TROUT UNLIMITED - An Evening with John Gierach

I'm guessing that you're a little worn out with Zoom meetings about now but a bright spot for this week is An Evening with John Gierach that Kirk Deeter of Trout Unlimited has lined up for tomorrow evening to discuss his new book, Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers. 

This is a free event and all you have to do is register online.  You'll be emailed the link to join the event and there also is the ability to submit questions that John Gierach could be asked.

Visit the Trout Unlimited website and make sure you register for An Evening with John Gierach.

PAUL PUCKETT - The Corona Virus Chronicles - No. 37

Artist Paul Puckett is keeping the (almost) daily sketch book stories going with a morning flood tide dispatch with friends from the other day.  Ryan Griffin put the fly in the mouth of a redfish before heading to work.  Those are the kind of mornings that you can have in Charleston.

I remember a trip like that with Captain Scotty Davis from too many years ago...

Visit the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website and Instagram to see his latest works and studio news.

ALVIN DEDEAUX - Fly Fishing for Bass

Texas fly fishing guide (and all around good dude) Alvin Dedeaux has used his coronavirus pandemic time wisely with quite a few fun and informational videos over the past couple of months. 

His latest three-part series is on Fly Fishing for Bass and they are a good primer to either started or get back to the warmwater fishing that many of us have nearby.

Press play on Part 1 and work your way through these three videos.



If you find yourself in Texas, consider booking Alvin Dedeaux for a day of fly fishing and until then, be sure to follow along on his YouTube channel.

MB CUSTOM RODS - Haldin Ready 2 Wrap Fly Rod Kits

MB Custom Rods is on to you something with the addition of the Haldin Ready 2 Wrap Fly Rod Kits now offered on their website.  There are two different blanks to choose from and a long list of ways to fine tune the fly rod build to your liking.

Marc Beissler of MB Custom Rods and I traded notes this week and he sent along some great information to read below on these fly rod kits that when you run the currency conversion, won't break the bank.

Marc wrote...  "After putting the Haldin HDT S-Glass blanks on our website at the end of April, I received various requests from customers for recommendations on matching components, thread colors, hardware and instruction on how to build these fine glass sticks.

The Haldin HDT 37 and 57 S-Glass blanks are great tools for fishing small to medium sized creeks or streams. Their fast but sensitive taper allows to perform various casting styles in close to mid range. They are extremely light in hand and bend to the butt when you get hooked on.

So we decided to put a kit with optional but always matching quality components together, which will allow the builder to have a plug and play experience with building his new HDT glass fly rod. Knowing, that there are rod building kits out there which consist of a great blank, but when it comes to the other components this is where the quality lacks and often the end of fun begins.

The kit comes with industry leading guides from Snake Brand, Kimono silk thread from Superior Threads, A Grade aluminum reel seat hardware and assorted wood or cork inserts. The blanks come in brown canvas Haldin branded rod socks and are available in three colors and in two line weights.  

If you are already in the rod building game, I assume you wont need supplies like varnish, glue, mixture cups and brushes. But if not, we supply these basics along with the kit as an option.

The customer can choose between two different reel seat options (Garrison or Payne models) and there are also different colors for the hardware available to match the taste of the new owner.
 

Optional to the kit, there are matching Haldin rod tubes available.

 

I have built on these blanks for myself and enjoy fishing them very much, so the idea behind the kit is to bring glass rods back to the surface, where they belong. Therefore the pricing is moderate to address the people who intended to build a glass rod but the effort of collecting components from different shops and maybe a not matching setup frightened them in the past.

We are here to help, so customers can get in touch if they have questions regarding the kit or if someone wants special parts or components to personalize his future rod a bit more.

So, lets make glass great again!"

Interested in building your own fly rod?  This looks to be a great way to do it.

Visit the MB Custom Rods website for more information on the Haldin Ready 2 Wrap Fly Rod Kits and consider following along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest shop news.

REP YOUR WATER - Coloring Pages to Download

There are a lot of coloring pages floating around the internet right now to keep the kiddos busy during the coronavirus pandemic and Rep Your Water has three images to download on their website which are of course, free.

