T.F.M. Spotting - Dane's New Year Cheers!

Dane Fuller got his "New Year Cheers" started this afternoon and with snow again in the forecast for Childress, Texas thought best to use his T.F.M. skully cap to keep his bottle of Crown Royal warm.

Dane exclaimed, "It's not just for your crown, it's for your CROWN!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2010 is just a couple hours away.

Like Father Like Son

Our son Finn caught napping yesterday with his new wooden trout rattle.

He is rather fond of it and I am not surprised. Like father like son, I think he's already a bit of a fish fanatic.

T.F.M. Spotting - F.G.F.F. Edition

Recently Alex Landeen, of the Fat Guy Fly Fishing blog, passed along a photograph of he and Aaron Dennett up to their usual vise and vices hijinks while repping a T.F.M. decal on one of his Pelican camera cases.

Besides doing his fair share of content gathering on F.G.F.F, Alex also writes the Landeen Photography Blog which showcases his work behind the camera lens on and off assignment.

Alex, thanks for the photo and I'm still waiting for a couple F.G.F.F. decals of my own just so you know. HA...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM T.F.M.!

Tonight Hadley heard the bells from Santa's sleigh while sprinkling reindeer food (oats and glitter) in the yard. Sugar cookies and a glass of milk have been left on the coffee table.

The children are tucked into bed and asleep. Santa has left presents under the tree for two special little children and now it's time for the wife and I to doze off to dreamland.

Sophie, our Elf on the Shelf, decided to rep a little piece of T.F.M. before getting called back to the North Pole this evening.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope all will enjoy time with your family and friends this weekend!

T.F.M. Spotting - Living Room 3-D!

T.F.M. friend Mike Boward and his nephew got caught keeping it real with the two tone shades and wearing his T.F.M. t-shirt while watching Polar Express in 3-D at the house the other night.

Great to see some holiday leisure going on at the house with family and friends. One more day until Christmas!

"Net Full of Friends"

Rich Schaaff of East Fork Fly Photography calls this photo "Season Greetings to My Net Full of Friends". It looks like an original "still life" to me.


Thanks Rich for slapping a T.F.M. decal on your thermos and Merry Christmas all!

T.F.M. Spotting - Jim at IHOP

Jim Stuard, of Fly Fish Ohio, found his T.F.M. skully cap in the mail and wore it on a cold Ohio day to the local IHOP for a meal with the wife.

So what was it? Omelette? French toast with powdered sugar? Waffles? Or chocolate chip smiley face pancakes?

Glass Builder - Matt Leiderman

The third blog post in the "Glass Builder" series is an insightful interview with rod builder Matt Leiderman of Pennsylvania. Matt Leiderman's rod builds are nothing short of stunning and I am constantly amazed by his work.


Let's start at the beginning, where did you get your start in rod building?

I was kind of a weird kid growing up. I always had hobbies and interests that were not terribly normal for a teenager. My obsession with fly fishing began when I was thirteen and finally had a fly fishing outfit (you know the Martin one from Walmart with the tuna-can reel and foam-gripped rod) of my own. From there I spent quite awhile with my best friend at the time (who remains in that role still today but lives in Montana which gives me a great excuse to visit) hitting ponds, creeks... basically any waterway that moved. Since neither of us could drive, we became involved in fly tying and were very serious at our new hobby.

My father was actually the first one to build a rod in the family. He was a casual fisherman but enjoyed heading to the stream and was learning fly fishing along with me. He purchased a kit from Cabela's and I watched him build, wrap, and finish it. I became interested in the process and few months later we assembled a kit for me to put together. Shortly thereafter, I finished my first rod (purple wraps with silver metallic tipping) and I could finally call myself a rod-builder. I had no idea the extent that this little hobby would takeover in my life.


From there, after building countless graphite rods and a few fiberglass, I became enamored by the glossy cane rods I saw in catalogs like Thomas & Thomas, Orvis, and Winston. Around this time there was a growing number of builders on this new thing called the “internet” and I found some basic information on how to build bamboo rods. Armed with a desire to build rods but a lack of tools and skills, I turned to my grandfather who is a woodworker and retired mechanical engineer to help out with the process. Together we put some wooden forms together and secured some culms of cane. After reading, re-reading, and memorizing Wayne Cattanach’s book, I setup a door on some saw horses in the basement and went to work. The rest as they say is history.

