.

This proved to be a mistake. The launch point is a prime spot for canoes and one of the major livery services. Holy crowd scene. And canoe renters seem to be among the dumbest animals on the face of the planet. Within five minutes of hitting the launch, I've been reminded of that fact at least three times. No, I did not move that kayak to put it in your path to the water. I moved it so I could clear my truck and trailer off the ramp. Doing so will afford you access to the water. Dumbass. And the launch here is a bit sketchy. For some reason, the canoe folks put in a sort of dock/launch that's fairly difficult to put a trailer and driftboat onto. But I manage, and soon I'm off.

My view from the rower's seat - very nice!

My plan is to row between likely looking spots and then fish off anchor. Having covered this stretch before, I figure on a nice 3-4 hour outing. Perfect.

But then there's the wind. 10-15mph, coming straight upriver. On a stretch with minimal gradient and therefore current. Surprisingly little impact on my casting, but it sure slows my rowing!

I've got both my Scott Radian 907/4 and Scott A4 904/4 with the former rigged with Rio Outbound Short for streamers and the latter with Scientific Anglers Titan Taper for topwater. Did I mention how much I love owning a drift boat? Walking in, I'd have never been able to run two rigs like this. In the boat - no problemo!

My trusty river ride

First couple of spots don't yield anything on topwater, so I throw the streamer a bit. No deal. But after a while I switch back to the always productive Boogle Bug on the floating line. Not long after, I stick two rock bass in quick succession. OK - I'm on the board!!!!  Early in my fishing evolution, UP fishing guide Brad Petzke taught me the progression on a trout run - dry fly, then nymph, and then if that's not working dredge that streamer through there. If you run through first with a streamer, you run little chance of getting anything with subsequent techniques. Solid advice and my guiding mantra for this day.

And it works. After drifting the Boogle with no success, I run Mike Schultz's S4 Sculpin pattern through. MONEY! Stuck a rather angry mid-teens smallmouth. This one's bulldoggin' for the bottom, but eventually gives it up. Definitely a nice fight from a mid-sized fish.

By now, it's getting a little later, so I decide to continue on my float. I want to run the full stretch to look at terrain and get some time on the tiller on the way back up. Damn pretty day. And I made an interesting discovery. While the river has plenty of canoes and kayaks, this year there are a ton of Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs). And SUPs bring out the Bikini Hatch like you wouldn't believe. Oh, the stuff you see on the river.

At the bottom, drop the Nissan 3.5Hp kicker in. Fires right up and away I go to the top. I'm really happy with this little motor. Easy starting, quiet, and very straightforward operation. Plus at only 41 pounds, it's easy to handle. Buzz back up to the top, grab the truck and load up the trailer. Five minute ride home. Not a bad day way to pass an afternoon.

Why?

Hours spent out in below freezing temperatures. Piles of feathers, flash, and fluff. Elaborate attention paid to knots. Complex layering strategies. Endless study. That goofy cocked-head look when you tell people that no, you are NOT ice fishing, the rivers are open and you stand in them all Winter.

Why do we do it?

I've had chrome on the brain these past few days, perhaps as a reaction to the flurry of Holiday and year-end activity around me. Yesterday, in a moment of clarity I realized why I love chasing steelhead, especially in Winter. The connection to the power.

From the first strike - whether it's the tap-tap while Indy fishing, or the grab on the swing, every neuron in your body seems to fire simultaneously. If you can not blow this first 30 seconds, your odds go up exponentially. Then once you feel the weight of fish on line, the real rush starts. Through a slender bit of graphite, a skinny fly line, and finally a microscopic bit of tippet, you are connected to a primal beast. Every leap thrills, but also brings the potential for disaster. Every run reminds your muscles that you're one-on-one with a powerful beast.

I suppose this has fueled my love of click-pawl reels. With such a simple drag, you gain such an intimate connection to your fish. There's no elaborate piece of technology providing "tippet protection" -- it's all you.