Visit the Rep Your Water website to check out the Spring 2020 Collection and download the coloring pages while you're there.  Follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest gear, conservation notes, contests and more.

PAUL PUCKETT - The Corona Virus Chronicles - No. 36

These chronicles have been a neat insight into those who have inspired artist Paul Puckett and today I'm taking an online deep dive into the life and work of Charles Russell. 

Visit the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website and Instagram to see his latest works and studio news.

P.S.  If you haven't checked out the Escape Capsule #3 from Flood Tide Co., you definitely should.    

Where Will Your Red Truck Take You? Yellow GLASS

The folks at Red Truck Fly Fishing Company have kicked off a new series storytelling, which will be told through videos, images and words, that will be centered around their Diesel Yellow Glass fly rods, which are available in a 7'6" four weight and a 7'10" five weight. 

The story starts with this introduction video and it'll be interesting to see the waters, and in who's hands, this Yellow Glass fly rod will be taken in this series.



Interested in a Yellow Glass of your own?  Check out the Red Truck Fly Fishing Company website but also know that I sell these fly rods in the T.F.M. Store.  Each purchase comes with some T.F.M. swag as a thank you and I appreciate the support.      

So, where will your Red Truck take you? 

DREWLR - "The Anatomy of a..." Series

It's been kinda amazing to watch as quite a few artists have doubled down in their creativity during the coronavirus pandemic.  One, who've I've mentioned quite often lately, is Drew Wilson and he continues to make me smile with where his head and art has been going.

He's started a series dubbed "The Anatomy of a..." and so far has highlighted some favorite species to include Trout, Bluegill and Smallmouth.  These are just fun in every way and the Trout and Smallmouth are now available as decals.

Check out the DrewLR website and be sure to follow along with his latest genius on Instagram. 

Remember to use the discount code "quarantine" for free shipping. 

SWIFT FLY FISHING - Free Custom Fly Rod Build Book

There is a lot of interest in building a fly rod, more so now than ever that everyone is under some sort of quarantine at the house, and even if you don't decide to go with a Swift Fly Fishing blank, the Custom Fly Rod Build Book is a great resource in walking you through the entire process bare blank to finished fly rod. 

Swift Fly Fishing has dropped the paywall and this book is now available as a free digital download.

Have you been thinking about Swift Fly Fishing Studio Built, Ready to Wrap Fly Rod Kit or Blank?  Please know that I have a affiliate relationship with Swift Fly Fishing and appreciate when you jump through the links provided in these posts.  I end up with a few coins in the T.F.M. piggy bank with your purchase and I am always happy to send along a T.F.M. swag package as a thank you.

Of course, if you have any questions or interested in my opinions on the Epic offerings, I'm always happy to answer with an email at thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.

VEDAVOO - 20% Off Discount Offer

It's been interesting to watch the "small shops" adjust and hunker down through the coronavirus pandemic in doing what they can to keep building gear for orders, fly shops and even some neat custom pieces that I see shown off on social media.

Scott Hunter at VEDAVOO has stayed at it, juggling his time between being dad and the sewing machine and has offered up a discount for the T.F.M. readership to take advantage of.

Now through the Memorial Day weekend, use code "GLASS" for 20% off your order.  An added bonus?  Add a Comrade or Retro Fly patch to your custom made piece for free.  They have the 2" and 3" patches in stock and ready to affix.

Check out the VEDAVOO website and get your order in pronto.  

PAUL PUCKETT - The Corona Virus Chronicles - No. 35

Paul Puckett and I must be having some of the same daydreams and my fingers are crossed that my Montana trip in August will have a couple day stopover in Craig, Montana to see the crew (including Beau Stratham) at the Headhunters Fly Shop.   

And, if you didn't see it yet, Flood Tide Company released Escape Capsule #3 which contains some of the strongest pieces yet.  I grabbed up a Ol' Crabber Quick-Dry Hat this morning along with a couple t-shirts.  These are limited edition releases so when they're gone, they gone.  Order today.

