Tying And Fishing The Gerbubble Bug

A tip of the cap to Brian Bennett of Moldy Chum for passing along these high quality scans from the May 1971 issue of Fly Fisherman with the history and tying instructions for the Gerbubble Bug.

Click on the images to view the full resolution images of this article.

Check out Matt Zudweg's modern take on the Gerbubble in this T.F.M. post.

SmithFly Digi Pouch

Photogs take note of the SmithFly Digi Pouch as this is a great product for keeping your DSLR high and dry at all times.



Ethan Smith breaks down the features of the Digi Pouch in this informative video.

Use code "TFMDISCOUNT" for 20% off your order with free USPS Priority shipping.

Visit the SmithFly website for more information.

6 Faces Of Hadley

Yesterday morning at breakfast when the children heard that I had caught a grass carp out of the family pond, they made it known that they wanted to give a try as well.  We went down an hour or so before dark and just like the night before I hooked up with one within just a few minutes and then passed off the fly rod to Hadley and Finn to battle with.

Unfortunately this one came unbuttoned ten minutes or so into it but it was still fun to snap some photos of Hadley in the moment.  She had her game face on and was working it side to side trying to keep it out of the lily pads and away from the dock pilings.

You might remember the "10 Faces of Finn" post from the spring and this blog is a easy way to journal a few photographs of the children every now and then.  

So crazy to watch them grow up and these years are seemingly flying by.  Where's the pause button?

8

Leave it to the Lowcountry Journal to get my brain on redfish in the grass and creeks. Press "PLAY".



We'll be down in Charleston for the upcoming long holiday weekend and then I am staying over for a couple days to get in the boat with Harry Tomlinson of Charleston Fly Fishing Expeditions and Scotty Davis at Lowcountry Fly Shop.  I need a redfish fix and this should do nicely. 

Oh yeah...and I'll be at the Fall Tailers Ball on Wednesday evening before heading home.  Hopefully I'll see a few of you there.

This Is Fly - Issue 53

The latest issue of This Is Fly is live and ready for a flip through on your last day in the office before the weekend starts.  Enjoy.

CHECK IT.

Operation Grass Carp

I have mentioned it before but we live on a piece of family land that just through the woods is a 100 acre or so pond that a few years ago was starting to have weed problem.  The solution came with the addition of a few hundred grass carp that started out at eight to twelve inches long and over the past couple of years have grown to three times that size by munching away at the roots of the weed beds.

Even though the grass carp had been in the pond for several years I hadn't ever seen one and when I heard that one of my wife's cousins had them come up to the top at night when he feeds the bluegills at his dock I had to check it out.

Through the summer I've been down to the dock a few times and it's entertaining to watch what shows up when the feed hits the water with huge bluegills, packs of large catfish, and group of grass carp all in the mix for a free meal.

I've been trying a few different flies and the other night I hooked two grass carp on a light wire dark colored egg fly that were promptly bent out.  DAMN...  Then last night not five minutes into a quick session where I was using a small white foam fly on top and a small dark egg (on a heaver wire hook this time) the foam fly when under and the fight was on.  Minutes later, after a few runs and screams of the old clicker fly reel, I slid my first grass carp into the net.

"Operation Grass Carp" was finally a success.  Next goal is to take one on a dry fly.

What's really going to be interesting is to see how big these grass carp will get over the coming years.  There is a lot for them to eat in this pond with a lot of room to grow. 

6 Good Reads

Another week and another half dozen favorite online blog posts and articles to keep you busy for a little bit.  Enjoy.

BIGDRYFLY.COM STEPPING HIS GAME UP
My good buddy Mike at bigdryfly.com has been banging out the posts lately and it's great to see his blog continue to provide great content, gear reviews, and trip reports.

G&G - MR. GROSSMAN ON HEAD GAMES
Good to see that I'm not the only one that can screw things up from the front of the boat with nothing more than mentally not being where I need to be. 

HEADHUNTERS FLY SHOP - RIVER TUNES
When you have a few dozen guides that work out of a shop, you quickly figure out what gear works and what doesn't.  The solar panel looks mighty handy and having a bluetooth speaker around camp or the kayak wouldn't be the worst thing either.

NEW ENGLAND ON THE FLY - WEATHERVANE ENVY
Beautiful images of a very excellent weathervane.

RAMSAY FLIES - 40 YEAR OLD FENWICK
Author Henry Ramsey wrote just a short piece the other day on fly fishing with his old Fenwick and it's a stellar reminder that just because it as old as you (or older) doesn't mean it's any less wonderful of a fly rod.

SINGLEBARBED - MAKING POPPA PROUD
Thank goodness that Mr. Barton is still around and keeping fly fishing blogging weird and always making us think a little (and a lot sometimes) more than we were before.  The website's ABOUT page will catch you up with where he's coming from in short order.
 

What are you reading this week?

The Study Of A Hall Pass

I think every parent and spouse that juggles family life with the want and need to be on the water will totally get this excellent film by Dustin Miller.



More goodness on the Vimeo page.

Doing It The (New) Old Way

Sometimes it's just so satisfy to do something the old way...even if you're using new ways of doing it.