Then there's the moment you realize that you have the upper hand. Maybe you've finally turned the fish upriver. Or suddenly the run are a bit less violent. But instinctually, you know. You're not done yet, but the game has changed in your favor.

After a successful landing comes another opportunity. To grip that thick tail and feel the raw, muscular power of a perfectly evolved swimming machine. An even more intimate connection to the visceral energy of Mother Nature. Then the fish revives, first wiggling a little harder before eventually a hard tail thrust draws a cold (but happy) splash in the face for the angler.

If you've never caught a steelhead on a fly before, put it on your bucket list. It's a rush like few others.

-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-

Product Review - Scott L2h 1158/4

Now that I've got a couple of outings under my belt with the new Scott L2h switch rod, I thought a quick review to be in order.

Regular readers may recall I picked up this rod to be part of a dedicated swung fly rig. I love swinging and found that breaking down and switching over from an indy rig was just too much of a pain. This enables me to roll up to a good swing spot and go!

The rod has Scott's new unsanded blank approach. I like the retro look and feel of it, but never understood that there were performance reasons behind this decision. Evidently traditional sanded/finished blanks are first sanded, then painted and sealed. This adds a cosmetic layer than can actually negatively impact performance. Interesting -- I had no idea, but it makes perfect sense. For more, read the full article on the Scott web site here.

In addition to the aesthetically appealing finish, this rod has some of the nicer cork I've seen from Scott. My other Scott sticks are fine cork-wise, but this one has a nice, dense, smooth surface. And it feels great in-hand. I know this doesn't really affect the functionality, but it certainly does improve your overall impression of the rod when you first pick one up.

Great, fine -- it's a sweet-looking stick. But how does it FISH? Well, here's the disclaimer. I haven't actually caught anything with it. YET. But I've got some casts in with it and have formed enough of an opinion that I'm very happy with its performance.

The L2h is clearly in the "baby spey" category of switch rods. Unlike the softer float rods (like my A3 1108/4), this one has some more serious backbone. That backbone translates into some serious power. It would be interesting to compare this to the Sage TCX "Death Star" switch. I've thrown a TCX spey rod and the L2h clearly holds its own comparatively.

One interesting issue is selecting the correct line weight. I found a plethora of wildly differing opinions in online resources. In Skagit, Scott calls for 440 grains, whereas Rio suggests 525-575 grains. And Scientific Anglers says 480 grains. Confusing, at-best.Since I was running an SA Skagit Extreme intermediate, I went with their recommendation initially. Casting felt pretty good on the first outing. No blown anchor points and decent "go".

But as the constant tweaker I am, I wondered if a slightly heavier head would benefit me. So, I picked up a 520 grain head and on my second trip to the river - MONEY! With this heavier head, I could feel the rod load much better, manage my application of power, and put the fly right where I wanted it! On my second outing I gained tremendous accuracy, distance, and confidence. I really like this set-up and I'm quite certain it will help me up my two-handed casting skills.

So, if you're looking for an all-around switch rod for mid-sized rivers, I highly recommend the Scott L2h series!

Use Both Hands

Sunday was the inaugural outing for the new switch swing steelhead rig. Regular readers will know that I decided last year to convert my Scott A-3 11' 8-weight over to an indicator rig. This way I don't have to bust down and re-rig just to swing a hole. That, plus I'm really getting into the idea of swinging for steel and a dedicated rig was really appealing.

One key element was scoring an Abel Spey reel. The idea of a classic click-pawl reel (as opposed to a high-tech sealed drag tech monster) was really appealing. I want to hear that screaming reel as a pissed-off Fall chromer tries to make his way back to Lake Michigan. The fit and finish of this thing is awesome. Of course mine had to be the retro black, non-ported model so it had that classic look.

Next, a rig needs a rod. This was an easy choice. After having the chance to cast the new Scott L2h 1158/4 over the Summer I knew my choice right off the bat. Switch rods are a funny little enigma. In my experience, I've never cast a "true" switch rod that could change between indy fishing and swinging with a spey line. My Scott A3 is definitely better as a bobber rod. While the L2h is much more like a "baby spey".