THE HOWLER HUT - Quarantining with Oliver White

Oliver White has been one of the recognizable "faces" of Howler Brothers for years and this shortie film is an inside look at his life at home during this damn pandemic. That's quite a Guacho Shirt collection that he has there.

The folks at Howler Brothers are keeping things fun with a #GauchosInAction contest giveaway that was posted on their Instagram and it winds down tomorrow.  The winner will walk away with a yet to released Gaucho Shirt, a $300 gift certificate and a gift package from Frigate Reserve Rum.  Jump over to Instagram for the details and make sure you get your best play in.

Need some HEED THE CALL in your wardrobe?  Remember to use discount code "TFM2020" for 20% off your Howler Brothers order.  Code is good for one purchase per customer and works on most but not all items on the website.

LAST CALL - Graywolf Rods "Essential Worker" Giveaway

I had meant to post a reminder over the weekend that the Graywolf Rods Essential Worker Giveaway was wrapping up but then a day at the beach with the family and then yesterday working in the woods got in the way.

So, we decided to extend the giveaway for a couple more days and if you haven't gotten your entry in for the giveaway of the Trout Smith's Glass Spinning Rod, then you still have time.

Check out the original giveaway post for details.

Entries will be accepted through Wednesday, May 20, 2020 and I'll pick the winner on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Good luck and thanks to all of you that are keeping things moving forward during these strange times.  I'm ready for this pandemic to be over with and life to resume, even if that means some new precautions.

TIMBER & FINS - Fly Wallets in the Making

I like to see how handmade things are made and David-Alexandre Chabot of Timber & Fins sent along a few images of their fly wallets to share in various stages of the build.  The Small Fly Wallet with the waterproof Field Notes booklet is kinda genius and maybe I'd actually sketch or take notes on a trip if I had one. 

Timber & Fins offers their fly wallets in two sizes along with a short list of other handmade gear that is worth checking out.

Check out the Timber & Fins website and be sure to follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

PAUL PUCKETT - The Corona Virus Chronicles - No. 34

It's been awhile since Paul Puckett's last sketch book dispatch.  He's been busy with paint brushes and watercolor lately but back to end the week with a couple ink pieces to share in this post and at least one more tomorrow.  I've enjoyed these and hope that you have as well.

Visit the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website and Instagram to see his latest works and studio news.

BOUNCE - A Tarpon Story

I've had tarpon on my mind quite a bit lately and Early Riser Coffee Roasters short film with David Magnum of Shallow Water Expeditions isn't helping much at all.



The Captain's Collective sat down with David Magnum for an insightful podcast interview that is worth a listen.

Lastly, Early Riser Coffee Roasters coffee is pretty damn good.  I ordered a couple bags to give it a try a few weeks ago and then reordered a five pound bag of Double Haul last night.  Every purchase supports conservation which is something to feel good about with your morning brew.

Atlanticus & Water is Life

Castaway Films through their collaboration with the Fly Fishing Film Tour have offered up a double feature of their films Atlanticus and Water is Life for your viewing pleasure.  Press PLAY and enjoy.

Keep up with the latest from the Fly Fishing Film Tour and future 2020 show dates on their website along with Facebook and Instagram.

The Art of Ben Burlock

I sometimes wonder what would be missing from my life without Instagram as I've come across so many stellar small shop makers, rod builders, fly tiers and artists of all sorts.  One new recent find was artist Ben Burlock.  I get a real kick out of his style and asked him if I could share a few of his most recent pieces of artwork and tattoo work with this post.

Ben wrote...  "I've been a tattooer for the past 11 years and an avid fly fisherman for much longer than that.  I'm based in the beautiful Bow Valley in Canmore, Alberta, which is in Canada. I currently tattoo at New World Samurai and I would describe my artistic style has illustrative, with heavy nature influence.

I've settled in the valley in between some of the best fly fishing an angler could ask for which is the mighty Bow River in Alberta and the Kootney River which is next door in British Columbia. This gives me the ability to fish for brown trout one day and bull trout the next.