Michigan guide Matt Zudweg has been having a good time this summer with his Seele Fly Rods Rapid fiberglass eight weight and his balsa Gerbubble Bugs.

Matt wrote...  "There is something very satisfying about throwing vintage balsa on glass. It makes me feel more connected to anglers who have gone before me." 

Want to see how Matt creates the Gerbubble Bugs?  Check out this T.F.M. post to see the step by step of a batch that he did last winter.

Want to do it the old way with Matt?  Book a smallie trip on the Muskegon River with him.  Check out the Z Fly Fishing website for more information. 

A Free History Of...

You may already know that several of the fellows from Howler Brothers are also three of five parts of the band, Wrinkle Neck Mules. 

Here's a collection of fifteen free tunes to press PLAY on and rock out in your cubicle.

Enjoy.

Grizzly Coolers 40 - Review Follow Up

It doesn't happen that often around here but it's good to circle back to a past gear review with an update to see how that gear is holding up.  The Grizzly Coolers 40 is one of those things.

By my count, the Grizzly Coolers 40 has been in the back of the F-150 pickup truck that I drive while working with the Lexington Police Department for well over 400 days and it may be closer to 500 days now.  The first thing that I do each morning when I arrive at work is to make sure the cooler is full of water and sports drinks and give it a half bucket of fresh ice to top it off.  When you work outside in the heat of South Carolina, it's imperative to keep everyone hydrated on a scene.   

The other day I noticed that one of the BearClaw Latches on the cooler was ripped apart and my first thought was that the rubber was likely breaking down being in the elements for over a year.  We have had a brutal summer with weeks and weeks over 100 degrees each day and that was after an usually cold winter with weeks in the teens.  Somewhat typical South Carolina summer weather with some atypical South Carolina winter weather, the Grizzly Coolers 40 has seen it all.

After getting a couple new BearClaw Latches in the mail and comparing them to the used latches, I think that it's less about the rubber breaking down and more likely one of the many first responders tried to force the lid open when either both latches weren't unlatched or the cooler was vapor locked and they didn't vent it before forcing the lid open damaging the latch.  Oh well, it happens.   

The good thing in all of this is that new BearClaw Latches are easily to order and even easier to replace as the next few photos can attest.  Seriously, this takes mere seconds to fix.   

Back in business and I figure if I go through a latch every now and then it's still well worth it to have cold drinks day in and day out.  This cooler has been a lifesaver on more than one critical incident.

The Grizzly Coolers 40 continues to impress and even if it looks a bit weathered after riding in the back of the truck for over the past year, it will performs just like it should.

How much does my agency believe in using premium coolers in our vehicles now?  Since I started using mine, we have now added two more premium coolers to our patrol vehicles and always have all three loaded up ready at all times with cold drinks.

To read the past Grizzly Coolers 40 gear review, click HERE.

Visit the Grizzly Coolers website for more information.

Catch Magazine - Issue #42

The latest issue of Catch Magazine is live and is a trip around the angling world from behind the lens.

CHECK IT.

Introducing C.L. Crumbliss Fly Rod Co.

Longtime readers may remember Craig Crumbliss from a T.F.M. post fly fishing in Orlando years ago.  Craig's interest in glass was just beginning then though fast forward to the present and he's recently launched a new venture dubbed the C.L. Crumbliss Fly Rod Co. with his initial offerings with both fiberglass and bamboo. 

Craig has worked for the better part of the last year to find a series of suitable imported blanks that he will build off of and each four piece build includes high grade cork, Lemke hardware, and cork or hardwood reel seats.

I've had to opportunity to demo both the four and five weight and these are excellent casting fly rods.  I especially like that they are four piece builds for ease in traveling.

Craig wrote...  "The rods that I offer are constructed on two different size blanks from the same series.  These blanks are among the best I found when searching through several different manufacturers.  I hope to work with the vendor to expand this series to include a few different sizes in the future.  

My current offerings are:

7’6″ 4 Weight - Four Piece
8’0″ 5 Weight - Four Piece

The blanks have a medium-progressive action with a firm but noticeably fiberglass feel, the four piece design with tip-over-butt ferrules make a very packable rod ready to accompany you into the backcountry.  The light carmel colored blanks are finished with black nickel Snake Brand guides wrapped with fine YLI silk, coated with a light build epoxy.  The rod is connected to the angler through the hand turned “flor-grade” grip which is turned on the rod blank.  Finishing the butt section are Lemke reel seats, the LC14 Pocketed slideband seat on the 4wt and the Garrison style GS1 Downlocking seat on the 5wt.  Standard rods have a cork reel seat insert while the deluxe rods have a hand picked hardwood reel seat insert.

Rods are secured in a sewn cotton rod sleeve and will ship in a pvc tube packed inside a USPS Priority shipping tube.  I’m happy to offer an aluminum rod tube at my cost of $30.  USPS Priority Shipping in the U.S. is $15, outside the U.S. please contact me and we can figure out the best option for your needs.

The first series of rods will be offered for $265/285."

For those interested in the first sold four or five weight fiberglass fly rod, Craig will also include the matching 406 Fly Lines to accompany the purchase free of charge.

