Saturday, August 31, 2019

Smolko's Day Off Alaska Dispatch

Looking back over past T.F.M. posts this morning, guide, photographer, roadie and all around good dude, John Smolko has sent off "Day Off Alaska Dispatches" for the past two years (you can check past posts from 2017 and 2018) and he's back with a fresh stack showing big bends and big fish with fellow guide Josh Hendry, who splits his time between Florida and Alaska.

I'm left scratching my head on why I haven't been to Alaska yet.  Next summer...


Hey Cameron,

I hope this finds you well and you're having a great summer. 

All is well up in Alaska.  It has been a warm and dry season so far which has made for some low water and incredible rainbow trout fishing.  Once again, I've brought up a glass five weight and have been putting it to some good use.  It's the perfect rod for up here.  Grayling on dries, dollies on beads, rainbows on mice and all so much more fun on glass.  I've been spreading the word and opening eyes to the world of fiberglass. 

Hard to believe the season is going so quickly. We're done up here mid-September.  Let's get together and fish this fall, even if it's just a musky day on the French Broad River.

Cheers,
John










Dive down a deep rabbit hole of goodness on Smolko's website and Instagram.

STRUNG MAGAZINE - Issue #4 & Special Offer

The latest quarterly issue of Strung Magazine arrived in the mailbox this past week and it's in my reading stack for the beach as we're down in Isle of Palms for the long weekend. 

Issue #4 is "The Upland Issue" and beautifully covers a lot of other bases in the outdoor sporting realm as well in this issue. 


Want to check it out?  You can choose to read online or subscribe for the print version of this large format magazine.  Now through the end of the year, Strung Magazine is offering an introductory promotion of a half price subscription for only $19.95. 

To subscribe, visit the Strung Magazine website. 

Friday, August 30, 2019

CTS FISHING - Free Shipping for Father's Day

While a good number of T.F.M. readers are gearing up for the long Labor Day weekend, it's Father's Day in New Zealand this Sunday and CTS Fishing is celebrating with free shipping on all orders placed through the weekend.


Now through midnight (NZST) on September 1st, use discount code "DADSDAY" on your online order on the CTS Fishing website and receive free worldwide shipping. 

MEATEATER - Das Boat: Episode 2

The MeatEater fishing film series Das Boat continues with Episode 2 with guide Alvin Dedeaux of All Water Guides and chef Jesse Griffiths of DAI DUE on the lower Colorado River in Austin, Texas for a mixed bag of bass and gar caught on the fly and lure.



Check out the MeatEater website and follow along for future episodes on the YouTube channel.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

JEFF KENNEDY - Gates Lodge "Artist in Residence" Daily Journals

The other day while poking around Facebook, I noticed that artist Jeff Kennedy (the creator of the Retro Fly which he has allowed me to use as a  T.F.M. logo for years and years) announced that he'd again been invited to Gates Au Sable Lodge for an "Artist in Residence" week which will begin this Sunday.

I'll always have a soft spot for the Au Sable River as I learned to fly fish on those waters, haphazardly caught my first trout one evening some 25 or so years ago downstream from Burton's Landing and of course was in and out of Gates Lodge as a poor college student with not much money to spend but still would stop in to pick up a few flies.

I sent Jeff a message to see if he'd be willing to put together a series of dispatches during his week there to share on T.F.M. and he graciously agreed.  I figured that it would be good to do a question and answer to provide some background for these daily journals before they begin next week. 


What is the "Artist in Residence" program and why is it important to you?

The Artist in Residence Program allows creative time and space away from the usual environment and obligations life throws at you. It provides time to reflect, immerse and research. 


The most important aspect to me is the immersion and escape. Having the opportunity to spend time in nature, particularly on a river, to focus on the sights, sounds, and smells of the surroundings. And to then take that and convert it into sketches and paintings is truly magical. 

The ability to escape and provide a singular focus on developing my art goals is a true gift. Without the support of my family and lodge owners, this would not be possible.  The other important aspect is interaction with the folks that come to the lodge. We get to swap stories and they get a glimpse into my creative process for creating artwork.


