Complex Equation

I now have all the pieces and parts to put together my switch rod setup for swinging flies to steelhead. Little did I know that there's a good bit more complexity to all this. But the more I read about this technique the more eager I am to give it a go - the idea of a slammin' take from a powerful fish like a steelhead completely charges me up.

For those not familiar with Skagit rigs, it goes something like this. In addition to a line that looks something like some sort of cartoonish licorice rope (seriously -- my 475 grain Rio Skagit Short is about 2-3x the diameter of a regular 8-weight fly line), you will likely use a cheater section that's a 2-1/2 to 7 foot piece of additional line. The cheater is used (I think) to adjust the actual amount of weight-forward line so your rod loads properly to execute a spey cast.

Then, in most cases you attach a length of sinking line (mine's T-14) to get the fly down to the fish. The length (I currently have 8' and 10') are determined by flow rate, depth, and time of year. This is the part I don't yet understand, but I'm guessing I'll figure it out on the water.

Onto this sink tip, goes a short, stout leader that can withstand the powerful takes that tend to happen with this style of fishing.

Of course, since I don't want to spend a fortune, there's some assembly required. You can buy sink tips with welded loops and leaders already nail-knotted on. But where's the fun in that? So in the coming days, I'll be affixing loops to T-14, then tying leaders onto the other end.

A lot of work, but based on the little taste I've had, it looks like a very cool way to fish. And, for Winter, I've got an indy set-up all ready to roll with 10-weight Rio Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead line on a Ross Momentum 5. So this 11' Temple Fork Outfitters Deer Creek Series could become my default year-rounder!

-Sean-

Groove On

Looks like tying is another of those things where you need to find your groove. Had some time to kill this morning and wanted to tie some alternative pheasant tail nymphs (on scud hooks I use for steelhead egg flies). Funny, but I couldn't tie a decent one to save my life!

On the upside, filled my box with eggs and caddis nymphs over the weekend. Felt nice to load up on stuff I tied! And, I've got enough left over to fill my Dad's request for some flies before his trip to the U.P. later this month. I have about 2-3 dozen eggs for him and a dozen or so caddis in various colors.

Been reviewing some steelhead books lately, getting ideas for flies to fill my boxes for Winter. I think next fly to learn are hare's ear nymphs. They sound productive and will be good to have in my box. Also found a reference to a Great Lakes stonefly that looks a lot like a caddis pattern I already know. Stones are a go-to for me, so I think I'll hop on tying up a dozen or so.

-Sean-

Fish On!

Did my one annual trip for salmon yesterday on the Pere Marquette river with friends. I've written plenty about my feelings on salmon. Not my bag, but fun for a day.

Turned out to be a nice, warm day. Breezy, but very pleasant. Given the NASTY forecast of 80 degrees and a high chance of violent thunderstorms, it was stunning. Last year's trip was on a day of high 40's and continuous drizzle.

My companions on this trip love salmon fishing. And they put up BIG numbers. Between three of us in the boat, we'd landed 10 by 9:30am! Lots of fish, many pretty fresh.

But my reward was something different entirely. I noticed some trout below a pod of salmon feasting on the egg buffet. On one long drift, BAM -- hit one. Turned out to be a great 20" male in full pre-spawn Fall color. This was a gorgeous fish with rich brown and gold tones, and some red accents. Probably the prettiest fish I've ever caught. And, for 2010 my largest brown thus far! After a quick revive, he happily sped back to take his place below the egg conveyor.

I can't explain how much this fish made my day. I was grinning from ear-to-ear after that one! Such a pleasant and beautiful surprise. Another bonus was a little steelhead skipper. Small, but more imporantly my first chromer of the year!

A great day. On the drive home I was thinking -- "Gosh, I needed that!"

-Sean-

So Much Water, So Little Time

Just finished re-reading Bob Linsenman's excellent book "Best Streams for Great Lakes Steelhead". Probably not a beginner's book (I think most of it was lost on me when I read it the first time), but this time I got so much from it.

One big thing was a whole wealth of new locations. I was especially captivated by the rivers of Southern Ontario, as well as the Steelhead Alley rivers of Ohio/Pennsylvania. The Ontario rivers seem especially alluring. Most seem big and perfect for swinging flies or drifting nymphs on fly gear or centerpin. Plus, it's Canada and they're just cooler.

Of course how to fit this into life is a bit more challenging. Road trips take time - a precious commodity these days. I suppose I'll just put them on my bucket list.I'm pretty good about getting to this sort of thing, but you can never tell when the opportunity will arise. Meanwhile, I've already got two Fall steelhead trips brewing, plus at least one Winter trip solidified. Was talking to a guide friend today who thought the upcoming season looked to be as good as last Fall/Winter -- woo hoo!!!

