BEAVER ISLAND? You Can Still Do It This Summer

The countdown has begun (27 days...) for my yearly week long junket to Beaver Island, Michigan (with a ragtag crew of anglers) to fish with Captain Kevin Morlock of Indigo Guide Service and Captain Steve Martinez of STM Outfitters for oversized carp, smallmouth and pike.   I look forward to this week as much for the leisure of island life as I do for fly fishing the flats for seven days (weather permitting) straight.

Earlier this week my mobile phone dinged with Captain Steve Martinez texting that a group had bailed out of a few prime June dates that he'd still like to fill.  So, if you thought that Beaver Island needed to go on the list for next year, or maybe it's not been on your radar at all, there is still a chance for you to get there this summer if you'd like to book June 18-21, 2019.   

Need some convincing?  Even if you don't, this is a good excuse to share a mix of links from past trips from T.F.M. and friends.

BEAVER ISLAND SMALLMOUTH EXPERIENCE
FLICKR - BEAVER ISLAND 2011
BEAVER ISLAND CARP SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
FLICKR - BEAVER ISLAND 2012
BEAVER ISLAND - A LOOK BACK
FLICKR - BEAVER ISLAND 2013
GREETINGS FROM BEAVER ISLAND
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THE FIRST SHOTS & A NINTH INNING DOUBLE
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - A BLANKET OF CLOUDS
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - A DAY WITH MR. SMILES
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THE FIRST TIME IS GRAND
ALEX LANDEEN'S SIX TAKES ON BEAVER ISLAND
ALEX LANDEEN - FROM BEAVER ISLAND WITH LOVE
SCUMLINER MEDIA - GREAT BIG MINNOWS
SCUMLINER MEDIA - TENKARPA!
THE BEAVER ISLAND DISPATCHES - PART 1
THE BEAVER ISLAND DISPATCHES - PART 2

Want in?  Give Captain Steve Martinez a shout through the STM Outfitters website.

FILSON - Above Alaska: Bush Pilots of the Last Frontier

You might think you're a badass, but you're not a bush pilot in the Alaskan backcountry kind of badass.  Check out the latest short story film from Filson. 



Looking for something special for Father's Day that a dad in your life would appreciate?  I'll give you three suggestions at three different price points with the Green River Water Shorts, 1-1/2" Bridle Leather Double Belt and finally, the Field Watch.  I have been wearing all three suggestions over the past several weeks and am very impressed. 

SUPER FLY - Pat Cohen's 6 Flies for Warmwater

The "6 FLIES" series continues with Pat Cohen of Super Fly.  He is a full time fly tier and has created materials and tools to help in the tying and creation of predatory flies.  His passion lies with the warm water side of things, mainly focusing on smallmouth, largemouth, pike and carp.  

Pat is also a fiberglass junkie and enthusiast and he (like I also did years ago) has even gone so far as to sell of all of his graphite several years ago and now exclusively fishes with glass.  On occasion he even builds a few rods for personal use.  He is an ambassador for Swift Fly Fishing and has his own stash of favorite Epic fly rods.

Here's Pat's warmwater favorites from his vise...

JIGGY CRAW
Spring is the first time since fall that adult crayfish expose themselves from their muddy wintering holes during daylight hours.  Crayfish spawning begins in fall and ends in spring.  Spring is the perfect time to be working larger crayfish patterns to hungry pre-spawn bass.  This larger crayfish pattern uses a rubber skirt, rattles and a realistic silhouette to draw in angry eats from smallmouth.

DEVIL'S DRIFTER
Hellgrammites are always present in rocky rivers and they are a favorite snack of river smallmouth. Fish them through rocky runs on a dead drift or slight jigging motion and hold on.  These shine bright on tough days with clear water.

