Dry Fly Adventure

Had the pleasure of a dry fly adventure float with Capt. Jon Ray over the weekend. I've done a little dry fly fishing, but only once before out of a boat. I know enough to understand how technical this style of fishing can be. Being in the right place, at the right time, with the right cast and presentation can mean the difference between a successful outing and a skunking.

Found a dumb one (the fish)!

Fortunately, Saturday was a successful outing. We were floating a section of the Manistee river known for its big fish - but not for quantity. Jon knows I'm always up for a research project, so this stretch was chosen to give him some more knowledge on it. Plus, it's linking up some sections I've floated before. A definite dry fly adventure.

One big challenge for this adventure - angler skills. My dry fly casting skills are among my weaknesses. Blame chasing smallmouth bass and steelhead. Throwing a sink-tip, spey rod, or popper on a heavy line has a tendency to make you lazy. Plus, I haven't put in the casting practice I need this season.

A few lessons learned:

1. Slow down. Slow down your cast. Slow down your hookset. Slow down and watch the water ahead for rises. Just slow the eff down overall.  
2. There are no second chances. Trout are smart. prick 'em and miss a hookset and they vanish like a ghost.
3. Sometimes, there are second chances. But they're few and far between. I got lucky and missed a fish on a jet set. This was a dumb one, as she started rising a few moments later. On the second try, I got her!
4. This is a lifelong skill. We fished with one of Jon's long-time frequent clients. This guy had a story of a lost fish around every bend. He's done this a LOT. He had skills I didn't even know I lacked. 
5. Missed fish will haunt you. I missed what looked like a nice fish on a too-fast hookset. This one wasn't dumb enough to come back. Was it my mythical two-footer? Maybe, but we'll never know.
6. Rowing for dry fly anglers is harder than it looks. To give Jon a break, and because I'm always happy for some constructive criticism, I took the sticks for a while. In the two years I've owned my boat, I've gotten fairly competent with the basics of maneuvering the boat, river position, etc. But in dry fly adventures, I learn that now you have to watch the front fly and try to match boat speed to presentation.
7. I need to do this more. A lot more. It's fun and relaxing. But it's also demanding and you need the skills to keep up. The more I do this, the better angler I'll become.
8. I love my Abel clicker reels. My AC2 was ideal for my 6 weight Scott A4, and my Classic is perfect beneath the G2. There's nothing quite like the purr of those clickers.

An excellent day/evening on a beautiful river. And, as a bonus, I learned something. If you're looking to up your dry fly game, I highly recommend Jon, or any of the guys at Hawkins Outfitters.

-Sean-

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-

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-

Kickin' it Retro

I've had a fascination with retro reels just lately. It started when I picked up an Abel Spey. As soon as I had my hands on it, I knew I had something super-cool. The first thing I noticed was the machining tolerances. I've seen it when working with clients in the tooling industry - big chunks of metal that fit together so tight there's nearly a vacuum seal. When I released the spool to have a look at the reel's innards, I could almost feel the air being pulled in. This one made my Ross Momentum V and my Orvis Mirage's feel sloppy by comparison - and neither of those is any quality slouch (for the record, I think the Mirage is maybe the best disc drag steelhead reel bargain out there). The reel foot is like some monstrous bridge girder.

But inside it really gets interesting - by being, well, less...

A center shaft accepts the spool. A gear at the base of the spool connects to two pawls. Above the pawls, two springs provide tension. There's a simple external knob to change the spring setting, but it's really mostly superfluous. Rotating the pawls sets the retrieve hand. Yep, seriously, that's it. Want more drag? Palm it. It's about that complicated. I learned the pure joy of the human drag while running a centerpin (shut it -- from the mainline down, it's identical to my float fishing fly rig, no spawn bags here). The connection to the fish when YOU are the drag is surreal.

When the opportunity to score an Abel Classic reel came along, I jumped at it. It's like a little version of the Spey. And, it's SWEET on my Scott G2 5-weight. And how often are you going to need a drag system on a dry fly trout?

So, at this point, I think I'm done, right? Not so fast...

A few months back, I meet the guy behind Kingpin reels from the UK. Though they originally made their name in centerpins, they've gotten solid props for their spey reels. And they're doing some very cool limited-edition specials. Naturally, they're doing a Great Lakes edition. D*mn. Now I'm going to end up with another stick to perch it on, too. It arrived last week and holy crap is it sweet. Very different from the massive bulk of the Abel. Don't get me wrong, it's stout. But the real attention-grabber on this one is the clicker. Like a chainsaw on a steel fence. Bold. Distinctive. And the details on this one are amazing. Brass inserts cover the line guards, eliminating the potential for line wear. The fit of frame to spool is outstanding. And so much more. Can't wait to hang this one on a big stick. Funny thing is that I think it will land on the Sage TCX 7126 "Death Star" - about as modern a rod as you can find!

Thus far, I've had a half-dozen days out with the Abel's. Nothing landed yet (one on briefly). Can't wait to hear one of these fabulous beasts scream when a big chrome grabs my fly!

-Sean-

It's A Sickness - Part Deux

Yeah, you knew how yesterday would play out. I bought it.

I am now the proud owner of a Scott G2 905/4 fly rod. Funny thing is that it's the antithesis of my fishing style. I've gravitated toward faster rods to make up for casting deficiencies. But, I think this stick will help me in improving my casting stroke. If you cast this one wrong, you end up with a puddle of line 5' from you.

Burled maple meets finely-machined aluminum

The Abel Classic reel looks like it was tailor-made for this rod. The classic black, non-ported reel looks right at home atop a burled maple reel seat, some fantastic cork, and a sleek unsanded blank.

This will be such a sweet stick for an evening on the Escanaba, the South Branch of the AuSable, the flywaters of the Pere Marquette, the upper Manistee, or any of my other Michigan trout favorites. Heck, it might even get me to make another trip to Haymeadow Creek with Dad...

I'm lining it up with Scientific Anglers GPX Mastery series line (the extra half weight tends to help my casting stroke). I tried SA's Trout Stalker and while it definitely lends a nice stealthy presentation, I've had really solid results with the GPX on my Scott A4 906/4.

This should be the perfect rig for all but the largest dry flies, as well as some small ant or beetle patterns. Nymphs, hopper-droppers, and big terrestrials will be left to the A4 906/4.

Did I need this rig? No, but this, as my buddy Schultzy commented, is a lifetime set-up. As classic as it is high-performance. I'm pretty damn happy.

-Sean-

It's a Sickness

I am a Gear Whore. It seems once I start into something, there's always more gear I seem to need. Well, OK, not "need" make that "want". I've said a couple of times that I didn't need any more fly rods. Then I fell in love with the Scott A4 series, so my A2 6-weight and my A3 7-weight needed to be upgraded. Later, I decided that having both an indicator and a swing set-up for steelhead was a good idea. So now I have a Scott L2h with an Abel Spey reel.

But with that, I'm done. No, really.

The best laid plans of mice and men, are soon thwarted though. A deal on an Abel Classic that was too good to turn down fell in my lap. Original plan was to put it on my TFO Deer Creek 6-weight two-hander. But, it's too small for a Skagit line. Then I thought perhaps my 4-weight Scott A3. It's an OK combo, but I'm really pretty well set for reels for that stick.

Hmmmmm ... maybe a really sweet dedicated trout set-up for hoppers and dries. Yeah, that's what I need. My local fly shop has a couple of Scott G2's that they were eager to get rid of. Oooh, yeah, that's a LIFETIME rod. So, I'll be casting one soon.

It never ends.

-Sean-