The Year Of The Bluegill

I half seriously mentioned it last week in a T.F.M. post but last night when Mark Yuhina posted this stunning New Years Eve watercolor of a painted face bluegill it further confirmed that 2013 is indeed "The Year of the Bluegill"...at least on my little piece of the internet.

There is perhaps not a more prolific fish that swims in so many of our local waters than the bluegill, are colorfully painted, and typically take a fly with zest.  So many first fish memories are connected to the bluegill that I am surprised they aren't held in higher regard.

Oh yeah...and they are pretty damn tasty too.

Mark wrote...  "This bluegill is a hybrid, represent "gill" in general, you can see some "shades" of long eared sunfish, bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish in there.  Last year on a trip to Texas, a professor's pond did actually have those mighty hybrids and they are such an amazing fighter...and good to eat too.  I think it will represent the millennial gill year well!"

What does "The Year of the Bluegill" mean?  Look for more T.F.M. posts of bluegill fly fishing.  More bluegill spin fishing (crickets) trips with the children.  More bluegill fly patterns.  More bluegill dinners?  More bluegills bending over a glass fly rod.  In short...more bluegill fun.

Are you in?

Lucas Madsen's Disco Cricket

Since this is the Year of the Bluegill on T.F.M., I figured that a few fly tying tutorials were in order and asked Lucas Madsen of A Tenderloin Runs Through It to share a pattern called the Disco Cricket.  Lucas was kind enough to provide a step by step tutorial on how to tie this great looking, and I bet money it's effective, fly pattern. 

MATERIALS LIST
Dry Fly Hook - Sizes 10-12
Goose Biot - Gold
Dubbing Mixed To Match Foam
2 mm Fly Foam - Green/Orange
Dry Fly Hackle
Saddle Hackle Quills - Stripped
Light Cured Resin - Clear Cure Goo
Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails
Zap-a-Gap

Begin by cutting the foam as shown.  Make sure you cut them long enough to work with.  I also stretch it between my fingers to flatten it out a bit.  I like to bevel the top edges of the shorter orange piece -- what will be our wing case.

Next, fold a the tip of a goose biot over 90 degrees about a quarter of the way up from the tip end.  Capture it folded with a pair of curved hemostats.  Apply your resin to both sides of the fold, and cure with the light.  I find Clear Cure Goo Thick is best here, with a topcoat of Hard as Nails.  Set aside and repeat for the other leg.

Attach your thread, and run it back into the bend behind the barb.  Tie in the tapered end of the longer orange foam.

Add a small dubbing ball to help separate the rear legs.

Tie in two goose biots roughly the length of the shank as tails.  Try to keep them level and in line with the shank.

Advance your thread to a point roughly 2/3 up the shank, and tie in the tapered end of the green foam.  Run your thread back to the tails.  This will help prevent a bump on the butt of your fly.

Advance your thread again to tie in point 2/3 up the shank again. Apply a bit of Zap-a-Gap to the thread base. Wrap the green foam forward to the 2/3 point on the shank and tie in.  Begin with heavy tension on the foam, relaxing the tension and spacing out the wraps as you go forward, to build a tapered body.

Stretch your shellback tightly forward, and tie it in.  Lash your front legs to the sides.

Tie the wing case in.  I like it to extend back even with the length of the body.  Trim the front as closely as possible.

Tie in a slightly oversized hackle (this is a size 8 hackle on a #10 hook), and make a couple wraps of dubbing forward.

Palmer your hackle forward through the dubbing 2-4 turns, and tie off.

Strip the fibers from 2 hackle feathers, leaving some attached at the tips.  Tie them in on top of the head, roughly 2 body lengths long.

Notice I've folded over the tag ends and tied them in to lock the antennae in.  Trim the butts off closely.

Dub the head and whip finish under the antennae.

Run your thumbnail or the back of your scissors blades along the rear-facing sides of the quills to give them a nice curved antennae shape.  You can play with them quite a bit to get them situated how you want.  I like to trim the ends with just a few hackle fibers remaining attached for an extra buggy touch.

Finish by trimming the bottom hackles close to the body so the fly sits flat on the water.

Tight lines and happy bluegill hunting!

GLASS REFLECTIONS

To start off the new year, I asked in this T.F.M. post for everyone's 'Glass Reflections' on 2023 and also their 'Glass Resolutions' for 2024.  I was hoping for a few more responses but these are below are great.

If you still have a 'Glass Resolution' that you'd like to share, send me an email today since the next post will go up soon.

JASON FORMAN
"The past few years as a parent have been a whirlwind, leaving little time for my hobby of fishing. This year, I adjusted my approach, learning to make quick trips to urban ponds during lunch breaks with my glass 3wt. I involved my daughter, creating enjoyable memories working together netting and releasing feisty bluegill and scrappy pond bass .Adapting fishing expectations as a parent has been challenging. It's easy to get tunnel vision or become fixated on specific goals, inadvertently becoming a metaphor for life's challenges. Fortunately, I have a supportive partner who helps keep me grounded, offering a delicate balance between constructive criticism and providing the space for me to enjoy some personal time.

As I entered the new year, reflections on my dog, Scout, sparked a realization. Her enthusiasm, focus, determination, and absolute presence in the moment stood out. Unlike humans, she remains unfazed by the past or future, embodying a remarkable connection with emotions. Inspired by Scout, my resolution for 2024 is to seek a similar mindset."

