6 Good Reads - The Deer Trout Edition

I've been knowing Alex Cerveniak for a number of years now and have followed along as he wrote for The Drake, Midcurrent as well as one or maybe several of his own blogs which are long gone now.

A few years back he moved home to northern Michigan and put writing more or less on hold while he dove deep into being a fly fishing guide while holding down a full time job along with being a father and husband.  Over this past winter he made a decision to dial back on guiding, which doesn't mean he isn't getting out on the water, but now doing it more for himself, with friends and to further the work of the Headwaters of Trout Unlimited which he is currently the President of.

Somehow in all of this, he's back to writing again and over the past couple months has kept his blog, Deer Trout, populated with some excellent reading worth checking out.  His writing covers everything from the annual Trout Opener, conservation, favorite wild game recipes, gear reviews and other well thought out thoughts.

So, this go around of "6 Good Reads" is all Alex.  Take a few minutes to enjoy a few of my favorites that he's posted since last fall or go article by article by visiting the Deer Trout website on your own and scrolling down. 

DID ALEX JUST WRITE ABOUT ME AND WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH IN MY 40's?
 

ON EATING A TROUT EVERY NOW AND AGAIN - AND NOT FEELING GUILTY ABOUT IT
 

BACKPACKING FOR TROUT - BE SURE YOU READ PART II TOO
 

THIS ONE SPARKED A LOT OF CHATTER ON FACEBOOK.  GO FIGURE.

ALEX HAS GOT THE HOTS FOR AN AU SABLE RIVERBOAT?  IT'S NATURAL.

THAT ONE THING THAT YOU DO CAN MAKE YOU BETTER AT THE OTHER THING YOU DO

Like what you read?  Be sure to subscribe to upcoming posts in the top right corner of the Deer Trout website.

FISH WITH FLIP Sweepstakes

I usually don't get too excited about online giveaways but I'd sure like to spend some flats boat time with Flip Pallot.  HOOK+GAFF has linked up with YETI, Fish Hippie, Hell's Bay Boatworks and Z-Man for a sweepstakes worth tossing your name and email address in for a chance to win.   

The giveaway is easy to play with three great prize packages to check out.

The contest closes on June 14, 2018 and the winners will be announced on June 21, 2018.

Enter HERE and good luck.

ABEL REELS - THE TR FLY REEL IS BACK!

The Abel Reels TR Fly Reel has been a longstanding classic in their line up and after a hiatus for full out start to finish redesign, it's back with dealers starting to see stock arriving at their doorsteps.  Visit  your local fly shop to put hands on one of these now. 

I am kind of a fly reel nerd, especially in the click and pawl variety, with a collection that spans from 1950's English made J.W. Young and Hardy reels to the most modern American built along with everything in between.  I can't help but want one of these and hope to get a TR 4/5 in my hands soon.

From the Abel Reels website...  "The return of a classic. The new Abel TR stays true to the roots of the original, but with a striking modern design and feel. The partial porting of the frame draws from the Abel lineage, and its unique features are as inventive as anything Abel has ever produced.
Crafted by our expert machinists in Montrose, Colorado, the TR is a lightweight masterpiece. An integrated precision-balanced clicker on the spool eliminates the need for a counterweight, yielding a clean look and retaining an iconic click-pawl sound. The pronounced palming rim is deliberately shaped to manually control drag pressure in all fishing conditions. The TR also features a large-arbor spool engineered to reduce line memory and increase retrieval rate. Machined stainless steel accents on both the frame and spool add that extra level of detail found only in an Abel reel."

ABEL TR FLY REEL SPECIFICATIONS:

Only 21 meticulously machined parts ensure a lifetime of dependable use

A time honored click-pawl system protects light tippet while preventing overrun

Partially-ported frame for the perfect balance of weight, sound, and aesthetics

Milled silhouettes of a stonefly, caddis, and mayfly inside the frame

Quick-change spool with a threaded release cap and large-arbor design

Designed & machined by trout junkies in Colorado

Made in the USA

Check out the Abel Reels website for more information and use the TR Reel Builder to create your own new favorite fly reel.