Much of this translates into my art and I am so thankful that it brings with it like minded outdoor enthusiasts as my clientele. There's isn't much that can compete with making tattoos and talking fish techniques almost everyday. 

All I hope is that I can do some justice to the beauty that is the outdoors, through my choice of translation...art and tattooing."

Follow Ben Burlock on Instagram and get inked with an appointment at New World Samurai.

Flip Pallot's Secret Laboratory Tour

I tipped everyone off sometime back that Flip Pallot was uploading the Walker's Cay Chronicles episodes on his YouTube channel and his latest video is a walk through his "Secret Laboratory" which I'm sure you'll get a kick out of.



Need some more Flip in your day?  Give a listen to the conversation that he had on the Mill House podcast.  It's a damn good one.

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE FLY - Issue 35

Just what you need to get you through the week, Southern Culture on the Fly has released Issue 35.

CHECK IT.

SIGHT LINE PROVISIONS - Sunfish Limted Edition & More

The other day, Edgar Diaz of Sight Line Provisions and I were on the phone playing catch up and going through everything that he was doing to keep his business afloat while focusing on his long list of dealers.  His Retailer Takeovers have fueled a lot of support over the past few weeks with 50% of proceeds made during a day or weekend going to fly shops, guides or conservation organizations.

Hustlers gonna hustle, pandemic be damned.

Then we started talking about how all our local spots have so much more value right now as we're not able to go anywhere else and that sparked the idea of bringing back some of his favorite warmwater offerings with the Sunfish and Rio Grande Cichlid along with the mainstays of Bass, Striper, Musky and Carp.  They are all our warmwater heroes right now.

Pre-order your Sunfish or Rio Grande Cichlid bracelet right now and they will ship on May 21, 2020.  These are each limited to 50 bracelets each and will be made on Brown Horween Leather.

Don't sleep on the Green Horween Leather Bass 2.0 either which is offered in Skinny Emerald Green too.

Check out the Sight Line Provisions website and be sure to follow along with the daily shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

HANK'S SCHWAG-A-THON GIVEAWAY!!!

There are a lot of different ways that we're all trying to help our friends in the fly fishing industry and Hank Patterson has cooked up a giveaway of all giveaways that is worth a look. 

Spending some money right now in your local fly shop or a guide trip?  Every $100 spent between now and June 30, 2020, is an entry into the Schwag-A-Thon Giveaway.



To play all you need to do is send an email to hambone@troutjousters.com with your name, how much you spent, which fly shop or guide that you supports and what you received.  If you are the selected winner you'll need to be able to prove these purchase(s) with a receipt. 

Hank is updating the Schwag-A-Thon weekly with new sponsors and prizes that are being tossed in the pile.  One winner will walk away with it all on July 1, 2020 with a live YouTube drawing.

Follow the updates on the Hank Patterson YouTube channel and website and be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram as well.

Jump over to YouTube as Hank has posted Update #1 and Update #2 to catch you up on things.

ORVIS FLY FISHING - Virtual Casting Instruction & More

Looking to up your fly casting game?  Orvis Adventures has recently launched Virtual Casting Instruction that is available in a Standard and Premium packages.  Stay "Safer at Home" while going one on one with a casting instructor and fine tune your casting.

Visit the Orvis Adventures website for more information on the Virtual Casting Instruction and please also note that the Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing is now available to watch for free via YouTube along with additional instruction and presentations on the Orvis YouTube channel. 

Through the last few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, Orvis has doubled down on keeping anglers engaged with Facebook Live and Instagram Live sessions daily and sometimes multiple times a day.

THE MISSION - Issue 21

Just in time for your weekend online reading stack, the latest issue of The Mission is here.  There's a whole bunch of awesomeness in this issue and it's got me itchy for travel, fish and friends.

CHECK IT.

CASEY UNDERWOOD ART - Coloring Pages for the Kids...and You

Pandemic or not, artists keeping creating art and Casey Underwood has released three coloring pages to keep your children (you know you want to color too) busy.