I was very fortunate to be surrounded while growing up with family who saw this obsession with fly fishing and rod building as a positive in my life and encouraged me to continue with it. Certainly from a financial aspect, I couldn’t afford to build rods as a teenager without a job but my parents made sure I always had them to work on. For that I’m extremely grateful.


Did you have any mentors that you have either worked with, studied their work, or have given you guidance while learning how to build fly rods? Is there someone who still inspires you today?

I was and continue to be pretty self-taught. I operate in a bubble sometimes and really don’t even have too many close friends that fish let alone build rods. Books are great resources but getting your hands dirty and failing a few times is the best education you can get in my opinion.

I learned to wrap by wrapping a lot of rods...some good, some bad. I learned to use a lathe by trial-and-error, trying different cutters, different speeds, etc....until I found what works for me. I don’t even know if I use the machine correctly, but I can make it work!

I love problem solving and thinking of new ideas or new ways to do something. I think I would have lost some of that if someone else showed me the ropes.
In terms of inspiration, I’d have to say my dad. He was always a hands-on person and did everything himself. It took a lot for him to hire someone to do something and that’s how I operate to this day. Unfortunately I lost my dad to cancer in 2003 just before I graduated college. He was such a supporter of everything I did and always wanted me to build rods for others. I think he’d enjoy seeing the pleasure the rods I build bring to other people. The older I get, the more I appreciate the things he did for me when I was younger. I wish more than anything I can thank him one more time and hit the stream for a few more casts.


When did you make the transition to fiberglass and what do you like about it as an angler and rod builder?

I built a few Lamiglas fiberglass rods back in the 90’s as an alternative to keeping bamboo rods in my car as a backup or “oh my god, that creek is loaded with fish but I don’t have a rod” rod (a situation no fly fisher wants to be left in).

Honestly, they did the job but I was passionate about building and designing bamboo rods at the time. They were spartanly finished and very utilitarian. More recently however, I read lots about some of the great glass being made by smaller builders all over the country. I called up Mark Steffen and ordered a blank of his 8’ 3/4 weight three piece. After seeing the quality of the blank, I decided it was worthy of more than a utilitarian build. I decided to finish it out with the same handcrafted components and quality of finish that I put into my bamboo rods. That rod has flown all over the country with me and for others to try out, been handled by some fantastic casters, and is really the one which cemented my love of this material. By nature I’m just a fly rod junkie, but fiberglass definitely found a permanent place in my shop and on the stream based on that rod.

As an angler, I love the feel and vintage look of a glass rod. It’s light like graphite but smooth like cane. With glass we find a bamboo feel with less worry about fishing it. Fighting a fish on a glass rod is the best of all worlds because you feel the fish and what it’s doing, but you can really work them in quickly with lighter weight rods because of the durability of glass. Personally, I have less worry over a fish doubling over a glass rod than a bamboo or graphite.

As a builder, it offers some challenges. First, I love rod design and with bamboo, I can have total control of the blank. Color, weight, length, solid/hollow, etc. With glass however, my role is strictly in the finishing department as manufacturing glass blanks is an undertaking that I will likely never pursue (but have thought about many times!). Thankfully, there are some amazing rod designers building these blanks and the end result they send out in blank form would be tough to improve upon.


What are the artistic techniques that set your builds a part from other builders?

I build rods that I would like to own. I’m a simple guy when it comes to fly rod cosmetics. A lot of people when they get a rod write me to say that there are many little details that otherwise go unnoticed unless you’re looking for them. By doing all the metal work on my rods in house, I can ensure everything matches and ties in together beautifully. Things like matching knurls on the seat hardware, winding check, agate stripping guide, and ferrule rings, the inscribed bullseye pattern on the bottom of a butt-cap, or the “clip-top” over-wrapped tip. Little things that don’t jump out but show someone put some time and thought into this.

Before I ever start a rod, I have in my head what I want it to look like in the end. From there, it’s just a matter of getting it to that point in real life. Every rod is a little different, and every piece of it is individually made and fit to the rod it’s on and only the rod it’s on.


Typically, from the time of order to rod completion how long are customers waiting for their orders?

Once I have a blank in house (which can take a few months in itself), I can get a rod turned around in a 3-6 months usually depending on my work load. I’m a teacher by day who is finishing a Master’s degree, and have a 9 month old daughter… I love rod building but life does have it’s priorities!