I've evolved all of my two-hand rigs over to running line/shooting head combos from Scientific Anglers. This means a floating running line with Dragon Tail, coupled with a Skagit Extreme Intermediate shooting head in 480 grain. I've also got a Steelhead Scandi head that I'll be playing with later. The new intermediate heads are ideal for Great Lakes steelheading where keeping the fly down and in the zone is critical.

Finally, the crowning grace of this set-up are the new Rio MOW Tips. I've always used homemade T-11 and T-14 tips. But they varying lengths, coupled with my beginner casting skills just caused chaos - blown anchor points, 4" flies whistling at my head, etc. Greg Senyo turned me on to the MOWs. With the MOWs you have a constant tip length -- pretty much always 10'. What changes are the ratio of floating line to sink tip. So you have a 2.5' sink/7.5' float, a 5' sink/5' float, a 7.5' sink/2.5' float, and a 10' sink. These families are offered in Light (T7), Medium (T11), and Heavy (T14) weights.

OK, OK, enough gearsturbation -- what's it fish like?

Fan-f*ckin-tastic!!!! I started at a new spot in the middle PM that a guide friend was kind enough to turn me on to. Great swing water -- oh, and BONUS no one there!!! Once I found my timing, everything flows smoothly.  Contrived cast to re-position. Sweep to form the D-loop. Climb the mountain and BAM line whistles to it's intended destination. As always, the issue for me is slowing down. Slowing down means no blown anchor points, and thus no chaos.

I enjoyed fishing this stick so much that I decided to just swing all day. I encountered nary a fish, but that's OK. This was a learning trip, not a catching trip. By the end of the day I was pretty solid at casting where I wanted, as well as controlling the drift and speed with mends. So now I'm fishing, not just watching.

So, all in all, I really couldn't be happier with any aspect of this set-up. Casts great. Drifts perfectly. And looks ever so retro-cool. The Olde Schoole look of the Abel Spey fits perfectly with the sedate grey of the Scott L2h.

Go on, you know you want one -- get some!!!!

Little Stick, Big Fun

When I originally purchased my Scott A3 8'6" 4-weight, my intent was to use it for smaller water and fish on the trout streams of Northern Michigan. Catching a 6" brookie on a 6-weight seems just ridiculous. I figured this would make an evening on the South Branch of the AuSable so much fun.

Little did I know that this rod would be the basis for a rig that's become my go-to local set-up. This all started with an evening throwing poppers to a bluegill bed off the front of my buddy's pontoon boat. Since my 7-weight A3 was all I had with me, that's what I did it with. Let's just call it overkill.

At that point, I decided that perhaps my little 4-weight was more versatile than I'd considered. With this in mind, I acquired a Ross Evolution 2 reel and spooled it up with backing and a Rio Coldwater Clouser line. It's actually the rig shown in the photo at the top of the blog (and yes, that looks like the upper Manistee river and no I wouldn't normally run that line on that river).

This Spring, with gas prices still steep and free time at a premium, I made myself a goal of getting out more regularly to fish for smallmouth bass. A little poking around on the Huron river found me a nice little spot that nearly always yields some fish.

Sure, there are plenty of dinks -- bluegill, sunfish, rock bass, and smallies. But every once in a while I stick a good smallie and that makes my day! A 12" smallmouth on a 4-weight puts some nice bend in the rod. My biggest to-date went about 14" and I've also gotten a softball-sized sunfish! The best part is that it's literally a few minutes from my home. Got an hour to kill on a week night? Go fishing! If you don't have a little rig like this, build one up and have some fun!

-Sean-

Titan-ic!

Spent the 4th Holiday at a friend's lake house in Hillsdale County. On an evening boat ride, I spent some time throwing BIG poppers into the lilly pads. Didn't turn up any fish, but WOW what a confirmation on that Scientific Anglers Titan Taper line. Pardon my French, but that stuff is the SHIZNIT for throwing big bugs long distances easily!!!!