5-INCH MANBEARPIG
Pre-spawn bass, smallmouth or largemouth put on the feedbag and want a meal in preparation for spawning.  These flies are the perfect size to fill their bellies.  They are built with a number of triggers in mind that include flash, action, noise and water push.  I fish them with either a full sinking line or intermediate depending on water depth.  Using a jerk/strip/pause retrieve can bring in some aggressive attacks.  This fly will suspend in the column on the pause.

MO' STANK MINNOW
I designed this fly to function somewhat like a Super Fluke soft plastic in the water.  It is slow sinking, erratic in action and comes equipped with rattles and weed guards.  When bass are hunkering down in structure this fly can be worked through to call them out.  It shines in the summer for me as a fly that I can easily cast under docks and work around pilings.

MUD PUPPET
Sculpins are always present in rivers and make a great food source for hungry smallmouth.  They can be fished all year and this particular design is a bit smaller for clear water situations.  It’s a very basic fly with tons of life-like breathing movement.

FROG LEG SLIDER
Springs offers top water action as well.  As things heat up the frogs begin to mate.  Don’t be afraid to throw top water a bit early.  My rule?  If I hear the song of the frog, I will chuck hair bugs.  These are keel weighted and offer a realistic silhouette and swimming action.  Everyone seems to make frog patterns to ride high and dry on the surface which is not a natural look at all.  These sit with legs dangling below and the snout up above water like a natural resting position.  On a strip they straighten out and dive below the surface swimming.  Work them around lily pads, over fallen brush or strip them off of grassy banks.

Jump over to the Super Fly website to check these patterns and many others along with tools and fly tying kits to tie your own.   Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram too.

Just coming across this series of T.F.M. posts?  Check out the past profiles HERE and HERE.

SMITH - City Escape

I watched this video from Smith the other day and it is a stellar profile of George Revel and his downtown San Fransisco shop, Lost Coast Outfitters.  This video was a good reminder of my morning with George visiting the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club and his shop at it's first location several years ago.  You can circle back to that post HERE. Then click PLAY...



I am a huge fan of Smith ChromaPop lenses and a couple pairs of Guide's Choice (one with Bronze Mirror and another with Techlite Low Light Ignitor lenses) are always in my gear bag.

When you're in San Fransisco, make sure you make time to stop in at Lost Coast Outfitters.

REP YOUR WATER - 2018 Sustainability Report

I continue to be very impressed by Rep Your Water with the products that they are releasing and even more so the good that they are doing within the fly fishing, hunting and conservation space with over $53,000 donated to seventeen nonprofit partners last year.    

Take a minute to check out the graphic below which includes highlights from their 2018 Sustainability Report and be sure to click PLAY on the video as well.

Garrison and Corinne, my (tattered and well worn Rep Your Water) hat is off to the both of you.

Take a minute to visit the Rep Your Water website and check out the Spring 2019 Collection.

FLY FUSION - Cast Like A Pro: #5 Substance and Style

The fly casting instructional video series with Fly Fusion and Scientific Anglers continue with Field Editor Jeff Wagner covering substance and style in your fly casting.



Take a few minutes to visit the Scientific Anglers website and of course be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram and their YouTube channel.

DOWN THE PATH - The Disappearance of Ronald Scheepstra

Do you remember the story of Ronald Scheepstra?  Ten years ago he disappeared while on a fly fishing trip with friends in Xcalak, Mexico and writer Will Rice is deep diving into the mystery of this incident with a multi-episode podcast series called "Down the Path".

Word of warning, this isn't a podcast you can just have mindlessly playing in the background.  It deserves attention.  Play when you can listen and get fully wrapped up in this story.

Along with the podcast (Episode 2 should be released this week), Will Rice has also wrutteb an article on The Flyfish Journal website which tells the story  and discusses the possible theories of Ron's disappearance.  It's well worth a read and you'll still be eager for the podcast as well.

Over the weekend, Will Rice called into the Tailer Trash Fly Fishing Podcast and was interviewed at length about this story.  It's worth a listen HERE.

You can listen to "Down the Path" on the website, Stitcher or subscribe on iTunes.