I will say that I am considering capping my yearly rod output. Building rods is something I enjoy doing but I never want it to feel like “work.” By limiting it to a number I’m comfortable with, I can assure each rod is made to the best of my abilities and with my total focus.


What would you like prospective customers to think about as they make a decision about a custom fly rod build and what should their expectations be?

It was put to me by a friend that buying custom fishing rods is not something people have to do...it’s something they want to do. A rod builder needs to realize this and make the whole transaction as smooth and fun for the client as possible. I’m a self-proclaimed rod junkie. I can talk rods for hours, even days on end. If someone is tracking you down to have a custom rod made, more than likely they’re the same way! An open line of communication should be established from order date through delivery. Anyone that has bought a rod from me has experienced a flurry of emails or phone calls back and forth regarding the build. This interaction and design process is probably my favorite part of building rods. Setting up a certain expectation in your client’s mind and then delivering or surpassing it is a great feeling.


When discussing a rod build, I’ll be happy to customize...with some limits. There are some things that I don’t excel at or care to do on my rods. Inlays, fancy wraps, burl spacers come to mind. If you’re interested in a rod with those details, there are some excellent builders (who have been posted here on T.F.M. a few times) that can definitely make the rod you’re looking for. It takes a lot of skill to do some of those finishes but in the end, it’s just not my style.

Lastly, I enjoyed hearing Gypsy give the advice to find “legitimate” rod builders to do this work. It’s important to find a builder that you mesh with but also one that has taken all necessary steps in establishing their business. In my eyes, this shows commitment to the craft and a rod builder who can provide assistance in the future should it be needed.

T.F.M. Spotting - Shaffer's Apple Picking

Mark Shaffer, of The Steelhead Shop, recently sent along a photo of he and his son picking apples this past fall. Great to see T.F.M. represented on the family outings as well!

Mark runs a fly shop out of his home in Ohio and has been very generous with giving up some excellent gear for the Fishy Kid website.

If you live in the Toledo area and need some fly gear give Mark a shout at steelheadshop@aol.com

T.F.M. Christmas Gift List

With Christmas just days away I figured it would be a good time to pass along a quick run down of companies and gear that I like for the Gift List to yourself or your fishing family and friends.


STOCKING STUFFERS AND MEDIA
The Alaska Chronicles - Departure Publishing's first printed baby and great from page one to the end. Miles Nolte tells his story from a season in the Alaska backcountry that is humorous and insightful.

Buffwear - Simply put, a lot of us don't sun tan and wearing a Buff whenever you're out in the sun for prolonged fishing sessions is a good idea. Comfortable to wear and a smart move for those of us "Pale Faces".

DVD's - From the adventure that Hustle & Fun is to an in depth study in casting techniques of Skagit Master, there are a lot of great DVD's to chose from this year.

The Flyfish Journal - The premier issue of this magazine arrived in mailboxes with a lot of hype to which I'll say that it is completely justified. A great read front to back and the photography is top notch as well. I can't wait for Issue #2.

Furled Leaders - I am a big fan of furled leaders and DF Furled Leaders and Fly Goddess tie some of the best I've ever seen and fished.

Modern Midges - This recently released book is a tome for midge fisherman and fly tiers. This book contains literally thousands of midge pattern recipes, photos, and essays on fishing flies almost to small to see.

Monomaster - This device is great to hang off the vest, pack, or lanyard and stores your tippet and leader clippings so they don't end up in the drink or on the ground. When you realize that most all of the monofiloment ever produced is still around and will likely be so for the next 600 years it makes sense to dispose of it properly.

Sixth Finger Scissors - Keith Barton at Singlebarbed.com has been selling these for a few months now and they are a sharp and functional pair of scissors needed at the vise.

GEAR AND APPAREL
Bug Slinger - Rob McAbee's designs really connect with me and it doesn't hurt that I caught a big Hex eating brown while wearing my Cross Sticks long sleeve shirt this past summer in Michigan. I've got to believe that there is some BIG FISH MOJO in his wares.

Cliff Outdoors - With a host of fly boxes and other innovative gear I am always impressed with the offerings coming out of Cliff's shop. It is also very cool that all their gear is MADE IN WYOMING.