No purchase necessary and you can just download from his website.

Download the coloring pages HERE and take a look around the Casey Underwood Art website as he's got it loaded up with prints, decals and apparel.  Be sure to follow Casey on Facebook and Instagram too for the latest studio news.

T.F.M. MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY

UPDATE - The random number generator has chosen KATIE MENKE as the winner of this giveaway.  Thanks to all who sent submissions and played along.   Thanks also to each of the industry friends who supported this giveaway as well. 

Dad's, you're next with a Father's Day Giveaway coming soon.

With everything going on, your plans for Mother's Day might not be what you hoped for but let's have some fun anyway with an easy giveaway that you can play for this weekend.

Growing up with a mother who pushed me to be outdoors (and not just to get rid of me) and for over twenty years being married to someone who needs time outside herself, has shown me how powerful fly fishing and other outdoor pursuits are for our well being.

Another takeaway in this is the importance in sharing these experiences with the next generation coming up.  Our children have an ever deepening understanding of the outdoors and even though I'm a total nerd for fly fishing, they have just as much interest in learning and doing bushcraft, hiking, camping, cooking, paddling and picking up skills in the woods and on the water with much of this instruction and showing how coming from their mom.

Moms in the outdoors make a difference and I'd like to celebrate that.

What started with an email exchange with Loon Outdoors quickly got the ball rolling with Orvis, CTS Fishing, 406 Fly Lines, Bob White Studio, Rep Your Water and ECHO Fly Fishing all jumping in to create a gear filled giveaway package that's worth putting your name in the hat for.

Here's what is in the mix for the Mother's Day Giveaway...

CTS FISHING - Quartz 476 Fly Rod Blank & Wanderer Cap
ORVIS - Hydros II Fly Reel in Purple
406 FLY LINES - Four Weight Fly Line
LOON OUTDOORS - David Rollyn Gear & Accessories
BOB WHITE STUDIO - Autographed Copy of John Gierach's New Book
REP YOUR WATER - Apparel Package
ECHO FLY FISHING - Micro Practice Rod 
THE FIBERGLASS MANIFESTO - Swag Package

This giveaway package is worth $1,000 and a lucky mom will win this on Monday, May 11th, 2020 when the random winner is chosen.

Here's the rules...

1.  This contest is for the moms in the room.  Dads, I have something cooking for Father's Day too.

2.  Send an email to tfmcontests@gmail.com and answer one (or all) of the following questions...

• What is an outdoor memory that you had with your mother and how did that shape your own experience in sharing these activities with your child or children?
• What has been an unexpected joy with your children during the coronavirus pandemic?
• Where is the first place that you plan to travel to (on your own or with your family) when these strange times are over?
• What is your favorite outdoor activity or place that you most enjoy fly fishing and why?

3.  One giveaway submission per email address.
4.  You will receive an email reply with your successful entry for the giveaway.
5.  Entries for the Mother's Day Giveaway will be accepted through Sunday, May 10th.
6.  Not required but maybe share with another outdoor mom you know too.
7.  Winner will be chosen by random and announced on T.F.M., social media and with an email.

A huge thanks to each of the companies who are involved in this giveaway.  I really appreciate the support and the ability to put something like this together for the benefit of the T.F.M. readership.

If you have any questions please let m know by email or DM through Facebook or Instagram.

P.S.  Don't forget about the Graywolf Rods "Essential Worker" Giveaway too.  Entries will be taken for that giveaway through Sunday, May 17, 2020.

SWIFT FLY FISHING - "Casts That Catch Fish" Ups Your Game

I tipped you off a few weeks ago that Swift Fly Fishing had graciously offered up their film, Once in a Blue Moon, as a free download and I thought I would also share that Casts That Catch Fish is available as a free download as well.

To view this film, add the "Digital Stream Streaming Access" version of Casts That Catch Fish to your cart and head to checkout.  Once checkout is complete, the link to view the film will be emailed to your inbox.  Click on the link and press PLAY.