What does a typical day look like while you're at Gates Lodge?

I am an early riser, so I will get a pot of coffee rolling in my Jetboil, first thing.  I will reflect on what I saw and learned from my previous day and I enjoy a cup of freshly pressed joe.  During my coffee time, I will do a few warmup sketches.  This helps to get my eye-hand coordination in sync.  I will review sketches or photos and dive into creating some images.  Most of the time the images I will be creating will be landscapes, lodge scenes or flies ( which are near and dear to my heart).  

Then in the afternoon, it's fishing, oops, I mean research time.  I will head out to one of the sections of the river, sit, and take in the surroundings, sketch, take a few photos or cast to rising fish. 

Depending on the weather forecast the schedule may be reversed. In the evenings, I typically will go out mousing.  I really dig heading out and dusk to just sit and wait for the sun to set.  The sights and sounds are incredible. once the lights are out, the show for big predatory brown trout begins.  It is an amazing experience to no longer rely on your primary sense of sight and switch to your sense of sound.  There is nothing like the sound of a big brown crushing a mouse or the crap in your waders sound of a deer crashing through the woods behinds you. 

And depending on how late I stay out, I would journal and sketch my day's experience. If the mousing is good, that journaling may have to wait until morning.

I do have specific art goals that I want to achieve during this time and I will be focusing on my composition and values in my image-making.  If you want to learn more about that, you will have to stop by and visit, or follow my daily journal on T.F.M. or check out my Instagram feed.



What is your connection to Gates Lodge and the Au Sable River?

My first introduction into Gates Lodge and the AuSable River came when I joined the Northern Illinois Fly Tyers in the Chicago suburbs.  The club always took an annual trip to the Au Sable River. Many of its members had a connection with Cal and Rusty Gates.  
Living in the Chicago suburbs, trout fishing is not readily accessible.  The closest trout fishing is in the Driftless region of Wisconsin which is a four hour drive away.  I started to make the annual trek to Gates Lodge and the AuSable River with the club.  It was such an incredible environment to visit. Different than my typical suburban surroundings. 

Although I did attend Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, met my incredible wife, then moved back to the Chicago suburbs for a job, I never took advantage of the vast fishing opportunities Michigan had to offer.  I really enjoyed and looked forward to the trip and camaraderie every year.  I use to spend the early morning hours in the fly shop drinking coffee with Rusty discussing fishing before the shop opened.  I now have a similar relationship with Josh Greenburg, who is the proprietor of Gates Lodge.  

Josh has always been a supporter of my creative endeavors and this is my second Artist in Residency at the lodge. Josh also makes sure that I get a good balance between spending time on the artwork and getting out to fish ( or as I call it, research).  

The river is such an incredible resource steeped in fly fishing history which is another reason the area is so attractive.  I was fortunate to be able to move back to my adopted state of Michigan two years ago.  I now have all of its incredible resources at my disposable without the excessive drive time.  The AuSable, and many other fishing resources, are under constant attack which is why I also give back at every opportunity I can.  This past year I teamed up with Vedavoo to custom paint a messenger bag which was auctioned off with all proceeds going to the Anglers of the Au Sable to assist in fending off the forces that try to destroy this incredible river ecosystem.


Anything else you'd like to say before the Daily Journals kick off next week?

I am extremely grateful that Josh continues to make this opportunity available to me.  It is a substantial commitment on his part, and in return, I hope I can create a fun experience for those who visit the lodge. On occasion, a lucky visitor may walk away with one of my sketches. 


Jeff Kennedy unplugged his website but the Drawing Flies 365 blog is a great trip down memory lane.  You can follow along with his latest fishing exploits and studio news on Facebook and Instagram.  If you're looking for his latest collaboration, Simms Fishing just released his Patriotic Bass in both a short sleeve t-shirt and long sleeve tech shirt.