ECHO Micro Practice Rod - True be told we all could use a little work with our casting stroke and the Micro Practice Rod is perfect for the home or office to work on those tailing loops.

The Fiberglass Manifesto T-Shirts - With a new design for 2010 and a T.F.M. SPOTTING Photo Contest sponsored by Hardy Greys this is a must have! (Shameless self promotion, eh? HA...)

Fly Wallets - Marc Crapo is again offering 40% OFF fly wallet orders placed this month which is a great time to take advantage and have "Rowdy" art up some leather for you and your meat fly collection.

LOOP Gear - Joe Roope of Castaway Fly Fishing Shop recently took over distribution of LOOP gear in North America and along with that adopted a warehouse full of stock that he needs to move before the 2010 gear arrives. Send me an email at heddonpal@fiberglassflyrodders.org to get a copy of the deeply discounted LOOP deals that are not listed on the website. The prices are unreal and worth a look.

Reel Pure - Besides dropping knowledge on us daily on the Moldy Chum blog, Eric at Reel Pure keeps us looking fresh with cool caps and t-shirts. Take advantage of the 20% OFF discount between now and Christmas.

Recycled Waders - In a day and time where everyone is going "green" it's neat to see a company gather up everyone's dirty and worn out waders and re-purpose them into stellar pieces of gear.

William Joseph - It's always neat to see a company go with a vintage design look in a gear line and the Old School series is a neat mash up of classic looks with modern convenience.

BIG TICKET ITEMS
Tenkara - The no reel rod revolution started this past year and I got wrapped up in it as well. The AYU model is a great choice for general fly fishing purposes and you'll be surprised how functional it really is.

The Spey Company - We've all been waiting for quite awhile for the Single Spey Trout Reel pieces to arrive at Tim's shop for assembly but it never hurts to reserve a spot on the list for a trout or spey reel.

Custom Fiberglass Fly Rod - This may be the ultimate present on the list but if someone you know has been super good this past year then setting him or her up with one of the "T.F.M. Approved" custom fiberglass fly rod builders would sure to bring a smile to their face on Christmas morning.

VOTE NOW! Fishy Kid Contest Finalists

We had over forty submissions for the recent Fishy Kid adult coloring contest which we narrowed down to twelve finalists which have been been listed together in a poll to determine the winners!

To place your vote click HERE!

Each person gets one vote which makes for a tough choice since there are such great looking pages posted to chose from.

Spread the word and tell your friends. You do not have to be registered Fishy Kid members to vote. There are some seriously nice pieces of gear and DVD’s for the winners!

Voting ends on January 15th, 2010.

Email us at gofish@fishykid.org if you have any questions.

T.F.M. Spotting - Skully Cap and Fly

T.F.M. Reporter Rich Schaff received his skully cap in the mail last week and promptly snapped a photo of it along with a stellar salmon fly tied by Rocky Maley.


Look for an upcoming T.F.M. post with a step by step tutorial of Rocky Maley tying a T.F.M. inspired salmon fly called "As Smooth As Glass".

Rocky Maley has some serious talent at the vise and can be reached at maleyqh@ortelco.net if you are interested in purchasing one of his presentation grade flies.

2010 T.F.M. SPOTTING PHOTO CONTEST

T.F.M. Photogs, I am excited to announce a photo contest for 2010 to show off your T.F.M. SPOTTING skills!

This year long contest will be sponsored by HARDY GREYS with prizes for the first, second, and third place winners.


Several months ago I was able to link up with a couple of the reps for Hardy Greys who in turn connected me with Jim Murphy, President of Hardy Greys North America. He has been very gracious and offered up three pieces of gear from the Hardy Greys catalog to be used for this year long contest.

THE PRIZES:
1st Prize - Hardy "The Test" Four Weight Fiberglass Fly Rod
2nd Prize - Hardy Lightweight Fly Reel
3rd Prize - Greys G Tec Fly Reel

THE RULES:
1. To participate you must submit a photo wearing your T.F.M. t-shirt. These photos can be fishing or lifestyle photos. Let's get creative!

2. To order your T.F.M. t-shirt check out this post.

3. To submit your T.F.M. SPOTTING photo please send an email to: heddonpal@fiberglassflyrodders.org.

4. There will be a monthly poll for the T.F.M. readership to determine the winner who will then go on to the finalist round. There will be twelve finalists which will be voted on in the end to determine the three winners.