Thinking about a Swift Fly Fishing Epic Blank, Ready to Build Fly Rod Kit or Studio Built Fly Rod and have questions?  I'm always more than happy to help guide your Epic purchase and I am just an email away.

I've mentioned it before and wanted to again in this post that I have an ongoing affiliate relationship with Swift Fly Fishing and each purchase made from the links in these posts puts a few dollars in the T.F.M. piggy bank.  If you do place an order, please let me know by sending an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.  I'd be happy to send along a T.F.M. swag package as thanks.

PATAGONIA - Il Pescatore Completo | The Complete Fisherman

Patagonia continues to release story films for you to enjoy while you are "Safer at Home". This is a beautiful watch even if you don't have much interest in fishing with a cane rod and a horsehair line.  There's still something to learn here and it's Italy.  Who doesn't enjoy that?



A good companion to this film is Simple Fly Fishing which can be purchased on the Patagonia website in paperback or as an ebook on Kindle, Nook or iPad.

YETI Dispatch: A Proper Occupation

YETI Ambassadors Alvin Dedeaux, JT Van Zandt, and David Mangum reunite for the trip of a lifetime to the Seychelles.



Jump over to the YETI website and sign up for the YETI Dispatch magazine.  It's always a stellar read and gives you a sneak peek on new and soon to be released products.

Your Fly Box Needs... The Fish Taco

Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo falling on the same day means that today's post couldn't be any better timed.  The Fish Taco is here and if you like tacos, then your local bluegills and bass want to much on them too.

I'm trying to squeeze The Fish Taco into a step by step fly tutorial which I hope to post soon.

In the meantime, check The Fish Taco out on Instagram and order a few tacos for yourself.

CONFLUENCE FILMS - WAYPOINTS

Another week in quarantine and Confluence Films has lifted the paywall on WAYPOINTS for the next few days.  Click PLAY and enjoy.

Visit the Confluence Films website and check out the Confluence Films Vimeo channel for more.

TAPÂM - The Film and an Interview with Jan Bach Kristensen

There are a lot of firsts in this film and it's surprising that I first watched this film ten years ago.  It's still one of my favorites and be sure to scroll down for the short Q&A with Jan Bach Kristensen farther down in this post. 



Seeing this film again was great and I emailed Jan a few questions that I had on his reflections, challenges and an inside look on this journey into the jungle for massive tarpon on the fly.  I appreciate Jan's candidness and getting these answers to back to me so quickly.

Ten years, it's hard to believe that is has been that long since I first watched this film.  Where did the idea come from to pack up a couple float tubes, fly rods and camera gear and head to the Nicaragua jungle?

Yeah, crazy it's already been ten years! The idea was entirely Daniel's. For years, he had traveled throughout Central America, far off the beaten track, in search of an untouched tarpon fishery. He had discovered this place, fished it on several trips, photographed it and knew the potential for a movie. Not having any experience with movie making, I think he was looking for someone who did, but I somehow convinced him that we could pull it off together - despite the fact that as still photographers neither of us had any movie making experience. We decided to shoot exclusively with DSLR cameras, which was a brand new thing back then. 

How tough were the logistics of this trip to plan?  How long were you in the jungle and what did you learn along the way? 

There was a lot of planning involved. We camped in the jungle for three weeks, a long way from the nearest road or shop. We had a couple of local guys help us with the logistics but we still needed to organize food, fresh water, fuel, gear, permissions, medical kits, and so on - which was a pretty big undertaking. We needed to bring spares of anything essential as there would be no way of picking up anything, basically. The biggest learning was probably that preparation is key to success and that having trustworthy local contacts is absolutely essential. The locals are super friendly but there is a lot of drug trafficking (and drugs in general) going on - as well as patrolling of military police, which you need to be prepared for. 

How many fly rods did you destroy?  What other gear was essential and what failed?  