TENKARA KID

I don't care what you think about tenkara, if this doesn't make you smile than something might be wrong with you.  Tenkara Kid was filmed by Mark Steudel and took home the grand prize in last year's RIO Amateur Fly Fishing Film Awards.



RIO Products just announced winners in the 2018 RIO Amateur Fly Fishing Film Awards and you can jump down a deep deep deep rabbit hole of submissions HERE.

THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - BahamaCon 2018

For the past several years The Flyfish Journal has assembled a ragtag group of anglers, writers and photographers for a junket at Andros South on a trip that they've dubbed "BahamaCon".  One of these years I need to figure out a way to end up there as it looks like a stellar time with a solid group of anglers.

As in years past, this trip makes for some excellent online content with a video, words and images which can be enjoyed on The Flyfish Journal website on the BahamaCon 2018 microsite.

Words and images are great but Steve Duda read his piece "Impossibly Violent and Savagely Fast" as part of Episode 15 of The Fly Tapes which is well worth a listen today.

Visit the BahamaCon 2018 webpage to see and read about this year's trip and if you haven't subscribed to The Flyfish Journal already, well you need to do that too.

COSTA X BUREO - The Untangled Collection

Costa Sunglasses is taking their commitment to the Kick Plastic campaign to a new level with a collaboration with Bureo with the Untangled Collection, which is a collection of sunglasses made from recycled fishing nets which are available in four different frames with 580 Lightweight lenses.

Bureo has been on my radar for awhile for the Skateboards and Jenga Ocean game that they make of recycled fishing nets and the collection of sunglasses with Costa is an innovative step forward in taking something that is negatively affecting our oceans and upcycling in a positive way.



From the Costa Sunglasses presser...  "Costa Sunglasses, the leader in world-class performance sunglasses and the initiator of the growing Kick Plastic campaign, is helping to bring positive solutions to the growing issue of ocean plastic pollution through its new Untangled Collection—a collection of frames made entirely from recycled fishing nets.

The brand is partnering with Bureo, the pioneer in recycled fishnet products, to turn discarded fishing nets into quality sunglass frames. Identified as the most harmful form of ocean plastic, discarded fishing nets and gear account for ten percent of ocean plastic pollution, which grows by an estimated 640,000 tons every year. The new collection will be available at retailers nationwide and online in late May.

“Healthy oceans have always been a crucial part of our core mission at Costa,” said Holly Rush, CEO, Costa Sunglasses. “The Untangled Collection is helping to raise awareness and provide a solution to keep discarded fishing nets from being lost in our oceans each year. Through this important program, we will also help Bureo scale and replicate its net collection program to a growing number of fishing communities.”

The collection will include four new frame styles made from 100 percent recycled fishing nets, each featuring mineral glass polarized lenses, recycled aluminum Costa logos, PLUSfoam recyclable temple and nose pads, and a unique tumbled finish. The Untangled Collection includes two male/unisex styles, Pescador and Baffin; and two female styles, Victoria and Caldera. All styles feature Costa’s patented 580 Lightwave® Glass lenses, providing 100 percent UV protection and polarization to offer the clearest lenses on the planet. The Costa 580® color-enhancing lens technology selectively filters out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition and absorbs high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness. In addition, Costa’s lens technology reduces glare and eye fatigue.

“Aligning with partners that really want to support us and expand our mission is how we’ve grown over the past five years,” said David Stover, CEO and co-founder of Bureo. “Working with Costa to develop the Untangled Collection is another step in the right direction—not only for us, but for the replication of solutions to secure a healthy future for our ocean and its ecosystems.”

Bureo’s Net+Positiva recycling program is working to prevent fishing net pollution by partnering directly with fishermen to collect back discarded nets at their end of life and providing funds to local communities for every pound of fishing net collected. This in turn creates value in the discarded material, to generate a net positive impact for this once harmful material. Costa’s Untangled Collection supports Bureo’s ongoing efforts where they have collected more than 220,000 pounds of discarded fishing nets to date.

Once collected, the discarded fishing nets are washed and prepared for a mechanical recycling process. Within this process, they are shredded and fed through a pelletizer where they are melted and cut into small recycled pellets. These pellets are then injected into steel molds to form products, which most recently includes Costa’s Untangled Collection.