With a several hundred T.F.M. out to the masses worldwide already and another hundred of the new T.F.M. t-shirts on order there are sure to be some stellar photos submitted next year.

T.F.M. Spotting - Drawing Flies 365

T.F.M. friend and Fishy Kid artist and sponsor, Jeff Kennedy, had an idea in 2008 to draw, paint, or otherwise create a piece of fly art each day for 365 days straight. His work was shown on his website www.drawingflies365.com and his almost daily posts were downright inspiring.

(Jeff Kennedy in the studio representing T.F.M.)

This past week Jeff released his book, Drawing Flies 365, on the book publishing website Blurb which says this about his book...

"Join Jeff on his visual journey as he draws a fishing fly a day for 365 days. This book chronicles an artists journey as he challenges his creativity on a daily basis. The book contains all of the full color images of every fly from the project. You will also venture into Jeff's head as he describes what was on his mind as he created some of his paintings."

Now through December 31 when you use the code GREATGIFT you'll receive $10 OFF the purchase of either the soft or hard cover edition of the Drawing Flies 365 book.

I ordered mine last week and can't wait for it to arrive.

Meeting the Master - F.D. Lyons

T.F.M. friend Rich Schaaff of East Fork Fly Photography recently spent the day with rod builder Dwight Lyons and sent along this excellent dispatch...

"FLY RODS ARE LIKE CORNISH PASTIES-BOTH ARE BEST MADE FOR LOVE RATHER THAN FOR MONEY"

Quote from the 1974 classic TROUT MAGIC by Upper Peninsula of Michigan author John Voelker (aka Robert Traver)

A few weeks ago I received an email from Cameron Mortenson suggesting that I take a ride down and pay a visit to a rod builder by the name of Dwight Lyons, or better known for his accomplishments as F.D. Lyons. Dwight Lyons is a well known rod builder and masterful bamboo restorer who lives nearby in Portland, Oregon. Cameron had noticed that F.D. Lyons had posted one of his builds for sale and in good faith thought I might be interested. So I figured what better way to educate myself on fiberglass rods than to pay him a visit and see what the buzz was all about. I contacted Mr. Lyons and set up a date to take a gander at his wares.

Thursday was the day we set. I hopped into my truck and drove down to his home and workshop. When Dwight answered the door bell I instantly sensed that he was a man that was assured and comfortable within himself. He escorted me down the stairs into his workshop. It was not by any means a large production facility like one might expect from a man that has been building and refinishing rods for thirty-five plus years. Instead it was a rather small space filled with character from the old nine piece Leonard bamboo rod sitting protected in a glass case to the volumes of classic books such as TROUT by Ernest Schweibert. There was also an array of beautiful bamboo rods hanging from his drying rack on the wall. His workshop walls were adorned with fly plates of salmon and steelhead patterns tied by personal friends and acquaintances. This was the real deal and I felt fortunate to be standing where a true craftsman performs his magic.

Dwight apologized for his messy desk, but all I saw was the desk of a man who loves what he has chosen for his life's work. I instantly took a liking towards him. He was down to earth and humble. We sat in his office and shared mutual stories of common rivers we have both fished. He showed me some photographs of one of his fishing trips on the Methow river in Washington with him standing in a river with his beloved bamboo rod in tow. Time flies when two fisherman get together and start recollecting and I could have easily overstayed my welcome. It would have been easy to have sat there all day with Dwight. He is a man with a rich history of fly fishing the rivers here in the northwest.

Next we headed outside and he handed me one of his seven foot four weight gems. The blank was a site to behold as it had a gorgeous caramel colored blank with it's dark burgundy nylon wraps, red agatine stripper guide, and nickel finish frame. Already I knew this was a blank that would be all too sweet with my recently acquired vintage CFO reel. Not only was it beautiful but it cast like a dream and I could have been easily swept off my feet with the action and allure alone, but I felt I needed a little longer rod and perhaps a jump up in line weight. It was when he handed me one of his favorite rods, an eight foot five weight, that I almost lost it. When I loaded it up I could swear a bolt of lightning came down and struck my hand and melted it to the cork. It was simply one of the sweetest rods I have ever cast. I vaguely remember asking him, maybe pleading with him, to please build one for me. He looked at me and must have sensed the panic in my eyes. He agreed but told me patience must be exercised. Dwight Lyons first love will always be bamboo, but he still has a soft spot in his heart for fiberglass. I was happy he did.