"On New Year's Day, armed with my 5wt Eagle Claw, I joined a friend to fish a nearby urban lake. Despite initial doubts, especially when carp fishing proves challenging, I channeled my inner Scout. Instead of fixating on expectations, I embraced the joy of being on the water in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, my home. The deliberate casting of my heavy and slow glass rod served as a reminder to slow down, be present, and release expectations.

Like magic, the day unfolded with five fish landed, each one bending my yellow glass rod nearly in half. It turned out to be the most thrilling day of fishing I've had in a while, reinforcing the value of being in the moment and letting go of rigid expectations."

ANDY STIEBLER - STEFFEN BROTHERS FLY RODS
"My 'Glass Reflections' from 2023 was teaching my nine year old son to fly fish on a Steffen 5/6 weight."

"It has also been amazing reconnecting with Steffen Bros Fly Rod customers, and even getting a few cherished early 90’s Steffen Bros fly rods repaired or restored for some loyal fans.  Another highlight, has been rediscovering old mandrels and taper layups designs, it’s kinda like Christmas when this happens!

And of course, getting the new Steffen Brothers website refreshed and planning out for a fun-filled 2024 :) Lots to be excited about. We always appreciate you all bearing with us as we try to juggle too many things at once!"
 
JOHN CARPENTER - THOMAS & THOMAS FLY RODS
"Hi Cameron, nice to hear from you.  I'll attach a photo from Jurassic Lake (Lago Strobel) featuring the Lotic 7'10" 5-weight.  This small but mighty rod has proven itself countless times with the big rainbows there, and is a favorite of guides and guests alike."

"We do have some new glass projects in the works so stay tuned!"

PETER SCHULTZ

"Hey Cameron

A happy hoiidaze to you!

That was a nice read.

Kinda like casting a glass fly rod.

Smooth and mellow.

Like bourbon, but does have its limitations.

So today may have been the last fishing day of the year.
Maybe.

I've proposed an experiment to myself here in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Urban bluelines.

Any place with current.

Here it's tidal, or perhaps,  ditch runoff into ponds.

So far so good.

I wouldn't eat any of the fish coming from these places, but all are full of vigor.

The big rain this past Wednesday   and warm Temps, provided a wonderful topwater bite on the bass.

With the cool down today, it was a prince under an indicator that provided the fun in reduced water flow.

No new glass rod.

Still throwing the little Butter Stick in these places.

It is after all...urban bluelining.

Peace to the world.

Peace to you."

MARK ERICKSON

"My 2023 began slowly but finished out as a pretty good fishing year.  Record high Sierra snowfalls forced a very late start for my headwaters explorations.  Once the water dropped enough to be fishable, I made a point of searching out new watersheds, lakes, and beats on creeks I had fished before.  I maintained enough physical fitness to push a few fairly long (for me) day hikes to explore less-fished waters within day-driving distance of my home.  The results were generally excellent.  I caught big Lahontan Cutthroat in a Sierra lake, explored new-to-me Sierra east-side creeks, and continued to check out new high-altitude tributaries of my home watershed."

"I also focused this year on expanding my fishing technique repertoire.  In particular, I put more focus on refining my single-handed Spey skills and I put effort into swinging soft-hackles and pulling small streamers.  I was rewarded with fewer-but-larger hookups (i.e., mighty 10” rainbows vs the usual 6”-8” risers in the headwaters creeks I often fish).  

Finally, I  was fortunate to be published (twice!) in the now-retired California Fly Fisher magazine - one article focusing on recent wildfires, and one focusing on (what else) fiberglass fly rods."

SANDY NELSON - SANDY'S CUSTOM FLY RODS
"The start of the year, as always, involved the building of several rods.  Always a variety and always fun.

As the season began, my trusty Barclay GP emerged from hibernation for opening day, resulting in a handsome pair of beautiful, overwintered browns in fantastic condition.

As the season went on there were a smattering of other builds including the new “Heart of Glass” Graphite’s from Dusty at Livingston Fly Rod Co.  The YS Graphite Dry fly 9-foot 5-weight quickly side-tracked much of my season as I helped with some shakedown testing and found a new friend. The extra length and light weight coupled with the wonderful deep action found it becoming my go to for the spring dry fly fishing.

A wonderful Highland adventure in northern Scotland in early June saw me catch a unicorn in the form of a native Arctic Char on the dry (I actually managed two of them!) however the excessively hot weather which dominated the rest of the month followed by a wet July and August killed the fishing here and saw me building some of my personal rainy-day rods. These included some original Steffen's I have been sitting on, a modern Sage and a pair of Barclays. The 5'8” 1/2wt two-piece Steffen is a remarkable little rod and huge fun, however when it came to the end of August and finally a fishing trip, it was a 7-foot Sakura that accompanied me and made the trip so special."

"As the year ended it was back to creating an eclectic mix of new glass friends for folk, but I managed to finally slip a Western Glass 865 on the list for myself. The post pandemic demand has settled back to normal so I might even catch up with a couple of other personal builds and perhaps finally fill my new fly box which I was gifted a couple of years ago."

MOODY WILLIAMSON
"I went out on the Owyhee River with my father this past May and I fished exclusively glass, as it's something I got back into in fall of 2022 after doing some small stream fishing with a glass 3wt. My first ever rod was glass, so it made sense to dive back in. On the Owyhee, fighting 20"+ browns and rainbows on a glass 5wt, and watching my father take those fish, as well, created this surreal connection with the fish, feeling every tilt and thrash of the head as I hooked up in deep, fast water on small nymphs, it really made me want to go deeper."