You can really feel the line loading the rod fully. And, the textured finish makes it slicker than snake snot and capable of shooting really long distances, especially when accelerating with a haul. If you need to huck the big stuff on a floating line, definitely check this line out. I have to say I found it to have considerable advantage over my previous favorite, the Rio Clouser. Comparatively, the SA line is like having another gear.

Now, if I'd just picked up any strikes...

-Sean-

Roll with Soul

For a while now I've wanted to get a retro-cool click-and-pawl reel for my Scott ARC 1287-3 spey rod. I'm starting to develop an appreciation for matching the character of rods and reels. And as this sense developed, this classic olde schoole stick seemed to be dying for a click-pawl reel.

It started with a Ross CLA-6 because it was the right size and didn't cost much. But it had no soul and isn't the most sophisticated drag for bad weather steelhead with a bad attitude. Then I stumbled on a gently used Orvis Mirage 6. This thing is a beautifully engineered and machined reel with a first-rate sealed drag system. In short, it's the shizznit. But it seems better suited to a Helios or a Sage TCX. So my quest for some soul continued.

The Circle Spey from Speyco seemed like an excellent option. These semi-custom traditional style reels are hand-machined in Wisconsin. Some dialogue with owner Tim Pantzlaff and I'd settled on the Circle Spey model. Now I was just waiting for some spare cash to fall into my grimy paws.

In the meantime...

Along comes an opportunity to pick up an Abel Spey reel. Abel reels have an amazing reputation as some of the most durable, well-made reels for salt or freshwater applications. And the Spey model (without ports, of course -- points for style) looks and feels just like an updated classic Hardy. The machining and finish are top-notch. The design is simple and classic. And the sound of that clicker --- mmmmm, music! Can't wait to have an angry Fall steelhead make a run for Lake Michigan and make that reel sing!

I'm also taking this opportunity to re-configure my lines for greater diversity. I've been using a full Rio Skagit line, but I'm going to switch over to a running line/shooting head combo. This will enable me to enjoy some of the experimentation of using different style heads with more convenience (and much less expense). I'm planning to start off with a 500 grain Skagit Extreme Intermediate head from Scientific Anglers and a Scandi head of some sort. I've been running the Skagit Extreme Intermediate on my 6 weight switch rig for smallies and it's been great.

Can't wait for the Fall run! Fish on!!!

-Sean-

Rig Wranglin' - Part 2

OK, so we've talked a bit about the changes to the chuck-n-duck rig; now more about my primary indicator/swing rig...

This set-up is centered around a Scott A3 11' 8-weight switch rod. As per usual with Scott rods I have only one word -- "sweet!" Great stick. Balances well, has some nice backbone for casting and fighting fish. All good. I briefly toyed with swapping out for one of the new L2H rods. I talked to a couple of knowledgeable Scott folks and both said the A3 was a pretty sweet stick, and the L2H wouldn't be worth the effort to change. Good! One less stick to swap out!

I fish this rod both as an indicator set-up, as well as for swinging streamers on small to mid-sized rivers.

The swing set-up is unchanged; older Ross Momentum V reel (tankasaurus) with Rio Skagit Short in 500 grain with a 5-foot cheater. This one's MONEY; throws big flies with great accuracy and accomodates my mediocre spey casting skills. I may explore switching to a shooting line and head system, perhaps based on the new Scientific Anglers Skagit Extreme next Fall. Would be fun to try tweaking weight, and even playing with Scandi lines.