Nowadays Dwight wants to focus his rod building on fine cane. He knows what goes into an exquisite rod and I feel fortunate to soon be a recipient of a glass rod with the name "Dwight Lyons" written across the blank. The whole experience of spending that day with such a gentleman and true master of the art of rod building has spoiled me forever.

Cameron had asked me to give him a call after I left Lyons place just to fill him in on how things went. I dialed his number and when he picked up the phone I gleefully told him I just ordered a custom build from Dwight. I almost sensed that Cameron had a devilish smirk of satisfaction on the other end of the line as if to imply "Welcome to my kingdom, I finally got ya".

F.D. Lyons has a limited number of glass blanks left and after the are all gone so will a bit of fiberglass history since he will then be strictly concentrating on his love of cane. Guess I will have perhaps in time spend another afternoon with Dwight down the road, but for now I know its going to be a long winter waiting so I must exercise my patience as requested by the master.

As John Voleker once wrote those wise words about finding the rod made from love, well I found it, but does anybody know where I can find a good pastie around this neck of the woods? Oh, I almost forgot, Cameron is from Michigan originally and he probably knows where to find one, just like he knew where I would find that special glass rod. Cam, thanks for steering me into your glassy kingdom

Dwight Lyons can be reached through his website at www.fdlyons.com.

T.F.M. T-Shirts for Ladies and Kids!

I wanted to post an update on the T.F.M. t-shirt order that Rick Marcum of Xdzines and I have put together t-shirts for both women and children.

The women's T.F.M. t-shirts will be dark chocolate in color and in sizes from XS to 3XL. These shirts can be ordered in short or long sleeve and priced at $20 and $24.

The T.F.M. children t-shirts will be blue or pink and priced at $15 each. The children shirts will come in short sleeve only and in sizes XS to XL.

Shipping will be $4 for one shirt or free shipping for two or more T.F.M. t-shirts.

Orders for all T.F.M. t-shirts will continue through the first week of January 2010.

Please email me at heddonpal@fiberglassflyrodders.org if you would like to place an order or have any questions.

The T.F.M. Fly Fishing DVD Review

This review has been a long time coming since I first viewed most of these DVD's this past August while flying from Charlotte to Denver and then back again on my way home scribbling notes in a tablet.

Fly fishing films are something that I typically have a lot of expectation in and am often disappointed. This list is all the keepers from a larger stack that I've viewed over and over the past couple months.

HUSTLE & FISH is unlike anything that I have ever seen in the realm of fly fishing cinema. The boys at Rollcast Productions made a fly fishing film about making a fly fishing film and somehow it all makes wonderful sense!


Sharp writing, story line, soundtrack, and most importantly unreal fish footage is meshed together to be my favorite movie in the mix.

NERVOUS WATER is a long journey with RA Beattie and his crew fishing some amazing places. This DVD is three and a half hours long and besides a few overlaps in content the fourteen films are downright spectacular. RA's got a knack in the edit room and he can lay down film over the music that is nothing short of perfect.


My favorite cuts from Nervous Water are Green Screen, Solvenia on the Fly, and First Descent Alaska.

I like RA's style in that he tells the story of not only being there but what it took to get there which is certainly an important part of the process.

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON takes you on a stunning adventure into the New Zealand backcountry fishing mice to wild trout slurping big flies during the day in still and moving water.


Unbelievably filmed from in the air and streamside my only complaint with this film is that at 36 minutes long it left me wanting more. Carl McNeil can we get a director's cut or something?

RIVERS OF A LOST COAST has gotten a lot of hype over the past few months so naturally I wondered if it would live up to all the chatter. This film chronicles the loss of the steelhead and salmon fishery of the California coastal rivers along with telling stories of a few of the more notable anglers that devoted their lives to the runs of big fish that used to push up into the rivers. Part vintage film, photos, drawings along with interviews made for a film experience that really spoke to me.


I was haunted by this film and left with the feeling that every special waterway with a history deserves the masterful touch of Skinny Fist Productions to tell it's story.

SKAGIT MASTER is a DVD that you need to own rather than borrow if you have a two hander rod and know you need to hone up on some Skagit skills.