"So I went home, studied rod building for a few months, and ended up building my first ever rod, a fiberglass 5wt. My first time taking it out on local waters, I made sure to bring only flies I had tied.

Taking my first fish on a rod I built with a fly I had tied was a unique emotion that I'm still chasing today."

 
TOM BRODHEAD - 406 FLY LINES

"Well 2023 was a very good year for us.  We normally see a slowdown in orders at year's end but this season was very busy for which we are very grateful. 

We attended a number of bamboo gatherings last year, notably the Bamboo Bash in Tennesee, Grayrock in Michigan, and the Northern Rodmakers Gathering.  We got to make our annual trip to Silver Creek in Idaho and Flat Creek in Jackson, Wyoming and got caught in a snowstorm in Yellowstone Park in late October."

"High point was having you come out to fish Nelson's Spring Creek with us. It's such a special place and we love sharing it with people.  Also a special shoutout to all our customers who have been wonderful to work with."

Tom, a highlight of my year was our day on Nelson's Spring Creek.  I really appreciate the invitation.

Thanks to all who sent an email for this post and tomorrow you'll see a few 'Glass Resolutions'.

10 For Spring

Spring is an interesting season.  From my own fly fishing perspective it's a time for changing out fly boxes in the gear bag to concentrate on bluegill, bass, and carp.  The family pond starts warming up and free time after work and on the weekends is spent in the kayaks paddling and fishing with the children.  The garden is planted and the lawn gets mowed weekly.  The grill comes out a couple times each weekend to put some char marks on meat and vegetables.  The school year is thankfully winding down and summer plans are being made.

No doubt there's a lot going on but underneath it all, the focus is where can we go and have fun next?  Three cheers to Spring.  It's here. 

Here's the line up for "10 For Spring" and what I've been on the water with so far this season.

DIAMONDBACK MEEKER SERIES FLY RODS
I've mentioned it on T.F.M. several times that the biggest surprise at last year's IFTD show was coming across the Diamondback Rod Company booth and putting hands on the prototype Meeker series fly rods.  After years of them being around in several different forms, it was great to see that Nate Dablock has a clear vision where he'd like his company to go.

The E-Glass Meeker series fly rods have been designed off of the most beloved Diamondback Glass tapers from the past, and the eight foot four weight that I've had since early spring is really excellent.  It's a fun and capable four weight that can cast small to medium sized flies with ease.

Along with casting beautifully, the Meeker series fly rods hits all the high points from the aesthetics as they are made of a glossy blank blank, red thread wraps, good cork, solid hardware and the little things like Diamond shaped alignment marks.  Also included with each fly rod is a black fiberglass rod tube and high quality embroidered rod cloth.

Consider everything that is written above and add to it that this is likely one of the best values, with a whole lot of performance, in the sub $300 fiberglass fly rod field.

FLOOD TIDE COMPANY APPAREL
It's been a fun ride watching Paul Puckett and Will Abbott of Flood Tide Company build their Charleston based apparel company over the past several years, and this spring brings a significant transition from being a hat and t-shirts store to now offering several button up shirts and shorts as well.

The Sol Legare series shirts are made of 100% nylon and offered in "Lowcountry" and "Migration".  These are a great fitting shirt (read relaxed fit) that can cover all the bases from the bow to the bar to dinner.

The Hunley shorts are offered in two colors and made of a poly/cotton mix.  The Fighting Fiddler embroidered near the bottom hem is a nice touch.  The shorts run on the slender side so order a size up if worried on fit.

Let's not forget that Flood Tide Co. makes some stellar hats and the 7 Weight Trucker is likely to be sold out before the cease and desist letter arrives in the mailbox.

To soften the blow a bit on your next online order, now through June 21, use code "FIBERGLASS" for 15% off your next Flood Tide Company order.

MAVEN B.2 BINOCULARS
I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but growing up, especially during my college years in southwest Michigan, I used to be into birding quite a bit.  "Into it" meaning that each weekend I would hang out with a couple bird nerd friends and we'd get up before sunrise on Saturday mornings and work our way from Lake Michigan inland, winter trips to "The Soo", and spring trips to Pointe Pelee National Park for the spring migration.  So weird that college girls didn't think this was a totally cool hobby...

On college kid finances I purchased a set of 7X35 and 10X50 binoculars but have always wanted a really nice set.  The 10X50's are long gone and the 7X35's have been taken by the children and stowed away in their nature bags.  This was a good excuse to start looking around for a new set, and over the winter I came across Maven Outdoor Equipment Company, a newcomer in the optics game, as mentions kept coming up in online searches and articles.

What I liked immediately is that they are more or less set up like a small shop fly rod builder in being customer direct, and with an impressive listing of Stock Optics you can go your own way with the Custom Optics route if you chose.  My interest was further perked when I found that they had a new 7X45 magnification in the B.2 frame and we've had a great time over the past couple months with a demo set on backyard and family property birding trips with the children.

I have a stock set of B.2 7X45's but if you go the Custom Optics direction then you can use the "Maven Custom Builder" to design your ultimate set of optics and choose frame size, magnification, body armor, neck strap rings, custom focus wheel, lens rings, tripod collar plate, labeling, and there is even an option for engraving.

Fair warning, Custom Optics can bump the price but you certainly can get exactly what you're looking for inside and out.

P.S.  Call me old school but I'll never stop using my Peterson's Field Guide, and while I still am using my twenty some year old Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Birds, Hadley and Finn both are starting out with the Peterson's Field Guide to Birds of North America, which is a complete and excellent field guide that should cover us on our stateside travels.