Look for the "Artist in Residence" daily journals from Gates Au Sable Lodge to begin early next week.

CASEY UNDERWOOD X FLY FISHING COLLABORATIVE

If there is something that I continue to be impressed with in the fly fishing community is that artists and small shop craftsmen always find ways to support the fly fishing industry and the greater good with causes from conservation, the environment and human needs. 

Today (August 29th), artist Casey Underwood is giving 100% of the proceeds of all decal orders to benefit the Fly Fishing Collaborative.  It might not seem like a big deal but every order adds up.


Not familiar with the Fly Fishing Collaborative?  Their mission is to create sustainable solutions to poverty and human trafficking.  Take a deep dive on their website to learn more.

Want to help?  Order yourself up a stack of decals from the Casey Underwood website, including the new Oversized Decals.  I just ordered up a short stack myself of mostly warmwater decals.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

SWIFT FLY FISHING - Epic Ready To Wrap Kits Sale

This popped up on my radar this morning and I wanted to pass it along to those who have been considering a Swift Fly Fishing Epic Ready to Wrap Kit that NOW(!!!) is the time to pull the trigger.


I'm waiting to hear back from Carl at Swift Fly Fishing on when this sale will end, but in the meantime, order away.  I'll update the post when I have an end date.

Take a look at the "Special Offer" Epic Ready to Wrap Kits and get your order in today.

No one would fault you if you bought a couple...

P.S.  Special offer pricing is good through September 5, 2019.

THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - CRASH COURSE

The latest web exclusive from The Flyfish Journal is a film trip to Wisconsin for packs of smallmouth crashing bait (and flies) at "Crash Camp" with Black Earth Angling Co.  It's stellar to see artist Jake Keeler involved in this project as well.


Take a jump over to The Flyfish Journal website to check out this film and be sure to submit your name for the Yakima Racks Slim Shady Awing giveaway too.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

LOON OUTDOORS - Shop the Summer Sale

This is just a quick heads up that Loon Outdoors is making room for new gear coming for the fall with a blowout 50% off Summer Sale

There is a lot of great gear in the mix at half off but the Fly Tying Tool Kit and the Iconic Kit (the Rogue Quickdraw Forceps are money) are the two standouts from the sale. 

It's not too early to think about the upcoming holidays, birthdays or of course, yourself.


Jump over to the Loon Outdoors and take advantage of the Summer Sale deals which will be wrapping up soon. 

FLY FUSION - Cast Like A Pro: #7 Pick Up and Lay Down

The fly casting instructional video series with Fly Fusion and Scientific Anglers continue with Field Editor Jeff Wagner covering the importance of the pick up and lay down cast.



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.

Monday, August 26, 2019

HEADHUNTERS FLY SHOP - Dry Fly Nerds Take Note...

Do you fish a lot of dry flies on big water?  Spring creeks?  Long leaders?  Wind?  Demand precision on medium to long casts?  Take a look at the latest offering from Headhunters Fly Shop with their Headhunter Fly Line.   Made to their exact specifications by the folks at RIO Products, this fly line is made to excel in dry fly situations.

The Headhunter Fly Line is made in four, five and six weight and is only available at the shop and online for purchase.


From the Headhunters Fly Shop Blog...

"Yes, it has arrived. Introducing the Headhunter Fly Line. A dry fly line designed by Headhunters manufactured by RIO for our dry fly obsessions!

After years of trying every fly line on the market – and never finding exactly what we wanted – we decided to design our own line, specifically for technical dry fly fishing on the Missouri River.

The Headhunter Fly Line is designed for the medium to long casts we perform every day. Casts that require pinpoint accuracy, long-leader turnover, delicate presentation, yet the power to defeat the ever present Montana wind."


A five weight Headhunters Fly Line is sitting on my desk (Thanks SOL) and it'll soon get a work out on a few favorite fiberglass five weight fly rods. 