Ed Ward walks through the casting techniques in a way that is understandable and easy to see through his demonstrations. The film also tells his story and where this style originated.

Finally, NO SPORTS ALLOWED dropped their first DVD this year which is certainly worth the $10 (shipped!) asking price.


Marc Crapo, aka Rowdy, and his friends take you on a short list of western locations touching big fish and having a great time doing it. An excellent example of what fly fishing should be all about.

T.F.M. Spotting - Desert Trout Trip

Dusty Montgomery and Aaron Otto linked up a few months ago on a trip into the desert backcountry looking for Gila and Apache Trout. They found trout but ended up in a mishap with the Land Rover along the way.


Dusty wrote, "We had planned on getting four species in one trip: Gila, Apache, Rainbow, and Brown. The first day, we had our Gilas. Then on the second, we attempted to leave the Gila National Forest for the Apache National Forest, but a mile or so down the dirt trail, the coolant reservoir on Aaron's rig decided to start leaking. Ten hours later, we had limped off of the ridge, into a local mechanic's. After a brief fix, we were on our way to Arizona. After the day we had just had, we decided to get a lodge for the night and have a few drinks. That is when we found the Tall Wi Wi Lodge."



"We hunted Gila and Apache Trout. Got five Gila Trout but skunked on the Apache's. Not to mention the ten hour delay when the trout rig broke down on the Mogollon Rim."




"The next morning, we had only four hours to fish as I had to get back to Phoenix to catch a plane. We fished a lot of water fast and hard, but an Apache was not in the cards for me on that trip. The learning curve was steep as I had never fished small, swift creeks before. The takes were far more subtle than anything I had ever experienced, and when I did get a hit I kept reverting to old habits and I set the hook like it was a monster Large Mouth Bass. I likely took the fly right out of the fish's mouth numerous times. But we made it back to the airport on time, and it was a great trip. I will be going back!"

T.F.M. Interviews "Furl Girl"

As with most of the Offer of the Month posts I wanted to give everyone a little background on Joni Tomich and really appreciate her taking the time to answer a few questions.

Joni, can you give us some background to your introduction to fly fishing and where it has taken you?

I grew up with the Snake River for a back yard. My Grandfather and Mother fly fished, so the gear was there. I used it off and on for most my youth, but it wasn't till my mid twenties that it became my only way of going after fish.
My husband Alan is just as enthusiastic and we both kind of taught each other and grew together. My best friend, fishing partner AND husband....I got it made.


How did you get started with furling your own leaders?

Alan introduced me to furled leaders and I wouldn't have even tried if it hadn't been for Kathy Scott. It only took one leader and I was sold for life. I was making my own tapered knotted leader anyway, so when I heard of furled I knew this was the answer for me. I have been making them for close to 8 years now and have come up with formulas that I like and stick with them. I remember a young man asking me if these would work on his NY Salmon. What a challenge, so I called Kathy. She had never made anything for that big of fish either, So, I experimented and came up with a couple I sent him. In return, he sent me pictures of what he caught. It was so special to me, and exciting, I was hooked forever.

What are the advantages to using furled leaders and in what types of fly fishing do they excel? Are there negatives to using them as well?

The only negative I have come across is the material. They work for every type of fishing. Moss could be a problem, but it is the leader and the tippet can be made any length to maybe help this. I have never had moss be a big problem and I have put them through some heavy algae. When I say material, the thread turns over the best and is very light and smooth, but can become water logged and a need to replace while it dries out. This generally happens if you are hooking allot of fish on a dry or you have been nymphing and switch to dry. I recommend always carry at least two for this reason. I also have a MONO that is made by UNI. It is not like fishing mono. More close to Polyester or Nylon thread. It is a little stiffer and is not as delicate on light presentations, but it is great in the winter. On the cold days, I found thread leaders were freezing to rocks while I changed out flies. The Mono doesn't do this. If you don't fish these conditions, then the thread is perfect.

Can you talk about your Slip Indicator and how that works?