KAMMOK ROO HAMMOCK & PYTHON STRAPS
Spring in South Carolina means that there are typically a few weeks between the cool of winter (which often times isn't that cool) and the oppressive heat of the summer (heat + humidity really is something).  Those precious days in between are what our family considers "hammock season".  It doesn't always last very long but there are typically a few weekends where everyone will grab a hammock and head to the wooded backyard with books, iPad, and whatever else to enjoy for a bit.

The Kammok Roo Hammock came for demo complete with the upgraded Python Straps and the spacious hammock is made from LunarWave nylon with a maximum capacity weight of 500 pounds with handy lash points along the edges.  Slide in alone or invite someone to jump in with you and enjoy.  Each Roo comes with climbing rated carabiners and dyneema slings.

The upgraded Python Straps provide eighteen points of connection and let you fine tune your hammock hanging needs.  These also come in their own nylon carrying bag.

The Kammok Roo Hammock system is certainly a premium offering in the hammock game and it's easily our new favorite.

TIMESNINE FISK BAG
A few months ago I was flipping through a fly fishing magazine when I came across an ad for the TimesNine Fisk Bag.  I immediately liked the looks and features that I could see in the photograph and it wasn't long before I had one to carry along on a few trips.

The short review?  I dig a messenger style gear bag and this is one of my favorites.

The longer take?  The Fisk Bag was designed by Jim Cook and every detail has a lot of thought behind it starting with the interior layout of this gear bag which allows me to carry fly boxes, accessories, a couple lenses and Nikon DSLR, with room to spare.  The Fisk Bag has three exterior pockets, rod holder and magnetic work station, rod tube holder, D-rings and nylon loops in just the right spots, and heavy duty nylon shoulder strap along with a removable waist strap for a comfortable and customized fit.

The Fisk Bag is "Made in the U.S.A." of top quality materials and will certainly last for many years as a favorite streamside companion.  You might like it so much that it'll pull double duty and you take it on the plane with you on your next trip.

Remember to use code "FREESHIP" to save a little money on your order.

FISHPOND SUSHI ROLL
I am always looking for new ways to carry flies and recently I have been using the Fishpond Sushi Rolls to keep track of streamers and warmwater flies.  The rolls are easy to stow in the gear bag and don't eat up the same space that a large plastic fly box would.

The genius in the construction of the Sushi Rolls is threefold, with a heavy duty exterior with Velcro lash downs paired with thick interior foam, and foam spacers along the edges to keep flies from getting crushed and allowing for flies to dry as well.

The Fishpond Sushi Rolls are available in three handy sizes from small to extra large and can house baby streamers to musky flies, long as your forearm, with ease.

WARMWATER SPECIALTIES FLIES
I'm like a damn moth to the flame with foam flies of all sorts, and the vise work of Eric Snyder of Warmwater Specialties has caught my eye as of late with a handful of his patterns that look great, float high, and are sure to get a reaction on the water.

A couple months ago I sent Eric some PayPal funds and asked that he send a mashup of his spring and summer foam favorites.  What arrived was a mix of small to large flies with the Mad Damsel and Mad Frogger being the two instant favorites.

Eric recently launched a new website that is worth checking out with all of his offerings.  Follow along on his Instagram page for the latest vise offerings.

ROSS REELS COLORADO LT FLY REELS
For quite a few years now, whenever I had the opportunity to bend someone's ear at the Ross Reels, I'd mention how cool it would be if they either re-released some of the old favorites or went back to the drawing board on a new click and pawl fly reel or two.  I got excited over the winter as a few photographs from the fly fishing shows surfaced of the now released Colorado LT fly reel.  I've been fortunate enough to put hands on a late stage prototype of the Colorado LT and I can attest that this is an excellent offering from the Montrose, Colorado shop.

Following the theme that simplicity is best, the Colorado LT fly reels are fully machined and made with a total of just fifteen parts.  What you can't hear in the image above or online is the sweet soft click that these wonderful fly reels have.  

The Colorado LT is offered in three sizes covering suggested line weights 0-3 weight, 3-4 weight, and 4-5 weight.  All three size fly reels are offered in three color choices of Matte Black, Platinum, or Light Olive.

ORVIS SUPERSTRONG PLUS TIPPET
When the product developers take on a full scale project at Orvis, they totally geek out.  Sometimes this "geek out" process takes several years until a product is ready for the catalog.  I've followed this process with the Superfine Glass, Silver Sonic waders, Pivot wading boots, and most recently the next generation of the SuperStrong Plus tippet and leaders.  Orvis knows that getting everything right during the development process is what makes for customer confidence and awards.

The first stages in developing the new SuperStrong Plus tippet involved looking at knot strengths and breaks of both wet and dry knots, and then the task of comparing the many tippet offerings on the market.  What they found along the way was that tippet diameters varied greatly from company to company, and that 5X tippet from Company A was different than Company B, which was still different from Company C in diameter, which typically also affected break strengths.  Some materials had such weak knot strengths that it was almost 50% of the straight pull.

The latest generation of SuperStrong Plus tippet boasts true to size tippet diameters and incredible knot strengths, which surpassed their previous offering, and that of their competitors as well.

I've been using a stack of SuperStrong Plus nylon tippets from 0X to 7X since early in the year and have a lot of confidence in it.  The product developers at Orvis geeking out on tippet will mean stronger knots and hopefully less lost fish.