Visit the Headhunters Fly Shop website for more information (purchase your own fly line HERE) and don't sleep on the HHFS Blog, as few fly shops these days invest as much time into teaching anglers how to fish the local area, gear reviews (you can trust), high quality videos (more please, John...) and of course, a heavy dose of good humor.  And of course, follow along on Facebook and Instagram too.

HOWLER BROTHERS - FALL 2019 COLLECTION

I'm not one to wish away summer days but over the weekend we went from humid in the 90's last week to low 60's to mid 70's on Saturday.  I won't lie that it's got me thinking about fall.  Couple that with the folks at Howler Brothers already being a step ahead with their Fall 2019 Collection going live on the website and I'm (almost) ready for bonfires, camping trips and time outside on cooler days.

Oh, and if you didn't notice, Howler Brothers also just released a Kid's Collection so that your son or daughter can dress just like mom or dad.  So, with incredible style.


If you're placing an order on the Howler Brothers website, don't forget to use discount code "TFM2019" for 20% off your order.

And finally, if you in the Austin area near HBHQ (1010-A West Lynn Street), stop by on Thursday, August 29th for a kick off mixer.  Give Rick a high five for me and drink some of his beer.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

AFFTA - A DAY FOR BRISTOL BAY

It hardly seems possible that we could still be dealing with the #NoPebbleMine issue but year after year there seems to have some sort of new life breathed  into the plan of a possible open pit mine at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska. 

AFFTA has dubbed Saturday, August 24th as A Day for Bristol Bay and they are asking for donations to the AFFTA Fisheries Fund which 100% of the money given will be donated to the Bristol Bay Defense Fund to continue this fight.

Dirty politics are at play, a total disregard for science and an indifference by government on many levels for what thousands of people over and over have fought and petitioned to not move forward.

And yet, here we are still fighting the idea of "Wrong Mine, Wrong Place".  We can't stop now.


The fly fishing industry is deeply involved in this fight with companies such as Fishpond, Loon Outdoors, Rep Your Water and Sight Line Provisions (among a long list of others) giving some, if not all, proceeds made today to the Bristol Bay Defense Fund.

There is a list of participating businesses listed on the AFFTA website that is worth checking out with fly shops all over giving today from proceeds made in the shop today.


Want to learn more and donate?  Visit the AFFTA Day for Bristol Bay webpage and make your donation HERE.

MEATEATER - Das Boat: Episode 1

The folks from MeatEater have kicked off their first original fishing film series that follow a beater aluminum boat and ten anglers on a 2,500 mile adventure.  I've watched the first two episodes and they are really well done and a lot of fun as well. I bet you'll enjoy them as much as I have.


In Episode 1, Steve Rinella and guide JT Van Zandt poke around the Texas coast in search of redfish.



Check out the MeatEater website and follow along for future episodes on the YouTube channel.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE FLY - No. 32

Just in time to make the most of the last month of summer, the boys at Southern Culture On The Fly have released their latest issue.  The (f)arts issue is everything that you'd expect it to be.  And then some.  It's stellar to see a huge feature on Tyler from Wandering Blue Lines and everything else is a solid mix of salt, trout and smallmouth.      


CHECK IT.

SIMMS - How to Choose the Perfect Size Wader

I don't think that there is a wader company with more size options and the ability to fine tune the fit than Simms.  This is a handy video (and short tutorial on fit, what to wear under waders and wader care) on getting the right size every time.



Check out the wader line up on the Simms website and take a peek at the already released fall arrivals which went live last week.

Monday, August 5, 2019

#LIFEHACK - How to Get Your Kid to (Always) Wear a PFD

Our children were brought up around water with both a swimming pool and pond just through the woods from our house.  As parents, this meant swimming lessons early and getting them into a personal flotation device (PFD) that they would actually want to wear anytime they were on the water. 

The search to find the perfect kid PFD began and ended with the Astral Otter, which I covered in this T.F.M. post awhile back.  After quite a few years of use, Hadley and Finn finally grew out their Otters' and have both moved up to the Astral YTV.  This is a comfortable low profile and easy on/easy off PFD and we're hoping to get as many years of use out of these as we did with their first PFD.  