Previous Ross Momentum V LT

The bigger change is on the float set-up. Previously I had a Ross Momentum V LT with a few guide miles on it. I like the Momentum series well enough (though I think I preferred the older one) I do have a few concerns. First the drag isn't sealed. Since this one's my go-to Winter rig, that's of some concern. All I need is a frozen-up free spooling reel to blow a day. Second there are a couple of weak-link plastic parts in the drag system. Nothing major, but when the chance to score a lightly used Orvis Mirage V came along, I jumped at it. Bulletproof drag system, fully sealed, and getting great reviews throughout the industry this is a hot new reel. As of now, the vintage Rio Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead line remains on it. But I noticed that it's underperforming when turning over the rig, so I suspect a new line will be in order next Fall. Line technology has improved so much in the past 12 months.

Couple more steelhead trips and the season will be at a close. Up next it's STREAMER TIME for the big trout. Can't wait!

-Sean-

First Thoughts: Orvis Mirage 6

My spey stick's a way-cool classic Scott ARC 128l7-3. Since picking it up, I've gotten many comments and compliments from spey guys in the know.

I needed a reel for it and didn't have anything in the quiver large enough, so I picked up a Ross CLA-6. Certainly a nice enough reel, plenty capable of holding a reasonable amount of backing and a Rio Skagit Short 475 grain line. But, it's got no soul. And just lately, I'm all about rigs with some soul.

I was leaning toward the The Spey Co's Circle Spey reel. Way, cool. Hand-crafted. And you're not likely to run into another one on the river. For the very reasonable price, I think you get a lot of soul.

Somehow a deal always changes things up. And I scored a deal on a gently-used Orvis Mirage 6. This is Orvis' latest generation reel and one that's been getting a good bit of attention in the media. I know several guides who fish them and all say good things. The excellent sealed drag gets high marks, and since reliable performance in sub-freezing temps is a key for me, this was the one for me.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's surprisingly heavy for being so light. Or light for being so heavy. And I know that makes little sense. Perhaps the best description is that it's surprisingly robust for how light it is.

Had a chance to look deep into the guts of the sealed drag. Holy crap. No low-tech cork here. A carbon-to-stainless-steel construction uses technology borrowed from fighter jet brakes. Seriously. This thing's the shit. Oh, and swapover to right-hand retrieve was butt-simple.

Gotta' get out and get my swing on. See what happens when a pissed off double-digit steelhead puts the hurt on me. Look for more soon...

-Sean-

Ross Love

A couple of new reels arrived for the quiver - and both just strengthen my loyalty to the Ross Reels brand.

The first is a CLA-6 for my spey rod. I wanted a reel large enough to hold a Rio Skagit Short line, and balance out my Scott ARC 1287-3 rod (at 12' 8" that's a fair bit of rod). I own three other CLA's, but all are smaller. This new one's like an extra-large, extra-beefy version. Seems like it will be perfect to throw on the spey stick. Very impressive, especially at the price point. Funny though, the market calls it a "guide favorite". Knowing a few guides, I think this ironic. For client gear, most guides seem to aim toward good quality with a keen eye toward reliable performance. In a reel that means that they can hand them to clients of all levels of ability and awareness and expect solid performance throughout the season. Ultimate precision isn't typically the goal; a good dunking and a sand bath will kill that reel quickly. This reel meets these goals perfectly -- rugged, performance that will last for years without bells and whistles you don't need.

The second is an Evolution LT 4 and spare spool. This one's going to be for my streamer rig for chasing trout and smallmouth. One spool will get a Rio 200 grain sink tip, and the other a Rio Outbound Short. I'd seen this reel in a case at a recent show, but wasn't prepared for how impressive it would be in reel (ha) life. What an amazing piece of design and machining. Light, durable, and super cool looking. Shocking how light it is for a size 4. It will be great balanced on a 9' Scott A3 7-weight streamer stick! As mentioned previously, I do a lot with precision machined parts in my day job and this thing is incredibly well-done. As a bonus, it incorporates a super-simple drag system that just looks bulletproof. I think I may actually pick up a third spool and put my 300 grain sink tip on it too. This product completely exceeded my expectations.

All of this is why I've gone to standardizing on Ross Reels for all my rigs. Every one has consistently exceeded my expectations. Now I just need to talk myself out of the blisteringly cool F1...

-Sean-