BUCK KNIVES SPLIZZORS
It seems that less and less of my time fly fishing is spent on a trout stream and I'm more typically pursuing warmwater and saltwater species from the kayak or a boat.  This means I'm not dealing with lightweight tippets and instead using heavy weight nylon monofiliment, braids, or wire which isn't always easy to make clean cuts with nippers.

A few months ago Buck Knives sent me a pair of their Splizzors.  Think scissors that got it on with pliers to make for a badass multi function tool.  The Splizzors cut with ease through everything with serrated 420HC steel blades and have heavy duty Dynaflex handles in red which are easy to see.  The long nose plier tips can snatch flies deep out of the mouth of a catch.

The Splizzors are full of form and function with scissor edges with replaceable blades, small and large crimps, plier tips, lanyard hole, and the ever handy bottle opener.  The Splizzors also include a heavy duty belt shealth.

Along with the Splizzors Replacement Blades Kit, Buck Knives also offers Saltwater Splizzors which are made from 12C27MOD Sandvik Stainless Steel with cerakote coating to fight corrosion. 

I really enjoy having reliable and worthy tools, and the Buck Knives Splizzors are an essential for the gear bag or belt when on the water.

DISCLAIMER - Items for this post were either purchased at full retail price, on an industry discount, or provided free of charge to demo and review by the respective company.  It should be known that any product that is reviewed on this website is one that I have used and would recommend for others to use as well. 

Weekend Giveaway - THE RIVER

It is really hard for me to believe that I have been fly fishing now for over twenty years and my first experiences with a fly rod came while working at a summer camp outside of Grayling, Michigan.  I spent my first summer learning to cast on the camp lake and caught hundreds of bluegill on foam spiders.  The next summer I felt a little more confident and started skipping lunch to spend the afternoon rest period and evenings across the street somewhere on the Holy Waters of the Au Sable River.

I'll never forget walking downstream at Burton's Landing and that first little brown trout that launched itself out of the water to devour the small Royal Coachman Trude that I had haphazardly laid out on the surface.

I spent the rest of that summer on the river any time I could get away from work and hung out at The Fly Factory (which is now the Old Au Sable Fly Shop) and Gates Lodge sorting through fly bins, reading the chalk boards on what was hatching, mesmerized by the foam boards filled with hex and drake flies, and eavesdropping on the guides, shop staff, and customers as they talked of where they had been fishing the evening or night before.  These were wild tales for a teenager that didn't know what the hell he was doing and it all began to kindle an obsession that continues today with fly fishing.

Years later, the Au Sable River, it's various branches and the Manistee River, are still considered home waters to me.  I miss those sweet tea brown rivers and look forward to every chance that I can spend time up there. Without a doubt it's a very special place.


Robert Thompson of Third Year Fly Fisher recently released his latest film called THE RIVER and over the course of  two hours is able to highlight the history, the people, and almost flawlessly captures the many reasons why the Au Sable River is so special to so many.  Along with the feature film, bonus films include The Brothers Brown and Summers which make this disc three hours of northern Michigan goodness.  I've long been a fan of Robert's work but THE RIVER is his best work yet and well worth the price to add this set of films to your collection.

WEEKEND GIVEAWAY
Robert has graciously offered to give away three copies of THE RIVER to the T.F.M. readership, so please check out the the rules of the giveaway outlined below.

THE RULES
1.  Send an email to tfmcontests@gmail.com and tell me where your "The River" is?  It may be a place where you first cast a fly or that is filled with traditions year to year.  It's that special piece of water that you will always call home.

2.  Please send only ONE EMAIL submission per email address.  Duplicates will be deleted.

3.  Submissions will be accepted until 6:00 a.m. Monday, May 5th, 2014. 

4.  On Monday morning THREE WINNERS will be chosen by random number generator and then listed at the bottom of this post.  Winners will also be contacted by email as well.

5.  One winner will receive the Blu Ray copy of THE RIVER and the other two winners will receive a DVD copy.

THE WINNERS
There were quite a few entries for the weekend giveaway and I enjoyed reading through each email.  The random number generator picked the following winners...

SAM GIRWARNAUTH
ROGER DEPOY
TODD VAN DYKE

Congratulations and thanks again to Third Year Fly Fisher for sponsoring the giveaway.

Check out the Third Year Fly Fisher website, Facebook, and Vimeo page for more on the film and projects that Robert is working on.

Morgan's M.K. Magicicada

The "Year of the Bluegill" fly tutorials continue today with Morgan Kupfer of Tight Lined Tales of a Fly Fisherman tipping everyone off on his own cicada pattern which may end up being a big protein source on waters across the U.S. this spring and summer.  I can already hear them singing in the trees.

HOW TO TIE THE M.K. MAGICICADA

The 17 year cicadas, also know as the Magicicada or Brood II will be hatching this year at some point in April or May.  A little pattern I tied up in anticipation of the event, with some guidance of "Scott's 13 Year Cicada Pattern" and a little ingenuity is now called the MK Magicicada.

Here's what you'll need to tie for the big hatch:

Hook - Allen Fly Fishing Glo Bug hook -Size 6

Body - Black sparkle chenille

Foam - 1.5" x 0.5" piece of black 2mm foam

Wings - Orange Krystal Flash and Orange Kip Tail

Legs - Brown or Orange Sili Legs (0.5" long) x2

Thread - Black Danville Flymaster Plus

Start off your fly by tapering one end of your foam into a thorax shape.

Use the Glo Bug hook to give the fly just enough weight to balance it in the surface film.

Next, begin to wrap on your thread mid-shank and wrap back slightly into your hook bend.