Check out the C.L. Crumbliss Fly Rod Co. website for more information. 

Have a question or would like to place an order?  Email Craig at craig.crumbliss@gmail.com.

F&S Adventures: Paddling Quetico

The crew at Field & Stream has delved into podcasts and their first series covers a mutli-day paddling adventure within the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. 

This trip had everything from great fly fishing for smallmouth, late nights around the fire, biting bugs, and tiring portages.  This is a fun listen and if you're like me you'll be pouring over maps and checking things out for a possible trip for yourself.

There are seven well done episodes in this series to enjoy so you can either binge listen to them all or space them out one by one.

Find them in this Field & Stream blog post or on iTunes.  Start with Episode 1 and enjoy.

Seele Fly Rods - Rod Building Workshop

Recently rod makers Mike McFarland and Michael Mauri of Seele Fly Rods hosted their first fly rod building class at their shop in Bellwood, Pennsylvania.

These six students did everything from rolling their own blank to finishing their fly rod step by step over the five day course.  These five days also included casting instruction from Michael Mauri and fly fishing the local waters.

The next fly rod building class will be offered October 14th to October 18th, 2015 and the cost is $1,295 per student to attend.  This class is limited to six students and tuition includes all rod building materials, lunch each day, and a steak dinner on Saturday night.

More information on the fly rod building classes HERE.

Check out the Seele Fly Rods website for more information.

Nymph Head Evolution Fly Tying Contest

The friends at Flymen Fishing Company have a new fly tying contest that just sparked off last week.  Eight weeks long with a finalist each week who will all be up for the grand prize of a Fish-Skull Fly Tester in the end.

It's time to grab a few packages of Evolution beadheads and hit the vise.

Check the Flymen Fishing Company website for more information.

Flat Creek Rods - Tom Morgan Rodsmiths 8' Four Weight

With everything going on this summer, I have been a little slack keeping up with the T.F.M. Fly Rod Loan Program and one of the most recent fly rod additions has been the Flat Creek Rods built Tom Morgan Rodsmiths 8' four weight that turned out just beautiful. 

Ben Casarez does excellent work and this build features high grade cork, Texas Live Oak reel seat, agate guide from Joe Arguello, hardware from Joel Lemke, and thin wire snake guides. 

Check out this T.F.M. post to see where this build started from.

Besides being a sharp blank to look at, the Tom Morgan Rodsmith fiberglass fly rod tapers are just so damn dialed in.  You need one in your life.

Flat Creek Rods has the following Tom Morgan Rodsmiths blanks in stock...

7'6" Four Weight - Two Piece
8' Four Weight - Two Piece
8' Five Weight - Two Piece
8'6" Seven Weight - Two Piece

Check out the Flat Creek Rods website for more information.  Follow along on the Facebook page for the latest shop news and photographs.

TENKARA CAST Podcast

Looking for a new podcast to listen to?  Check out the Tenkara Cast which is hosted by Daniel Galhardo of Tenkara USA. 

The focus of these podcasts are to share stories, experiences, philosophy, and techniques of tenkara angling.

If you are in need of a drinking game then take a shot every time Daniel says the word "SIMPLE".  You might be just a little drunk before the first episode is complete...

There are three episodes loaded up on the Tenkara USA website, with a new episode coming every week or so, and the podcast is available through iTunes as well.

Check Out 720Fly.

It's always fun to get a package in the mail and the other day a box arrived from 720Fly with a few items from their online store.  The t-shirts ordered were sized to fit our children and Hadley and Finn were so stoked with the fish designs as scrambled to grab their favorite.  All three are cool but the smalljaw design is my favorite. 

Need to update your wardrobe with a couple fresh t-shirts or a hat?  Check out 720Fly.

Follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too.

UPDATE - Through August 18th, 720Fly is running a summer sale and when you order two t-shirts, they'll toss in a third for free.

6 Cool Things To Read

Another week and another mash up of six favorite articles I've stumbled across worth sharing.

BLUE HALO ON MOUSING
You might remember the recent mousing video that Blue Halo released and they followed it up with a solid tutorial for serving up furry flies at night.

DENEKI OUTDOORS - 9 STYLES OF INTRUDERS
It's never to early to be thinking about the steelhead fly wallet and here's nine ways to doll up your intruder patterns.

GARDEN & GUN WITH MR. LEFTY KREH
Lefty's 90 and still killing it.  This is a fun read.

DARREN BUSH ON NEXT GEN KIDS AND THE WILD
There is a lot of truth in this article and even as young as our children are, they still recall early paddling and camping trips (that were long and hard and not always well thought out) as some of their favorite memories outside.

KEVIN AND STEVE NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD
The Third Coast Fly crew see a lot of different anglers, with a wide array of talents, and photographer Hollis Bennett came to fish recently and passed along these stellar images from the trip.

WRITING OUTDOORS ON MONTANA RODSMITHS
Keep an eye out on Montana Rodsmiths.  Zac Sexton is a glass geek and he's got some ideas in the works that I'm sure will be shared soon on T.F.M.

Alright, that's done.  Time to get outside.