“Nets lost at sea are four times more harmful than all other forms of ocean plastic pollution combined,” added Rush. “This new collection is a positive step towards untangling our oceans and creating awareness for the dangers our oceans are facing.”

Visit the Costa Sunglasses and Bureo websites for more information or to place an order. 

A Belikin With Mr. Lincoln Westby

The alarm clock on my iPhone went off at 4:00 a.m. and I tilted the driver's seat forward, stretched and gathered up a backpack, duffel and three fly rods bundled together to carry on the flight from Atlanta to Belize City.  I had arrived at the airport after midnight and had gotten a few hours of somewhat restful sleep parked in the darkest corner that I could find in the airport parking lot with the noise of jet planes taking off and touching down while I snoozed.

Six hours and three flights later I was standing at the tiny airport in Dangriga waiting for the shuttle to Hopkins.  Scott Thompson of Blue Horizon Belize and Dave Student of Umpqua had arrived the day before and rode along with Wassan who loaded my bags and drove us, along with a newly married and fresh faced couple from the St. Louis, to Hopkins Bay Resort where we'd be for the next couple of days.

On the forty-five minute drive from Dangriga to Hopkins, we passed through town, homes up on stilts, fenced pastures, fruit orchards and jungle before passing into town again.  This was as much inland as I'd seen of southern Belize and enjoyed taking it all from the backseat of the air conditioned shuttle van.

After I settled into the upstairs bedroom of our beach house at Hopkins Bay Resort, Scott suggested that we ask Wassan to drive us through Hopkins to the other end of town to show us around.  We piled into Wassan's small sedan that doubles as a taxi car and after a slow drive through town, ended up at The Curve Bar which overlooks the Sittee River and the marina.  We watched as the occasional panga moved up and down the river.  One went by with a couple of anglers on the bench seat with a guide at the back of the boat who likely coming back from a day on the nearby flats, another panga with several local fisherman and still other pangas with sun burnt tourists returning from different water based excursions.

As afternoon turned to evening, two pangas traveling after each other rounded the corner of the river and we saw that Lincoln Westby and Ransom Nunez at the wheel of each boat as they eased their way into the marina to dock for the night.  After gassing and prepping their pangas for trips the next day, they both came up bar and sat down at the table to enjoy a cold Belikin and a few laughs before heading home to their families.

The next hour or so was spent with Lincoln holding court between sips from his beer bottle.  He recounted stories from the flats both old and new, talked permit behavior, laughed about some of the crazy things that had happened in his boat and excitedly told us that he had been busy guiding lately and had worked thirty of the last thirty-three days.  He was about to start five days in a row with a new group of anglers that had arrived in Hopkins that day and couldn't be happier to be busy.

Who knows how many days he worked beyond those but at 77 years old Lincoln Westby is a downright badass for his vitality and strength.  He's stands stout but straight with sharp eyes that still see permit tails and nervous water from afar.  His large calloused hands which have pushed a panga across countless flats with a long handmade wooden pole.  He has an unbelievable energy about him, an infectious laugh and he's so damn excited about getting out on water each day.  It's no wonder the respect that those in Belize have for him as they talk of "Mr. Lincoln", "Uncle Lincoln" or "Papa Lincoln" depending on their relationship to him as fellow guide, friend or family.

I have tremendous respect for Lincoln Westby and have been fortunate to have spent time with him both on the water and off.  His long standing ideas on permit, conservation and how guides and anglers should act on the flats make sense.  It's no wonder he and his clients have caught over 2,000 permit and counting. 

Southern Belize is a very special place and Lincoln Westby has plans for the future in educating the next generation of flats guides, teaching anglers about permit from the back of his panga and his own island, Blue Horizon Belize, will be reborn again as a fly fishing lodge after several decades of closure.  I've walked this island with Lincoln Westby on my first visit several years ago and it will be exciting to see it re-open in the coming months.

I spent the time at The Curve Bar listening to Lincoln while snapping images on my Nikon with the 50mm lens set at f/1.8 that I hope capture his spirit and energy as we saw it.  Spending time with Lincoln is always a very neat experience and this was a great way to spend my first evening back in Belize.
               

