I always like to make one of my New Year's resolutions catching a species of fish (on the fly) that I'd never caught before. It usually turns out to be the only resolution I actually keep. This was a particularly good year, because I added sea-run brown trout, sabalos (South American ocean fish) and freshwater dorado to the list. Next year, I'm thinking it will have to be something less exotic.
I've never caught a muskie on a fly. Maybe muskies should be my 2009 fish. But where's the best place for muskies on a fly?
Maybe crappie would be better. Because for as crappy as the 2008 economy has been, I think it would be appropriate to just plain set out to make 2009 a "crappie" year. "I'm going to have a crappie year in 2009, dammit, and nobody's going to get in my way." Hmmm. Maybe not. Any ideas for what my fish for next year should be?
Have you though about your 2009 "resolution" fish?
We have a friend named Tosh Brown that's an outdoor photographer. He's starting a publishing company for writers. Go figure...
Tosh wants to challenge the traditional avenue people are published and give a chance to, "facilitate a select list of accomplished writers who are challenging the traditional boundaries of sporting and expedition publishing. Instead of continually churning out volumes of comfortable and habitual writing, we're looking to occasionally publish something really unique."
Check out a list of subjects he's looking for consideration.
Know anybody who wants to get published in the outdoor arena? Have that special story that no one else will even look at?
Visit Departure publishing to have a shot at winning the first signed book they're going to publish here. It's going to be called The Alaska Chronicles and basically is a memoir kept by Miles Nolte who transmitted via satellite Internet a semi-daily account of what it's really like to be a fly fishing guide on a remote Alaskan river. Departure is turning that dialog into a book.
And so we reach that penultimate time of the North American flyfishing season... when most business has been wrapped up, our raccoon-eyed tans are starting to fade, and all that's left are those all-too-precious days when we locals (and the beyond-sick die-hards) get our last licks in, and wonder, "If they'd only been here to see this..."
So my question is simple and straightforward: Who, among you, guides or otherwise, has packed it in, and who's still pluggin'... and are you grateful or sad, having done so?
I think back to my lifeguard days... many years ago... when the best waves always happened at the end of the season. I always fancied "the Hook," for what's that's worth... and for the first person who can tell me exactly where "The Hook" is, and why they call it such... well, I'll send you a $200 fly rod for your effort.
Man... I'm going to miss this fly season. But this has been a very, very good one. Who's still crankin', and who's now thankin'?
Man, I was thinking I was going to sneak out this afternoon and get in a hour or two of dry fly fishing with the one weight. It's all of a sudden winter, and I'm relegated to searching the web for things that can only just barely substitute for fishing.
This one had me laughing though, hard. There's sun, water, boats, and grown men giddy as children on christmas morning. Personally I'd have a hard time sacking up to participate, but would love to watch the possibility of my best friend leaving a finger or two in the grouper's mouth. What about you, would you feed the beast or watch and laugh?
Just when I thought the winter doldrums were setting in... I hear it's going off at Lees Ferry, Arizona. If you have never fished there, you should. Read the report from Terry Gunn below.
Anyone else have any reports of places that are red hot now? No fibs... we'll find out.
Deeter
Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 11/12/08
"Recent Fishing Conditions: At a time when just about everything you read is bearing bad news, it gives me great pleasure to bring you some good news: The fishing at Lees Ferry is not just good it’s great! The fish are in the best shape and size that I have seen in several years and everything points to this being a trend that I expect to continue. Fishing is just going to get better and better as 2009 arrives…. Isn’t it great to hear some good news for a change! Not only is the fishing upriver great but rumor has it that the Walk-in area is fishing extremely well. One other thing; there has been no one here…come up (you can probably book a guide for tomorrow) and see the best fishing in years and you will likely have the river to yourself.
The experimental steady flows that occurred in September and October (12,000 constant) were as I predicted, beneficial to the river. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This did not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line stayed high. The current fluctuating flows (7,500-cfs to 13,000-cfs) are continuing to keep the green line higher than in years past. There have been prolific midge and black-fly hatches every day and it appears as though the scud population has a higher density than any time since 2004."
Whoa, virtual reality fishing! I and thought I was almost done fishing for the season...
Pishtech.com will be releasing VR Sportfishing in December. Check out the videos below to catch a glimpse of how this thing works. Basically you wear a pair of glasses like a display that give you a separate view for each eye so you get 3D vision with depth perception. The remote is very similar to a Nintendo Wii for the control of your rod and boat. Pishtech claims to have a fly fishing version out next year. We'll keep you posted.
Anyone have a guess as to where this brown trout was caught? Or... how about this one?
Oh, I'll just tell you. Argentina. In Tierra del Fuego. On the Rio Irigoyen, which is well beyond the Straits of Maegllan and the Rio Grande... one of the southernmost trout rivers in the world. I'm thinking of going back there, to the Far End Rivers Lodge this winter (their summer). Anyone want to go? It's one of the most exotic trips you might imagine. The river is surprisingly small and clear. And Argentina is one of the few remaining travel deals in the world right now...
The "name that bug" answer is... the mayfly, hexagenia limbata, and it was on a boat deck in Saugatuck, Michigan, in July. You guys were all over that. I'll make the next one harder.
Apparently the moratorium on commercial salmon catches in northern California helped at least one fish this year. This 85 lb chinook was found in Battle creek near Anderson, California. The California Dept. of Fish and Game biologists guess that it would have gone almost 90 lbs alive. This would have surpassed the sate record of 88 lbs caught in 1979.
The largest king ever caught in the country was 95 lbs in the Kenai river in Alaska in 1986. The Califonia fish was a male likely five to six years old and was 51 inches long. See the entire story here.
I got a new camera the other day. A DSLR that shoots HD video too. It's one of the first of its kind in the world. Very cool stuff.
Anyway Deeter and I thought we'd try it out the other day and shoot some stuff for the blog. We've got some ideas on tips, tricks, etc... This was the first take of us messing around with the tips section and of course Deeter, the fish wizard (accidently) hooks a fish. We couldn't have planned it better if we had done this for two weeks straight.
This will be the start of a series of many small videos to come. Give me a week or two and I'll figure out how the Fly Talk nation can watch in HD instead of this crappy pixelated nonsense. Let us know what you'd like to see here...
Enjoy Deeter's tip, the video, and have a great weekend.