Tie in your chenille and wrap almost to the eye.

Tie off your chenille.

Grab your foam and tie that in at the head so that it slightly overhangs the back of your hook.

Use your thread to segment the head by tying a second section slightly behind the first.

Tie in a solid clump of your Krystal Flash in the rear segment

Tie in a solid clump of orange Kip Tail on top of the Krystal Flash.

Give it a little dab of CCG, Loon UV Fly Finish, or Super Glue (whatever you prefer), on top of the flash and tail wings to help hold them in place.

Double back your foam and tie it in at that same rear segment and trim off the extra. 

Tie in your legs on either side of the head and secure with more adhesive.

Whip finish your thread and add a little adhesive for insurance since fish will be tearing these bad boys apart!

For more info on the hatch, news, updates, and emergences, check out Tight Lined Tales of a Fly Fisherman and click on the Magicicada icon on the top right hand sidebar. Be sure to use the hashtag #TLTFFcicada to report on anything Magicicada and help get the word out.

Thanks Morgan for the tutorial.  I can see a lot of fish besides bluegill making a meal out of a M.K. Magicicada.

THE MIGHTY BLUEGILL - Matt Monahan Gyotaku

Truth told, a lot of content on T.F.M. starts from something that I have seen on social media, typically Instagram.  I've been following Matt Monahan of The Mighty Bluegill for sometime now on Instagram and I am always impressed with the style of Gyotaku and how it captures a fish or other aquatic creature.

I asked Matt if he'd mind sharing photographs of a few favorite pieces along his background in this artistic medium.  Enjoy.

Matt wrote...  "Gyotaku was born on a Japanese fishing boat. In the mid 19th century there were no cameras and there was no refrigeration. Fish, therefore, would have to go straight to market upon arriving in the port. Those poor Japanese fishermen had no way to prove to their friends that they weren't lying about how big that last one was....

Until someone had the idea to record the size and details of their fish with the basics that they had: sumi ink and rice paper. The put the ink on the fish (gyo) and rubbed (taku) the paper on it, and voila! A print of the fish recording all its detals, including size. 

This functional record keeping evolved into an art form and now it's practiced world wide by people who love fish, art, and Asian culture. 

I taught Asian history for years, visited Japan and nearly moved there to teach. I've also fished my whole life and have a one week annual fishing class with my high school students. Our art teacher told me I ought to check out gyotaku. So, the next year, we attempted to print our fish with acrylic paint and paper. Looking back, the results were pretty poor, but we thought it was awesome and it became part of the class. Now, after printing our fish, we fillet them and later hold a fish fry and art exhibition where we eat the fish while we look at their portraits. 

In addition to the class, I've taken to study the art form by joining the Nature Printing Society and even traveling to study one on one with master printers such as Heather Fortner. 

Gyotaku is a method, not a medium. You can print on paper, fabric, plastic, I once even printed on a rock. I've printed using acrylic paint, water based block printing inks, oil based etching inks, sumi ink, and even India ink. Eric Hochburg, one of the NPS founders, once printed a squid in its own ink. 

Most of the fish I catch are caught by myself or people I know. I often print fish for people on commission, like a taxidermist. It leads to some neat learning opportunities. I friend brought me a northern pike, for example, from North Dakota. I gutted it and found it was full of large crayfish. I took the best crayfish and printed it along with the pike, showing him about to be eaten. I titled that one, "The Last Supper." 

Not all fish print well. Large scaled fish like bass, sheephead, and drum print really easily. Trout and grouper are harder because their scales are so fine. Some, like shark and mackerel, have no scales and you have to work to accentuate other features of the fish to make a good print. 

The process is pretty simple. Take a dead fish (I'm still working on a catch and release method), and clean all the slime off. You can use anything from salt, soap, even lemon juice or vinegar. Then position the fish the way you'd like it to look, using clay, foam, pins, cardboard, and such. Carefully ink the fish in all the places you'd like to show up in your print, and then put paper or fabric on it and rub and press carefully and evenly to transfer the ink to the print. Once it dries, paint in an eye and sign it. Voila, a record of your fish and a work of art all in one. Leave it to the brilliant innovation of a pre-modern Japanese fisherman. We stand on the shoulders of giants."

"This is a Tennessee rainbow caught by my wife's boss's son. It is actually three pieces of ma (hemp) rice paper wheat pasted together. The bottom is a piece I dyed by hand, the middle is a piece on which I printed some American Pondweed. The top is the actual fish print. I used oil based ink and finished the fish with water colors and India ink."

"Brooks and Bows is a neat print because my daughter caught the 22" rainbow in Tennessee, my son caught the 18" "bow in Georgia, and the brookies are from a friend in California. The fish are printed with oil based ink on ma paper."

"A friend caught the redfish in Louisiana and brought it to me to print. I bought the shrimp at the local Asian Grocery store. Akua ink on cotton fabric."

"The freshwater drum is printed with water based ink on cotton fabric. Around here, drum are considered a trash fish, so I wanted to try to rehabilitate his reputation with the most beautiful colors I could mix. Incidentally, I carry a T-shirt of this print and it's the best selling shirt with my female customers."

"The brook trout are printed with oil based inks on hand-dyed ma."

"The huge brown trout was actually part of both a tragedy and a conspiracy. It was killed in the line of duty by fishery guys in another part of the country. It became known as "troutgate" because there was outcry all the way to the government level and the perpetrators were commanded to return the fish, which they never did. I cannot tell you how I was able to print this fish as it would risk the identity of my connection."