Now, it's easy for children to reach a point where they start to think they are a good enough swimmer to not need a PFD (and it's likely that mom and dad haven't always been a good example of always wearing one all the time either) when they are on the water but we're trying to keep them in that "Wear your PFD" mindset at all times.  They are getting old enough now to take the kayaks out on the pond on their own and we really don't want them cutting corners on safety.

So, how do you get your child to wear their PFD?  How about putting that square tab on the the front of their PFD to good use and get your child a utility knife?  I've affixed a Gerber River Shorty to each of their PFD's which is both useful and your kid feels like a badass who's ready for anything when they are on the water...while they're wearing their PFD.  Parenting win.

We are fortunate since we have two children who are very safety minded (maybe it's from mom who's a nurse and dad who's a cop) and they both of a focus on preparedness when in the outdoors.  Sure, this means them wanting to fill up their packs with "survival gear" but they also take the time to learn the how-to, when-to, why-to and practice these skills when they are outside.  The utility knife on the PFD is just one part of that.  It's a proud dad moment to have children who are ready for anything when they're in the wild.

GEAR NOTE
- It looks like the Gerber River Shorty is currently not available on the website (you can still find it elsewhere online) but be sure to check out the new Crossriver and Crossriver - Salt.  Both models are great choices for a PFD utility knife.  Mom and dad might need one too.  

COSTA - For Those Who Need Water to Breathe

This Costa sizzle reel has been bouncing around the internet for a few weeks now and it's pretty good.  I'm seeing places in Belize that I've been to and it's got me thinking I need to get back down there soon.



Check out the latest from Costa and if you're in need of some advice on lenses, check out this T.F.M. Gear Review from a few years ago.  The Corbina frame with Green Mirror and Sunrise Silver Mirror lens are my go-tos. 

Saturday, August 3, 2019

TIGHTLOOP FLY RODS - Ijuin-Rod Yomogi 7'3" 4 Weight

There are few who can build a fly rod that is this beautifully done but then also create photographs that really highlight the skill employed like George Minculete of Tightloop Fly Rods

This custom Ijuin-Rod Yomogi four weight blank build is a fine example of his work and the bright white studio lighting really makes this build pop visually.


George wrote...  "This is a special Yomogi parabolic series by Ijuin Rods with is appointed in dark hardware, Arguello agate stripping guide blued and coated in house, classic Garrison style Lemke uplocking reel seat-custom two-tone exotic wood, cigar grip with complementary winding check and minimalist, clear wraps, tipped orange.

This fly rod was commissioned by Alternative Tackle and will find a new home in California soon."











See more of George's excellent work on the Tightloop Fly Rod website and follow along with the latest shop news and announcements on Facebook and Instagram.

FLY FISH FOOD - Stoneflopper - Foto Foam Version

The boys at Fly Fish Food want to make sure that your hopper box is full of tasty (and easy to tie) foam flies for the summer terrestrial season which should be on fire right now with an updated tutorial for the Stoneflopper.





Check out the Fly Fish Food website for the Stoneflopper recipe and deep dive into many (many many) other patterns on the Fly Fish Food YouTube channel.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

#TBT - EL TIBURON

It's "Shark Week" and until I catch a larger one (which likely will never happen again on the Epic Bandit ten weight) the "El Tiburon" experience from a few years ago with Captain Gifford Scott (and ragtag crew) of SC Flats Fishing will likely get tossed up here as a #tbt reminder of a damn good time had.


Take a minute to circle back to the "El Tiburon" post and if you find yourself in Charleston, give Captain Gifford Scott of SC Flats Fishing a ring.

P.S.  I know that a fisheye lens can make just about anything bigger but an eighty pound Blacktip shark on the fly ain't nothing to sneeze at.

THIS IS FLY - Issue 73

The latest issue of This Is Fly is and full of all sorts of goodness.  Let this be your office distraction (one of several, I'm sure...) for the day.


CHECK IT.