If you haven't read about my first trip to southern Belize with Lincoln Westby and Ransom Nunez of Blue Horizon Belize from a couple of years ago, please take a few minutes and visit these past T.F.M. posts HERE and HERE.

Are you interested in planning a trip to spend some time with Lincoln Westby and the other excellent Blue Horizon Belize guides?  Send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com and we can discuss putting a trip together staying at one of seven Muy'Ono resorts in southern Belize. 

SENDERO PROVISIONS CO. - Pumice Jacket Kickstarter Push

It's always great to see a company reach for something bigger and the Sendero Provisions Co. is moving into apparel with their already successful Kickstarter campaign with the Pumice Jacket.

Jump over to the Kickstarter page to check it out, click PLAY on the video and don't forget to take a few minutes to kick the tires on the Sendero Provisions Co. website as well.  I dig the vibe and the look.

DIAMONDBACK ROD CO. - New Meeker Glass Pricing

The other day I was going through the Fiberglass Rod Shops page making sure none of the links were broken and to keep up to date on everyone's offerings and noticed that both the Diamondback Rod Co. Meeker Glass Fly Rods and Meeker Blanks had new lower pricing listed which is great news for anglers and hobby fly rod builders alike.

The Meeker Glass line up is made from both updated versions of old favorites along with several new tapers and at less than $200 for a finished fly rod, these may be one of the best buys in glass right now for the level of quality that you get in the fly rod, fabric rod sock and glossy fiberglass rod tube.  

I have the 8' four weight which has been talked about HERE and HERE and I can't say enough good about these fly rods, especially at this price.

Visit the Diamondback Rod Company for more information or to place an order.

SIZZLE '18

Let's get this Monday started with some fresh cuts from the talented mind of Capt Jack Productions.



More goodness on the Capt Jack Productions Vimeo page.  Enjoy.

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE FLY - No. 27

"164 pages of gnar" is a good way to describe the latest issue of Southern Culture On The Fly and if you have a fly fishing graduate in your life, make sure they take a few minutes to read the knowledge dropped in the editorial by Mr. Grossman. 

CHECK IT.

Where I've Been...

I know it's been a few days since there has been much of an update around here and if you follow on Instagram you might have seen the story images and videos I put up while in Belize last week.  This trip wasn't really about doing a lot of fly fishing, though I did get out for one day on the flats with Marlon of Blue Horizon Belize, but instead the focus was centered on helping out with a new idea dubbed the "Southern Belize Fly Tying Initiative".  More on that in the next few days as it was really cool to be apart this first push and excited to what this could grow into for the local communities.

I'm a week back from Belize where I immediately jumped into a 70 plus hour work week that I'm slowly crawling my way out of.  Add to the mix of catching up with the email inbox, packing up a few T.F.M. swag orders, editing my way through 1,200 images from the trip along the usual day in and day out responsibilities at home.  It's been a blur of a few days but things are simmering back to normal as the weekend approaches.

So, the lights are still on around here even if they were flickering a bit for the past few days.  I've got some stories to tell, other great content to share, several new fiberglass fly rods to talk about as IFTD approaches and on the future fly fishing trip front, the annual Beaver Island carp and smallmouth bender (along with some northern Michigan trout) is only about a month out.  Add to that a couple family camping trips to Virginia and North Carolina over the next two weekends and it's going to be a stellar spring.  Let's get after it.   

ANGLING TRADE - Spring 2018

I am sitting in the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport waiting on my first flight to Belize and have a  print copy of Angling Trade in my reading stack.  You can check it out online and it'll get you caught up on the latest news, scuttlebutt and good ideas in the fly fishing industry.

CHECK IT.

The Ultimate School Bus Conversion

I guess it was a year or so ago that I started following photographer Sam Soholt on Instagram and he was just starting to dive into an old 65-passenger school bus conversion that he's using to travel around the county to chase the hunting (and angling) seasons while promoting the importance of public lands along the way.



Click PLAY and enjoy.  Oh yeah, and he's a heck of an artist as well...

Subscribe to the YouTube channel and follow on Instagram for the latest Public Land Bus adventure.

THIS IS FLY - Issue 67

Just in time for your weekend leisure reading, the latest issue of This Is Fly has arrived.  Enjoy it.