"All my fish have cool stories behind them. The octopus I special ordered at Publix for about $45."

"Finally, the booth shot is what I submitted for the Blue Ridge Arts in the Park juried art festival. I'm stoked to report that I was accepted and this Memorial Day weekend (2017) I'll be slinging fish prints in Fannin County, the trout capital of Georgia. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood and see a fish print demo."

Visit The Mighty Bluegill Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy page for more examples of his work or to purchase a piece of Matt's excellent artwork. 

2018 T.F.M. Father's Day Gift Gear Guide

If you're scratching your head on what to get that special father in your life, here's ten (additional links as well) solid gear suggestions to help you along. Maybe not all of these things can get to your doorstep by Sunday, but letting dad know it's on the way will sure to bring a smile and anticipation.

Here we go...

PAKMULE HITCH BASKET
If I've learned anything in traveling with our family of four over the year, it's that we quickly run out of space when packing for a trip.  It seems like every cubic interior inch of our vehicle is stashed with gear and the recent addition of the Pakmule hitch basket is giving us newfound space to ensure everything for the trip makes it along.

The Pakmule is made of 100% aluminum, no problem for one person to place on and off the hitch and is absolutely rock solid with zero wobble.  The tubular design of the basket makes it easy to lash or lock down coolers, gear and containers for the long haul.  The Pakmule sets a new standard in hitch baskets.

P.S. #1 Don't forget the MULEstraps which are U.S.A. made, sold in pairs and offered in 4', 8' and 12' lengths.

P.S. #2 Order Dad a couple OTTOLOCK Cinch Locks too as they work best in keeping items of value attached to the Pakmule.  Check out the T.F.M. review if you haven't already.

CAMP STOVES
When I finally gave up on my aging and malfunctioning dual fuel camp stove, I started messing around with three different stoves which all continue to be excellent in their own ways.

The Camp Chef Everest Camp Stove is the perfect camp two burner and I purchased the Mountain Series Aluminum Griddle which works great with it as well.  Follow up with the T.F.M. review for the full write up.

Of the three camp stoves mentioned in this review, Camp Chef has the longest list of offerings in their Mountain Series to choose from.  The Deluxe Outdoor Oven is on my own wish list for taking camp meals to the next level.

Over the last year the Eureka Spire XL has gotten a lot of T.F.M. love for a couple reasons.  First, it's a big stove and easily handles a ten inch cast iron pan and/or a large square griddle and second, the ability to add the Jetboil Luna Satellite Burner just makes this camp stove win in so many ways.  Follow reviews on the Spire XL as part of "10 For Spring" and the "T.F.M. Holiday Gift Guide".

Now through Father's Day Eureka is offering 25% off everything on their website along with free shipping.  Doing the math, you can get the Spire XL (or the smaller Spire) with the Luna Satellite Burner for the price of either stove not on sale.

The Primus Kinjia Stove is the smallest camp stove in this line up but continues to be a favorite for it's simplicity and well thought out design.  This stove features excellent heat control of it's 7,000 BTU/h burners, removable griddle and angled stainless steel drip tray make after meal clean up easy.  More on the Kinjia Stove as part of "10 For Fall" from a few seasons ago. 

Now through Father's Day, enter PRIMUSDAD20 at checkout for 20% off your order and free shipping.

P.S.  Looking for the perfect cast iron skillet for both camp and home?  Check out the Smithey Ironware.  Use code "DAD" for a free Chain Mail Scrubber with purchase of any skillet.  Past T.F.M. reviews and mentions HERE, HERE and HERE.

MAVEN BINOCULARS
I am working on full length gear reviews of the custom B.1 binoculars that I purchased this spring and C.1 binoculars that I have been demoing lately but the short of it is that whether you're looking at size, the ability to build your own custom or stock binoculars, Maven has you covered. 

As over the top excited as I am about the custom B.1's that I had built, the C.1 binoculars are a solid choice and a great size.  Not too big and yet not a small pair of binoculars either.  The C.1 series are offered in three magnifications of 8X42, 10X42 and 12X42 and priced at from $325 to 375.

Now through Sunday, use code FATHERSDAY-2018 for $50 off the C.1 binoculars and if you order by June 13, Maven will make sure they are at your doorstep by Father's Day at no extra shipping charge.

More on Maven binoculars in the "10 For Spring" from a couple years ago.

FILSON - EVERY FATHER NEEDS SOME IN THEIR LIFE
I've been into Filson for years (actually a couple decades) before Filson was hipster cool.  As a early twenty-something I walked into a fly shop in Grayling, Michigan and bought a Tin Cloth Packer Hat which I wore until it just got too funky from years of sweat and abuse.  I replaced it with another (one size larger) that is still a favorite and wear on cool wet weather days.     

The Filson offerings are ever expanding and the many briefcases (circle back for a future review) and luggage choices always have my attention.  The Heritage Sportsman Bag is a long time favorite which doubles as a toss in everything gear bag or quick pack overnight carry bag.   The mix of Twill and Wax Tin Cloth with Bridle Leather mean this one will be forever lasting.

The Ballistic Nylon Bags are a more recent offering from Filson and feature a lightweight yet highly durable woven nylon which they are using to build everything from briefcases to rolling luggage.  The Duffle Pack (paired with the Travel Pack) is the perfect multi-night carry option for travel and  the ability to carry over the shoulder or with tuck away backpack straps give great choices.  This is the go anywhere and do everything duffle pack that dad needs.