Believe it or not but we didn't break a single fly rod! The brackish river water doesn't have much oxygen in it so it was vital that would could release the big fish quickly so we fished heavy straight leaders (130 pound flourocarbon), which allowed us to "hand line" the fish once it got close. That in combination with Daniel's experience from previous trips (and maybe a little luck) probably saved us from a few broken rods. On a later trip I had a big tarpon inhale the fly right at my feet as all the loose line in my lap formed a giant knot. I was stripping line with the rod under my arm and managed to catch the rod mid-air as the tarpon took off. A split second later the knot cleared my rod of all its guides, only to have the 60 lbs core fly line break as a piece of string.

One gear failure that nearly cut the trip short was when the gas tank of our little generator split open from the constant vibration. We used the generator to re-charge camera batteries and download footage onto hard drives and without it we could not have continued shooting. A trip to the nearest village produced no spare parts so we resorted to scraping off the paint along the crack with an old knife and then superglueing it! Desperate measures but it didn't leak a single drop the rest of the trip! Superglue should always be part of your emergency repair kit! 

Watching this film again yesterday morning, I noted the collaboration with the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.  How many tarpon were tagged and was any data found from these tags? 

We have it written down somewhere but from memory I think we tagged seven or eight fish. Unfortunately none of them have ever been re-caught or found, at least not that we are aware of. It would have been interesting to understand to which extent these river tarpon are stationary or if they migrate long distances, such as up to Florida.  

If you were going to go back, what would you do different?  Maybe take along a couple fiberglass fly rods? 

Since we did Tapâm, I've come to love modern glass fly rods and I think float tubing for large fish is a type of fishing that really lends itself to these rods. I find the slower action is great for casting big bulky flies, they allow you to put some serious pressure on big fish without being worried about them exploding, and when you're in a far-off destination a couple of broken rods can quickly become a critical issue so the robustness of glass rods certainly also plays a factor. 

When you think of TAPÂM, what makes you smile and laugh now? 

It was a crazy adventure with some funny mishaps but mostly the fact that we managed to pull it off! Apart from having some great friends (G+K Film in Frankfurt) do the editing, we were just a two-man team that took turns fishing and working the camera. People told us that we couldn't shoot a whole movie using DSLRs but we did it anyway and were also the first to bring out a fishing movie in full HD on BluRay. We're certainly proud of that. What really still makes me smile ten years later is when you show the movie to people who don't fish at all and have no concept of fly fishing - they are still blown away. 

What would surprise people to know about this trip and the methods that you used, such as float tubes, in this film? 

Many people have asked about sharks and no, we're not crazy. In several years of fishing this location from a panga, not a singe fish was attacked by sharks. We would not fish from float tubes if it weren't safe. Another misconception is that we fished from float tubes as a gimmick or for the sake of the movie. That's not the case. First of all, the float tube allows you to get incredibly close to the fish, in particular in the small creeks. Secondly, float tubes are ideal for tiring out large fish. You essentially fight the fish with your legs rather than your arms but more importantly, you constantly position yourself in a way so that you pull the tarpon off balance. This allowed us to release the fish much, much faster than had we fished from a skiff or a panga. For the fish to survive in the brackish water this is essential.

AFFTA & MOLDY CHUM - Conservation from the Couch

If he wasn't before, the coronavirus pandemic has made Brian Bennett of Moldy Chum a power user when it comes to Zoom.  He's using that expertise for good and kicking off a series of evening conversations in collaboration with the American Fly Fishing Trade Association.

From Moldy Chum...

Every morning we wake up, and it feels like we’re on an alien planet. “Captain’s log: quarantine day, who the hell knows. We’re tracking the movements of two dog hair tumbleweeds from quadrant living room to planet kitchen. We have our phasers set to stun. They could be hostile!”

If your days are going anything like ours, we could all use some much needed human interaction and a connection to our angling community. Lucky for you and those pesky tumbleweeds, Moldy Chum, and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association are teaming up on a new series we are calling “Conservation From the Couch”.

For the next few weeks, while you’re still stuck on your couch, we’ll be bringing you a series of light-hearted conservation conversations. From stripers to tarpon, to redfish, to steelhead, every few days we will be virtually circling the couch wagons to round up leading conservation organizations, guides, and fly shop owners to discuss the state of our fisheries and how you can fight for our fish from the couch.