These indicators were a dream come true. We fish stillwaters from a tube/pontoon and there are times that deep nymphing is the answer. We will fish with floating line and up to 30' leader. The leader is straight Fluorocarbon (our choice, but mono will work) in a weight for the size of fish to be had. Most the time it will be P-Line 6lb. No knots in the leader. I am not sure how he found them but Alan did. They were the Philip Rowley & Chan Indicators. A styrofoam ball with a plastic peg. We ordered some and these were small. About the diameter of a nickel. Great idea and they worked. Later a good friend and a mentor started making these and selling them (the late Dennis Brakke). He passed this year. I did find a new supplier.

What happens is you have 10' to 30' of leader, a fish hits and you will be fumbling trying to move the indicator to get to the fish. Barbless hooks making this even more difficult. These indicators do the work for you. You slide them up the leader (peg first) to the desired depth. Separate the peg from the ball or egg. Form a small loop in the leader between the peg and indicator then re-insert the peg. A couple of tries MAX to figure out how hard to insert the peg. When the fish hits, it straightens the loop and the indicator and the peg slide freely up and down. No more slack line. Plus the BIG indicators are great on really choppy waters. You never really loose sight and they give the fly some killer movement.


Winter is coming to Utah, do you spend your winters fishing, furling, or tying flies?

WINTER IS HERE! No snow but I think it is because it is too cold. I welcome the snow! If I am de-icing guides every other cast, I stay in. I do tie flies and love fly swaps. I make leaders as needed, and this year I am wrapping and finishing fly rods (glass of course). I like that a lot.

T.F.M. Spotting - Pete Stiles on the "Guad"

A couple weeks ago Pete Stiles sent along a photo of him working with their Trout Unlimited chapter on stocking the Guadalupe River in Texas with 4,000 pounds of rainbow trout which were 16-22 inches in length.


Pete wrote "Today was the first stocking of the season on the Guadalupe. The fish truck is getting ready to shoot some more monsters into our river. I decided to rep T.F.M. Trout Unlimited does this a few times a year and asks for volunteers to help bucket trout to the river and pick up trash. This was the first stocking of our season which runs from November to March or so - weather depending. Technically you can fish the Guadalupe River year round, but we don't like to stress the fish in hot weather and the rubber hatch (tubers) comes with the warm weather."


Last week Pete emailed again saying..."I tied a slump buster on my McFarland 8' 5wt and had a nice fish on first cast! First time that has happened!"

I guess everything IS bigger in Texas.

Offer of the Month - Furl Girl Leaders

I am pleased the end a year long series of "TFM Offer of the Month" with a deal on furled leaders from Joni Tomich aka "Fly Goddess" aka "Furl Girl".

This offer comes just in time for Christmas and these make great gifts or stocking stuffers!

I've been using her leaders for a couple of years and I have found them to be excellent for casting, durable, and the fact that she'll tie up any combination of earth toned colored thread together makes for a furled leader that unique as well.



Joni's offer for this month is BUY 2 GET 1 FREE. Joni is also running a second offer of BUY 5 GET 1 FREE and a SLIP INDICATOR. Joni has a video on her website where she outlines the advantages of this indicator system.

Cost for her Floating Furled Leaders is $6 each. She will do any thread color (Polyester or Nylon), monofiloment, or leaders with an indicator section.

You can also chose from a 2mm or 3mm ring size. She ties her furled leaders in 5', 5'6", and 6'. Line weight for Light (2-5 weight lines) and Medium (4-8 weight lines).

Orders will be completed in a couple days after ordering and sent USPS.

To place an order please contact Joni at flygoddess@gmail.com.

2010 T.F.M. T-SHIRT ORDER!

As this year is quickly winding down I am excited to be taking orders for the new T.F.M. T-Shirt which will be delivered early in 2010.

The new T.F.M. t-shirts will be dark brown in color and offered in both short sleeve and long sleeve. These shirts can be ordered in sizes small to 3XL.


The 2010 T.F.M. t-shirts will feature the stellar artwork of Seth Morrision.

The prices for this run of T.F.M. t-shirts will be $20 for short sleeve shirts and $24 for long sleeve shirts.

Shipping for one shirt will be $4 and I will offer FREE SHIPPING to those that order two or more T.F.M. t-shirts if they are shipped within the United States.

I will gladly calculate shipping to areas outside of the United States and work with you on getting a T.F.M. t-shirt shipped to your country.


I will be taking orders until January 10th, 2010 and should have the T.F.M. t-shirts delivered by the end of the month.

To place an order or if you have any questions please send me an email at heddonpal@fiberglassflyrodders.org.