CHECK IT.

HATCH OUTDOORS - How To Rig For Tarpon

In addition to their excellent fly reels and tools, Hatch Outdoors is totally geeking out on saltwater tippet and leader materials in both monofilament and fluorocarbon. 

They want you to learn how to tie your own leaders and in this first video of several in the works with Captain Bruce Chard, he breaks down step by step how to tie your leaders for tarpon.



Don't have twenty some minutes for the whole tutorial?  Click play on the "Down & Dirty Version".

Visit the Hatch Outdoors website to look around and considering subscribing on their YouTube page for future videos that will be released through the summer.

THE MISSION - Issue 9

Do you see that fish on the cover of The Mission?  That is a Yellowfish and I'd really want to catch one on the fly.  Looks kinda carpy and I bet they would be a ton of fun on a fiberglass fly rod.  Enjoy some of that and a bunch more in the latest issue.  For free. 

CHECK IT.

BER FLY RODS - CTS Quartz - "The Sunshine"

It's been a few years since my mini rant on those who are drawn to fiberglass fly rods because of the "Damn Blank Color" but I do concede that it's tough when you see such an aesthetically pleasing build like the latest from Paolo Bernabei of Ber Fly Rods.

The CTS Colour Range gives rod builders unbelievable choices as a canvas and "The Sunshine" was built on a CTS Quartz 7'3" two weight blank.  The build included an ergonomic reel seat, locking slide band reel seat, top flor Sardinian cork grip, homemade hardware, Snake Brand guides and wrapped in Gossamer silk.

Paolo Bernabei does not have a website but can be reached through Facebook and Instagram.

OPEN FLY - Flood Tide Sixer

Spring means that flood tides will again push redfish into the grass in the Lowcountry and my buddies in Charleston are circling dates on their calendars now through fall of when they hope to be on the water.  This is when it is especially advantageous to have friends with skiffs...

I asked Chris Rourk of the Open Fly if he'd mind putting together a six pack of favorite flood tide patterns that he ties to share with the T.F.M. masses.  You need these patterns in your redfish in the grass fly box right now.  

BLACK PURPLE CRAB - "This is my favorite crab pattern for tailers, especially in dark murky water situations when they’re having trouble finding the fly.  I use 3/16 dumbell eyes, EP body, marabou and hackle feathers tail, and a #40 mason weed guard." 

BROWN TAN CRAB -  "This is a good crab pattern in cleaner water and more of a lighter natural pattern.  This pattern is good year round.   Tied with 3/16 dumbell eyes, EP body, marabou and hackle feather tail and #40 mason weed guard."

BLACK PURPLE GURGLER - "This is my favorite gurgler pattern to throw year around in the grass. Obviously it can’t be thrown in thick grass but great for short grass or when fish is cruising.  Tied with pseudo tail and tarantula body."

OLIVE DARK BROWN CRAB - "I tend to favor this pattern in the fall and it works in clean water to medium dark colored waters.   Tied with 3/16 dumbell eyes, EP body, marabou and hackle feather tail with a #40 mason weed guard."

OLIVE TAN SHRIMP - "A favorite "shrimpy" pattern to throw in grass as it imitates the grass shrimp. Orange eyes and legs help it standout and give it that little extra goodness.  Craft fur tail, tarantula body, #40 mason weed guard and 3/16 dumbell eyes."

TAN SHRIMP GURLGER - "This is my second favorite gurgler pattern as it mimics a shrimp almost perfect in the grass.  Good year round and tied with craft fur tail and tarantula body."

Chris is low drag and keeps the Open Fly on Instagram only.  Follow him there and DM to get your order in if your fly box is lacking the goods.

TRADITIONAL OUTDOORS - "You Bet Your Glass" Podcast

Last Wednesday  night I stayed up past my usual bedtime to jump on the line with Steve Angell of Traditional Outdoors to record an episode on all things fiberglass fly rods for their podcast.  We covered a lot in just over an hour conversation and hope that you click PLAY to give it a listen.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Take a few minutes to visit the Traditional Outdoors website and be sure to follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as they will be giving away a fiberglass fly rod outfit soon to some lucky listener/follower.