-Sean-

The Greatest Snow on Earth

Received the 2010-2011 promot catalog from the folk at Ski Utah over the weekend. Seems everyone has their favorite Out West destination for skiing -- mine's Utah. In addition the already-explained "greatest snow on earth", the resorts surrounding Salt Lake City have so much more going for them.Over the years, I've skied most of the major areas, with the exception of Snowbird and Sundance. I'm sure I'll get to those eventually.

I will offer one caveat to all this. I'm not a big fan of the areas around Park City. While I started out there, I quickly found Utah has so much more to offer. PC has plenty to do, but it's pricey, crowded and gets less snow (typically). But, remember, I'm not that big on resort ammenities. I'm there to ski and see. Plus, I'm cheap...

On a couple of trips, I've stayed in Salt Lake City, and used the Ski Utah web site to figure out who got snow and head there. Salt Lake has cheaper accomodations, lots of great restaurants, and is a under an hour from a dozen ski areas.

My favorite? It's a tough call that's very dependent on conditions, but all-around I think I enjoy Solitude most. A local turned me on to it a few years back and I've tried to return on every trip. No crowds, varied terrain, and the stunning scenery of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The drive up is beautiful. It's also the site of my wildest day skiing -- an all-day powder dump with a full-blown thunder and lightning show! Weird, but it was a great day on the slopes.

If you're up to get more off the beaten path, Powder Mountain is some off-the-hook skiing -- especially after a dump. I've only been here once, but  I enjoyed almost two feet of fresh for my journey! Lift tickets are downright cheap, and the locals are super-friendly. You won't find the luxe cafeteria and marble bathrooms of Deer Valley, what you will find is some truly excellent skiing. Afterward, Rooster's Brewery in Ogden has some tasty brews and even better food.

Finally, there's Snowbasin. Again off the beaten path (both Snowbasin and PowMow are outside Ogden), Snowbasin was completely redone to host the SLC Winter Olympics. The terrain is exceptional and diverse. The snow's good, and the drive up from the valley floor is totally cool. As a bonus -- the food at the Needles Lodge is full-on gourmet and still very reasonably priced. One caveat, however, Snowbasin tends to get socked in with fog/inversions easily. It's happened to me twice and to friends I sent there last year. When that happens your visibility extends roughly to your ski tips. A bit spooky. But it burns off after a couple of hours.

As you can guess, already thinking about a trip this Winter...

-Sean-

Fall Trout

I started my fly fishing journey with Steelhead -- which I imagine will always be my passion. Later I discovered trout and found that rather fun, too. Although, I've always thought of that as a summer thing. A pleasant June evening on the PM or AuSable tossing BWO's on a 4-weight at dusk before retiring to a campfire to cook dinner.Or perhaps mid-morning drifting nymphs. In shear numbers, this is how I've caught most of my trout. Although, I must admit my two biggest fish were actually surprises in Winter while steelheading.

At any rate, I've typically felt like trout fishing was "over" once the terrestrials were done and the salmon showed up. That's the time I tear down the 4-6 weight rods and starting digging around for the 8 weight sticks. But this weekend I think I'll mix that up and hit the Pere on Sunday (have a wedding in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday) for some late-season trout. I've packed my 6 weight for nymphs and an 8 weight with a 300 grain sink tip for streamers. Time to expand my repertoire. Current reports have the salmon run primarily focused on the lower river, so this should keep the crowds down.

Either way, some quality time standing in my favorite river will be most enjoyable!

-Sean-

Chillax

I think fly tying may just be one of the most totally relaxing things around when you can't be outside. Got a half hour to kill? Sit down and bang out a few flies. In the mood to learn something new? Fire up YouTube, find a new pattern, and then give it a try.

Currently, I'm making great progress on filling the egg box for steelhead season. Have some basics (cheese, pale pink, cream, steelhead orange, and late roe) tied in reasonable quantities. Now moving on to some nuke eggs which have always served me well.  Coupled with a bunch of green and olive caddis I've tied lately, this should put me in good stead for the coming Fall/Winter season.

On Sunday I'll hit the PM for some early Fall trout chasing, which should enable me to try out some of the beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymphs I've been tying up. It's been nice to re-fill my boxes and not get hit for $25 at the fly shop!

But back to the relaxing aspect. I find that I do need to pay attention to what I'm doing to achieve good results. Much like shooting, this means you can't be thinking about other things (Did I turn off the stove? What about that headline I need to re-write to make that ad work? Will mortgage rates go any lower? Should I shift some of my retirement dollars into a Roth IRA?). But it's not TOO mentally demanding. Plus, it's a great creative outlet.

I think it helps that I have a great spot to tie - my home office. Nice desk, comfortable chair, good lighting. All my tying supplies are nicely organized so I can find them quickly. Very chillaxing!

-Sean-