So instead of constantly being stumped by your kid’s 3rd grade math homework, Zoom drunk dialing your fishing buddies, tying enough flies to make Tom Rosenbauer envious of your whip finishing skills, launching your own podcast, getting on Facebook and then pondering why you’re still on Facebook, and formulating another plausible theory for where Carol Baskin’s husband is, tune into Conservation from the Couch and learn what you can do, from the couch, to conserve our fisheries. Heck, you don’t even need to put on pants…

Striper Edition

Tuesday, May 7th at 8:00 EST

Register Here

In partnership with American Saltwater Guides Association

Featuring Abbie Schuster, Kyle Schaefer, Tony Friedrich, and Will Goldsmith 

Gulf of Mexico Redfish Edition

Tuesday, May 12th at 8:00 EST

Register Here

Featuring Lucas Bissett, Bailey Short, Greg Dini, and more…

Steelhead Edition

Thursday, May 14th at 8:00 EST

Register Here

In partnership with the Wild Steelhead Coalition

Featuring Chase Gunnell, Kate and Justin Crump, Shane Anderson, and more…

Bonefish/Tarpon Edition

Tuesday, May 19th at 8:00 EST

Register Here

In partnership with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

Featuring Mark Rehbein, Aaron Adams, Ross Boucek, and more…

Sign up at the links above and I'm looking forward to these evening conversations on conservation.

GRAYWOLF RODS - Reminder of the "Essential Worker" Giveaway

I know that everyone has a lot going on and I wanted to post a reminder of the "Essential Worker" giveaway that has been graciously offered by Shane Gray of Graywolf Rods.  There is a Trout Smith's E-Glass Spinning Rod up for grabs for one lucky reader.

So for I've received nearly three dozen emails and know that there are way more COVID-19 stories out there to share.

Circle back to last Saturday's T.F.M. post which fully explains this giveaway and you have two more weeks to participate.  The winner will be chosen on Monday, May 18, 2020.

THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - 3 Good Articles

There seems to be an overload of great fly fishing content on the internet lately and thank goodness.  We all need a diversion from the craziness of living through this pandemic.

Here's three recent articles from the folks at The Flyfish Journal which include a bass trip photo essay by Copi Vojta, the last fish caught by a few notable anglers (including buddy, Mike Sepelak) before these strange times began and then an insightful interview with artist Drew Wilson, who's work you've seen quite a bit lately around here and on social media.  His latest print release, "The Anatomy of a Trout" is already sold out but one of his recent best.

Grab another coffee or maybe it's time for a real drink already and enjoy these three articles.

ECLIPSING THE EPIC

100 WORDS OR LESS - LAST FISH BEFORE CORONA

INK FISHING - AN INTERVIEW WITH TATTOO ARTIST DREW WILSON

Now is a good time to subscribe to The Flyfish Journal as they have a good deal with recieving a back issue with your one or two year subscription.

INTENTS MEDIA - 104 Years | Fly Fishing the World

This is a fun one from InTents Media and I can relate with being stuck in the bad weather slump that they encountered as I had some similar luck that lasted for about a year with too much wind and rain no matter where I went.  Keeping at it always plays out to be a positive though in the end.



Click subscribe to the InTents Media YouTube channel if you haven't already.

TROUT UNLIMITED - Free Memberships to Essential Workers

Something very eye-opening with what's been going on with the response to the coronavirus pandemic has certainly been the effort, sacrifice and dedication of so many essential workers across our workforce. 

Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited took notice (check out the Facebook video) and has graciously offered free memberships to all essential workers.  All you need to do is fill out this FORM. 

Trout Unlimited continues to do tremendous work in coldwater conservation, likely on waters near you, and it's also likely there is a TU Chapter nearby that you could become involved in, if you aren't already.

If you're not a member and considered an "Essential Worker", take advantage of this offer and join Trout Unlimited today.