The Ballistic Nylon Field Pack is a new piece that we've been using this spring and Finn has already called it for his school backpack next year.  It's not showing up on the Filson website any longer but you can still find it at your local dealer or online.  

FIREDISC COOKERS
When the FireDisc Deep 36-Inch Tall Portable Cooker arrived, I wasn't sure what we'd try making first.  Fast forward a few months and we've done everything from kettle fries, cut fries, bluegill fillets, rice dishes, saute meats and even camp funnel cakes.  It does it all and has become a favorite outdoor cooker with our family and church youth group on camp outs.

The FireDisc Cookers are offered in either skillet or deep and in two heights.  I like the deep, especially when working with oil, and the tall height so I'm closer to what I am cooking.  The benefit to this cook system is that is breaks down into three parts for ease of packing and travel.  The angled bowl keeps oil and grease in the center while three heat zones allow for several cooking areas of different temperatures from the middle to edges of the 22" inch cooking surface.  Over time a seasoning effect takes place creating a non-stick and added flavor to foods much like your favorite cast iron pan. 

FireDisc Cookers is always running giveaways and specials and it's a good idea to sign up for updates on their website along with following them on Facebook.  Already have one?  Consider joining the FireDisc Cookers Owners Group.

FISHPOND THUNDERHEAD SUBMERSIBLE BACKPACK & DUFFEL

I travel a fair bit and packing my clothes and gear for a week (or longer) for an airplane trip somewhere that may require an over the water transfer has had me thinking that waterproof luggage is the answer.  Heck, I had my entire suitcase drenched from a downpour in a luggage cart sitting on the tarmac a couple years ago so  you don't have been going someplace exotic to end up soaked.  It's not a great way to start a trip and lately have been using the Fishpond Thunderhead Duffel and Backpack with great satisfaction.    

When the Thunderhead Submersible Duffel arrived I wasn't so sure of the size.  At first glance it fell into not being that small but wasn't so sure that it was large enough for most trips.  After a seven day trip to Louisiana and a five day trip to Belize, I'm more than impressed by the capacity for it to hold clothing and gear with some room to spare.  It's deceptively large and waterproof as they come.  It's so far held up great to the abuse of baggage handlers, conveyor belts and checked baggage carousels.  It's gained some "character marks" but still as water tight as ever.

I've only done one trip so far with the Thunderhead Submersible Backpack but it hits all the high points for being rock solid built, completely waterproof with a TIZIP zipper, cavernous cargo space, well thought interior pockets, comfortable pack straps and (serious high points here) removable hip belt.

The Thunderhead Duffel and Backpack are my new one-two punch when traveling home and abroad. 

 WOODY HANDMADE KNIVES

 Several years ago I started a small knife collection and came across Woody Handmade Knives early in my search.  I liked his story, that he was just upstate from where I live and the quality of his work is excellent.  I'm a big fan of the Drury Fillet Knife (see previous posts HERE, HERE and HERE) and last year Frank Bridwell sent a knife that he described as a kind of do all knife perfect for everything from oysters to outside chores. 

Woody Handmade Knives is a neat story (check out the video on how his knives are made) and any father should find a knife of their liking on his website.  There are also options for custom work as well.

YETI HOPPER FLIP 18 & SIDEKICK DRY

I am a big fan of YETI products, along with what they do for and with the fly fishing industry, and have used and covered the Hopper (HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE) soft coolers extensively through the years.  Nothing against the hard coolers, the Hoppers just tend to get used more around here. 

My new favorite (previously the Hopper Flip 12) is the Hopper Flip 18 since it's the perfect size for family day trips or multi-day solo trips and it has the added benefit of being just the right size for stacking a couple hot plate casseroles for church potluck keeping them ready to serve for hours after they came out of the oven. 

A new addition to the YETI line up is the Sidekick Dry which a waterproof gear pocket and the perfect addition to any Hopper soft cooler.  Wallet, mobile phone and anything else is completely safe in this water tight pack. 

SADDLEBACK LEATHER CO. NOTEBOOK HOLDER & VALET TRAY

I've got a good friend that over the last several years has completely nerded out on leather gear of all sorts and I've been fortunate to be gifted two items from the Saddleback Leather Co. that I use every day with first being a small Notebook Holder and then last Christmas, the Valet Tray.

The small Notebook Holder is perfect for work as I'm able to keep a 5"X8" note pad inside with a few other essential placed in the interior pockets.  Offered in four leather color choices, the Notebook Holder features a single piece of leather on the outside and both riveted and sewn for strength and durability.  I've been carrying mine for several years now and the only change in it is that the leather has taken on a darker shade.

The Valet Tray is that one thing that I didn't know that I needed until I had it as it holds my nightly pocket dump keeping everything all in one place.  Also available in four leather color choices with riveted corners, I expect that this will be a piece that will last several forevers.  

GIVE THE GIFT OF GLASS 

No gear guide is complete without a reminder that the "Gift of Glass" is an excellent choice for dad.  Almost ten years ago I started typing on this blog and at that point there was maybe a dozen choices for fiberglass fly rods.  Fast forward to the present and the number is pushing one hundred with everything from pro hobby builders to small shop magicians to most of your favorite fly rod companies all offering something in fiberglass.  It's a grand time to be a fiberglass flyrodder.

Spend some time on the Fiberglass Rod Shops page and if you have any questions, or need suggestions, please feel free to send me an email at thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.

Okay, that's a wrap with ten solid suggestions for Father's Day.  What's dad getting this Sunday?